Los Angeles Travel [Dave's Travel Corner]

We like to list good restaurants here (ranging from cheap to expensive) - if you have your own suggestion for your favorite LA area restaurant, please email dave@pon.net & reference this page in your email. Thanks for the several restaurants you have recommended so far!

If you have never eaten at a high-end restaurant before, I highly recommend splurging and trying either the Belvedere or Spago (both in Beverly Hills) as listed below.

Beverly Hills
Aqualounge is an upscale intimate dining hot spot located at 424 N. Beverly Drive. This restaurant has been recommended to us but we have not yet tried it. Their cuisine is International in focus. 2 bars are on site. We will visit during our next "update" trip to Los Angeles. Visit: www.aqualoungebh.com

The Belvedere is one of the top restaurants in Los Angeles and is located in the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. This hotel/restaurant is located near at the sharp intersection where Santa Monica Blvd meets Wilshire at 9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard.

As with all the other fine International Peninsula hotels you will be treated in style. You will pull up in the parking circle in front of the hotel and a well-dressed valet parking attendant will take your car for you.

Consider a drink at the bar before your meal. While the bar drinks are extremely pricey the food is only very pricey; however for this type of quality of food and atmosphere, the price is really quite reasonable. Formal attire required although when Dave was eating there several staff members of a former US President were there on vacation; they were dressed in shorts and jeans at dinner. Dave highly recommends the lobster for dinner. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Tea and dinner menus are available on their website here: http://beverlyhills.peninsula.com/pbh/dining_01.html

The kosher Milky Way Restaurant is located at 9108 W. Pico Blvd almost on the corner. (Cross street is Doheny Dr.) This restaurant has been here for many years and is owned by Steven Spielberg's mom, Leah Adler. She is in her mid 80's and has been working at this restaurant for a long time. She is the main hostess and is often here. She runs to answer the phone when it rings and makes sure everything is going well during your meal. She may even come to your booth and sit down with you for a few minutes. She is very proud of her son, as she has every right to be - his movie posters grace the hallways in the back of the restaurant on the way to the restroom. Dining is to the right of where you walk in - nice maroon leather lounges are available for each dining party. Many little old ladies were dining at this restaurant when author visited. Phone Number (310) 859-0004

Spago, of Beverly Hills is located at 176 N. Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, just up from Rodeo Drive. What can you say about Spago except it is a unique and exceptional dining experience. The Spago name has been made famous by its founder, celebrated chef Wolfgang Puck. Wolfgang's restaurants are frequented by many well-known celebrities, politicians including US presidents and other well to-doers. This restaurant is Wolfgang's flagship restaurant. The service is impeccable here and the food excellent. Excellent lunch salads, the main lunch courses tend to be pricey. The hostess will be standing on your left as you enter the restaurant. Valet parking is available - as well dressed valets will be hovering around the front of this restaurant (which makes it easy to spot this restaurant). If you don't mind walking a few blocks I recommend parking in one of the nearby neighborhoods located behind the Spago restaurant.

For menus, pricing, reservations & more for Spago of Beverly Hills, visit: www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/finedining/spago or call PHONE (310) 385-0880

The W Hotel is located in Westwood near UCLA. Breakfast is served at "The Cafe" in the morning. This is a very eclectically decorated hotel and restaurant. Very modern & chic. It is located almost directly across from the Hilgard House Hotel at 930 Hilgard Ave - just down the street from one of the entrances to UCLA. When Dave ate here he ran into a well known classical pianist. As the saying goes in Los Angeles, you never know who you will run into! This is a member of the Starwood Hotels - Direct link & more information here: www.starwoodhotels.com

Hollywood
The Palms Thai Restaurant without a doubt is one of the top Thai restaurants in the entire state of California. This is a bold statement, but I feel qualified to say this after having eaten at at least a hundred Thai restaurants in Thailand, a number of Thai restaurants around the USA, many Thai restaurants in other countries around the world, and over 50 Thai restaurants in the state of California.

tasty - this is a vegetable dish, a bit spicy but not too bad, the Thai BBQ, not spicy at all, Crying Tiger (delicious BBQ beef with dipping sauce) & Tom Yum Tale - the Seafood Soup.

Unlike many Thai USA restaurants, yes they actually fill up the soup bowl with seafood. In addition the Mussel With Chili And Holy Basil Leaves are very good as well as the spicy raw shrimp (Kung Chea Nam Pla) covered with garlic & other toppings - this dish is **extremely** spicy even for most Thai people but you can request different levels of spiciness! We've brought friends here a number of times and we order the raw shrimp "thai style" and we find them gasping for air frantically gulping down water which by the way doesn't help the short term effects of the spiciness (oily foods are better to combine with spicy foods).

