Jump on La Botte

If you're feeling romantic, or in search of a place where romance drips off the Italian waiters that pour your Italian wine, head on down to La Botte. The food is rustic but elegant. From homemade pasta to tables made with the slats of wine barrels, this place doesn't miss a beat. The food is impeccable as well. The evening will start with a basket of fresh foccacia, which is divine, and if you're looking for something to start your meal, both the Corn Soup (may be seasonal) and the Branzino Carpaccio ($18) are to die for. I went with the Papardelle with Pistachios and Lamb ($20) for dinner, while my date dined on the Seafood Risotto - both of which were outstanding.

Save this one up for a date night.


La Botte Ristorante
620 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 576-3072
$$$$

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Toro Go Down

Good sushi is simple, fresh and no frills. At least, that's the opinion of Chef Nozawa, the mastermind behind sugarFISH, a new Marina Del Rey strip-mall installation. Nozawa hopes to popularize the traditional Japanese style of omakase, which roughly translates to "trusting the chef," and obviously was the inspiration behind the cleverly titled menu choices: Trust Me 1, 2 & 3.

The restaurant plans to include specialty items and more variety in the future, but nothing like your average sushi joint. You're not going to find a crunchy roll at sugarFISH, but I dare you find a place without pretention, where the fish melts in your mouth and the homemade ponzu and soy sauces deserve their own spot on the beverage menu.

Another perk: tip and tax are included, so even with the most expensive of the 3 choices, you're only spending $39 - and trust me, you'll leave full.


NOTE: if you can't eat your sushi without a beer or sake chaser, wait until July when their liquor license kicks in.


sugarFISH
4722 1/4 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 306-6300
$$$-$$$$

That Lovin' Feeling

A few people have asked me for Valentines Day recommendations, so below are some of my favorite romantic restaurants in Los Angeles:

Cafe La Boheme
8400 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, 90069
(323) 848-2360

Il Cielo
Italian
9018 Burton Way
Beverly Hills, 90211
(310) 276-9990

Off Vine
American
6263 Leland Way
Hollywood, 90028
(323) 962-1900

Green Door
American
1429 Ivar Ave
Los Angeles, 90028
(323) 463-0008

Falcon
American
7213 Sunset Blvd
Hollywood, 90046
(323) 850-5350

Moon of Tunis
Moroccan
7445 1/2 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, 90046
(323) 874-3333

Lily's
French
1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, 90291
(310) 314-0004


Or check out this article for a few restaurants offering free items specifically on Valentines Day.

Go on, lovebird!

I Heart Terroni

Courtesy of DailyCandy

I'm going to keep this brief because a) I didn't have my camera, so I have no images to share and b) I can't find a menu online so I'm pulling from the gut. However, I don't have to waste any time on fancy words or verbose beggings to visit this authentic Southern Italian haunt. That is because the food at Terroni speaks for itself.

Over 30 thin crust pizzas (which you have to cut yourself, because, dammit, it tastes better that way) and every kind of homemade pasta you can think of. Pappardelle that melts like butter, and bites of pizza with salty pancetta and sweet pears - oh man, I think I need to sit down.

I my opinion, this place far beats out Pizzeria Mozza, from the Eames inspired booth seating to the Italian documentary projected on the wall. This place screams "cool" but doesn't sacrifice one bit in the taste department. And, they know it too. With a motto like: "No reservations, No substitutions, No modifications," they know they have a good thing going and 'aint no one going to tell them any different.

Go. Go now. Go hungry.


Terroni
7605 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, 90036
(323) 954-0300
$$

Neighborhood Sushi

I'm always in search of no-frills neighborhood restaurants that aren't too pricey to necessitate a special occasion, but aren't too cheap to warrant over indulging. I think I found just the place. Ninjin Sushi in Santa Monica is a great spot with a great vibe. Although Ninjin has been opened for 3 years, it took a "break" between year 1 and 2, and has been reopened under new fervor for the past year. The management certainly knows what they're doing, offering complementary edamame, and a chef's special (which in our case were fish cakes). Maybe they were just in a good mood on that night, but I fell for them like Beyonce.

