Top Restaurants in Los Angeles - Places to eat in LA

I just returned from another exciting trip to the Los Angeles area. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to dine at a variety of places along the Southern California coast, and I’m posting some of my experiences here for your enjoyment. Please share your favorite places to eat in the comments section below.

Ventura Beach, CA Dining

Cafe Pacifico - Mexican / Baja Coastal
Marriott Ventura Beach, 2055 East Harbor Boulevard, Ventura, CA 93001, 805-643-6000
I’m starting off the beaten path here, but my recent trip took me to Ventura Beach, CA. The Marriott is definitely the place to stay in town. While not beachfront, the ocean is just right around the corner - a short walk or bike ride away. Cafe Pacifico was the surprise dining experience of this recent trip. I had to kick off my CA visit with fish tacos, tortilla soup and a house salad. They were all excellent. The breakfast buffet was also a pleasant surprise. Even if you’re not staying at the Marriott, a visit to Cafe Pacifico is definitely worth your while. www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/oxrvb-ventura-beach-marriott

Thousand Oaks, CA Dining

Marmalade Cafe & Catering Co.
140 Promenade Way # I, Westlake Village, CA 91362, 805-370-1331
I had the pleasure of meeting talented radio promoter Alan Rommelfanger for lunch, and he picked this nice spot right off Hwy 101. Strangely, I realized I had been to the Promenade at Westlake before to pick up lunch at Bristol Farms. The service at Marmalade was very slow and the food was forgettable, but the company made up for the lackluster dining experience. http://www.marmaladecafe.com/

After my trip to Thousand Oaks, I took the Malibu Canyon from 101 to the Pacific Coast Highway. What a breathtaking strip of highway. That was at least my third trip on that stretch, and it was just as awe-inspiring as the first. If you’re in LA, it’s worth driving up to Thousand Oaks just to take that drive.

Santa Monica, CA Dining

Papillon at Loews Santa Monica - Fireside Lounge
1700 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310-458-6700
The Santa Monica Loews hotel in is unquestionably one of my favorite places to be in the entire World. With oceanfront views overlooking the Santa Monica pier, and World-class dining and shopping options just footsteps away, the Loews just can’t be beat. I always grab a bite at the Papillon hotel lounge or outdoors poolside. And it’s not for the food. It’s for the location, the star sightings, and the feeling that you’re in the middle of something exciting. By the way, the also serve this up at Shutters, Casa Del Mar, and The Viceroy – be sure to visit them all. http://www.santamonicaloewshotel.com/

The Hump - Sushi
3221 Donald Douglas Loop Rd., Santa Monica, CA, 310-313-0977
When my friends told me that the best sushi in LA was at the Santa Monica airport, well… it seemed a bit fishy (c’mon, how could I resist?). But the chefs at The Hump fly their ingredients in daily from Tokyo fish markets in oxygen-filled containers. That’s pretty fresh. It easily has to be the best airport restaurant in the World, and many (including Frommer’s) argue that it’s the best sushi in LA.http://www.thehump.biz/

Typhoon - Asian
3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica, CA 90405, 310-390-6565
While at The Hump, be sure to go downstairs to visit owner Brian Vidor's other restaurant, Typhoon. The exhibition kitchen executes an endless menu of dishes from every corner of Asia: Japanese gyoza, Indian samosas, Chinese dim sum, Thai coconut-chicken curry, Filipino fried squid, Indonesian stir-fried noodles, and much more. Although I was too full from Sushi upstairs, I still managed to try out the delicious Kimchi. I could have eaten three bowls, and Dim Sum (one of my favorite jokes from Geechy Guy). http://www.typhoon.biz/

