Why has it taken us so long to get into this great Toluca Lake spot!? What it lacks in charm &…read morecharacter, it more than makes up with excellent food! We did lunch and had a Bulgogi Breakfast Burrito (outstanding, and will 100% return for this one), Dirty Fries with Bulgogi (more goodness from the bulgogi), Loco Moco and a Salmon Sashimi Bowl, both delicious! Portions were big and it's a good value. They were awesome to acknowledge a birthday with a stellar Creme Brulee! Service was very efficient. We'll definitely be back!

Was in town visiting our son, daughter-in-law, and our new granddaughter and they took us out for…read moredinner to celebrate the new grandpa's birthday. My son didn't make a reservation because it was a Wednesday night and he didn't think it would be crowded. But with 5 adults and a baby carriage, we had to wait for the right table because the somewhat small restaurant was full. We soon got a good spot and ordered the shrimp ceviche and the pan fried dumplings for appetizers. The ceviche was served on a bed of crispy noodles and it was refreshing and satisfying. The dumplings were crispy, not greasy, and flavorful. For dinner, we got 2 orders of japchae and 3 orders of bibimbap. With 2 Korean-born children and having visited the country, those are among our family's favorite dishes. And they did not disappoint. The japchae noodles were just right. They were not too firm and not too soft and well-seasoned. With a mixture of veggies, meat, mushrooms, eggs, and that delectable sauce, the bibimbap tickled and satiated the tastebuds. I told the server there was a birthday at the table and she brought out an excellent creme brulee with a candle in it. My husband and I didn't pay the bill. But the prices were reasonable with most of the entrees costing less than $20 each. We have four more days in town and may very well make another visit to indulge in that scrumptious food.

I had such a great experience at UMIAI! The food was absolutely delicious, and my favorite dish was…read moredefinitely the Albacore Black Garlic. It was so good!! On top of the amazing food, the staff was incredibly kind and welcoming. Kate was especially friendly and attentive throughout the meal. She made the experience even more enjoyable.

The food was incredible! The best cucumber seaweed salad I've ever had, they make the rolls in…read morefront of you but in a unique way. I ordered the blue crab and didn't realize they put it in front of me and they remade it because they wanted it to be the freshest possible. It was the best and freshest roll I've ever had. They make an amazing ponzu sauce that they mix with their black garlic and it's not only an incredible sauce but visually stunning. They also gave us green tea ice cream that was amazing. All said and done it was a perfect find with the nicest of people and incredible food!!

This is the place my husband and I go to about two or three times a week. It's the perfect Thai…read morerestaurant with amazing service -- and the food. Oh my God. Every dish tastes different, every single one is original and full of flavor. It's simply an incredible place to eat. Keep doing what you're doing -- you're doing an absolutely fantastic job! Michaela

I'm very conflicted about this place. It's between 3 and 4 for me, at the high 3's. I just wanted…read moreto love it since it had great reviews and the photos looked promising. The ingredients used were so fresh, you could really tell they use high quality ingredients. The food came out very quickly, and the server was attentive enough. I didn't expect it to be completely authentic, as its fusion of course. But it just really didn't have those bold Thai flavors you get at a usual mom & pop restaurant. It was sort of, for a lack of better description, a watered down version of Thai food. Nothing wrong with the food at all! Just, didn't completely wow me. Again, ingredients were incredibly fresh though, and it shows.

Worthy of a Michelin! Exceptional!…read more To say that this was one of the best experiences in thai food for a well traveled man like me, would not be an exaggeration! The duck curry is dense and intense with Japanese yam, a combination I've never seen before (order the curry medium spicey+). the chicken satay appetizer is double the size of what you're used to, & done to perfection. Shrimp pineapple fried rice made the perfect sweet and spicy dish. The pad se ew was done to perfection.... and we topped it all off with an Ube brulee (not exactly brulé'd but silky smooth experience all the same). Haven't taken such a long 2 hour nap on a Sunday afternoon in decades.

I had to go to a meeting nearby and needed to hit my macros. I have a friend who lives nearby and…read moreswore up and down that Rustic Spoon is somewhere I should check out. I finally made it, and well, no surprise, I am a fan. Parking Located on the corner of Magnolia and Whitsett Ave. There is plenty of street parking. But if your feeling a bit bold, there is a closed Rite Aid across the street that has a bunch of parking. Ambiance: For starters, this there is something about the decor, very classy yet casual somewhere you can have a quiet lunch and enjoy the day. I felt at home here and at ease. The staff were great on checking up on me every now and then and made sure I was well taken of. Food: There is a lot to talk about here. The name, for all accounts did not scream Thai Food, yet, I haven't had better Thai food and the area. I stopped in for lunch and they had a such a good Lunch selection and affordable ($20) that also includes a drink. I ordered the BBQ (due to macro restrictions) paired with a small salad and rice. Level with me, BBQ chicken is something I order really to test the waters and I can honestly say, one of the better BBQ chickens I have had. Though this review doesn't do Rustic Spoon much justice, I would highly recommend swinging by. I will, I would love to try some more traditional flavors such as the different curries and soups. Looking forward to the follow up!

