Eating and Drinking in Los Angeles

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Just a nit that somehow started and is running: It''s Hatchet Hall, not Hatchett.

Duly noted.

And it's "It's," not "It''s."

[johngonzales]

Just a nit that somehow started and is running: It''s Hatchet Hall, not Hatchett.

Duly noted.

And it's "It's," not "It''s."

I’m 58 with eyes that are 68. I can’t even see the difference between a ‘ and a “ without expanding my tablet’s screen.

[johngonzales]

HAs anyone been to Ronan??? Food??? Corkage???

[Marshall Gelb]

HAs anyone been to Ronan??? Food??? Corkage???

John: Heading there on Saturday after the Taper. Will give you an update unless you are available to join us.

Cheers!
Marshall

[Marshall Gelb]

Loved Hatchett Hall! Had a small table outside, and glad we did because it was quite noisy inside. As mentioned by others, good-sized portions. $20 corkage on first 2 bottles, $40 thereafter, will waive one if you buy from their list.

We ordered 4 dishes: 1 was very good (pork chop, which was cooked perfectly), and 3 were excellent (octopus app.; spoonbread with mushrooms app.; roasted game hen main). The roasted hen was mind-bendingly delicious! I found myself using the little bit of leftover sauce on the game hen dish for the pork. The octopus was delicious, and was cooked perfectly. So, that is two difficult-to-cook proteins that this kitchen executed flawlessly --- color me impressed; I've been to many "fancier" restaurants that lacked the technical execution of Hatchett Hall.

I enoyed the casual atmosphere, and lack of pretension in the food. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy fine dining as much as the next guy, but sometimes you just want super delicious stick-to-your-ribs food, and Hatchett Hall delivers that in an upscale format for the category.

Well, Brian, Gregg, and Mark; I guess we might give it another try as I respect your opinions. Definitely outside, and probably, not the weekend.

Cheers!
Marshall

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

I'd love to, Marshall. And, luckily, Ashley and I recently hired P.M. help with the kids, so we have pretty easy/regular access to a babysitter now. The challenge of shoehorning it into our terribly busy work schedules remains, but the new help has turned the situation from nearly impossible to merely a bit difficult. Ashley and I have already enjoyed a couple date nights, and it's been wonderful! With enough advance notice, it shouldn't be too difficult for us to figure something out. (and I am *very much* a fan of down by us in the S. Bay, but have no reservations going up John's way, either).

[Marshall Gelb]

I'd love to, Marshall. And, luckily, Ashley and I recently hired P.M. help with the kids, so we have pretty easy/regular access to a babysitter now. The challenge of shoehorning it into our terribly busy work schedules remains, but the new help has turned the situation from nearly impossible to merely a bit difficult. Ashley and I have already enjoyed a couple date nights, and it's been wonderful! With enough advance notice, it shouldn't be too difficult for us to figure something out. (and I am *very much* a fan of down by us in the S. Bay, but have no reservations going up John's way, either).

Definitely!

We will figure something out! Heading to Josiah Citrin's barely opened "Coast" tonight. Very excited!

Cheers!
Marshall

[F.Daner]

Marshal and others- Suggestions for Redondo Beach to Playa Del Ray area ? In town for one night for a quick trip. Hatchet Hall sounds like a good option for what I'm looking for but was also thinking of some place near the water. Open to all cuisine.

thx !

[G. Greenbaum]

In Playa, there is Playa Provisions and Tripel. Both are very good. Tripel's corkage is $10 and I think Playa's is $15. Tripel also has, as one might guess, a nice collection of beer taps. Both are very close to the water, though there's no views from the restaurants.

[awilliamson4]

HAs anyone been to Ronan??? Food??? Corkage???

Ronan is outstanding and you can BYO although I forget the rules.

[J. Rock]

Is anyone going to the dinner with Rodolphe Péters (Pierre Péters) at Dialogue on Oct. 26? It's not something I'm able to go to, but I'd be curious to know how it is.

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Strongly recommend Playa Provisions. Seafood-centric.

[Darin Kendrick]

Does anyone have good recent recs for West Hollywood?

[Adam Frisch]

Does anyone have good recent recs for West Hollywood?

I really, rally enjoyed new-Peruvian Rosaline on Melrose. Pretty much the best Paella I've had outside of Spain and an eclectic wine list. Had a SQN skin-contact Viognier there that wasn't worth the price necessarily, but interesting nevertheless.

[Nowell Karten]

Does anyone have good recent recs for West Hollywood?

