The Players:

J&J’s Hawaiian Barbecue

Phil’s Treasure Pot

The Meal:

From J&J’s, 5 Flavor Chicken and House Chicken, with a side of Fried Rice.

From Phil’s, Sesame Chicken and House Chicken, with a side of Fried Rice.

The Judge:

Junior Noah Stid, connoisseur of food.

The Challenge:

Which is the better Hawaiian Barbecue restaurant?

The Game:

Noah sat down on a Sunday afternoon at J&J’s Hawaiian Barbecue in Menlo Park with a serving of two different chicken combos with fried rice from J&J’s and Phil’s. He began with the House Chicken from J&J’s, and switched between the similar meals from each restaurant. After eating the majority of the large platter, Stid concluded that in his “expert” opinion that overall, Phil’s food surpassed J&J’s.

The Winner:

Phil’s Treasure Pot.

Although J&J’s is closer and more convenient for M-A students for an after-school snack, Phil’s customer service is far superior to J&J’s. The location of Phil’s is less than superb, but the restaurant has a better overall atmosphere. Owner Phil Lam, along with his mother, Diana, treat their customers like family, getting to know the clientele while serving their food. Phil’s is more of a gourmet restaurant than J&J’s, which is more of a fast food eatery. The prices at both restaurants are very similar as both are relatively cheap. If you are just looking for a quick Hawaiian meal, J&J’s is a good choice. But if you want a place to sit down and enjoy a nice gourmet Hawaiian meal with your family, Phil’s is the place for you. Overall, Phil’s far outstrips its competition.

Unamas:

Santa Cruz Avenue’s only Mexican restaurant caters to the Menlo Park/Atherton areas and often supplies families with a solid meal when Mom doesn’t want to cook.  However, with dozens of other Mexican restaurants within ten minutes of Unamas, you are just being lazy when you go there.  The food is decent at best and far from cheap.  The meat is often overcooked, and the chefs fail to mix the ingredients in the burrito.  Who wants to bite into their burrito and get all the sour cream at the top?  With all the more authentic Mexican restaurants so close by, I wouldn’t recommend this place as a first choice.

El Grullense:

El Grullenses are littered across Redwood City, with a few in Palo Alto and various other places. Contrary to popular belief, they are not a chain; the majority of them are individually owned. The Grullense closes to M-A on El Camino in Redwood City is a serious step up from Unamas. The food is far more authentic and a little easier on the wallet.  For $6.50 you can get a super-burrito that will fill up anyone.  The meat is well seasoned, and the burritos and tacos are coated with a unique and zesty sauce. This fantastically flavorful experience comes with a downside:  your stomach will not be thanking you later that night.  If you are prone to upset stomachs you may want to stay away from Grullense, or make sure you’re close to a bathroom for the next couple hours.

Chipotle:

The nationwide chain Chipotle provides a solid meal and a solid burrito, but don’t expect anything special.  With consistent flavors and quick service, Chipotle is the In-n-Out of Mexican restaurants.  Owned by McDonalds, Chipotle offers consistent service, but lacks soul and authenticity.  If you are near a Chipotle and don’t have the plethora of Mexican restaurants that we have near M-A, I would recommend it.  Close to the new Redwood City theater, Chipotle is a good choice to avoid the ridiculous theater concession prices. Otherwise, I would not advise going out of your way for Chipotle.

Chavez:

Located on the corner of El Camino and 5^th Ave, the taqueria is inside Chavez supermarket. Chavez offers extremely fair prices and decent quality.  The very authentic Mexican style is extremely flavorful, but again may present some digestion problems for the weak stomached. Although better options exist, Chavez is only about five minutes from M-A and therefore is a wise choice for a quick meal or snack.

Los Gallos

Los Gallos, commonly referred to just as Gallos is truly the best Mexican cuisine in the area. Pretty out of the way, Los Gallos is situated off Marsh Road near Highway 101.  The burritos and tacos are incredibly flavorful with the perfect amount of spice, while the tortilla tastes like it was freshly shipped in from heaven.  Offering free chips and salsa along with its healthy size meals, I personally guarantee that you will walk out of the restaurant with a smile on your face and a full belly.  If you are looking for lunch, dinner, or fourth meal, I would strongly recommend you make the journey; your tastes buds will thank you.