The Peninsula Hotel, Beverly Hills

The Peninsula Hotel

9882 S Santa Monica Blvd

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

(310) 551-2888

www.peninsula.com/beverlyhills

The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, what an exquisite place to be.  I have had a few opportunities to dine here, as you can see from my many photos.  You have a few options when dining here. You can visit The Belvedere which serves a modern American cuisine.  On one visit to The Belvedere, I sat out on the terrace and I have to say it was probably one of my most memorable dining experiences. It was in the afternoon, birds were chirping, and the sounds from the water fountain next to me made the whole experience so peaceful and relaxing.  To top off my experience, I also spotted a former American Idol judge enjoying her lunch as well.

The second option is The Living Room, which is exactly as the name suggests.  You actually dine on the couches, and is mainly for drinking afternoon Tea, while listening to an actual harpist in the background. The fanciness is to die for!  On one of my visits, I just sat there soaking in the ambiance and listening to the beautiful sounds of the harp which happens to be one of my favorite instruments.  There was literally a group of elderly women enjoying their afternoon tea, all of them wearing their fancy Sunday hats, a sight you only see in the movies.

The third option is The Roof Garden, which is a patio next to the pool area. It is also located next to the spa, and is geared towards healthier food and imaginative drink options.  I have not had a chance to visit The Roof Garden, but I have ordered room service from there.

If you ever want to get away from the norm and treat yourself, I definitely recommend you pay a visit to this absolutely legendary hotel!

My recommendations to order: The Truffle Macaroni and Cheese, Roasted Harvey’s Guss Colorado Lamb, Tiramisu, and ESPECIALLY the Creme Broulee, paired with the smokey and unique tasting Russian Caravan tea all from The Belvedere.

Baked Oysters

Fresh oysters (not on the menu)

Roasted Harvey’s Guss Colorado Lamb

Swiss Chard

Truffle “Macaroni and Cheese”

Chicken Crepes

Creme Broulee (no filters used!!)

Strawberry Smoothie

Grilled Wild Salmon Fillet

Seared Diver Sea Scallops

Tiramisu

Russian Caravan Tea

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Bossa Nova, West Hollywood

Bossa Nova

685 Robertson Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

www.bossanovafood.com

What can I say?  Bossa Nova never fails to please.  By far the best Brazilian food I’ve had.  I can honestly say every thing I’ve ever tried from here has been not just good, but DELICIOUS!  They truly know how to season their food to perfection.  Its got a very homemade feel, but with a restaurant-like taste that you can’t get at home.  I would give you recommendations on what to order, but you really can’t go wrong with anything there, but I do love their plantains.  I can’t wait to go back and try their other dishes!

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Kate Mantilini, Beverly Hills

Kate Mantelini

9101 Wilshire Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

www.katemantelinirestaurant.com

Kate Mantelini…nice restaurant, but to be totally honest I was not too thrilled with all the options.  It was actually hard to find stuff on the menu that I actually wanted to eat. Not to mention, the prices were a little high for just a casual lunch with co-workers, in my opinion. You’re looking to spend about $15 – $25 per plate.  I ordered the salmon with spinach, which was good and tasty, but the recipe is so simple it’d be HARD to mess it up.  However, the salmon was VERY under-cooked, which they do warn you about, I just wasn’t expecting it to still be THAT raw even after asking for it to be medium-well.  It was still VERY raw on the inside.  I normally make it a point to let you know if a restaurant is an absolute must, well this is NOT one of them.

Signature Fish and Chips

The “Little Hollywood” Filet Mignon Sandwhich

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Ushuaia Argentinian Steakhouse, Santa Monica

Ushuaia

Argentinian Steakhouse

2628 Wilshire Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90403

www.ushuaiasteakhouse.com

One of the most interesting things I’ve had so far that I ate for the first time ever in my life was the Carpacio de lomo, which is thinly sliced raw beef tenderloin.  Ushuaia happens to make theirs topped with lemon, arugula, avocados, Parmesan, capers, and red onion. Of course I was wary at first, but I have to admit that I liked it, and would even order it again if I had the chance.  The Tallarines de la Patagonia is an Argentinian pasta that they make from scratch seasoned with Spanish saffron along with mussels, clams, shrimp, octopus, scallops, and calimari.  It had an unfamiliar texture, but the saffron flavor really came through.  This was a first for me as I have never had saffron in my pasta before. Mind you, what you see in the picture is the order split in half, good enough for 2 people to share.  We also ordered the Churrasco al Malbec, a grilled prime flat iron steak, wine reduction sauce, caramelized onions, mushrooms, with mashed potatoes and vegetables.  The steak was tasty, no complaints there.  What you can expect from Usuaia is a fine dining restaurant with fine dining prices.  Overall I thought the beef carpaccio made it all worth it.

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Juicy Burger, Los Angeles

Juicy Burger

6340 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90028

www.juicyburgeronline.com

My friend Natalie was visiting from Germany, and to show her a good time, I took her to the club Beachers Madhouse where we had an amazing time.  Afterwards she wanted a burger and well what do you know…down the street was Juicy Burgerrrrr!  Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm…..I have to admit, this one one damn good burger!  I ordered the California Cheese Burger, which comes with avocado, cheese and bacon!  Sooo delicious! Its open late, and right next to all the clubs in LA, so its the perfect place to sober up and grab a bite to eat.  Try it, its soo soo good!

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Chablis, Tarzana

Chablis

Food & Wine Restaurant

18588 Ventura Blvd.

Tarzana, CA 91356

www.chablisca.com

Chablis Food and Wine Restaurant in Tarzana is a way to get a nice fancy dinner without having to drive all the way to the crowded streets of LA. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but was pleasantly surprised to see that the place was busy on a Friday night.  Mostly an older crowd.  They’re known for being experts at pairing wine with your entree.  I had the ahi tuna stacks with wonton crisps, mango relish and avocado puree.  I was definitely pleased with this.  I would not recommend getting the crab cake, I just wasn’t a fan of the taste.  Other than that, everyone’s dish looked superb.

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Bottega Louie, Los Angeles

Bottega Louie

700 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90017

www.bottegalouie.com

Bottega Louie…such a great place to go with a date or a small group of friends.  It’s quite loud and crowded, very New York like.  I’ve never been to New York, but this is exactly how I would imagine it to be.  You’re immediately drawn in by all the cute little pastries because there’s so much to look at and so many different colors.  They have a bar if all you want to do is drink.  The food was de-lish.    You must try the portobello fries, but I definitely recommend sharing this with at least 2 to 3 people.  We shared the lamb chops and lasagna, both really good.  Overall, this is an absolute must, you will not regret it!

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California Fish Grill, Irvine

California Fish Grill

3988 Barranca Parkway #B

Irvine, California 92606

Phone: 949-654-3838

http://cafishgrill.com/

I think a lot of you are going to love this next one.  If you’re looking for something fresh, light and healthy, then California Fish Grill is the place to go.  They serve a variety of fish, you can choose whether you want it grilled or fried.  Want to avoid fries? You can substitute it with rice pilaf or salad.  Even their salad dressings are delicious.  The restaurant itself is very clean, modern, and casual.  Also, their prices are very reasonable.  The only drawback was that I wish there was a location closer to me!

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