You would do very well to stay at one of the hotels on the beach in Santa Monica. September is one of the best months of the year in L.A. and you'll be close to lots of great places if you stay in S.M.

Restaurant Recs for LA:

Melisse
Osteria Mozza
Hatfields
Rustic Canyon
The Tasting Kitchen
Mo-Chica

This is just awesome! I wish health, wealth and happiness to you, your wife and all your progeny.

For the 10:00 p.m. slot on Saturday you should try either the Foie Gras or the Scallops with Lardons (about $25 for either one) and a nice glass of red wine at Hatfield's. You will feel as if you have lived quite well.

I highly recommend the following (in no particular order):

Hatfield's
Mo-Chica
Kiriko (or Sushi Iki)
Mercado
Mozza (Pizzeria and Osteria)
Langer's Deli

I know some Chowhounders may disagree with me, but I don't think this is even a close call. Osteria Mozza is clearly better. And, while neither restaurant is inexpensive, Mozza is lighter on the wallet. My last meal at Providence was over $400 for 2 people. I've never come close to spending that much for 2 people at Osteria Mozza and I spare myself no expense when eating there

I would also strongly suggest you consider Hatfield's, which is without question one of the finest meals and dining experiences you will have in the Los Angeles area.

Has anyone tried (and liked) Bombay Palace on Wilshire? I checked out the menu online and it's one of the few Indian places where I've found lamb pasanda.

Aw . . . what a wonderful thread!

I'll be baking a triple-layer chocolate cake and I usually use Kerrygold butter and Callebault bittersweet chocolate from Surfas. This time I'm going to use duck eggs instead of chicken eggs and, after reading this thread, I'd like to try a different butter.

What is the absolute best butter (with the highest fat content) for baking? I don't care how much I have to pay.

Went to Culina last night for dinner. Added the wine paring (3 glasses) for an additional $25. Everything was absolutely incredible, except for the chocolate dessert.

For my money, I say try the The Tripel in Playa Del Rey.

As many other posters have already stated, it's doubtful there's another city in the world that has as abundant a selection of really good ethnic restaurants. However, like everything else with L.A., the problem is driving to get there.

But I take issue with the notion that this isn't a really good food town for non-ethnic foods. I haven't been to NY lately, but I have spent a fair amount of time in San Francisco and Paris (two other great food cities), and I am convinced that the best restaurants in L.A. are absolutely as good or better than the best restaurants in either SF or Paris. And as for the diversity of cuisines, I suspect NY is the only place in the world that has a culinary scene as diverse as L.A.'s.

As for exceptionally good non-ethnic restaurants, here are my top three:

Hatfield's
Lucques
Osteria Mozza (Italian, but that doesn't really count as ethnic in L.A.)

I'm also eager to try Ink and The Royce.

I couldn't agree more! The original Cachette was very good, but La Cachette Bistro is mediocre at best and I thought most people knew that.

Porthos, thanks for your recs. I was heartbroken to find the beignets absent from the menu (Thanksgiving Eve). I had the pear galette, which was terrific (the accompanying cinnamon ice milk was particularly delectable). My wife had the chocolate malted bavarian, which was just okay (not much chocolate involved, really).

Hopefully the beignets will be back soon...

You're experience was better than mine. I had a good (not very good) meal there, which is always fine if you don't pay too much for it. My dinner for two with tax and tip was grossly over priced at about $450. I can't imagine ever going back unless it's to order only the poached egg and a glass of wine a la carte.

Has anyone had Hatfield's poached pear brown butter galette? What about the chocolate malted bavarian or sugar & spice beignets? I'm going there this week for dinner and can't help but look ahead at the desserts.

You will not go wrong with Kiriko. For cooked dishes, I highly recommend the seared blue fin tuna as well as the warm spinach salad. The seared blue fin tuna is not always on the menu, but they'll usually make it for you if you ask them to.

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Kiriko
11301 W Olympic Blvd Ste 102, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Westsidegal,

I'm very glad you enjoyed The Tripel. I always have mixed feelings about recommending the place. The food is very good and I want others to enjoy it, but I already have a hard enough time getting a seat whenever I go.

FYI - I follow your comments on CH religiously so I'm glad I could return a favor!