The fish was fresh and the presentation was fantastic. Most of the specialty rolls were $8-$11, and some of the highlights were the Ninjin Roll, Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Spicy Tiger Roll (my personal favorite with jalapenos inside), Volcano Roll and Rose Roll. Unfortunately, I wasn't warned that I would be eating with Cris Angel, so before I had a chance to shoot all of the rolls, they had disappeared from the plate. Here's a couple for your enjoyment:

Spicy Tiger Roll

Chef's Special Fish Cakes

Caterpillar Roll

Ninjin Sushi
607 Colorado Blvd.
Santa Monica, 90404
(310) 451-9800
$$

Moules Over, My Frites Are Here

Oh, I am in French heaven! Last night, I ate dinner with a friend at Soleil Westwood, as Wednesday night is Moules Frites night. Now, "what does that entail?" one might ask. Ah, alas, dear friend, that is just what I am going to tell you.

Every Wednesday night, the folks at Soleil graciously offer ALL YOU CAN EAT Mussels and Fries for a measly $14.95. This place is absolutely adorable, and I probably would have never gone had it not been for this amazing deal! Which, by the way was to prove to my semi-recent LA transplant friend from NY that LA does have good mussels and fries. Jaimey-1, Caryn-0.
Both she and I were pleasantly surprised with the garlic and wine steamed mussels, the crusty french bread, and the abundant basket of shoestring fries! The service was also fantastic, and the mood is very French - low lighting, outdoor seating and guess what - you're allowed to take your time with your food! No rushing you out the door here! So, go, sit back, and enjoy plates and plates of yummy mussels and don't feel bad about it one bit (just make sure you give them a 24hr heads up for the reservation)!

Soleil Westwood
1386 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 441-5384
$$

La Paella in Your Face

Spain is so hot right now - just ask The Cheetah Girls. I wish doing "movie research" was the reason I stumbled upon La Paella on Friday night, but a romantic dinner date will just have to do. How boring am I?

Dinner, however, was anything but stale. La Paella is an adorable Spanish restaurant, with twinkle lights and lace curtains. You walk in, and the smells of fresh seafood and quite conversation take you back to a time before date night at The Cheesecake Factory was considered acceptable.

We were sat in the back of this small restaurant, amongst cook book lined bookshelves and racks of aging wine. The waitress was Spanish. Am I dreaming?

We decided to just do tapas (next time, I'll hit up the Paella). Almost everything we had was delicious (save the one special we ordered that we both disliked), so I'll just shower you with pictures so you can go try for yourself!

Start off with a glass of Sangria ($5).

Fresh and light and fruity!
Enjoy the fresh baked bread and duo of garlic mayonnaise and olive tapenade.

Then move on to these assortment of tapas:

Patatas Bravas ($3.95)Lightly fried potatoes coated in a spicy tomato sauce.

Champinones con Chorizo ($5.25)
Delicious and rich - the combo of the mushrooms and the sausage was divine!

Calamares a la Plancha ($5.50)
Grilled squid lightly seasoned with olive oil, garlic and parsley drizzled with lemon juice. So fresh and not a bit on the chewy side.

Manchego con Membrillo ($4.75)

Fresh manchego cheese (my favorite) topped with slices of quince paste. Sweet and salty!

Espinacas con Pinones y Pasas ($5.95)

A heaping plate of sauteed spinach - little bits of creamy nuts and sweet raisins makes this dish really special.

Jamon Serrano ($9.75)
One of the specials of the evening, serrano ham with figs - great quality!

The other special was avocado stuffed with crab which was drowned in a thousand island type sauce and tasted too fishy for my liking. I'll give it to them since 1)it's not a menu regular and 2) 6 out of 7 ain't that shabby.

Like I said, I can't wait to go back here and try the Paella! The restaurant had charm and good food. You can just feel the fast pace life of Los Angeles slow down with each tasty bite (or was that just the Sangria...?). This is a great date spot, and a wonderful hidden gem inside this big ol' city!