It depends on what kind of food and experience you seek. I've had good recent meals at A.O.C., Connie + Ted's, and Lucques and a mixed experience at Rosaline. I haven't been to Angler, but I've heard good things.

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Does anyone have good recent recs for West Hollywood?

Trois Mec

[G. Greenbaum]

RIP chef!!! This is shockingly sad.

LA Chef Joe Miller, Who Opened Legendary Joe’s Restaurant in Venice, Has Died

https://la.eater.com/2019/10/24/2091751 ... geles-chef

[T. Altmayer]

Any good recommendations for Manhattan Beach? Especially with decent corkage?

[J. Rock]

Any good recommendations for Manhattan Beach? Especially with decent corkage?

It's nothing fancy, but I recall Manhattan Beach Post having very good food (especially the biscuits). I'm not sure about the corkage fee.

[Benny P]

Does anyone have any experience dining at the Alameda Supper Club around the Arts District area of DTLA?

[Justin S]

Does anyone have any experience dining at the Alameda Supper Club around the Arts District area of DTLA?

Yes, it's pretty solid food, particularly the pastas and the bread. Though if you are in the Art's District, I would prefer to dine at Bon Temps.

Really enjoy the ROW generally.

[Marshall Gelb]

Any good recommendations for Manhattan Beach? Especially with decent corkage?

Tom: I don't know if I am too late with this idea but "Slay's" in Manhattan Beach is relatively new and quite good.

Cheers!
Marshall

[T. Altmayer]

Any good recommendations for Manhattan Beach? Especially with decent corkage?

Tom: I don't know if I am too late with this idea but "Slay's" in Manhattan Beach is relatively new and quite good.

Cheers!
Marshall

Thanks Marshall, that is actually where we ended up. Nice atmosphere and good food.

[Marshall Gelb]

Any thoughts on Manuela? Corkage policy?

Thanks!

Cheers!
Marshall

[Frank Z]

Any thoughts on Manuela? Corkage policy?

Thanks!

Cheers!
Marshall

Just dined there last Friday night. Loved the vibe and food was good - flavorful and well portioned. However, service can be hit or miss. Our particular server really wasn't feeling it that day and acted like he didn't want to be working.

I had brought a bottle of Realm Fidelio (friends I went with only drink white and I didn't want to share a Dagueneau), which paired really nicely with the dishes surprisingly. Corkage is $25 per bottle (for the 1st bottle at least).

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

Was browsing through old pics and came across a gem with fu and Jonathan gold candidly in the same picture at majordomo.

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Was browsing through old pics and came across a gem with fu and Jonathan gold candidly in the same picture at majordomo.

Pic or didn't happen.

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

.

[Marshall Gelb]

Any thoughts on Manuela? Corkage policy?

Thanks!

Cheers!
Marshall

Just dined there last Friday night. Loved the vibe and food was good - flavorful and well portioned. However, service can be hit or miss. Our particular server really wasn't feeling it that day and acted like he didn't want to be working.

I had brought a bottle of Realm Fidelio (friends I went with only drink white and I didn't want to share a Dagueneau), which paired really nicely with the dishes surprisingly. Corkage is $25 per bottle (for the 1st bottle at least).

Thanks Frank! Appreciate the input. We will be four people and $25 is more than fair. I am one of those guys that doesn't mind almost any corkage price as long as they don't have the horrible "two bottle limit."

Cheers!
Marshall

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Is that Fu picking his nose but just so warmed-up he missed?!?

Cool pic. Michael.

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Any thoughts on Manuela? Corkage policy?

Thanks!

Cheers!
Marshall

Just dined there last Friday night. Loved the vibe and food was good - flavorful and well portioned. However, service can be hit or miss. Our particular server really wasn't feeling it that day and acted like he didn't want to be working.

I had brought a bottle of Realm Fidelio (friends I went with only drink white and I didn't want to share a Dagueneau), which paired really nicely with the dishes surprisingly. Corkage is $25 per bottle (for the 1st bottle at least).

Thanks Frank! Appreciate the input. We will be four people and $25 is more than fair. I am one of those guys that doesn't mind almost any corkage price as long as they don't have the horrible "two bottle limit."

Cheers!
Marshall

Big time +1!! Hate the 2 bottle limit.

