Favorite Restaurants Reviews
Spark Woodfire Grill - Studio City
Address: 11801 Ventura Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 91604 (Map)
In May of 1999, Bill Chait, Danilo Terribili and chef Jeff Sladicka partnered to open this Studio City restaurant specializing in mesquite-grilled meat and seafood. The second floor hosts a sleek black lounge and a dining room framed by wine racks, but the real action is downstairs, in a boisterous dining room with views of the exhibition kitchen. At lunch, expect to find entertainment execs. During the week, Spark draws locals, and on weekends, it’s a dater’s playground. Signature dishes include Roman-style pizzas, grilled Atlantic salmon, and steaks. No matter what you order, save room for the house-baked apple walnut cobbler.
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The Stinking Rose
Address: 55 North La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90211 (Map)
If your idea of a great meal is garlic, garlic, and more garlic, head to Restaurant Row on La Cienega and visit The Stinking Rose. Executive Chef and owner Andrea Froncillo has created a garlic lover’s paradise, featuring great food in a wildly fun, garlic-themed atmosphere. Fantastic for large parties, the restaurant boasts a varied menu with specialties including roasted crab, prime rib, pastas, and giant tureens of steamed clams, all bathed in garlic. Don’t forget to visit "Dracula’s Grotto," one of many ornately decorated rooms, and to try Gilroy’s Famous Garlic Ice Cream.
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Cicada
Address: 617 South Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 (Map)
Adelmo Zarif’s restaurant has occupied a dazzling Art Deco space in downtown’s historic core since moving from West Hollywood in May 1997. Cicada fills the bottom two stories of the Oviatt Building, featuring towering mahogany pillars, plenty of gold, and pristine white tablecloths. Cicada is a fine-dining establishment that’s especially popular for birthdays, weddings and the occasional marriage proposal. Tokyo native Suzay Cha prepares northern Italian cuisine with Asian accents. The menu changes twice a year, but typically includes Ahi Tuna Tartar with Avocado, Piquillo Peppers and Wasabi Caviar and Pappardelle with Filet Mignon Bolognese Sauce.
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Roy's
Address: 453 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (Map)
Nested in the center Newport’s ritzy Fashion Island, Roy’s offers a high-end dining experience which combines the freshest Pacific ingredients with European culinary techniques and Asian spices. While the service is not always spectacular, the food speaks for itself, from perfect lobster potstickers to perfect scallops to a dangerously palatable Hawaiian-style cosmopolitan. The atmosphere is dressy, yet comfortable, with a hipster musical playlist, older women wearing Chanel and pearls, and young girls in trendy boutique dresses. This is less of a place to be seen or treated like royalty, and more of a place to enjoy quality cuisine.
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Tantra
Address: 3705 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Map)
Tantra restaurant, located in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, is owner Navraj Singh’s most generous gift to the community. Beginning at the ornate, hammered-metal doors and continuing throughout is an opulence that far exceeds any expectation. This gorgeous space was designed by Sat Garg of Akar Studios in Santa Monica, and is profoundly beautiful. It is a setting that perfectly compliments Chef Sanjay Kumar’s masterful preparations. His menu is a sophisticated mélange of traditional Indian cuisine and contemporary ingredients, with a broad range of tandoori dishes from the north and masala based dishes from the south of India.
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