Little Door in West Hollywood!

Chad and I met just over seven years ago at The Hollywood Prom in February 2008.  Yes, there was a Prom for adults that was an annual event for a couple years.  In typical Prom fashion, it was based on nominations and popularity.  I had gotten nominated by a friend but ended up not making it onto the Court which was a mix of celebrities, Reality TV personality's, Hollywood regulars, and a few normal peeps.  Knowing it would be a fabulous time a bunch of my friends and I decided to go and enjoy the party in full-on Prom style!  It was an absolute blast and I ended up meeting Chad and we hit it off over our love of books, because when you're out in Hollywood, who really discusses what book you happen to be reading?  We do.

Hollywood Prom 2008 with Chad...who was wearing
a skinny tie before it was on trend ;)

We've stayed in touch over the years as he's moved all over LA and I've had multiple long-term roommates that he's met and last week we went to Dinner at Little Door in West Hollywood.  It was a brand new restaurant for me and one of his favorite's.  Our waiter was awesome; I wanted a buttery Chardonnay, while Chad wanted a Pinot Noir, and my Davis Bynum Chardonnay was absolutely delicious, and I was so impressed with Chad's JRC Vineyard Pinot Noir that when it was time for a second glass I swapped to his choice!  They were perfect suggestions. *Brands are listed in case anyone wants to try them and so I don't forget what they are!*

To start we got the Tuna Tartare which was good but not my favorite although the portion size was quite big and that always makes me happy.  Perhaps it was that I was so excited for my Scallops I couldn't think about anything but them.  They came in a beautiful presentation, pistachio-crusted with a preserved lemon sauce, leeks, carrot flan and ginger snap peas.  The dish tasted even better than it looked, which I felt was near impossible but proven true.  The Scallops melted in my mouth, the carrot flan was a sweet compliment, the snap peas were fresh and crisp.  I loved the entire thing!  Chad got the Rack of Lamb which was also something I was looking at ordering, and it came with green lentils and Yukon-Gold mashed potatoes.  It was savory, enough to share, and equally phenomenal.  

Scallops and Rack of Lamb at Little Door in West Hollywood

Now, Dinner is not complete for me until you get dessert and since we couldn't decide on whether to get the Chocolate Souffle or not because I mentioned having it at Locanda Del Lago (a place Chad and I went years ago for Dine LA) and it was the best I have ever had and didn't want to be disappointed after everything had been so awesome up till that point.  I've gone back to Locanda Del Lago over the years just for their Chocolate Lava Cake and an espresso, that's how good it is.  The waiter being a smart man, played it right, said the Chocolate Souffle would be on the house if we ordered something else.  Done and done.  His favorite dessert was the Apple Tartane; (not being an Apple Dessert fan) I took his word and we awaited our desserts.  Chad loved the Chocolate Souffle, I did not, but I was not disappointed with the Apple Tartane that was incredible...what?!  An Apple Dessert over Chocolate Souffle?  It wasn't even close in my opinion :)  So we both enjoyed our very own desserts!

Needless to say, it was quite the dining experience; a quaint restaurant, nearly hidden, with a soft and beautiful ambiance.  It's a little gem and I'm so glad Chad shared this with me and now I have a new wonderful restaurant to share with those special to me!

Corner Door for Dine LA

I was able to check out three new spots during the two weeks of Dine LA.  I'm very excited to go back to Bacari in Playa Del Rey and Upstairs 2 in West LA and try more off of their menus.  On Wednesday before Karaoke, Jamie and I decided to check out Corner Door, as she knew the bar manager (even though we weren't drinking) and it's always nice to visit friends at work!

We both ended up order the Mushroom Ricotta Agnolotti as it was a special dish just for Dine LA customers.  I started with the Basil & Beet Salad with almonds, a citrus vinaigrette and Pecorino cheese (also just offered during Dine LA) and Jamie got the Pan Seared Octopus.  Definitely something that scared me!  We shared dessert getting both the Chocolate Pudding and the Bread Pudding.  

