The Official Los Angeles Shopping + Dining Thread

[lawyerdad]

+1 on Lukshon. Haven't been there in a while, but had several really nice meals.
The place across the way (both are in the Helms Bakery complex) seems to be blessed or cursed depending on your perspective. I loved Beacon, and the pasta place that followed it and closed fairly recently (brain cramping on the name) was good, too.

 

[jlchau]

Bucato is the pasta place. Been meaning to try that one as well.

 

[YoungAmerican]

I've got a show at UCB Franklin on Tuesday night. It's five bucks, you should come.

 

[erictheobscure]

I normally avoid restaurant weeks because they're kind of miserable. Is dineLA any different or should I uphold my policy?

 

[Kid Nickels]



I normally avoid restaurant weeks because they're kind of miserable. Is dineLA any different or should I uphold my policy?

I think it really depends on the place. I tend to avoid the "nicer" restaurants that might attract more of a crowd that wouldn't normally go otherwise… generally seem to be hit or miss with more of the latter. I did have a good lunch at Fundamental which always has interesting food and a nice dinner at FIG in SaMo, although they do not seem to be participating this time.

 

[lawyerdad]



Bucato is the pasta place. Been meaning to try that one as well.

That's it - thanks.
Oh, and I obviously misspoke when I said it had closed. I was (mis)remembering that Evan Funke left his post as chef there this past May.

 

[lawyerdad]



I've got a show at UCB Franklin on Tuesday night. It's five bucks, you should come.

Thanks for giving us the heads-up. I'll be out of town - but break a leg.

To Eric's question - my limited experience with DineLA has been solidly negative. I avoid it.

 

[erictheobscure]

Had actuslly never been to Jitlada before. What a bizarre experience. I knew it was a dive, but what a dump inside--not just worn down but pretty close to straight-up gross. And then you look at the menu and see lots of $25-$50 dishes and think, "WTF?" The first dish I tried (mussels in broth with green sauce) was so good it had me almost convinced that the dumpiness didn't matter and that I should return to order some $40 fish or something. Then everything else was kind of meh.

Meh.

 

[CityHunter]



I've got a show at UCB Franklin on Tuesday night. It's five bucks, you should come.

Damn, should have noticed this before. I would have been down to support! Great to see a fellow SF-er in the improv/comedy scene (I do improv).

Refreshing - in my experience, people in comedy don't really care about what they wear (men, at least). At least in LA. This may apply to NYC as well.

 

[YoungAmerican]

There are a few exceptions - I know some comedy guys who are into dressing. Rob Corddry and Jason Mantzoukas did cameos in our last season of Put This On. Both do pretty well for themselves. Moshe Kasher's really well dressed. Paul Feig. Paul F. Tompkins. Dave Holmes. Though I guess that's like seven out of a thousand.

 

[JL77]

We have a growing customer base of comedians that come and shop at SELA pretty consistently. It's been interesting to watch it spread through their scene.

 

[Roycru]

We like going to Petrossian at 321 North Robertson (a block north of Beverly Blvd) for lunch. I usually have the Chicken Salad and my friend has one of the caviar things. The Chicken Salad looks like this.......



We usually share a Vanilla Panna Cotta with Expresso Caviar for dessert (or we walk a few blocks south to Georgetown Cupcake and share a vanilla cupcake).



Petrossian has all sorts of special caviar tasting events in the evenings and now has a Pate menu again. However, we never go to Petrossian, or any other restaurant that participates in DineLA, during the two weeks of DineLA, which is why we went to Mauro's at Fred Segal this week. (Mauro's was rather noisy but we had fun looking around in Fred Segal.)

Before and after lunch, we walk around on Robertson and look at things in the stores. The Los Angeles branch of Suit Supply is opening a block north of Petrossian later this year, however, the Barker Black store across the street closed a while back, and the Ralph Lauren store a few blocks south recently closed. (The fixtures were being moved out when we walked by.)

http://www.petrossian.com/restaurant-west-hollywood-restaurant-and-boutique-7.html

 

[Spencer]

Went to Gracias Madre for the first time last night. Drinks were excellent, very unique, food was good, wasn't expecting much, I mean as far as Vegan Mexican goes I guess it can't be beat. Real pretty restaurant and great patio.

Holy smoke shows batman! That place was seriously flooded with smoking hot instagram/fashion blogger type of chicks. That and the drinks made the night worth it.

 

[lawyerdad]



instagram/fashion blogger type of chicks. That and the drinks made the night worth it.

Maybe the image I'm getting isn't the one you mean to convey, but I'd take that as an indicator that it'll prove an obnoxious place to drink. LA has no shortage of beautiful women. Different strokes and all that, but my own tastes run more to those who don't make you immediately think, "wow, she must be an instagrammer or fashion blogger!""

 

[Kid Nickels]



Maybe the image I'm getting isn't the one you mean to convey, but I'd take that as an indicator that it'll prove an obnoxious place to drink. LA has no shortage of beautiful women. Different strokes and all that, but my own tastes run more to those who don't make you immediately think, "wow, she must be an instagrammer or fashion blogger!""

Agreed… but theeeeeen, when they start talkING like thiiiiiiiissss, and sayING everyTHING as if it's a quessssTION for no apparent reeeeeaSON except for the fact that mayyyyyyyBE they've been partiALLY lobotoMIZZZZZZED… anyway, ******* idiots the lot of 'em.