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Northeast of Downtown is Highland Park, tonight Tuesday is food truck night in the parking lot near a 99 Cent store. It's always fun to check out to see who shows up. The infamous Grill'em All shows up once in a while.
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Dec 12, 2012 02:34
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Steve Yun posted:Pretty good sushi, fantastic view. Magic Castle is cool, but they DO have a dress code edit: Looked up the dress code rules quote:Men Invader Mat fucked around with this message at 12:14 on Dec 12, 2012 |
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Dec 12, 2012 12:03
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Hmm, I have to add that you need to be a member of their club or be with a member to enter. There used to be a page on their website where you could just sign up but now it seems to be gone. Might have to scratch that one. edit: oh wait here it is http://www.magiccastle.com/ama/membership.cfm
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Dec 12, 2012 18:17
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I don't get it.. $100 for a one month membership?! And that's just a "membership" to be able to go in and eat? They hint that a lot of entertainment industries types like to join.. this must some sort of secret club or something cause I can't figure out why anyone would join
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Dec 12, 2012 20:56
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Nifty posted:I don't get it.. $100 for a one month membership?! And that's just a "membership" to be able to go in and eat? They hint that a lot of entertainment industries types like to join.. this must some sort of secret club or something cause I can't figure out why anyone would join Its exactly that. Its basically  and this http://arresteddevelopment.wikia.com/wiki/Gothic_Castle but in real life. I wouldn't join unless I was rolling in money, but it definitely seems like a place you'd want to bring clients to in order to entertain. Neil Patrick Harris is also the president right now. I'm not sure if I mentioned it here in this thread, but Byu Gobchang is definitely a place everyone should try out at some point for some different Korean food. http://www.yelp.com/biz/byul-gobchang-los-angeles Nice thing is they will cook your food for you in case you don't know how to cook it yourself.
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Dec 12, 2012 22:41
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THE RED MENACE posted:I've been wanting to go to Son of a Gun ever since I heard they have a shrimp toast sandwich. Personally I really enjoyed their octopus salad. Also, the chicken sandwich is quite big and actually approaches the realm of being a good value.
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Dec 14, 2012 21:23
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Why are people recommending chains like Fogo De Chao in this thread? C'mon. Providence is all around A++ awesome, but agreed on the budget. A great recommendation for a fancy dinner. As is The Bazaar. Better drinks at the bazaar, much more "traditional" upscale experience at Providence. Animal and Son Of A Gun are in my experiences, hit or miss depending on what's ordered. What's good is GREAT AWESOME and what isn't leaves you with some regret. As previously mentioned the octopus is generally great & awesome. Both are completely worth going to if you're adventurous. For Westwood, 800 degrees (owned by the Umami people) is worth stopping in if you don't have to wait too long in line. Sometimes I find their pizzas a little undercooked but I love the concept. They have rock shrimp as a topping, which I love with a little prosciutto and arugala and olive oil. Also check the special of the day that is behind you to the left as you walk in. How this isn't a staple in every big college town is beyond me. If you're in Westwood for lunch, you should make the short trip to Sawtelle Ave. There are a lot of ramen places to go to. Most are ok to good. If you want what I think will be the best ramen you'll ever have in your life, (short of knowing a local in Japan or Sao Paolo...) go to Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle. They only serve the ramen at lunch from 11-2, there is a short line outside but it goes quickly. It is a dipping ramen and the broth is simmered for 60 hours. Get it with the Char Siu pork (there is pork in the broth but you'll want more) and you'll be in heaven. This is their only US location, they have 4 in Japan and one in Bangkok. Also if you're into the whole Umami burger thing but want the next level I'd recommend staying on Sawtelle and going to Plan Check bar. Feels like Brooklyn with their pickle menu but the burgers are better than Umami and the chicken sandwich might be the best thing on the menu. I mean it has duck ham...(and I love Umami but only go there for the shrimp burger or the ahi tuna burger anymore, both are delicious). Also don't miss the waffle cut sweet potato fries. Natalee thai is typical take out thai, I really don't think there's anything remarkable about it. I work near culver city so I'm burned out on the area but Akasha is one of the only thing that stands out as being worth eating at, but even then I'd make the trek to most of the previously named places. sellouts fucked around with this message at 23:54 on Dec 15, 2012 |
