WHY A great tuna sandwich, fresh salads, a huge enclosed patio, a swell jukebox and a relaxed, hang-out-as-long-as-you-like vibe. WHAT Surely the coolest secret spot Downtown, Blue Star sits on the edge of the scrap-metal yards off Alvarado in Vernon—in other words, the last neighborhood you’d expect to find a modern diner serving caprese sandwiches [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Belgian endive salad with Roquefort, whitefish fillet with brandade and a great roast chicken with frites, all served in a place right out of the 8th arrondissement. WHAT Pinot Bistro is the oldest and most reliable of Joachim Splichal’s Patina spinoffs. Avant-garde when it opened, this handsome, artfully lit bistro has evolved into a [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Charm, consistently good rustic Italian cooking, and the chance that you might run into that producer who hasn’t been returning your calls. WHAT Although it’s full of showbiz people, Ca’ Del Sole is not a scene—most people come here because they want to eat well and have a good conversation with their companions, whether [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Spicy tuna on crispy rice, seared spicy albacore sashimi, daily specials. WHAT The original Studio City location of the mini Katsu-Ya empire has gotten way too popular for many, but that doesn’t deter hordes of sushi lovers from waiting in line for a table or a coveted seat at the sushi bar. Elaborate rolls [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Charm and intelligent food in an old Spanish-style house—in a neighborhood that needed a good restaurant. WHAT At first, this newish place looked like it was angling to become the romantic spot in Toluca Lake, and it sort of is, but in a noisy way, with live flamenco music and even dancing on weekends. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Personal service and cooking in an intimate, romantic, special-occasion setting. WHAT In a twist on the old French standard, at Brandywine the wife does the cooking and the husband runs the front, and it’s clearly a harmonious relationship. This tiny place is romantic as all get-out, and chef Peggy McWilliams makes the kind of [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For good-value French classics: endive salads, roast chicken with garlic fries, beef bourguignon, crème brûlée. WHAT Patina alum Miki Zivkovic has created a welcoming neighborhood restaurant in an unattractive strip mall next to a Starbucks. Inside it’s romantic and warm, filled with regulars who’ve found a little bit of Paris in frumpy Burbank. WHO [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The country-rustic, ultra-atmospheric setting, not to mention the seared foie gras, elk tenderloin and a wine list bulging with trophy cabs. WHAT Decorated like a rustic hunting lodge and set in the spectacular mountains that divide Malibu from the Valley, Saddle Peak is that rarest of birds: a special-occasion restaurant that has remained special [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Celeb spotting, perfectly fine food and a chance to make like one of the Malibu locals who’ve adopted Nobu as their neighborhood canteen (baseball cap, flip flops and iPhone optional). WHAT It’s Disneyland Malibu here: a perfectly orchestrated miniature version of clichéd Malibu life, complete with omnipresent celebrities (think Cindy Crawford, David Duchovny, Courtney [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For the newish Vin Bar, a more casual and affordable spot situated rather awkwardly within the restaurant. WHAT This groundbreaking Italian restaurant has impeccable silver and service, the atmosphere exudes self-satisfied wealth, and the kitchen is accomplished, turning out such delicacies as truffle-topped risotto, agnolotti with braised Sonoma lamb, and a garlic-rubbed veal chop [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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