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A perfectly romantic Valentine's Day outing involves a modern, luxurious French eggy brunch or dinner with glasses of Prosecco or Kir Royales. Petrossian serves a sensual, elegant dish Buckwheat Crepe dish with a sunny egg topped with caviar, salmon roe, caviar jus, smoked sturgeon and a savory buckwheat crepe rolled with prosciutto cotto. Every element of this opulent multi-egg dish celebrates this ancient symbol of fertility.
Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is a wonderful slice of Southern California landscape to enjoy during the day. However, some of their special events sets a magical tone.
The Enchanted: Forest of Light exhibition is an interactive, nighttime experience where you can walk through 8 spectacular lighting displays within the gardens. Each large scale display has a theme, with lighting by Lightswitch®. Some are interactive.
The Pool is an interactive light sculpture by artist Jen Lewin, which reminds me of the movie "Big". You walk over lit pads and they light up in different ways as you step over them. The Symphony of Oaks as well as the Lightwave Lake lets you control the lights and sounds among the oak tree grove. Flower Power contains a field of lit tulips with fluctuating colors. The Japanese Garden is illuminated with hundreds of red lanterns.
Throughout the path, there are spots to rest, grab snacks and drinks.
It is unbelievable how atmospheric lighting can be in a natural and beautiful setting, and this exhibit contains just the right combination to make the experience magical.
Copa Vida Cafe
With so many choices for coffee shops in town, whenever I want the cafe life, I opt for Copa Vida. They serve up the best combination of great coffee with all the bells and whistles, with good service, ambiance, work-friendly conditions and tasty food. You can easily spend hours there and be fully comfortable.
I often go there and co-work with a friend or even by myself. Their back room consists of people mainly on laptops and you never feel rushed to leave.
I love their signature cold brew on a warmer day as well as their hot coffee drinks. They use Straus Barista Milk, which pairs well with the coffee without masking its flavor.
One of my favorite food choices is their deceptively simple turkey sandwich with cheese and basil. It is completely airy and light while packing in so many fresh flavors.
As a cafe experience, Copa Vida lacks nothing.
Skybar at the Mondrian Hotel
Even though we have several rooftop bars in town at the moment, the Mondrian Hotel’s Skybar started it all. This staple of LA nightlife still delivers with an unforgettable setting, great service and memorable cocktails.
I recently tried their latest seasonal cocktails, all of which captured the warmth and crispness of the winter season with so much flavor.
The Pear Fete with Grey Goose La Poire Vodka, Rekorderlig Pear Cider, St. Germaine liqueur, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and a crunch Asian pear garnish is refreshing and light.
The Redheaded Mule is a wonderful riff on the Moscow Mule with muddled raspberries in the vodka, lemon and ginger mix. It's both spicy and tart while remaining light and fruity.
Finally, the Black Apple offers a warm, cozy vibe with Jameson Irish Whiskey, Liquid Alchemist Spiced Apple, lemon juice and black walnut bitters. I loved the multi colored apple garnishes on these too.
The inviting lounge and poolside seating with a view of the city are the optimal ways to enjoy the drinks.
Mario's Peruvian Seafood is just the perfect place for some soulful, hearty Peruvian food during a chilly evening. While they specialize in seafood, what you will find on most tables is their Lomo Saltado,a traditional Peruvian stir fry dish, with marinated strips of beef steak, onions, tomatoes, french fries, in a mouth watering sauce, served with rice. The sauce flavors the fries and the part that seeps under the rice seasons the already delicious rice even further.
It is off menu, but if you want to make yours a surf and turf, they will make you a Mar y Tierra, where they mix the beef with shrimp. You get the best of both worlds. They also offer the Saltado Mariscos with shrimp, squid and octopus in a different sauce. The green side sauce of aji peppers packs a punch and complements the food well. It also tastes great with their homemade bread.
Mario's also makes various Peruvian style ceviches as well as other seafood specialties.
Le Petit Bistro
Le Petit Bistro succeeded in creating a European feel in the middle of the busy La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood. While their menu is not completely French (it includes pastas and other types of Euro-American choices), they offer the French classics one would crave.
On a recent visit, we went all out French with classics such as the duck mousse pate with toast points and cornichons, the escargots in the traditional garlic butter sauce and a lovely Marmite seafood dish with contains mixed shellfish in a saffron cream sauce - clams, mussels, scallops, calamari, shrimp and two types of fish.
It is great to know they have low carb options here, although it is difficult to resist the warm baguettes to mop up all the delicious sauces.
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse
It is great to have the best of San Francisco bakeries open up branches in Los Angeles. Especially since I did not get a chance to try Mr. Holmes Bakehouse's infamous specialty, the cruffin, when in San Francisco, I made a trip soon after opening to pick it up in their L.A. store.
The first attempt, they were sold out by late morning with a sign on the door. I stopped by 3 more times and heard that people were arriving at 8:00 when they open, paying for their cruffins (limit of 2 per person) and then lining up at 9:00 again to get them fresh made. I could not coordinate such an elaborate effort but opted to wait a few months and try again.