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Tripel
333 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90293

Hands down - The Tripel in PDR.

The place is very small and somewhat isolated, but it's probably got the best gastropub food around. Nic, the chef/owner is extremely talented and used to run the kitchen at Beechwood (before it declined). If you call several days in advance you may be able to talk him into making a beef short rib pot pie, which is the best thing I've ever eaten in my life (seriously).

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Tripel
333 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90293

Your take on the wrap from Curious Palate is interesting. Two weeks ago my wife and I went there for dinner and I can honestly say it was, without a doubt, the worst meal we've had a restaurant in well over a year - and we eat out at least 2-3 times each week. Neither of us order the wrap (she had the burger and I had the lamb sweetbreads). The meal was so bad they comp'd one of the dishes for us and apologized.

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The Curious Palate
12034 Venice Boulevard, Mar Vista, CA

Undeniably, the best burger in L.A. is at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica. It's pricier than most high-end burgers, but still the best value.

Suggestions for Santa Monica:

Burger - Rustic Canyon Wine Bar (probably the best burger in L.A.)
Sushi - Mori Sushi or Kiriko

Suggestions for Beverly Hills:

Steak - Cut or Mastro's
Sushi - Urasawa

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Rustic Canyon Wine Bar
1119 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Urasawa Restaurant
218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Kiriko
11301 W Olympic Blvd Ste 102, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Mori Sushi
34320 Pacific Coast Hwy Ste B, Dana Point, CA 92629

I second Loteria in the Farmers Market.

Welcome. For Japanese, I cannot recommend Kiriko in West L.A. (Sawtell & Olympic) highly enough.

For Mexican, try Loteria Grill. The one on Hollywood is an actual sit-down restaurant with full bar. Very good and somewhat unusual food.

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Kiriko
11301 W Olympic Blvd Ste 102, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Loteria Grill
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Thanks so much for the report back!!!

What about Loteria on Hollywood Blvd.? It has a full bar.

I don't fashion myself an expert on Mexican cuisine, but I really do like Loteria as well Rivera.

Thanks, Frygirl.

I've also come across Spinasse, Anchovies & Olives and Tavolata. Do you have an opinion on any of these?

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Spinasse
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA

Tavolata
2323 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Anchovies & Olives
1550 15th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

I'll be in Seattle Wednesday thru Friday of this week staying at the Seattle Westin Hotel on Fifth Ave. What are the best restaurants (based foremost on the caiber of the food/cooking)near there?

Are there better restaurants outside this area that I should go to?

Please help!

I second the Wilshire recommendation. If the weather is nice, it's hard to beat the patio. Also, the food is pretty good. The Tasting Kitchen in Venice should be on your list as well, but the budget may be tight.

About five years ago I had a beef short rib pot pie with parsnip puree, carrots and red wine reduction at Beechwood in Venice. Without exaggeration, it was (and still is) the best thing I have ever eaten. Beechwood changes its menu rather frequently and, unfortunately, this dish quickly became unavailable. I took up a writing campaign and about once a year I would write the restaurant pleading for them to bring the dish back. I never got a single response, and this really angered me because it's not like anything else on their menu would ever qualify as the best thing anyone has ever eaten - even though the food isn't bad.

Much to my suprise, and through no effort of my own, I discovered that a beef short rib pot pie is now temporarily on the menu again. I had it last week and, although not as fabulous as the original (the original's puff pasty was more supple and buttery), it was extremely tasty and well worth the $20. The current version is served with kale and butternut squash puree.

You do not want to miss this one.

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Beechwood
822 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292

Abbott Kinney has the best dining choices in the area by far. Try one of these:

The Tasting Kitchen
Joe's Restaurant
Gjelina
Axe

I haven't been to Monday "burger night" there, but I have been pushing the Rustic Canyon burger on this site for some time now. The burger toppings change from time to time, but the meat, the bun and the fries stay the same and they are all really, really good. The meat is Niman Ranch and you can really taste the difference. It's expensive, but it's my favorite burger in town - although I'm anxious to try the burger at Lazy Ox Canteen after the SIV review.

Went last Saturday night. The two dishes I really wanted (foie gras and black cod) were all sold out. The 5 other dishes we ordered were all fine, but not particularly memorable.