jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
Cassia
Orsa and Winston
(non fancy in terms of environment, but with food just as compelling: Chengdu Taste, Jitlada, Night + Market Song,)
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Los Angeles |OT| GAF's Guide to the Greatest City in the Universe
- Thread starter clearacell
- Start date
Cassia
Orsa and Winston
(non fancy in terms of environment, but with food just as compelling: Chengdu Taste, Jitlada, Night + Market Song,)
AstroNut325
Member
Thank you. Will be looking into those recommendations. I should have also included Chinese cuisine in my options.
Edit:
Cassia looks excellent!
For Japanese definitely check out Shunji's for a great sushi omakase experience (sit at the bar not table).
Broken Spanish in Downtown LA is really chill but the food is top notch.
AstroNut325
Member
Both of those places look great. But just looking for something more upscale.
They are both pretty upscale restaurants. +$100 per person.
If you wanna get up there then you should definitely check out Providence, Melisse for top tier LA fine dining.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
yeah, I had started writing a response about that too - LA is weird, we don't have a lot of traditional "upscale" restaurants when it comes to the environment of the restaurant.
I think of places like Trois Mec: certainly upscale food, service, and price, and it's in an old pizza joint that's nicely redone - but isn't the dining room at Melisse or Spago. I think a lot of the best restaurants in LA are more like this.
I started thinking about the upscale places that truly hold it together in terms of upscale atmosphere (and don't get me wrong, Son of a Gun or Night + Market Song is just fine for me) -- Spago, Providence, Melisse, Osteria Mozza, maybe Ink.
Even then, Melisse / Providence might be the only ones where you feel like you need to wear a jacket?
I sorta like it, but that classic white tablecloth experience isn't something that is a big part of the culinary scene here. The food though, is awesome.
whiterabbit
Member
Does LA have any restaurants at the top of a skyscraper? If I ever go to LA that sounds like it would be fun to do.
Mercury Fred
Banned
Hey LA GAF, I moved here a few months ago from NYC and sloooowly getting my bearings here. Anyone else on the west side? My partner and I are here in Santa Monica. I'd love to hear any favorite west side spots-- restaurants, bars, hang outs, nature-stuff (we bike to the beach constantly)... Please advise 
Not yet th US Bank Tower is renovating their restaurant into a top tier quality restaurant but no word yet when it will reopen.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
Hey LA GAF, I moved here a few months ago from NYC and sloooowly getting my bearings here. Anyone else on the west side? My partner and I are here in Santa Monica. I'd love to hear any favorite west side spots-- restaurants, bars, hang outs, nature-stuff (we bike to the beach constantly)... Please advise
Rustic Canyon, Cassia, Tasting Kichen, Gjusta, Blue Star Donuts, Salt and Straw Ice Cream, Sidecar Donuts, Milo and Olive.
Head down to the South Bay/Manhattan Beach for Fishing with Dyanmite, Arthur J, Manhattan Beach Post.
Being an east sider, the west side feels almost like a foreign country
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
Same I know jack shit of stuff going on over there.
Speaking of doughnuts though I just heard about California Donuts. Place looks legit. Anyone been there? The donut scene is absolutely brutal in LA compared to my glory days when I used to live in Portland and need something to fill the void.
AstroNut325
Member
Anyone here tried WP24 at the Ritz in LA Live?
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
it's ok, it kind of reminds me in voodoo. the hype is more about all the toppings than the actual donut quality. YMMV.
If you want goooood stuff:
Donut Friend
Kettle Glazed
Blue Star (the best, but Venice)
Sidecar (way down south or Santa Monica)
Donut Snob (delivery only)
CosmicQueso
Member
Hey LA GAF, I moved here a few months ago from NYC and sloooowly getting my bearings here. Anyone else on the west side? My partner and I are here in Santa Monica. I'd love to hear any favorite west side spots-- restaurants, bars, hang outs, nature-stuff (we bike to the beach constantly)... Please advise
Some good options in Santa Monica.
