Grace Restaurant (DineLA)

My friend and I arrived at Grace on a Wednesday night with a 6pm reservation. The restaurant was just starting to get filled up so it was nice and quiet. We were seated at a table that was a little dark. We asked to sit at brighter table and it wasn't a problem at all. They generously gave us a four-top near a lamp even though we were only two. It is a beautiful restaurant--elegant, not too modern, not trying too hard, yet not old and stuffy. As the night progressed, the restaurant quickly filled up.

Our server was warm and welcoming. We were offered complementary sparking or still water. I LOVE sparkling water. I don't usually order it because I feel like a bottle of Pellegrino is unnecessarily expensive. I think I almost yelled "sparkling!" at the waiter in my excitement. The night was off to the good start. We were given some bread that others have complained about being too hard. I liked it. It was a nice ciabatta, with a nice airy yet chewy center and crunchy crust.

We started to study the menu. It wasn't short and boring like most of the DineLA menus. It was so extensive with so many choices I was almost overwhelmed. There were so many things I wanted to try. The DineLA dinner was $44 and some of the choices came with a supplementary charge. No problem. It makes sense that foie gras would be more expensive than a squash soup. All the supplements that we added on were well worth the money.

The wonderfully long menu

Grace Restaurant

7360 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-4400

Grilled Monterey Bay Calamari

olive oil poached tomatoes, salsa verde, frisee

I am not one to usually order grilled calamari when I see it on a menu so I'm so glad my friend decided to order it. The dish had beautiful colors. The texture of the calamari was delightful--not at all rubbery as some might expect calamari to be. Each piece of the wonderfully fresh calamari was sweet and had a nice smokey, grilled flavor.

Rabbit Cavatelli

olives, oven roasted tomatoes, san andreas, black truffles

This was my appetizer choice. I usually cannot pass up housemade pasta. This cavatelli was tender and light--although I would've preferred for it to be a little more al dente--and the savory rabbit sausage paired well with the sweet tomatoes and salty olives. The delicious clear, sauce that pooled at the bottom of the plate was amazing. It was not overly heavy as an appetizer, yet it was satisfying. I wish I had soaked it all up with a piece of bread.

Sauteed Loch Duart Salmon

leek fondue, swiss chard, black truffle thyme sauce

Salmon is also something that I tend to overlook on menus. However, this salmon was surprisingly good and not boring at all! The meat was so delicate and sweet and fatty. And that leek fondue! It was delicious! I'm not sure what was in it other than leeks but it was so nicely sweet and creamy. The only unspectacular part of the dish was the swiss chard--a little boring and bland.

Grilled Filet of Beef ($5 supplement)

farro, haricot verts, morcilla, ossau-iraty cheese, red wine sauce

I surprised myself when I ordered the filet of beef for my entree. Usually I avoid beef in restaurants because I'm a little paranoid of being given a piece of overcooked meat. I was completely set on ordering the scallop entree with risotto but at the last minute, I decided I felt like having a piece of red meat! I'm so glad I made that decision. I ordered medium rare and the filet came out at the perfect temperature--beautifully pink and juicy. The haricot vert was tender while remaining crisp. The little bites of morcilla sausage along with the cheese added nice punches of flavor to the dish. I also loved how the chewy farro soaked up the delicious red wine sauce. Probably one of the best beef dishes I've ordered at a restaurant.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

bruleed bananas, toffee sauce, hazelnut gelato

I loved the toffee/carmelized flavor of this dessert. It reminded me of a sort of bread pudding, but with an interesting texture that is light and sticky at the same time. Delicious...and who doesnt love hazelnut gelato? I wish we had a bigger scoop of it. And as always, bruleed bananas are a nice touch--easy to pull off but delicious to the unsuspecting!

