MEET ME AT 'THE HALL'

West Hollywood is certainly known for being an interesting place. It's kind of that 'middle ground' between gritty Hollywood and the more relaxed Westside, making it a perfect place for clubs, lounges, bars and restaurants. It is home to the Sunset Strip, as well as La Cienega Boulevard's Restaurant Row. You'll find cool dives like Barney's Beanery (the original), and uber chic spots like Bar 1200 at the Sunset Marquis Hotel. It's also home to some of Los Angeles' infamous nightlife: Area, Sky Bar, Bar Marmont to name a few. And it also boasts super-hot restaurants like Koi, Asia de Cuba, and NYC-transplants STK and BLT Steak.

Smack dab in the middle of where Santa Monica Boulevard meets La Cienega is a nice little "getaway" called Palihouse. It proudly refers to itself as a place that offers the best of a boutique hotel and a luxury residence. Their main draw is their huge lounge area, whose theme is a well-mixed concoction of bohemian-chic and Euro-hipster zip. Unlike other Hollywood and WeHo spots, the Palihouse doesn't give off any hints of pretentiousness. While the clientele is an obvious fusion of folks from nearby Beverly Hills and the hipster WeHo crowd, there seems to be nothing but smiles and good times happening here. The staff is attentive and friendly, the hosts --with their heavy French accents-- are welcoming and hospitable, and the vibe of the place is chill, yet substantial. Kitschy photographs line parts of the walls, while sexy couches and chairs of all shapes and sizes are scattered around the dimly lit room. And there are even turntables at an old-school desk-turned-swank-DJ-stand. (Oh, and there's an oyster bar, too... Score!)

While the lounge earns kudos, their restaurant is the real star. The Hall Courtyard Brasserie is situated in the middle of the property's quad. It boasts an open ceiling, with sweeping views of the condotel's upper floor windows and terraces. Heat-lamps (which are a must for most L.A. evenings) help to warm the area on cooler nights, but ladies are also offered woolen throws to wrap around to keep toasty. Stringed lights swash across the air, giving off the feeling that you're dining in a Mediterranean courtyard.

What drew me here was the menu; a delicate offering of "traditional bistro cuisine" with a "market-driven modern edge." Chef Brendan Collins, whose experience has seen him through London's Cafe Royale and Pied-A-Terre, brings vibrancy, color and flavor to the impressive menu.

My friends, who are probably some of my favorite 'restaurant' people in L.A., and I tried plenty of things off the menu. We originally were feeling cheese and a charcuterie plate after having a few drinks. But our waitress advised that the cheese could leave us feeling "full," and she wanted us to really experience what The Hall had to offer. Noted.

We started off with a Braised Pork Shank Raviolo, which I can only describe as "prodigious." The pork filling was thick and oozing with flavor against a pommery mustard sheen. And to add to the sweetness of the dish was a caramelized apple slice. This was followed by a Yellowtail Crudo (with avocado, red grapefruit, and herb salad), which was fresh and just as flavorful; the citrus working as a nice palate cleanser. The third appetizer was a Roast Beet Salad made of goat cheese, blood oranges, walnuts and beet romesco; light and fresh.

A few swigs of beer and wine later, our main dishes made their way to our table much to our delectation. Jess ordered the Black Cod with cuit a la viennoise and creamed spinach. The fish was delicately prepared, and imbued with gusto. Tracey ordered the Roast Halibut, with seafood ragout, spring veggies and basil; another amazingly prepared fish. Tracey's husband, Chris, ordered a special: Kansas City Fillet, which was definitely one of the most flavorful steaks I have ever tasted in these past few years in L.A. My dish: Moules et Frites - my all-time favorite. If I see this on the menu of a French or Belgian-esque restaurant, I will try it. This dish usually makes or breaks its respective restaurant in my eyes. The Palihouse's version, made with a saffron curry sauce, was light, yet savory... effortless, yet gratifying; a sure hit for me. Oh, and those truffle shoestring fries weren't so bad either... (!) The experience was topped-off with a Chocolate Muffin, which ended up not being an actual "muffin" at all, but a warm serving of chocolate with dulce de leche ice cream and caramelized bananas.

Jess' Black Cod

My Moules in saffron curry

Truffled Frites (how i love thee...)

Stuffed as we were, we continued the night back in the lounge for one more round of drinks. Conversation was endless, laughs were rampant... an ideal end to a nice night of fun, friends, and food. Oh-so-good food.
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The Hall Courtyard Brasserie @ Palihouse Holloway, 8465 Holloway Drive, West Hollywood, CA 9006, 323.656.4020

WEIGHING IN: 8 OZ. BURGER BAR

SoCal culinary star, Govind Armstrong, is known for his spin on California Cuisine. He's also had his hand in television as a judge on Bravo's Top Chef, as well as a contestant on the very iconic Iron Chef America on the Food Network. He traces his beginnings to Beverly Hill's Spago (when he was thirteen), and furthered his training during his college years in San Francisco at another Wolfgang Puck mainstay, Postrio.