Besides the food and people watching, (sometimes their hostesses are Thai actresses ), the Thai Elvis performs in the evenings Thursday through Sunday. When he is not performing there is a large metal statue of him standing near the stage. Check out the nice bike rings which make up the legs of this statues. Good photo op there.

Location: This restaurant is located at 5900 Hollywood Blvd. Phone Number (323) 462-5073 - if you are driving in from the 101 freeway, you get off at Hollywood Blvd and be sure to stay on the West side of Hollywood Blvd. The Palms is just a block West of the 101, on the south side of the street. Parking is along Hollywood Blvd, or better yet, in the back of the restaurant towards Sunset Ave as there is a parking lot guard always on duty. Check out the small "lost and found" display on your way out this door. Some interesting items have been found at the restaurant including contraceptive pills and a designer watch that no one claimed. The Red Line Metro has a stop on the East side of the 101 along Hollywood Blvd - its about 1/4 to 1/2 mile walk from this metro stop to the Palms. For more information, visit their Website which includes all menus at www.palmsthai.com

True Thai food is found in Thaitown - most of the restaurants in this small strip along Hollywood Blvd beat the flavors and taste of most Thai restaurants in the USA. For more info about Thai town read our review here.

Los Angeles
Ago Restaurant, West Hollywood has been recommended to us. We will try this Italian Trattoria during our next trip to town and provide a review here. www.agorestaurant.com

AOC Wine Bar is located at 8022 West Third Ave in Los Angeles and is an extremely popular dining stop. Upstairs and downstairs dining is available. Parking on the city streets near this restaurant is a nightmare as almost all the parking is homeowner permit based with the exception of a few streets right next to 3rd Street. However AOC has valet parking and this is the smartest way to go! Seating can be very intimate as you maybe perched next to other patrons. The food here is served as Tapas, or small plates only. You order a few small plates which are shared among your group. On a recent visit we ordered 6 of these small plates for two people (the waiter will tell you 2 to 2.5 plates is enough for most people and that is true). These small plates are extremely rich and will fill you up quickly. Our recommendation for something tasty yet out of the ordinary are their bacon wrapped cheese dates. The salads are quite nice and not as rich as some of the other dishes. Phone: (323) 653-6359. Visit: www.aocwinebar.com

Cobras & Matadors is located at 4655 West Hollywood Blvd. Phone: (323) 669-3922. The atmosphere and energetic vibe are definitely key components to the dining experience here as well as the wonderful food. Definitely make reservations especially on busy Friday and Saturday nights. Some of the dishes that we recommend include the artichoke, asparagus, shrimp, & BBQ beef. They also allow you to bring your own wine and better yet there is no corkage fee.

Don Felix - specializes in Peruvian and seafood cuisine. Corner location with valet parking, 4435 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles. Great selection of entrees - beef, poultry, fish, shrimp and spaghetti. Also a separate section of the menu offering "hot" dishes. Nice Leche Asada for dessert. (323) 669-7575

Hodori is a small Korean restaurant located along 1001 S. Vermont Ave in in a shopping center (not far from the private college, USC - so you sometimes will see a plethora of college students eating here). This is along "plaza" row in Koreatown, just west of downtown Los Angeles. Hodori is small like most of the other shopping plaza located restaurants but size isn't important, unless you happen to be waiting outside in line at 3am which is fairly common on the weekends. They serve a variety of Korean foods all served with small starter plates including some nice Kimchi. The highlight of a meal here are the soups. If you've never had Korean food this restaurant is a good introduction.

They are open 365 days a year, 7 days a week including holidays of course. On the weekends there can be a line into this restaurant even at 3 or 4am! Use the small ringer buzzers

Parking is on the street, free of charge when available. During a recent weekday we found a number of parking spots around 12pm just before the heart of the lunch rush hour. This cafe is women run and they have a variety of menu items including a bunch of eclectic salads each named after the lady who created them. They also have very unique salad dressings - none of which are particular strong. Good desserts! Dining is informal either as sit down or at their counter.
Visit: www.homeboy-industries.org/homegirl-cafe.php

Pollo a la Braza - is of all types of food, a Peruvian restaurant located in Koreatown just off of Wilshire Blvd at 764 S Western Ave. Phone: (213) 382-4090. This is another one of those small LA restaurants that we have been told to try. We will definitely visit this restaurant during our next trip to town and will provide our review here!