Chef's Selection Donut Flight ($5 supplement)

Chocolate Bourbon, Salted Caramel, Buttermilk Brown Sugar Donuts

Vanilla, Walnut, Chocolate Ice Cream

Grace is known for their donuts so I knew we HAD to try some. Pretty much every table around us ordered the toffee pudding and the donut flight as their desserts. We liked the salted caramel donut the best. They were all nice and warm and fresh--without the gross after-taste that comes with some fried food--but in the end, they were still just donuts. I'm not usually a fan of donuts and these didn't really succeed in converting me. However, the walnut ice cream was very interesting.

Grace was without a doubt the best meal I had during all of DineLA restaurant week. Everything was great--from the atmosphere and service to the oh-so-delicious food!

XIV Sunset

XIV by Michael Mina

8117 Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90024

After waiting a good 30 minutes AFTER our reservation time of 9:15, my friends D, A, and I were getting impatient and ready to sit down and begin our meal. We were given a table that had a very clear view of the kitchen--it was perfect--and we all forgot about the 30 min wait. We had such a great time watching the chefs in the kitchen carefully prepare dishes as the suspender-clad waiters rushed them to tables in the busy restaurant.

Given the dark, mood-setting lighting, these pictures were the best I can do. They really don't do the food justice. Every dish was delicious and pristine--not like these blurry pictures.

Tataki of American Wagyu Skirt

Moroccan Spiced Vegetables

The skirt steak was tender and at a perfect doneness. It wasn't anything spectacularly different but it just tasted like a good piece of meat! Luckily, the vegetables on the side were nicely acidic to balance the red meat.

Sweet Corn Soup

Pork Belly, Apple Cider, Cilantro, Sea Salt

The sweet corn soup was a creamy bowl of happiness that I wish I had to my own! This was A's appetizer and they poured the soup into the bowl, on top of the pork belly and corn, after bringing it to your table--nice presentation.

Alaskan Halibut

Cantaloupe Melon, Mustard, Cherry Tomato

This was what I had for my entree. I don't usually go for white fish dishes but the melon component seemed very interesting. Overall a nicely done piece of halibut--not overcook thank goodness! I loved the light broth at the bottom and the little spheres of cantaloupe.

Jidori Chicken "Tajine"

Vadouvan, Red Kuri Squash, Baby Carrots, Cilantro, Side of Jasmine Rice

This was definitely, in my opinion, the best dish of the night. The tender jidori chicken came under a tajine lid with a lovely spiced broth and side of flavorful jasmine rice. This, again, was A's entree and I had to actively restrain myself from taking too many bites from his dish!

Asparagus Risotto

Squash Blossom, Chervil, Castelmagno Cheese

This risotto dish was amazingly light for being risotto. The asparagus pieces were perfectly cooked and tender and the whole dish just smelled of that wonderful cheese.

Dark Chocolate Cake

Coffee Cream, Coconut Sorbet, Crunchy Peanut, Basil Syrup

The plating of this dessert was spectacular--so creative and beautiful. This was also A's dessert! I swear he picked the best combination tonight. The coconut sorbet was delicious, as was the mysterious peanut crunch. The texture is hard to describe--almost like a butterfinger but chewier. I LOVED it.

Michael's Classic Rootbeer Float

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nutella Custard

Popcorn Ice Cream, Toast Streusel, Passion Fruit

This was my dessert--nothing to look at, but the flavor and texture combination was amazing. The foam at the top was interesting and mixed with the cold passion fruit ice cream, creamy nutella custard, spongy toast, and crispy streusel topping, I couldn't stop digging my spoon into the cup. It was so good.

Great dinner at XIV with my lovely D and A!

FIG Santa Monica

FIG Restaurant

101 Wilshire Boulevard

Santa Monica CA, 90401

(310) 319-3111

Today, I got my first chance to experience L.A Restaurant Week. My friends D, W, J and I decided on FIG for lunch in Santa Monica. I was super excited as we were driving there in a toasty car with the rain fogging up the windows. The three-course meal was priced at a very reasonable $22 and it was the highlight of an otherwise stormy, overcast day.

