Lamb Showdown: Manzke vs. Samson/Pollack Guelaguetza 3014 W. Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90006 Dining date: 2/20/12 I had no idea it was “Lamb Lovers Month,” but apparently February is. I suppose you can name a month for anything, especially if there’s money behind it. In celebration of the month, the American Lamb Board helped…
800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria 10889 Lindbrook Dr Los Angeles, CA 90024 Dining date: 2/15/12 800 Degrees opened early last month, a new concept via a partnership led by Umami Burger’s Adam Fleischman. After a dinner at LudoBites, somehow the topic of 800 Degrees came up. It was open late (until 2am everyday), was nearby, and…
CITY Night Border Grill 445 S Figueroa St Los Angeles, CA 90071 Dining date: 2/8/12 Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger opened City Cafe in 1981, at the time a relatively nouveau restaurant serving food with accents around the globe. The success of that restaurant led to a much larger CITY restaurant and eventually Border Grill. As…
Picca 9575 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035 Dining date: 12/14/11 and 2/1/12 Generally regarded as one of the top restaurant openings in 2011, Picca has truly been a hotspot since opening in June. It seems that every time I’ve visited, the restaurant’s been packed – boisterous and full of energy. It’s easy to…
Mexicali Taco & Co. 702 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Dining date: 2/7/12 I first heard about Mexicali in the early part of last year, when LA Taco was hosting a popular vote for best taco in Los Angeles. They ended up winning that competition, and I made my first visit to the…
Lucques 8474 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90069 Dining date: 1/31/12 Lucques is Suzanne Goin’s first restaurant (opened in 1998), located in West Hollywood. The menu is seasonal and market-driven; every restaurant claims to be doing that nowadays but Goin was doing it before it become so cool. It’s probably attributable to her background at…
Wolvesmouth Underground Dining Various locations Dining date: 1/14/12 I first dined at Wolvesmouth about a year ago and it was one of the more memorable dining experiences of the year. I almost never get to see this caliber of cooking up close, and I found the process to be as intriguing as the food itself….
Mario Batali at the Beach Coast Restaurant Shutters on the Beach 1 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90405 Dining date: 1/28/12 Mario Batali needs no introduction. As one of the most famous chefs in the country, I’m sure he draws crowds whenever he’s doing a food event. When I heard he would be hosting a…