Ricotta Agnolotti at Corner Door in West LA

Originally I was going to get the Brussels Sprouts since I'm such a huge fan of them but because they're on their normal menu I wanted to try something that was seasonal and I also love beets.  The salad portion was small, as in there were probably about five or six pieces of basil lettuce and a few chunks of beets.  I was a little bummed about that but the dressing and the way everything worked together was delicious!  It was supposed to come with Ricotta Cheese but I figured since I was having that in my next course I should go for something different; having a scoop of the Ricotta might have filled me up more than the shaved Pecorino.  Jamie and I agreed that the Agnolotti for our Dinner course was amazing!  Once again it was a smaller portion but the creaminess of the Ricotta, the flavorful mushrooms and delicious sauce was so good we both wanted more of it!  Next up was dessert, two bigger than bite-size pieces of Bread Pudding and a small cup of Chocolate Pudding with maple cream.  They were both delicious just small.

I definitely want to go back to Corner Door and check out their Happy Hour and regular menu.  I'm hoping when you get food off the regular menu the portions are a little bigger.  I was actually still hungry after we got done with Dinner that I almost stopped at In & Out for a burger!  I can say though that all the flavors went really well together and it was definitely a balanced meal :)

Upstairs 2 for Dine LA

I've been doing a pretty great job of keeping up with my New Year's Resolutions for this first month of 2015.  Upstairs 2 was my third restaurant in Los Angeles in the past month that was new for me and I also went by myself for Dinner which is definitely a little scary; another Resolution, to do things every day that scare me.  There's a great "Friends" episode where Rachel tries to eat out alone but gets in her head about the whole thing, luckily, I didn't go through that scenario ;)

Upstairs 2 located in West LA also has The Wine House connected to it downstairs and they have Wine Tastings and is the largest wine store in LA.  I was there on a Wednesday so they had a Wine Tasting at 7 pm.  I'll need to go back and check that out!  I had decided on Upstairs 2 because of their Dine LA menu but when I got there and saw the regular menu I was so overwhelmed by all the amazing-sounding food I decided to order off the regular menu and ended up spending less than I would had I ordered off the Dine LA menu!

Dinner at Upstairs 2 in West LA for Dine LA Week

I started with the Brussels Sprout Salad that had endive, pecans, and brussels sprouts and was quite large for an appetizer salad; I am not complaining, trust me, I was very happy!  I also got a glass of their Riesling which wasn't overly sweet, just right, and priced appropriately.  Next, I had the Lemon Pesto Shrimp to which they gave me some Parmesan Cheese that really knocked the dish out of the ballpark.  It was a really nice portion and I loved the Lemon Pesto!  I was quite excited to find out they had Chocolate Lava Cake (which wasn't on the Dine LA menu) so of course, I had to get that.  It came out perfectly gooey and the Bartender even had the kitchen put the ice cream on the side for me because I don't like the cold ice cream to take away from the chocolatey center.  OCD, just a little.

The Bartender was really friendly as well as one of the waiters I chatted with.  The food and selection was impressive and changes seasonally.  They're very happy to suggest wine pairings and the menu is actually set-up to do just that, and they also let you taste just about anything which is great.  I'll definitely be back to try more food and wine as well :)

Plan Check Sawtelle!

After all the rehearsals, shows, and more shows, Samantha and I were finally able to go out to Dinner for the first time since before 'Sleeping Beauty' had started in September!  I had introduced her to En Sushi, one of my favorite Sushi spots where there's an awesome Happy Hour but this time we decided on something new for both of us and that was Plan Check.

They have a couple different locations but the one on Sawtelle was just a few minutes from where we both live.  Every time I drive past, it's always packed, so I was really looking forward to it.  After perusing the menu I decided on the Plan Check Burger which was your typical Burger with grilled onions, smothered in cheese, pickles, and ketchup leather.  Samantha ordered the Chef's Favorite Burger which came with two different kinds of cheese, bacon, and an egg to top it all off.  We also ordered the Sweet Potato Waffle Fries that came with a Peach Ketchup.