[G. Greenbaum]

Recently I dined at two restaurants, both new to me. Last weekend, dinner was at Bavel. We were looking forward to trying this one. Bestia is excellent, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. We ate in the patio area, as it was much quieter than inside the main dinning room. Seating, like Bestia, is not the most comfortable (patio style chairs). We ordered the BABA GHANOUSH: smoked eggplant, mushroom & eggplant salad, tahini, curry leaf, fried pita & DUCK 'NDUJA HUMMUS: creamy garbanzo beans, jerusalem mix spice, herbs, pita. The baba ganoush was very good and came with excellent fried pita (puffy-not oily). The duck hummus was also very good but very spicy and overwhelming, though the pita for this dish was more classic and delicious. The duck is ground, fermented and full of spice. Next we had MARINATED TOMATO: smoked harissa, whipped feta, black garlic, sesame, sunflower, cilantro. A well conceived dish but the harissa overwhelmed...again. GRILLED PRAWNS: harissa marinade, cured zucchini tzatziki, herbs, lime was again overwhelmed by the harissa. All in all, I thought the heavy handed spice was too much for my palate and interfered with the wine we brought (corkage was $30 iirc). I doubt I will return. Too many similar places with better renditions (more classic-thinking Marouch or Carousel).

Last night we tried the newly opened Onda in the Proper hotel. This is a joint venture with Jessica Koslow and Gabriela Cámara, only their second week open. Definitely high expectations. Onda is located in the corner of the hotel by Wilshire and 7th. Its a loud room with cement floors, high ceilings and nothing to buffer the sound. Sitting in the section facing Wilshire helps somewhat. The service was very attentive, friendly and welcoming. We ordered Fish Hiding in Kelp: corn masa-battered Pacific kelp, anchovies, puffed meyer lemon fritto misto, crema salsa verde. This is basically tempura style. The kelp was delicious especially with the dipping sauce. The anchovies were a bit sharp and the meyer lemon was rich as in confit. The ingredients were very good, yet the dish could be better imo if they could marry the 3 ingredients better rather than having to take bites individually. Smoked Trout Tostada: Mt. Lassen trout, sauerkraut, castelvetranos, carrots, braised Thao tomatoes, avocado was excellent. A nice interplay of smoked trout with the sourness of the sauerkraut and the creaminess of avocado. Jackfruit Sopes: Silky Suncoast black beans, Balo’s 54-ingredient mole was another very good dish. The mole is rich and satisfying with very noticeable spice. It is countered with pickeled onions and the jackfruit is a nice way to deliver the rich mole. Inside Out Turkey Quesadilla: Turkey pastor, burnt hoja santa, crispy oyster mushrooms, melted cheese, salsa verde is an interesting dish. Basically the ingredients and covered in a melted, salty cheese. A really nice dish, but half way through, it becomes too much and fatigues the palate. We brought a bottle of champagne (they waived corkage as we shared with Erin, the sommm/GM). Our server was fantastic, but one miss occurred when the food runner asked to clear our plates saying she would return in "two seconds" yet never did. All in all a nice meal though the place is bit noisy, some service issues (expected) and the food is good but not great. Definitely not very wine friendly due to the strong, spicy flavors, though the list has some nice selections. I'm not dying to return.

[Robert Dentice]

Two back-to-back quick LA weekends for various music events. Dining was not the main event and I had to rely on lots of relationships to get into various venues on short notice.

Baroo - Not as scintillating as the first version. But still very good and worth doing take out or stopping by for a quick bite. It is in some sort of strip mall where you rent small spaces like a swap meet. I would love to see what the Chef could do with just a little more infrastructure. Right now it is just him and a helper which is part of the charm except he just too talented.

https://www.baroolosangeles.com/

Angler - Let me state upfront as I have in the SF thread I am not a fan of Saison and Angler. The music is pure absolute torture. I was shocked to see that it was less than half full at 8:00 and by 10 or so we seemed to be the only table. The food was good but not enough to overcome my feelings. We asked what their policy was on old wines and was told the bottle we were interested in was a consignment wine and if it was shot they could only refund 30% of the cost. And you guessed it the music was horrible! I learned that it is the same exact music playing in SF and LA...I remarked oh so Chef tortures people simultaneously in two cities! Would love to hear the locals thoughts on Angler.

Majordomo - Ate here three times in the last week. In comparison it is the opposite in terms of hospitality as Angler. Although Chef Chang does the music here and also refuses to let anyone else do it, it does not bother me as much. Just so happy it is in LA.

Sqirl - as always it just hits the spot for breakfast

Kismet - had a perfect meal here for breakfast / lunch. The food is as good as its ever been. All natural wine list that has some fun things to try. I think they have a corkage policy. Highly recommended.

Kinjiro - The only reservation I booked ahead and so glad we did. It was just perfect.

