Favorite Restaurants Reviews
La Botte Ristorante
Address: 620 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90401
A hop, skip, and a jump down from the main thoroughfare of Santa Monica Boulevard in Santa Monica, you'll find La Botte. Meaning “wine bottle” in Italian, La Botte is owner Stefano de Lorenzo’s upgraded version of his popular, postage-stamp-sized Piccolo Ristorante in neighboring Venice. The wine concept glows in a warmly elegant décor of variegated wine stained wood flooring and wine cask wainscoting. A “vino paradiso” exists in La Botte’s 1,600 bottles of wine. Chef Luigi Fineo creatively infuses contemporary freshness into the Northern Italian appetizers, pasta, and entrees for an authentic Italian dining experience that will have you begging for more.
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Spark Woodfire Grill
Address: 9575 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035
Spark Woodfire Grill serves all the great food you’d want in a fine steak restaurant, in a chic, laid back atmosphere. With partner locations in Studio City and Huntington Beach, Spark is known for its open-hearth wood fire oven, mesquite grill, and steak broiler. The menu features fine steaks, but also offers home-cooking favorites you might not expect. Hamburgers, baby back ribs, lasagna, and a selection of wood fired pizzas offer a range of dinner options. Located in West Los Angeles near Beverly Hills, Spark has a full bar with a great happy hour and extensive facilities for private parties and events.
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La Serenata De Garibaldi
Address: 1416 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
After building a following for twelve years in Boyle Heights, Jose and Aurora Rodriguez opened a second branch of their traditional Mexican restaurant near Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade in 1997. During the week, La Serenata attracts nearby office workers, and weekends bring daters and tourists. The south-of-the-border décor features cast iron chandeliers, faux balconies, and a gazebo-like kiosk with a Spanish tile roof. La Serenata specializes in seafood like jumbo shrimp and market-fresh fish paired with an array of salsas. For dessert, Jose and Aurora’s son, Marco Antonio, contributes tres leches cake and flan.
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Dolce
Address: 8284 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046
One step inside from the bustle of Melrose takes you into Dolce, a trendy Italian restaurant with a cozy dark decor and some fantastic people watching. Known for its ambiance, tasty Italian classics, and hip crowd, Dolce is perfect for a romantic date, or a pre-club meal. From the traditional Pesto Gnocchi and Osso Bucco to the more fusion-based Tuna Tartare and Mango Bruschetta, Dolce's menu caters to all tastes and appetites. Drink options include a full wine list, including selections by the glass, as well as a large selection of cocktails. It is certain that Dolce's decor and ambiance are the restaurant's main appeal, but the menu is laced with undeniable treasures.
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Cafe Sevilla Long Beach
Address: 140 Pine Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90802
Rogelio and Janet Huidobro opened the first Café Sevilla in 1987, honoring their homeland with a Spanish restaurant in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. After finding additional success in Riverside, they launched in downtown Long Beach in 2006. Mid week, the old-world setting draws business types. Weekends attract a younger crowd for upstairs dancing and dinner shows. Café Sevilla specializes in pans of paella and traditional Spanish tapas. The reasonably priced wine list is especially strong on full-bodied Spanish reds like Tempranillo and Torre Oria.
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