Hi, AM travelling to LA and Santa Barbara from London and would really appreciate some (any) suggestions as to good restaurants. I am staying at the Sofitel in LA and the Inn at Spanish Garden in Sta Barbara ,and would love to hear recommendations from locals. I am more after the quintessential California experience rather than top notch French /Michelin star stuff (I can get that in Europe!). Your time and thoughts are most welcome. Alan
Here's a post on Santa Barbara restaurants that was from about a month ago http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169286 so that may give you an idea in Santa Barbara... And for LA, there are so many good restaurants it would be hard to tell you about them all... In or around the area you are staying in, you are close to so many good restaurants, from quick inexpensive but good within walking distance from your hotel, Grand Lux and PF Changs.... to some of the good Beverly Hills places like Mastro's, Spago, Cut, Dan Tana's, The Ivy even Lawry's is still good... and Matsuhishu is great! The list could go on and on....
Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills Sasabune for sushi in West LA (only open Mon - Fri) Pink's Hot Dogs on La Brea
A meal here is required by law. Musso & Frank Grill on and in Hollywood for Martini & Lamb Chops, proper service, ghosts of the Hollywood & Literary greats Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles
Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch (my favorite, great southern fried chicken)... http://www.auntkizzys.com/ Lawry's Prime Rib... http://www.lawrysonline.com/ Philippe's French Dip... http://www.philippes.com/ Pinks of course, as mentioned above... http://www.pinkshollywood.com/ In-N-Out... http://www.in-n-out.com/
In santa barbara try La Super-Rica Taqueria for authentic and amazing tacos / mexican. Famous chef/author Julia Child would go here to get tacos when she was alive and lived in SB it is SO SO good.
+100! Any time I see a show at SB Bowl, I'll go to La Super-Rica first. I waited in line for 20 minutes before ordering. But It's worth it. Another great place is Tratoria Mollie in Montecito. http://www.trattoriamollie.com/
You should go to Spago in Beverly Hills. My wife works there, but besides that, the food is pretty good .
Gentlemen, Your swift and informative replies are hugely appreciated. I am licking my lips as we speak and hope to post my thoughts on my return. Any more nominations still welcome!!. Alan
One thing for sure, obviously besides the Hot Dog stands and fast food suggestions we have given him, it is higly recommended to get a reservation long in advance, those places book up way in advance and even the concierge may not be able to get you in, so you may just want to make a number of reservations and cancel the ones you decide not to go to when you decide where you want to go...
Pinks - Hollywood Apple Pan - West LA Johnnies Pastrami - Culver City The Ivy - West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Nobu Sushi - Malibu
LOL well yes, nothing but the BEST! Personally I never cared for Tommy's, but yeah, that would fit right in too Tommy's... http://www.originaltommys.com/ I did forget a couple others I like though... FATBURGER... http://www.fatburger.com/ Tito's Tacos... http://www.titostacos.com/
For excellent Italian, try Palermo's on Vermont and Franklin in Hollywood. Excellent and be prepared for a wait on Friday/Saturday nights. Lunch is a good time to go to minimize wait times. Tony is the owner - great guy.
I agree 100% - but, for our traveler's sake of finding his way around - Los Feliz is home to Palermo. Tony rules. Must've been to the friendly atmosphere of Palermos' at least 100 times. Their Pizzarosa is it. Ravioli Alla Salsiccia never failed me & my folks wax poetic about the place, too. If you want a heart-attack, to-go, get the Italian sausage sandwich - good lord, there's a half-pound of mozzarella on that sucker. BTW - he makes the Tiramisu, himself. Despite any crowd of hipsters you may see nearby, Fred 62 blows, don't waste your time or money. There's also a little, and I do mean little, taco stand on Hillhurst - Yuca's - I've said it before, but, cannot emphasize enough - the torta to die for is Cochinita Pibil. Home is good for light breakfast - by Heidi Fleiss's Dad's place, also on Hillhurst, but closer to Sunset. For a gullet-stuffing "American-sized" breakfast, head back to Vermont Ave. & go tino The House of Pies, note Palermo's is across the street, get a newspaper & order the "Western." Important: There will be no room for pie. If you've ever seen the film, Swingers - or, even if you haven't, you're required to go to The Dresden Room, made famous by Marty & Elayne, master & mistress of cheesy lizard lounge acts. To dance some of those calories away, waddle on into The Derby. Earlier, I mentioned Hollywood joints - Thanks to rtking's endorsement of Tony's place - here's more on Los Feliz. Note the mighty Poet Laureate of Skid Row, Charles Bukowski drank (heavily) at a few of the dive bars - (as he did any bar, but still...) he hung out at Musso & Frank's, too. Just finished reading his General Tales of Ordinary Madness. Man, that guy could put 'em down. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Feliz,_Los_Angeles,_California
Thanks again for all the suggestions, so many time so little....... Anyway will do my best, although the "healthy" suggestions will probably be beyond a puny British appetite!! If you guys are struggling then non americans will end up in A&E
Teriyaki everything! Burgers to bowls. And don't forget to get a bulldog! 904 W Alameda Ave Burbank, CA 91506 There are 2 other in La Crescenta and another in Monrovia.
True LA dining experience? For Breakfast, find one of the mobile kitchens known as "The Burrito Truck" or the "Roach Coach" that services to every construction site in the region. Opperated independantly (of the Health Department) these So Cal icons serve up hot and hardy food that gets the working class moving (along with their lower intestines). My personal favorite is the truck that parks at the base of Temescal Canyon (in Pacific Palisades) every morning. The long line of delivery vehicles and gardener's pick-up trucks is a testiment to the simple, low price, high quality food they dish up. For Lunch, a burger or a hot dog is de rigeur. While there is much to be said for the large opperations (In n' Out, Tommy's, Fat Burger) that dot the local landscape, for a more personal touch I suggest looking for a "one off" burger or dog stand that is unique to a particlular neighborhood. In Sherman Oaks check out the Weiner Factory on Ventura Blvd. In West LA look for Marty's, next to the fire station on Pico Blvd. For Dinner, you could indulge yourself in a fancy place. But you've got plenty of those in London. For true "local color" look for what we call a "coffee shop, " but might be more familiar to out-of-towners as being a "diner." Open 24 hours, these colorful remaints from the mid-century inspired school of "Googie" design that look to be rocket ships poised for take off, these are reliable sources for good eats. Sadly, the orginals are an endangered species (RIP- Ships, Tiny Naylors, Sambos) but you can still visit survivors like Johnnie's (Wilshire and Farifax) or Norm's (various locations). Up in Santa Barbara do yourself a favor and take a stroll along the water front. Skip anything on Stern's Warf and go over to the boat harbor. There is a cafe with an outside patio that over looks the boats, perfectly framed by the mountians that rise behind the town. Cheers, Scott
