Szechwan Kitchen

Szechwan Kitchen
625 S Barranca Ave
Covina, CA 91723
626-598-4202

I've driven back the intersection of Barranca Ave. and Rowland St. many times.  I've noticed a few restaurants just south of the southwest corner, which has a gas station, but never ate at any of the restaurants- one Mexican restaurant and three other Chinese restaurants.  Szechwan Kitchen is a big restaurant with the front section the dining room.  There are booths along the windows, and tables in the middle of the restaurant.

Shrimp and broccoli- $13.99.  One of the very few restaurants that cuts the broccoli into smaller pieces!  They actually could add more broccoli to this dish.  There were a ton of shrimp.  This was a bit under seasoned. 

Shrimp chow mein, $8.99.  While the shrimp and broccoli was under seasoned, the shrimp chow mein was very salty!  A good amount of shrimp with the shrimp larger than the shrimp in the shrimp and broccoli. This could have been a good dish, if it wasn't so salty.

Service is slow.  While the food came quickly, they took a while to come back to the table, to check on things.  It must have been five minutes before we tracked down a server to get our check.  They were also slow to clear tables. 

I wouldn't go back to Szechwan Kitchen.  The food wasn't that good and service was slow.

Qdoba-Closed

Qdoba
1430 Mountain Ave, Ste 101
Duarte, CA 91010
626-305-0812

Qdoba Mexican Grill is a chain that started in San Diego.  There are only five locations in the LA area, and two are on college campuses!!  They are a competitor to Chipotle, and I think they are better!

Located in a strip mall with a huge electronics store and a bunch of car dealerships across the street, Qdoba is set up like all fast casual restaurants! You order at the counter and then find a seat in the large dining area.

Taco salad, $7.70- romaine lettuce, black beans, corn salsa, mango salsa, guacamole-which is free, and sour cream.  They make everything fresh and in house-well at least the salsa, meats, and beans.  I'm sure the taco shell bowl was made elsewhere.  But, overall a very good item.  Everything was fresh and well seasoned.  They actually drain the black beans, so they don't soak through the shell. 

Service is good.

I would go back to Qdoba, if I was in the area.  They should open more locations in the LA area.  Their food is better than Chipotle, by a mile!

Eat Love

Eat Love

Eat Love was at the Long Beach Vegan District at The Pike when I tried them.  But, I've also seen them at the North Hollywood Vegan Fest- where Lettuce Feast and Veggietize Me both set up!  I've been meaning to try their fried chicken and finally had a chance in Long Beach.

Self Love Bucket, $16- three pieces of chicken and fries, with one sauce- I picked honey mustard.  The chicken is house made with a wheat product.  You get three good sized pieces!  I bet the three pieces were close to 12 oz or more!  The outside is a nice crunchy flavorful batter.  If you used their batter with regular fried chicken, everybody would like it.  Now, inside, texture wise it's very much like chicken.  But, taste wise a bit too salty, and that's the chicken part, not the batter.  It resembles the taste of chicken but, you know it isn't real chicken.  The fries are nothing more than frozen fries from a bag.  While the honey mustard sauce was pretty good, it was only half filled.  They charge $1 for two sauces.

Service.  While friendly, way too slow.  People were waiting 20-30 minutes for their orders! 

I wouldn't go back to Eat Love.