Cha Cha Chicken - Eclectic Caribbean
1906 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405, 310-581-1684
I’m going to lay it out for you – I love Cha Cha Chicken. During my last trip I ate there 3 times in 2 days. For this trip, going to Cha Cha Chicken was one of the things I looked forward to the most. I’m not even sure why I love it so much. It’s just a beach shack serves on the corner of Pico and Ocean Blvd. I usually get the food to go and take it back to the Loews. It’s a great affordable option that’s unique, delicious, and easy on the wallet. http://www.chachachicken.com/

Burbank, CA Dining

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant Y Cantina
3113 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91505, 818- 841-4433
My old friend and Los Angeles magician Mic Cover picked this out for a meeting spot, so I could be close to my meeting at Warner Brothers. It seemed like any other Mexican restaurant, except it had a buffet – something you don’t see too often here in North Carolina. While there were plenty of options on the buffet that you would regret later, it turned out to be the perfect lunch spot for someone willing to make smart decisions. I opted for salad and rice topped with grilled chicken and fresh salsa, along with fresh-cut fruit for desert. I would visit again without hesitation. http://www.acapulcorestaurants.com/

Warner Brothers Outdoor Café
After years of searching, I finally reconnected with my old friend Ronnie Warner. He was the first comedy club bookers to use Selected Hilarity as a headliner. He also raved about a then 15-year-old unknown comic named Dave Chappell, and held Def Comedy-style shows in Durham, NC long before Def Comedy existed. In short, Ronnie had an eye for talent and was ahead of his time. His hard work has paid off with a business partnership with Mekhi Pfieffer and a prime office on the Warner Brothers lot. We spent hours talking, laughing, and catching up. Ronnie borrowed a golf cart and we rode around the lot for a while before eating at an outdoor café. While the food was nothing special, the experience was unforgettable.

Lomita, CA Dining

Harry's Oklahoma Style Smokehouse BBQ
25501 Narbonne Avenue, Lomita, CA 90717, 310-326-9842
Can you believe I left Burbank at 4:30 PM on a Friday to drive all the way to San Pedro during peak rush hour? And can you believe it took less than an hour? I headed off to Rancho Palos Verdes to visit my old friend and former WWE Champion, Rob Van Dam. For dinner we picked up a pound each of pulled chicken and pulled pork from Harry’s. The owner has adorned the walls with photos of himself from the 70’s with lots of really old-school country music stars. My favorite picture, though, was a picture of the owner with Andy Kaufman – complete with the neck brace from the Jerry Lawler piledriver. Priceless. If you find yourself in California craving some home-style BBQ, Harry’s is the place to go. http://www.harrysokstylebbq.com/

Venice Beach, CA Dining

Figtree's Café – Oceanfront / American
429 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291, 310-392-4937
There’s no place in the World quite like the Venice Beach Ocean Front boardwalk. Ask me about my trip there with RVD and SVD offline and I’ll tell you some stories. There are plenty of oceanfront eating options in Venice, and this seemed like as good as any. We opted to eat outdoors and despite the 70 degree temperature, the wind made downright freezing. The slow service didn’t help matters, and some of our appetizers actually came out after the entrees. I had the seemingly innocuous Grilled Mahi tuna sandwich, but I was soon filled with regret. Maybe it was the hummus – but something in their “fresh ingredients” didn’t sit well. I’ll leave it at that. http://www.figtreescafe.com/

Now enough about me. Where do you like to eat in LA?

Morrissey Tour Reviews: House of Blues Concert Myrtle Beach SC

Despite attending college during the heyday of The Smiths, I didn’t get into them as much as my classmates. I have kept up with Morrissey’s solo career and admired much of his work. My wife even dragged me to see Johnny Marr and the Healers at the Cat’s Cradle a while back. But it wasn’t until the release of Morrissey’s 2004 CD “You Are the Quarry” that it all came together for me. In particular, the song “I’m Not Sorry” struck me as one of the most beautiful songs ever written by any artist in any genre. I went back to explore the full cannon of Morrissey’s work and I was hooked.

