Connie and Ted's

A New England style fresh fish bar in the middle of West Hollywood? Yes please! Connie and Ted's offers a great bar, raw bar, and uncomplicated seafood, all sustainably and freshly caught. Last Friday, we enjoyed sitting at the raw bar and asking every oyster question we'd had pent up for the last decade to the very knowledgeable shellfish "bartenders". As someone with lots of oyster-love and little oyster-know-how, the list that came with the chef's selections was a welcome cheat-sheet!



Here's a look at everything we enjoyed:

Chef's selection of a dozen oysters

My drink...someone else's dinner. Maybe crab next time?

Little Gem Lettuce
A great take on the classic wedge salad

Market Fish: Sea Bass with a side of Onion Rings (all shared!)

The Hart and the Hunter

Butter Biscuits & Condiments and Marinated Olives

Last weekend, I checked out The Hart and the Hunter in the Palihotel on Melrose. The food had a rustic feel with Southern soul, and wowed our party of three. The highlight for me was sharing a pre-dinner bottle of wine (purchased from the hotel's coat closet in the lobby) alongside the restaurant's can't-miss Butter Biscuits, all enjoyed outside in the Hotel's courtyard. We also loved our other shared plates: Brussels Sprouts, Kale Salad, Shrimp & Grits and Hanger Steak. 

Looking forward to my next trip to this neighborhood favorite! 

 

Crossroads

Photo of the gorgeous restaurant from Crossroads Gallery

Last weekend, a friend and I checked out Crossroads, a new restaurant on Melrose serving up delicious small plates, fun cocktails, and great wines in an elegant yet casual space. Oh...did I mention this amazing farm-to-table food also happens to be vegan? The food is simply fresh, plant-focused, and creative without being the sort of "in-your-face-vegan" fare that you may have tried (and tired of!) in the past. I highly recommend Crossroads, whether you go for a full meal or grab an appetizer to share over drinks. Check out what we ordered and loved below: 

Caramelized Leek and Cauliflower Bisque
with Fried Capers 

Red Grapefruit Salad
(perfect Southern California flavors!)

Kale Spanakopita
with harissa spiced smoked tomato fondu & mint oil

Papas Arrugadas

Wood-Fired Meaty Lasagna

Ad Hoc

No pictures of the cheese course or dessert because I didn't get to it before it was gone...

Last weekend, my husband and I took a quick (birthday!) trip to Napa. We loved the road trip, wine tasting, and relaxation. But the REAL reason for the excursion was to have dinner at Thomas Keller's At Hoc, one of California's best restaurants. The casual atmosphere is perfect for a post- wine tasting date or group dinner. And every bite we took was full of fresh, balanced flavors, making it impossible to pick a favorite course. Check out our fabulous meal, and keep in mind that the menu changes daily (making it even more tempting to go back again and again!)

 

Waterloo & City

A friend from out-of-town and I enjoyed a great dinner at this gastropub in Culver City last Friday night. Even though it was raining, we kept cozy on their covered patio, under the heaters in what was quite the November-in-LA experience for two Midwest natives. We barely scratched the surface of their varied food and drink menu (awesome looking cocktails and affordable, good wine...yes please!). I enjoyed every bite of the smaller plates we shared, and I'm looking forward to going back for the entrees! 

Salmon Tartar Special

Broccolini, Garlic, Chili...a pleasant spice! 

Wild Mushroom Pizza, Smoked Mozzarella, Truffle Oil
(that's right...TRUFFLE OIL)

Papilles Bistro

Had an incredible dinner out with friends this weekend at Papilles Bistro in Hollywood. They serve ingredient-focused, simply delicious French food. With a $38 prix-fixe menu, we got to try a little bit of each thing, including a of wine I snagged from the excellent retail shelf collection.

The menu changes nearly every week, but here is what we enjoyed:

Beef tongue, roast plum and fig.
Citrus cured prawn, white peach, tarragon vanilla vinaigrette.
-
Hanger steak au poivre, squash, tomatoes.
Monchong, artichokes barigoule, jus.
-
Apple Tatin and Cheese

The Sycamore Kitchen

Cutting into our "appetizer" :)

Salted Caramel Pecan Bobka Roll
TO DIE FOR.

Looking for a great meal/pastry this weekend? Check out The Sycamore Kitchen (under the same ownership as the upscale dinner restaurant, Hatfield's). I recently enjoyed a delicious lunch there (pictures below!) Standing in line to order in front of the gorgeous pastries makes saying no to a sweet dessert (or appetizer in my case) impossible. I highly recommend all dishes below, but this seems like the kind of place where it is hard to go wrong with any order. Hope you'll have the chance to check it out and pass on your favorites!

Soup of the Day:
Roasted Red Pepper Gazpacho

Mediterranean Chicken Salad
(one of the most popular items according
to our barista) 

Chicken Sandwich-
great bread, fresh tomato!

Escuela Taqueria

I've recently been very excited about these BYOB restaurant discoveries in my neighborhood. Escuela Taqueria serves inventive tacos in pairs, like those we tried: Branzino, Pork Belly, Baby Back Ribs and their Lobster Special in addition to the remarkable home-made chips with salsa and guacamole. Without exaggeration, I've never had tortilla chips or churros as good as they make them!

