vickie2172's Profile
Chocolate Covered Strawberries - West LA? Today or tonight.
Shari's Berries when you don't have time to deliver them yourself. I was surprised when I placed an order on Feb 13th & they managed to deliver to a SFV hospital on Feb 14th. Beautiful berries, pretty packaging.
www.berries.com
Food for plane on route from midtown to LAX
Komodo (same as the food truck) has a cafe on Pico, just west of Robertson. The orders are packed in paper boxes (just like the 8"x8" styrofoam boxes) with utensils, napkin. You can park behind the cafe in a public lot on the west end of the alley behind Pico.
Dishes that I or my co-workers like: Mochiko fried chicken with salad & rice ($8); all of the tacos ($3/ taco; $8 as a burrito; $9 as a bowl); miso steak (intense miso flavor -- may be too salty for some tastes); chinese chicken salad/ french Cobb salad ($7 each). It's not the cheapest place in LA, but the ingredients are good, and the owner has worked in high end hotels.
JR's BBQ is on La Cienega where Fairfax branches off. Good BBQ (BBQ'd, not grilled, meats.) Pork shoulder BBQ sandwich (with BBQ bean, potato salad/ cole slaw ~3 oz) $8.50. (Beef rib sandwich won't work -- it's a rib with a roll on the side; too messy.) Nice owner, has own parking lot with traffic signal at entrance (in other words, fast in & out).
Warning -- La Cienega (between Stocker & La Tijera) is only two lanes in either direction.
Komodo, 8809 W Pico Blvd, 310.246.5153
JR's BBQ, 3055 S La Cienega, Culver City, 310.837.6838
ISO Great Pho in the South Bay
Saigon Dish at Manhattan Beach Blvd/ Hawthorne (Spire's shopping center). If I ask the work crew (all Asian, including VN) if they want to order, every person will order at least one dish. Their menu is in Menu Pages (sorry Seamless!). Start with #13 Pho Tai (lean steak) as your gateway pho. If you want something that's more like won-ton soup, #17. Mi Trieu Chau (yellow egg noodle with chashu, shrimp, wontons fish & shrimp meatballsI) would be appropriate.
How about suggesting some quieter restaurants?
2117 on Sawtelle Blvd. Euro-Asian. Small restaurant with patio. Focused market-driven organic menu. Great quality for very reasonable prices. It doesn't attract the party-hearty demographic. The only noisy experience I've had there was when an older gentleman appeared to be auditioning for the role of Kate in "Taming of the Shrew."
Anaheim and Hawthrone help for travelling family
If your great eaters haven't already seen this, they might like the cotton candy dessert at Sammy's Woodfire Pizza (Rosecrans & Sepulveda). It comes to the table on a platter, a huge mound of colored spun sugar. (Something to tell their friends about.)
Local, unique food gifts
Would CA almonds or pistachios or dates make an acceptable gift? The other CA product would be artichokes but I know that they would not be well received.
Slim french baguettes - where to get?
Dolce Isola uses incredible crusty, airy baguettes for their sandwiches. The clerk was puzzled when I asked for just bread, no sandwich, but he sold it to me. I think they bake their own bread.
2869 S Robertson (between Cattaraugus Ave & Hargis St)
310.776.7070
Good venue for holiday party near The Grove?
Thank you QualityMart & Servorg for your help. Taste is indeed wonderful, but too small. Same for Belmont & Vodvil. We will be going back to El Torito for their prix fixe banquet menu & private room.
Mid-City (ish), Miracle Mile? CHEAP, DELICIOUS, and suitable for a birthday? Happy hour perhaps? (sadly, NOT Robata Jinya)
Haru Sushi Cafe on San Vicente (between Drexel & 5th st). Small, quiet, inexpensive. Sake, beer, wine only. Non-sushi entrees: chicken/ salmon teriyaki, grilled cod, japanese curries. It's cute -- appealing to feminine types. It might not appeal to those with trencherman appetites, but it's not a small plates place, either.
www.harusushicafe.com
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Haru Sushi Cafe
480 S San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Good venue for holiday party near The Grove?
Every year we organize our own holiday party apart from our company party (which has become an on-site buffet lunch). We've gone to The Stinking Rose, Porterhouse Bistro (RIP), El Torito Grill in Beverly Hills. The challenge has been to find an affordable site (as close to $39 pp as possible); full bar highly desired. Some of the staff make only ~$35K; some are making 4x as much. The support staff are very sensitive to price, but they also look forward to having a dressy event. All of The Grove sites require a HUGE deposit. Maggiano's gets a lot of bookings from other departments and fits our needs, but I wanted to know if I've overlooked a local gem.
