05.30.19

PW OPINION PW NEWS PW LIFE PW ARTS
Breaded Ravioli
dining & nitelife
directory
Average price per entree
$ up to $10 $$$ $16-25
$$ $11–15 $$$$ $25+
EL PORTAL
695 E. Green St., Pasadena
(626)795-8553
Elportalrestaurant.com $$
Pasadena Weekly readers have been
rewarding El Portal with the title of Best
Mexican Food in the city for years. This
charming little hacienda with brick walls,
festive colors, fine art and a California
elegant courtyard brings the authentic
cuisine of Mexico and the Yucatan region
to your table.
MARGARITA’S
155 S. Rosemead Blvd., Pasadena
(626) 449-4193 margaritaspasadena.com $$
At Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, our family
has been sharing our authentic Mexican dishes
with the wonderful people of Pasadena since
1977. Guests enter our warm, inviting space and
leave as family -- with plenty of burritos, tortas,
tostadas, fajitas, and more to be had in between!
Our dishes incorporate and pay homage to
the rich flavors of bustling mercados, corner
taquerias, and seaside palapas. So visit us, eat
to your heart's content at our mouthwatering
lunch buffet, sip on a refreshing margarita, and
feel at home.
PIZZA, PASTA, GELATO … OH, MY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
HILL STREET CAFÉ
1004 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge
818-952-1019 hillstreetcafelacanada.com $$
Hill Street Café is celebrating over 25 years of
serving the community quality meals made of
quality ingridients. we want to thank all of you
who stuck with us during the remodeling process
and we want to welcome back everyone else. in
our recent remodel, we have added an outdoor
patio, a bar and more dining area, we have created
a relaxed ambience with a touch of modern but
still retaining our extensive menu, our friendly
service and most important a family atmosphere.
KABUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANTS
88 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena,
(626) 568-9310
3539 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena,
(626) 351-8963 kabukirestaurants.com $$
When you walk into a Kabuki you won’t be overwhelmed
with Asian decor and music. What you will
encounter is a casual atmosphere with today’s hottest
music playing, people smiling and our friendly staff
welcoming you through the doors. Look for the Red
Mask. Come eat, drink and have fun!
TOPS WALNUT
1792 E. Walnut St., Pasadena
(626) 584-0244 topsburger.com $
At TOPS on Walnut & Allen, we maintain the original
taste from 60 years ago. My father wanted to create
food as close to homemade as possible. Our primary
goal and focus is on taste, quality, freshness, cleanliness
in our service and experienced staff. Most of
our staff have been with us for more than twenty
years. We invite you to come to TOPS on the corner
of Walnut & Allen and taste the difference! Meet our
staff and experience what quality service should be.
The same quality service that has made us #1.
SHANDONG DUMPLINGS
80 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena
626-578-9777
227 W. Valley Blvd, 168 A, San Gabriel
626-308-3777 $
Shandong Dumplings is your Reader Recommended
Winner for BEST DUMPLINGS in the
2018 Reader’s Poll! We have been a cornerstone
in the greater Pasadena community and are well
known for our outstanding cuisine, excellent
service and friendly staff. Recognized for our
modern interpretation of classic dishes and
insistence on using only the highest quality,
freshest ingredients. Open for Lunch and Dinner
daily and until 2am Wed-Sat.
TOM'S FAMOUS FAMILY
RESTAURANT
1130 E. Walnut St. Pasadena
626-577-7717 tomsfamous.com $
Please come and enjoy homemade breakfast
lunch and dinner all made from scratch and
FRESH. Nothing is ever served or made from a
can. We pride ourselves as being the cleanest
store with the best quality food and BEST
service in town. Thank you PASADENA!!!!!
ZELO GOURMET PIZZAS
328 E. Foothill Blvd.Arcadia
626-358-8298 myzelopizza.info $$
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.
in Pasadena, and has been in the same location
since 1960, which was evident on my solo night
out. Although it was pretty full when I arrived,
everything about Domenico’s felt homey and
comfortable. There were no cheesy props or
decor that screams “Italian,” like bright red
checkered tablecloths or stereotypical Italian
chef figurines, mainly because everything about
Domenico’s screams authentic. I was seated at
a small table in the corner and enjoyed having
a view of everyone else. Families and couples
dined together, and it was clear that the waiters
were either familiar with their patrons, or they
were just friendly and welcoming. My waiter
joked with the large party in front of me for some
time before taking their orders.
To start, I had the fried ravioli ($8.95), which
came out within 10 minutes of ordering and was
nothing short of amazing. Fried ravioli stuffed with
cheese and served with marinara to dip into —
could it get any better? I knew immediately I would
take home half of the generous portion. The servers
were happy to answer my questions, so when it
came down to deciding what sauce for my gnocchi
a la carte ($10.49), it was suggested that I try the
creamy marinara for $1 extra. Creamy marinara is
simply regular marinara sauce mixed with alfredo
to give a creamier consistency, and just so happens
to work best with the gnocchi, as my waiter
suggested. No surprise there. My initial choice
of pesto would have been good, but not nearly as
perfect. Even a la carte my meal was served with a
side of garlic bread.
I should preface my remarks by saying that
gnocchi is on my short list of favorite pastas, so
perhaps I’m biased to say that their gnocchi is
one of the best I’ve ever had. While it tastes good
because of the nature of the pasta, this gnocchi
was special. Each bite was plump, pillowy, chewy,
and made me want to take a nap on the heaping
plate of it in front of me. As I was eating, a server
came to the pair next to me and said, “We ready for
boxes?” knowing full well that they, like me, would
not be able to finish the entirety of their meal.
Sometime later I wasn’t even halfway through and
my server came to me and with a smile asked if I
wanted a box. While I could have continued eating,
I reluctantly agreed and he whisked away the plate.
Many of their entrees are served with a choice of
soup or salad and garlic bread, so it felt like staff
had an acquired radar that could detect when
diners were close to their limit, and they rushed to
save the day — or in the case of some diners and
me, helped us avoid that feeling of a food coma
coming on.
In my case, they couldn’t quell my desire to at
least try their gelato. I went with the cookies and
cream ($4.95), made with cookie bits and coated in
hard shell chocolate, then served in a portion size
for one person, or to share if you’ve already fallen
into a semi-comatose state. Although it isn’t made
in-house, the gelato is tasty. My waiter shared with
me his favorite is the brownie cake, but that will
have to wait for next time.
Since I’d never been to Domenico’s, it dawned
on me later that perhaps going in a group would
have been ideal in order to try their pizza — for
which they are best known. Their menu boasts
both traditional pizza toppings and options to
make it unique, like salami, chorizo, broccoli, and
artichoke hearts, all dependent on the number of
toppings preferred. Gluten-free crust is available,
with the rest of the menu featuring cold and hot
sandwiches, such as eggplant, sausage, even
a pizza sandwich ($9.40-$10.40). Beyond the
amazing and diverse Italian fare offered, the most
appealing aspect of Domenico’s is its no-fuss
experience and cozy feel. Despite the place being
busy the night I was there, it feels like a restaurant
you’d only know about as a local resident. While
the restaurant has earned great reviews online,
most of those people seem to agree with that
sentiment. Whether with a group or alone, like me,
Domenico’s is sure to win you over.
12 PASADENA WEEKLY | 05.30.19