Armstrong has certainly come a long way since his humble beginnings at Spago. He has since traveled Western Europe, landing gigs at famous establishments as Excelsior at Hotel de l'Europe, and Arzak. He has been mentored by legends like Pedro Subijana (Restaurant Akelare) and Juan Mari Arzak.

It wasn't long before Chef Armstrong found his way back to Los Angeles. He eventually worked several gigs, including setting up shop at Pinot Hollywood. Eventually, the talented chef would find himself at the helm of his own restaurant: Table 8. The restaurant first opened in Los Angeles, and quickly became a favorite of the Hollywood set. Soon after, the restaurant went bi-coastal, and set-up shop in trendy Miami. And now NYC is looking to host the restaurant this year in NoHo's Cooper Square Hotel.

Last year, Armstrong decided to move Table 8 on Melrose. No word on whether or not the move has taken place, but 8 Oz. Burger Bar has already made its home in its former spot near Fairfax. 8 Oz. Burger Bar is still, obviously, Armstrong's doing. Since it's opening, it has become a strong contender against the likes of other L.A. area gourmet burger spots like Santa Monica's Father's Office, or West L.A.'s Apple Pan, and it looks like it's here to stay a while.

The signature 8 oz. burger is made of a house blend of sirloin, tri-tip, short rib and chuck cured in the restaurant's Himalayan salt-tiled locker. The burger is cooked medium rare to medium, and is served with standard iceberg lettuce, pickle, tomato, white onion, and the 8 oz. "special sauce." Also on it's menu of burgers: the Melrose (house blend, wild baby arugula, garlic roasted tomatoes, and red onion marmalade) and the Estancia Grass Fed Beef (heirloom tomato ketchup, garlic aioli, sliced tomato, onion, pickle, charred escarole, and roasted mushrooms). Other items to note: the Short Rib Grilled Cheese (served with onion marmalade and bel paese cheese), a number of salads, Mini Kobe Corndogs, and Fried Wisconsin Cheese Curds. For the non-red-meat-friendly: Grilled Chicken Sandwich (ranch dressing, iceberg lettuce, tomato, red onion, and grated carrot), Fillet of Fish, and Veggie Burger are for the taking.

An array of beers, as well as shakes, malts and floats, are available to accompany each meal. And for happy endings, there are delectable treats such as Banana Rum Bread Pudding, Banana Split, and cupcakes (chocolate or carrot).

The space itself is pretty casual, with a hip gastro-pub feel. On busy nights, the restaurant boasts music playing background to the sounds of conversations of all types. Tables are full, and even the small bar area plays home to local hipsters and Hollywood-ers. Despite this, 8 Oz. Burger Bar gives off no air of pretention, and will surely have you craving more.
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8 Oz. Burger Bar, 7661 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046, 323.852.0008

(Photo courtesy of EaterLA.com)

I GOT YOUR CRAZY!

I know that I live in an imperfect world. In fact, I am very much prone to running into some crazy shit. Sometimes I think I'm a magnet for embarrassing moments, awkward situations, and sheer craziness in all forms. To me, it makes for a more interesting life. Why not laugh every now and then, right? Laugh at yourself, laugh at others... it's all relative.

Los Angeles could single-handedly reign as the 'Crazy Capital of the U.S.' I say this with the utmost respect. I've seen crazy people everywhere I've been. Back home in Washington, DC, I've been enveloped by 'crazy' from the most posh of places, to the ghettos of Southeast DC. In NYC, I've bumped into 'crazy' many a times (or watched as 'crazy' actually bumped into stationary objects; yes). Chicago's got 'crazy,' too... as does Boston, Philly, oooh -- and San Francisco. But I have to say that L.A. takes the cake. In L.A., 'crazy' doesn't even need to take the form of a physical person, or an action, or a feeling. It can take the form of a hand-written add posted on a freakin' electric pole:


I'm still kind of in a state of shock after this. The Lakers? Todd Bridges? 4 or more planets in Capricorn?

Someone please call this number, and tell whoever answers that you're a reincarnation of 'Tootie' from Facts of Life, and you've got 3 planets in Virgo that want to mingle with his 4 planets in Capricorn. Oh, and tell whoever is on the other line that you love the Phoenix Suns.

WTF?!

HIDDEN AWAY...

I finally got to check out Hidden Restaurant & Garden Lounge in Santa Monica. Located in the old Schatzi's On Main space along Main St. (cross street: Marine), If there's anything to be said about the place, it is definitely the antithesis to Schatzi's. While Schatzi's was a perfect example of a neighborhood watering-hole (with a super great happy hour, by the way), its casual atmosphere has given way to a swankier, uber-chic dwelling place. Schatzi's open-air, elevated lounge area is still in place. But it's newest incarnation is as Hidden's "garden" lounge.

I checked-out Hidden with a friend, and we actually stumbled in on accident since the bar area at Chaya Venice was packed. For happy hour on a Saturday night, it was pretty dead; Chaya Venice,on the other hand, was bustling. But the ambiance was nice enough for us to hang out and check things out. The place is huge with dining and lounge areas that can go on for days. It seems like it would be a great place to host a beach-side, swanky party. We sat at the bar, and pretty much had it to ourselves for the first half hour or so. We drank vodka-sodas at the special happy hour price of $7. Not so special, actually. We also had a few appz, starting with the kobe beef tacos and pan-sauteed calamari. The calamari was sauteed with strips of pancetta, which added a nice saltiness to the dish. The beef tacos were yummy two-biters. We were obviously hungry... still. We ended up ordering ahi tuna spring rolls, and a vegetarian pizza (tomatoes, onions, eggplant and roasted red pepper).