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Stinking Rose
55 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Energy enhancing foods to avoid afternoon lunch crash & fatigue?
If you need a Plan B, I've started using Trader Joe's European Whole Grain Bread for breakfast & lunch. "Bread" is a euphemistic description. It's more like crushed whole grains & sunflower seeds compressed into a loaf shape. It has enough complex carbs & fiber to keep my blood sugar from spiking & crashing. The all protein meals are another good suggestion.
South Bay good Mexican food
Teresa's Mosaic Cafe
Cantina-type decor. You won't be embarrassed to take your guests there.
Good food. Family owned. Sister restaurant in Arizona was featured in "Throwdown with Bobby Flay". Bobby Flay won the huevos rancheros contest, but I was impressed that they (Mom & brother) roasted their own chiles for the sauce. Both restaurants make their own tortillas.
Entrees range from $9 (combinaciones) to $15 (camarones rancheros/ al mojo de ajo/ empanizados OR caldo de camaron y pescado).
Tequila menu: Blancos ($6-7), reposados ($6-8), anejos ($6-15). Margaritas ($6-9; pitcher $21). (Martinis ~$10; beers $4)
The owners (Grace & Isaac) & staff are accommodating. Talk to them if you want something more authentic.
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Teresa's Mosaic Cafe
150 S Sepulveda Blvd Ste G, El Segundo, CA 90245
looking for after Funeral dining in West LA for 50 plus guests.....Help
I have never been to Casa Sanchez, but if I had to work within your parameters, I would check it out. They don't open until 5pm, but they might open for a private event.
casa-sanchez.com
Sushi Near Cedars?
Haru Sushi Cafe is on San Vicente, south of Third Street. Parking is easy, they're open for lunch, and the food is terrific. Congratulations!
harusushicafe.com
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Haru Sushi
2515 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Birthday Brunch at The Getty
You might want to ask for a window table. I told our server privately that one of my guests had a birthday. For her dessert, the chef wrote "happy birthday" on the plate using a chocolate squeeze bottle. My guests had pasta, I had a salad. These dishes were fine. Sorry, I can't identify a "must have" dish.
Lunch spot for a baby shower
I went to baby shower (~25 adult & kids) at 26 Beach, which was terrific. Hostess picked set menu of burgers, salads, french toast. Good food, cute patio, parking lot. Didn't rush us out -- so gift opening was done @ shower + 2 shower games (men -- you don't want to know). Don't know too many places where you can have beer/wine in a glass or juice in a sippy cup (capped plastic soda cup).
www.26beach.com
3100 Washington Blvd (Lincoln Blvd)
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26 Beach
3100 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292
Quick! Where can I pick up a gourmet side dish for a Memorial Day BBQ?
Recently someone suggested side dishes from Lemonade (there's one on Abbott Kinney). I love their salads.
Rehearsal dinner suggestion in Marina del Rey area
If proximity to the airport, jet-lag, and peace of mind for bride & groom are the major considerations, I think Salt Creek Grille in El Segundo might be a good choice.
It's on Sepulveda (one of the main access streets for LAX); in a big shopping center with free parking; live music on Friday nights; full bar; private rooms; dedicated event coordinator; customizable menus.
It might not be the best thing they've ever eaten, but it won't add to their anxieties. (They should have had the best meal of their lives the night of the proposal.)
http://www.saltcreekgrille.com/el_segundo.asp
Rehearsal dinner suggestion in Marina del Rey area
I second the 26 Beach suggestion. I went to a baby shower (~25 diners) in the covered patio section. Our hostess had set up a smaller menu that included their popular dishes -- the hamburgers, salads & french toast (there were kids with us). Great food, great space. Servers were attentive.
