Upcoming visit, seeking advice

[jen71]

My partner and I lived in LA from 2002-2007 and will be returning for a week in mid-September. We definitely have some old favorites that we will be revisiting, but we are unfamiliar with the post-2007 food scene. We're interested in some recommendations, both high-end and casual. We will mostly be on the west side and SFV, but are willing to travel for any outstanding places. Coming from Philly, steakhouses and Italian are less of a priority, but we welcome any recommendations. In terms of our taste, we're relatively adventurous. We love sushi, we have little experience with Vietnamese and Korean but have enjoyed what we have tried. We enjoy Indian, Mexican, Thai...we'd love to find good Singaporean food. We aren't really worried about budget for this trip.

Our old favorites include Josie, Jar, Providence, and Melisse for fine dining. We were also big fans of Sona. For more casual meals, we are open to just about anything, though we do like the farm-to-table places. Red Medicine and Hatfield's sound like places we need to try. Otherwise, we are open to any recommendations. (Any good dim sum on the west side?) Thanks!

[jen71]

Thank you all for the recommendations--it looks like a lot of amazing places have opened since we last lived there. We have reservations for Osteria Mozza and n/naka, and the list of other options is too long to fit into our one-week visit! Luckily for us, it does look like life will be taking us back to LA permanently, so I suspect we will get the chance to try them all. Thanks again for your help--this board is an amazing source for information.

[cartbaby]

What about Spice Table for Singaporean?

[JudiAU]

Your favorites are still going strong and all the rec's thus far are solid. You might cosider Jitalada if you want tie. Not sure if you were there when last in town.

[ipsedixit]

You might cosider Jitalada if you want tie.
___________________________________

You might also want to consider Jitlada for Thai, as well. :-)

[nosh]

Men never need a tie to eat Jitlada's Thai.

[Servorg]

My joke was "This father's day take me to Jitlada for the Thai I really want."

[ellaystingray]

I'll stick to the Westside, leave out Italian and let the denizens of raw fish chew on sushi spots.

FIG
Plan Check
Tar and Roses
Rustic Canyon
A Frame
Waterloo & City
Sunny Spot
Hungry Cat (SM Canyon)

[PeterCC]

If you need to stick strictly to Westside for dim sum, don't both with The Palace (where VIP Harbor Seafood used to be). Bao in West Hollywood should be your only consideration if you're not gonna head to SGV.

Two farm-to-table choices on the Westside that I like: FIG and Farmshop in SM.

[Rodzilla]

N/Naka
Ink
The Vagrancy Project
see if you can get in to Laurent Quenioux event
Night & Market

I should mention I'm suggesting off of reviews I've read, and how badly I personally want to go. N/Naka is at the tops of my list.

don't forget Urasawa

[Lasherdc]

I would definitely recommend Osteria Mozza at 6602 Melrose Avenue.

This is the collaboration of Mario Batali, Mario, Joe Bastianich and Nancy Silverton (creator of La Brea Breads).

It's not inexpensive, but the food is amazing.

[Lasherdc]

You are going to have to travel to the San Gabriel Valley for Dim Sum:

Din Tai Fung Dumpling House
1108 S Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia

Always amazing..always crowded.

[J.L.]

Din Tai Fung is a bao restaurant, not dim sum.

For proper dim sum in the San Gabriel Valley, go instead to Sea Harbour, Elite, or King Hua.

[ipsedixit]

Thank you.

[nosh]

Given the places you've liked, both Red Medicine and Hatfield's are board favorites that match up well. Other relatively new places (since 2007) that you want to consider are:

Gjelina on Abbott Kinney in Venice. Great farm-to-table with much of the menu coming from the woodburning oven, including excellent veggies. Items served to share. No modifications, but an extensive menu. Nice outdoor patio.

Animal and Son of a Gun, near WeHo. Run by the same guys, the former is hoof-to-tail and the latter more seafood-oriented. Small places, very hot these days.