El Gordito (El Monte)

El Gordito is Marlene's latest discovery. We can thank my car's recent loss of its head gasket; all this week, while the car has been in the shop, Marlene and her mom have come to pick me up from work. El Gordito is about a mile from the school, right next to Art's Burgers, on the north side of Valley, just east of Peck.
I've only had one meal from El Gordito, but it was notable--four very good carnitas tacos (if the fare from Tacos El Gordo of Tijuana/south San Diego fame is a 10 of 10, then these
were 7.5) and probably the best agua de pina I've ever had. The drink was sweet but not overly so, and had pineapple chunks to add to the flavor and feel.
Marlene says the burrito she had was good, too. I've had a coupon for a free torta from El Gordito for some time; it was part of the "swag bag" we received at the luncheon the City of El Monte gave for new teachers. It looks like it's time to redeem that coupon.
El Monte insider trivia: El Gordito is owned by Frank J. Aguirre, who recently mounted an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the board for the Mountain View School District.

Find El Gordito at 11665 Valley Blvd (Peck/I-10 and La Madera) in El Monte. 626-444-4912. Call for hours of operation.

Bahooka Ribs and Grog

Bahooka Ribs and Grog has been serving up Polynesian fare and strong tropical drinks in Rosemead since 1967. It's one of the few exponents of the Tiki craze that has survived through the years.
There seems to be some disagreement about the quality of the food. I like it, especially the appetizers and the fish and chips; Marlene really likes it, but admits that the quality is inconsistent and can depend on who's in the kitchen; a colleague once said one should eat before going to Bahooka's. That's okay, though, because you don't really go to Bahooka for the food--you go there for the strong drinks and tiki-fied atmosphere, both of which are at the same time authentic and very kitschy.
The back of the menu is devoted to the tropical drinks. While the bar serves "non-exotic" beverages like beer and Seven-and-Seven, the real draw is the selection of island tonics, such as the Deep Purple, the Mai Tai, the Singapore Sling, and Marlene's favorite, Planter's Punch. I am quite fond of their Zombie. The menu includes a short description for each of the drinks, and for the Zombie it warns, "Two of these will put you among the living dead." I tried once and found that they're not kidding!
If you have to man the vehicle and want to do the right thing while still enjoying some of the liquid island flavor, opt for a Captain Cook Goat. It's a concoction of coconut and pineapple juice that's delicious, and can be served "flaming," with a lit crouton on the top beside the tiny pink umbrella.
Another Bahooka specialty is the Flaming Bowl for Two, a tropical cocktail served flaming in a salad-bowl-sized container. Choose a designated driver! While the menu lists four specific Flaming Bowl varieties, it also notes that any drink can be served as a flaming bowl.

Bahooka's over-the-top decor is the restaurant's other main draw. The restaurant is a maze of booths, each of which has a view of at least one fish tank. In fact, there are over a hundred fish tanks in the place! My favorite fish tank is at the bar--or perhaps I should say my favorite fish tank is the bar. On crowded nights, you can sip your drink, catch a bit of a baseball game, and watch the fish while you wait for your table.
The fish tanks are the most obvious element in the decor, but there are plenty of other kitschy touches as well, such as the plastic birds that hang from the ceiling throughout the restaurant, and, of course, tiki gods. The entrance features a wall of mailboxes and vintage post office signs. Authentic naval memorabilia abounds, including buoys and an old-fashioned scuba set; according to the Bahooka website, lamps are "hand crafted from castoffs, port holes, parts of ships, etc." A large banquet room sits in the back, and Bahooka also does catering at homes and offices.
Bahooka recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with a three-day rib special. The celebration has come and gone, but I recommend you join Bahooka as it gets its fifth decade of tiki kitsch
underway.

Find Bahooka Ribs and Grog at 4501 N. Rosemead Boulevard (Lower Azusa) in Rosemead. 626-285-1241. Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 am to 9 pm; Fri. 11:30 am to 10:30 pm; Sat. noon to 10:30 pm; Sun. noon to 9 pm.

Transit options include Metro Bus 266 and Metro Bus 489 (as the latter is a commuter express route, it operates Monday through Friday only; only the northbound route runs in the afternoon, and only between 4 and 6 pm).