nick_r's Profile
who is frying their frites twice?
I think Nic's Martini Lounge deserves inclusion -- Belgian, served in a paper cone, thick, crispy, and delicious. (The martinis there leave something to be desired, though.)
HELP - been offered a free dinner at fanciest, most impressive place of my choice
I'd go with the tasting menu at either Ortolan or Melisse. Both amazing. Can't go wrong with Spago or Providence either.
Best Beer
Chowpatty has many good suggestions. I'd add the Library Alehouse on Main Street in Santa Monica. And, of course, there's the Yard House in Long Beach or Pasadena, with its 100 or so taps, but it's not so much a bar as a tourist trap.
But Father's Office is the daddy of them all.
Great Martini Bars in LA?
Nic's has an impressive martini menu and amazing Belgian fries, but the martinis are borderline nonalcoholic.
I'd go with Lola's.
PLEASE POST YOUR VOTES HERE: Ultimate Los Angeles Restaurants 2008
Over $25:
Ortolan
Melisse
Osteria Mozza
Lou
Gjelina
Under $25:
Father's Office
M Cafe de Chaya
Canele
Tender Greens
Lula
Soft Wood...opening that is.
We were seriously underwhelmed by this place. Small, cramped, loud, frenetic; and the food isn't as good as I'd hoped. (I had the croissant benedict; my girlfriend had an egg white omelet). Might not be bad for a quick bite on a weekday morning, but as a nice weekend breakfast joint it didn't satisfy.
One year anniversary dinner
These places aren't as hard to snag as you might think. If OpenTable doesn't have anything, call the restaurant. They can usually work something out, especially if you're flexible on time.
Molecular Gastronomy In LA?
When I had a tasting menu at Ortolan, there was a pretty good amount of MG on display -- granted, it was a special vegetarian menu, so he may have taken that as an excuse to bust out more wizardry.
REVIEW: M Café de Chaya, Culver City
1. It's not vegan; they serve fish.
2. It's owned by the same people as Chaya Brasserie, which serves burgers and steaks, so you would not be offending anyone's sensibilities by opening a "grilled meat" restaurant next to it.
ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST BUFFET
I'm not sure if it's reasonably priced, but the Warehouse in Marina del Rey is a fun AYCE brunch spot with good food.
LA folks - Couple of questions
Upstairs 2 is nice if you want a quiet place. If you want something more young and happening try Bodega (814 Broadway).
REVIEW: M Café de Chaya, Culver City
M Cafe isn't the most exciting or happening place in the Culver City restaurant explosion, but for me, a vegetarian, it's been by far the most useful since I can go there for any meal and get food I like. I tend to be picky when it comes to lunch, and most sandwiches don't do it for me -- but the vegan club there is absolutely outstanding. So are many of the salads. Homemade fries are perfect. Too bad the ketchup is strange.
One word of advice: skip the desserts. Contrary to popular belief, it is absolutely possible (sometimes even preferable) to make delicious pastries and sweets without a hint of dairy; but M Cafe is not one of the places that can really do it. Head to Mani's on Fairfax for vegan baked goods that will blow you away.
Awesome breakfasts in LA, I can name two. How about you?
Vegetarian eggs benedict at Overland Cafe
Scrambled tofu at M Cafe de Chaya
Omelettes at Ammo
Mexican hangover scramble at Jack & Jill's
Coffee and a muffin at Intelligentsia
Breakfast burrito at The Coffee Table
Skillets at Square One
Anything at Hugo's
Need CHEESE!!!
Well, since you've already denigrated all my favorite places in the course of asking for advice, I'd say just hit Whole Foods for everything and call it a day.
Best Margarita + best Mexican food (w/ vegetarian options)? Near(ish) Pasadena...
Or, if you're like me, NEVER ask, because you don't want to end up with nothing but a mixed green salad for dinner.
Is Spago still as good as ever?
Spago is as good as ever -- which is to say, great.
But Melisse is quieter, and arguably better (though I'm somewhat comparing apples to oranges here since I've never had a Spago tasting menu).
Nook
Glad you enjoyed it. Nook is a wonderful neighborhood spot, the type that West LA doesn't have enough of -- seems like all the great new places keep opening east of La Brea (or at least La Cienega).
And the communal table is not just a wise choice for the small space, it also makes dining more fun.
Artisanal cocktails
Not to knock comme ca specifically, but the fact that $9.58 constitutes a "special" on cocktails is one of the depressing realities of imbibing in LA.
Did anyone go to the event at the Hammer tonight with J.Gold? [moved from LA]
I concur -- it would have been a better event if Evan had been the moderator. Gold seemed ill at ease at times, and he's not all that good at speaking off the cuff (which made me wonder why he didn't seem to have any notes, either).
But I still really enjoyed it.
Artisanal cocktails
Yes, Hungry Cat rules the roost. However, some very interesting choices can also be found at the Hall at Palihouse and Blue on Blue.
Akasha is definitely going this route, but the cocktails we had there opening week were unimpressive. Maybe it's gotten better.
Simon LA
Went there earlier this year and actually quite liked the food. And the desserts... just wow. Yes, they did have the junkfood sampler but we didn't get it. (I had some kind of ridiculous chocolate sundae with chocolate-PB&J sandwiches on the side.)
Fun and moderate in Portland
Wow! I think we're going to have to do a couple more trips just to incorporate all these great suggestions. Thanks, can't wait to try some of these.
Fun and moderate in Portland
Many thanks for all the suggestions. Sounds like we'll have a lot of great places to try.
Fun and moderate in Portland
Our brand of veg= no meat, chicken or seafood, but dairy/eggs are fine.
So tell me about this happy hour scene!
Fun and moderate in Portland
We're a couple of LA hounds doing our summer vacation in Portland next week, staying four nights at McMenamins' Kennedy School (sans automobile) and hoping to have a great time without breaking the bank.
What are some of the eating and drinking spots with a lot of bang for the buck? (Vegetarian-friendly is a plus.)
Bonus question: Where's the best espresso joint?
Thanks in advance. It'll be our first time in Portland and we're really excited.
Veggie Pre-fixe anyone?
Melisse is a lot more than "decent," my friend. It's one of the very best meals I've ever eaten.
There aren't that many places that have vegetarian tasting menus/prix fixes -- but happily, most (if not all) places that have any kind of tasting menu can do a vegetarian version upon request. Call ahead to find out their policy on it; some of them can just do it on the spot when you get there, while others require advance notice to the chef.
I've had veg tastings at Providence and Ortolan, neither of which advertises that option on their website/menu, and both were great. Lucuqes' Sunday Supper, one of the great cheap prix-fixes in town, always has a meatless option even if it's not shown. When we went, our server even gave us the option to have Suzanne Goin whip up something vegetarian for us off the cuff, so of course we had to take her up on it.
Repeat meal at Ortolan: From Good to Outstanding [long-ish review].
The meal my girlfriend and I had at Ortolan this spring was definitely one of our all-time favorites. Chef Eme specially prepared us a vegetarian tasting that seemed to go on forever. Hearing about your experience makes me want to go back sooner rather than later!
Kid Friendly Restaurants in Los Angeles
With a two-year old and a three-year old I'd stay with places that are tourist-heavy and boisterous. Mel's (Sunset), El Coyote (Beverly/Fairfax), or any of the places in the Grove should be good.
Good Indian Food - Los Angeles
Tantra is in your hood and has good stuff, plus it's a hip hangout.
In Hollywood, it's a serious hole in the wall but I like Star of India on Melrose near La Brea.
In Pasadena, All India Cafe is not bad.
