Eating and drinking in LA

D_Wirsig · January 9, 2015, 12:56am

For higher end dining, there’s plenty for me to keep in the rotation. LA is so casual I think the middle ground is a hard sell for many, which is IMO what may have happened to Hatfield’s.

Providence
Melisse
Patina
Spago
n/naka
Urasawa
Maude (haven’t been yet)

I might be forgetting a few…

I’m sad The Royce in Pasadena decided to transition to a steak house instead of what is was when both David Feau and Michael Voltaggio were there.

One place not mentioned often is Bashan in Montrose/ North Glendale… Great little place, we normally order splits of specific dishes to make a multi course meal. Nadav Bashan had stints at Providence and Michael’s.

Robert_Dentice · January 10, 2015, 5:56pm

I have a different view of corkage and generally other restaurant policies - one size does not fit all. If someone brings a cheap bottle of wine to a nice restaurant to save money they should be charged a corkage fee that is relatively in the line with the level of the restaurants food pricing.

However if a regular comes in who frequently spends a lot of money on food and wine they should not be charged corkage.

If you have a good list the people I roll with will always spend more on wine than the average table even if we bring wine.

And I don’t understand (other than it is a deterrent) why it matters whether it is on the list or not.

One LA restaurant who will go unnamed that I visited several times and sent at least 50 people to charged my wife $65 corkage. I guarantee my average wine bill was 5x the average on my several prior visits. And she really wanted to drink a White Burg and they had none on the list. The kicker is they had several bottles of wine on the list for under $65. I could care less about the $65 it is just not how you treat serious food and wine people who are great customers.

ybarselah · January 10, 2015, 7:30pm

I think Bestia is extremely overrated across the board. Factory Kitchen kills it.

I really love Republique - everything about it. The food is just solid across the board, amazing atmosphere, and the wine program is a ton of fun.

I really wanted to love Saint Martha, but it was overwrought.

I loved Orsa and Winston. I really, really liked Trois Mec.

I always seem to end up at some point at Son of a Gun and/or Animal.

Tsujita for a great sushi experience was out of this world. Also, Shunji is amazing I prefer lunch - just sushi.

And of course, Smoke.Oil.Salt is just perfect every time and I refuse to make some disclaimer because I’m friends with Gelber.

Really want to try Maude.

Great thread!

ericskitei · January 15, 2015, 5:43am

Robert Dentice:

Just back from a week in LA.

Overall the food scene in LA is as good as its ever been. I go to LA 3-5 times per year and have been tracking its culinary evolution.

Some quick fire thoughts on food/meals/wine:

Alma - started here a short time after landing. I have eaten here several times. Very good meal but I do not see the growth in the kitchen. I hope they continue to evolve. Staff was incredibly nice and the winelist is small but thoughtfully chosen to pair with the food.

Sqirl - For me the most exciting restaurant in LA. I say this because the food is delicious and there really is no comparison in any other U.S. City. That is to say a restaurant that focuses on breakfast and lunch with such passion. Ate there more than once.

Orsa and Winston - Good meal. A few very good dishes. For LA this is very good. Just did not blow me away.

BestiaLA - Wish I liked the food here better. It is overall good and the wine list is very good. The desserts were surprisingly excellent and savory. It just did not blow me away, especially the pizza. Especially after eating at Roberta’s in NYC two times in the prior week.

Sushi Gen - Wow! This is the type of restaurant where LA shines. We showed up and there were at least 75 people in line. I learned that the regulars don’t like the Sushi counter so we were seated after many people who chose to wait for a table. Highly recommended. Call two weeks in advance for a resy. $20 corkage. Very small glassware. I will definitely go back.

Urasawa - Fantastic overall experience. Chef is a master and so personable. My expectations were sky high and it was a bit of a let down (especially after seeing the bill). I will definitely go back.

Santa Monica Farmers Market - We cooked with friends on NYE so we hit the market. All I will say is that I think the prices are 50-70% less than Union Square Farmers market - you Weast Coasters are lucky.

Night + Market - Tasty and enjoyable. Focused wine list that pairs well with the food and a reasonable corkage. Not nearly as good as Pok Pok (which is opening in LA).

Pot - Went here for lunch. Service was a disaster. Food was decent and the wine list was good. I would go back for dinner.

Rustic Canyon - Needed a place close to the airport to meet someone halfway and this worked perfectly. The food was overall good and my guest’s loved it. I have know Chef Fox from his Ubuntu days and I would say he has adapted his style to fit the audience. He was doing some of the most exciting food in the U.S. at Ubuntu and this was a bit disappointing for a pescetarian, most of the dishes had meat and it is not fair to judge the restaurant without trying them.

Coffee - Went to Blacktop, Bar Nine and Blue Bottle (former Handsome). Bar Nine in Culver City is outstanding and highly recommended.

Wine Stores - LA and the surrounding area have an amazing array of wine stores. So much on the shelves that would disappear in minutes in NYC. Went to DomainLA several times.

Ran out of time and did not make it to several places including Grand Central Market (went a few months ago and loved the diversity and the energy) and a number of food trucks.

Overall the food and wine scene in LA has greatly improved but it still falls short of other great food cities despite having great ingredients and an ever growing client base (e.g., Bestia is one of the busiest restaurants I have ever seen).

Sushi Gen is legit

M_Meer · January 16, 2015, 3:41am

Republique & Terrine probably win out in the contest for my pocketbook right now, if I were dining out for that type of food. Pizza is inconsistent in LA. The top pizza can be in any one of 4 or 5 places in the city depending on the night. A little frustrating, in that sense. All’acqua’s was pretty right on two occasions, espcially one with tomato sauce. Anyone visit http://www.lecomptoirla.com/ in their new iteration?