Fast forward to July 21, 2007 and a seemingly unlikely place to end Morrissey’s current “Greatest Hits” tour – Myrtle Beach, SC. Yes, the man who put the “M” in “Manchester” was planning to close his tour at the beach that put the “Red” in “Redneck”. It seemed an unlikely combination. It was my first Morrissey concert, and I had no idea what to expect.

My wife and I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott at Barefoot Landing. It’s convenient for attending the House of Blues, but not convenient for much else. By the way, be sure to eat at the House of Blues if you’re attending a General Admission seating concert. You’ll get to bypass the line and be one of the first in.

Morrissey attracts all types. The line was filled with everything from preppies to Goths to greasers, and from teenage misfits to middle aged office workers. These 2,500 or so people would otherwise never mingle, but here they were – anxiously chatting with each other in line about their favorite Moz memories.

The House of Blues is a great venue. We headed down front, slightly stage right. Even though the show was sold out, it never felt crowded. The air conditioning pumped strong all night. I’ve have never felt cooler at any concert.

After seeing a ton of concert footage from around the World, I was a little nervous about being down front. But the crowd in my section was incredibly well-mannered. They’d politely push forward when Morrissey extended his hand, then retreat like the ocean’s tide when he stepped away. The energy and adoration in the room was unreal.

And Morrissey? Well, he was awesome. From “Panic” to “How Soon is Now,” he tore through classic after classic. He joked, he smiled, he played with the crowd. According to the hardcores on the Morrissey website, it was one of his single best concerts in over 10 years.

Who would have guessed that Morrissey and Myrtle Beach would make such a winning combination? There was magic in the House of Blues that night. And I’m glad I was there to witness it.

Courtyard By Marriott New York Manhattan - Upper East Side Review

Courtyard By Marriott Upper East Side Review
Summary: New, clean, highly recommended

My wife and I go to New York City about once a year and always bid on Priceline.com for a hotel. Priceline is a bit of a gamble: you don’t know where you’ll end up until after your card is charged, and the charges are non-refundable. But NYC is very easy to get around, so it's usually a risk worth taking. This year we ended up at Courtyard By Marriott New York Manhattan - Upper East Side.

We had a lot of plans for the weekend which included attending the Saturday Night Live season finale (Midtown), visiting the fabulous Calvin Wiley (Village), and getting a passport renewed (SoHo). Based on those criteria, the Upper East Side was not where we wanted to end up. But we also had plans to visit our friend Bryan Tucker from SNL, who it turned out lived just blocks from the Courtyard.

This particular Marriott property opened in August of 2006, and everything has a newness about it that is absent from many NYC hotels. The rooms were clean, spacious (especially by NYC standards), and well laid out. In addition to our King size bed, we had a sitting area that included a couch and workstation. The bathroom was also roomy with modern amenities and a very clean shower (keep in mind this can be unusual in NYC).

Most importantly, the staff was friendly and always ready to help out. And like any good stay, we rarely needed them.

For the fitness minded travelers, the lower level features an indoor pool, locker rooms with saunas and steam rooms, and a workout area with cardio equipment, machines, and free weights. Head outside down 90th street, and it’s a straight shot to the Central Park reservoir jogging track (1.5 miles around the track, 1.5 miles to/from hotel). If you’re looking for a good 5K, walk to the track (largely uphill), jog the track and then back to the hotel (largely downhill).

When you’re hungry, head over to 2nd Avenue between 88th and 90th. At 1726 Second Ave. you’ll find a delightful Mexican eatery called Taco Taco, known for its outstanding fish tacos. On either side of Taco Taco, you’ll find casual dining ranging from Thai, to Japanese, to Southwest, to Chinese, to anything you want to eat.

The nearest subway station is a mile away, but you’d better get used to walking if you’re coming to the city. You can also easily catch a cab outside the hotel. Rides to/from LaGuardia were about $20-25 + toll ($4.50) + tip. Rides to/from midtown were $10-15, and all the way to the Village or SoHo were in the $20-25 range.

