University Club

@ USC

Fine Dining at USC? It's unheard of! Here is a look in the hideaway restaurant in the heart of the University Park Campus.


Steak frites with roasted vegetables. Sadly, it looked better than it tasted. My steak was a bit too chewy and rare for my taste. Also, the chef did not trim the silver skin from the steak, making the cutting of the steak a bit troublesome.


Kermit gave two thumbs up for the club's lamb chops.


I learned banking 101 from George.

Harold & Belle's

2920 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90018

A Creole restaurant recommended by a fellow foodie, Ginger.


Post game dinner with takeout from H&B's. Tip: make reservations!! We went without one and they told us the waiting time was around 2 hrs!


THE BEST CATFISH EVER! It was crispy (even after the ride back home), not a bit greasy and oh so flavorful. H&B's menu might run a bit steep, but it's worth the price (and wait) because their portions are gargantuan. The fried catfish came with crispy garlic toast, clam chowder, and corn on the cob - enough to feed 3 people.


Corn on the cob with its own special holder

Pinot Bistro

12969 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA

A night of fine bistro cuisine with my friend Allen and his work colleagues.


I started out with the Belgium endive salad with Roquefort cheese, caramelized walnuts and champagne vinaigrette. I'm not much of a salad fan, but I did like their play of the salty and sweet with the cheese and honey.


My entree, the grilled bistro steak with potato puree, crispy onions, and broccolini. Fabulous cut of beef with a light sauce and the fried onions provided a nice texture contrast. The potatoe puree was a bit jarring however with unmelted chunks of blue cheese that overpowered everything on the plate.


Allen's entree, a grilled fish dish with amazing polenta and haricot verts.


Desserts was definitely not Pinot's specialty. I had some stale profiteroles filled with generic tasting vanilla ice cream.


Allen's lemon tart was no better. It was heavy and sour but lacked lemon nuanced flavor.


Allen with Jeff and his wife Ginger (a fellow foodie!)


Allen and me, dressed to the nines


Overall, I loved Pinot's ambiance and main plates, but desserts? Better head over to Pinkberry for a green tea yogurt *i mean* iced dessert with raspberries.