The latest gourmet food and drink destinations in Los Angeles & Orange County from fancy shmancy to hole-in-the-wall (mostly the latter)

1. LA Restaurants
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Downtown Art Walk, 2 Thursday of every month Noon-9:00pm, self-guided public art phenomenon
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On Spring and Main Streets between 2 and 9 Streets.
Galleries, restaurants, bars, etc. all open.
As feat’d on Triple D: Duck Fat Fries w/cracklins, confit and raspberry mustard!
532 S Western Ave, LA (Koreatown) (213) 387-2337, open 7 days
In the Palihotel 7950 Melrose, West Hollywood. Go for the biscuits, stay for the
Brussel sprouts!
Cinco LA, 7241 W Manchester, LA (near airport), Open 7 days Authentic Oaxacan food inexp.
Ultra ingredients Japan-inspired menu, new restaurant from David Myers (Pizzeria Ortica) 10 W
Century Dr, Century City
Hatfield’s -- 10 Best New Restaurants in America 2010 Bon Appetit
6703 Melrose Ave, LA (Hollywood) Vegetarian prix fixe menu every night, standout desserts. www.hatfieldsrestaurant.com
9725 Culver Blvd 310/815-8100
1301 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach 310/798-8227 Same chef/owners as WildCraft

2. Japanese twist on American comfort food. 8321 Lincoln Blvd (Hiway 1) just north of LAX.
Open M-Th & Su till 10 F/S till 11.
#9 Top Ten Restaurants in the country 2012 (Bon Appetit)
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Chef: Josef Centeno -- 408 S. Main St, in the historic Old Bank district of downtown LA. Coming soon: his Bar Amá, 118 W 4 St.
Super homemade bread and bagels feat. in F&W. Breakfast, lunch, pizza, salad, small plates beer & wine
2723 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, 8am-11pm daily
1119 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica Su-Th 5:30-10:30, F/Sa 5:30-11:30
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Amazing ice cream menu! Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26 St, #51, Santa Monica
Chef Jesse Barber trained at French Laundry.
Rustic, surrounded by greenery, local and seasonal ingredients, a hearty and honest bite. Great beer & wine list.
Authentic Spanish tapas bar, unique combination of food and drinks in a warm and
inviting atmosphere; restaurant and retail store. “Best Spanish restaurant in Los Angeles.” 109 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica
Bryant Ng “Best New Chefs 2012” 114 S. Central Ave. LA Singapore & Vietnam cuisine
1145 S. Western Ave. LA, open late
Korean BBQ and small plates, charcoal grills at each table for Hwa Ro but also get Yori small plates, www.laondining.com

3. The Umami of Grilled Cheese
1634 Cahuenga, Hollywood Aliso Viejo, MV, Culver City, TO.
+ Beer & Wine, salads, burrata, veggies, ready in 60 seconds.
Austrian restaurant with eaux de vie (schnapps) tasting including Reisetbauer
(the best! LA Times) also sausage and beer tasting. 9669 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Open MTThFSa noon-midnight.
Closed W Su. 2012 Top 20 new restaurants in US. Zagat 1 of 10 hottest restaurants in LA.

4. A-Frame Restaurant
“Dancing Bonito” 2119 Sawtelle Blvd. (310) 478-0521 gottsui-usa.com

5. L.A. Times Feb 2011: Best Tonkatsu ever. “Liquid pork!” All dishes < $10. NOW
IN COSTA MESA: 1175 Baker St 714/556-0091
229 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach also 5271 E 2nd St, Long Beach

6. LA Times article 3/9/13. 1501 Main St #105, Venice

7. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/05/food/la-fo-best-meals-20120105/2
1 Roast chicken dinner at Farmshop
2 Burgers at Short Order
3 Asador Etxebarri, Spanish Basque country
4 Takeout brisket from Bludso’s BBQ in Compton
5 Tapas and paella at Jaleo in Vegas
6 Seafood at Hungry Cat in Santa Monica Canyon
7 Rustic Italian at Cotogna in San Francisco
8 Rivera in downtown Los Angeles
9 M.B. Post in Manhattan Beach
10 Soulful Turkish cuisine at Oleana in Boston

8. New Location: 609 N La Brea Ave, LA. Great Beers!!! Old Location: 811 S Long Beach
Blvd, Compton

10. THE FOUNDRY on MELROSE
(Grilled Cheese!)
Best Thing I Ever Ate: Bacon—“Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar” at Animal Restaurant ! ! !

11. 11520 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 479-3000, www.freddysmalls.com, Gastropub, fried Brussels
sprouts w apple cider glaze is worth the drive (LA Times), seriously good beer and cocktails, best enjoyed when it’s not
crowded.
641 North Highland Ave., LA 90036 323-297-0101

12. 6602 Melrose Ave., LA 90038 323-297-0100
800 East 3rd Street, LA 90013 (213) 687-4444
24 Belgian beers on tap, Belgian fries, gourmet sodas
Open every night till Midnight

13. GJELINA L.A. Times Venice neighborhood restaurant. Stellar food. Get their pizza or gnocchi.

14. Top Chef Season 4 Ilan Hall -- Bacon-wrapped matzo balls, best ribs in L.A., Jewish-Scottish inspired menu
In the Alexandria Hotel 501 South Spring Street, Downtown L.A. (213) 488-3408
M-W 6pm-12am, Thu-Sat 6pm-2am
MOTHER DOUGH 4648 Hollywood Blvd., Loz Feliz, LA CA 90027
Art Galleries, Café, Exit 26th Street
2 525 Michigan Ave. Santa Monica next to Santa Monica Museum of Art
Margherita Pizza Burrata Salad 850 degree Pizza Oven
630 W 6th St. (corner of 6th & Hope) Downtown LA -- L.A. Times thin-crusted, bubbly-edged, Neopolitan-NY
hybrid de riguer SoCal pizza. Craft American & Italian beers on tap.