I trust you've already been to Father's Office on Montana Ave for the burger. Also on Montana are R&D Kitchen and Courtyard Kitchen, which is BYOW and has an excellent breakfast. Blue Plate Taco is also a standard go to on Ocean.
For the super casual time, Boxtys at Finn McCool's down on Main, Cha Cha Chicken and Stout Burgers on Santa Monica Blvd and Ocean.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
Blue Star is a Portland place which I always thought was a bit overrated too. Kettle Glazed is awful. I'll look into the others.
whiterabbit
Member
That's cool. I live in San Diego now and I don't know if there's one here. I'm from Portland, and I went to the Portland City Grill once, which is at the top of a big building. I liked being able to see the city a lot.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
we obviously don't see eye to eye on donuts then.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
My issue with Kettle Glaze is it's a tiny doughnut shop and from what I can see it doesn't get enough volume for them to have regular fresh doughnuts. If you don't make it there early in the morning they are dried out and old. And the selection is tiny.
Blue Star is still good, I think there's just too much hype around it, especially when I lived in Portland and there were better alternatives.
Donut Fried looks awesome.
Mercury Fred
Banned
Some great calls here, thanks! I actually happened to have a lunch meeting at Gjusta yesterday. My first time there, loved it. Also love Salt and Straw (which I know along with Blue Star from PDX visits) and Sidecar (for sure the best donuts I've had here so far. Just delicious) . Been meaning to check out Milo, Cassia and Tasting Kitchen.
I'm actually veg, so nothing looked too great at Father's Office for me, but I want to go anyway and check it out. Courtyard looks great and I could go for breakfast anytime. You like Blue Plate? That's great to hear-- I had written that place off as looking too much like a tourist trap. I checked the menu and pics on your recommendation and will definitely go now.
A couple recs of my own for any west siders or west side visitors looking-- Treats on Ocean Park has maybe the best frozen yogurt I've ever had-- super creamy, great flavors and they layer toppings in, bottom, middle and top. I also love Dogtown Coffee on Main near the ocean-- they have a great cup and make excellent breakfast burritos. So good.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
I think I may just like the Fritters at Kettle Glazed - and fritters keep well. So may be the difference in opinion.
if there's better donuts in Portland than Blue Star, I need to know for my next trip. That doesn't seem possible
CosmicQueso
Member
Ohhhhhhhhhh I must have missed the vegetarian part. FO has a great beer selection and some interesting veg options. The FO at Helms Bakery has a great patio if you just want to sit outside and have some pops. In Santa Monica it's inside only but more convenient.
Oh the tourists roll in there for sure. But hey, welcome to Santa Monica. Tourists are everywhere. I recommend the corn on the cob there. It's amazing.
Mercury Fred
Banned
Right on. And that's my bad, I didn't mention it before. Almost everyplace is easy for me to find something to eat so I don't usually lead with that
StopMakingSense
Member
The Bonaventure has a rotating bar/steakhouse at the top.
Also, Perch has a nice open air ambiance. Not that the top of the building but high up enough to get great views of the city. Never actually eaten there, though.
Oops! Beaten! ^
Yes. The Vista lounge at the Bonaventure has one:
http://www.thebonaventure.com/bona-vista-lounge
The architecture of the Bonaventure is gorgeous too, I believe a type of Brutalism.
I've never been then myself either.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
Tonallis on Alberta. Absolutely amazing.
Also anyone been to Bar Food in Brentwood? Planning on going Saturday, was originally going to try Fathers Office but Santa Monica location doesn't serve hard booze
whiterabbit
Member
Oops! Beaten! ^
Yes. The Vista lounge at the Bonaventure has one:
http://www.thebonaventure.com/bona-vista-lounge
The architecture of the Bonaventure is gorgeous too, I believe a type of Brutalism.
I've never been then myself either.
Thanks. That building does look pretty nice. Pretty expensive food though. When I went to the Portland City Grill, I got a soda and fries for less than $10 and my parking was free.
