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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La Gondola, Beverly Hills

La Gondola

9025 Wilshire Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

(310) 247-1239

www.lagondola.com

I was fortunate enough to be invited out to dine at La Gondola in Beverly Hills.  La Gondola is a kosher Italian restaurant.  I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised.  I was happy with the taste, quality, and presentation of the food.  We started off with their bread and signature garlic butter…so so good!  As an appetizer we order the avocado egg roll, how can you go wrong with that? I ordered the beef wrap which comes with your choice of soup, salad, pasta, or fries.  I could never resist matzo ball soup so of course I ordered that.  The wrap was on point and the soup really hit the spot. As I write this, I’ve been back multiple times.  My favorite appetizer besides the avocado egg rolls is the spicy tuna tartar…Love this! I get it every time.

Avocado Egg Rolls

Matzo Ball Soup

Beef Wrap

Spring Spaghetti

Pollo Marsala

Turkey Sandwich

Sesame Chicken Salad

Spicy Tuna Tartar

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Plancha, Los Angeles

Plancha

8250 West 3rd Street  

Los Angeles, CA 9004

This next place is a cute little taco joint with a very casual yet modern and neat dining area, as you can see from the picture.  I was just looking for a quick bite to eat so I tried 3 different tacos, the chicken, steak, and al pastor.  Not my favorite al pastor I’ve eaten, but all of them were certainly made with good quality meat.  I definitely enjoyed the steak taco the most of all three.  One thing to note about this place is that they also serve vegetarian food as well. Located right on the corner, you can’t miss it!

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Oliva Trattoria, Sherman Oaks

Oliva Trattoria

Pizzaria & Italian Grill

4449 Van Nuys Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

(818) 789-4490

www.olivarestaurant.com

Ventured up and down Ventura Blvd. with my uncle, going this way and that, looking for a good restaurant, until we finally decided upon Oliva Trattoria.  It was nicely decorated on the inside and had a bit of an upscale feel to it.  We were served some fresh cut tomato and basil with bread upon being seated.  I ordered the Capriccio oven baked pizza, a good choice…as you can see below.  I also ordered the Spaghetti Mare but asked for Fettucini instead. It was an ok choice, however I do wish it was a little bit more saucy and garlicky. I wish I’d thought to ask for some fresh garlic on the side, but it was too late by the time I remembered.  Would I recommend this place? Well, if you’re trying to please multiple people and want a safe pick, then yes I do recommend.

Spaghetti Mare

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Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop, Beverly Hills

Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop

9671 Wilshire Boulevard

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

(310) 246-0756

http://www.greenleafchopshop.com/

For a really healthy place to eat, and delicious too, try Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop out in Beverly Hills.  They offer freshly made salads-to-order, sandwiches, and wraps using organic and gourmet ingredients everyday in an open-display kitchen.  My friend ordered the Grilled Vegetable salad. But since I’m not a rabbit, I’m not usually satisfied with just a salad for lunch, so I ordered the Turkey Melt on Pretzel Bread…..SO SO GOOD!  You could tell it is healthier than most other sandwiches, but still delicious at the same time. Romeo had the BBQ chicken panini, but he was already practically done with it by the time I remembered to take a picture of it! Although I like trying new restaurants, and especially new meals if I ever go to the same restaurant, but this is one sandwich that I would actually come back here for to have again.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Turkey Melt on Pretzel Bread

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Hanami Sushi, Sherman Oaks

Hanami Sushi

4454 Van Nuys Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

(818) 986-7060

www.hanamitaste.com

I read rave reviews about this place and thought to myself that I’ve GOT to try this. Although I was truly craving sushi, I have to admit, after eating here and not being satisfied, I went and ate at In N Out right after!!  The problem though, was not the actual sushi itself, but with what I happened to order.  The fish itself was very fresh I must say. The only problem was that there was a lot of rice, not enough fish inside the rice.  I know it may seem like I was not satisfied with this place, but I know that I still have to give it another shot because of all the great things I’ve read about them. There’s got to be more to it.  This time though, I’ll focus more on their specialty rolls.  One important thing to know about this place is that each night they’ve got different specials going on.  So I would call ahead to learn what they are. I’ll be sure to post an update once I try it again!

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