Step inside this restored 1928 Spanish mission-style cottage, located on Riverside in Toluca Lake, and you might think you’ve been transported to somewhere in the exotic Spanish or Latin American countryside. D’Caché is a lively restaurant where they serve modern Latin-fusion cuisine, tapas and fine wines and great drinks. Try a fresh Columbian mojito made from Aguardiente and fresh mint or raspberry, melon and strawberry mojitos and margaritas.

The converted house has medium-sized dining rooms and secluded patios with comfy sofas to lounge on underneath white draperies. The back patio also has a pretty fountain. Out there, the two-seater tables are made from huge, polished discs of wood, hand-hewn from a large tree they had to lop down in the backyard. These beautiful tables are remarkable!

D’Caché also has a smoking patio and inside there is a small private room with a ‘U’ shaped couch and a TV. Perfect for a laid-back board meeting.

Before I get to the outstanding cuisine, one feature of the experience is the Rumba Gipsy and world music performances every night. The live entertainment starts at 7pm and goes until 9.30pm or so, Tuesday ’till Saturday evenings.

I went on a Wednesday evening and the musicians were incredible. Bandidos de Amor, a talented trio of flamenco-style guitarists and singers, sounded a lot like the Gipsy Kings and played plenty of boisterous music of that flavor.

So, to start with drinks, any Spanish restaurant worth their salt had better offer sangria. At D’Caché they concoct an exotic blend of three wines with gin and perfume it with cinnamon and brandy infused apples. Also their wine list is fairly extensive and features wine from Chile, Argentina and Spain as well as domestic varieties, all priced at around $8-9 per glass, bottles also available.

We started with the soupe du jour – wild mushroom soup ($9). This was unctuous and incredibly rich and delicious; a caramelized-sweet, smooth soup that was fragrant with truffle oil. Just fantastic!

With only twelve appetizers and eight entree dishes on the menu, you can tell the kitchen does it all well. We started with a serving of three large empanadas ($12) filled with slow-cooked shredded pork and dressed with a confetti of mango salsa. Lovely! Other appetizers to snack on include tapas such as Patacones con Cerviche – shrimp cocktail over fried plantains – or a variety of pizette.

Main courses include Spanish classics such as a smoky and seafood-packed Paella ($32) and Pollo Catalan. They also offer seared blue fin tuna with a cilantro crust and a warm salad of asparagus and greens.

Brazilian-style Lamb chops, crusted with pistachio pesto ($42), were perfectly cooked. The basil and truffle oils almost gild the lily, but the red wine reduction cuts through the rich sauce like Zorro!

Everything was very rich, so order wisely, but like a siren’s song, the best flavors of all Latin cultures at D’Caché will call you to return again and again.

Valet and street parking available.

D’Caché Restaurant, 10717 Riverside, Toluca Lake, between Lankershim and Cahuenga.
(818) 506 9600.
Open 5pm ’till midnight, Tues - Sat.
Sunday and Monday – only open for special events.

The food, other than the beef tartare, wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, which is disappointing considering the prices on the menu. Our meal (with a dish or two that I left out because I didn’t take any pictures of them) including tax, tip and sake ended up being around $100. Our waiter was incredibly nice and accommodating even when we had to send a couple of dishes back because they weren’t macrobiotic even though the menu said they were. In that way, the cost of the meal was worth it just to have an understanding waiter.

While I wouldn’t go to Bar Hayama all the time, it’s nice to know it’s close by when we want some sake and snacks.

A sister restaurant to the one on La Cienega, and situated beneath Romanov Restaurant, Prana Café is a welcome addition to Studio City (even if some of us miss the Albano’s Pizzeria place it supplanted).

Indoor seating is along the west wall, opposite the closed in but windowed kitchen, is reminiscent of the old Out Take Café layout. Subtract the irritatingly squeaky swinging doors to kitchen and it’s very comfortable to dine inside.

The decor is pleasant and warm, featuring large, live bundles of lucky bamboo along the wall. Comfy wicker arm chairs face the chocolate brown leather banquettes, offset by thin cream and brown striped fabric. The ceiling is painted a deep red hue with sculpted paper light fixtures in cream giving a soft light overhead. Add the sun flooding in from the front outdoor patio, set back from Ventura Boulevard, and you have a really cosy vibe.