Heading into the trip, I was a bit disappointed that we ended up so far away from Midtown. But this turned out to be one of our best stays, and the Courtyard played a big part in our satisfaction. We’d definitely return to the hotel, and we recommend you give it a try, as well.

Courtyard By Marriott
Upper East Side
410 East 92nd Street
New York, New York 10128
212-410-6777
http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycmh-courtyard-new-york-manhattan-upper-east-side/

Miami Beach Travel Tips and Advice - Miami, FL

Miami Beach Travel Tips
Summary: where you stay can greatly impact your cab and food bills

I've had the pleasure of visiting Miami Beach on three occasions, staying at the charming Blue Moon, the forgettable Deauville Beach Resort, and most recently, the construction-laden Eden Roc Resort. I definitely want to return, and would like to make my next stay at the Loews Hotel. Britney Spears reportedly resided at the Loews while we were in town, no doubt eschewing the company of her soon-to-be-ex in favor of the ubiquitous business convention goers.

South Beach includes everything south of 23rd street, and is the area that the beach is most widely known for. North Beach has it's own charm, but I found my stay there costly in hidden ways. Although I did manage to jog the four miles from the Eden Roc (49th Street) to South Beach, I still took five cab rides to/from South Beach over three days. That added up to about $50 in cab fees. Plus, there were very few dining options around the Eden Roc - none of them particularly reasonable price-wise. South Beach has infinitely more dining options, plus a myriad of low-cost eateries such as Subway, Miami Subs, etc. I likely would have been able to save an extra $50 or so on food had we stayed in South Beach. That's $100 I could have blown any number of ways (a visitor to Miami Beach and his cash are easily parted).

Cab rides to/from the Miami airport to Miami Beach were a flat $32 + tip. There was absolutely no problem catching a cab from the airport, and most any hotel can flag one for you. You can theoretically hail a cab from the street, but I never had any luck. Your best bet is to duck in the nearest hotel and hail a cab from there. In fact, we ended up hitching a ride at the Ritz-Carlton after unsuccessfully trying to catch one on the street.

Miami Beach is unquestionably growing on me. It doesn't quite hold the same lure as New York, Los Angeles, or Vegas. But it's a short plane ride from Raleigh, and there is much to love: beautiful people, to-die-for weather, interesting cuisine, plentiful shopping, and so much more. Plus, you never know if that Hummer with the tinted windows holds Jennifer Lopez or a Columbian drug lord. Either way, an adventure awaits you around every corner!

Cafeteria South Beach - Miami Dining Review

Cafeteria Miami Beach Review
Summary: Hip, Tasty, Reasonably Priced

Today we continue our journey through Miami Beach dining destinations with a review of Cafeteria. The restaurant is located on South Beach's famed shopping avenue, Lincoln Road, and is a sister restaurant to New York's trendy establishment of the same name.

We did not seek this place out. I was looking for place to eat on Lincoln Road, and the menu aligned with my cravings at that particular moment in time. I was seduced by the lure of the turkey burger, as there had been week-long cookouts at the Eden Roc Resort to fuel my desire. I opted for field greens instead of fries, and Mariana chose the Baby Spinach salad. Both choices were excellent.

There were a lot of other items I would have loved to try including any of the wraps (Buffalo Chicken, Blackened Mahi, or Spicy Shrimp), the Crab Burger, the Shrimp and Garlic pizza, the Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon, the... well, you get the idea - there were a lot of good choices.

Most people opted to dine outdoors, but we sat inside and pretty much had the place to ourselves. The architecture, lighting, and music made for a very stylish dining experience, without the painful price tag of say, Nobu. The place becomes a nightclub called Air after dark, which no doubt accounts for much of the modish accouterments.

The verdict? Two ketchup bottles up. There are a lot of great places to eat on Lincoln Road, not to mention South Beach as a whole. I recommend a stop at Cafeteria for a fun, fashionable, dining experience.