One thing to note: Like all good Spaniards, La Paella will be taking a vacation after this Saturday's dinner service and will reopen on September 12. So, either go this weekend, or wait a few weeks if you can stand it. In the meantime, you can busy yourself with a little of this action.


La Paella
476 S. San Vicente Blvd.
Los Angeles, 90048
(323) 951-0745
$$

La Paella

Feel Like Royalty

Photo Courtesy of royaleonwilshire.com

Per Zagat, here's a new restaurant with fun themed nights. Although the main courses might be a little pricey for a gal on a budget, their small plates and bar menu ($7-$13) seems like the way to go. Straight from the article:

"... check out Royale, a fresh-out-of-the-box Downtowner that's already offering an assortment of special nights – "Eastside Mondays" (the music of East LA, from 9 PM–2 AM); "Built Tuesdays" (a get-together of artists, photographers and so forth, from 8 PM–1 AM), and "Soul Food Friday" (the last Friday of every month, including appetizers like crispy pork spareribs and mac 'n cheese, and live music from 9:30 PM–2 AM)."

Who said there's nothing fun to do on a weeknight?

Royale
2619 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, 90057
$$-$$$

Just A Little Bit Hollywood (In a good way!)

Photo Courtesy of magnoliarestuarant.com

In a city that teases, offering yummy dishes in super small portions, it's nice to find a place that understands why people go to a restaurant: to eat. Magnolia in Hollywood is chic and makes you feel like you're in the "in" crowd, without having to sacrifice half your plate for the sake of looking cool. Plus, the reasonably priced take on upscale comfort food won't dent your wallet and will allow you a drink at The Bowery or The Well after dinner.

To drink, I had a really really good (and generous) glass of Pinot Noir from Monterrey... the name escapes me (I believe it started with a "C"). If you like Pinot, I recommend it!

To start, the Ahi Tuna Tartar ($12) with homemade tarot root chips was fresh and light and enough for two people to share!
For the main course, the Grilled Pork Chop with Sauteed Spinach and Sweet Potato Mash ($19) was to die for! I don't usually order pork, but something was swaying me in this direction. The pork was moist and wonderful, topped with a fresh apple reduction. And I would have married the Sweet Potato Mash if it were to propose. We would have lived quite a happy life together. Shame.
And dessert, (the most important meal of the day), The Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich ($8). What can I say: homemade ice cream, chewy chocolate chip cookie, HUGE portion size. I was in heaven.
All in all, this is a great place to get your Hollywood fix and actually go home full! As I was leaving, the place was certainly picking up (they have a nice bar too), so it's got a really hip and late night vibe. Come on and eat at Magnolia - all the cool kids are doing it!


Magnolia
6266 1/2 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, 90028
$$$

Have you been to Cuban?

Photo Courtesy of www.labodeguitadepico.com

La Bodeguita de Pico is a charming Cuban restaurant just a stones throw away from Roscoe's. You know, for those nights you're debating between a heart attack and a cultural experience, I would always sway you towards the latter, but it's good to know you have options.

If you do in fact decide to dine at La Bodeguita de Pico, you will be pleasantly surprised. The restaurant itself is clean and garners the look of Cuba without being overly showy. The colors are neutral with a few brightly designed accents. The chairs and tables are made of a heavy, dark wood, and the ambiance is very pleasant and inviting.

The menu is very reasonably priced and offers a lot of fresh and tasty options. If you're really hungry and on a budget, I recommend the Pollo Asado, which is all you can eat chicken for $16. They serve you out of a big pot, so you get the whole dining experience to boot. On this particular evening, I went for the Clasico Plato Cubano ($16), which is described as a classic Cuban dish with white rice and black beans, roast pork and ground beef in a Habanera sauce and yucca with Cuban sauce served with a sweet plantains. The presentation was lacking, but the pork was excellent: very tender, well seasoned and delish! The pork itself was enough of a meal, but it also comes with ground beef in a thick sauce that was very good but a little too heavy for my taste. The fried plantains were very good and a great compliment to the plate.

