The Official Los Angeles Shopping + Dining Thread

[willpower]

Niche Colognes in WEHO/Hollywood/Mid City Apothia at Fred Segal Melrose. 8118 Melrose Avenue - A few Creeds, L'Artisan, C&S Santa Maria Novella 8411 Melrose Place near La Cienega - Amazing classic Italian scents. The Scent Bar 8327 Beverly Blvd near the Bev Ctr - Bring a lot of $ because you'll want to buy everything. This is prolly the best niche spot in the US selection-wise. Le Labo 3rd St and Orlando near the Bev Ctr - Some amazing (and expensive) scents. Gendarmerie 9069 Nemo St Behind the Troubador - The entire Gendarme line of fragrances and a great spa.

 

[PG2G]

Originally Posted by FiveFiveFive

Fried chicken -- Furaibo in Gardena (I think the one in LA closed?)

I think the Koreans get the win when it comes to Asian chicken wings. I used to be a fan of Furaibo until I started eating Kyochon (still haven't made it to Bon chon). Now Furaibo tastes like pepper and Kyochon tastes like awesome.

 

[Jay-D]

Originally Posted by Wu Dynasty

Just don't go to The Standard. That place is douchey as ****.

This made me laugh. Made the mistake of staying there one time.

Great recommendations here, but not being from LA I would like to see some hotel recommendations. Any suggestions?

Restaurants wise, how about suggestions for nice restaurants for taking a wife to dinner? I am always looking for bistros with great wine lists. My usual places have been Koi, Nobu, and Katana (all Asian fusion) which are not bistros, but the only good places that have not let me down. Some of the places mentioned already may be in the ball park, but please mention it for the non-LA guys.

Thank you for the great thread and suggestions. Keep it going! There should be a thread like this for every major city. NYC crowd should get one started as well!

 

[Spencer]

Originally Posted by Atsui

This made me laugh. Made the mistake of staying there one time.

Great recommendations here, but not being from LA I would like to see some hotel recommendations. Any suggestions?

Restaurants wise, how about suggestions for nice restaurants for taking a wife to dinner? I am always looking for bistros with great wine lists. My usual places have been Koi, Nobu, and Katana (all Asian fusion) which are not bistros, but the only good places that have not let me down. Some of the places mentioned already may be in the ball park, but please mention it for the non-LA guys.

Thank you for the great thread and suggestions. Keep it going! There should be a thread like this for every major city. NYC crowd should get one started as well!

Hotels

Huntley Santa Monica
Shutters on the Beach
The Peninsula
Four Seasons Beverly Hills
Fairmont Santa Monica
W Westwood

As far as a Bistro, how about Tavern in Brentwood.

 

[CityHunter]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

Nickel Diner in downtown, near Coles

the BEST BEST macaroni and cheese I've ever had. Has a nice kick to it and isnt the soupy kind of mac n cheese but a thick fork eating consistency. They are known for their bacon bits donut which is really good, but I prefer their red velvet donut.

Don't forget their home made pop tarts! Nickel Diner is amazing.

Pizza: Tomato Pie (On Melrose and Faifax, and in Silver Lake)
Ice Cream: Scoops (sure, it is overrun by hipsters. But damn, do they make some wierd/awesome flavors. On Heliothrope next to LACC)
Ramen: Shin Sen Gumi (Rosemead, on Valley)
Yakitori: Shin Sen Gumi (Monterey Park, on Atlantic)
Chinese: Chi Dynasty (on Hillhurst in Los Feliz)
Hainan Chicken: Savoy Kitchen (on Valley)

 

[ConcernedParent]

Fish Tacos:
El 7 Mares ($1 Tuesday) in Silverlake
Tacos Baja Ensenada ($1 Wednesday) in East Los Angeles

Korean BBQ: In addition to Soot, theres a place in Ktown called Odaesan thats $10 all you can eat... and passable.

Deserts:
Milk- sandwichs are decent too, it's right on the border between La Brea and West Hollywood on Beverly.

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by CityHunter

Don't forget their home made pop tarts! Nickel Diner is amazing. Pizza: Tomato Pie (On Melrose and Faifax, and in Silver Lake)
really? i've gone to tomato pie twice and both times the pizza was soggy and awful. it's a shame too since the silverlake one is just a few blocks from me. scoops is fun but kind of a let down. "chocolate bacon" was just chocolate and "pabst blue ribbon strawberry" was just strawberry. also, it isn't overrun by hipsters, it's overrun by CYCLISTS, and cyclists in LA are some of the city's worst. agree with you on chi dynasty. i really like their soup.

 

[hossoso]

Oinksters on Colorado.

 

[FiveFiveFive]

Originally Posted by PG2G

I think the Koreans get the win when it comes to Asian chicken wings. I used to be a fan of Furaibo until I started eating Kyochon (still haven't made it to Bon chon). Now Furaibo tastes like pepper and Kyochon tastes like awesome.
*Nodding* Forgot to mention Tsuruhashi for Japanese BBQ, but that's actually in Fountain Valley.

 

[aizan]

oinkster's pastrami doesn't hold a candle to the better delis in town.

tomato pie got #7 on gq's list of top 25 pizzerias in america, so it has some fans. i recommend antica, larocco's, pavich's, vito's, joe's, and garage (what they say about elmer is true).

 

[CityHunter]

Originally Posted by mharwitt

really? i've gone to tomato pie twice and both times the pizza was soggy and awful. it's a shame too since the silverlake one is just a few blocks from me.

scoops is fun but kind of a let down. "chocolate bacon" was just chocolate and "pabst blue ribbon strawberry" was just strawberry. also, it isn't overrun by hipsters, it's overrun by CYCLISTS, and cyclists in LA are some of the city's worst.

Gah...sucks to hear about your experience with Tomato Pie...everytime I've been there they've been spot-on.
And thank you for correcting me about Scoops' clientele...the majority ARE cyclists, although you couldn't tell by they way they dressed.

Dive bar: Gold Room in Echo Park (on Sunset).
$4 = a pint of house beer and a shot of bottom-shelf tequila. Free tacos. Get fucked up and save some money!

 

[driveslowk]

I've updated the OP list a bit, gonna keep me busy for months!

 

[theom-]

Steven Alan in Santa Monica Craft LA American Rag on La Brea Hollywood Trading Co. Douglas Fir Rising Sun in Pasadena As for food: Larkin's in Eagle Rock Blue Hen Vietnamese in Eagle Rock Good Girl Dinette in Highland Park *****'s in Eagle Rock Original Saladang (I prefer over Saladang Song) Don't know much food on the west side.

 

[raginberriodoom]

Originally Posted by kelvinsense

i love daikokiuya

My friends and I always debate about Shinshengumi vs Daikokuya... I'm more of a Shensengumi fan.

Originally Posted by jet

bld
aoc
axe
gjelina
comme ca
lucky boy (breakfast burrito)
mori sushi
asanebo
joes pizza
osteria mozza
outdoor grill for tritip sandwiches w/mac n cheese
bandera west la
gulfstream century city

all jet approved

Used to start off the day with a whole Lucky Boys breakfast burrito...don't think I could do it anymore.

 

[jet]

^i never could finish them and i get them with bacon and sausage plus tons of their sauce but this is late at night if we happen to be at dbag central aka old town on my way back home