tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373929072012-01-28T02:47:52.445-08:00A Philadelphia native's experiences eating and drinking her way through Los Angeles and other cities.meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.comBlogger321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-12158204401845722292010-07-24T13:56:00.001-07:002010-07-24T14:33:29.788-07:00

Not surprisingly, one of my favorite ways to research restaurants to search blogs for reviews. I came upon a great one today full of helpful info: http://eatnymuchdependsondinner.blogspot.comIt inspired me to write this post.Here are my favorite things to eat in L.A., slanted heavily toward my neighborhood:Baguette (non-restaurant): LA Bread - bought at SL CheeseBread (restaurant): Lucques (

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-8434242902051367912010-07-24T13:54:00.000-07:002010-07-24T13:56:08.361-07:00

My blog has been out of commission for 2 1/2 years. Keegan, my nearly 18 month old, is the reason. (Food blogging while pregnant proved a challenge.)However, I realized today after reading some NYC food blogs that I really need to get mine up and running again. Fingers crossed that I find the time...I've missed it.

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-46642037510194356672008-02-19T18:43:00.000-08:002008-02-19T18:56:38.090-08:00

I have been slacking for the last few months--catching up on old posts I started but never finished, hence the many posts showing up as "October 2007." This is another old post--I actually ate this meal some time last summer. I feel this place is pretty underrated though, so wanted to put this post up. I hope to update it soon given the menu has changed a bit and now includes small plates.It

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-26783190765485705132007-10-29T16:19:00.000-07:002008-01-10T18:33:02.226-08:00

My husband and I went to Australia for our honeymoon in October of 2006. We had lots of great meals, but it is the dinner at Tetsuya's that I am still thinking about one year later. I didn't have a blog then, but I did take some pics and because as of yet I have not had a better meal, I figured I'd go ahead and share my experience now. Note we were just getting the hang of taking photos in low

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-54863076468887133922007-10-29T16:14:00.000-07:002008-01-11T14:41:28.322-08:00

This was my third visit to Matyson. The first time, soon after it had first opened, I was pretty unimpressed. I returned in 2006, and thought the restaurant had really hit its stride. This visit did not change my mind - it's not adventurous food, but most dishes are well-executed with good flavors. My sister and I split a few dishes and all but one were very good. Plus, it's a BYOB, so very

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-50905683951772369122007-10-29T15:58:00.000-07:002008-01-11T15:27:58.151-08:00

I ate here twice while visiting family and friends in Philadelphia in October. Consider me a huge fan!The first time, it was just a friend and me, and we had the following:Pizza margherita (tomato, basil, and mozzarella) Although this was simple, it allowed us to get a feel for the pizza crust. It was thin and perfectly charred. The tomato sauce had just the right amount of tang and the

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-5319892111867230162007-10-29T15:56:00.000-07:002008-02-19T18:40:00.102-08:00

Studiokitchen, which is basically a private dinner party w/ a tasting menu cooked by an amazing chef in Philadelphia, Shola Olunloyo, does not really exist any more b/c Shola focused on private catering. However, I was lucky enough to attend a studiokitchen dinner hosted by one of Shola's friends/clients in October and wanted to document it b/c the food was so outstanding. Here are the pics:

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-46842666138031568512007-10-29T15:23:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:45:56.166-08:00

Restaurant Mirepoix is in the city of Windsor, which is sandwiched between Santa Rosa and Healdsburg. There appears to have been some development in the last few years, and Mirepoix is close to all of that. The restaurant is in a little house and has very charming decor. It is a small place run by a husband-wife team - she is front of the house and he is the chef.I have loved Mirepoix since it

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-16376270687387067662007-10-29T15:10:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:43:53.294-08:00

Ludo Lefebvre, former chef of Bastide, is serving innovative small plates at breadbar on Third Street on Wed.-Fri. nights until December 21, 2007. We went at the end of October. I so love BYOB. We brought an excellent Ken Brown Pinot Noir (Cargasacchi Vineyard). Seeing as how we were at breadbar, we felt compelled to order the bread basket. The baguette (the little bit in the basket) was

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-47372319378000768222007-10-29T13:09:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:42:21.855-08:00

For years now I have thought Providence is the best restaurant in Los Angeles. After 2 dinners there this past year (one in April and again in late October), I remain convinced of that. (Only one Michelin star? Ridiculous.)I wanted to do the chef's tasting given it was a special occasion (my husband's b-day), but he opted for the 5-course ($80 and $110 w/ wine pairing), with a few add-ons.We

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-90870741151208377022007-10-25T13:48:00.000-07:002007-10-27T23:07:08.430-07:00