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Dec 15, 2012 23:51
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sellouts posted:If you want what I think will be the best ramen you'll ever have in your life, (short of knowing a local in Japan or Sao Paolo...) go to Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle. They only serve the ramen at lunch from 11-2, there is a short line outside but it goes quickly. It is a dipping ramen and the broth is simmered for 60 hours. Get it with the Char Siu pork (there is pork in the broth but you'll want more) and you'll be in heaven. This is their only US location, they have 4 in Japan and one in Bangkok. Do they serve ramen at dinner too? e: your opinions all sound reasonable. Mandalay fucked around with this message at 22:20 on Dec 17, 2012 |
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Dec 17, 2012 22:16
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sellouts posted:Also if you're into the whole Umami burger thing but want the next level I'd recommend staying on Sawtelle and going to Plan Check bar. Feels like Brooklyn with their pickle menu but the burgers are better than Umami and the chicken sandwich might be the best thing on the menu. I mean it has duck ham...(and I love Umami but only go there for the shrimp burger or the ahi tuna burger anymore, both are delicious). Also don't miss the waffle cut sweet potato fries. Went there last night, it was fantastic. The desserts are fantastic as well. Had donuts and ice cream bars. Almost died.
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Dec 17, 2012 22:32
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Mandalay posted:Do they serve ramen at dinner too? Generally no, however for the new year / holidays they appear to be doing the "ramen until we run out, then we close" but not sure if I'm reading it right. Check the website for specific dates. And Acethomas (sup dude??) I agree, they do desserts really well too. That chicken sandwich though is special. drat. Really loving that right now
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Dec 18, 2012 10:03
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sellouts posted:And Acethomas (sup dude??) I agree, they do desserts really well too. That chicken sandwich though is special. drat. Really loving that right now I will try it next visit, probably going to start doing roller pickup at Mar Vista since I moved down the street from there. Bummed about midnight hockey being so hard to get to or not happening recently. Might start hitting the 6am stick/puck at TSC. So food is related here, here is my ramen place: http://www.yelp.com/biz/hakata-ramen-shinsengumi-gardena-2 it is the best you're welcome.
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Dec 18, 2012 20:53
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Both Ramen Jinya and Robata Jinya are pretty good ramen places in the miracle mile area.
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Dec 18, 2012 21:19
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Just ate the best pho I've had in my life. Pho Hong Phat on Anaheim in Long Beach. I had been going out to Pho Hahn (down the street from Pho Hong Phat) at least one of week since I moved out here in September. I would pass Pho Hong Phat on the way there and saw a line out the door, so I had to check it out. It knocks Pho Hahn out of the water. Soup has an incredible amount of flavor. The only difference is that Pho Hong Phat only does soup, while Pho Hahn has some other great pork and beef dishes.
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Dec 19, 2012 00:12
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Acethomas posted:So food is related here, here is my ramen place: http://www.yelp.com/biz/hakata-ramen-shinsengumi-gardena-2 it is the best you're welcome. I've been to the Little Tokyo location, and it is just divine. Extremely flavorful broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and lots of delicious sides. Be prepared to wait a while if you go during lunch, but it's so worth it.
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Dec 19, 2012 03:52
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Got here yesterday morning and went straight to LA Tsujita Artisan Noodle, and had the tsukemen, which was incredibly delicious. The noodles were perfectly cooked as was the charshu.
