My son Jonathan and I were “home alone” and seeing that my oven is no longer in the kitchen (it went to oven heaven), we had a small issue, what to eat? Well here we go again, trying out the local eateries.
I have driven by Victorios in North Hollywood hundreds of times and never gave it a try, well I gave it a try tonight. When we walked in we were told to sit anywhere, but that was not what Jonathan (The waiters name is Jonathan too, he has worked here for three years) had in mind so he breaks down a big table into a smaller one. . My table looked like the high school cafeteria, nothing was on it…the other tables had a rose and some sprinkle stuff and additional menus for beer and wine and dessert.
The music is cool, vintage Italian Faire, my friend Dean Martin, and others, and once in a while I got to hear another friend, Michele Philips and a few others not so vintage Italian but I liked the selection…..I am getting old.
We ordered a caesar salad, $12.95…a little steep for this calibre of location, but OK, I will give it a try. The salad arrived on a large plate with light and soft/crunch croutons. The salad is a little soggy but surprisingly tasty…but I like my salads chilled, this one was a little warm….we ate it. Nothing like the Caesar we had at LGs last week in Desert Springs, but close to the same price. The dressing did taste fresh however.
My son Jonathan (not the waiter) had spaghetti and meatballs, $8.50 (no meatballs $7.50). The meat sauce was ok and the meatballs were small. They did appear to be fresh however, for anyone to serve me a meatball it is an act of faith, as I make some of the best meatballs on this planet and have had some of the best meatballs on this planet. These were ok, I was not asking for the recipe.
I ordered the Eggplant Parmagiana for $9.25, it looks to be a thick slice of eggplant, battered and fried, a little sauce and a little cheese…..it was tasty not the best but ok (my cardiologists would like whoever cooked this for me ), I did eat it and I took the rest with me. And again, for those of you who have eaten at my home, there is not too many places that make Eggplant Parm like I do….not too many at all….again it was as if I went out to compare my cooking to some poor guy who is trying to survive, I make the best of these two items. Too bad for owners of Italian eateries they have to put up with me! But the service is friendly and the food is alright.
Finally we wanted to see what the pizza would do for us. I ordered a large pepperoni with extra sauce. Jonathan the waiter of three years asks me, how do you want it cooked? No one has ever asked me how I wanted my pizza cooked, this kid did. I told him, hot, not doughy, round and again, hot! Maybe he is one of those kids who is an aspiring funny person? The pizza came and it was good, loads of cheese, but very little pepperoni (why is there so little pepperoni on a pepperoni pizza?). The next time, when they ask how I want it cooked, I will say EXTRA SAUCE, easy on the cheese and please put more pepperoni, also they slice it so thin you could read this story through it. $11.95 for this and folks the profit in a pizza is HUGE, so where is the pepperoni?
Once again folks, it was not a bad place to grab a bite, it is certainly one of the better places I have found in this part of the Valley, it is clean and the service as I said is very good. I was impressed when I asked Jamie how long has she worked here, 21 years. Well first she does not look that old and second she told me she married the owner, Bravo!
Again the real question is this, would I return to Victorios? And the answer is yes, a few things need improving but it was an overall good experience. But at $12.95 for a Caesar Salad, cloth napkins would be nice. And a chilled fork.
Check them out at : Victorios 10901 Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood, California (at Vineland)
818-762-9000 or 818-762-9951
Another location is opening soon at 3175 Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles, California (at Barham)