Restaurant Review World

Shantanu at Traveller’s Tales tagged me on my very first meme - I even had to look up what that meant, because I had never heard of a meme before. I found a great article about memes on John Chow dot Com, which basically answered all of my questions. So, armed with the proper knowledge, and the rules spelled out by Shantanu, I am ready to participate. Because LA is so big, with so many amazing restaurants, I have decided to focus on five of my favorite restaurants on the West side.

1. Fave Italian (Brentwood): Pizzicotto. I have yet to do a full review on Pizzicotto, but this is one of my favorite all-time restaurants. You don’t have to spend a ton of money here (but you can!!!), and you will always have a great meal. Their Caesar salad, with freshly prepared dressing, is both light and full of flavor. Their fettuccine, with fresh pasta, arugula, buffalo mozzarella, and veggies is always amazing. The specials are fantastic (can anyone say black and white spaghetti??). And, you can’t leave without a slice of lemon torta and a cappuccino. Plus, they will make anything to order. Don’t forget to make reservations; this tiny place is packed seven days a week. Address: 11758 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Phone: (310) 442-7188
2. Fave Mexican (West LA): Don Antonio’s. This place might actually be the best authentic Mexican food in all of Los Angeles. Perfect margaritas, tender shredded meats, creamy guacamole. What else can a girl ask for? For my detailed review of Don Antonio’s, please see my Cinco de Mayo post. Address: 11755 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Phone: (310) 312-2090
3. Fave Sushi (Brentwood): TAKAO. This wins because of it’s amazing, fresh fish, creative specials, and consistent yumminess. My husband and I go here for special occasions, because it is rather expensive, but always worth it. I gave TAKAO a full review on a previous post, outlining my favorite dishes. Address: 11656 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Phone: (310) 207-8636
4. Fave Breakfast (Santa Monica): Bread & Porridge. I can’t wait for my next visit here, and now I have an excuse: I need to write a post on it! Bread & Porridge, with its dedicated staff and fresh food, always makes for a lovely lazy-weekend type of breakfast. The pancakes are thick and fluffy, as are the eggs and omelette’s. You can sit inside or out, either way you will get to do some nice people watching. This place is popular, so you might have to wait a while, but it’s worth it. There is a nice coffee house to lounge around in while you wait for your table. Address: 2315 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Phone: (310) 453-4941
5. Fave Bar/Restaurant (Brentwood): The Brentwood. With always excellent food, lounge atmosphere, sophisticated decor, and a full bar, you really can’t go wrong at The Brentwood. You have a good chance of seeing some stars hiding in a dark booth, while you devour your house-ground kobe burger. There is absolutely nothing bad that I can say about this place, and it will be the subject of my next post. This is my favorite place to bring out-of-towners. If you ever get a chance to come here, please make sure to get the fresh doughnuts. I don’t care if you are a health-freak who counts every calorie you consume. Just do it. Address: 148 S Barrington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Phone: (310) 476-3511

The best thing that has come from starting my restaurant blog is joining the food blogging community. There are so many amazing bloggers out there in so many cities. Because the rules of this meme state that I should pick five people who do not reside in my city, the other LA food bloggers are off limits. So, the people I will tag are:

1. Sonadora of Wannabe Wino in Washington, D.C.: Her blog on wine, and how it pairs with food is extremely informative. Whether you order wine out, eat in, or simply want to start a collection, you will learn a ton from reading Wannabe Wino.
2. Restaurant Girl of restaurantgirl in New York, NY: A serious restaurant-hopper, Restaurant Girl is on a quest to try every restaurant in New York City, and then write the perfect write-up on her blog.
3. Chewy of Chew Food in Brooklyn, NY: Not only does she review restaurants in and around the Brooklyn area, but she also posts random information and crazy pictures all related to food. It’s a very interesting blog that I always go back to read again and again.
4. Giada, Bobby, and Rachel of The Appetizer in Washington, D.C.: These three each give a concise review of each restaurant they discover.
5. Zulu of Our Restaurant Reviews in Quebec, Canada: Her great food posts break down the food culture of Canada’s most international province, Quebec.

If any of you choose to participate in this meme, the first rule is to add your name to the bottom of this list:

Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
eastcoastlife (East Coast, Singapore)
Tigerfish of Teczcape (California, USA)
Amy of Nook and Pantry (Seattle, WA, USA)
Sig of Live to Eat (Seattle, WA, USA)
Traveller’s Tales (Pune, India)
Foodette of Restaurant Review World (Los Angeles, CA, USA)

You must list your five favorite places to eat in your location; and you must tag five other foodies, preferably in a different location than your own, and let them know they’ve been tagged.