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Dec 20, 2012 17:26
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Invader Mat posted:Magic Castle is cool, but they DO have a dress code Magic Castle is not cool at all, it is boring unless you like stupid magic shows and dumb bullshit boring crap. Also like most places in LA that claim to have a dress code, they do not actually enforce it unless you are really out there. At least when I've gone. I wore jeans because gently caress ya'll. Also, their food is terrible and overpriced. For Korean--  AYCE BBQ, Hae Jang Chon Soon Tofu, Beverly Soon Tofu Dim Sum-- There's only one place I would ever go for dim sum.. Elite Restaurant BBQ-- Cornary inducing BBQ, phillips. Mexican-- Good westside mexican place with beer, Tacos Por Favor Good midcity mexican place possibly with beer, Tere's Rotissere Chicken, Pollo A La Brasa Also someone previously mentioned Viva Fresh, which is pretty solid Freshmex. I used to go to the one on Washington near the boardwalk next to the subway there but it's called like tacqueria something something now, it's still good though I went there a couple weeks ago. There's always Chipotle too, Chipotle is legit. It's not really Mexican though. Also I'm pretty sure you can eat this in any city/state now. Fried Chicken--  Honey KettleUsed to be a chain but now is endangered, still owns. Pioneer Chicken Japenese-- Decently cheap sushi run by actual Japanese people (not koreans), Noshi Sushi Ramen (maybe overrun by hipster foodies), Daikokuya Fancy poo poo-- Fancy Pizza/wine/etc, Mozza Fancy whatever westside yuppie american fare (also in hollywood), Real Food Daily Same as above, Tender Greens In general you can't go wrong with Yelp, just get it on your phone and find something that looks decent and then go there. soy fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Dec 20, 2012 |
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Dec 20, 2012 18:09
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Day 2 update: you guys were not kidding about Jitlada, that place was super spicy and good. I loved the southern curry.
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Dec 21, 2012 09:03
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Realize that you're probably gone, but think that all of these places are worth a visit for anyone in the area... Some non-AYCE Korean suggestions: Hanbat Sul Lung Tang - http://www.yelp.com/biz/han-bat-sul-lung-tang-los-angeles - very simple, basic soup made by boiling bones for hours, turning the broth milky white, eaten with kimchi radishes and rice, perfect for hangovers. Seongbukdong - http://www.yelp.com/biz/seongbukdong-los-angeles - amazing galbi jjim (aka boiled beef), pricey at around $25, but can feed 2 or 3 and pairs perfectly with rice. Mexican: Tacos Leo - http://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-leo-los-angeles - al pastor tacos for a buck each on the corner of La Brea and Venice. Tacos Baja Ensenada - http://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-baja-ensenada-los-angeles - the best fish tacos I've ever had, although I have yet to try Ricky's Fish Tacos.
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Dec 25, 2012 21:28
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Yeah, the fun of my trip was sort of ruined because I got really really sick. Other than Jitlada and Tsujita artisan noodle I only made it to Father's Office. Other than that I spent the rest of my trip drinking juice and now I'm back in NJ with a massive ear infection. Oh we had some great ice cream at Scoops though... I'm just sad I got sick and couldn't make it to other places to eat.
