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Having frequented many banquet halls, since the mid to late 80’s, I can honestly say, I’ve sampled the food, and entertainment of quite a few of them. For those of you who may be wondering, New Impressions Hall, is now, what used to be called:”Little Russia.” Being one of the smaller venues, one cannot simply judge the place based on size alone. Located in a plaza next to a few quaint shops, alongside CVS Drugstore, it features ample parking. The place itself, does not have any large signs, so there may be some of you, who are likely to miss it. Especially, if you aren’t familiar with the area. Setting up familiar markers for yourself,(such as remembering the CVS store) is an effective way of finding this place. From the contemporary exterior doors, and lavish, interior design, it is clear that the owners put genuine effort in giving this place, the “facelift,” it desperately needed! The dance floor is furnished with white marble flooring. The walls feature lush curtains, as state-of-the-art lighting hangs from the ceiling. That’s a nice touch, and a huge plus for DJs, not having to lug around, more heavy equipment. As everyone knows, the entertainment itself, can make or, break your event. Just make sure you get to know your DJ, or Band, before booking. Although spacious, the partition area from the restrooms, where it splits off to the rest of the hall, runs a bit tight. The place itself, is very clean, and so are the restrooms. Now let’s get down to the food! Appetizers first! After being greeted by the party’s hostess, we were seated at a table, organized by number. That aspect will solely depend on the person booking, for the respective event. The way you choose to set that up, is entirely on you. Once seated, my eyes quickly glanced at the beautifully arranged Mezze, or appetizers. They offered: Salat a La Russe, Shrimp Cocktail(with Sauce), Babaganoush(Eggplant Dip), a platter of Armenian Style cured meats(Basturma, Sujukh), alongside a Cheese platter featuring Bleu Cheese, Feta, Swiss, and Provolone. There was another Roasted Eggplant dish, topped with a savory, garlic yogurt sauce. That’s not all! There’s more! After sampling the main appetizers, one of the servers greeted us with some Armenian Cheese Turnovers, or Buereg. There was also, a plate of assorted pickles, some Muhammara(Red Bell Pepper/Walnut Dip), Tabouleh, Armenian Steak Tartar, Sarma(stuffed Grape Leaves)and, a Village Style Salad featuring Tomato, Cucumbers, Feta Cheese, and Olives. The Chikyufteh was tasty, but lacked Bulgur, which would’ve made it taste better. Shortly after, the Bueregs, our server came back with baked Whitefish (which was Filet of Sole). It was seasoned with, what tasted like paprika, salt, pepper & other spices. The lemon wedges accompanying them, were a nice addition! The Salads we’re all delicious, each with their own savory flavor profiles! Next, a hot, and savory platter of mixed Kebab was placed on the tables. It featured tender cuts, of Pork, Chicken Breast, and Beef Kebab, with home fries, or potatoes that were baked in the oven. The beef Shish Kebab was slightly dry, and over cooked. However, the Chicken Breast Kebab was cooked perfectly. I guess, it’s a question of inconsistency there. The “food lover’s paradise,” continued with a Luleh Kebab platter and, grilled pieces of Chicken Thigh, alongside a mountain of Persian Style Basmati Rice! The Chicken Thigh Kebab was flavorful but, I noticed, some pieces were slightly uncooked in the center. They should’ve let it cook longer. The potatoes were crunchy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. Unfortunately, I didn’t taste the Luleh Kebab, because I don’t really care for it. That’s just personal preference. The Basmati Rice was fluffy, and delicious. The Pork Kebab was cooked wonderfully too. The bread basket was endless! Trust me, with a spread like this, you’ll need it! The dr

• Cafe Elegante – Menu with Prices – 2905 N Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank
• Why Not Kabob – Menu with Prices – 1219 S Glendale Ave, Glendale
• Bud’s Rockin’ Country Bar & Grill – Menu with Prices – 2124 W Franklin St, Evansville
• Vatica Indian Cuisine – Menu with Prices – 1475 Terrell Mill Rd #105, Marietta
• Donair Spot – Menu with Prices – 8616 Granville St, Vancouver
• Panini Kabob Grill – Rancho Cucamonga – Menu with Prices – 7903 Kew Ave, Rancho Cucamonga
• Gabbys peruvian restaurant – Menu with Prices – 1002 S Seneca St, Wichita
• Adana Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 6918 San Fernando Rd, Glendale
• Thank U Chicken – Menu with Prices – 3473 Old Norcross Rd, Duluth
• Cafe Agrizzi – Menu with Prices – 250 Commercial St, Worcester
• La Costera Grilled Chicken Menu with Prices 9755 E Montview Blvd, Aurora
• Matty G?s Steakburgers & Spirits – Menu with Prices – 18425 N 51st Ave, Glendale