Yeah, I can't dispute that. You're paying for the view I suppose? If I was going to eat DTLA, there's so much amazing cheap food in Little Tokyo.
StopMakingSense
Member
It's more a place to grab a drink at night and chill, IMO, I've never eaten there.
whiterabbit
Member
If I were to eat at that lounge, I would get a $18 burger or 10-inch pizza.
But I live in San Diego. I really wish there was a thread for here, but I've only lived in the area for 2 years and never even really been downtown, so I don't know enough about the city to make one.
But I live in San Diego. I really wish there was a thread for here, but I've only lived in the area for 2 years and never even really been downtown, so I don't know enough about the city to make one.
juliushandle
Member
Porto's Bakery in Burbank tops Yelp's Top 100 in the nation.
So fortunate to live walking distance from this.
So fortunate to live walking distance from this.
I've only been there once.
I didn't want to leave. I kept going back and ordering more stuff.
I gained 10 pounds that day....
richardhawk
Member
People are really stoked on Portos huh. I'm close by and I only ever visit when I want a potato ball. Everything else there can get thrown in the bushes.
FantasticMrFoxdie
Mumber
Heh. I'm actually about to eat a Tuna Croissandwich from Portos w/ Potato Balls.
You monster.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
their chocolate chip cookies are amazing. if you get them when they are warm it's pretty much like dying and going to heaven.
cuban sandwiches killer too
guava cheese rolls
the yelp list in general is weird - it obviously values great food, but also highly hits value for the money and consistency. Seeing Portos and Alinea on the same list is pretty cool
Went to the DTLA Art Walk last night and it was depressingly empty. The streets, that is. There were several open studios and galleries. There were several artists with tables set up on the sidewalks. But the crowd was really thin. Maybe it was the extra traffic because of the President's visit. Maybe it's because it's February. I hope the Art Walk doesn't fade, downtown really needs it.
Porto's is the realest. It's as good as or better than the best Cuban places in Miami.
Porto's is the realest. It's as good as or better than the best Cuban places in Miami.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
Anything going on this weekend?
juliushandle
Member
http://angelcitybrewery.com/events/broken-hearts-circus-2/
Porto's is legit. the family had the best bakery in Havana before migrating to the US. my family from Miami and NY also agree Porto's is best.
richardhawk
Member
http://www.grandcentralmarket.com/e...ce-of-the-lambs-at-the-million-dollar-theatre
I'm doing this. Plan on getting bombed before I watch the movie at whatever bar is closest.
Dude Art Walk was over years ago when it became an uncontrollable scene. There was a year where it had potential but the leadership let it go to shit.
CosmicQueso
Member
Staying on lockdown for the marathon tomorrow. So many closed streets, it's going to be hellish.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
Marathon course is both 2 blocks south and 2 blocks west of me, so I feel ya
That sucks. I wish DTLA could really get it together. It's definitely improved but it's still a ghost town at night.
The contrast between poverty and privilege is real sharp in DTLA, too. Sharper than San Francisco, Baltimore, DC. One block I'm seeing dudes with waxed mustaches eating artisanal fair trade non-GMO brioche and the next block I saw a woman lying on the sidewalk literally rolling around in a pile of garbage because she was so fucked up she couldn't get to her feet. Skid Row is the hardest, most gut wrenching area in the entire country.
Thug Waffle
Member
It's good to be back.
richardhawk
Member
I grew up in Echo Park in the 90's and I remember super vividly my parents forcing me to come back in at around 8 PM. Downtown was pretty much a "don't ever go there unless we go with you". It's a total dick move on my part but I get really annoyed when I'm drinking anywhere in downtown and hear someone talk about how they just moved here from SF / NYC and are so happy it's a nice clean area for them to live in now. As far as it being a ghost town I'd say you're totally wrong. Spring St is pretty active especially.
richardhawk
Member
Zillow and Redfin are my go to.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
Moved in December. Zillow for sure. Craigslist as backup.
The lines at DTLA Ralph's at 2 AM and the traffic when leaving it beg to differ.