This restaurant is a great date spot. Not only is the food very good, but you feel like you uncovered a secret when you go inside. LBDP is relatively new and makes you feel like you are very much a part of the birth of the place. In addition, the restaurant also offers Salsa lessons for $7 on Sunday nights, so what's better than a little Cuban food and some Cuban dancing?

Get a taste of Cuba without the fear of returning to your home and being tracked by the American government for the rest of your life. Go, eat and tell me about it for goodness sake!

La Bodeguita de Pico
5047 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
323.937.2822
$$

Mas Margarita's Por Favor

Photo Courtesy of Flickr Blog

I love a place that is as inconspicuous on the outside, as the amount of trouble brewing on the interior. I had not stumbled into such a place in quite sometime until I celebrated Cinco de Mayo at none other than El Carmen.

El Carmen oozes hipster chic as soon as you walk in the door. With its low lighting (some of which is glowing from water filled lamps that your kooky great-aunt might have had) and it's Mexican wrestler paintings (and masks) that adorn the wall, you know this place is going to foster a fun evening.

Besides the quirky decor, this place is known for it's menu of over 400 tequilas, as well as an impressive list of specialty margaritas. I set my sights on the Watermelon Margarita, which at $8 was about 3 shots and tasted like I bit into a fresh watermelon - yum!! You certainly get your money's worth on booze (the beer is also reasonable at $5).

Although I intended to sample more of their food menu (the menu is small, but has enough to satisfy any lover of Mexican food), the 3 drinks before we got a table lended to less eating and more inappropriate storytelling. I was very impressed with the freshly fried corn chips, as well as the salsa and fresh guacamole (which disappeared in a matter of minutes). As a table we shared the nachos which I thought were very yummy and had a lot of flavor. My perpetually-mad-at-life Mexican friend made sure to poo poo the nachos for their inclusion of black beans, not refried. I happened to like this touch, making me feel less guilty for eating fried food and drinking excessive amounts. To each his own.

This is a great place to get the night started. I wouldn't go there just for the food, but the food/drinks combo is certainly worth every penny you spend and I swear you'll leave cooler than when you entered.

When in need of social lubrication, hit up this Mexican hot spot and you won't be disappointed!

El Carmen
8138 West Third St.
Los Angeles, 90048
(323) 852-1552
$-$$

(Not Such a) Good Night, Moon

I went to Luna Park last night for a friend's birthday and it was just okay. Nothing special, nothing inedible. I was a little disappointed, hearing mostly good things about the place.

We started with a goat cheese fondue which ran about $9 and was hardly 4 oz of melted cheese with toasted french bread and half an apple to dip. The presentation was "interesting", stacking the bread like bricks around the elevated fondue ramekin. But it was melted cheese, for 9 dollars. And some of the bread was burnt. Not a great start.

I ordered the Roasted Sea Bass for my main course, which was appropriately priced at about 17 dollars. That's one thing I'll give this place - the main courses were very reasonably priced (the Lamb, for instance, was also $17). The Sea Bass was simply roasted, not a lot of flavor but okay. It was served on a bed of broccoli rabe, which I LOVE. But they overcooked it! The stalks were mushy so a boo to that!

Overall, I'm not taking my rocket to Luna again, I'd rather watch this movie and eat cereal in bed.

P.S. It's gray and rainy outside so I'm in a bit of a "mood."

Luna Park
672 S. La Brea
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-2110
$$

Be A Dal, Why Don't Ya

Photo Courtesy of The Oxford Student

Just recently taking over a space near USC, Manas Indian Cuisine has brought college dining to another level. Don't be fooled by the modest decor, this place packs a punch when it comes to flavor. Plus, with a Bollywood movie playing on the large flat screen in the back of the restaurant, you not only get a great meal but an education in how to dance, sing, and avoid an arranged marriage all without wrinkling your sari.