Burgers & Fries at Plan Check!

When the manager, Thomas, dropped our food off, he asked if I liked bacon (who doesn't) and then brought me some Brown Sugar Bacon and also their version of ranch which was awesome.  I actually really liked the Peach Ketchup more than the ranch (and that was good too).  It was sweet like Barbeque sauce but more fruit forward.  The bacon complimented my Burger which was perfectly cooked to Medium Rare, and as full as I was, I tried to eat all of it because it was by far one of the best Burgers I've ever had.  I'm  not a huge fan of Sweet Potato Fries but I love Waffle Fries and they did not disappoint either.  Sam really enjoyed her burger too, albeit a little messy with the egg.  After we finished Dinner, Thomas sent us a Donut on the house, that came with bananas and cream.  It was a nice way to end the meal :)

That next day I had the little bit that was left of my Burger, and it was almost better than it was when it was fresh off the grill.  Now, that is rare!  I can't wait to go back and try more off their menu.  I hadn't noticed there were specials and the Bartender never mentioned that.  I'll be sure to check that out next time because when I had looked at their Instagram after making my post, I saw they had a Mushroom & Swiss Burger along with Wasabi Peas, both of which I would have loved to try.  I'm also looking forward to tasting some cocktails on their menu.  I was really impressed with Plan Check and can't wait to go back!

Birthday Dinner at Mastro's!

I love food and trying new places and even have a list of my Top 5 Favorite Steaks so I was stoked when Kristina said she was going to take me to Mastro's in Beverly Hills for my Birthday Dinner.  I've been wanting to try Mastro's for a long time but I was also a little nervous, knowing how fancy it was.  Kristina assured me it was a special occasion since we weren't able to celebrate my 30th in style last year like we had planned so we were going all out!

Wine & Martini's

We enjoyed some Rosé before Dinner while we got ready at my place and then took an Uber to Mastro's.  Our table was quaint and close enough to the piano player to hear him singing Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, and The Beatle's songs during Dinner.  Kristina had brought a really nice bottle of red wine so we got that started along with two martini's that had Stoli Blueberry and St. Germaine which were called Fleur de Blu and absolutely delicious.  Kristina suggested we start with Oysters and even though I was a little apprehensive, I was up for the adventure.  They were kumumoto Oysters and served with a healthy side of Horseradish.  I topped all of mine with it and that certainly did the trick as they went down easy with a little clearing of my sinuses.  So yummy!  

It was time for our salad and we got an Heirloom Tomato and Burrata and from here on out they split everything for us.  There was so much food I'm surprised they were halved because the portions were huge!  The salad was amazing and I loved how the timing of all of our courses was literally perfect.  We were never waiting and getting hungry but able to enjoy the food, let it settle, and then the next course would show up.  Before we knew it, it was time for the main entree; a beautiful 12 ounce Filet cooked an impeccable medium rare.  We decided on sides of Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas.  The snap peas were the best I have ever had as they popped in your mouth with a sweet but savory flavor and the mashed potatoes were so fluffy and had the perfect amount of garlic and butter.  The steak.  Let me just say, after I took that first bite, I sat back in my chair and sighed...out loud.  It was that incredible!  We savored every last bite and then they packed the leftover snap peas for me to take home.  No Birthday is complete at Mastro's without Birthday Cake so they brought Chocolate Cake with home-made whipped cream.  The whipped cream was so impressive and I loved that there was plenty for each bite of cake.

Dinner at Mastro's...being fancy with Kristina!

After Dinner we went to the bar so I could get us some Dessert Wine to finish off the fabulous dining experience and as some gentlemen allowed me to get to the bar, they overheard Kristina saying it was my Birthday and in typical gentlemanly fashion, ordered us a round, which was very sweet.  I appreciated the gesture and bought them their next round only to have that countered with another Birthday Cake and some Espresso for me.  They all sang Happy Birthday and this time it was an Olive Oil Cake and more whipped cream!  I could not have felt more special being treated by Kristina and being blown away by such an amazing meal :)

Thank you Kristina for introducing me to Mastro's; this is definitely going to be trouble because now I'm already planning my next visit, and next paycheck!  And thanks for making me feel fancy!