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Dec 25, 2012 21:49
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soy posted:Magic Castle is not cool at all, it is boring unless you like stupid magic shows and dumb bullshit boring crap. Also like most places in LA that claim to have a dress code, they do not actually enforce it unless you are really out there. At least when I've gone. I wore jeans because gently caress ya'll. The food at magic castle is inedible, however you're missing the point of it. It is to get drunk. The shows are kitschy but entertaining if you go during dinner on Friday or Saturday. Some of the bartenders are great at slight of hand/card tricks between drinks. Also pretty terrible advice that the dress code is flimsy. It is the most strict I've seen in Los Angeles. As in the only place that cares. With people having to borrow stupid coats to wear, etc. lunch is a different story as is Sunday brunch. Other than those times I've never seen anyone in jeans but way to be a cool guy and gently caress the system. Also tender greens and RFD are not "fancy poo poo". Tender greens is a chain that serves walk up buffet style 10 dollar salads. Honey Kettle is pedestrian fried chicken. It's good because its fried chicken and the biscuits are great but if you're looking for something special in LA I would check out Kyochon near Western and Wilshire. South Korean fried chicken. Hand breaded and fried while you order. Really great. Or go or Roscoe's chicken and waffles for the whole experience. Or hit up Plan Check mentioned above for their fried chicken sandwich. Im 99% sure Tere's does not serve beer. Great place though. Chips are made in house and own. Just don't get anything made with them to go as they don't travel well and will get soggy. Tacos por favor is very much overrated. If you're in that area I would recommend Lares which still isn't great but is ok and they have beer. Phillips BBQ is ok but growing up and making BBQ myself it isn't anything special. I dont think many people come to LA to try bbq but if you do id look around for a better place, maybe more santa maria style. However it's better than JR's nearby just make sure to call your order in before you get there. They are very very nice but slllloowwwww and this will help. I find yelp to be really misleading. Mostly because there are a ton of reviews by people, usually of differing ethnicities than the restaurant's cuisine, who don't know what it should taste like. Or because someone had a bad night once that doesn't reflect the general experience at the restaurant. Also it is far too price motivated for me. There are so many reviews base on price and some absolute shitholes that have 4+ stars because, hey, 2.75 hamburger that is served on a Van kamps bun. Dumb. Not the point of anything.
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Dec 26, 2012 16:57
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Shadowhand00 posted:I'm not sure if I mentioned it here in this thread, but Byu Gobchang is definitely a place everyone should try out at some point for some different Korean food. I just went there last night for a Birthday dinner, and I was impressed. I've eaten a lot of gobchang, and this place definitely stands out as among the best. Make sure you get the Star combo since the Moon is just a lackluster plate of brisket / rib eye.
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Dec 30, 2012 19:56
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Fair enough regarding magic castle, I was not drunk enough. I find that in LA things are often more fun if you are drunk. I think my jeans were just nice enough to pass as slacks, dark color I guess? I usually dress sort of dressy for work. In regards to Korean fried chicken, I prefer the fried chicken place in the Galleria Korean market (vons) because it's just as good and it's cheaper and quicker and parking is usually less of a pain in the rear end unless you go on a prime shopping day. A lot of my eating choices are based on ease of driving to and parking though so ymmv. Also I live in Korea Town. Also I completely agree that the ratings on yelp are misleading. Usually my method is if a place isn't one star, I'll check a few reviews and compare the general ethnicity of the person reviewing based on their user profile icon against the type of restaurant although it's usually very easy to tell if a Caucasian is poorly reviewing a sushi place because they'll either complain about the service or the lack of spicy mayonnaise on their caterpillar roll or something. Then I'll look at pictures of the food the place is serving and check the price meter. Usually if a place has like 500+ high ratings its a safe bet the place will be mobbed at dinner rush, overrated, and most likely underwhelming, so if you use Yelp like that then it can be very useful. Another interesting point to consider regarding Yelp is that they actually are known for extorting small businesses for payments in order to make weight favorable reviews more heavily/remove bad reviews/put good reviews at the top. They've also sent agents out to businesses that don't pay to write bad reviews based on experiences. I think they target more service oriented places than restaurants though. I haven't heard a lot about it in a few years but there was a lot of it going on around 2008~ Was bored and went to that revolving sushi place in little tokyo. Pretty fun, I've eaten a lot of sushi around LA and this was not too bad. Little Tokyo is worth walking around once in a while too. I think they're having a new years festival tomorrow. Also I work down the street so it's pretty convenient. The store Pop Killer next door has some funny t-shirts and whatnot. soy fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Jan 1, 2013 |
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Jan 1, 2013 00:33
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DineLA restaurant list and reservations are up. http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=268&m=6 I've done a few restos including Tres and Bouchon this way and it's a great way to try out those restaurants you've been meaning to try for a fixed (generally affordable) price. I just got reservations at The Bazaar for the first time in the last 5 iterations of DineLA so slots fill up for the more in demand places. 