Although many Americans worship the Whopper more than the big guy upstairs, Hindus have a deeper devotion for the cow. So I was quite amused by one of the first items on the menu: Premium Chilly Cheese Burger ($4.50). Nothing like poking fun at yourselves, as this creative concoction only implies beef (the patties are made of cottage cheese and chickpeas). The presentation was fantastic, taking a page out of Grillmaster Magazine. Right from the start I was very impressed.


I then moved on to the Lamb Vindaloo ($9.95) and the Chicken Tikka Masala ($8.95). Both were truly wonderful. The meat was tender and tasted as if a lot of care had been put into the preparation. The sauces were rich without tasting heavy. The flavors were complex but stayed true to how Indian food should taste.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Lamb Vindaloo

This place wasn't a total home run, but the faults I had with the restaurant are not enough to keep me away. One downside was that the water was bad - even with lemon (so order a soda). I also was persuaded to order a Mango drink that was the house specialty, but was far from special and a little too sweet for my taste. And, I ordered Aloo Paratha ($3.50), which was a potato stuffed flat bread, but was lacking any flavor. However, it was good to soak up the lovely sauces.

This restaurant is incredibly reasonable for the quality of food. Unless you are from USC, you might not be inclined to make it down to this part of Los Angeles, but let Manas be the reason for your venture. Plus, if you're feeling like making an evening out of it, try to coordinate your dinner with a Vidushak show, the only all-Indian improv troupe at USC and quite a sweet treat after a delicious meal.

Manas Indian Cuisine
2823 S. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, 90007
(323) 731-4333
$

Yum to the Third Power

Photo Courtesy of BeverlyHillsPeople.com

As of yesterday, it had been a week since I'd eaten a carb. I needed bread bad. Really bad. So I did what any resourceful Jew would do and organized an end of Passover get together so that I could eat large amounts of pasta and pizza with other people, blaming the "company" for my insatiable hunger.

CUBE seemed like the perfect locale and the menu was ripe with carbs ready for the picking. Unfortunately, I was so focused on eating a piece of bread that I forgot my camera, so please let your imagination run free. Note that CUBE is very close to, but has yet to secure a liquor/wine license. For the time being it is BYOB, and they do not charge corkage.

OUR MENU:
Crostini ($6.95)
Tomato, Olive and White Bean - very yummy, a good start

Roasted Garlic Pesto w/ Gorgonzola & Walnuts ($11.95)
Delicious! The pizza was a thin crust, very moist and fresh dough. The cheese was really top notch; great flavor.

Wild Mushroom Ravioli w/ Sun Dried Tomato Sauce ($12.95)
This came at the waiter's recommendation and was very good. The sauce was a cream base, but not heavy at all.

Mozzarella, Prosciutto & Arugula ($12.95)
I think they made the mozzarella in the back - so creamy it melted in my mouth! The Proscuitto was also fantastic. A very simple but tasty dish.

Four Cheese Mac & Cheese ($6.95)
Lots of flavor, I just wish it was crispy on top. It's a side dish, but certainly enough for one person.

Russian Kale $4.95
Not on the regular menu but they had it in house. Lightly crisped, salty, yum!

Tartufo $4.95
I like mine with a hard chocolate shell, but this was pretty yummy. Rich cocoa coating, coffee and liquor gelato center.

The meal started with complimentary flat bread (like pizza dough) which was great. We were also given two small plates with an assortment of 3 cheeses (about an ounce each), dried cranberries (or currants?) and cashews. The presentation was very nice as the plates were slate so the cheese names were written on the plate itself with chalk. We had a Tilamook, A Cows Milk Cheese and one other that I can't remember. I'll blame it on the wine.

The ambiance and service was really top notch. Our waiter understood that we were in no rush and let us be for about an hour until we ordered our main course. At one point, my friend Sam walked down the street to buy another bottle of wine because we wanted to keep the party going. In fact, we were the last table to leave that night, after the chefs, after the lights went off, after all the other tables were set for the next day. I honestly felt like I was in Europe and was sipping wine and eating great Italian food on my own clock, not feeling rushed by any of the waitstaff. I recommend CUBE to anyone who loves good food. It's by no means pretenious, despite its list of over 80 cheeses (I plan to go back to sample some of these when they get their wine license).

