LA for the weekend

[AYSConsulting]

Hey everyone, I'm heading to LA for MLK weekend and I could use some suggestions. I am in love w Osteria Mozza (was there last time I was in town) and loved Animal too. What are some of the newer fun restaurants I should look at?

Check out my blog so you can see the tye of places I like to go to?

www.atyourserviceconsulting.blogspot.com

I am thinking of Jar, XIV (not too new, but they are still on my wishlist heheh

)

Thanks
Adam

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XIV
8117 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

[goodhealthgourmet]

i had my best meal of the year at Scarpetta recently, but with all due respect to cdub, since you live in NYC there's no point in going to Scarpetta here.

knock the Farm of BH off the list - it's not worth going even if you hadn't been there already.

and one last thought - not to make things more complicated, but since you reviewed 5 Napkin on your blog, i'm guessing you're a burger guy. "best burger" is a hotly debated topic here in LA if you have any desire to check out one of the CH recommendations for a more casual bite:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/701081
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/338345

[ipsedixit]

Re: Scarpetta. Might be easier to get a reso in LA than in NYC, but, yeah, otherwise, skip it.

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Scarpetta
225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

[AYSConsulting]

Yeah Im thinking of Umami Burger. Any thoughts? that and tracking down Grill em All truck. I missed them while they were in NYC a few months ago. I'm gonna be a fat MF after this trip hahahah

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Umami Burger
850 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

[tablefor1]

Umami - Yes
Grill em All - Nah
Fat MF - Yes!

[J.L.]

Skip Umami and go to Father's Office (Helms location) or The Golden State for the burger experience.

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The Golden State
426 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

[sushigirlie]

I would recommend Tasting Kitchen (over Gjelina, in the same area).

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Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, USA

[AYSConsulting]

Thanks for the input so far everyone! Here's my short list of someplaces Im thinking of (some for lunch some for dinner):
Street
AOC
Bazaar
BLD
The Farm of BH (been there before)
Philippe
Test Kitchen
Fords Filling Station
XIV
Hatfields
Buffalo Club (been there too)

thoughts? Comments? Concerns?

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AOC
8022 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Hatfield's
6703 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

BLD Restaurant
7450 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Filling Station
201 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866

Buffalo Club
1520 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404

XIV
8117 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Street
742 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Philippe - LA
8284 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90046

[Searching4Dunny]

You might want to substitute Tasting Kitchen for Test Kitchen (better reviews on here); specify Saam at Bazaar instead of Bazaar (if you are looking for a more special dinner w/ set menu/multiple courses), drop Street and do a food truck or ethnic eats (mexican, thai, korean, viet), and do XIV only for drinks (the food was a bit of a letdown past few times I've been).

Also, do you mean Philippe's for French Dip? If so, you may want to consider Cole's for French Dip or just do Langer's for arguably the best pastrami in the country (since so many claim this it should be worth a try).

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XIV
8117 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

[mc michael]

That's a pretty big weekend you have going there. It seems you don't want to go east of LaBrea which is fine. Keep in mind, there's a whole other world out there including the downtown scene and the SGV delights. If you start getting full of rich innovative food and just want some comfort food, consider Angeli Caffe.

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Angeli Caffe
7274 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046

[AYSConsulting]

Yeah were only in town for 2 1/2 days so we are trying to keep our range to places that wont tak too much time to get to, hence the weho/h'wood some west la focus. There definitely are a ton of great places in the SGV but we just don't have the time to make it there this trip unfortunately.

Where is Tasting Kitchen?

What do we think of Fords Filling Station? It looks like it could either be really good or a big disappointment. Is it like a Hash House agogo?

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Filling Station
201 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866

[goodhealthgourmet]

Ford's:
http://tiny.cc/km87n

Tasting Kitchen
1633 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
CA 90291-3744
[phone]
http://tiny.cc/we28q

[New Trial]

Unfortunately, Test Kitchen will no longer be open after next week as the space gears up for its permanent tenants. XIV, Street, Farm and BLD (other than for breakfast) can all be dropped without being much of a loss. Conversely, I would add Jar back onto your list as I think it is terrific (especially the pot roast). Others to consider adding would include Bistro LQ, Culina, Eva, the Friday or Saturday night Famiglia dinners at Mozza's Scuola di Pizza--the Saturday pig dinner is particularly wonderful, and WP24. I also like the recommendation for Langer's and food trucks (if you can find the LudoTruck, jump at the chance).

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Bistro LQ
8009 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Eva Restaurant
7458 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Culina
300 S Doheny Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90048

WP24
900 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

[Juji]

You might want to check out Cleo at the Redbury Hotel in Hollywood. The food is really good and the atmosphere is energetic.

[Ciao Bob]

Boo on Jar and XIV. Both are fairly average, IMHO. XIV has a lively crowd and is fun for a drink but the food is pretty ho-hum. Jar's food is occasionally good, though I have had some very lousy dishes...quite inconsistent...and I find it boring.

Totally agree with the Bazaar/Saam, Gjelina, Lazy Ox recs you've gotten. Tasting Kitchen would be another idea. I presonally do not like Red O but a lot of folks do.

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XIV
8117 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, USA

Red O
8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

[mc michael]

I suppose Saam is de riguer.

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Saam at The Bazaar
465 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

[wienermobile]

Gjelina in Venice is wonderful. Reservations are a must.
http://www.gjelina.com/

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Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, USA

[AYSConsulting]

PS: Im thinking anyhwere from SM to WeHo. I generally don't venture into the Valley or downtown when I have limited time.

[cdub]

that's a shame. i went to lazy ox in little tokyo about 2 weeks ago and it was great. similar to animal but different.

there's also scarpetta if you like italian in beverly hills.