Bäco Mercat 408 S Main St Los Angeles, CA 90013 Dining date: 11/11/11 Bäco Mercat is the latest offering from Josef Centeno (Lazy Ox Canteen), a casual spot in the up-and-coming Arts District serving up a menu based on something called the baco, as well as savory flatbreads and some small plates. The bäco is Centeno’s own…
Carmela Ice Cream 2495 E Washington Blvd Pasadena, CA 91104 Dining date: 9/27/11 and 10/23/11 Carmela makes my favorite ice cream in LA. I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but I do have a soft spot for ice cream. Occasionally, I crave the stuff. I once made a round trip from downtown LA just…
Drago Centro 525 S Flower St Los Angeles, CA 90071 Dining date: 10/20/11 Given that I work in walking distance of Drago Centro, I visit semi-regularly. Most often it’s for happy hour, but occasionally I’ll drop in for lunch too. Drago Centro was one of the DineLA participants that extended their special for an extra week; given that…
Black Market Liquor Bar 11915 Ventura Blvd Studio City, CA 91604 Dining date: 10/30/11 Black Market Liquor Bar opened in June, a gastropub seeking to find a balance between great cocktails and delicious small plates. The main draw behind Black Market is the pedigree of its bartender and chef. Cocktails are masterminded by Pablo Moix…
Dining date: 10/23/11 I love a bowl of soup noodles. Whether a wonton noodle soup, ramen, or pho, its one of my favorite things to eat any time of the year. I will admit, I hadn’t had a “real” bowl of pho until I was in my late teens. Not sure why, but I just…
Mercato di Vetro 9077 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90210 Dining date: 10/27/11 Mercato di Vetro is sbe group’s (The Bazaar, Katsuya, Cleo) latest restaurant venture, an Italian concept in WeHo which opened earlier this month. The concept is an extensive menu of Italian small plates split into antipasti, salads, wood oven, meat, fish, raw, and pasta – all…
Scarpetta Montage Beverly Hills 225 North Canon Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Dining date: 10/13/11 This was my first visit back for dinner since my truffle-laden opening night experience (though I did visit for brunch last month). This meal would be a lot different, for sure, as DineLA brought me back. The menu looked promising…
Fogo de Chao 133 N La Cienega Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Dining date: 10/10/11 Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian chain of churrascarias – restaurants that roast meats on open fires, a tradition that reflects the native gaucho way of life. Here in America, they’re often all-you-can-eat and offer a wide variety of meats….