I first dined at Simbal in February but recently returned for this second visit. Coincidentally, the restaurant celebrated its first anniversary this past week. The restaurant is still going strong serving up its modern southeast Asian-inspired cuisine.
We got seats at the kitchen counter again providing a view of the action. In terms of ordering, we opted to order entirely different things this time just to try more of the menu.
It’s been a little while since I’ve visited chef Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market. It’s still going strong – a third location is anticipated for Venice later this month. 2016 has been a big year for Yenbamroong after being named a semifinalist for a James Beard award (Best Chef: West) and named one of the best new chefs by Food & Wine.
It’s been over a year since I last visited Republique; I’ve been twice for dinner, but this was the first time for brunch. I’ve heard great things about brunch here, the combination of Walter Manzke’s cooking and Margherita Manzke’s pastry program.
Brunch service is very different from dinner with a focus on efficiency – no reservations are taken and there is no table service. Rather, you place your order at the front, grab a number, find a seat and wait for your food to be brought to you. It’s a very popular brunch, indicated by the lengthy line at 10:30 on a Sunday. It moved pretty consistently and we were able to place our orders in about 30 minutes.
I’m not the only one that has been frequenting Little Sister, it has been one of the hot restaurants downtown drawing crowds for its modern Asian cuisine. This post recaps two of my most recent meals – a breakfast and a dinner, as I’ve explored more of what the restaurant has to offer.
Charcoal Venice (though technically I think it may be in Marina Del Rey) opened at the end of last year, a modern meat-centric concept from chef Josiah Citrin. Citrin is most notable for fine dining Melisse which is still going strong after 15+ years. The vibe here is much more casual and approachable, anchored around its flame-grilled meats.
Charcoal Venice is more than just beef and potatoes, though it has plenty of that. Two of its most notable dishes are a baked cabbage and a half of a duck. We ordered both of these, as well as a sampling of other items throughout the menu.
Having dined here just a month ago, I made a quick return to Scarpetta to eat here one last time – on its last day in LA. I dined at the chef’s counter during the restaurant’s opening night in 2010; on this night, it was only fitting to dine here one last time.
Scarpetta Montage Beverly Hills 225 North Canon Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Dining date: 2/26/16 A few months ago, Scarpetta announced it would close in the spring to make way for another restaurant at the Montage Beverly Hills. Geoffrey Zakarian will be remodeling and creating his own modern American restaurant in the space. From the…
Little Sister 523 W 7th St Los Angeles, CA 90017 Dining date: 12/6/15, 12/31/15 and 2/20/16 Little Sister first opened in Manhattan Beach in 2013, becoming a popular neighborhood spot for southeast Asian flavors in the South Bay. I’d heard good things, but never made the trip out to visit. However, Little Sister came closer…