All posts filed under: Restaurants

Eating Cliffside at Sierra Mar (Big Sur)

*Photo from Post Ranch Inn website. If you’ve read my post on California’s most beautiful coastal city, Big Sur, and are so inclined to visit…you’ll definitely want to consider making reservations at Sierra Mar. The fine-dining restaurant rests cliffside at the Post Ranch Inn Hotel. It would be my dream to stay the night here one day, but for $1,000 per night, it’s currently a little out of my budget! My fiancé and I headed here for their lunch menu which features a three-course pre-fixed menu OR a five-course tasting menu. The staff was extremely friendly and explained the menu selections to us very thoroughly. I would describe the cuisine as fresh California fusion. There’s everything from fancier meals like lamb to a good hardy kobe beef burger and of course seafood. You also have the option to order à la carte from the prefix menu selections. The portion sizes were very good for such a nice dining experience. We both were more than full and had food leftover to take home. Although lunchtime wasn’t busy, …

Hand Rolls at KazuNori | The Original Hand Roll Bar

To all of my loyal Sugar Fish fans, you must try their new hand roll bar in downtown LA. It’s called  KazuNori | The Original Hand Roll Bar. This hot spot is a hand roll lover’s dream and is served authentic Japanese style. The small countertop restaurant seats around 20 people. We went late on a Tuesday night (around 10pm) and had no problem finding a seat. You’re given an order form and small pencil to choose from the pre-made hand roll menu which comes in options of 3-5 or you can order à la carte. Each option comes with their daily special and two other specialty rolls (i.e. scallop, yellowtail, tuna, lobster etc.) The preset combination is a bit cheaper than ordering à la carte and is similar to the style of the Sugar Fish menu. KazuNori serves it exactly the same too! You can see the chef preparing your hand rolls fresh in front of you and  they serve them one at a time. The best part, the taste…cold fresh fish on warm …

Crostini’s at Fig and Olive: Melrose Place

Looking for a trendy chic restaurant this weekend or even for a Valentine’s date? If so, now is the perfect time to try Fig & Olive on Melrose Place. The upscale restaurant is absolutely gorgeous with its elegant white decor. It almost feels as if you’re eating in a luxe garden patio at night in some foreign land. The menu features a variety of fresh and healthy Mediterranean inspired dishes. They have a wide selection of appetizers, including a mouthwatering selection of Crositinis. The dishes are in the $20-$30 range, but the portions are a generous size so I don’t think you’ll be left hungry. They also provide bread with three different types of olive oils from around the world for you to try before or during your meal. Your server will explain the origin of each oil at the table. I came here for dinner on a Wednesday night and was surprised at how crowded the restaurant was. You will definitely want to make reservations when coming here. It is the perfect place to meet …

Breakfast Sandwich from Eggslut in Downtown LA

*Pic from website. Located in Grand Central Market in downtown LA is one hardy, ooey-gooey breakfast sandwich! If the name doesn’t intrigue you and pull you in, than the pictures on their Instagram feed certainly will. This instafamous breakfast spot, is open 7 days a week from 8am to 4pm. The menu has six exciting sandwiches and two specialities (one being the “slut”). The slut is a coddled egg on top of a smooth potato purée, poached in a glass jar and served with a demi baguette.  If you’re trying to watch your carb intake, they offer all of the sandwiches on a salad. The line is usually long here and has limited counter seating so be prepared to get your meal to-go or find seating somewhere in the market which is like a food court. However, the pay-off of the delicious sandwich is well worth the wait!

Chinese Fine Dining at Mr. Chow in Malibu

If you’ve been in LA long enough or frequent celebrity-gossip blogs, you’ve probably heard of the fine dining Chinese restaurant,”Mr. Chow.” Asian-fusion cuisine seems to be a big “thing” in LA and I can’t say that I’m mad at it. Most people are familiar with the Beverly Hills location on Camden Dr. (parallel) to the famous Rodeo Drive. However, LA has two locations. I recently tried Mr. Chow Malibu which is inside of the high-end shopping center, Malibu Country Mart. The menu is very similar in both locations…delicious. The dishes are meant to be shared and served “family style.” One of the more popular dishes is the Mr. Chow Noodles. You can typically catch one of the noodle chef’s coming out in the middle of your dinner to demonstrate the process of making noodles to the entire restaurant. If you’ve never seen this before, you’ll be highly impressed with the precision that goes into it. Lychee Martini Mr. Chow Noodles Water Dumplings Drunken FishShrimp Fried Rice & Velvet Chicken*Additional favorite (not shown): Green Shrimp