Porto’s Bakery

Unfortunately, I’ll be leaving for Northwestern Tuesday (my summer is officially over), so this will be my last post on the SFVguide…for now.  I hope you enjoyed reading my reviews and checking out these restaurants.  I’ve got to say that it’s been a lot of fun discovering new places to eat and things to do, and it definitely made my summer more exciting.

This is one of the posts I am MOST excited for. Why? Because it brings back such good memories of a delightful brunch I had.  And looking at these pictures just gets me hungry again.

Porto’s Bakery has two locations: Burbank and Glendale.   I went to the famous bakery in Burbank and it was a LOT bigger than I imagined it to be. Inside the Spanish-style of the building, there is a snake of a line leading up to glass cases filled with the most delicious-looking pastries.  There was also a dining area that was filled with people carrying their bakery boxes to sit down and eat with a cup of coffee.

Porto’s is a Cuban-style bakery that has been in Glendale for over 35 years serving specialty cakes, pastries, desserts and even sandwiches.

The long line moved quickly and before I knew it, we reached the glass cases before I could decide what I wanted.  Oh my goodness. The choices were overwhelming…cakes, red velvet cupcakes, fruit tarts, rolls, creme brulee, cookies, and all different types of pastries!  However, my research and the advice from friends was to head straight for the potato balls and cheese rolls because they were Porto’s best.

Potato Balls

The Potato Balls were different than I expected – they were fried potatoes with a savory meat interior.  They are delicious to eat piping hot and the flavors juiced out with each bite.  I soon realized that ordering one potato ball per person was definitely not a good idea, I wanted more after I finished.

Refugiado - guava and cheese pastry

We also orderd the refugiado, which is a guava and cheese pastery.  It might seem a little strange because guava’s not a fruit you typically see in a fruit pastry, but this little number proves that it should be.  It’s the perfect mix of tart sweet (guava), creamy sweet (sweet cheese) and flaky sweet (the pastry).

cheese roll

The cheese rolls from Porto’s are made to perfection with delicate flaky pastry coated with a sugared glazed and filled with sweet cheese, sort of like a Danish.  It leaves your fingers all sticky, but the constancy of the thin pastry combined with a smooth sweet cheese creates a wonderful texture.

Pear Danish

I also loved the Pear Danish, which actually had half of a peeled pear in the center of the pastry, surrounded by sweet cheese.  All this made me wish we had ordered more savory pastries, but hey, you live and you learn right?

I really want to go back and try all the different goodies that I wasn’t able to try the first time, because everything looked so, SO delicious.  Porto’s, you have a new biggest fan.

Locations:  Glendale – 315 North Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203

Burbank – 3614 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

Good Ole’ Grandma Kim’s

This is another one of my favorites around these parts, a little restaurant tucked away in a nearly abandoned shopping center near the intersection of Roscoe and Topanga.  I keep going back because there’s always plenty of seats available and simply because I like the food.

Grandma Kim’s is a family-owned restaurant that started nine years ago with very humble beginnings, according to Richard Pai, the general manager.  The idea came from fellow churchgoers who loved to eat the food Grandma Kim made.

“They asked her to open a restaurant, and she did,” said Pai.

Although Grandma Kim has since passed away, her family keeps her legacy alive and continues to serve authentic Korean food.

Seafood Pancake

This is my favorite appetizer Pachan, or seafood pancake.  It’s another one of those savory pancakes that is made of various types of seafood and green onions all fried together with dough.  You cut it up like a pizza and give everyone a piece to dip into black vinegar/soy sauce.  When you eat it hot and crispy it tastes simply delicious

Kimchee Tofu Soup

This is best eaten when its really cold outside, so you can warm yourself up to a steaming bowl of spicy Kimchee Soon Du Bu, or soft tofu soup.  But…consider its summertime in the Valley, prepare to get all sweaty.

Galbi

The classic Korean BBQ -Galbi, or thinly sliced boneless beef with a tangy sauce.  I can’t say I’m an expert at Korean food (or any type of food for that matter), but in my humble opinion, this Galbi is really good.

The food at Grandma Kim’s is a little more pricey, around the range of $10-20.

Location: 8384 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Canoga Park

Brent’s Deli

Hello San Fernandians! I just got back from a trip to Taiwan, and so I apologize for the long haitus since my last post .  I know you must all be dying to know where to eat next, so here it is…the top rated deli in LA!

Located in a shopping center on Parthenia, I knew that Brent’s Deli would be a big deal from the fact that they had valet parking outside the unassuming restaurant.  And for good reason too – I couldn’t find a parking spot for the life of me!

Inside, the customer is first greeted with a bakery and a bunch of people waiting to be seated.  The owner didn’t have time to talk to me because of the lunchtime rush, but according to the menu, the deli was bought by the current owner, Ron Peskin, in 1969 when it was failing and in debt.  Peskin ran the deli until it became the number one deli in LA, and has since opened another store in Westlake Village.

I found the prices on the menu to be a bit more pricey than I expected, with their famous pastrami and corned beef sandwich about $13.  But once the dish arrived in front of me, I found out why it cost so much.

Pastrami and Corned Beef Sandwich

In a few words: it was HUGE.  If you’re looking for your run of the mill one piece of pastrami sandwich, then this sure isn’t it.  But if you’re looking for meat MEAT MEAT with a few slices of bread, then OH BOY you are at the right place.  It took me a while to figure out how to fit the sandwich in my mouth (I finally had to contend with first taking a bite of the pastrami sections, then of the corned beef section), but when I finally tasted it, it was SO good.  The meat is sliced so thin that it’s delicate and tender and every bite is FULL of flavor.  Half the sandwich made me full.

Potato Pancakes

We also ordered latkas, which are potato pancakes that came with apple sauce and sour cream to dip in.  I didn’t think it was anything too special, but then again, I might of just been wayy too full from the sandwich…

I would definitely recommend this place, just be prepared to wait for a table if you come at lunchtime and be SURE to come with an empty stomach.

Location: 19565 Parthenia Street, Northridge