olivia s.

Lee Kam Kee Vietnamese Rstrnt

Not the typical PHO restaurant that many go to for vietnamese noodles. The restaurant has a comfortable decor and the staff is very warm and provides great service. They have special dishes such as crab steamed with beer and a delicious curry crab. You will find some traditional Vietamese dishes but also some French dishes such as fillet mignon beef cubes (EXCELLENT if i may say).

PRO: Tasty food, great service, warm ambiance, very clean.

CON: closed one day of the week, small parking lot with narrow parking spaces

Yama Restaurant

If you love tempura (fried shrimp & assorted veggies) but hate the oily factor, then this is the place to go. They have the best tempura I've ever had because its super crispy, yet you won't find it soaked with oil like other Japanese restaurants. They have great Batayaki (a beef stir fry type dish) that is excellent...and tastes even better the next day! This is a modest little restaurant that serves great food at reasonable prices, so don't expect a trendy venue that lures you in with quirky sushi names. Its just one of those places that doesn't look as great as other restaurants, but the good service and great food will keep bringing you back.

PRO: Crispy tempura and the Batayaki. Great service.

CONS: Limited street parking especially on weekends

Shin-Sen-Gumi, Hakata Ramen

This is the place to go! The noodles and broth is prepared to YOUR liking. Just tell them how hard you want your noodles and how strong you want your broth (I usually go medium all the way). You can get refills on ramen for only $0.95 more, but i suggest that you save some broth if you're planning to do so. Aside from ramen, they also have many other side dishes and specials (which are usually posted up on the walls) which are all equally delicious. Very modern ambience with incredibly upbeat waiters/waitresses who will greet you the moment you walk in and graciously thank you on your way out.

PRO: good food that won't burn a hole in your wallet
CON: can't take the ramen to go =(

La Luna Negra

What more can you ask for? This is one of the BEST tapas restaurants I have ever been to in Los Angeles. The dishes are small and may be a little pricey, but well worth it, your taste buds will thank you. My fav: sausage and mash potato. On Thursday evenings you can also catch the flamenco dancers...but be sure to request one of the tables near the stage so you can see the foot work.

PRO: food
CON: weak sangria

Gossip

Gossip carries a lot of the same items as Angl, but usually in different colors, patterns, or cut. Quality is so-so but it is reasonably priced. You can find accessories to match, as well as footwear. They also carry the ANGRY LITTLE GIRLS line of bags.

CON: the store is not very spacious, racks are packed pretty close to each other so it can be a bit of a hassel to search through merchandise, and dont expect a greeting when you enter, because you won't get one as the girls are too busy chatting it up with one another.

XI

XI carries a variety of styles from trendy to business attire at reasonable prices and several sizes are usually available. They also carry accessories and footwear. However, the quality isn't always top notch. Great place to pick up some summer tanks and cute, yet affordable tops for your night out on the town. Plenty of parking since its part of a large plaza, however it does get quite busy on the weekends.

B Luu

PRO:
Very nice boutique in Paseo that carries a variety of labels including: Marc Jacobs, Frankie B., True Religion, Diesel, etc. It's upscale quality at high prices, but you can be sure that you're getting what you pay for. The girls are friendly and great at assisting you find the size you want. I have even received a call from B. Luu when a pair of jeans I wanted (but wasn't in stock at the time of my visitation) in my size was available at the store!

CON:
Pricey, few sale items, poor parking during the weekends.

Appalet

PRO: great deals at affordable prices, carries several labels and mall brands (i.e. Abercrombie, AE, etc). there are several discount racks for your choosing. you can shop for your casual & business attire all in one store! you will not find better customer service: the girls great you immediately, are friendly, and happy to assist.

CON: some of the items may have rips, tears, and defects...so take care when choosing. sizes are extremely random and you may not find always find your size. important note: TRY EVERYTHING ON! not everything is true to size. parking lot spaces are extremely cramped.

Angl Inc

If you're looking for good quality, this is not the place to go. I bought a sweater this past winter and it pretty much started to unravel after one wash. I would advise careful inspection of the items you're intrested in before purchasing, as you may find loose threads and unraveling seams. You may as well go to Downtown's Fashion District to purchase the same items for less! But from time to time they do carry cute items that are decently constructed.

As far customer service, it varies. As a resident of the Paseo apts, I've gone back on several occasions and found that certain girls have never greeted me nor assisted me and took a while before coming to the register, while on other visitations there has been a Chinese girl, Nancy, who is extremely customer oriented and will even go out of the way to check the mannequins to find your size. So find her if you need assistance the next time you're there!