This is a restaurant that appreciates good food, and taking the time to enjoy it.

CUBE
615 N. La Brea
Los Angeles, 90036
(323) 939-1148
$$

Next Stop: Flavor Town

I don't generally associate Travelodge hotel chains with high culinary arts. I also don't know how many Travelodge's house a restaurant like Metro Cafe.

Metro Cafe is not about glitz and glamour. The decor is simple with a few pieces of artwork on the walls and some tea lights on the table. But I don't generally go to a restaurant to look for dining room inspiration, I go to eat great food. And Metro has GREAT food.

I started my meal with a salad of Burata over Roasted Red Peppers ($9). This salad was so fresh, I swear they made the cheese in the back. The burata was creamy and the dressing was light. It was very tasty.


I then moved on to the Thyme Chicken with Tomato Viniagrette ($14). The chicken was served with snow peas and mashed potatoes. The chicken itself was truly a delite. It was coated in thyme and then roasted to a crispy coat. The meat was tender and juicy and perfectly cooked. The viniagrette was really a wonderful treat. I could taste a South American influence on the sauce, very refreshing and sweet with the perfect amount of vinegar to compliment the chicken. The sides were good as well, although I like my mashed potatoes a little chunky, I won't hold it against them.


My date ordered the Montenegro Lamb Roast ($17) which had a lot of South American and Mediterranean influence. The lamb was perfectly roasted with a little bit of seasoning (not enough to hide the flavor of the lamb). Drizzled over the top of the meat was a mint pesto which was fantastic and fresh. The lamb was served with baked white beans which almost had a little Meditteranean flavor.


Metro was a great meal, and nicely sandwiched in between West L.A. and Culver City, it's a fun place to get a great meal. Plus, if you have too many glasses of Pinot, you can always spend the night at the TL.

Metro Cafe
11188 Washington Place
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-6821
$$

We All Get Negative Sometimes

It has recently been brought to my attention that I don't write any negative reviews. I guess when I started this blog, I wanted it to be a source of all that's good to eat in L.A. But like everything, with the good, comes the bad. So, thus begins an the ribbon-cutting for open-minded and often sour tasting reviews.

Let's begin with Shamshiri Grill. As it's still Passover, (one more day, one more day, don't go in the kitchen and tempt self with cupcakes...) I was looking for a place with lots of meat and salad options. I read about Shamshiri on Chowhound, and as it was very well reviewed, I thought I'd give it a shot. Plus, Shamshiri was open on Easter, and who doesn't love to chase Shwarma with a few peeps?

Let's start with the service. The restaurant was practically empty and yet my date and I were seated at a table directly behind the maitre d's stand (if I can even call it that). Basically, we were sat in the first possible seat in the restaurant. I don't know about you, but I like to have a little privacy with my meal. It was a little odd, but not a big deal in the small picture. So, let me widen the screen.

I had read about the so-called fabulous Shirazi Salad, a Persian staple of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley and lemon juice - it sounded perfect (plus the benefit of no flour). I ended up ordering the Chicken Schwarma Plate (which was cheaper than ordering the Shirazi with chicken on top). The Plate came with rice, so I substituted that for extra vegetables or tomatoes (both which came with the plate) and chose shirazi salad as my add on (other choices were green salad or soup). So far, so good.

About fifteen minutes later, our waiter comes over to inform us that there's no salad. Here's the conversation (almost) verbatim:

WAITER: (matter-of-factly) There's no salad.
JAIMEY: (thinking he's kidding) No salad now, or no salad at all?
W: Maybe we'll have salad in 30 minutes.
J: (thinking he's referring to the shirazi salad) Can I get a green salad instead?
W: There is no salad.