Cafe Elegante – Menu with Prices – 2905 N Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank

Why didn’t I stop by this place sooner!!! I always pass by this establishment and have always wondered how it is..after the meal I had I will definitely be back! We ordered the following items to go: Soltani with Basmati Rice, Luleh Kabob with Basmati rice, Chicken Luleh with sour cherry rice, and an order of hummus. Hummus was great! It came with a pack of sliced pita and a side of sumac…Not too lemony like other places! The rice on all 3 entrees was fluffy and perfectly seasoned! Meats were fresh and tender! They each also came with a roasted tomato and my favorite:onions and parsley!! The lady who handed me the food was also very nice and greeted me warmly. The place had a homey and calm feel to it. We cant wait to go back, will definitely try the eggplant dip next time! Thank you Cafe Elegante!

Why Not Kabob – Menu with Prices – 1219 S Glendale Ave, Glendale

Found this place on Yelp while visiting the Glendale area, and I really have to say it did not disappoint. The family that owns this place are very friendly and you can tell that they are a neighborhood restaurant with “regulars” that come for dinner often. For you older folks, it kind of reminded me of the Cheers Bar where everyone was greeted like a family member and they know your name. Even though this was our first visit, they were warm and welcoming. Our party had the beef luleh platter, the beef shish kabob platter, and a salmon salad, plus a side of Tzatziki. Everything was awesome, except I have to say they could improve on their salad dressing which tasted like generic bottled “Italian” dressing. The basmati rice was tasty and perfectly cooked, the pitas were warm and chewy, the meats were cooked perfectly, including the salmon which was not over-cooked. A grilled pepper and grilled tomato come with the platter dinners and were great smashed into the rice. The prices for this quality of food and service are exceptional. I don’t know how they can give you so much food for the amount you pay, but please keep this place open — you will enjoy it!

Bud’s Rockin’ Country Bar & Grill – Menu with Prices – 2124 W Franklin St, Evansville

We stopped in to get something to eat as we were passing through. They seated us right away and left menus on the table. When the waitress arrived she asked what we wanted to drink. It would have been nice if they had a drink menu as they looked like they had a lot of beer on tap. She rattled off the beer on tap and we selected one. She said that they are having a special on the “fish bowl” size drink. I had no idea what that meant. She never explained. She came back to get our order, no drinks in hand, and a short while later she brought the drinks. They were in schooner or goblet glasses. I ordered the special for Tuesday “Southern Fried Chicken – Thigh, Leg and breast fried to crispy perfection and served with chicken gravy, yeast roll w/honey butter, mashed potatoes and seasoned vegetables of the day”. Well I got a wing, not a thigh, leg and breast with NO chicken gravy, overcooked green beans and luke warm mashed potatoes. There was a cup of something that I wasn’t sure what it was. It tasted disgusting and later I found out it was the honey butter, I’m glad I didn’t put it on my barely warm roll. Overall I would not eat here again. I really don’t expect much from bar food but at 12:43pm I would think the special would be better.

Vatica Indian Cuisine – Menu with Prices – 1475 Terrell Mill Rd #105, Marietta

Stumbled upon this gem tucked in the far corner of a plaza. Came here for lunch and found out about the HUGE refillable vegetarian Tahli platter which is to die for. Filled with fried bread, fragrant basmati rice, savory stews, soups, and the most amazing savory yogurt sauce on the side. Every time i have come here the stews & soups have been a little different which makes it exciting. The Tahli here will not disappoint and will not have you missing meat. Don’t forget to ask for some pickled veggies to go with the Tahli they pair so well together, but if you aren’t into just vegetarian meals don’t fret they also serve up some killer butter chicken as well as other proteins from shrimp, lamb, & fish! Not to mention the staff here is super friendly and excited to explain how to enjoy the Tahli and the rest of their menu.

Donair Spot – Menu with Prices – 8616 Granville St, Vancouver

I’m pretty sure everyone giving this Donair Spot a bad review is eating at a different Donair Spot. I used to regularly order takeout from this location, and will still order from time-to-time, and every time the service and the food are both phenomenal. The workers are always so kind and friendly and treat you like you’re family. I usually get the chicken donair or the chicken shawarma platter. The chicken donair is pretty difficult to mess up, unless the wrap breaks as they’re making it. I’ve had that happen to me once and the gentleman gave me the option to have him make a completely new one for me, or to just double wrap it. The chicken shawarma platter, I’m a little bit pickier with. First of all, it’s a huge portion for a very good price, I could easily share it with another person and still be content. It comes with basmati rice, a generous portion of chicken, tabouleh, hummus, pita bread, and your choice of sauces (tzatziki, hot sauce). I’m not a fan of parsley so I always ask to substitute it with basmati rice and they always give me a lot extra. One of the only spots in Marpole that open to midnight, with the best type of food to satisfy your drunk (or sober) cravings until the clock strikes 12am.