Their menu offers sandwiches, salads, burgers and wraps, all ranging within $7 to $14.00. You can get breakfast items all day long, including buttermilk pancakes ($7), “crispy” french toast ($9), homemade granola ($7) and scrambles (rather than omelettes) ($9-$12).

Their eggs benedict include classic ($12) and smoked salmon ($14). I was especially impressed with the hollandaise sauce that accompanied my crab cake benedict ($16). Everything on the menu is made in-house, and it shows. Arriving on a huge, square ceramic platter, you get two toasted muffin halves with a crab cake and poached egg on each. The yolk is delightfully runny, as it should be, and there is no trace of nasty vinegar. Smothering that is the divinely thick and golden hollandaise sauce; a perfect blend of the piquancy of lemon juice with the rich yolks and butter. The crab cake is quite fishy but good and meaty, speckled with corn kernels and tiny pieces of red pepper. This meal also comes with a giant and golden hash brown, severed into a curious semicircle, which makes me wonder where the other half got to (not that I needed it!) I found the hash brown to be a bit too oily and too darkly fried, but then again, I am not a hash brown aficionado. At the center of this platter is a delicate little nest of alfalfa dressed with a tangy vinaigrette.

The Mediterranean Wrap ($13) is an inspired blend of slightly spicy shrimp with the crunch of fresh cucumber and the tang of yoghurt. It comes with french fries that are perfectly salty and crisp, although you can opt for salad greens or fruit.

The chef gives us a sample of the crepes that will feature on the menu of the Russian Tea Room, opening next door to Prana Café later this month. The French Connection is a little on the crispy side and stuffed with soft, ripe banana slices and smooth chocolate sauce. Savory as well as sweet crepes are already available to patrons of Prana.

The only weakness here is the coffee, which arrives in a large, attractive glass mug. The latte is, understandably, milder than the cappuccino. But the cappuccino is too bitter and the foam too airy. At Prana Café they would do well to employ experienced baristi who are expert at creating the necessary microfoam for a milky espresso drink worth returning for.

Owner Mikayel Israyelyan seems to know what he is doing, having found success with the elegant Republic Lounge on La Cienega as well as the opulent Romanov upstairs. As my dining companion observed, “You certainly never walk away from any of his places feeling hungry.”

There’s no higher praise than that in my book.

Prana Café
12229 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Tel: (818) 301 7616

Open for breakfast and lunch, daily.

Tarzana has a lovely European-style café restaurant that is one of the best kept secrets in the Valley. The only reason I am telling you about it because I want it always to be there, but please don’t tell everyone you know or we’ll never get a table!

Located right next door to the Corbin Bowl, in the corner of a large mall, is Nona Café and Restaurant, a little slice of the Mediterranean that offers some truly fabulous and seriously affordable food.

First things first, you have got to start with their sangria, either red or white. I’ve tasted both sangria, but far prefer the white. It is a little on the sweet side, but it has some delightfully peachy high notes. If sangria’s not your thing, they also offer wine and soju cocktails.

By far the best things on their fairly large menu are the tapas, and for once, the portions are generously sized.

One dish I always get is the creamy, dreamy burrata with roasted tomatoes ($5). For those of you who haven’t already encountered this heavenly dish, burrata is a very soft, yielding and exceptionally fresh version of mozzarella cheese mixed with cream. Yep, cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving this Italian delicacy its unique soft texture.

I also love their ahi tuna tartar ($7), which is a generous portion of chopped, raw tuna served with scallions, piquant ginger and crisp sesame crackers. Their seared hamachi tuna is paired with avocado dip, ‘supreme’ sections of ruby red grapefruit (meaning the pith and membrane removed, with just the tender fruit remaining) and drizzled with citrus ponzu sauce. They do several middle eastern-inspired and fantastic shrimp dishes, including crisp rock shrimp with lemon aioli ($7) and a wonderful grilled shrimp served with plump pearls of Israeli couscous, fried leeks and spicy carrot puree ($7) – incredible!