Here is a brief description of the evening, along with photos of course (these particular photos are food porn):The menu was based on dishes in his recently released cookbook. Michel Richard came over to each table individually at least once or twice, which was very cool for us. We had eaten at Citronelle for our first fancy dinner together (it was for my husband's b-day) back in 2001 and it

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-86663614294838390862007-09-15T18:40:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:43:22.142-08:00

Read a lot about this place - mostly all raves. I could not wait to try it. It's actually pretty hard to get into, so I made two reservations - one on a Friday night, and one a couple weeks later on a Saturday. From what I read, I determined we would want to eat there twice.We arrived a few minutes early, were told our table was not ready and went to the bar. It was very crowded and the

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-12219090384422923762007-08-07T14:57:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:45:39.155-08:00

I booked Cyrus two months earlier to the day of our reservation, and read numerous reviews in anticipation of what I hoped would be my best..meal..ever. Sadly, it was not to be.Not to say it was bad. Just not worth the chunk of change we paid. To spend $300 a person, I expect great wine pairings and while I can get over a few dishes not knocking my socks off, most dishes should. There were

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-29300448864424881742007-08-07T14:43:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:44:36.710-08:00

Roasted friarelli peppers with tuna conserva, lemon and chilesBest dish of the night. Fresh tasting, different flavors and preparation than I've had before. Just great.Charcuterie tasting (sampler) - Prosciutto San Daniele, Luganica salame (house-cured), Ciccioli (house-cured), Coppa di testa (house-cured), Pork liver terrina (house-cured) Not in love with this, though that's probably because I

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-73379171140686993812007-08-07T14:41:00.001-07:002007-11-11T19:43:22.143-08:00

Azami Sushi is one of my favorite restaurants and I have posted about it before. I had two really amazing dishes there recently as part of an omakase, and wanted to share those quickly:Avocado "Dumpling" Niki, the sushi chef, surrounds yellowtail sashimi--maybe you would even characterize it as tartare--with avocado and molds it into this shape so it looks like a dumpling. Underneath is a yuzu

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-57476725327359735702007-08-07T14:32:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:43:22.144-08:00

My husband and I dined at Osteria Mozza last Saturday.With all the hype, there was almost no chance it could live up to the unrealistic expectations I put upon it (to knock my socks off even though it had only been open three weeks). However, it did impress me, and better than that, it excited me. I am already deciding what to order on my next visit... Disclaimer: This was only my first visit

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-59343047823367159562007-06-30T17:51:00.001-07:002007-11-11T19:43:22.145-08:00

Went to Bin 8945 in late June. Really enjoyed ourselves - did the 5 course tasting, which is now $78/person plus wine pairings. We sometimes bring a bottle with us, and Mike prepares dishes to complement the wine (with David's input), but I prefer wine pairings (putting aside cost factor). I think the fun of eating at Bin is discovering new and interesting food and wine pairings, and David is

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-16335679975012062972007-05-28T19:42:00.001-07:002007-11-11T19:46:18.549-08:00

After going here for brunch several times, and lunch a few, I was excited to try this place during a visit with my parents. We enjoyed the reasonable wine, but the food was pretty much a mess.MenuOnion ringsThese were decent, but I had hoped for thick cut, juicy onion rings, not shoestring-style, so I was a bit disappointed.We had a bottle of Muga Rioja. It was a nice food wine and very

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-31924059982041857472007-05-28T19:40:00.002-07:002007-11-11T19:46:51.891-08:00

The Chef's Touch is on the main drag in Solvang (on 246). Here are some shots of the restaurant: Cappuccino - they use Lavazza. It's not my favorite espresso, but it's MUCH better than the other options there:French toast - they use baguette. Very tasty.Huevos Rancheros - delicious.Ham and egg sandwich - very good.Overall, the best bet for breakfast (by far) in Solvang. However, it is only

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-50855457484991556462007-05-28T19:25:00.001-07:002007-08-07T14:21:11.194-07:00

My parents were in town from Philadelphia so we took them up to the Santa Ynez wine area. By far my favorite restaurant up there is the Ballard Inn. I have probably been 8 or so times, and it has been great every time. The chef, Budi, cooked in New York and New England, but I think his wife's family owns the inn, which is how he ended up there. Hans, the manager/server extraordinaire, is one

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-29151610861096822812007-05-28T19:04:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:43:22.146-08:00

Everyone I know in Los Angeles has been to A.O.C. by now, which was my favorite restaurant for 3 years running. (I may have made them go there, come to think of it...) However, of late, I started to think it had been falling off a bit - perhaps due to the opening of a 4th restaurant by Suzanne Goin (and her husband David), the Hungry Cat in Santa Barbara. We therefore had started to go less