The cruffin is a specialty made hybrid between a croissant and muffin, which is filled with flavored creams or jams. The flavors change weekly, and are posted online (their website and on Instagram). I was able to try 2 of them. A friend gave me a taste of the pumpkin cream, which was subtle on both the sweetness and cream. When I went on my own, I tried the banana cream, peanut butter, bacon - all good flavors and they worked well together.
It took 5 times, but I am not disappointed because I got to try some of their other delicious baked goods. I loved their corn flake cookie, crunchy with corn flakes and comforting with brown butter and toffee. The monkey bread is not too sweet nor sticky, which I appreciated. My favorites though, were the savory pastries. I tried the muffuletta danish, containing all components of this famous New Orleans sandwich. The cheese and herb bread pudding also impressed me, especially when the staff member suggested I reheat it in a pan with butter and top it with a fried egg. Delightful.
The coffee was outstanding, and washed down the pastries well.
I was most impressed with the exquisite design of the shop, mostly in black, white, pink and gold. It looks extremely clean and elegant with a style that screams for Instagram photos. The staff was very nice and enthusiastic, yielding a very happy experience.
Celestino Ristorante
Celestino Ristorante is a tried and true Italian cuisine gem in Pasadena. While the Drago family own many popular restaurants around town, I appreciate the classic, authentic nature of Celestino. They serve up solid, seasonal Italian dishes like burrata with prosciutto and arugula, a hearty seafood salad with roasted peppers, risotto with bay scallops and porcini mushrooms, tortellini with shaved truffle. As far as desserts go, I enjoy their panna cotta with strawberries and the cannolis are some of the best I've had in town.
A majority of the staff are Italian, the clienteles contain a lot of regulars. They offer daily specials that add incredible variety to the menu. You cannot go wrong there.
Maré Seafood on a Rooftop
You can count on Chef/Owner Eric Greenspan to provide elevated comfort food, and you can find it at Mare.. In a secret entry at the back of his Greenspan's Grilled Cheese shop, you take a very involved path upstairs to the most charming rooftop patio setting imaginable.The ambiance really takes advantage of L.A.'s mild weather and beautiful people watching.
Upon being seeded, you are served a gorgeous serving of a seeded loaf of bread with accompaniments of lemon, garlic, olive oil, olives, dried apricots, pistachios, caper berries, dried figs and olive tapenade.
The simple, small menu offers a surprising amount of variety. There are a few appetizers, entrees and sides. The stars of the menu are the shellfish for which you can choose your own sauces. I chose clams as my shellfish with a spicy sausage romesco broth, topped with chili threads.
The shellfish comes with a steaming bowl of pasta tossed in butter and a poached egg that you can then use to mop up the remaining sauce.
Mexicali Taco & Co
Mexicali Taco & Co has been providing excellent, authentic Mexican food in Downtown L.A. for years. They prepare their meats cooked and seasoned to perfection, then chop them expertly on wooden slabs. The texture is always both crunchy and tender. The frequently stocked salsa bar provides generous choices of fresh salsas along with pickled and fresh vegetables, onions, herbs, limes and more. The prices are extremely affordable, making it one of the best values in town.
While one can close their eyes and point to anything on the menu without being disappointed, I gravitate toward their Vampiros. They are quesadillas with a heaping amount of garlic added, thus the name. The tortillas, which they import from Mexico, come perfectly toasted. They get the filling to tortilla ratio perfect. You can choose your protein or mix 2 different ones. Their al pastor, chorizo, carne asada and chicken are all so good, it's difficult to choose one.
I love the grilled scallion they serve on the side. You can wash it down with an aguas frescas, fresh fruit drink. Their friendly service makes everything sweeter.
Villains Tavern
Ever since I heard Villains Tavern was Steampunk decor, I wanted to go. It is great to have that steampunk style in a smaller, Downtown L.A. Arts District, neighborhood bar. Everything was smooth - parking was easy, the bouncer was nice, friendly and informative, and the decor did not disappoint. There is no cover charge even though they have live music playing later in the evening.
There are some bar-like food choices such as solidly prepared burgers, nachos, grilled cheese and a cocktail menu. It is a bit difficult to get the bartenders' attention, as expected in a crowded bar, but it was difficult even before it got crowded. All food, drinks orders and closing out tabs must be done at the bar. Our bartender made things fun by customizing and creating drinks for us.
In a relatively small bar, it was great to sit upstairs and catch up with a friend in a relatively quiet spot while a packed room sat downstairs listening to the live band.
One of my favorite drinks was the Pica Palmetto with tequila, mezcal, St. Germaine liqueur, lime juice, grapefruit juice and garnished with Pica spicy tamarind candy swizzle sticks.
Highland Park Bowl
One of the very heavily talked about and photographed re-openings of this year has been the Highland Park Bowl, a very vintage bowling alley that has had a couple iterations since the 1920's. I've been wanting to go but heard it was quite small and assumed its location in trendy Highland Park would lead to large crowds.