Then there’s the lamb and mint kabob with pine nuts and tahini ($7) or sautéed salmon with refreshing cucumber, medjool date and walnut salad and saffron emulsion ($7) as well as a few LA small-plate standards such as shaved fennel salad ($5) or beet salad with chevre, tangerines and marcona almonds ($6). Their full-sized salads are enormous and well-priced, averaging around $11. A variety of sandwiches are also available. They bake their own irresistibly delicious bread and make their own desserts.

It’s all truly wonderful and eclectic cuisine. So far, I’ve been back about four times as there are so many different small plates to sample.

Breakfast looks fantastic, too, and is served until 2pm (take that fast food joints!), and as late as 3pm on weekends. Everything from the usual suspects of egg white or wild mushroom omelettes or even portobello mushroom benedict ($12) to buckwheat or berry waffles or blueberry oatmeal pancakes ($10) to an intriguing-sounding Oatmeal Crème Brulée (also $10).

Indoor seating is warm and pleasant, but they also have a large patio. Best of all, there is plenty of parking available.

At Nona they also have live music some evenings during the week. You might wanna call and find out. One Thursday night we were expertly entertained by a duo of guitarists, one of whom had played with Carlos Santana.

Love this place!

Nona Restaurant & Café

Open 7 days a week
Breakfast until 2pm, ’till 3pm on weekends
Lunch, dinner and tapas bar ’till late

19598 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana CA 91356
(818) 881 9855

Backstory: Hatfields has been high on my hit list for well over a year. We just hadn’t made it until now (we’re not eating out as often as we used to or as much as we’d like to) I decided it was the place I wanted to try for my birthday dinner out, which was last night.

Three of us went after a movie last night (Forgetting Sarah Marshall - it was quite funny), so we didn’t go for the whole three courses or drink very much as it was late when we got there (after 9.30pm).

We each had one entree and a dessert (but I was given a free dessert because I’d told them it was my birthday and sensibly opted not to order one - I’m no dummy!)

Also we each had one drink, namely beer, a glass of prosecco ($11) and a very nice Cotes de Rhone ($11) with my perfectly pink, date & mint crusted lamb cutlets ($38). My guy raved that his slow cooked beef ($33) was the most incredible thing he’d eaten since a highly memorable Christmas Eve dinner at a fancy place in Paris (Le Carre des Feuillants) where we were served rare lamb that you could virtually cut with a spoon.

Our friend had the Olive oil poached halibut which was truly sensational. This is something I’ve seen a lot on Iron Chef but have never made myself. It had a fresh sheen of citrus on it, which was yet another example of this fantastic chef’s restraint (Quinn Hatfield; Karen Hatfield is the pastry chef and I believe often runs front of house). Also our friend was going to ask for the mushrooms to be omitted, because he never eats them, but I urged him to try them and it turned out he really liked them!! None of us had heard of shimeji mushrooms, but I assumed they were a japanese variety.

I think it worked out to approx $60 pp
Not bad for such high quality fare.
Everything — I mean everything – was outstanding, from the amuse (a shot glass of warm celeriac soup plus a devilled quail egg with smoked trout on a tiny spoon) to the best little bread rolls EVER to the magnificently prepared, presented and perfectly cooked meals. The desserts were great - I loved the crispy napoleon.

Just WOW.

Oh, here’s the other thing - I am not a huge eater and generally take food home. The portions (also our ordering) were so spot on that we all cleaned our plates. The only thing that wasn’t consumed was one of the little petit four that we were given with our bill. One tiny cake. Every dish went back empty. If I were a chef, that would be proof positive I was doing something right, right?

But I don’t know if this is just a special occasion, birthday place.
The place seemed very small (we were seated right in a front window and I didn’t go exploring, but I believe they have a patio) There was nothing remarkable about the decor or ambience.

It’s more like a really great and unpretentious place to dine out every once in a while.

The thing about Hatfields was, yes $32-38 entrees…
With three courses and ample drinks, you could rack up quite a bill…
So I thought it was fairly reasonable and comparable in price to (one of our favourite places) Lucques, I would say, and slightly more impressive in result.
Loved it!

