09.13.18

PW OPINION PW NEWS PW LIFE PW ARTS
•RESTAURANT REVIEW•
dining & nitelife
directory
Average price per entree
$ up to $10
$$ $11–15
$$$ $16-25
$$$$ $25+
TOM'S FAMOUS FAMILY
RESTAURANT
1130 E. Walnut St. Pasadena
626-577-7717 tomsfamous.com $
Please come and enjoy homemade
breakfast lunch and dinner all made from
scratch and FRESH. Nothing is ever served
or made from a can. We pride ourselves as
being the cleanest store with the best quality
food and BEST service in town. Thank
you PASADENA!!!!!
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
HIKARI SUSHI
2064 Verdugo Blvd. Montrose
818-957-1800 Hikarisushiglendale.com $$
Hikari Sushi in Montrose is open for business
to serve you fresh sushi, with a variety of
rolls. We are the first All You Can Eat Sushi
Restaurant in the City of Glendale. Please join
us! We are looking forward to serving you!
KABUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANTS
88 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena,
(626) 568-9310
3539 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena,
(626) 351-8963
kabukirestaurants.com $$
When you walk into a Kabuki you won’t be
overwhelmed with Asian decor and music.
What you will encounter is a casual atmosphere
with today’s hottest music playing,
people smiling and our friendly staff welcoming
you through the doors. Look for the Red
Mask. Come eat, drink and have fun!
MARGARITA’S
155 S. Rosemead Blvd., Pasadena
(626) 449-4193 margaritaspasadena.com $$
At Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, our family
has been sharing our authentic Mexican
dishes with the wonderful people of Pasadena
since 1977. Guests enter our warm, inviting
space and leave as family -- with plenty of
burritos, tortas, tostadas, fajitas, and more
to be had in between! Our dishes incorporate
and pay homage to the rich flavors of bustling
mercados, corner taquerias, and seaside palapas.
So visit us, eat to your heart's content
at our mouthwatering lunch buffet, sip on a
refreshing margarita, and feel at home.
TOPS WALNUT
1792 E. Walnut St., Pasadena
(626) 584-0244
topsburger.com $
At TOPS on Walnut & Allen, we maintain the
original taste from 60 years ago. My father
wanted to create food as close to homemade
as possible. Our primary goal and focus is
on taste, quality, freshness, cleanliness in
our service and experienced staff. Most of
our staff have been with us for more than
twenty years. We invite you to come to TOPS
on the corner of Walnut & Allen and taste the
difference! Meet our staff and experience
what quality service should be. The same
quality service that has made us #1.
WE OLIVE
32 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-787-1000
weolive.com/Pasadena $$
We Olive Pasadena features an array of olive
oils, vinaigrettes, dips, and other one of a
kind flavors and offers complimentary Olive
Oil tastings.
We now serve lunch & dinner! Enjoy the
summer evenings on our We Olive Patio!
Happy Hour M – F 3:30 – 7pm! Enjoy cheese
and charcuterie and California small patch
wine. Shopping for a gift? Check out our
wide selection of customized gourmet gifts.
Located in Old Pasadena right next to free 90
minute parking.
ZELO GOURMET PIZZAS
328 E. Foothill Blvd.Arcadia
626-358-8298
myzelopizza.info $$
It’s the cornmeal crust that makes this pizzeria
stand out from the rest. This locally owned
establishment’s signature dish is the fresh,
corn, balsamic-marinated, oven-roasted red
onion pie. Zelo Pizzeria has expanded the
dining room to better serve you, so come in
and give Zelo Pizzeria a try.
VERTICAL WINE BISTRO
70 N. Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-3999
verticalwinebistro.com $$
Set above the streets of Old Town Pasadena,
Vertical Wine Bistro offers a warm, inviting
dining experience with an elegant and
comfortable atmosphere. Our Chefs use only
the freshest ingredients when designing our
menu. We offer a wide selection of beer, wine
and hand crafted cocktails. Tuesday - Sunday:
5:00pm til Close - Happy Hour (Tues-
Fri): 5:00pm - 7:00pm – Closed Monday
BARBECUE HEAVEN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
take down the pound of meat and pound of side
dishes and ended up taking more than half home.
The chicken featured crispy skin on the leg and
thigh and subtle smokey barbecue flavor while the
white meat remained tender and juicy.
During my visit the pulled pork was tender and
flavorful, although a glance at the Yelp reviews
shows this isn’t everyone’s experience. I do
suspect the pulled pork would be better ordered
as a sandwich ($12) on a brioche bun topped with
coleslaw. Something about the mound of pieced
apart pork isn’t received too well on its own.
Ribs are available in baby back (half-rack $17
whole $29), or St. Louis style (half-rack $16 whole
$28). A quick primer on the difference between
the two: St. Louis typically have flatter bones
and a higher fat content while baby-backs are
smaller, more lean, and thus typically more tender
than St. Louis cuts, though both cuts can be
tender depending on how they are prepared. The
WeaKnees platter comes with four tender St.
Louis ribs, coated lightly in their house rub. If you
can’t get enough of their sauces, fret not. They
have two bottles at each table simply labeled
“spicy” and “not spicy.” It’s hard for me to say, but
they definitely compete for some of the best ribs
I’ve ever had.
The MVP of the WeaKnees platter was the
brisket. The marks of good brisket are that it doesn’t
fall apart on its own (a sign of undercooking) and
that it doesn’t taste like a campfire, a trap Sunday
morning grill masters often fall into while making
brisket. Max City’s had a thin, smoky bark and
the perfect pink smoke ring running along the
perimeter. Every piece was beautifully marbled and
cooked just enough so it split apart with little effort
Pullpork Sandwich with cucumber salad and coleslaw
and retained its juiciness.
No barbecue platters are complete without
their sides, and at Max City choose your sides
carefully because while all of the meat options
were rock solid, some of the sides could use
some TLC (looking at you, collard greens) The
standouts of the sides menu are the cornbread
(two pieces for $2.50. and the mac and cheese
eight ounces for $6 or 16 ounces for $12).
The cornbread served muffin style has a crispy
enough exterior that it doesn’t crumble as you try
to take a bite and a moist inside that doesn’t leave
you choking on chalky cornmeal the way oldschool
cornbread might. Sometimes little changes
to the classics are welcome and in the case of this
cornbread, they balance the traditional corn flavor
and a moist texture into a perfect little muffin.
I’m almost embarrassed to love mac and
cheese as much as I do. I’ve had all varieties
from the highbrow interpretations with truffle oil
and lobster to the hipster, sriracha hot-Cheeto
topped bowls. Refreshingly, Max City’s mac and
cheese didn’t need any added novelty to make it
incredible. It’s coated in a melted stringy cheese
and finished under a broiler for added texture.
With its comfortable atmosphere, friendly
staff, and well done BBQ favorites, I’ll be making
a trip back to Max’s soon, ideally for their Sunday
brunch served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. where they
meld their Southern barbecue classics with LA
brunch stylings. Their brunch features items
like Cornbread Waffles ($10) topped with maple
whipped cream, and fruit compote, and a Pulled
Pork Breakfast Sandwich ($12). Pair either of
those with their insanely low priced bottomless
mimosas ($12) and you’re in for a nice Sunday.
12 PASADENA WEEKLY | 09.13.18