Okay, let me get this straight? There's no lettuce, no tomatoes, no cucumber, nothing?! Keep in mind, this place is far from filled to capacity and there's a fricken Bristol Farms across the street!

Fine. We decided to substitute our missing salads for lentil soup, asking first what the ingredients were: lentils, broth... fine, we'll take it. Bring me my soup.

Enter lentil soup: with noodles - which we immediately said we couldn't have, and further confused our American born Korean waiter (I feel it's important to point out that this was by no means a "traditional" Persian restaurant as our waiter was far from Persian, and more bland than the hummus he brought to our table).

Enough about the salad debacle. Our Schwarma was okay. I guess they forgot to not include rice, because there were bits of rice mixed into my chicken, as if they plated up with rice and then had to scrape the rice off before bringing it out to us. I, however, was not fooled. The chicken was fine, but a little greasy. The waiter made sure to come by when we were almost done with our meal to let us know that they had salad. Fantastic! Alert the press! This guy was a genius.

We passed on dessert, of course, but my friend asked for a cup of coffee, to which Korean Ken Barbie replied:

"Our coffee machine is broken."

And to which I thought, "of course it is."


Shamshiri Grill
1712 Westwood Blvd.
Westwood, 90024
(310) 474-1470
$

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
$$

Nook Who's Talking

It's been a little slow at work this week, I'm not going to lie. Actually, if we're being completely honest, it's been slow for a few weeks (hence the recent influx of posts). So, on this particularly slow Friday, being that it was particularly "Good," and thus so were my otherwise agnostic co-workers, I decided to go out to an actual restaurant for lunch.

I'd heard about Nook Neighborhood Bistro for a while, but just recently decided to make the trip. I have to tell you, although I had the address and cross streets, I did drive by the locale once before finding it. Nook is located in a stripmall on Santa Monica Blvd., just west of Barrington (between Barry and Federal). Although the large mall sign does include Nook amongst it's other tenants, once inside the mall, there is no Nook sign in sight, only a blue sign with a white arrow on it! Hidden in between a pizza joint and a bakery, with no sign!, I knew this place was going to be neato.

It was pretty busy for a lunch hour, but we were seated right away at the communal table in the middle of the small restaurant. Yes, communal table! Let me just tell you that besides eating food at restaurants, my second (and close first) favorite thing to do is eavesdrop on other people's conversations. Between the man on my right telling his female coworker about the potential of missing a meeting due to his appointment at the fertility clinic (he and his wife want a son and want to increase the odds. I just hope he washed his hands before lunch.) and the group on my left, a young couple meeting the parents for the first time and arguing about where to put the couch in their new apartment, it was quite an enjoyable lunch. Not to mention, the food was pretty good as well.

I ordered a cup of Lentil Soup to start ($3), which was topped with a Lemon and Mint Feta - absolutely delish! I hate it when lentil soups are goopy, but this was the perfect consistency, not too creamy, the lentils were firm, but tender, and the broth was really rich and tasty.


I should also mention that I'm trying to keep kosher for Passover, so I was limited to what I could order on the menu. I REALLY wanted the 3 cheese Mac & Cheese which was browned and crispy on top just as it should be. I ended up with a Nicoise Salad ($12), which was just okay. The fresh Ahi Tuna was really fantastic, but the dressing was nothing special and the salad was kind of bland. I'm not going to hold this against them, as it was probably the most boring item on the menu. My lunch date, Stephanie, chose the Grilled Albacore Sandwich ($9) which was dressed with a apple fig chutney (to die for) and pickled red onions. She said the focaccia was really fresh and delicious too, of course, I just drooled looking at it. Steph ordered a side of Caesar Salad, which the menu describes as "famous," and for goodness sake, get this salad a star on Hollywood Blvd. The dressing, which truly revolves around the unique addition of a whole grain mustard, is so fantastic and different than any caesar I've ever had. The salad is sprinkled with fried capers and is just a delite.

Nicoise Salad

Grilled Albacore Sandwich

I really want to go back here for dinner as it's romantic, secluded and has a great menu. Plus, "nook" is just plain fun to say.