CFu · January 16, 2015, 7:41am

oh man! didnt’ know they were back. Must go.

M_Meer · January 17, 2015, 1:23am

They just started up again around the holidays. Might only be their 4th or 5th week of service.

Poppy_Davis · January 17, 2015, 2:42am

You can follow Gary Menes, Cuisinier on FB. If we ever get past this horrible 18-month sleep regression, we can get a babysitter and that’s where I want to go. Heck of a schlep from Tarzana, but he’s probably the best chef in town for vegetarians.

Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n · January 17, 2015, 12:08pm

johngonzales:

I don’t have time for a lengthy reply, but will later. I don’t object to Betia’s corkage policy, but you’re making a connection between corkage/list design and profitability of the establishment that wasn’t really my point. While I know you took pride in the list at LQ, it closed down. Undoubtedly mainly for other reasons. But often the praisers of wine lists, especially columnists, are not the ones buying most of the wine in this town. Call me an Al Czervik, but I don’t really look to get educated or have thought provoked by wine lists or Somms. I’m there to eat and drink what appeals to me and spend time with my companions. The majority of my wine experimenting does not occur in that setting, with high mark-up. It occurs at tastings and at home.

Anyhow, here is a link containing some attitudes about customers bringing wine by a couple of people. It’s the attitude that irks me. You and I have known each other for quite awhile and I clearly like different wines than you. But we each know enough to decide what we like and what will be an enjoyable drinking experience for our own tastes.

Corkage Culture Across the US: Is Bringing Wine to a Restaurant a Right? - Eater

John, thanks for posting that article. I agree 100% with you regarding the attitude. It’s 100% fine with me if a restaurant doesn’t allow BYO because they think they will make more money by having that policy. Or even because they feel insulted by BYo (I won’t insult you because I won’t go). But don’t tell me (pretty much a traditionalist) that Valducava is a modern piece of crap (one of the few modern ones I like) while I should be happy drinking primativo (Which I don’t like). Or that if I want to eat at a certain restaurant I should only drink California wine even if I don’t like it.

Sorry for the thread drift

CFu · January 17, 2015, 4:10pm

Wife out of town for work for the month, I’m just gonna sit at the bar for all the new restaurants and I want to try that she won’t go to. #onmywaytofattown

M_Meer · January 18, 2015, 3:18am

Not a bad way to go out

Andre_M · January 23, 2015, 2:46am

I believe Hatfields recently opened Odys + Penelope in La Brea.
Maybe this was the reason they closed Hatsfield.

Sarah Kirschbaum:

I am in the camp of liking the food and list at Bestia, but being unable to dine there due to noise level. Last time, my dining companion took out his phone, which has a decibel meter app installed, and we discovered that it was almost as loud as a jet plan taking off. To me, this isn’t a fun environment to enjoy food and drink.

I was sad to see that Hatfield’s has now closed. I haven’t eaten there in a few years, but remember some very good meals there. Maybe it went downhill recently?

Also had an issue at Rustic Canyon once when I was told that I couldn’t have my salad lightly dressed. It could be on the side, or the way chef thinks it should be, which was drowning.

Totally agree that LA shines for ethnic food. Unfortunately, I entertain clients frequently when in town, and need a few higher-end places for business dinners that aren’t steakhouses.

D_Wirsig · January 23, 2015, 4:05am

New chef at Patina… Paul Lee who worked at Le Cirque. Interesting choice!

CFu · January 23, 2015, 8:26am

I just had an EPIC meal at Le Comptoir. 6 courses (I actually ended up doing 8) vegetarian dishes all from the chef’s urban garden. $67. Really small, seats ten people top at a counter and he does two seatings a night. Will do a write up with pictures probably tmrw

Brett_Johnson · January 23, 2015, 5:15pm

Anyone have thoughts on Bucato? Hoping to get a rez there tonight; couldn’t get a rez at Alimento.

johngonzales · January 23, 2015, 5:35pm

I guess I really have to work on my hunter instinct. I just don’t enjoy an all veggie meal. I realize there are some meat/fish supplements there, but it seems like electing them pushed the price over $100. Though I plan to give it a go. What’s the corkage fee there Charlie?

Btw, the LA Times had a few interesting articles last Saturday discussing L.A. dining, including some points discussed here. They described a current trend in preps and ingredients as “fashionable austerity”. Tres hipster.

Brett, I really like Bucato. Their strength is great pasta and I LOVE pasta. Be warned that most of their seating is outside. They have heaters and it isn’t too cold, but my wife usually goes prepared.

CFu · January 23, 2015, 6:47pm

Website says 25 but it’s $35. But yes with supplements price jumps. My bill was $200 but I added on supplements for extra courses. My brother added nothing and was sub$100 after tax tip

But the veggies were so good. Don’t even need the meat supplements.

G_Greenbaum · January 23, 2015, 8:50pm

Haven’t been to Bucato in a while, but loved it the 2x I’ve been. I knew the pastry chef who has moved on and she did mention some problems, but hopefully the food remains as tasty. Alimento is the best thing to move into Silverlake in a long time. Was there on Wed. The food is fantastic, but claustrophobics be warned, it’s small and you sit literally right next to your neighbors. Corkage is $20 with good stems and a very nice, concise list of LDM like wines. Fwiw, Union in Pasadena is similar in concept and also a new place we love.

Brett_Johnson · January 26, 2015, 6:31pm

Thanks for the info on Bucato; still want to try Alimento.

Bummed, we ended up not going to Bucato because the building had a gas leak!

M_Meer · January 27, 2015, 1:19am

Good way to do it. We usually end up splitting tasting menus down the middle to get a little bit of everything, and in this case it can save a bit of money.