Last Month's NEW Restaurants!

Part of my New Year's Resolution was to hit up new Happy Hour or Restaurants at least once a month to branch out from the ordinary and my favorites.  I was actually really pleased with each of the restaurants and they were both very different from each other.

I started the month of March with a visit to Stout in Studio City with Neil.  It's a burger and craft beer restaurant and similar to Father's Office, there are no substitutions.  We started with a giant Pretzel that came with four different sauces:  A pesto that was my favorite, a chipotle that was Neil's favorite, a lemon basil aioli, and thick mustard.  After checking their menu it looks like they recently changed it because I couldn't find my burger on it anymore (or the pretzel); it was a Truffle Burger with Mushrooms and a white cheese.  It was good but I actually preferred Neil's Stout Burger that had Blue Cheese, Gruyere, Bacon, Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Cream.  I chose a beer called Chocolate Indulgence which is from the Ommegang Brewery and a Belgian Stout.  It had just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the bitterness, and I enjoyed it so much I had a second one.  We sat at the bar and the bartender was polite but had a big group of her friends that were sitting at the bar who were actually obnoxious.  I was surprised the manager hadn't told them to leave because it was disruptive to other diners.  It was also a little spendy for burgers and beer but I would definitely go back and try something else!  And definitely get that pretzel again :)

At the end of March, my new roommate, Anthony, moved in and took me out to the Blind Barber in Culver City which is actually a Barber Shop during the day and Speakeasy at night.  I was sold as soon as I saw their menu consisted mostly of Grilled Cheese.  The place was packed for a Monday night but there were some tables open so we grabbed a drink at the bar and ordered our food.  They have a Cocktail Menu as well as a Seasonal Drink Menu and since it's April, it has already changed so I can't name the first drink I had but the second was the Batman with Gin, St. Germain, Peychaud's Bitters, Lemon Juice, and Mint.  The drinks were good but I prefer something a little sweeter and there were still a few more I would gladly try.  I picked out an all White Grilled Cheese that was $8 and came with a Kale salad that was actually really good.  I was so happy with my Grilled Cheese; it was delicious!  I'm definitely going back to try out more of their menu and I love that you get a dipping sauce with it so of course I picked out the Truffle aioli.  The DJ was great, the crowd seemed cool but not douchey and the Bartenders were helpful.  I can't wait to go back!

A Dinner of amazing Grilled Cheese is served at Blind Barber in Culver City!

I'm surprised I haven't been to either of these spots before but I really look forward to going back and trying more off of their menu's.  There are three Stout's throughout Los Angeles and Blind Barber is just down the street.  So far, this New Year's Resolution has been very successful!

Food Babies!!

Honestly, that is the only way to describe how Jamie, Spark, Venk, and I were feeling after having Dinner at Manhattan Beach Post earlier this week!  We all left so satisfied and so full, I could barely walk to the car, and I think all of us felt like we had Food Babies for the next 24 hours because we tried over half of the menu!

When we got seated in the Dining room we started off with cocktails and each of us ordered something different, Venk got the Mezcal Tequila drink, while Spark got a Manhattan, and Jamie got a drink with Scotch and Apple in it, that was my favorite.  I ordered a Gin, Kiwi, and Elderflower drink because I'm currently on a Gin kick and that was so light and refreshing but for the rustic meal we were having I think the Scotch drink would have been more appropriate, for me anyway.  I think all of us were in agreement that it was our favorite!  We had the same waitress, Janet, from the last time Jamie and I had Brunch at Manhattan Beach Post and she's such a wonderful server, friendly, suggestive, attentive, and still gives you the space you need to finish an incredible meal :)

