Dine LA Week

I love checking out new restaurants during Dine LA!  I was able to hit up a few different places at the end of January and look forward to going back to them in the future!

The Roof on Wilshire was my first Dine LA experience this last month and Aimee & Andy came with me.  It was a little bit rainy but the roof had covered tables and heat lamps so it ended up being perfectly fine.  The view was beautiful and we were all excited for Dinner.  I started with the Shells & Cheese while Aimee & Andy got the Brussels Sprouts.  Both appetizers were really big and enough for all three of us to share but I was hungry so I didn't mind.  I ordered the Bowl of Goodness with Shrimp that had Avocado, Quinoa, Siracha, Beans, and more.  It was so much food that I took over half of it home with me.  It was definitely spicy but everything worked really well together!  I finished off the meal with the S'mores Cheesecake which was really yummy and had a marshmallow melted on top.  On top of the three courses for $29 they also offered a cocktail of your choice so I decided on the Vodka Martini with Cucumber & Mint and it was delicious and refreshing!  I had enough leftover food for Dinner the next day!

The following week Jamie and I checked out Terrine which was just outside of West Hollywood and their outdoor patio where we sat was beautiful.  We stuck with the Dine LA menu but also added The Beef Tartare which was my first raw beef adventure and that was good.  I started with the Lobster Bisque which was nice but I loved the Truffle Agnolotti that Jamie ordered, perfect pillows, in a beautiful sauce that I wanted seconds and thirds!  We both decided on the Wagyu Beef Short Rib and that was incredible and tender; it was served with a Brown Butter Pomme Puree that was one of my favorite parts of the meal!  You can't go wrong with Brown Butter!  I decided on the Sticky Toffee Pudding for Dessert and it was a perfect end to the meal.  Their three courses were $39 and well worth it!

The Dine LA Menu at Terrine...Beef Tartare & Sticky Toffee Pudding

Jamie and I also had plans to check out one more place but decided to do some Happy Hour hopping around Beverly Hills instead and ended up spending $30 on a three-course meal with tax and tip!  We did good.  We started off at Crustacean and had to order the Garlic Noodles as these are noodles that dreams are made of!  I also got a no-carb burger which was served with cut green beans.  That was ok but the noodles always raise the bar!  We then walked over to Wolfgang Steakhouse and while Jamie got the Ribs I got the Steak Sliders which came with French Fries.  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and served with a horseradish sauce that was awesome.  I was really proud of our Beverly Hills Happy Hour dinner on a budget :)

I can't wait to go back to The Roof on Wilshire, especially when the sun is setting; it'll have a stunning view.  I'd like to go back to Terrine as well and try some other things off the menu.  Jamie really encourages me to try things that scare me, so she's the perfect date in situations like that!  I've already been back to Wolfgang since going with Jamie and had more delicious food there so that was fantastic!  Three new places for the win! 

To see more photos from Dine LA or if you want to check out my Food Adventures follow me on Instagram: Lyndsey Wegner on IG 

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 :)

Bacari in Playa Del Rey for Dine LA

I'm a HUGE fan of Dine LA.  In fact, I budget every year so that I'm able to check out a few new restaurants each time Restaurant Week happens here in Los Angeles (which is twice a year).  I always look forward to eating at some new places as well as some of my favorites like Ruth's Chris or Locanda del Lago.  Dine LA gives you a chance to check out restaurants at a more affordable price while offering a few options for a three-course meal.

My first Dine LA experience this year was at Bacari in Playa Del Rey.  I had never been there before and with a limited schedule due to work and rehearsals I only had a couple hours and wanted to find something that was close for both Kelly and I since she was coming from Hermosa Beach and I had rehearsal in Santa Monica.

Four courses at Bacari in Playa Del Rey

The Dine LA menu for Bacari was really awesome; it's more of a tapas type place so you could get a three-course meal but also with unlimited white or red wine, beer, or sangria, all for $40.  Now that is a steal!  Since I had to get to rehearsal and both Kelly and I had to drive we opted out of Dine LA and just ordered a few things off the menu since it was Happy Hour and that was an even better price than the Dine LA menu since we weren't going to drink more than a glass of wine.

I started with the Caprese salad (always one of my favorites) while Kelly got the Grilled Romaine.  Next up I had the Poached Shrimp which had a sweet chili aioli and Kelly got the Cauliflower.  *They do have plenty of vegetarian options.*  The Shrimp was amazing; I loved the ailoi and was very happy with the portion considering it was $6.  I also ordered the Mac & Cheese which had truffle oil and that was good too, but covered in panko breadcrumbs which I'm not a huge fan of, but the Mac & Cheese was still creamy and very cheesy...yes!  We finished off with the Brown Butter Cookie Dough for dessert which had a banana brulee, candied walnuts, and whipped cream.  It was small but yummy!

Even though we didn't order off the Dine LA menu, that's what got me in the door, so I'm glad it was my first place to check out this Dine LA season.  Next time I go in I really want to try to the Seared Scallops as well as one of their Pizza's; they had a Smoked Mushroom and White Pizza that look awesome.  I'm really excited to go back and try more of their menu and with Happy Hour being such a great deal I'm sure I'll be back soon :)