Neptune’s Net

Neptune’s Net
42505 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu
310-457-3095

I've always had Neptune's Net on my bucket list of places to try, but never made it out there.  I've been to other seafood places on PCH in Malibu like, Malibu Seafood and Reel Inn.  So, I finally made it to Neptune's Net.

Neptune's Net has basically the same concept like Malibu Seafood.  Communal picnic tables, great views of the oceans, and seafood!  The location says Malibu, but I didn't know Malibu continued in Ventura County!  When driving north on PCH, you see a sign- Entering Ventura County!  It's about a 30 mile drive from Santa Monica!  Neptune's Net draws a very diverse crowd; from the douchebag hipsters, to hikers-lots of hiking trails nearby, surfers, and bikers-more the wannabe Hell's Angels type than the hard core bikers!

Clam chowder, 8oz, $3.95.  Lots of potatoes, but clams were hard to find.  Nice creamy, hearty broth.  Not too impressed with this example of clam chowder.

Fried fish and shrimp, double combo with fries, $13.95.  The fish is wild Alaskan cod.  Two big pieces that had been sitting under heat lamps for awhile.  Nice, crunchy batter.  If I had to bet, I would bet the fish were fresh but I wouldn't be surprised if it was frozen.

I'm pretty sure the shrimp was frozen.  Six butterflied shrimp are nice and crunchy, but again, had been sitting under heat lamps.

I asked for fries to be well done, they weren't, again sitting under heat lamps.  As you can tell, I wasn't that impressed with the food at Neptune's Net. 

Service was good.  The lady who took my order was very nice and well trained.  She knew who kind of fish they used for the fish and chips, and if there was any bacon in the clam chowder; there isn't.  My order came out quickly, another clue it had been sitting under heat lamps.

If Malibu Seafood was a longer drive than Neptune's Net, I would still go to Malibu Seafood, at least for the fried seafood.  Food wise Malibu Seafood is slightly better, but neither are anything great.  Location gives both places are great advantage, but I don't think they are worth the drive.

Hollywood Pies

Hollywood Pies
6116 1/2 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles
323-337-3212

November 9, 1989 is recognized as the day the Berlin Wall came down!  Today is the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall!  This couldn't have happened without President Reagan, in June of 1987, telling those commie bastards to "TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!!! "  About two years later, the Berlin Wall came down and those commie bastards lost the Cold War!! USA!!  USA!! USA!!

Los Angeles has the largest section of the Berlin Wall, outside of Germany, across from LACMA and hosted by the Wende Museum.

What does the Berlin Wall have to do with Hollywood Pies?  Nothing really, expect that the Berlin Wall display is about a mile away from Hollywood Pies.  But, on such a historic occasion, people should remember the fall of the wall!!

When Hollywood Pies first opened up in 2011, they were making their pizzas in a rented kitchen and selling them through the back door, near the Beverly Center.  I went back to Hollywood Pies a few more times times at their Beverly Center location.  Then they moved to another similar setup on Boylston.   A third move saw them in West LA or the Culver City area, and finally they opened a sit down restaurant on Pico, in the Mid City area.  Then sadly, sometime within the past year, their Pico location closed. 

Two weeks ago, a friend told me he had Hollywood Pies for dinner the night before, and loved the pizza.  I thought he was joking or something.  But, sure enough I checked and Hollywood Pies Pico location is open!!  So, I finally go to Hollywood Pies sit down restaurant!

Hollywood Pies is on a very busy street, Pico, and the restaurant is small and easy to miss when driving.  There are four tables (two tables for four and four tables for two ) and a couple more seats outside.  You order at the counter and they bring your pizza to your table.  Call ahead, since a deep dish takes about 35 minutes to bake.  They are currently open from 1-9 pm on Sundays.  Other days they open at 4pm.  They are closed on Mondays.

Small Italian Garden ($16)-Whole milk mozzarella, sweet red peppers, baby bella mushrooms and onions.  I added spinach, which they did not charge me for.  A very nice thing for them to do!  The crust was the same, light, flaky and buttery.  Two toppings, spinach and onions, were loaded up.  But, the mushrooms and red peppers were few and far in between.  I would have preferred more mushrooms, but all the toppings were fresh.

Now, the sauce has changed.  It's more mild, lacking the boldness of their other sauce.  It's almost as though there wasn't any sauce.  Overall still a damn good deep dish pizza, but not something I would go rushing back for.

Service is ok.  The kid who took my order was pretty friendly and helpful when taking my order.  But, when my pizza was done, he just handed me the pizza.  No, thank you or come again.  And it wasn't like it was busy, I was the only customer there.

While I'm glad to know that Hollywood Pies has reopened, and you can actually dine in, I was disappointed that the sauce is different.  I won't rush back but will go back again.