I have been craving Thai Food for the past 2 days now. I've been to this charming, cozy, pretty…read morerestaurant too many times over the years, but not for the last 3 years. According to other reviews that I have read earlier today, the restaurant is under new management/ownership. Walked in today around 4:45pm and got a very nice, warm welcome from Alex - the owner himself. He told me to have a seat anywhere that I wanted, so I did. Alex himself took my order and the food came out pretty quickly and fast. I was very hungry so I got 2 main entrées and their regular small salad with peanut dressing. Ordered their Pad See Ew with beef & shrimp that also came with well cooked broccoli. I also got their crab fried rice and stayed with my water. Both entrees were cooked really well and were hot & tasty. My only complaint was that the beef was a bit overcooked and hard to chew. A lot of to-go orders and delivery/pick up by 3rd parties. Place was SPOTLESS CLEAN, including their gender neutral restroom. They also had nice decor all around. I really enjoyed my lunch and the portions being HUGE, took the rest home for my son to eat. Parking shared with 100 businesses:-) Thank you Alex & Noodle Monster!

This place is so cute! Definitely one of the hidden gems in a Valley strip mall. It's a total vibe…read more Art all over the walls, oldies bumping. Loved the atmosphere. Their Thai iced coffee is SO GOOD. It's pretty sweet, but had lots of strong coffee to offset the sweetness a bit. The gyoza and the shrimp rolls were amazing! Also loved the sauces they were served with. For my main I got the Pad woon sen and I felt like it lacked flavor. The chicken was also pretty dry and there wasn't much of it on the plate. Their menu is so big I would definitely come back and give it another try! Food was ready super fast. Great for take out or dine in!

10/10. Friendly staff, quality meat, cozy ambiance, and great service. Will definitely come back!read more

First time doing hot pot and decided to try this place! This is so fun and cool!…read more They have a full AYCE bar with seafood and different things to add to the broth. I got the mushroom broth and it was perfect, I couldn't really eat more than 2 plates of meat, it's a bit pricey but so so so yummy. Service was really kind, they explained everything to us. Ambiance was a bit weird.. could use some light music... but other than that it was great

Stopped by craving pho and happened to find this place on Google Maps. Tried the pork spring roll…read morewhich was refreshing and included a decent amount of meat, vege, and vermicelli. Beef pho hit the spot, perfect temp broth to wilt the herbs and sprouts, savory flavor, and tasty meats. The taco was a surprising hit, beef was the same from the pho topped with pickled onions. Must have with a spritz of lime and sriracha. Service was great, server was helpful, and friendly. Talked about the specials and took care of the rest. The restaurant has a charming fresh feel, nice decor and ample seating for groups. It was a little warm this summer afternoon but in all honesty it kinda added to the ambiance and reminded me a little of eating in Hanoi. All-in-all happy with my dining experience and will gladly add Lotus & Light in my pho round up.

I have ordered here multiple times and i keep getting screwed over on takeout orders. I dont know…read moreif the cook just sucks or its management's orders but when you order a banh mi, it comes with jalapenos. I even verified with the girl on the phone when placing the order i wanted jalapenos. The banh mi has no jalapenos, half the sandwich is daikon and carrots with a cucumber and the thinnest layer of overcooked beef on top. I ordered last month 2 banh mi and egg rolls. Banh mi had no jalapenos either, the egg rolls were missing lettuce wraps and the sauce was half the to go container. I've eaten here in person and received lettuce when eating in the restaurant, their yelp photos show lettuce wraps with the egg rolls. But every time i ordered egg rolls for takeout it is missing lettuce wraps. The one time i ordered and got the lettuce wraps with egg rolls, i had to explicitly tell them to add it that time. I thought this placed served the food as it should be in their culture? I've held back leaving a bad review of this place because i thought they would somehow improve or it was a one off mistake but this was the final straw. Consistently screwing up or intentionally holding back ingredients on takeout orders crazy. How much are you actually saving by with holding lettuce, sauce, and jalapenos??? This place used to be good, now it's just another above average spot. If you want banh mi, go somewhere else and be less disappointed.

One of the hottest Sushi spots in the valley!…read more I love the bar, the music, ambiance and food! Checkout the whole dried fish, yuzu margarita and all of the sashimi!

Taisho has been around for a number of years now, and it still manages to maintain its cool…read moreambiance and buzzing crowd. Would I come here for authentic, truly masterful Japanese food? No. This isn't that kind of place, and Taisho doesn't have that kind of menu. However, is this a good place to listen to decent music, sip a fun cocktail, and pass around some aesthetic Asian fusion dishes? Absolutely. It's a vibe on the weekends, there's semi-patio seating in the back, and there's valet parking right out front on Ventura Blvd. Taisho is a good option for dinner before a night out, or to catch up with a friend. Seating options are plentiful, too. The bar area is nice, the seats are comfy. The interior can fill up during peak hours. The outside seating in the front is a hard pass for me because it's so close to the street and seems isolated from the rest, but some people do prefer to sit out there. Street parking is available albeit competitive. Don't forget to pay the meter and check posted signs.