Nobu Sushi - Nobu Miami Dining Review

Nobu Restaurant Miami Review
Summary: Delicious, but pricey.

I'm by no means a sushi snob. I'm just as happy eating pre-packaged crunchy shrimp rolls from Whole Foods off my kitchen counter as I am dining on Toru sashimi seated next to Kate Hudson in Malibu. But the latter makes for a better blog post. Plus, it's always fun to seek out the best sushi in town, which has lead over the past year to Nobu in Malibu, The Hump in Santa Monica, and most recently Nobu in Miami Beach.

Nobu is owned by master chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa and Robert DeNiro. The Miami Beach location is located inside the Shore Club, and is adjacent to the owners' sister restaurant, Ago. The whole package (location, ambiance, people) is way too cool for school. If you're in to paying for chic, then pull out the wallet and get ready to roll!

Here's the tally for Mariana and I:

• Two pieces of Tuna sashimi
• One order of Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno
  
• One order of Rock Shrimp tempura with spicy cream sauce

Add a couple of drinks plus the built-in 18% gratuity and the bill tipped the scales at $94. Mariana called it the best meal ever that can't be purchased at Magnolia Grill in Durham (hard to dethrone her favorite). I call it a lot to pay for a small town boy from Saxapahaw who still feels the not-too-distant pain of scrounging around for $2 worth of change to pay for a Wendy's side salad and chicken nuggets. But hey, life has been good and once in a while you've got to treat yourself.

So what's the verdict? Two chopsticks up. Count on me to make stops at Nobu in Las Vegas, London, New York, and wherever else my travels may take me. I'm saving up...

Eden Roc Resort Miami | Construction Photos & Review

Eden Roc Resort Miami Review
Summary: Highly recommended, with tempered expectations.

My wife and I just got back from three nights at the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort and Spa in Miami Beach, Florida. Mariana participated in the ECA World Fitness convention, and I went along for the ride. The Resort is a perfect destination for the fitness minded couple, making it an excellent choice for the convention. There is plenty of cardio equipment and a full gym stocked with free weights and Cybex machines. Even with a sold-out hotel filled with fitness enthusiasts, I never had to wait for a piece of equipment or treadmill.

The beachfront boardwalk is perfect for jogging, and I actually ran/walked the entire four miles to South Beach with no problem. Something about the sights and sounds makes it not seem like exercise at all.

Keep in mind that the Eden Roc is in North Miami Beach - four miles away from the restaurants, vibrant scene, and shopping of South Beach that many associate with the area. Cab rides to/from South Beach were in the $9-10 range. While the food options around the Eden Roc weren't plentiful, we did enjoy thoroughly enjoy the food and selection at the hotel's Aquatic Grill.

The service was impeccable. As Marriott Rewards members, we were granted both an early check-in and a late check-out. Also, the concierge, Robin, sent up a complimentary bottle of champagne for our five-year wedding anniversary (a nice touch that we didn't request or expect).

The pool at the Eden Roc was warm and plenty roomy. I snuck next door to the pool at the The Fontainebleau Resort Hotel and the water was unimaginably cold. Honestly, it seemed scientifically impossible to have such cold water in an pool that basks in the Miami sun. Compared to the Fontainebleau, the ocean water was downright hot by comparison and I was able to jump in the ocean without freezing to death.

All in all, an excellent stay and highly recommended. But know this: there is a lot of construction. It seemed that all of North Miami beach is under renovation. There is heavy machinery (cranes, bulldozers, earth movers) everywhere, including on the beach. The Eden Roc is adding a new tower and there is plenty of accompanying noise and dust. The detoured walk to the beach is a long one.

The Eden Roc will be magnificent when finished. But that could be the end of 2007 or later. If you're looking for a good spa destination, the Eden Roc is a fine choice - especially if you can get a good rate. If you can't stand construction, you may want to look elsewhere for now.