Food & Drink in Hillcrest Heights

At Henry's Soul Cafe, the smell of crispy, lightly breaded chicken mingles in the air with the sweet scent of signature sweet-potato pie—just as it's been doing since 1968. Amidst this mouthwatering perfume, chefs concoct down-home southern soul food such as fried fish, smoky ribs, smothered pork chops, and mounds of creamy mac 'n' cheese. Each day, they lovingly bake their specialty sweet-potato pie, which is as wholesome, famous, and orange as Santa Claus after a bad spray tan. When Henry's green T-shirt-clad staff isn't doling out plates of rib-sticking fare, they strive to better their community by supporting charities that help the homeless, the blind, and children in need.

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Chicken Tortilla plates up a sumptuous menu of slow roasted fare, decorating tonguescapes with homemade Peruvian tastes. Ravage a whole rotisserie chicken with a pair of sides such as rice and beans, steak fries, or the South American equivalent—fried yucca ($15.95). Other Peruvian palate pleasers include classic tacos ($9.99), tostitos ($2.95), and gourmet jumbo 12-inch burritos, packed full of beans, sauces, chili corn, and choice of steak or chicken ($8.95). For a relaxing dining experience complete with an accommodating staff, customers can dine in the restaurant's cozy interior, and those searching for an aromatic chicken to use during blindfolded football matches can carry out.

Intermission Drink Experience began with a simple goal: to give people a break from the daily grind in any way possible. For guests of these events, that could mean solving brainteasers, painting a work of art under the guidance of a local artist, or answering questions about a best friend or significant other. As participants meet new pals and bond with old ones, themed cocktails dubbed “The Liquid Smoke Experience” or “The Warm Caramel Experience” complement each event and help liberate minds better than the riddles written on the back of the Declaration of Independence.

Gifford's claim to deliciousness is in the production of rich and delicious ice cream and sorbets. The company's overlarge butterfly net catches ingredients from across the world, such as Swiss chocolate and vanilla extract from Madagascar, which are then mixed at local Gifford's locations for fresh ice cream. Choose from a dizzying array of flavors, including pistachio, chocolate marshmallow, roasted coconut, and caramel toffee swirl, to name just a few. Traditional cups and cones stack up at $3.75 for a single scoop, $4.75 for a double, and $5.65 for a triple. Gifford's seasonal ice cream flavors shift with the tide of time, and include such tasty oddities as banana Bailey's & cream, blueberry pomegranate, and cantaloupe. Savor delightfully traditional sundaes in waffle shells ($5.50) and classic banana splits ($6.95), far preferable to other ice creameries' ultrafuturistic sundaes made out of spools of film and wool overcoats.

Jordans 8's ingredient mixers grill hearty American favorites and roll an eclectic lineup of sushi. Flip through the grill menu to pinpoint an appetizer, such as the fried calamari, which sails to the gullet through a river of pineapple-coriander sauce on a hull of mixed greens ($8). Then elect an entree, such as the 14-ounce boneless rib-eye steak ($18), or one of 24 maki and nigiri sushi selections, one for every hour of sleep humans need in a week. The lava roll, one of many specialty rolls, juxtaposes shrimp tempura and shredded crab with aioli sauce ($11), and the roster of sushi and sashimi rolls amalgamate spices, vegetables, and raw fish ($9–$19), infusing the sushi menu with a wide range of flavors.

The aestheticians at Skin Body Lounge, deemed Best Day Spa by the 2011 LA Hotlist, aim to even skin tones, mitigate blemishes, and evict unsightly fuzz with noninvasive skincare and hair-removal services. During full-face photo-rejuvenation, nonablative lasers emit concentrated light to target specific skin pigments—including dark spots left over from acne scarring or convincing dalmatian costumes—stimulating collagen and oxygen production to destroy unwanted bacteria and leave skin radiant. Pulsed-light hair removal, Epilar biochemical solutions, and waxing services strip wayward strands. Those looking to lose inches and smooth cellulite can enlist treatments such as detoxifying body wraps and electronic muscle stimulation. Results-oriented facials are customized to the unique needs of each visage, and microdermabrasion sloughs away dead cells to improve skin tone and texture. Airbrush tanning and makeup services get clients suited up for an evening out more effectively than wearing a cutout of the Hulk's face.