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Jan 6, 2013 01:31
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If you're looking for amazing amazing food and a great beer list, Beer Belly in Ktown is pretty awesome! The Duck French Dip is AMAZING! http://beerbellyla.com/
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Jan 6, 2013 04:12
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GrAviTy84 posted:DineLA restaurant list and reservations are up. Might finally get around to trying Bouchon. Last time I went to Comme Ca and wasn't too impressed. They had oysters in the pre-fix menu that were ridiculously gritty and small.
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Jan 6, 2013 06:01
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That sounds about right for Dine LA. "Trying" a restaurant at Dine LA is all relative -- you're there and eating their food but it's rarely the best thing they serve and you don't have nearly as many options to try what you want and really decide what you think about the restaurant. It's also rushed and the ingredients just aren't going to be the same. They cant with the price cut down as much as it is. Because the Bazaar is small plates I'd recommend going there whenever -- it's not that hard to get in. And you can stay within your budget, especially if you go with a group and sample a bit of everything and split it amongst everyone.
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Jan 6, 2013 21:28
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Yeah, my experience at Comme Ca wasn't great, but reading over their reviews it was nothing but praise. I have to assume they just got cheap poo poo to fill out their obligation during the promo Oh and a correction: when I went it was during some groupon/livingsocial promo, not restaurant week
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Jan 6, 2013 21:58
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I don't think I've had a bad experience doing DineLA anywhere.  Sure it's not the "full" experience or whatever but a lot of times restos will have their "signature" dishes on the restaurant week menu. For instance, The Bazaar is offering the philly cheesesteak and the bagel and lox cone on their menu: http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/what-to-do/restaurants/bazaar-jos%C3%A9-andr%C3%A9sAnd it's 5 courses, so it's not the "full" tasting menu experience, but you definitely get a good array of food.
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Jan 7, 2013 00:34
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soy posted:Used to be a chain but now is endangered, still owns. Pioneer Chicken Holy crap! This place is still around?  I thought they all died off. I remember one being open in my hometown before they turned it into a crappy Robertos drive thru. I'm going to have to visit this place the next I am up there just for nostalgia sake.
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Jan 7, 2013 21:12
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spiralbrain posted:Holy crap! This place is still around? Pioneer as a franchise went under. The terms of the liquidation allowed the three remaining franchises in LA to continue operating using the name. I'm not sure if the other two are around, but the one on Olympic has made a name for itself as a place that loves frying stuff. My friends go there often enough that the guy running the place recognizes them and will deep fry random things for them just for fun. Okra, potato spirals, deep fried Elvis sandwiches, etc.
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Jan 7, 2013 21:19
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Steve Yun posted:Pioneer as a franchise went under. The terms of the liquidation allowed the three remaining franchises in LA to continue operating using the name. I'm not sure if the other two are around, but the one on Olympic has made a name for itself as a place that loves frying stuff. Makes sense. I liked them because their fried chicken had a very unique flavor, different from Churchs, Popeyes, KFC, etc. Dinahs is another good place for fried chicken up in LA. Its right off the 405 and is a landmark in the Culver City area. Eaten their a few times and never been dissapointed. Also they make pretty good apple pancakes.