A friend had an excellent idea to visit on a Saturday morning right after it opened. It was not too crowded, and completely bright and clean. The staff welcomed us in every area. I love retro style and this place feels like you've stepped back in time. It almost feels like a period movie set.
The bowling alley provides bowling lanes, of course, but also a food menu with wood burning pizza made to order, brunch, cocktails and plenty of seating. Some nights they even have karaoke and other themed activities.
Our hour at the lanes just flew by, but we opted to stay longer to enjoy another drink and a pizza. The bowling fees and shoe rental tabs are separate from the bar and food tab, and they do a good job serving you regardless of what section you choose to inhabit.
For me, just watching the antique machinery that sets the pins and returns the bowling balls provided ample entertainment. They have just the right amount of technology with plasma screens tallying the players and scores electronically.
All this fun can get a bit pricey, but the ambiance makes it a worthy splurge.
L & E Oyster Bar
I absolutely love oysters and enjoy the ability to just walk into L & E Oyster Bar, go upstairs and get the chef's choice dozen on demand. Lit up boards announce the oysters of the day. They come out on ice, with accompanying mignonette, cocktail sauce, horseradish and lemon.
While the restaurant downstairs offers a lot more variety, along with excellent complimentary hush puppies with your order, there is nothing like the chilled briny freshness.
I particularly enjoy it on the terrace, enjoying the gorgeous tile floor, city sounds and fresh air. The service is also very prompt and friendly.
Lamill Coffee
Lamill Coffee is definitely a high end coffee shop, a bit on the over-fancy side. It is decorated quite formally for a place where you order at the counter and grab your seat. However, it's a good spot to get very good coffee, brewed in a variety of ways. The menu describes the flavor notes of each brew, just like a sommelier would describe a fine wine. I enjoyed my drip coffee in its own carafe where I can see the rich color.
The food is more "cheffy" than one would expect from a coffee shop. Last time I was there, I really enjoyed the fried chicken with scallion sage waffles. The platter contained two de-boned chicken thighs that were light, crispy and perfectly fried. The savory scallion waffles sat on a few dabs of chili maple butter and were showered with bits of fried sage. They provide a small bit of syrup on the side. It's a very satisfying salty sweet meal.
They also have quite a few good breakfast items on the menu, including a brioche sandwich with scrambled eggs. I would like to see the staff know a bit more about the offerings on the menu, but overall the service was good.
On one of the few rainy evenings in LA, and after enjoying a Rooftop Cinema Club movie in the drizzle, I walked down Hollywood Blvd. and spotted The Melt. With grilled cheese I am usually a traditionalist - I don't think it needs to be too fancy, but should just be done well in a classic way. While the menu is not huge at The Melt, they have enough variety to satisfy and surprise you.
I ordered the Italian Job, which contains mushrooms, fontina and provolone cheese on a spicy garlic bread. The sandwich was crispy and well toasted on the outside, while savory and gooey on the inside. it was not greasy. The ratio of bread to cheese to fillings was perfect. While it was very well seasoned, the spice or garlic did not over power. The bread was baked fresh. I loved the small slice of pickle on the side, breaking down the creaminess.
It held up well for about 20 minutes before I ate it. My friend reheated the Classic version and it got super toasty and perfect, reheated on a pan on the stove top. The service was very friendly and pleasant. It was a solid choice.
The Godmother at Bay Cities Italian Deli
One of the things I miss the most about living in Santa Monica is being able to grab a ticket, wait in this always full line and get my Godmother sandwich to go - then eat it overlooking the beach in the late afternoon. Bay Cities, the Italian deli/market packs any Italian grocery item you would want, as well as making some of what many Angelenos consider the best sandwich in town.
Their signature sandwich, The Godmother, is probably the best version of the Italian sandwich I've had. Made with house made, perfectly crusty bread, it comes packed with with Genoa salami, mortadella, prosciutto, coppacola, ham, provolone cheese, mild or spicy peppers. It comes with "the works" including lettuce, tomatoes and dressings, and in different sizes. There are no substitutions, and believe me, none are needed.
What I like best about this sandwich is that the flavors seem to develop the longer it sits. The bread is sturdy enough to soak up all the juices, even for a long period of time.
Paper Airplanes at Grand Park
When I was on jury duty a couple of years ago, I walked through Grand Park daily. Whether it was getting some fresh air and coffee during lunch breaks, or passing through the park to get to the juror parking area. Ever since then, when in the neighborhood, I still check out Grand Park because there is always a fun event, exhibit or other activity there. It remains a very vibrant urban oasis that was very much needed in Downtown L.A.
One of my favorite pieces there are the Paper Airplanes - an installation that is innovative, whimsical and functional all at the same time. It will definitely put a smile on anybody's face. These huge structures by artists Elenita Torres and Dean Sherriff stand out while complementing surrounding architecture and scenery.
In addition to being eye-catching sculptures, they are meant to provide shade in the park, protecting from the sun's UV rays. Even with my night visit, seeing the well lit sculptures added a dream like ambiance to my park visit.
The Paper Airplanes will be on display for about another year and a half.