Connie & Ted's - that's my vote too.

I hope they pull it off.

Agree with Alkie. Mori is #1. Then Zo, and then others share the 3rd position.

Mori is also more entertaining than Zo, which is a bit of a sterile, but excellent sushi-fest.

Madeo.

I thought the list - at least the restaurants I've been to - was surprisingly good.

None of this Cafe Bizou crap.

Of the restaurants on this list that I've actually been too - have been very strong contenders for my best list. No giant miss-steps. If it was the list of a close friend, I would strongly respect their taste.

The only glaring exception of the list in my not so humble opinion. would be n/naka. Perhaps it's a hard restaurant to quality or categorize. Ambitious without being silly. And makes some Asian/Euro mixes that makes me tempted to call it "fushion" - but I find some much fusion to be more like fashion - artless, trendy and ultimately disappointing. This place is fab.

And I personally would choose Chinois over Red Medicine. Just for those oysters alone. The food is simply more satisfying - a full culinary symphony artfully performing in your mouth. Whereas to me RM is just interesting. It's not on my "special meal" list -where i put on a suit (making dust off something special from the wine cellar), having a four hour meal and fallling in love once again, then taking the next day off for hangover responsibilities. . Like I would with Melisse, n/naka and Providence. And sometimes Chinios. Would never think of making RM a special dining experience. along those lines. Though it might be fun to go with some young chefs with the thought that we're gonna have fun, get drunk and talk loud.

I've never had that experience. 1-10 minutes. But I'm a decent tipper (that's what $5 bills are for) so the guy usually parks my car up front.

Inspired by the post about "Secret Bars" - was thinking about this wild, wild restaurant/club/bar. Back in the 70's and early '80's there used to be a place in the Ocean Park area of Santa Monica on Main Street called The Mirror Go Round. A speakeasy in every sense of the word. It was a former house, with a viewing door and all. You'd have to know someone to get in. Once in it was a small place, the walls were painted black. However, a few inches from the walls there were mirror in day-glo painted frames attached to slow moving motors in the ceiling with fishing line. And they would slowly turn around. It gave the walls a psychedelic amorphous feel in that it didn't feel like walls at all. There would always be a cash poker game going on.

The food was pretty much snacky stuff - buffalo wings, that sort of thing. It wasn't bad, but generally bar food. The table were mirrors - and the menus were printed in offset (backwards) so you had to hold them over your table to read them. There was beer and wine, and I'm not sure what else. Not that it mattered since the place also served pot (joints and hash) and cocaine.

My friend loved to bring girls there because they would be scared.

The place got busted, but amazingly - kept opening up. Eventually they moved to much larger digs in Venice in an industrial loft complex on Venice Blvd near Abbot Kinney.

Any of you ever heard of it?

I know there have been other clubs along those lines. But don't know if this sorta thing goes on anymore.

Very good. Talk about hold in the wall! It is about as literal a translation of that term as you can imagine. A food court? That sounds like a grand step up.

The whole Mo-Chica experience (the first one that was really in a food court) was big fun; surprisingly upscale food for a de facto food court.

But this location is really kind of an unbelievable dump (which is part of the charm) - and yet the food comes out beautifully plated and artfully-crafted. Tried a couple ceviche/cebiches. Excellent. Looking forward to going back. And trying everything. This is one fun funky find.

Only problem is - there's no real place to eat the food except a couple of (mis-matched) barstools at a very shallow counter.

Have you tried Mitsuwa?

Oh, you're confirmed alright. They're just making sure that you haven't changed your mind.

Apparently you don't have a lot of experience with popular and/or fine dining restaurants - this is commonplace.

So rest assured - you are loved and desired, they want to make sure - at the last minute, that the feeling is being reciprocated.

"but they would be too expensive to keep up "

That would rule Capo out.

Two things. 1. Tavern is a good call, but the O.P. should realize there are steps into the Atrium - often a problem for the senior-seniors.

2. Did you send back the food? Restaurants are very appreciative when they catch something going wrong (but almost everytime they suspect the customer is wrong because, well, they usually are wrong) so they can correct it. So either some knucklehead in the back was over-salting, or possibly two people were salting and unaware of the other. And no one was tasting.

Sam's by the Beach in Santa Monica Canyon.

Not cheaper, but less than Shutters and PDC.

Menu is Mediterranean/Continental menu.

Sam sources his fish every morning from IMP. (that means good fish to you!)

And possibly Mori's.

The last six times I swore I wouldn't go back. Love the food, just a bit stymied by the ever-fluctuating pricing structure.

But if someone else is picking up the bill? Great!

Farmshop? They're not exactly pricey.

Urasawa. Been a few times, but next time - it's on someone else's dime.

Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas. Never again!

Unless I ain't payin'.

Oddly enough, that's kind of how I feel about Sotto except - mushy pizza and tasteless pasta.

Haven't been to Bestia, (been IN, but haven't tried the food) but I was looking forward to it. Now, not so much.

Check out Lizzies blog - she seems to get a very interesting menu from their wine bar. And it looks better than the tasting menu.

http://lizziee.wordpress.com/

Also, my vote - Baldi is good, but Angelini is the best of that bunch. With Mozza possibly a very close 2nd. (though I've had comparable meals at Mozza, just more experience at Angelini).

My last two or three meals at Valentino have been a little disappointing. Next time I'd try the wine bar. But since that experience, I've been Angelini's half a dozen times, and Mozza a few times. Always great.

Mastros is not fine dining. It's a steak joint.

Those would be my choices (except Water Grill - haven't been there in a decade).

I'd put n/naka in there too.

You've been to Melisse and Providence. If you liked them, then you will like n/naka.

PSY?

n/naka is not going to give you a 2nd rate experience with a 9 course tasting menu. You'll simply be a little more overwhelmed (in a good way) with the longer menu.

When they call - ask what you'd missing.

I went with the 9 course the first time. So far, I always go with the longer one. (though I might change my mind the next time I go - which is in a couple weeks - I have something to do later that evening and can't be late.)

If n/naka and Providence are priced too high. then Urasawa and Melisse are out. (I rank Melisse as the best of it's kind in L.A., but prolly too pricey.

Be curious where you're from, what you like there and what you're looking for.

For Italian - Angelini Osteria should be considered. I prefer it to OM (which I do like a lot).

MB post in Manhattan Beach is pretty fun.

Melisse. Lobster Bolognese with fresh Capellini and brown butter truffle froth.

Are you making cassoulet? If you are - I've tried a few different sausages - including French garlic sausage - and surprisingly Farmer John's Classic Polish sausage worked pretty well.

Trick is cooking it low and slow in the beans until the sausage gets buttery and smooth. At the point it has leached it's flavor into the beans pretty well at that point.

I was also there this weekend (Saturday for lunch), also had an impressive experience.

The mussel soup is great - be sure to put the curries in as they had both spice and another level of flavor complexity. It would be perfect if the mussels were done perfectly - they're a bit overcooked. I would still get it.

Crying Tiger Beef was great. Like the twice cooked honey duck. A touch dry, but in the ballpark of acceptability.

I looked forward to going back.

That was Le Marmiton.

Is that 65? Or 62.5? (which it says here).

https://www.facebook.com/TacosPuntaCa...

65 might be a touch too high for a little quail egg.

Prayer to the Deli Gods - please put Brents in that location.

Another choice - the food truck night on Abott Kinney. I think it's the first Friday of every month.