PrettyPlaty's Profile
Burbank suggestions?
A college friend of my husband's is in town and we are going out to dinner with him tomorrow in Burbank. We will also have our 1.5 year old in tow- she is generally pretty well behaved but all toddlers have their moments. Any suggestions? Basically our main requirement is kid friendly but I would prefer something ethnic and in the downtown area. (Except Indian)
Much thanks!!
Linda
Lunch in Ventura
I'm being sent to Ventura (the city, not the street) next week for work and am looking for a reasonably priced ($10-12 per person or less) non hole in the wall type of place to have lunch with our consultant team. (They are coming from Chicago and Kentucky) I think we would be okay with any type of fare- I did a quick google search and really only came up with Mexican places. Not my favorite but will probably appeal to the masses.
Thanks in advance!
Baby Friendly and Reasonably Nice?
Hi- I've posted before about trying to find kid friendly restaurants. It's the weekend of my big 33 and my husband wants to take me out to dinner. We have a 3 month old and no babysitter. Can anyone recommend a reasonably nice restaurant that would be okay with us taking a baby to? She would likely be sleeping the entire time. I'm not looking for something on the scale of Providence but something hopefully better than what people have been suggesting to me- i.e. Red Lobster, Cheesecake Factory which I wouldn't go to even without a baby.
I was thinking maybe Jiraffe? But everything I've read about it says not kid friendly and I don't remember ever seeing a kid there.
I'm looking for something on the Westside or as far east as West Hollywood. Preferably not Italian.
Thanks!
Dining with a baby suggestions
Um- sorry, the sleep deprivation from having an infant dropped my IQ a bit- MDR, Santa Monica, Hollywood are all good areas. Have baby, can travel!
Dining with a baby suggestions
My husband's parents will be in town next month and I am looking for a place we can take them out to where it would be socially okay to take a 3 month old. It doesn't have to be super super nice but hopefully something better than a chain joint. Please don't jump all over me about noise- she sleeps and is very quiet when we go out- at the most she will coo or want to be held.
Thanks in advance!
JiRaffe Santa Monica - Monday Prix Fixe
I thought it was great- not the most amazing meal I've ever had but good bang for your buck. I would probably go more often if I lived in the area and didn't have classes in the evening.
Crab Cakes
I went with Bandera's crabcakes (I wanted to treat my husband to some tasty food for election night, which is his "football"). They were fabulous- wonderfully jumbo lumpy! Great suggestion, thanks!!
Crab Cakes
I've seen those- but I believe they had nuts in them, or used peanut oil. (I'm allergic) I remember being deeply saddened- actually had them in my cart and was about to check out when I remembered to read the ingredients, ...
Crab Cakes
Can anyone recommend a place I can get good crab cakes "to go", preferably on the westside? By good crab cakes I mean mostly crab in actual pieces (lumps, I guess) and not too much bread.
Thanks!
new lounge menu- cafe del rey
I'm glad to hear this- we sampled their lounge menu when they started their happy hour and weren't too impressed- I remember the bacon and potato croquette but don't think the other things were on the menu.
Burlington VT, and surrounding areas?
My husband is from Colchester- the last few times we have been in Vermont we ate at Leunig's on Church Street. I felt that the dishes were well prepared and elegantly creative, though it doesn't necessarily have a very upscale feel to it. Hen of the Wood in Waterbury may be pushing the 30 minute mark but it's probably the best upscale restaurant in Vermont. (And coming from Los Angeles, I can tell you this place is still very reasonably priced)
http://www.henofthewood.com/
aunt kizzy's moved?...is it still the same foodwise
Did ownership change? I noticed that there was a new location.
Westside Dim Sum
I have some bad news for you- there aren't really any good dim sum places on the Westside. There is that VIP place on Westwood but in my opinion, you might as well get in the car and drive to downtown LA or San Gabriel. It's just not worth it. I moved to WLA and then to MDR from Rowland Heights a few years ago and the lack of dim sum is at times tortuous.
Did the media misrepresent Chinese cuisine?
Yes, there is a lot more to Chinese cuisine than bugs and dumplings. Personally, I think there are two sides to this- the Chinese vendors probably know that tourists are looking for something "exotic" and thus a lot of those stands will carry such things. Also, obviously, the media loves shock value and will seek those things out.
Marina Del Rey - Business Lunch, Help!
Cafe del Rey is nice- on the water. The food is enjoyable- reasonably priced for a business luncheon.
Dinner After the LA Winefest
I think we'd be able to walk about a mile. I couldn't find any reviews for Larchmont Grill but did visit the website. Any comments on their food?
Dinner After the LA Winefest
A group of us are going to the LA WineFest at the Raleigh Studios (5300 Melrose in Hollywood) this Saturday and are looking for someplace to have dinner afterwards- hopefully within walking distance since we will all probably be too sloshed to drive. My husband would rather not do Italian- anything in the $50 per person or less category would do. (Also, we'll probably be casually dressed) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Wedding Gift for 2 Foodies?
Depending on what you want to spend, I'd get them a GC to Providence (or one of the other LA restaurants with a great tasting menu) in an amount that would cover the tasting menu with wine pairings and maybe a cab ride home. As far as bring gifts from registries- I just have to say that I am getting married in about a week and a half. We've had a lot of friends say they want to get us something "special" and that they don't want to get us something off the registry- "so what do you really want?" Um, yah, I put stuff on the registry for a reason. While it's really the thought that counts, I am hoping I don't end up with a bunch of "sentimental" knicknacks. That being said, a GC to a great restaurant is NEVER a bad idea.