The prices were a little high, even for happy hour. But with a continuous flow of drinks, the experience was quite bearable. I'd like to see how the place gets on a busier night. I've read reviews that glossed over the ambiance and "laid back" vibe of the scene-worthy spot, but I've also heard that the place missed the mark in service. The bar service that evening was spotless, but then again, we were two of maybe five or six people seated there.

We'll see what the future holds. I actually feel like the place could go under if it remains as quiet as it was that night, but we'll see how things work out as the warmer weather comes through. It is a nice addition to that area sitting on the cusp of Venice and Santa Monica.
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Hidden Restaurant & Garden Lounge, 3110 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405, 310-399-4800

EASTER BRUNCH (IF YOU DARE...)

Easter Sunday: the quintessential day of holy days in the Roman Catholic calendar, as well as all of Chrstiandom. At Mass this morning, I was reminded of the special meaning that this day holds for Christians. But while I sat there contemplating the mysteries of faith, my mind kept fleeting back and forth to the thoughts of the event that was to come after Mass was over: Easter Brunch.

Awful, right? I know. I pretty much suck. But God knows my heart. He knows that my heart was at Mass, even though my mind kept going elsewhere. And soon enough, the time came. The roomie and I drove to Lesley's, and we hopped into her car and headed towards Marina Del Rey. Destination: The Warehouse.

When we pulled up to the restaurant on Admiralty Way, we were welcomed into the busy parking lot by the flustered valet, who barely had enough wits about him to greet us a "Happy Easter." The place was packed! Even though we had reservations for 1PM, we had to wait just like the rest of the patrons who also had reservations. The entry way was bustling with people waiting to be seated for the $34.95 brunch buffet. We weren't seated until about 1:40PM, and we became anxious to get down to business. As soon as we sat down, our server poured us mimosas, and then we headed to our posts on the buffet line.

The ladies headed to the breakfast line, so I went to the other station. I found myself in the presence of a mish-mosh of things: salads, a carving station, comfort food (mac 'n cheese, pasta, ribs, fried chicken), Mexican, Asian, crab legs, oysters on the half shell, maki rolls, desserts and a selection of cheeses. I honestly didn't know what to do at that point, and I was putting all sorts of stuff on my plate.

My next plan of action was to head to the breakfast food line. It was moving a bit slower because people were waiting for their made-to-order pancakes and waffles. I opted not to wait, and I filled my plate with breakfast sausages, bacon, home fries, roasted potatoes, a blueberry blintze, a slice of French toast, and eggs Benedict.

Now the food wasn't super spectacular, but it was definitely a fun time. But by the time I sat down with my third (and final) plate, I could hardly touch it. I was picking at it until it was no longer nice to look at. I couldn't even think of dessert, so I had Les pick-up a few slices of whatever she could when she went to check it out.

The view of the Marina from our table

Mimosas

The remnants of my "breakfast" food plate

Finale: the final plate (which I hardly touched)

The restaurant itself is quite interesting. It is fashioned in the style of an old fisherman's warehouse; a bit kitschy, yet cool at the same time. If I could explain it, I'd probably say it's a good cross between the set of Gilligan's Island and 'The Pirates of the Caribbean' ride at Disney. There are wooden planks, fish nets, bunting, and large wooden barrels situated all over the place. To get upstairs you have to use an industrial-style lift, that looks vintagey. And you're seated on tall wooden chairs with high-backs that were very Polynesian in style.

The Warehouse is situated in the Marina, facing the private docks, so if you're seated on the outdoor patio, or inside by the big windows, you're sure to have a great view. The place gets mixed reviews. I found it charming, and understood the wait due to the holidays. The food was OK; it defintely wasn't the best, but it had it's high points. Ning enjoyed the waffles, and we all thought that the breakfast-style foods were very good.

We were useless after the food-fest, but it was well worth it; a nice chance to celebrate the end of Lent, and the beginning of the Easter season. Praise the Lord, fo sho!
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The Warehouse, 4499 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, 310-823-5451

GOOD FRIENDS BRING SMILES... GREAT FRIENDS BRING ---CHICKEN

Last Friday was a pretty random day in the office. My boss cut out early, and while she was away she received a delivery of a dozen Sprinkles cupcakes. I called her to ask what to do with them, and she said to just pass them out since they'd probably not sit well after the weekend. Pass them out I did...

I took one and brought it to my friend, Yomi. Later on in the afternoon, she came upstairs to my cube and brought something in return:


You should've seen the look on my face! I literally fell on the floor, and laughed my ass off in disbelief at my friend's sheer ghettoness. But the gesture was heart-felt, and I secretly melted. Yomi sho nuff knows the way to my heart...! (HAHAHAHA.)

Yomi is the epitome of a "great" friend. I heart her!