Open 6pm till 10pm or 10.30pm Fris and Sats
Closed Sundays

Hatfields
7458 Beverly Blvd, between La Brea and Fairfax (actually between Vista and Gardener, on the sth side)
(photos via Hatfield’s website)
tel — 323 935 2977

Coupa Cafe
419 N Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-4819
Phone: (310) 385-0420

Cross Street: Brighton Way
Hours: Daily 7:30am-11pm
Happy Hour M-F, 5-7pm, 2 for 1

NEAT FACTS about LAMILL
La Marzocco espresso machine
$11,000 Clover coffee machine that brews single cups to order
Siphon tableside coffee service (popular in Japan)
Food as exquisite as the coffee
Similarities to Starbucks: ZERO … thankfully
Serves room temperature water (more easily absorbed)

LAMILL COFFEE BOUTIQUE
1636 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-663-4441
Hours
Tuesday-Sunday
7:00AM-7:00PM
Closed Monday

[Photo from their website]

R23 Japanese Cuisine and Art Gallery is exactly what a downtown, cool and artistic space serving fantastic sushi and exceptional gastronomic delights ought to be. Tucked away on the outskirts of Little Tokyo, in L.A.’s Arts District, this fine restaurant first opened its doors in 1991. Now, seventeen years later, R 23 has expanded into the galleries next door, extending their ambiance of intimate dining rooms currently adorned with modernistic paintings by Japanese artist, Ichiro, which are available for sale. The expansion also features a lounge area with a small sake bar.

The main dining room remains lined with dramatic Gauguin-inspired paintings from acclaimed Japanese artist Shiho Amano. Tables are dressed with crisp white linen and are framed by R23’s signature, custom-made corrugated cardboard chairs created by L.A. architect Frank Gehry.

R23’s Executive Chef Tobi-San orchestrates an extensive menu from the kitchen that includes two dozen nightly specialties, while Head Sushi Chef Toshi-San leads the team of four chefs at the granite sushi bar.

A substantial heap of their signature Dungeness crab salad ($21) is drenched with a perfectly balanced rice vinegar and olive oil dressing that has the clarity of a consomme and the mild heat of a hint of ginger.

You truly haven’t lived until you’ve sampled their luscious Lobster tempura ($55), featuring lightly deep-fried claws and tails, as well as vegetables, which also arrives as a generous portion fit for sharing.

Grilled medallions of Duck ($14) are stuffed with Tokyo scallion and served with crisply steamed baby bok choy.

Lavish cuts of truly sublime sushi are draped over the lightly vinegared rice and are served on handcrafted ceramic platters with abstract black, grey and red hues. The toro was so rich and oily, it was practically falling apart. In my notes, I think we paid $29.50 for four orders of sushi, including yellowtail, salmon and the toro.

Their refreshed wine list is impressive as well, with selections specifically chosen to pair with the cuisine. A nice range of cold sake, from junmai to ginjo to the finest daiginjo varieties, arrive in cunning little glass carafes with their own internal ice reservoir to keep the rice wine chilled (small is $20, medium is $25).

Be advised, this place is seriously spendy and there are no prices on the long page of chef’s specials, so don’t be afraid to ask before you order, unless you have an unlimited amount of dosh at your disposal!

It may be a little tough (but not impossible) to find R23, hidden down a small street of warehouses off East Third, but that’s all part of the adventure.

R23
923 East 2nd Street, in downtown L.A.’s Arts District.
Open for lunch Monday through Friday – 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,
dinner Monday through Saturday – 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 213 687 7178.
Valet parking is available, but we snagged a free spot on the street.

I began my little adventure at Cafe del Ray where Jason Niederkorn is the executive chef. On the menu: Rabbit Rillette on crostini with persimmon marmalade, green apple celery root soup, and chocolate truffle cookies.

I opted for the Rabbit Rillette and it was delicious. The golden crostini; perfectly crisp without being dry thanks to just the right amount of olive oil I. The tart, sweet persimmon marmalade mingled well with the soft, savory rabbit rillette and made a gorgeous pair. Together with crunchy crostini this appetizer had both fabulous taste and texture. I was so satisfied with the rabbit I wanted to try their soup and truffle cookies, but I had to give some other restaurants a try :)


Next stop, Pecorino where chef Raffaele Sabatini presides. I chose a dish that reminded me of a cross between an au gratin and a Paella. The regional dish from Puglia in south eastern Italy was a flavorful medley of riso, thinly sliced potatoes that melted in my mouth, mussels, zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes. Besides being a touch heavy on oil, it was wonderful Italian comfort food.

