WHY Because there’s so much more to the Mexican sandwich than carne asada—filled rolls. WHAT Seventy variations of the DF-style torta is an idea that might seem as gimmicky as popcorn-flavored ice cream. But each torta here is as precisely constructed as anything from a four-star kitchen. Choosing the best one is impossible, but the [...]
November 7, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Terrific, refined Italian fare without having to go over the hill. WHAT Florentine native and sometime actor Armando Pucci has created a delightful spot for fans of light, sophisticated Tuscan food. We are slaves to the chalkboard daily specials (the pappardelle with Dungeness crab and cherry tomatoes is sublime), but the regular menu has [...]
November 6, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Quality burgers and good drinks, right next door to the ArcLight. WHAT This isn’t the cheapest burger in town, but as long as you avoid the prime steakhouse burger, it’s a good deal for this happening neighborhood. The meat is a mix of sirloin, short rib, chuck and brisket, and it’s properly cooked and [...]
November 4, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Coffee, sandwiches and desserts to eat in the front yard of this old house, plus simple-chic kitchenware (new and vintage) and that quintessential Silver Lake necessity, Dude No. 1 Beard Oil. WHAT Where Zanzabelle and Freight once cohabitated is now a most fetching food-focused general store and café. You can pick up retro glass [...]
November 1, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For the chance to explore the rich flavors of authentic Portuguese cooking. WHAT Known for its traditional Portuguese pastries, Natas now has a full-on restaurant. You could be in Lisbon—the charming room, entirely lined in crisp blue-and-white tile, is one of the few places in town to sample dishes like caldeirada, a seafood stew, [...]
October 30, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A non-sceney neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot with fresh baked bread and pastries. WHAT If the expensive, trendy brunches of Silver Lake and Los Feliz are too much to bear, head to neighboring Atwater, where the Village Bakery & Café has a case of homey baked goods and the room to enjoy them. It’s [...]
October 29, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The same excellent, expensive rustic-elegant food as at neighboring Gjelina, ready to take out in ten minutes. WHAT It can take six weeks to score a dinner reservation at Venice’s hottest restaurant, Gjelina, but now with GTA (Gjelina Take Away) next door, you can take the food back to work or home or even [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Luxe breakfast and lunch on the beach. WHAT Is $17 too much to pay for bacon ‘n eggs? Not with a setting like this—a white-washed California dream of a café at sand level in this beachfront hotel, with windows open to the ocean air and the cyclists a few feet away on the bike [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Café fare of a quality never before seen in the Valley, at prices that are more Brentwood than Burbank. WHAT This spacious new place from neighbors and restaurant investors Melina and Christian Davies satisfies all cravings, offering Intelligentsia coffee, breakfast pastries and desserts from Valerie Confections (the salted caramel croissant is flaky bliss; the [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY In a vintage, 10,000-square-foot theater space, Mohawk Bend boasts an enviable selection of craft beers and one of the nicer patios in this part of town. WHAT A slew of vegan and vegetarian dishes—like polenta with leeks and broccoli, fire-roasted artichokes and pizzas made with seitan and faux mozzarella—are seamlessly integrated into a wide-ranging [...]
Type: Restaurant
Region: Eastside
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Features: Cocktails, Dinner, Essentially L.A., Lunch, Open Late, Patio Dining, Sustainable, Vegan, Vegetarian
Price Range: $10-under, $17-$24
Cuisine Type: American, Vegan
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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