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-64601354414064815602007-05-28T18:57:00.001-07:002008-12-10T00:52:59.297-08:00

We try to eat at Angelini at least once a month. Truth be told, I could probably eat there every week and never get tired of it. I LOVE Italian food--I am a Philly girl at heart--and Gino Angelini makes pastas that knock my socks off. This visit was no different. I also like the hustle-and-bustle of the place. Definitely reminds me of Italy. The regular menu (minus the secondi, which I

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-57472873301596814932007-04-12T00:06:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:54:13.735-08:00

We received a gift certificate to Providence as a wedding gift from our friends, and I waited patiently to use it. I had an amazing meal at Providence with my family on my birthday in January--we ordered a la carte because everyone did not want the tasting menu (TM). I did not care all that much for my previous non-TM experience, but my b-day meal was really special, thanks in no small part to

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-24620192855170910122007-04-11T23:03:00.000-07:002007-11-11T19:45:13.181-08:00

We went to San Francisco in late March. It was our first visit in a few years. When my husband and I took our first trip as a couple to San Francisco in 2002, we went to Delfina and had an amazing meal. Now five years later, we wanted to see how it withstood the test of time. I think it may actually have gotten better.It's a very lively, hustle and bustle kind of place. We sat in the far back

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-15625131171488106542007-04-05T23:18:00.001-07:002007-11-11T19:43:22.148-08:00

We ate at Girasole on Larchmont about 4 years ago and liked it. It's a cute BYOB - a rarity in this town (meaning that no corkage is charged). It feels very authentic and is really tiny. We realized how long had passed since we had been there, and decided to go one night recently. First, we ordered the mushroom soup many people have recommended. I had it before and it was really tasty, but

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-48132317140440473792007-04-04T22:07:00.000-07:002008-12-10T00:53:00.112-08:00

Saito's is in Silver Lake in a little strip mall on Sunset at the corner of Fountain, next to Tang's Donuts. The setting is minimal to put it nicely. But you don't go for the ambience, you go for the fish. We have been going to Saito's Sushi for years, but finally decided to take a few pics.First, extremely fresh yellowtail, which melted in my mouth.Next, scallop with a touch of lemon. Also

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-60849395668796010482007-03-07T19:26:00.000-08:002008-12-10T00:53:03.172-08:00

The first time I went to Bin 8945, we never actually ended up eating there because of a problem with our reservation. The manager called to apologize, and because we had heard so many good things about Bin 8945, we were happy to give it another try. The atmosophere was lively, but not excessively loud. We both remarked it reminded us of a New York/east coast restaurant. That's definitely the

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-52099045010083395882007-03-01T11:48:00.000-08:002008-12-10T00:53:03.326-08:00

We went to Opus about a month or so ago, and while we enjoyed the food, the service was lacking and the wine pairings were way off. However, after reading some glowing reviews on chowhound.com, we decided to give it another try.First, I must say the restaurant is really beautiful. Not only did they take care to make it visually appealing, but they considered diners' comfort while eating,

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-66272131480443593662007-02-13T15:00:00.000-08:002008-12-10T00:53:03.519-08:00

In November of 2006, a few days after it opened, my husband and I ventured over to Pizzeria Mozza, the super-hyped restaurant from Nancy Silverton, Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali (but more so Nancy Silverton). It is located in the former space of Alessi, on North Highland Ave just south of Melrose. We could not get a reservation, so we walked in and had the good fortune of getting seated at the

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-48340463778320035692007-02-13T13:49:00.000-08:002008-12-10T00:53:04.931-08:00

I heart Azami. My husband and I started going there a year ago, and we fell in love quickly. Now if I don't go once every couple of weeks I start to dream about it. We went in November of 2006 after we returned from our honeymoon--in Australia, so we had lots of great fish--and our meal there was fabulous. Niki, the owner/head sushi chef, and her cousin, Sayori, are pretty much the nicest chefs

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-1170980359280042122007-02-08T16:18:00.000-08:002007-06-27T18:19:53.834-07:00

LATEST UPDATE: I need to post my full review but let me just say that the food was OUTSTANDING. Truly fabulous. As was our experience - the service was friendly and attentive, and having wine pairings a la David is like taking a crash wine course. I liked it so much I am going back with two friends this Friday.UPDATE: David, the owner and manager, called me to apologize. Needless to say, I

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37392907.post-1163059653052854582006-11-09T00:06:00.000-08:002006-11-09T00:07:33.053-08:00

Welcome to my blog! I will be posting restaurant reviews, which I have been doing on chowhound for years. This way they will all be in one place. Hope they are helpful!

meganinlosfelizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295909703525100297noreply@blogger.com0