Panini Kabob Grill – Rancho Cucamonga – Menu with Prices – 7903 Kew Ave, Rancho Cucamonga

The food tasted good, decent portioning, BUT MISLEADING MENU. Be sure to check your bill before you pay – exercise due diligence! Don’t get ripped off. Buyer beware. We were seated but no one came to serve us for the first 15 minutes, we had to notify them that we were ready. A server came after about 5 minutes of being notified. We ordered the “Family Style” platter as we were a party of 4 plus a toddler for a menu price of $34.99. It states that it came with “3 Skewers of Chicken and Vegetables, Basmati Rice, Brown Rice or Bulgur Pilaf & Choice of Salad.” So let me explain what that REALLY means, it means that it comes with 3 Skewers of Chicken and Vegetables; CHOOSE ONE OF THESE (Basmati Rice, Brown Rice OR Bulgur Pilaf) AND Choice of Salad. We were told by the server that we can choose 2 out of 3 salads – Caesar Salad, Date Salad, or Romaine Avocado Salad. We opted for the Caesar Salad & Date Salad. When the bill came, we were charged $38.99 for the Family Style platter. We asked why the extra $4? We were told that the date salad was the up-charge. However, we were NOT told this from the get-go when we were ordering. We have no problem paying the extra $4, but sneaking in a charge without letting us know first… yeah, not appreciated. In addition, when inquired (asked nicely) about this up-charge, (assuming it is the manager), responded with, “Do we have to tell you about everything we charge?” Well yes, as consumers we have every right to know how much we are paying for our food. Let me quote what is on the menu that that the manager referred us to: “Substitute Any Entrée Above for Date Salad with Fresh Berries and Walnuts for $1.99” (I have attached photos of this section of menu in this review). You will see clearly that it clearly states and and refers to the ABOVE section, NOT the Family Style section – very misleading. In addition, even if it was an extra charge for the Date Salad, it would have been $1.99, not $4.00. We did not see where that $4.00 would have come from. Again, very misleading. In the end, the manager (assuming he is the manager), agreed to remove that $4.00 up-charge from our bill. This was appreciated. I am left to assume that they have caught many a customer with this sneaky charge – and in extension, possibly other little sneaky charges for other orders as well. Many will stay silent and let it pass. So due diligence is STRONGLY advised. Caveat emptor.

Gabbys peruvian restaurant – Menu with Prices – 1002 S Seneca St, Wichita

From the outside, it looks like a place you order from the counter and get a number. But inside, you are greeted quickly and seated just as fast. The servers are quite friendly and helpful in answering questions on the menu. We ordered a chicken and rice dish with a side of potatoes topped with cheese and a steak dish with steamed rice, fried yucca and pickled vegetables. The chicken and rice was so, so good! The potatoes were interesting to try. They were topped with a cheese sauce with a nice spice. The steak was seasoned and tender. The fried yucca was similar to a French fry, only slightly starchier. We also enjoyed tres leches cake for dessert. Overall, we were very pleased with our visit!

Adana Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 6918 San Fernando Rd, Glendale

I have probably driven by this place a million times. Very much a hole in the wall. Street parking and parking in the back I think. I finally went when it was recommended to me by a friend. Being the Armenian food lover that I am, I had to try it. I ordered for take out for Mother’s Day. I would recommend placing your order a day ahead. I ordered beef kebab, chicken kebab, pork chops, potato wedges, beet/pomegranate salad, hummus, yogurt & cucumber dip, eggplant dip, and I forget what else. Everything was amazing!!!! Pork chops, potato wedges, and beet/pomegranate salad were to DIE FOR. All the guests loved it all. Even the guests that are not usually open to ethnic food were caught getting seconds. Be warned, the owner does come off a little abrasive over the phone.. Probably because they are mentioned in the LA Times Best Restaurants..lol. However, when I picked up my food I think it was a completely different person (joking, was the same guy). He threw in a lot of extra stuff I did not order because it was Mother’s Day. So sweet!! Will 100% be ordering from here for future events.

