Modern Mexican?

[Ginger9]

Looking for a good, healthy Mexican or Mexican influenced casual dining or upscale restaurant. If you have been to Dallas, I'm looking for something like Taco Diner (http://www.mcrowd.com/tacodiner.html) or Mi Cocina (http://www.mcrowd.com/micocina.html). Clean, cutting edge modern dining room, not too expensive and excellent, fresh Mexican / Tex-Mex without everything being smothered with greasy cheese and refried beans. Not looking for fast food like Baja Fresh or Chipolte. Is there anywhere like this in LA, with a preference for the West Side or Westwood area?

[JBC]

The closest thing "visually" (and should qualify food-wise) to the Taco Dinner in Dallas that you linked, to my limited knowledge of the couple of thousand Mexican L.A. restos, would be in Glendale (*):

http://www.fridarestaurant.com/glendale/index.html

In Westwood, not quite as "Clean, cutting edge modern dining room" as Taco Dinner, but NOT a dive either, would be La Serenata on Pico Blvd. Plenty of pictures for your perusal:

http://www.laserenataonline.com/westl...
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(*) The Beverly Hills location is more expensive and not as clean cut. The Brentwood location is more of a taco stand.

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La Serenata
10924 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

[DarinDines]

I'd definitely support previously-mentioned Red O and Rivera.

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Red O
8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

[loblaw]

Tinga on La Brea is great for casual dining.

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Tinga
142 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

[outshined]

I strongly second this. Their ingredients were so fresh. It could be healthy if it tried but you can't stay away from the chips. The dining room is a bit casual, you order from the counter but the service was above and beyond. The guy really knew the menu and was enthusiastic about his favorites.

[yogachik]

Red O
Loteria Grill
Border Grill
Rivera (worth the drive)
La Sandia is good enough

[DrBruin]

Red O
Border Grill

Both very good suggestions....

While this restaurant is not in the Westside or West LA (but in the South Bay in Redondo Beach) there is Ortega 120. Their Enchiladas Rojas Sencilla were very tasty (Chile broth braised beef shortribs, queso Oaxaca, corn tortillas, red chile guajillo sauce, queso cotija, onion, sour cream). I still think some of the signs/notices at this restaurant are ridiculous (2 hour time limit... the place is never packed, limits on chips and soda refills), the second time I went was better than the first time I went.

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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

Ortega 120
1816 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Red O
8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

[Ginger9]

Thanks for the recommendations. Also, has anyone tried La Sandia at the new Santa Monica Place?

[sushigirlie]

I've been there 4 times. It's OK. Not worthy of a recommendation unless you just have to eat in Santa Monica Place. Border Grill is probably a better bet, but I'm not a big fan of it either.

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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

[Ginger9]

Well... I just tried La Sandia. I agree with sushigirlie - it's ok, nothing special in terms of food. There were three of us. We had the tacos el pastor, grilled salmon and the snapper veracruz, plus two of their $3 desserts (flan and tres leches). Overall assessment: mall casual dining - nice dining room, beautiful bar, but just ok food. Salmon was overcooked and dry, not enough sauce Tacos were pretty good, and the snapper was OK. I won't be making a special trip there again any time soon.

[sushigirlie]

The salmon was a big disappointment to me as well, for the reasons you note. My favorite dishes at Sandia have been the spicy guacamole and the shrimp with creamy rice.

[ipsedixit]

Red O

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Red O
8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

[OCAnn]

You might like Border Grill.

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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

[Fru]

No where near where you are asking but if you are in Pasadena, Tonny's or Yahira are both very good! As far as the clean, cutting edge modern dining room, it's not the West Side.

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Tonny's Restaurant
843 E Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104

[Peripatetic]

Tonny's is very good, but it definitely doesn't have a "clean, cutting edge modern dining room" (as per the OP's request).