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Jan 7, 2013 21:51
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sellouts posted:Animal and Son Of A Gun are in my experiences, hit or miss depending on what's ordered. What's good is GREAT AWESOME and what isn't leaves you with some regret. As previously mentioned the octopus is generally great & awesome. Both are completely worth going to if you're adventurous. I'd agree with this as well. Some things at Animal were great, others were fairly lackluster. Also, I know Red Medicine gets some hate, but right now I think it is my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. The beef tartar and the birch ice dessert are two of the best plates I've ever had in my life, let alone in one meal, and I find all of their dishes consistently great. I've been there a few times now in the past year, once with just my wife, and twice with different sets of friends, and none of us were disappointed. It is expensive, but not more than Animal or Providence. They also have great drinks, and if you just want to stop in at the bar you can share the bhan mi, the desert and a drink or two for a fairly cheap night. Picca is another place I really enjoyed that I didn't see mentioned yet. Probably best with a group, but a lot of fun and a little less expensive than Animal/Providence etc. I mean, who doesn't love antichucho and Peruvian ceviche? Voodoofly fucked around with this message at 23:20 on Jan 7, 2013 |
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Jan 7, 2013 23:16
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GrAviTy84 posted:I don't think I've had a bad experience doing DineLA anywhere. We'll just agree to disagree. I've seen the dishes be smaller and use less quality cuts of meat in liu of the discounted price. Not saying that Bazaar specifically would do that, because I think they respect their menu and using the best ingredients at all times, but I do wonder why a restaurant like Bazaar would need the publicity of DineLA. The Philly cheesesteak is $9, so you're not really saving much on a 5 plate / 45 dollar menu. You could save 12-15 on the meal which I guess if you order the highest normal cost items which is pretty good. Some of my most favorite dishes there are definitely missing though. The market fish en papillote is delicious and a show stopper -- guests sitting around us have asked both times we've ordered it. But if it's your first time you'll have a great time and hopefully go back another time (for another cheesesteak because they're ridiculous along with other things). Have a ton of fun. If you are into cooking and/or don't care about your guest see if you can be seated as close to the kitchen as possible. There are some good seats that let you see some fun prep work on a variety of the dishes. And does dineLA discount the $15 valet charge  I really want to go to Red Medicine, that is one I haven't been yet. Thanks for the recommendation. And Picca is good too! Great rec! The place downstairs from it (Sotto) shouldn't be missed either. Pizza good to great (I like Olio's more), Chicken Liver Ragu is amazing, grilled meatballs are great. Really fun. Feels like a Manhattan restaurant. Haven't had a bad thing their either.
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Jan 9, 2013 07:53
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Ultimate Mango posted:Go to Providence. I went last month and it was absolutely incredible. If you want to get out for under $400 study the menu in advance and have a plan. Otherwise you will show up and want the full market menu which will blow your budget. We went to Providence and it was amazing. You're absolutely right, we showed up and wanted to do the full market menu with wine tastings. Came out to $585 with tax/tip but it was definitely worth it. It's a LOT of food and A LOT of wine. At least 10 glasses. Good thing we were staying in Hollywood anyways because we were way too drunk to drive afterwards. At least 2 of the wine courses were exquisite fortified wines (a 40 yr old Madeira and a Sherry).
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Jan 15, 2013 04:17
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Nostrum posted:We went to Providence and it was amazing. You're absolutely right, we showed up and wanted to do the full market menu with wine tastings. Came out to $585 with tax/tip but it was definitely worth it. It's a LOT of food and A LOT of wine. At least 10 glasses. Good thing we were staying in Hollywood anyways because we were way too drunk to drive afterwards. At least 2 of the wine courses were exquisite fortified wines (a 40 yr old Madeira and a Sherry). Well, you smashed that $400 for two people target! Now I'm afraid to go.
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Jan 15, 2013 18:11
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Mandalay posted:Well, you smashed that $400 for two people target! Now I'm afraid to go. Don't be afraid just look up the menu in advance and have a plan. Possible to stay on a budget but very tempting to go crazy. Speaking of crazy I just made a reservation for 8 at é in Vegas.
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Jan 28, 2013 05:52
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Any opinions on Ethiopian food? The internets seem to be telling me I should go to Meals by Genet or Awash.
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Jan 28, 2013 11:25
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Has anyone had dinner at Ink? http://mvink.com/
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Jan 30, 2013 19:18
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Choadmaster posted:Any opinions on Ethiopian food? The internets seem to be telling me I should go to Meals by Genet or Awash. Meals by Genet is the only Ethiopian restaurant I've eaten at but I found it was delicious. I've been meaning to go back and may have to do that now.
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Jan 31, 2013 04:06
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Ink is good. Ink sack next door isn't bad but I went there on opening day. I really liked the spicy tuna sandwich but found the fried chicken to be eh. Plan check bar has my current favorite fried chicken sandwich.
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Jan 31, 2013 04:56
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