1.5-2 days in los angeles - where to eat?

[montecoretiger]

i have a couple of days coming up in los angeles and would love suggestions about where / what to eat. i am an adventurous eater, love ethnic food (miss queens dearly... used to live in jackson heights), and love fancy food too, especially of the seasonal / local persuasion. i can probably afford one meal somewhere fancy-ish (like $25- 30 entree type of place) and other meals somewhat more modest-budget. am open to a range of low-to-high cuisine (like your favorite taco cart is great too). am open to a range of neighborhoods (though will be staying in west hollywood). i'll have one dinner (but it may be late by the time we finally get into town the first night... maybe not too far from west hollywood for dinner #1), a second dinner, and two lunch /brunch possibilities. oh -- and anywhere with delicious drinks / specialty cocktails would also be of interest. i'm pretty open to all ideas so long as they are delicious.

also, i am driving to L.A. from norcal, so any suggestions for road food en route are appreciated as well.

thank you!

[Bob Brooks]

Jitlada is at Thai restaurant in east Hollywood that you might well want to try. It is generally considered the best Thai in L.A.

[westsidegal]

if you go to jitlada, be sure to specify to jazz how much you want to spend: the costs per person can vary a LOT.

i love their food.

[Emme]

agree with Jitlada.

if you'd like Ethiopian, you're close enough to Fairfax -- i like Rahel over there.

if you like Oaxacan and feel like making the 20-30 min drive to west LA, try Monte Alban.

for a nicer experience, try Bazaar. good small plates, drinks, and fun atmosphere.

for brunch, you're close to the Griddle Cafe for decadence. also, Square One for good solid breakfast/brunch.

depending upon how late you get into town, you might still be able to hit Animal that first night, and i highly recommend it.

what route are you taking in? the 5 to 405? or the coastal route of the 101 to PCH?

[mc michael]

Perhaps you should be flexible. If the weather (as today) is nice, get to the beach. If not, hit the ethnic enclaves.

[montecoretiger]

anything else?

(and not really interested in the beach.... we have plenty of nice beaches near me)

[wienermobile]

Don't miss Langer's deli for the worlds best pastrami {really}. They do close at 4pm and are closed all day on Sunday.
http://www.langersdeli.com/

[nsxtasy]

I visit L.A. about once a year for a couple days at a time; my most recent visit was 3 weeks ago.

For breakfast, I went back to Griddle Cafe for the second time in my last two visits. :) www.thegriddlecafe.com

For dinner, I went to Animal (a favorite on this board) and absolutely loved it. Don't miss the seared foie gras over a biscuit with maple sausage gravy. Entrees are in the mid twenties. Make a reservation, even on weeknights, to avoid long waits. They also have about 8 seats at the bar on a first-come, first-served basis. www.animalrestaurant.com

Both of these are right in West Hollywood.

[Ciao Bob]

Animal is perfect for eating later in WeHo. Luques or AOC or Bazaar are your other top choices that stay up late.
Current ethnic favorites:
Thai - Jitlada or Sapp Coffee Shop
Japanese - KaGaYa, Sushi Gen, Yabu, Sushi Ike, Kokeekoko, Agura
Korean - Parks, Ham Ji Park, Kobawoo House, Mapo House
Mexi - Mariscos Chente, Guelaguetza
Chinese - way too complicated to cover, search this board for the cuisine you desire (Hunan, Szechuan, Shanghai, Noodles, Dumplings, dim sum, Chiu Chow, hotpot, Taiwanese, etc, cross referenced with San Gabriel Valley or SGV and you will find a zillion ideas).

[Servorg]

Bob, just so we don't send them into Mariscos Chente and get a post back saying "Where were the refried beans? Where was the chicken?"

This is seafood only as traditionally made and served in the Mexican states of Nayarit and Sinaloa. So a lot of shrimp dishes and some great fish, but served with rice and sliced cucumbers. Read up on it a bit if you determine it's of interest to you. Finally, beer and wine only.

[uhockey]

As many have stated, Griddle Cafe is a "don't miss"

[montecoretiger]

thank you all. we'll maybe try jitlada today -- to those who know, how does it compare to sripraphai in nyc? we ended up at aoc yesterday b/c it's right down the street from where we're staying. maybe should have looked for animal, because i found aoc disappointing -- showy arrangements, but muddy-tasting and nothing special for that price point. a couple of things were delicious, but others were just okay. though we did have a lovely chocolate souffle after at that french bistro-looking place down the street.

hunting for cheaper ethnic fare today after the not-so-great aoc dinner.