Rate-A-Restaurant #408: Cluck & Blaze (Glendale)

 

Restaurant: Cluck & Blaze

Location: 4000 San Fernando Rd. (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Hot chicken sandwiches

We stipulated: Time to resume new food Sunday! There are no shortage of hot chicken joints, but I had read good things about their Long Beach location -- from people excited to see them open in Glendale. Time to check it out!

They stipulated: Something called "comeback sauce" is their signature condiment. Heat levels range: Chicken (No Heat); You Can Do Better (Mild); Better (Medium); Feel it Twice (Hot); Call Mom (Extra Hot) and Call The Morgue (Death).

What we ordered: The Main Chick -- Hot (Breast Fillet, Coleslaw, Pickles and our signature Comeback Sauce; $11); The Main Chick Combo - Medium (The Main Chick + 1 Side + 1 Beverage; $13.99); Cluckin' Mac - Medium (Chicken tender, bed of fries, creamy cheesy Mac N' Cheese, and spice; $7).

 
High point: Nice spice and HUGE sandwich!

Low point: None that comes to mind.

 

Overall impression: Add it to the list of solid hot chicken slingers in the area.

Will we return:  Sure, although I may try the smaller "side chick" sandwich, at $6, next time.

Rate-A-Restaurant #404: Zhengyalov Hatz (Glendale)

Restaurant: Zhengyalov Hatz

Location: 318 E. Broadway (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Armenian

We stipulated: Maria and I continue "New Food Sundays," inspired by the Los Angeles Times' latest 101 Restaurants special issue. We were looking for a quick lunch that would be almost snack-like, since we had a big breakfast. Zhengyalov Hatz fit the bill, and it's healthy too.

They stipulated: There's just one major entree on the menu (along with one dessert.) Per Eater LA, "Zhengyalov hatz, the namesake flatbread in a Glendale bakery that opened this past November, combines 15 types of minced greens and herbs, including spinach, beetroot leaves, scallions, cilantro, onion, sorrel for a hint of sourness, and of course secrets. The owner tasked local farmers to grow greens and herbs to match the flavor back home."

What we ordered: Zhengyalov Hatz ($6.99): Flat bread with 15 types of fresh cut herbs, top quality flour, sunflower oil, salt. We got two.

High point: The price, the uniqueness and the simplicity of it.

Low point: Yeah, I suppose it would be nice to have a few more options or add-ons.

 

Overall impression: I love that such a unique snack and food concept is available here in Glendale. It's something filling and fast to eat on the go.

Will we return:  It might be awhile, but I can see craving something like this again.

License Plate of the Day: G-Dizzy Edition

Greetings from Glendale, a.k.a. GEE-Dale!

Rate-A-Restaurant #397: Mini Kabob (Glendale)

Restaurant: Mini Kabob

Location: 313 1/2 Vine St. (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Armenian/Mediterranean

We stipulated: Maria and I continue "New Food Sundays," inspired by the Los Angeles Times' latest 101 Restaurants special issue. Mini Kabob has been on our to-do list forever, especially since we live in Glendale so close by.

They stipulated: "Mini Kabob specializes in fine quality Armenian cuisine. It serves up quality meat such as; ground beef/chicken, beef/chicken cutlet, beef shish pieces, chicken breast and thigh skewers, french cut lamb chops, falafel plate, and of course mini kabobs. They also serve up homemade Egyptian style hummus, eggplant caviar, and cucumber yogurt. Come by and indulge with us at our mom and pop shop."

 

What we ordered: We got two combo plates ($19.99) An assortment of chicken lule, pork tenderloin and chicken thigh, cooked over an open fire on skewers.

High point:  Oh that hummus. Now I know how much I've been living a lie, eating Trader Joe's and grocery store hummus. It doesn't come close to this.

Overall impression: Although it was delicious and lived up to the hype (especially that hummus!), at $19.99, I'm afraid the price may be a bit too high for this combo plate. Although we were able to feed the family with two, so it actually did work out.

Will we return:  We also managed to feed the family with two, lower-priced combo plates from Elena's, so it's tough to say.

Rate-A-Restaurant #393: Rockbird (Glendale)

Restaurant: Rockbird

Location: 1147 E. Colorado (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Chicken

We stipulated: I was in the mood for a chicken sandwich, but Dave's Hot Chicken had a 30 minute wait. I've been curious about Rockbird for several years, and it was time to check it out.

They stipulated: "Rockbird is a concept project that brings old school backyard BBQ inspiration to life with a feature on fried and grilled chicken sandwiches accompanied by comfort Cali fresh sides. Brothers Daniel and Chris Skaf come from a family who carry tradition through food and hospitality which are arguably the highlights of Lebanese culture. They hope to continue this tradition with a new and youthful project. They are enthusiastic to team up with Chef Javier Crespo to bring food that is simple, real and good to eat with a commitment to great service to the Glendale community." Once upon a time, Rockbird mostly served cornish hens and Southern-style meals, but now the restaurant focuses on chicken sandwiches.

What we ordered: The "Nitro Bird": Habanero buffalo sauce, spicy slaw, fresh tomatoes, ranch sauce. Side: Fried brussel sprouts ($13)

High point:  Those brussel sprouts were fantastic. And loved the right amount of spice on that nitro chicken sandwich.

