Los Angeles Area, CA

Eating out in Los Angeles Area, CA

Los Angeles cuisine has seen more ups and downs than an elevator. Just 20 years ago, gourmands of means haughtily jetted up to San Francisco "to get a decent meal." The over-the-top 1980s brought LA out of the culinary dark ages, but quickly lost its sense of reality with toddler-size portions from indecipherably "haute" menus. Things have evened out and now the City of Angels competes well with any major city of the world in the diversity and quality of its eateries. The "fusion" trend has caught on not only in the cooking, but in the restaurant style as well. Many elite restaurants have opened up adjacent alter ego cafés to give diners the choice of a sophisticated banquet or quick bite to go without having to take an equal bite out of your wallet or sacrifice quality. Dig in!.

Gourmet

Patina is owned by Joachim Splichal, quite possibly LA's best-of-the-best chefs, who also excels at finding and training new talent to help maintain his lofty standards. The dining room and menu equally portray a "basic elegance," that belies the grandeur beneath. Seasonal menus include pheasant and mallard duck. 5955 Melrose Avenue.

Highly Recommended

Go to Mimosa's, and you might very well share your lunch hour with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Is that reason enough to go? Well, for star-gazers, yes, but for the not-so-easily-impressed, even your attention will be riveted by the food at this country French bistro. The culinary buzzword these days is Provençal, which means the likes of slow-cooked pork roast with horseradish lentils, and chef Jean-Pierre Bosc masters it so well he makes madness of the maitre d's job of fending off the throngs! 8009 Beverly Blvd.

Local Flair

Musso and Frank Grill, opened in 1919, is the godfather of the Old Hollywood establishment, and is still popular with entertainment power brokers. Hemingway tossed back a few within its walls and it was nearly a throne room for Orson Welles. The oak-beamed ceilings, red leather booths, and chandeliers make a picture-perfect setting for wheeling and dealing. The menu is extensive in hearty American and Continental cuisine. Flannel cakes - crépe-thin pancakes flipped to order - are the house specialty. 6667 Hollywood Blvd.

Romantic

The Raymond is perfect for a daytime meal with your parents, but once the stars come out, it is transformed into a lovers' lair. Before Pasadena became the epicenter of trendiness, this charmer - set in a caretaker's cottage of a long-gone hotel - was already serving its simple California/Continental menu of fare such as lamb and Long Island roast duck to the delight of trend-free diners. Tucked into a "sleepy corner of Pasadena," its hideaway setting just adds to its ambiance. 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena.

Going party in Los Angeles Area, CA

The real action is in the diverse dance clubs that sprawl across the city's many neighborhoods, since Los Angelinos aren't much the type to spend a whole night drinking fast and hard in a stuffy bar like Bogart in one of his movies. Most bars are just a place meet up and strike a pose before heading off to the hot club du jour. In fact, when it comes to "social drinking," coffee houses are the preferred choice for most Gen-Xers and assorted yuppies. If your interests go beyond drinking and dancing, Hollywood, the Westside, and Santa Monica are home to plenty of spots for comedy, theater, and cabaret. For the cultivated among you, there are many fine operas, ballets, and symphonies.

Cat N' Fiddle Pub and Restaurant

There's no need to worry about being kept out by a velvet rope or being treated snootily at this "no A-list" watering hole. This place is a nod to snug British pubs complete with a dartboard, and an LA bonus of a spacious, open-air fountain courtyard. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.

House of Blues

This Dan Aykroyd club is a sure-fire good time, every time. Guests are constantly treated to superb performances by diverse and acclaimed musicians like Soul Coughing and Randy Newman. If you've only got time to go once, try to make it to the gloriously roof-raising Sunday Gospel brunch! Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.

Comedy Store

You might get a new kid just starting to develop his style or an established jokester who's master of his domain, either way, you'll laugh 'till it hurts with the back-to-back stand-ups at this first-rate landmark club. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.

