Robin's Woodfire Barbecue, Pasadena

Dinner for two, food only: $18-$33

Setting: As if the contents of a large and well-stocked antique mall have been nailed to the walls

Service: Friendly and customer-oriented

Best Dishes: Baby back ribs, tri-tip, blue cheese-pecan cole slaw, fried onion rings

It’s a daunting task to single out the best barbecue in the Valleys. I gave more than a passing thought to the melt-in-your-mouth baby backs at El Paso Barbeque Co. in Tarzana. I mused fondly about the Carolina pulled pork at the original Zeke’s Smokehouse in Montrose. I considered a visit to the doctor--Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas B-B-Q in Van Nuys, for fork-tender beef brisket. I even mulled over the succulent tri-tip that’s cooked about once a month outside the Hows Markets in Pasadena and Granada Hills (other locations in Torrance and Malibu).

But for the best all-around barbecue joint, my vote goes to Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ & Grill, near Hastings Ranch on Pasadena’s east side. Get out of your car in the parking lot and you’re hit with a faceful of smoky-sweet barbecue aroma, always a good sign. Robin’s uses only oak and hickory logs and mesquite coal to smoke the meats, finishing them off on a wood-fired grill, which gives a nice charred crust. The quality of the BBQ at Robin’s is high across the board, from the succulent baby backs, to the smoky spareribs, the tri-tip, the chicken and the hot links. (I’m not a fan of beef ribs other than short ribs, so I can’t recommend them.) Portions are massive and a pretty good value. I order my BBQ “dry”—without sauce--and add one of Robin’s four different sauces to taste at the table.

If you want to try everything, get the Garbage Can Combo, served in, you guessed it, an actual metal lid. For those interested in too much of a good thing, Robin’s runs all-you-can-eat nights; on Tuesdays for $18.95 they’ll bring spare ribs until you cry “uncle.”

The side dishes, often perfunctory in BBQ joints, are notably tasty. Most onion rings taste like fried batter; at Robin’s the onion rings, thinly coated with a crisp beer batter, taste like sweet onion. The signature cole slaw, daringly flavored with blue cheese and pecans, is piquant and goes deliciously with the barbecue. The BBQ beans, full of meat, are almost a meal in themselves.

I’ve heard that desserts are good here. Someday I might have room after dinner at Robin’s to try one or two, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Note: This review appeared in the September, 2005 issue of Westways.

Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ & Grill Robin’s Wood
395 N. Rosemead Blvd.
Pasadena; (626) 351-8885

Chadaka Thai, Burbank

Dinner for two, food only: $32 - $48

Setting: A chic, welcoming, dramatically lit space

Service: Impossibly youthful servers who do a good job

Best Dishes: Beef Waterfall, fresh spring rolls, green pear salad, Crying Tiger

“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Burbank anymore,” I whispered to no one in particular as the manager led my party to a table at Chadaka Thai. The design of this restaurant is so elegant and up-to-the-minute it would work in SoHo or SoMa. Only it’s on San Fernando Boulevard in the heart of Burbank’s Media District shopping area, and a welcome addition to the ’hood it is.

Chadaka Thai is owned by partners who have several other upscale Thai restaurants in the Southland, and their savvy is evident in this latest project. Chadaka’s interior is drop-dead gorgeous, with banquette seating done in espresso faux-leather, walls upholstered in creamy ecru fabric, and a serene incandescent Buddha glowing over the bar at the rear of the room. The space looks terrific and it also functions extremely well; even when the restaurant is full the noise level is manageable, thanks to the fabric-lined walls. But can the food live up to these stylish surroundings?

It does. Chadaka’s food is fresh, flavorful, reasonably authentic and appealing to the eye. Among the appetizers, the steamed wonton bundles (shrimp and chicken dumplings, the menu explains), are savory and full of texture, while the fresh spring rolls in their tender rice-paper wrappers pack lots of crunch and taste just-made. The Beef Waterfall is a major hit, a zingy mixture of sirloin, rice powder, red onion, chilies, lime and basil served on crisp cabbage leaf scoopers. Another winner is a salad composed of slivers of Asian pear, cashews and shrimp, tossed in a spicy-sweet dressing.

It’s tempting to graze on small plates, but don’t miss Chadaka’s version of Crying Tiger, a platter of char-grilled ribeye slices and vegetables served with a zingy dipping sauce. Among several curries, the Taley (seafood) is a standout, a suave mixture of succulent sea scallops, shrimp, calamari and mussels served with jasmine rice or tender garlic noodles.

While beer or Thai iced tea are the usual options to wash down this fare, Chadaka boasts a full bar (and a fun cocktail menu) along with a limited but well-chosen wine list. The sophisticated drink options suit the ambitions of this very grown-up restaurant.

Note: This review appeared in the November, 2005 issue of Westways.

Chadaka Thai V Robin’s Wood
310 N. San Fernando Blvd.
Burbank; (818) 848-8520
www.chadakathai.com