My tips if you check it out? Don't miss the Baby Back Ribs, chips and guac, or churros (and make sure you look up at the ceiling). I'm now excited to try out the next-door brother restaurant La Otra Escuela Taqueria, which has some more composed dishes and is also BYOB.  

Digging in to homemade chips and salsa!

Crispy skin-on branzino, cabbage slaw, and chipotle creme fraiche

Baby back ribs, thai  sweet and sour  chili,  cabbage

Outdoor Movie Picnic

This past weekend I headed to Hollywood Cemetery's outdoor movie. A group of us grabbed sandwiches from Mendocino Farms, some of LA's best beer, and some blankets to join tons of fellow movie watchers. It was the perfect summer way to enjoy good company, tasty food and drinks, and a movie.

Interested in checking it out? Get advanced tickets and a parking pass to avoid the long line. Get there as early as you can to get a good view of the film. 

Food Fair by Diego

Sides:
Tomato Salad-simple, full of fresh basil flavor
Roasted Beets-our server's suggestion

Al Fresco Pizza:
Sauce-less with Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Arugula, Roasted Garlic
and an AMAZINGLY crispy crust

 Delicious sides to share, crispy crust fresh pizza, $10 bill per person...I'll take it! Food Fair by Diego was perfect for a weeknight BYOB girls' date. The sandwiches and menu entrees also looked (and smelled) worth-trying, so this is definitely one I will repeat. 

Racion Restaurant-Pasadena

Last weekend I stumbled upon this gem in Old Town Pasadena. Racion serves Spanish style tapas with Spanish wines, all delicious and well worth the trip to Pasadena. This competes for the best restaurant I have been to since moving to Los Angeles! With food to share that is to die for and friendly yet classy service, Racion is a perfect spot for a date night or an evening with close friends. Next time, I'm looking forward to checking out their outdoor patio seating :) 

Here's what I enjoyed on my date night to Racion (in addition to the not-pictured bottle of Temperanillo!): 

Amuse-Bouche:
Parmesan Crisp w/ Blueberry and Goat Cheese

Salted Cod Fritters (front)
Beef Tongue Crostini (back)

Roasted Vegetables w/ UNBELIEVABLE Garlic Sauce(we almost licked the plate!) 

Squid Ink Pasta
with Mussels and Poached Egg 

Dessert and (delicious) Coffee:
Pound Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream
and Stone Fruit (seasonal fruit?! yes please!)

Weekday Breakfast and Lunch NYC Favorites

My time in NYC in drawing to a close (BIG sigh). As I get prepped for a move out west to Los Angeles, I'm getting nostalgic and trying to frequent my go-to favorites over the last few years. I'm excited to share these 2: The Grey Dog and Westville.. These places have sung my breakfast/lunch heart song since the summer I moved here, and continue to do so to this day!

 Having the opportunity to catch up with a busy friend over a late-morning weekday breakfast at Grey Dog is nearly as indulgent as the food itself.  I went with the Morning Gloria muffin and an iced coffee on a warm spring NYC day (the Vegan Pumpkin muffin is also delicious, but go early because they often run out). Friendly indy staff, delicious coffee, and breakfast pastries that are the perfect combo of not-to-sweet and hearty. It's hard to ask for anything more! But you can have it--come back at dinnertime and enjoy their delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, beer and wine.





In case these photos don't say it all--a crowd-pleasing spot to meet for brunch, lunch or dinner. Everything from great burgers and hot dogs to plates of salmon and vegetables to amazing cobbler and cookies. Whatever you do, make sure you get the Market Sides! My mom and I got a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, the daily soup, and a plate of 4 market sides--glazed Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, beets with goat cheese, and roasted fennel with Parmesan. This might be my favorite lunch spot in all of NYC...really going to miss it!

Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Chorizo

Dishing up a plate of the Market Sides!

Urth Caffe

I paid a bit more for lunch at this popular cafe than I'd hoped. But my recent day of lunch and studying at Urth in West Hollywood was delicious and the outdoor pick-me-up I needed. The cost can likely be attributed though to high quality, organic ingredients...and the chance of bumping into a celeb. I'm the kind of person that would rather spend a bit more for something delicious and fresh, than a bit less for something that leaves me groggy all afternoon. The cranberry walnut bread with organic butter that came with my Urth Farmers Salad was a tasty treat as well. And, as always, delicious iced coffee is the key to my heart! Will definitely be back for lunch on their patio in the weeks to come.

Northern Spy Food

It's been open a little over 2 years now. Northern Spy Food continues to be at the top of my list of restaurants to take friends. Delicious local ingredients help them create a rotating menu of seasonal comfort food. Portions are perfectly suited for sharing a variety of starters and mains; trust me, you'll want a taste of as much as possible once you see/smell/taste what's coming out of the kitchen. 

Another reason I love this place? They do vegetables BEAUTIFULLY. For me, there is nothing better than a touch of meat/cheese/decadence with a heaping plate of the healthy stuff. Last night we ordered Kale Salad, Marinated Beets with Goat's Yogurt, Crispy Gnocchi and the Hudson Valley Pork Special, which was pork belly with black-eyed peas and greens. With copious wine and dessert, the whole evening was only $60 a person. Reasonable for such a high quality, delicious meal! 

Kale Salad with Almonds, Butternut
Squash and Pecorino

Golden and Red Beets with Goat's Yogurt--
goat's yogurt was pleasantly surprising

Crispy Gnocchi is a great shared indulgence!