15. Food & Wine high rated new seafood restaurant (same owners as “Animal”) Su-Th 6-11, F-Sa 6-1am
Communal table + separate tables + bar seating, small restaurant
“This Place Stinks”
728 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica. Mozarella Madness class, Grilled Cheese and Beer nights!
M-F 11-7, Sa 10-7, Su 11-6
Coffee and Pretzels! 11309 Mississippi Ave, LA (Olympic & Sawtelle), M-F 7-10:30, Sa 9-10:30, Su 9-9
LA Times July 21, 2011 - Fresh spin on Mideast cuisine, near Beverly Center, 401 N. La Cienega Blvd.
1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach (310) 545-5405
In the old post office, terrific new restaurant, Chef David LeFevre, long tables, casual atmosphere
Opened Feb 2011
Creative, contemporary Latin cuisine L.A. Times, Chef-Owner is John Sedlar, opened Saint Estephe 30 yrs ago

16. Lukshon, Spicy Chicken Pops, “Best Thing Ever”
3239 Helms Ave., Culver City
Lunch T-F 11:30-2:30, Dinner M-Sa 5:30-10:30
Top 10 Spots to Dine in LA (as of August 2011):
1-Osteria La Buca, 2-The Spice Table, 3-Picca, 4-Manhattan Beach Post, 5-Lukshon, 6-Son of a Gun, 7-
L’Epicerie, 8-Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA, 9-Night + Market, 10-Hatfields
176 N. Canon Dr., Kaiserschmarrn, Strawberry
Crepe Dessert, “Best Thing Ever”
Whiskey bar, 515 W 7th St 2nd Floor LA 90014, (213) 614-0736
131 ½ Main St., Seal Beach, CA 90740
(562) 493-4500 Gourmet BBQ and 22 craft beers on tap (BA #9 Top Beer Bars on Planet Earth) + Hop Cam
Tue-Sun 11:30am-9:30pm

17. Astounding Wine Bar, $7-13 by the glass, small plates, relaxed atmosphere,
4628 Hollywood Blvd. Los Feliz, Su-Th 5-Midnight, F-Sa 5-2am
at the Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th Street (& San Vicente Blvd)
in Santa Monica. Jeff Cerciello (Culinary Director for Bouchon, French Laundry, El Bulli). “Country Cooking” in
the City. Also, same address, is Barney’s Burgers, Caffe Luxxe, Frida Taqueria, Sweet Rose Ice Cream.
2005 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, Los Angeles. Best burger, juiciest
pastrami, N Carolina sauced pulled pork; wine, beer and sodas. Off the 134 bet Glendale and Pasadena.
Salted Caramel, Chocolate
Hazelnut, Rosemary Olive Oil, Blueberry Earl Grey, etc.!

18. OC Restaurants
220 E 4th St, Santa Ana. For the beer AND the food! Dinner only, 7 days
156 Avenida del Mar, San Clemente, great beers, wines, cheeses and short ribs!
Open 1/31/13. Craft cocktail and burgers + more. 34235 Doheny Park Rd, Capo Beach
Head to Artists Village area, park in the structure at N Broadway and W 3rd St. Go to gallery spaces such as OC
Center for Contemporary Art, Grand Central Art Center and Santora Arts Building. Good restaurants are Gypsy
Den and Memphis. Also

19. Gabbi’s Mexican Restaurant
Also: Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Van Nuys and W LA

20. The Camp, 2937 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa
Taco Asylum, Ecco Pizza, Umami Burger, Old Vine Café, etc.

21. Now Open:
Eco-Shopping Center, ala Ferry Building w comfy couches, firepit, wine tasting, olive oil store, coffee, etc.
3313 Hyland Avenue & South Coast (off Harbor Blvd behind SOCO Center)
190 S. Glassell St., Old Towne Orange - Open Every Day 11am - 2am
277 N. Broadway, Santa Ana Artists Village-Open Every Day 11am - 2am
Mexique French Cuisine. OC Weekly: “Best new restaurant in OC.”
Lunch and Dinner, great beer and wine. 3737 West Chapman Avenue, Orange, in the Ayres Inn; 415 South
Main Street, Orange (breakfast and lunch only).
“Finest Italian sausage in America!” OC Weekly. Artisanal sausage. Full dinner menu.
251 Shipyard Way, Newport Beach. Open Daily 8:30am-10:00pm.

22. Nor Cal
Feat’d on Triple-D. 566 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo, CA. Closed Mon.
Dempsey’s Restaurant & Brewery, 50 E Washington St, Petaluma, CA (707) 765-9694