Melisse - good, but not great
I wrote up being disappointed in Melisse back in January. Some people really like it, others don't. We did the Chef's tasting menu which was about 14 courses. Some stuff I liked, some I didn't care for. In general, thought it was too much emphasis on throwing trendy items like truffles onto everything without taking into account how it would actually taste. Agree that Providence's was much better- food was more intricate and interesting and wine pairings were perfect. However, I could see how this could be a personal taste thing.
Craft Recommendations?
The fiance and I decided on Craft for our last meal as single people. (Primarly because we didn't want to drive too far and there was a reasonable reservation available sort of last minute) I've heard great things about this place as far as food and atmosphere but no specifics. Any recommendations on what to order? Thanks!
ISO of manty (Uighur dumplings)
Don't know of any Turkish restaurants in LA but I'm sure there must be at least one. That would probably be your best bet. Or a restaurant specializing in Northern Chinese cuisine run by Turkish people. However, Chandavkl's suggestion may reasonably close. The regions are reasonably close!
L.A. Wine Fest?
No problem. One thing I forgot to mention is that I've seen similar events for $80 a person that limit your intake to a few selections. I think LA Wine Fest is a pretty good deal. Also, you can't buy the wines to take home there, but you can order them. There is usually an LA Wine Fest discount.
L.A. Wine Fest?
I've gone the last two years (since it's inception, I think) and am planning to go again this year. I'm not sure what Godstar is, I got an email from one of the coordinators offering me $10 off the regularly priced ticket.
Basically, admission gets you access to every table and every wine- unlimited. The first time I went it was being held in Hollywood (where escapes me) and we were staring down rows of tables. 100 tables might be a hihg estimate but it is close. Every table had several wines- lots of every kind you can possibly imagine. The second year it was held at the Queen Mary. Again, kind of a similar set up except there was also a tequila tasting and some other novelty type tables- I THINK there were less than the year before but still a lot. I would guess that this year will have a similar set up in a hopefully nicer venue. (QM was too hot and crowded.) I can't emphasize enough that it is a lot of wine- the first year we had to take a few breaks and the second year, some people were looking absolutely blitzed by the last row of tables. (Tip: don't down the wine- sip it and only a little of it. They also provide cheese and crackers but actually ran out last year)
I really like the LA Wine Fest. Neither my fiance or I were wine experts and certainly aren't now and this event was a great way to sample tons of wines and really get an idea of what we liked. We found some marvelous wines through this event.
I didn't do any of the special events- didn't think they would be worth it. I would recommend buying tickets for one day, getting there early, and taking your time.
Lunch between LAX and MDR
Thanks everyone for your suggestions!! I know the area I'm looking at is a wasteland for Chinese food but was hoping maybe there was something I missed. Price is not really an issue- though obviously we all have a problem spending a lot on crappy food! I was just hoping not to spend another meal out with the folks watching them struggle to find something "safe" on the menu and not finishing their food.
BEST price-fixe in LA
Jiraffe's Monday Night Bistro is definitely a deal. The food is wonderful and the portions are larger than you would expect.
Lunch between LAX and MDR
I didn't think they were open for lunch- SH is one of my favorites- will check on the times. Great possibility. Thanks!
Where to buy good Quiche for take-out?
A plus for the CostCo quiche is that they are egg white quiches- which makes them healthier. I've gotten it a few times- it's not amazing but decent.
I love the quiches from Susina Bakery. They are on the pricey side but very tasty. Not technically the westside though.
Lunch between LAX and MDR
Cafe del Rey was my backup plan- I live across the street from it and like their food. My dad would prefer Chinese above anything else- second place would probably go to Thai. My mom is a bit more adventurous but generally prefers Chinese. You are correct, they do not like raw foods and my dad doesn't think salad makes a meal. I've taken them for Persian, which they thought was okay but haven't wanted to go back since. I was thinking that Japanese small plates might do the trick. I'd prefer to do something between LAX and MDR. My parents are elderly and driving anywhere with them as passengers is a very trying experience.
Very funny- my parents wouldn't complain about the prices but would probably be thinking that they could either make the food for cheaper or get something Chinese for cheaper. I definitely know my dad would be thinking that!
Lunch between LAX and MDR
Does anyone have any suggestions for a nice sit down lunch place between LAX and Marina del Rey? Here's the brief story- my fiance and I are getting legally married at the LAX courthouse next Friday (4/25). (We are doing an actual ceremony in Cabo San Lucas a few weeks later but didn't want to deal with the requirements for a legal marriage in Mexico) My Chinese parents, who are very picky eaters, decided that they want to come out for the civil ceremony, which means it's now been turned into a special occasion and we need to find a nice spot for lunch afterwards. I know Chinese food and dim sum are pretty sparse in those areas- they don't like sushi but might be up for other Japanese/Asian food.
Thanks!!
Spago - Ortolan - Melisse - Providence?
In terms of food: Spago and Providence. (The latter is in my opinion the better but if she doesn't like seafood, Spago might be the choice here) I liked the food at Ortolan (again, not as much as Spago and Providence) but the service was really lacking- which is definitely not something you want for a birthday dinner. Melisse was nice but not quite worth the $$$.
However, if she is looking for French, Ortolan and Melisse are more "French".
