365 Places to Eat

Have you ever put a piece of meat in your mouth and just not wanted to swallow because the flavor was so extraordinary? I had that feeling the first time I put a bite of lamb/beef gyro from Al Hamra Halal Cafe. And to think, it almost didn’t happen.

I had all intentions of going to Al Hamra. When I pulled into the very crowded parking lot, I happened to be in front of another Halal spot in the mini mall which I first stepped into. I saw Chicken Dijon next door, which I like for rotisserie. I stayed the course and headed in to Al Hamra. Even then, I was planning on having the chicken shawerma. When I placed my order, though, the friendly server said “first time here? we suggest people order the combo of half chicken and half gyros the first time”. And my fate was sealed, a date with the best shawerma I ever put in my mouth.

My adventure didn’t stop with that bite. For $9.99 I had a heaping mound of chicken and gyros (lamb/beef) on top of rice, with a crisp salad and home made hummous on the side. I added a refreshing Moroccan mint iced tea and it was lunch perfection for around $13 with tax. Did I say lunch? There was enough food that I not only filled up for lunch, but took home enough left overs for a complete dinner.

The overall experience at Al Hamra is just fantastic. The owner is often there and the service couldn’t be friendlier. It’s an oasis in the south bay and one of the more enjoyable lunches I have had in a while. The sweet desserts are a nice touch too.

Al Hamra Halal Cafe
2515 Artesia Boulevard
Redondo Beach, California 90278

Big Wok used to be in Hermosa Beach, but they moved down the street a number of years ago and went from a one wok organization to two. The name stayed the same, however, it is not known as Big Woks.

If you have been to Mongolian BBQ before, nothing here will surprise you. There is a broad range of meats, including beef, chicken and lamb. All meat is frozen and thinly sliced, which helps it cook in concert with the other ingredients.

You move down the line, filling your bowl with the meats, veggies and noodles, then concocting your own sauce mixture from their different chili, garlic and lemon waters. I suggest making it hot!

The woks at Big Wok are in fact, big. Multiple chefs walk the ingredients around the Woks — flipping, moving and saucing the meat veggies and noodles with a watchful eye.

You can be sure that on a normal weekday, there will be many watchful eyes on the chefs. Big Wok is an economical way to grab a big lunch. It’s around $10 for all you can eat BBQ.

One of my favorite things about Big Wok is their sesame buns. They come out hot and somewhat chewy on the inside, with delicious flavor. Some people warn you about “filling up” on the bread, and to save room for the main event, but I think they are worth it.

Another entertaining aspect of Big Wok is to watch the seasoned customers. Some people have the bowl loading exercise down to a science. They eschew the normal order of ingredients and hit the meat first, to maximize, and finish with the noodles on top, using them as sort of a glue or weight to hold everything in the bowl. It’s a sight to see.

If you go during lunch, try to get there by 11:30 or after 1:30, otherwise you’re looking at a possible wait for both table and wok time.

Yelp Review

Big Wok
250 N Sepulveda Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 798-1155

I have said it before, I’ll say it again. I could eat rotisserie chicken every day. I consider myself somewhat of an amateur expert on the subject.

Chicken Maison is Mediterranean style chicken, served with their own concoction of garlic sauce and pita bread. There are other dishes, such as falafel, kabobs, salads and soups, but you go to Chicken Maison for the chicken.

A quarter piece of dark meat chicken comes with two sides and pita bread for $7. Throw in a fresh brewed mint iced tea and you have a filling lunch for under $10. I like to have a baked potato and steamed veggies on the side. The veggies are cooked just right, steamed but still crunchy. The flavor is still there, not overly steamed and mushed together.

The chicken itself is excellent. Of the rotisserie chicken spots, their skin is probably some of the crispiest, which I like. There isn’t a real heavy marinade, and I think that there is a decent amount of pepper on the skin. The garlic sauce isn’t overly strong, but does have nice flavor. It’s the creamier version of the sauce that everyone tried to perfect.

Another bonus is that Chicken Maison is very easy to get to off of the freeway in the South Bay. If you are driving by during lunch, make sure to jog off the freeway at Inglewood, head south and Chicken Maison is at the first main intersection of Inglewood and Manhattan Beach.

Chicken Maison
2709 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Tel: 310-725-0035

Less than a mile south of LAX on Sepulveda is a minimall which is anchored by Sizzler and El Pollo Loco. Once you get past that fact, there are a two hidden gems in the center that serve up Mediterranean meals, Petit Cafe and Smarco’s Grill.

One thing I like at Smarco’s is the Chicken Tawook plate. The tawook plate is essentially a chicken kabob, taken off of the skewer and served with two sides. In my case I choose their house potatoes, which are cooked with onions and a generous load of garlic, and the tomato cucumber salad which has a mild dressing and parsley for an added flavor boost. In addition to the grilled pita, don’t forget to ask for hot sauce, which is their spicy concoction of tomato-y goodness.

One notable thing about Smarco’s is their meat. They have their chicken, meats and seafood displayed like a butcher’s counter, packed in ice and fresh. The chicken is marinated in a heavenly citrus sauce and cooks up plump and juicy, never dry or limp. They will sell you their meats by the pound so that you can cook up the goodness at home, someday I am going to take a stuffed salmon to go and broil it for dinner.

Smarco’s looks like a hole in the wall, and is sandwiched between Subway and El Pollo Loco, but their quality and flavors are tops. Parking in the lot is tight, especially around lunch time. If you’re going to pick someone up at the airport and have an extra half hour, give Smarco’s a try.

Smarco’s Grill
630 N Sepulveda Blvd
El Segundo, Ca
(310) 640-2274