(213) 382-4090 Orange County
Huong Giang Restaurant is located in the heart of Orange County's "Little Saigon" at 14564 Brookhurst Street just up from Bolsa Ave in the town of Garden Grove/Westmister. This restaurant is in a one-story Vietnamese shopping mall on the east side of the street. This restaurant is very typical of the rice and noodle shops throughout Little Saigon. Most of the menu is in Vietnamese and the food is excellent and extremely cheap. Be sure to try the Soup labeled as "Number 1". For more information call: (714) 531-2464

Next time you are in Southern Orange County, CA be sure to stop in for some excellent Sushi at Kotobuki located at 24351 Avenida De La Carlota in a shopping center in Laguna Hills. The "Sushi Master Chef Hiro" will probably tell you that his food is "awesome" - his praise of his own cooking isn't really needed. The food is awesome! While your eating, Hiro may even offer to entertain you with some of his "humorous" toys or he may even sing a solo!! For more information please call Phone Number (949) 587-0290

Pho 79 is a good little authentic Vietnamese noodle shop located on the first floor of the Asian Gardens Mall (9200 Bolsa Ave #117). They five locations scattered around the greater LA area. Pho 79 has an excellent beef Pho which we have tried. They are open 7 days a week from 8 to 8. Phone: (714) 893-1883

Also check out the Little Saigon Cookbook which describes Vietnamese cuisine and culture in the Little Saigon area of Orange County: www.littlesaigoncookbook.com

If you are ever on the Lido Island across from the Balboa peninsula near Newport Beach in Orange County California be sure to stop by Wilma's Patio for casual family dining. You can drive onto Balboa Peninsula via a bridge and then take the short ferry ride (car, bicycle or people) which drops you minutes from Wilma's Patio. Or you can drive via bridge onto the Lido Island. Wilma's is located at 203 Marine Ave, in Balboa - Phone: (949) 675-5542.

They are known for their delicious breakfasts. We highly recommend sampling their excellent Crabby Benedict located under their "Benedict Gallery" on their breakfast menu. Indoor and a small covered semi outdoor dining area is available next to the main entrance. The weather in Orange County is usually quite nice most of the year and you will often see people dining outside.
Visit: www.wilmaspatio.com

Santa Monica
Broadway Deli is located at 1457 3rd St Promenade. We ate here but cannot really recommend this restaurant. The service was slow (apparently they have high turnover of waiters) and the prices were a bit high for the quality of food which was just average. They have a large spacious interior with a nice bar. This restaurant seems a little bit touristy and the food suffers as a result. However, they have a great location right on 3rd Street corner in the middle of the Promenade. Phone (310) 451-0616.

Regardless of whether you are vegetarian or not, for an interesting, totally eclectic and very expensive dining experience visit Juliano's Raw Planet Restaurant located at 609 Broadway in Santa Monica. You won't find dishes like these in most restaurants - all food is completely served raw and the owner Juliano has not eaten cooked food since he was 19. His restaurant is often visited by major Hollywood Stars looking for a different kind of diet. Some good salads, very interesting drinks and unique appetizers. Indoor and outdoor dining - service was very slow when we ate here. Visit: www.planetraw.com or Phone (310) 587-1552.

Other

Bangkok Blue is located in La Verne in the La Verne Shopping center at 2300-B Foothill Blvd off of the 210

Freeway in the Vons Shopping Plaza (note there are two Von's shopping plazas within about a mile of each other on Foothill Blvd). The food is ok but not nearly as authentic as you will find in Thai town north of downtown Los Angeles, rather it is cooked more for western tastes. A highlight of a visit here are their "celebrity photos" towards the back of the restaurant before the restrooms and their own photo gallery. This restaurant is owned by famed concert promoter Blue Johnson (who also happens to be a Jazz musician), his wife Joyce and their son. Phone: (909) 392-3235. Visit: www.bangkokblue.com

Hill Street Cafe is located in La Canada Flintridge right off the 210 Freeway at 1004 Foothill Blvd where Highway 2 makes a T by running into Foothill Blvd. This is as old fashioned traditional as you will find for American breakfast and lunch. The menu is large and so are the portions! On a recent weekday around 130pm this cafe was packed with people. We ordered the Greek Salad with chicken as an extra; it is huge as was the omelet also ordered from our party. Phone: (818) 952-1019

Park Pantry was founded in 1959 and is located in Long Beach on 2104 East Broadway (corner location). This is as an American breakfast as you will find - a throw back to the "old days". Breakfast is served all day and includes a variety of entree choices included the nice Eggs Benedict as well as some nice omelets (our recommendation is the El Gringo Omelet) which includes their special sauce. Additionally pick from a variety of Burgers, Sandwiches and general entrees. They are clear about not having cell phones turned on in the restaurant - so if you have a mobile, put it on vibrate and dash outside to take that important call. Visit: www.parkpantry.com

For reference, the following are celebrity owned restaurants in the Los Angeles area. We will try to sample a few of these during upcoming trips and will write reviews here.

Dolce Los Angeles, | House of Blues, West Hollywood | AGO, West Hollywood |
Mulberry Street Pizzeria, Beverly Hills | Twin Palms, Pasadena | Hamptons Hollywood Cafe, Hollywood | The Viper Room, West Hollywood | Blowfish Sushi, West Hollywood | Ciudad, Los Angeles | Cut, Beverly Wilshire Hotel | Patina, Los Angeles - Disney Concert Hall