The chef was kind enough to give me a sample of roasted pork leg as well. It was wonderfully simple, tender and the marbling gave it a rich, satisfying flavor. All three gentlemen from Pecorino including Mario, who is one of the owners, were clearly passionate about their food and I can not wait to try the restaurant!

Somehow I managed to have enough self control to save room for dessert … difficult when all the food thus far had been scrumptious and served as much more than just a taste. I headed over to Punch Grill where I’d seen the spiced panna cotta dessert. I’d actually never had panna cotta before, so this was the perfect time to try something new. Three words: Creamy, velvety, bliss. Why I’ve never ordered panna cotta before, I have no idea but if this is what I’ve been missing I’m looking forward to making up for lost time. Each lush, subtly sweet bite enrobed my entire mouth with pleasure. The flavor of any spices was a bit lost but the berries on top cut the richness of the dessert very well.

I REALLY wanted to eat the entire petite pot of heaven but with 4 tickets left I was eyeing a red velvet cupcake across the way so … regretfully, I left half of the panna cotta uneaten and strolled over to continue my sugar rush at SusieCakes.

This was unquestionably the best red velvet cupcake I’ve had in LA; FAR superior to well, all the other cupcake stores. (Why name names, you know who I’m talking about.) I took one, two, three licks of the fluffy white frosting spilling over the edges of the little ruby red cake. Um … AMAZING! Tart n’ tangy, sweet n’ creamy, everything that great cream cheese frosting should be. The cake itself was not only super tender and buttery but also filled with even more of that addicting frosting. I really really wanted to eat the whole thing … so I did :)

Café del Rey
4451 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
310.823.6395

Pecorino
11604 San Vicente Blvd (Brentwood) CA 90049
310 571-3800

Punch Grill
3001 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-828-8812

SusieCakes
11708 San Vicente
Brentwood CA 90049
310-442-CAKE (2253)

The decor is cool without being cold. They’ve successfully folded together the concrete jungle that is LA with mellow, natural elements reminiscent of, well, a park. Designer beehives buzzing with warm lights hang from the large tree in the main dining area. The rich wood accents throughout add a strong, sophisticated feeling to the space.

There are 3 champagnes offered by the glass on the “champagne & caviar” menu. We ordered 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot. My dining companion was a true wine guru and thought their list to be quite interesting and impressive for the size. Our waiter genuinely enhanced the entire experience as he had considerable knowledge of both wine and food. A complimentary sunomono style salad made with Persian cucumbers was served first. It was fine but uninspired.

Our server recommended we order 3 or 4 items to share between the two of us which was perfect. First to arrive, the Artichoke Boursin Fritters with Jalapeno Ponzu Aioli. This dish was my least favorite of the night. It lacked in both presentation and flavor. The 3 fritters, served on a wilted piece of lettuce, were fried to a crisp golden brown, but any artichoke was overshadowed by the rich cheese. The aioli was watery and reminded me more of a store bought cheese dip. I know that’s harsh but honesty is the best policy right? :)

Moving on to the Beet “Noodle” Arugula Salad with Crumbled Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Dressing; This presentation did have more zest, but reminded me of gourmet cuisine from the early 90’s “plate painting” and “tower” designs became super popular. The al dente texture of the beet noodles was outstanding and a great pairing with the creamy goat cheese and spicy arugula. It was a touch over dressed but still very enjoyable.

My favorite plate was the Clay Pot Chilean Sea Bass, baked with black pepper, caramel and scallions, then topped with crispy onions. The tender bass was resting in a sweet, delicate broth and the batter browned fried onions made this dish pop!

Last, we had Burg’s Grilled Lamb Chopettes marinated and grilled with a rosemary Port Ginger Sauce. The lamb was butter knife tender and I enjoyed rich, comfort food flavors with each juicy bite. We opted out of dessert to catch Wicked at the Pantages. I guess I’ll have to revisit for caviar, cocktails and dessert.

THE BOTTOM LINE ~ Better than good, yet not great Asian French fusion tapas … go for the scene, ambiance, wine and cocktails, not for an exquisite gastronomical experience.

PARC
6683 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 465-6200
Cross Street: Las Palmas Avenue
Hours: Daily 6pm-2am