But:  For the under $10 part.  Gaja Moc just started opening for lunch (first date of service was 3/17).  They have insane (read: huge) lunch set menus, which are all plays on the noodle soup + salad + side rice bowl combo.  The udon soups come in a f*ing casserole dish, for god sake.  It’s pretty mad / rad:

A nice, big treat for $7.95.  The seafood udon with the spicy broth is a stand-out.  Even their website can’t believe this deal, apparently, since they publish higher prices (and smaller bowls) online than in their physical menus.  You can also try their lunchtime Okonomiyakis (which the kitchen does for you – tabletop grills reserved for dinner only) as a set menu choice.  They cook ‘em up hefty:

Go during dinner time for the experience, but give lunch a try – seriously the best deal in town.

(310) 534-0153

12″ on the counter

Two locations:

Big Mike’s Philly Steaks and Subs
1314 Hermosa Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 798-1499

507 Main St.
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 726-9638

As is typical, the menu is mostly variations on pho with beef broth –you make your selection/combination of rare steak, flank, brisket, tendon, tripe, and meat balls. At Pho Hana, they even have a choice of “fat crispy”, which is just delightful.

The pho is served piping hot. The noodles are chewy and aren’t clumped together – a good sign. My friend ordered a extra side of rare beef and I watched her swirl each piece into the broth, the edges of the beef curling up as they cooked up against the sliced onions and chile paste…it was almost too much to take. I think I grunted. Slurping ensued.

One complaint: PH could definitely throw a few more balls in the bowls.  However, the sides were plentiful and fresh – crisp bean sprouts, sliced chilies, Asian basil and lime halves. It’s a great place for lunch – food comes out lightening quick and the service is great. I also appreciated that they offer an “M” or “L” size for their noodles. An “M” is more than enough for lunch (“L” is big enough for a head dunk) and runs about $7 with tax. Yummers.

Pho Hana
22815 Hawthorne (Torrance)
1250 Lomita Blvd (Harbor City)
South Bay

Me, this year: “It’s stupid to spend $70 on raw fish – it doesn’t even get COOKED!” How a recession changes you. Let’s move on.

Taro Sushi & Teriyaki is a tiny storefront in Culver City, three blocks west of Sony. Call it what you want: Divey, hole-in-the-wall, B, etc.

Yes, the exterior is a bit jenky. As mentioned, the storefront is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it small and it looks like some DIY refurbishments happened in the form of Christmas lights and saggy grocery store balloons. But wait till you go in!

Alright, the inside isn’t much better. No music makes it a bit awkward (since there is a continuous whirring noise from the fridge), but there is some mom-and-pop charm here. Pull up a chair at the counter and you’re basically staring into the kitchen, the dishwashing area, and the top of the chef’s head at the same time. Menus are propped up against the counter and, once you’re ready, you let the person behind the counter know what you want.

Here’s where the SOLID starts. This place is mad cheap. Sushi are priced by the piece and are $1.90 for most fish. The pieces are FINGER-THICK. Consensus on the quality among the diners with me: Their fish is fresh, bright-colored (a good sign) and delicious. I’ve been to much more expensive places and gotten thinner pieces with less flavor. 6 pcs + miso soup is a filling lunch (and runs you about $12 total).

If you’re there for dinner, point your eyes down to the Rolls part of the menu. For most fish, a 6-pcer is $3.95. No fancy Hamasaku combos here, but again, the size is impressive and the fish is tasty. Handrolls are $3.50. Combos are a good deal, too: $7.95 for 6pc California roll and 3 sushi pieces of your choice. Other highlights from the menu: Salmon skin salad -$4.95! Tempura – $1.50! You get the gist.

The service is just like the food – nothing fancy, but fast and polite. One other thing that I must mention. Inexplicably, they have a clock whose second hand runs BACKWARDS. It almost makes “Charlie Brown Riding A Bass” look normal.

Don’t be sketched out. Go have yourself a working-class fun time, and you can write me back here if you get a tummy-ache. Other things you may want to know:

• I’m not kidding…place is SMALL. There is a narrow space between the counter and the backwall. Seats 4 MAX. There are 2 folding tables outside. Don’t be bringing a big group here.
• For summertime eating – this place is not air conditioned.
• If you don’t want to wait for a seat, call ahead for take-out.
• They close at 8 pm and are not opened on Sundays.
• Do you look good under fluorescent lights? Not many people do. Be ready to be a worse-looking version of yourself.
• No alcohol, but you can BYOB, which I prefer anyway.

Taro Sushi & Teriyaki
10834 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 837-3733

The cuisine is Indonesian, but novices need not fear. The food is absolutely authentic and some dishes are a bit foreign, but I guarantee that you won’t be made to feel stupid (ATTN: India Sweets and Spices – There’s a lesson here). The menu comes with English descriptions and the service is friendly. The place is completely unpretentious and the crowd here gives it the air of a local hangout.

On this visit, I had the Nasi Bungkus ($6.95), a banana-leaf wrapped dish of curried chicken, tender chunks of beef, lightly spiced potatoes & vegetables, heaped on top of sticky coconut rice. I barely lifted my head as I devoured the entire packet of delicious. Conversation ceased.

Oh, what’s this?


YEEEAAHHH!

All gone

*The last, Flash-less photo is a victim of food coma.

Meanwhile, the ignored Boyfriend had the Mie Tek Tek ($6.25), a street-style fried egg noodles plate with chicken, chopped yu choy and crunchy picked cucumbers. Side of shrimp crackers. It tastes as fun as it sounds.

I’m telling you now – cheapskate to cheapskate – find this place and find it often.

The menu is pretty big – there are also noodle soups, savory small plates, salads, fried rice. There is also a deli fridge filled with ready-made finger foods like dumplings, fish cakes, and fried tofu. BF and I both really wanted to get dessert or another plate to share, but having gotten a look at the other tables, we knew that the portions were big enough to get STUFFED. And we were. Conveniently enough, the 10-seater café is adjoined to a small grocery store, which is stocked with ramen, Sriracha, and shrimp crackers. We picked out some snacks to-go. Paid for dinner and groceries all on one bill. This place rocks!!

Dude on Ramen Package is delightful

Simpang Asia
10433 National Blvd (in the corner of a strip mall)
(310) 815-9075