You Can Always Go Downtown...

...although I never seem to make it there. However, this weekend was an exception. I had the pleasure at dining at one of the more favorable downtown haunts, Pete's Cafe. The restaurant really feels like a classic downtown restaurant, with low lighting, a busy bar area and dark wood tables and booths - and the menu is to match.

We started our meal with none other than the Pancetta Wrapped Scallops on a bed of Buttery Leeks and topped with an Orange Apricot Compote ($12). This dish was a perfect medley of savory and sweet. The pancetta was crisp and the scallops were seared just right. So far, so good.

I then moved on to the main course, sharing two dishes. The first was a Flat Iron Steak with Bleu Cheese Fries ($17), grilled to a nice medium rare with a tasty port wine demi. The bleu cheese fries, which really sold the dish were a little disappointing. The cheese was just okay and the fries came out soggy. I still managed to eat them all, but they were not as good as I had anticipated.


The second main course was the Beef Short Ribs ($20), normally served with Sauteed Gnocchi but do to religious restrictions, I opted for asparagus and sauteed spinach. Again, the sides were a little disappointing and a little too salty. However, the Beef Short Ribs were some of the best I've ever had. The meat was falling off the bone, so tender and tasty. The sauce was rich and deep, but didn't overpower the flavor of the meat.


As Petula Clark once said, "maybe you know some little places to go," and now I do. Pete's is very reasonably priced, and while not a total home run, I was very satisfied with my meal.

Pete's Cafe
400 S. Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
$$

This Burger Won't Break Up with You on a Post-It

So I still haven't really gotten over my meal last night. Let's backtrack a few days. I was driving home from the gym and all I could think about was having a CHEESEBURGER. It took everything inside of me not to pull into the In-N-Out drive thru, but I haven't been able to shake the craving yet.

Last night, I had a date with a couple funny friends of mine, and I chose the place. So, I was in search of the perfect burger, and folks, I think I found it.

25 Degrees is located in the Roosevelt Hotel and is far from the typical burger joint. This joint has dark leather booths, funky chandeliers and velvet textured wallpaper (read: the place has style). I'd read up on the restaurant a little before committing to the meal. 25 Degrees, which opened in February 2006, is the creation of husband and wife, Tim and Liza Goodell. The restaurant joins the Domaine Restaurants family, which has bread other great spots like Red Pearl Kitchen and Dakota.

The menu is simple (with a twist). They offer 3 pre-packaged burgers, and then a "make your own burger" option, with a choice of meat, cheese, toppings and sauce. There are 12 cheeses to choose from, ranging from farm house cheddar (described as: cow / lightly sharp / firm / england) to red hawk (cow / triple cream / lightly salty / long pungent finish / california). So you pretty much know this place is going to rock your world. I could have made a meal on the cheeses alone (p.s. they do offer a 3 cheese plate for $9, or 5 cheeses for $15).

But let's get back to business. Since it was my first time at 25 degrees, I decided to go with one of their signature burgers rather than build my own (I was excited and may have blown the whole experience by pairing the wrong sauce with a hard cheese and needless to say, ruined my evening). I went for Burger #2 with roasted tomatoes, crispy prosciutto, burrata cheese and pestoooooooooooooooooooooo. SORRY, I just had a flashback and my hand seemed to freeze to the keyboard. This burger was (okay here it goes) THE BEST BURGER I'VE EVER HAD. There! I said it, it's out there, so deal with it.

The first bite was heavenly: juice dripping down my arms, roasted tomato all over my face, a tantalizing burger experience. My two dates seemed to immensely enjoy their burgers as well. One also chose a signature burger, opting for #1 with caramelized onion, big woods blue, crescenza, bacon, arugula and thousand island dressing. My other friend went for a build-your-own in the vegetarian vein: veggie burger, crescenza, and thousand island dressing. He was very impressed by the quality of the veggie burger: no hockey pucks in sight. You may also want to compliment your meal with a box of fries for $6, (one order was enough for the three of us to share).

Well, my craving was met and my hunger, satisfied. On to the next obsession, to be determined at a later date.

25 Degrees
7000 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 785-7244
$$