Nook Neighborhood Bistro-
11628 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 207-5160
$

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
$$

Seeing Red

In what used to be the home of Meson G, now stands a pair of gold doors (and a pretty tasty restaurant behind it). Red Pearl Kitchen is Pan Asian Family Style food, lots of small plates, and a great place to go with a group. They advertise their food as Dim Sum, but please don't go there expecting the traditional fare.

I had the pleasure of dining with my friend Sam, and as we caught up on all the people from high school we have blocked out of memory, we also enjoyed some delicious and funky dishes.

Of course, we had to start out with a cocktail. I had the Waterloo, RPK's take on a watermelon martini - and it was FANTASTIC. Not too sweet, very fresh and topped off with watermelon balls on a skewer. This drink was very refreshing through the entire first course and didn't battle the dishes we tried. Sam started with the Red Pearl, a pomegranate infused cocktail with an orchid flower floating on top. The drinks were beautiful, fresh and tasty and really set the tone for the meal.

Sam and I then decided to share two appetizers: The Miso-Glazed Salmon Skewers ($10) and the Duck-Banana Lettuce Wraps ($10). The presentation of the skewers was truly beautiful, utilizing the negative space on the plate, and dusting the dish with chopped pistachios. The salmon was perfectly cooked, flaky and moist. This was a simple dish, but perfectly executed.


The Duck-Banana Lettuce Wraps were really a treat! The duck was pulled and marinated in a rich and well-bodied sauce. The banana element of the dish was a banana puree that you topped your duck with and folded into a Boston Lettuce cup. This is a must have dish, very flavorful and easily shared by two or three people. The salmon came as 3 skewers, but the duck came with at least 4 lettuce cups, and there was plenty of meat left over after the cups were gone.

This in itself almost filled us up, but we decided to be team players, and go for one more dish. Plus we had just started recalling old flings, and I need some more time to rag on Sam for his dangerous choices of women in the past. Enter: Spicy Chicken Drunk Man Rice Noodle ($11). The Noodles came on the recommendation of the waitress as we requested something a little more spicy than the previous two dishes, and I reassured Sam that he should not take offense to the dishes title as it had NOTHING to do with him and his consumption of 4 beers and one cocktail. Heck, we were celebrating! The noodles were a wide, rice noodle and the sauce was rich and flavorful. Unlike the other two dishes, this wasn't the most beautiful to look at, but the flavor was there. Overall, another great dish. We're 3 for 3.


I decided to close out my meal with my favorite part of the day: dessert. I was going back and forth between the Kaffir Lime Pot de Crème, Banana Fritters ($8) and the “Vietnamese Coffee Sundae” Chocolate, Candied Almonds ($8). I ended up going with the Coffee sundae, which was a 'B' at the end of an 'A' meal. The vanilla ice cream was just okay. The candied nuts and condensed milk, which topped the ice cream, were the best part of the dish (besides the presentation). After the waitress set the plate in front of me, she took the small cup of coffee that sat next to the ice cream and poured it over the dish right in front of me. Cool, yes, but the flavor just didn't stand up. I ate it all, of course, but like I said, it was just okay. I'll probably try the fritters next time. And when I say probably, I mean I've already planned a day around them. They better not let me down or I might not give my heart to a dessert again... OH, the lies I tell myself to keep me going.


A couple other things to note about this restaurant. While I was a party of 2, there were lots of groups at the restaurant, celebrating one thing or another (or just traveling in packs as young Hollywood tends to do). I would consider this place on your next group outing as it's reasonably priced, well-located, and has a great bar. Try making it over to RPK Sunday-Thursday and enjoy Shanghai Happy Hour from 9pm to close with a reduced price cocktail, wine, beer, and bar menu from $4 to $9. You can check out their other special events on their website. There are also lounges in the back where you can play pool, watch some Chinese cartoons and chill out on comfy chairs.

Red Pearl Kitchen
6703 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 525-1415
$$