‘Hollywood’

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Going to Hell with Lucky Devils

November 21st, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

The devil is in arugula.

Deep in the heart of the Hollywood Strip is a burger that rivals Umami Burger.  Or so a coworker told me once upon a time.  That once upon a time may have been over a year ago, but I never forgot, so when I had the chance to meet some buddies for dinner in Hollywood, Lucky Devils crept into my mind (and it didn’t hurt that it has been sitting on my to-eat list).  What we found was a neat space with a great and enthusiastic server who was happy to tell us of their current specials, some awesome beers on tap and help us out with anything on the menu.  Even though I had sworn not to drink, his description of their special black IPA on tap almost had my mouth watering enough to break the promise I made to myself. Continue Reading»

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Griddle Me This, Griddle Me That

November 2nd, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Straight off the griddle.

For a while now, I’ve been hearing about this place in Hollywood called Griddle Cafe.  “Go to Griddle,” they say.  “You’ll like what you eat there,” they also say.  “They make pancakes with anything in them,” they continue, and then I get excited.  You see, I like me a pancake, but a regular pancake can only be so good.  Usually it tastes the best after a night of binge drinking, and it doesn’t matter if it comes from a box mix or the nicest brunch restaurant in the world.  But I got excited about Griddle and finally made it out to Hollywood to see what all the pancake hype was about. Continue Reading»

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Grand Slamming at Papaya King

September 29th, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Welcome to New York...err..LA!

Right around the time that Coney Dog was hitting LA straight out of Detroit, Papaya King was also making its way to the West Coast by way of some other city called New York.  Never heard of it.  Billboards glowed with the words “Papaya King,” yet this native Detroiter largely ignored the hot dogs of New York in favor of those from his native land.  But when a Blackboard Eats discount for 30% off came around, Papaya King could no longer be ignored.  I gathered a couple hot dog-loving friends and hit the road for Hollywood.

The first thing that should be made clear about Papaya King is that there are absolutely no papayas in the hot dogs.  Yes, this is a little disappointing, but there is still very good reason for the name of the place.  It is actually named for the papaya juice served there, which predated the hot dogs at the original New York location.  That papaya juice is still important, but not nearly as much as the hot dogs. Continue Reading»

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Living Large at Larchmont Wine & Cheese

June 21st, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Sandwichy bliss.

The little area known as Larchmont in the middle of Los Angeles is LA’s version of Main Street America.  Populated mostly by mom and pop shops, it features a few chains and also its fair share of shuttered establishments.  In the middle of this strip of Americana resides Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese.  Though the place certainly has its fair share of wines, spirits and cheeses, the main draw is the sandwiches.  The long, yet swiftly moving line is a testament to these sandwiches.  They offer only seven select sandwiches and not one of them is extravagant. Continue Reading»

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A Swanky Burger at 25 Degrees

May 3rd, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

SHINE!

Normally, when you hear about a restaurant in a hotel, it is overpriced and pretentious, meant more for business people with an expense account than for the common man.  So when I heard that the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel had a delicious restaurant called 25 Degrees, I was a bit skeptical.  But then I heard more and more about the place until my buddy over at Burger Conquest told me it was his favorite burger in LA.  That was quite a claim for a city filled with the likes of Umami, The Apple Pan and Hole in the Wall, so I took it seriously. Continue Reading»

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A Choice Dinner at Juicy Burger

February 10th, 2011 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Look at that shiny bun. But is it too big?

Joining the ever-growing ranks of custom burger joints is a little place in Hollywood, called Juicy Burger.  Just opened last year, Juicy Burger quickly earned rave reviews, and in a burger-wild city like LA, that isn’t easy to do.  The custom burger concept is something I never tire of, because the very core of the concept protects me from vegetables, but how many do we really need?  And what sets Juicy Burger apart from its delicious competition? Continue Reading»

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A Little Stand Called Cactus Taqueria

October 28th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

A taco stand with cheese.

Out in Hollywood, there is a little taco stand on a corner called Cactus Taqueria.  Having heard a lot about this place, I felt that I needed to stop there to have a Mexican dinner before the Belle and Sebastian concert.  I showed up and found the little stand in the corner of a parking lot on Vine.  There were a few people waiting for their orders and another few groups eating out in the outdoor, yet covered seating area.  It looked like a great place to find a good taco. Continue Reading»

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Getting Upscale at Pizzeria Mozza

August 10th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

How do you say Meat Lover's in Italian?

Pizzeria Mozza (not Matzah) is one of those restaurants in LA that just kind of nags at you until you realize you just kind of have to go.  For starters, the head chef is some guy from the Food Network or Top Chef or something like that.  Then, because of that, you have to get a reservation at least 30 days in advance, so you really have to want to go this place and know your schedule for the next 30 days.  Just such a time came up recently when the parents were in town (and I knew more than 30 days ahead), so off to Pizzeria Mozza we went to see what it was all about. Continue Reading»

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One Flimsy Tortilla at Dos Burritos

July 15th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Uno burrito.

On my way to see In the Heights (I’m cultured!) at LA’s Pantages Theater, I had no time to eat any food.  I also had no idea what kind of food even existed on that part of town.  The Hollywood Strip is quite the foreign territory for me.  After parking at a failed meter (score), I whipped out my Urban Spoon to see what it would show me.  After sifting through a couple of dead ends, I found Dos Burritos and walked in to see what it could offer me. Continue Reading»

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Tasting Anger at the Avocado Grill

February 16th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

Filled with anger.

Larchmont in Hollywood is a delightful little street that is a nice change from what you would typically consider Holywood to be.  There are some great restaurants and shops that usually treat me pretty well.  My most recent visit to that street, however, only led me to a meal of disappointment.  This came at the hands of the Avocado Grill, a pretty simple Mexican place that reminded me a bit of places like Qdoba. Continue Reading»

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Going Global at Plan Check

Fries of the world.

A couple of weeks ago, The Backyard Bite invited me to The Burger Culture Clash, sponsored by Stussy (which apparently still exists) and Plan Check. Plan Check, by the way, is a sort of new (since February) restaurant in West LA with Chef Ernesto Uchimura of Umami Burger fame. As my love of burgers, especially those of the umami variety, I jumped at the opportunity.

Although I arrived alone, I was not the only lone eater. Just next to where I was seated, I met e*star LA and we decided to share a meal called loneliness, because it’s better than eating alone. We made quick friends over our respective blogs and Midwestern roots, then got to work at dissecting the special menu, which Plan Check will be featuring for the next month if anything tickles your fancy.

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No veggies here!

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Unvegan Friends