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26 Beach
3100 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292
Japanese Style Chinese Food In Los Angeles
Thank you for the link. I grew up in the neighborhood. The video captures the camaraderie around food that we all seek. Chowhound heresy -- sometimes the whole point is not the food (eg, J Gold's Pulitzer).
Graduation dinner for 13 near Manhattan Beach
If you can adjust your budget to $25/person, there's Paul Martin's American Bistro (on Rosecrans). The entrees range from $15 (tacos) to $25 (ribs). (High end: NY steak $30, filet $28.) The price of the side dishes is included, and they will switch out the sides if you want. Their Friday/ Saturday prime rib special ($30, three courses) is very nice.
There's also a Daily Grill (zagat $30/ meal + drink + tip) & a Salt Creek Grille (zagat $37/ meal + drink + tip). All of these places have a broad American menu. Nothing exotic, nothing highly spiced.
Congratulations to a fellow alum!
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Paul Martin's American Bistro
2361 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 180, El Segundo, CA 90245
The Spice Table - Perceptor's Photo Report
Let the record show that I did receive a return call from the manager. She was surprised that OpenTable rejected a reservation for 13 diners. (They've seated parties of 15 using adjoining tables.)
My co-worker did a test run last night. Here's his report:
"... so I ended up going with a smaller group to Spice Table yesterday and I must say, the food was decent, but for the price to portion ratio, it was not impressive. I would've rather paid more for a little better portion sizes. On an aside, out of the things I did try, the hainan chicken ginger dip and the hainan rice itself was good, but the chicken was so-so. The oxtail was really good and did not have a chance to try the satays.
Having been there, now I know what its really hard to accommodate a big group since the room is tiny. I think 8 people would be pushing it already."
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The Spice Table
114 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
The Spice Table - Perceptor's Photo Report
As much as my co-workers and I would have loved to try Spice Table, we were thwarted by the reservation system. The Open Table software seems to be programmed to reject reservations for 13 (no availability for the next 31 days!) and two phone calls to the restaurant have not been returned. We've resigned ourselves to vicariously enjoying it through your photos.
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The Spice Table
114 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Lard-free Mexican
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo ($15; 5 large shrimp); Dos Enchiladas de Pollo en Mole ($11; love the mole sauce). The two enchiladas aren't enough for husband (even with rice & beans) so he'll get a side of Mini Chimichangas ($7.50; #4).
Dinner recs - Around Cerritos
We really enjoy Park Avenue, in Stanton. It's about 15 minutes from CPAC, using surface streets. The food's described as "creative renditions of classic American cuisine." One of the entrees is an entire chicken, deboned, filled with a stuffing, and reconstructed. It's moist & flavorful. We've had lamb, fish, salads, and an unusual appetizer -- flash-fried kale. It doesn't sound like much, but it is tasty. Price range (per OpenTable, $30 & under).
Park Avenue
11200 Beach Blvd
Stanton, CA 90680-3221
714.901.4400
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Park Avenue Restaurant
11200 Beach Blvd., Stanton, CA 90680
Casual quiet lunch place near Cedar Sinai?
The Capital Grille is across the street (Beverly Center, street level). Valet parking, private rooms with flat screen TVs, upstairs patio. Very old-school steak house. Open for lunch & dinner. Big portions. Their energy won't flag during their pitch to CSMC. (Hope your husband isn't a surveyor.)
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The Capital Grille
8614 Beverly Blvd Suite 157, Los Angeles, CA 90048
RESTAURANTS OPEN ON XMAS DAY??? (Its my Birthday)
In Culver City, k-zo is open with their regular menu. (I think they have a full bar.) I'll be there.
Where should I take my parents - West side, under $75/person? - to make them see LA anew?
Ditto The Getty, but getting to the restaurant involves waiting for a tram and crossing a broad plaza. If that's not a problem, you should have a good experience there. Ask for a window table.