Thank U Chicken – Menu with Prices – 3473 Old Norcross Rd, Duluth

Thank U Chicken has a cool vibe with all the blue lighting, and it feels very intimate. Although there’s lots of vibrant chatter, you can still hear the people you’re with. Service is great, and they have a button on the side that you press to call your server with. If you order a lot, they bring out dishes periodically so it doesn’t feel like you’re waiting forever. We ordered the half fried chicken and half yang nyum chicken platter, which comes with four seasonal sides and a salad. I also ordered beef rice balls and a pineapple fresh fruit juice. The platter is a bit expensive, but it comes with a lot and is filling for two people. The four seasonal sides and salad came out first. This included fried gizzards, potatoes, cheese corn, and chips and salsa. The gizzards were good but oily. I liked the seasoning, but it was heavy. The corn was okay; we’ve had better cheese corn. The cheese was a little watery. The potatoes were good; I liked the sauce on top, which reminded me of sriracha mayo. The chips and salsa didn’t really stand out; they were also okay. The chips weren’t too salted and the salsa was watery, but hey, this is a Korean restaurant! The salad tasted like a regular Caesar salad. Honestly, I wouldn’t get the platter again, since it just comes with the sides and salad. The few times I’ve been, the beef rice balls haven’t been cooked consistently. Sometimes they come out piping hot, sometimes lukewarm, and sometimes cold. I think they taste AMAZING when they’re piping hot. The rice is moist, but there’s only a slight flavor to these. I like the subtlety of the rice balls. The chicken here is very meaty! I’m not a huge fan of yang nyum chicken, so I always eat my boyfriend eat most of it. It’s mostly sweet and slightly tangy, though you can argue it’s a TINY bit spicy. I prefer to dip my chicken in the sauces they provide, so I like the fried chicken, which isn’t seasoned on its own. I think the Korean fried chicken here is unique in that you HAVE to dip the chicken in sauce for it to have flavor. If you like pre-seasoned and marinated chicken, go somewhere else for KFC or just order yang nyum. The chicken isn’t that crunchy, but it’s super hot and juicy on the inside. They’ve given me three sauces in the past: the yang nyum sauce, a sriracha mayo, and a sweet soy sauce. My favorite is the sriracha mayo! The pineapple fresh juice comes in a cute cup, and it’s not too sweet. It’s made with real pineapple, which is nice. No fruit chunks, and it’s kind of foamy. Thank U Chicken is a fine place for KFC, but now that so many shops have opened up, I prefer to go elsewhere for the price point and flavor.

Cafe Agrizzi – Menu with Prices – 250 Commercial St, Worcester

The staff is nice( the girl is super nice) however sometimes might look a little lost. Maybe they are new to the business. Coffee is good and the sandwich options are good however their lunchbox express options are not there. I am definitely sure people would totally have this more only if there were a few more options. I had only one problem with the box: too much rice and no sauce of any form at all. This is just plain cooked basmati rice( saving grace for being basmati rice as it has such great aroma) however the quality of the rice used is really good and the rice was cooked perfectly. The chicken was a little dry but had good flavour. Pickled carrots didnt seem pickled and the spring mix was literally just the spring mix and felt it had no or minimal dressing. Might want to mention to put more dressing while putting on the order. I would still try the other options esp for breakfast.

La Costera Grilled Chicken Menu with Prices 9755 E Montview Blvd, Aurora

This place in horrible.. I ordered a “entire” chicken which was $21 for the whole meal. After trying to explain that I didn’t want the meal just the chicken.. I was still charged $21.. instead of going through the Spanglish picture game again I just smiled and figured I would try the rice and beans.. So they give me 2 meal plates and I head home.. I open the first to see what I got and its 4 different cups of salsa. They charged the same price for a meal as it is just chicken.. So OK I just overpaid but hopefully the chicken is good.. Nope it was dry and I noticed that my entire chicken was a wing 4 legs and thigh … Which they Cleve into pieces thinking I can’t tell the different between a breast and a thigh cut into 3 pieces aka shards of chicken femur all over your plate.. Just pass there is a reason this is a tiny always empty chicken shack.. Definitely not a hidden gem

Matty G?s Steakburgers & Spirits – Menu with Prices – 18425 N 51st Ave, Glendale

Matty G’s is a casual family restaurant with a sports theme atmosphere. The menu is mostly burgers. They use grass fed beef and serve the burgers in mostly two 4oz patties that are nicely caramelized. They offer cocktails and beer on tap and milkshakes made with frozen custard. This is a casual restaurant. You get full service at the bar but if you want to sit at a table you order and pay at the bar like any other fast casual restaurant. I went with a non-burger option and got a “birdie” platter combo. I had my choice of fried or grilled and went with grilled. The chicken was caramelized and served on a soft toasted bun. The chicken was ever so slightly over cooked but still good and was a tasty sandwich. For my side I got the onion rings. The onion rings were very hardy and very bread-ee. My husband got the “All Star” burger platter combo. His burger(s) was nicely caramelized. He received a MOUNTAIN of garlic parm fries that came with fry sauce. His only complaint is that he thought each burger patty should have a slice of cheese instead of just one slice of cheese between the patties. I think the food overall was A-OK and an A-ok is three stars. This is a neighborhood restaurant so that means that you aren’t going to travel across town to eat here. You come here if you live nearby and want something casual and not too fancy. The help were especially helpful and friendly.