Low point:  Granted, it comes with a side, but $13 is a little steep for a take-home sandwich.

Overall impression: I wimped out and did the grilled chicken, which was great (but was it really that much more healthy?). Love the sandwich options.

Will we return:  Yes! Next time I'll be bad and go full fried chicken.

Billie Eilish Takes Over the Glendale Galleria; Americana at Brand Memes Responds

Given how Billie Eilish grew up in nearby Highland Park, I suppose it's no surprise she knows the Glendale Galleria this well. This is quite a contrast to the way I normally see it, filled with holiday crowds.

Meanwhile, now I'm praying for Americana at Brand Memes.

Billie Eilish has just declared war on The Americana and Americana Memes! pic.twitter.com/i4FB9iE790

— Americana at Brand Memes (@americanamemes) November 12, 2020

Rate-A-Restaurant #392: Mr. Monster (Glendale)

Restaurant: Mr. Monster

Location: 116 S. Artsakh (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Hot dog

We stipulated: We were at the Glendale Exchange to hit the Below Five store, and stopped into L&L for spam musubi. But next door, this new restaurant offering Korean rice corn dogs looked interesting. We checked it out.

They stipulated: They recommend you order your Mr. Monster dog with a light sugar coating, but you can get it without. Right now, they're offering a grand opening 2-for-1 dogs. They also come with multiple sauces.

What we ordered: We ordered two Mr. Monster dogs — and with the special, that came to just $2.49. Nathan got his with sugar; I wimped out and got it without. We got the wasabi mayo, cheese mustard and sweet chili dipping sauces.

High point:  We weren't sure what to expect, and were pleasantly surprised. I like the crunch of the coating. Nathan liked the sugar, naturally.

Low point:  I'd love them to have a turkey or veggie dog option. Hopefully in time.

Overall impression: A definite quick snack or weekend lunch that doesn't hurt the wallet. Nice sauces on top of the unique taste.

Will we return:  Yes! Nathan is already asking for a return trip.

Rate-A-Restaurant #391: Dave's Hot Chicken (Glendale)

Restaurant: Dave's Hot Chicken

Location: 1350 E. Colorado (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Chicken

We stipulated: We were sad to see our nearby Burger Im shut down, but in its place: An outpost of new-ish spicy chicken chain Dave's Hot Chicken. For movie night, we were up for trying.

They stipulated: The chicken comes in a variety of spices: Reaper, Extra Hot, Hot, Medium, Mild, Lite Mild, No Spice.

What we ordered: Half and Half (one medium spice slider/one medium spice tender) with fries ($11.99); Half and Half (one extra hot spice slider/one extra hot spice tender) with kale slaw ($11.99); two tenders (one hot spice/one medium spice) with mac and cheese ($10.99); Half and Half (one mild spice slider/one mild spice strip) with fries ($11.99). 

High point:  The extra hot spice was perfectly spicy -- and the sliders were much bigger than expected.

Low point:  Nathan was disappointed that the "hot" wasn't spicy enough for him.

Overall impression: A bit on the pricey side, but you get *a lot* of food. We had leftovers for the following day lunch. Kale slaw is a nice touch too.

Will we return:  Yes! Good spice, good chicken.

The Quilt Show Comes to Adams Square Mini Park's Historic Gas Station

 

Maria helped the Glendale Quilt Guild get accepted by the City of Glendale Arts Administration to exhibit in the Adams Square Mini-Park Gas Station. Quilts were created by members to reflect the theme of “Destination," and runs from June 1, 2020 through July 10, 2020. Some pics from the display:

Glendale's March and Vigil for Black Lives Matter Brings Out the Crowds

Around 1,500 people (according to the Daily News) marched to Glendale's civic center on Sunday to participate in a vigil supporting Black Lives Matter and acknowledging the need for systemic change in how law enforcement treats African Americans. It was peaceful, inspiring and galvanizing. Here's the amazing part: The march was organized by three students from Clark Magnet High School. I do have hope for Gen Z in steering us in a better direction. More photos:

Retail Apocalypse 2020: Sears Succumbs in Glendale

Before there was Amazon, there was Sears. The retail giant first began as a mail-order catalog service in 1893, later branching out to brick-and-mortar stores as well. How big was Sears at its height? Its headquarters were literally the tallest in the world: The Sears Tower in Chicago. But the Sears Tower isn't the Sears Tower anymore (it's been the Willis Tower since 2009), and Sears isn't close to what Sears once was.

For a variety of reasons, Sears couldn't keep up with the times — and got rid of that mailorder business a few years before Amazon reinvented the concept. After years of declines, Sears was not immune to the retail apocalypse, and continues to shed stores. Next up: Glendale's Sears location, which opened in 1938 and is shutting down next month.

Sears wasn't a regular stop for us, but we did buy some appliances there when we bought our house, including our refrigerator and our oven. And when Blogger Teen was born, we took him several times to the Sears Portrait Studio (long since closed) to take his picture.

On Monday, Maria and I stopped by to see the inside of Sears one more time and also check out the clearance sales. I bought a suit jacket, a shirt and some ties, and got a pretty decent deal. But I also took a few shots of the store as it began to fade away. Here are some images: