Shutters On The Beach, Santa Monica

Shutters On The Beach

Santa Monica, CA

www.shuttersonthebeach.com

Shutters On The Beach is a beeeeautiful hotel located in Santa Monica, and its kind of a no brainer to figure out where its at…on the beach (duh!). This place looks like it was plucked straight out of Cape Cod or the Hamptons, equipped with white linen, fresh flowers, and all the sunlight you’ll ever need.  With stunning views of the ocean and boardwalk, it makes for the perfect Sunday brunch place. They validate parking for $8, better than the local parking lot that goes for $12.  Prices are little higher than your average restaurant, but then again, when you go to Shutters you go for the location, not necessarily for the food. Although, I did really enjoy my turkey club sandwhich  Be sure to ask to sit outside on the patio!

The perfect spot for a Sunday Funday!

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Cabanna, Tijuana Mexico

Cabanna

Tijuana, Mexico

I must have traveled to Mexico at least 10 times so far this year. During each visit, I try to venture out to try different restaurants or taco stands.  On one visit, I tried Cabanna, a restaurant that everyone was raving about.  It was honestly so good that I have to share it with everyone.  I know that navigating Tijuana might be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to go or what to do there, but I highly recommend taking a day trip just to hang out by the beach and try something new. At night when you are looking for a nice place to eat, Cabanna is THE place to go.

Cabanna is not your traditional Mexican restaurant. It definitely had some Japanese influence with the sushi options, or rather their sushi had Mexican influence. Regardless, it was amazing.

Specifically, there were 3 dishes that were to die for. The first one was their Atun Azul, in other words blue tuna. It was basically their not so basic cubed tuna, marinated in their oriental sauce, atop a crispy wonton, topped with my favorite part of the dish…fried green onion.  Can we say YUM!?

My second favorite dish was the Kesitos Cabanna taco.  This was unlike any other taco I’ve ever had. First of all, the cheese they use is Chihuahua cheese, very common in Tijuana, and so delicious.  When melted, it becomes almost cream-like.  This was mixed with shrimp, and possibly egg to create this really creamy and delicious omelette type patty (although I can’t say with certainty that they used egg), topped with their homemade secret sauce. Ah! So good!

Last but not least was their Pirata…fresh shrimp sushi, marinated in their mango and jicama sauce. The shrimp…fresh as ever. But the best part was the mango jicama lime sauce, with chunks of real mango and jicama in every bite. Very tangy and fresh from the lime, with a subtle sweetness to it from the unripened mango. Absolutely Perfect in every way!

I swear, it is totally worth making the drive to Tijuana to hang out for the day, enjoy the beach at Rosarito and then swing by to Cabanna for a really classy dinner with amazing food. I can’t wait to go back!

Kesitos Cabanna

Atun Azul

Salmon & Jalapeno

Pirata

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Lou Malnati’s, Chicago

Lou Malnati’s

Chicago, IL

www.loumalnatis.com

I’m not saying this is the best pizza ever, but I can tell it’s probably my favorite Chicago style pizza.  This was my first time trying it, and I ended up going to the one place that everyone recommended…the iconic Lou Malnati’s.  I’m actually quite happy I did so. Lou Malnati’s has been around since 1971, using the same recipe handed down for generations. Each pie, being made from scratch, is made with only the finest ingredients. We did wait quite a while for our pizza, but I knew its because they don’t just make pizza, they create an experience for their customers. Each and every single pie is special and made with extreme care.

We ordered the Malnati’s Chicago Classic, made with sausage, extra cheese, and their signature Buttercrust.  The crust had a combination of crunchy, flaky, and buttery deliciousness.  But surprisingly, I wasn’t overwhelmed by it. I’m not a fan of really thick pizza bread, but this actually had a perfect balance.

The sauce was fresh and perfectly seasoned.  Our waiter recommended we get extra sauce on top because we ordered pepperoni and pepperoni dries out the pizza…and of course I opted for more sauce because I always ask for extra sauce.  In addition, we ordered onions and hot giardiniera peppers to give it that extra kick. Now, the sausage totally took me by surprise.  Normally, I wouldn’t even order sausage because I’m not a fan of fennel seeds (which a lot of sausage have), but this one was totally different!  No fennel, just a really good tasting meat.  All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with Chicago deep dish pizza and I would totally order this again if I go back.

Malnati’s Chicago Classic

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Katana, West Hollywood

 Katana

West Hollywood, CA

katanarobata.com

I absolutely love coming here.  The ambiance is everything. Dimly lit, very romantic, but also great for a night out with friends. In short, it’s perfect for any occasion. My favorite part is the beautiful outdoor seating area that oversees Sunset Blvd. — cool lights, LA vibe and great for people watching and celebrity sightings.

They have some nice drink and sake options, and so far I’ve never been dissatisfied with the food. The white lotus is one of their popular orders and I can see why, it was delish! Overall their sushi was very tasty and fresh.  I also love their shishito peppers. This time, we ordered two desserts for the three of us, and they were instantly devoured, albeit they were not small. Not interested in eating? Its totally cool to just get drinks at the bar.

Best of all, its open late so its great for a last minute option. I’ve been there several times myself, both in small groups and once in a group of 20+. They do have private dining rooms if you’re ever looking to celebrate your birthday here.  If you’re an LA native and you’ve never been, it is absolutely worth trying!

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Taste of Chicago

Taste of Chicago!

What a way to start my personal food quest in Chicago by going to the 35th Annual Taste of Chicago, a food festival where popular restaurants from all over Chicago come together to showcase their goods.  Its a free festival, but you have to purchase tickets in order to get food.  It cost $8.50 for 12 tickets, and each sample of food required anywhere from 4 to 5 tickets.

I traveled from one end to the other in search of the best food and I honestly am so happy with my choices.

Homemade Popsicles

Fried Catfish

Pierogi’s at Kasia’s

But the BEST food in the entire festival has to go to La Bomba, a Puerto Rican Restaurant for their Pork Shish Kabobs.  I meannnnn…..Hello! This was hands down the tastiest thing in the entire festival. It was so good we ordered 3 of them. OH, and their secret ingredient is such an odd one, (I saw them add it to the boiling pot), but it makes all the sense in the world. Sorry, can’t divulge that. You’ll just have to try them out whenever you get a chance. This is somewhere I would definitely seek out the next time I’m ever in Chicago.

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Granville, Studio City

Granville

Studio City, CA

www.granvillecafe.com

I kept driving by this place, and was so intrigued by how busy it always was, and equally amazed by how stunning Granville looked from the outside.  I finally got a chance to see what all the hoopla was about.  Stopped in for dessert and got way more than I had expected.  They had a list of amazing desserts of which we really couldn’t decide which one to pick so we ordered the dessert sampler. I mean, literally everything was so so good. Brownie with glazed bananas, strawberry shortcake, and chocolate lava cake, all with their homemade whipped cream. This MUST be ordered with coffee or one of their exotic teas that come in the cutest miniature tea pots…totally hits the dessert spot!

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Xi’an, Beverly Hills

Xi’an

362 N Canon Dr.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

(310) 275-3345

www.xian90210.com

Today I’m bringing you today another very special place…Xi’an in Beverly Hills.  I’ve said it before, its very hard for me to find a good Chinese restaurant, one that is healthy and of good quality, but Xi’an is exactly what I was looking for.  I wanted to get the scoop on what exactly sets Xi’an apart from other Chinese restaurants, so I sat down with the owner, Vicky Mense and actor/producer/manager Cece Tsou.  I had a wonderful time getting to know them as well as learning what has made Xi’an so successful for the past 20 years, when so many other Chinese restaurants in the area have all went out of business.  The answer can really be summed up in one word…evolution.

Crackerjack Crispy Shrimp. Photo provided courtesy of Xi’an.

Xi’an puts tremendous value in their customers, and most importantly, to their loyal ones.  They love listening to the feedback of their customers to make any necessary changes. Which is why their menu has evolved over the years to keep up with changing times.  To keep up with the more health conscientious trend, they now offer gluten free, low carb, no oil, and no sugar options.  THIS IS HUGE for a Chinese restaurant.  Customers love this because it allows for eating Chinese food regularly without the guilt.

Xian Beef Tenderloin. Photo provided courtesy of Xi’an.

Of course, Vickey says that at the heart of her success is her dedicated team and staff.  It is amazing that there are people, including Cece Tsou, who have been by her side since the conception of the restaurant.  How is that even possible!?! Clearly Mense is doing something right because that kind of loyalty is almost unheard of, especially in a city like LA.

From Left, Tao Chang, Cece Tsou, and Vicky Mense. Photo provided courtesy of Xi’an.

Regardless of her fantastic team, Mense is extremely proactive with her business, tends to it every single day, and runs a tight ship.  What you can expect from Xi’an is a blend of authentic Chinese food with a few fusion dishes to appeal to their creative side. They often create new dishes simply to give their regular customers more variety. What I love most about Xi’an is that they really cater to the Californian diet with all the options to make you dish as healthy as you want it to be.  They also cater to vegetarians as well.  This is one place you definitely don’t wanna miss. Perfect for all occasions. I cannot wait to go back!

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Drago Centro, Los Angeles

Drago Centro

525 S Flower St. Ste 120

Los Angeles, CA 90071

(213) 228-8998

dragocentro.com

I’m excited to share this next place with you because I absolutely love their happy hour.  They have a really decent list of options, anywhere from pizza to oysters.  I went here for my bff’s birthday and we all had a really nice time, ordered up a storm of food and drinks.  The atmosphere is upscale, and decor modern. You can find ample seating at the bar, and comfy couches by the fire pit outside.  I think this place is great for many occasions, date night, out with friends, clients, celebrations, etc.  I hear amazing things about their food off the happy hour menu and I cannot WAIT to try it for myself.  They have free valet parking in the basement below from 5 pm to 3 am with validation, awesome for DTLA because we all know how hard it can be to find parking 

Sliders

Charcuterie

Oysters

Sugar balls

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