Nomad - There was a big debate amongst our crew on where to go for a nightcap after Kinjiro between clubs, wine bars, vinyl bars etc - we compromised on this! A couple of Keller Absterdes, a stunning bottle of 13 Sauzet Montrachet and french fries later we all realized it was the right choice, except perhaps the next morning!

One other shout out we stopped by our friends spot DTLA Cheese and got some cheese for the ride home and some amazing butter. Love this spot!

[Adam Frisch]

Holy shit, Robert - you go to restaurants here I've never even heard of. And I live here! Great info, I will make it a point to try a few of them if I ever get a minute to take my long suffering wife out.

Actually did drive down to Sqirl this Sunday to have breakfast, but when the line went round the corner my wife balked, of course. I would have stayed, but she's allergic to lines. Instead we had an underwhelming brunch at LA Mill (they used to be so good for eggs, but now it just felt uninspired), but did notice that right next door in the old wine shop, a restaurant named Botanica had opened up. Airy, light decor, still selling wine next to the tables. Menu looked interesting, but we went next door to the tried and true, which was in hindsight a mistake.

http://botanicarestaurant.com

[SeanHarding]

What is it about breakfast that causes such horrible lines? I'm both allergic to lines, and I don't like breakfast very much, so it's an easy pass for me. But I've never understood why breakfast in particular is the meal that seems to always result in a line.

[Robert Dentice]

Holy shit, Robert - you go to restaurants here I've never even heard of. And I live here! Great info, I will make it a point to try a few of them if I ever get a minute to take my long suffering wife out.

Actually did drive down to Sqirl this Sunday to have breakfast, but when the line went round the corner my wife balked, of course. I would have stayed, but she's allergic to lines. Instead we had an underwhelming brunch at LA Mill (they used to be so good for eggs, but now it just felt uninspired), but did notice that right next door in the old wine shop, a restaurant named Botanica had opened up. Airy, light decor, still selling wine next to the tables. Menu looked interesting, but we went next door to the tried and true, which was in hindsight a mistake.

http://botanicarestaurant.com

Try Kismet. Get there at 10:00 and you will avoid any lines. We got there at 9:55 on Sunday and we were the first to get in and there were only a few people after us. By 11:00 it what close to full.

A Sqirl trick order through postmates and pick up.

[AndyK]

We spent a couple of days in the area and mostly followed Robert’s recommendations on this thread (thank you!!!)

Here are some thoughts:

Taco Maria — Outstanding! We did the prix fixe and enjoyed every course. I though it was well priced too. Not on the same level as Californios in SF (in terms of food/service/price) but some of the best Mexican food I’ve had and absolutely worth it.

Majordomo — Really liked the food here. Everything was delicious, from pancakes to crab pasta to boiled chicken. Would love to come back anytime. However, service was not on par with the food. Waiters needed to be reminded to pour more wine, dropped things that were never picked up, cleaned table while people were still eating, etc. We were also shown “our chicken” after boiling and before carving, for the servers to then run the same chicken by a different table, who apparently ordered the same dish. I’m mentioning all of this because this place is expensive and the food deserves so much better.

Hatchet Hall — Food was good but not memorable. Wasn’t worth the 30min Uber ride, but a nice spot if you happen to be close.

Sqirl — one of the best breakfast spots I’ve been to. Super impressed!

Genwa — great Korean BBQ, although not particularly wine friendly.

[Robert Dentice]

We spent a couple of days in the area and mostly followed Robert’s recommendations on this thread (thank you!!!)

Here are some thoughts:

Taco Maria — Outstanding! We did the prix fixe and enjoyed every course. I though it was well priced too. Not on the same level as Californios in SF (in terms of food/service/price) but some of the best Mexican food I’ve had and absolutely worth it.

Majordomo — Really liked the food here. Everything was delicious, from pancakes to crab pasta to boiled chicken. Would love to come back anytime. However, service was not on par with the food. Waiters needed to be reminded to pour more wine, dropped things that were never picked up, cleaned table while people were still eating, etc. We were also shown “our chicken” after boiling and before carving, for the servers to then run the same chicken by a different table, who apparently ordered the same dish. I’m mentioning all of this because this place is expensive and the food deserves so much better.

Hatchet Hall — Food was good but not memorable. Wasn’t worth the 30min Uber ride, but a nice spot if you happen to be close.

Sqirl — one of the best breakfast spots I’ve been to. Super impressed!

Genwa — great Korean BBQ, although not particularly wine friendly.

My pleasure. Looks like you had some great meals. Sorry to hear about the service issues at Majordomo, I have generally not seen this with the exception of one or two very busy nights.