WHY A smart selection of beer and wine and a very good burger. WHAT The Bottle Room is a gastropub in the truest sense, a casual place where classics are tweaked and craft beers and small-batch wines flow. The restaurant’s signature burger follows the Father’s Office mold with sweet onion relish, arugula and blue and [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHAT Like Kogi, Komodo uses tortillas as a delivery system for Asian-influenced flavors, but instead of kim chee you’ll taste things like peanut sauce (on the soy tempeh salad), citrus-soy (in the Asian marinated chicken with stir-fried rice and mandarins) and cucumber (atop the Indonesian beef rendang). Bright flavors, quality ingredients and prices on the [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A fabulous outdoor space, a good happy hour and flatbread pizzas to share with friends. WHAT This cousin to Vermont is a two-level, mostly outdoor space built around an artfully lit coral tree. The vibe varies greatly depending on when you come—weekend brunch is peaceful, early weeknights are rich with candlelit romance, and from [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Classic cocktails in goblets and vintage ship’s-deck views of palm trees and the Pacific. WHAT This streamline moderne boutique hotel was redone to within an inch of its 1939 glamour, yet it retains its quiet, hideaway feel. The cocktail menu reflects the era—old fashioneds, Singapore slings—while the food is contemporary and local: goat cheese—stuffed [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHAT Langer’s pastrami on rye may tower above rival Canter’s, but the mobile version of Canter’s is pretty darn satisfying when you’re nowhere near Deli-land. The oversize pastrami and corned beef sandwiches are smaller on the truck, which means they’re just the right size, and also more reasonably priced at $8.50. The accompanying coleslaw is [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For a post-movie bite that doesn’t involve a food court or corporate chain restaurant. WHAT The pub grub from former Whist chef Warren Schwartz—ale-battered fish with tarragon-dill tartar sauce, asparagus salad with burrata—is leaps and bounds above the average mall fare, so we’re grateful for this Westside Pavilion hangout. Great craft beer list; tempting [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For tender layer cakes and cookies that are the stuff of childhood dreams. WHAT Home-style cakes, cupcakes and mini-cupcakes done to perfection: German chocolate, coconut, red velvet, and of course, vanilla buttercake. You’ll also be tempted by criss-cross peanut butter cookies, bundt cakes and creamy cheesecakes that taste like they were baked in your [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A convenient, moderately priced café just south of the Old Town madness—with free parking! WHAT Part of a small local chain that also owns Wild Thyme, this place feels generic, and yet it fits the bill in many ways. The short-rib hash, Thai beef salad, pizzas and brick-flattened chicken are of the moment and [...]
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WHY House-brewed beers, cozy booths and food that’s better than the pub norm, all an easy walk from the pier and the beach. WHAT The beer brewed onsite in large copper vats isn’t as good as Craftsman’s, but their Hefeweizen amd Manhattan Beach Blonde go down great after a walk on the beach. Regulars crowd [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The brownies and lattes at the coffee bar. WHAT It serves three meals a day, plus weekend brunch, but we like it best for breakfast: good brewed coffee, chocolate croissants, frittatas built to order, brioche french toast and homemade granola. Lunch is fine, but on crowded days service can be slow. The Farm’s real [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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