Hollywood Bowl

This elegant, Grecian amphitheater cradled in a small mountain canyon is the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. A favorite tradition is one of picnicking under the stars while internationally-acclaimed orchestras and soloists fill the air with classical music. For variety, the Bowl also hosts a jazz series, rock concerts, and an annual Mariachi Festival. Highland Ave, Hollywood.

LA Theatre Works

The marriage of media and theater has resulted in award-winning performances of plays by literary giants such as Arthur Miller and Neil Simon by acclaimed actors like Jason Robards, John Lithgow, and Richard Dreyfuss. Dedicated to reviving the nearly lost art of radio theater this organization is backed by many councils like the National Endowment for the Arts. Venice Blvd, Venice.

Anastasia's Asylum

An eclectic clientele, diverse live music, vintage furniture, rotating art exhibits, a great menu, and a great cup o' joe - what more could you want from a coffee house? Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica.

The Viper Room

This funky spot for jazz, rock, swing, and house acts is brought to you courtesy of Johnny Depp. An ultra-cool crowd with plenty of celebrity sightings makes this nightclub a favorite of the young-and-tragically-hip. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood .

The Roxy

The record industry "unveils" its newest talent at this prime nightclub, with an impressive sound system and an intimate ambiance adding to its popularity. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.

Whisky-A-Go-Go

This hard rock nightclub is one of the best of its kind, but its great claim to fame comes as the spot of some high-profile antics by Jim Morrison of The Doors that procured the club much national attention in the age of tie-dye. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.

Common events in Los Angeles Area, CA

Tournament of Roses

This showy parade down Colorado Blvd is famous for its lavish floats, music, and exquisite equestrian entries. Pasadena, January 1.

Native American Film Festival

Films by or about Native Americans debut at this festival that seeks to express the ideals of this ancient culture. Los Angeles, January.

Chinese New Year

The universal image of this celebration is a colorful dragon weaving through crowded streets, and that's just what you'll see here. Chinese opera and other varied cultural presentations are also presented. Chinatown, February.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Each year, Santa Barbarans welcome film lovers to their lovely city for what many see as the Cannes of California. Foreign and independent film producers debut their work amidst a whirlwind of appearances by noted actors and directors, with seminars on the latest fads in filmmaking. March.

Toyota Grand Prix

There's just something flat-out exciting about watching Indy-class cars racing through the streets of an otherwise typical downtown. The streets of Long Beach host just such an event that draws world-class drivers from the US and Europe, along with celebrity contestants and plenty of spectators to line the "track." Long Beach, April.

Renaissance Pleasure Faire

The somewhat remote Glen Helen Regional Park becomes the area's center of attention when one of America's largest Renaissance festivals brings to life an Elizabethan marketplace complete with costumed performers. Get thee in the sp'rit and don ye period costume! Weekends, April - Memorial Day, San Bernadino.

Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters

For over 60 years, the artsy community of Laguna Beach has been patron to a performance art festival wherein actors re-create famous masterpiece paintings. To round out the activities there is also music, crafts, art demonstrations, and workshops. Laguna Beach, July - August.

Beach Festival

Two full weeks of fun-in-the-sun-with-a-purpose feature 2 surfing competitions - the US Open and the world-class Pro - plus X-treme events like BMX biking, skateboarding, in-line skating, and so on. Not only is there the expected food and entertainment, but this festival also has a bonus array of product booths giving away great stuff to the hordes of tanned, swimsuit-clad attendees. Huntington Beach, July.

Los Angeles County Fair

Horse racing, art, carnival rides, and celebrity entertainment are the main attractions at this fair which is one of the biggest of its kind in the world. September.

American Film Institute's Los Angeles International Film Festival Some of the biggest, hottest, and most-promising about-to-be-discovered names in the international film community gather together at this event for the unveiling of the newest productions from around the world. Oscar-winner Roberto Benigni came here for the American debut of Life Is Beautiful. Los Angeles, October.

Hollywood Christmas Parade

This star-studded parade pulls out all the stops as it sweeps through the heart of Hollywood thrilling spectators with close encounters of the celebrity kind! December.