FIG takes advantage of the freshness of seasonal produce and they develop their menu around those fresh ingredients. Located in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, the decor of the restaurant was pleasantly eclectic and welcoming. We had a wonderful table near the window with a view of the hotel pool. The restaurant also had an impressive round table for a private dining room.

Our meal started with a cute little baguette in its own paper bag. While the presentation was creative, the baguette was nothing special if not boring. It was nothing compared to any baguette one could find in Paris. There was no chewy interior or crunchy crust! I suppose I've been spoiled.

However, my chicken liver parfait appetizer exceeded all my expectations. The restaurant redeemed itself when the appetizer came with perfectly toasted slices of baguette with wonderful grill marks. I snuck a slice of bread into my friend J's bowl of roasted tomato soup and got a taste of the best tomato soup I've had in a while. Next time I'm at FIG, I just want a nice big bowl of that amazing soup!

Roasted Tomato Soup

Mascarpone, Basil

Chicken Liver Parfait

Fig Marmalade, Grilled Baguette

Young Beets with Pistachios

Entrees came out and they were hearty portions! My chopped salad was perfectly balanced. I loved the crunchy hazelnuts, sweet GRILLED corn kernels, and tangy cranberries. The meatloaf that J and W had was wonderfully moist and savory while D's torta had tender slices of tongue.

Chopped Salad

Chicken, Avocado, Bacon, Corn, Cranberries, Hazelnuts, Crispy Carrots, Lemon-Oregano Dressing

Torta de Lengua

Braised Tongue, Tomatillo, Breakfast Radish

Short Rib and Pancetta Meat Loaf

Mashed Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli

Desserts were delicious. The fig dessert was beautifully plated with amazing greek yogurt ice cream. Chocolate pot au creme was too rich to finish. My favorite were the sorbets--they were the perfect consistency of creamy yet icy and the peach flavor was phenomenal. I just want a bowl with a scoop of greek yogurt ice cream and a scoop of peach sorbet!

Chocolate Pot au Creme

Seasonal Sorbet

Raspberry, Peach, Mango

FIG Bars

Greek Yogurt Ice Cream

Ribs and Coconut Cake

The Tap Room

at The Lodge at Pebble Beach

1700 17-Mile Drive

Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Located in the main building of the Lodge at Pebble Beach, the Tap Room a favorite destination for hungry golfers after an 18-hole game. Surrounded by a dark mahogany decor and the background noise of games playing on the television, the hearty dishes offered on the menu reinforce the feeling of comfort and warmth. The finishing touch is the amazing, towering coconut cake on display that tempts anyone who walk in the door.

Classic French Onion Soup

Toasted Croutons & Gruyère Cheese

Baby Back Pork Ribs

Slow Roasted & Grilled with a Smokey Barbeque Sauce, Cole Slaw & Fries

Kobe Brie Burger

Half Pound Kobe Beef Burger, Pepper Bacon, Brie on a Brioche Bun

Maine Lobster Salad Sandwich

Served Open Face, Celery Root, Watercress & Endive Salad

Coconut Cake

with fresh berries

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Porta Bella

Ocean Avenue & Monte Verde

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Before I started school again, my mom and I went to the Lodge at Pebble Beach for a relaxing spa and food-filled week. Once we settled in at the hotel, we test drove the hotel's Lexus convertible into beautiful Carmel and stopped by at this quaint and warm restaurant right on the main street in Carmel. Porta Bella, the "quintessential Carmel restaurant," lived up to its name and my mom and I had a lovely light lunch.

Seared Scallop, Prawns, and Citrus Salad

organic spinach, citrus fruit, ginger dressing

Duck and Feta Ravioli

sundried tomatoes, sage, Romano cheese

homemade and delicious--brought back memories of the fresh raviolis I bought from the farmer's market in Paris

Espresso Chocolate Mousse Cake