Dinner at Manhattan Beach Post

Then the food started and I don't think it ever ended!  I saw Cheddar Bacon Biscuits in my future and sure enough, there they were in all their glory served with that Maple Butter.  My only bit of sadness (and it was tiny) was that they weren't served hot.  We also got the Soft Pretzel that was served with a Horseradish Mustard and it was the best Soft Pretzel I have ever had and the Mustard had the perfect amount of kick and added a little flair to the delicious Pretzel!  After our Carb Course it was time for Meats, Mustards, and Cheeses.  There was this fresh Ricotta Cheese and all these Meats, Proscuitto, Salami, and three fresh Mustards: one was Stout, another was Red Wine, and the last was a Pink Peppercorn, and I really liked them with a little cheese, Meat, and bread.  Another favorite off the Charcuterie board was the Pickled Vegetables and Pickled Grapes which were an interesting and pleasant surprise!

Details of The Charcuterie...yum!

Cous Cous and Brussel Sprouts

We had planned that we would get three items in each section of the menu, so 3 appetizers, 3 vegetables, and 3 entrees.  By now, we were just getting started and then the Brussel Sprouts, Green Beans with Crispy Pork, and Cous Cous with Pomegranite were dropped at the table.  Freddy Smalls currently holds my heart with their preparation of Brussel Sprouts, fried and served with Goat Cheese and have an Apple Cider glaze.  They are the perfect savory but sweet treat!  And they are still my favorite after trying the Brussel Sprouts at MB Post but I like anything that can be made sweeter and these had a Cheese and more savory flavor than the ones at Freddy Smalls.  The Green Beans were incredible and I found myself polishing off those and the Cous Cous because I didn't want anything to go to waste!  The Cous Cous was probably my favorite of this section of the meal because it was so light; it came with Feta Cheese, Grapefruit, Yogurt, Mint, and the Pomegranite seeds and was light and tasty.  We also ordered the Shrimp Ceviche which had fresh Jalepeno and certainly had that great kick of flavor and was also served with home-made Shrimp Chips!

Pork Jowl

Fresh Shrimp Ceviche

By this point we were all so full we decided on one Fish entree and one Meat entree.  We ordered the Scallops and perhaps it was just that I was so full they weren't my favorite part of Dinner and I've been spoiled with the Raw Bar at Water Grill that those were one of the few things that didn't get finished.  We also ordered the Lamb Belly and I was nervous because I didn't want to be eating a Baby Lamb, poor Lamby, since I have a tough time thinking about it (similar to the way I feel about Veal) that I was worried about trying it.  I know, I know, I eat Steak, Chicken, Pork, etc and there's no need to get into things but it's a different thought process when I'm thinking about eating a little one.  Jamie assured me it was a full-grown Adult Lamb so I did try it, even though it looked like Duck meat when it came to the table, and that is also not my cup of tea.  We all agreed it was a little salty and for me, it just wasn't my thing but it doesn't mean I wouldn't try it again either.  Then the Chef dropped off a couple things for us and I don't know how we were even going to fit through the door on the way out after all we had eaten!  He brought the Pork Jowl and the Steak with a Chimichurri Sauce and Broccolini.  The Steak was awesome, it was tender, perfectly cooked, and I loved the Broccolini with it.  I also liked the Pork Jowl because it had a crispy edge but by this time I could barely fit anymore food in my belly so I had to stop.  I still think I out-ate everyone ;)

We dined for over 2 hours and were ready for a little break so we had some French Press Coffee to help our stomachs settle and of course, there was no passing up dessert with this crew!  We got the Elvis Dessert that was Chocolate Pudding, Peanut Butter, and a Bacon Brittle (which of course I made room for) and it was so amazing!  I was definitely happy to end the meal that way.  Plus, the French Press Coffee, which I drank Espresso style was the best cup of Coffee I have ever had!  I may turn into a Coffee Snob because of this!

Thank goodness we didn't take an after picture because I'm not sure we would have been recognizable after all that food but what an incredible and exciting meal!  It's not something I could do even on a regular basis because I do like the simplicity of things but it was a very different style of food and I love experimenting because I've found some new favorites that I'll be drooling about until I get to try even more!