rjwong

I've been planning my next culinary vacation for a while and because there are so many restaurants I want to try, deciding which restaurants to go to is not easy. As a result, I was thinking about eating two meals, one right after the other, in one night. This is different from going to have dinner at one restaurant then head on over to another place for drinks, apps or dessert. I'm talking about eating two full meals (apps, entree, dessert ... or tasting menu). First, I was thinking, "Isn't this a bit suicidal?" I know that there are so many restaurants and so little time, but this little piggie wants to enjoy himself in the process. Second, I remember doing this before. In Las Vegas, dinner #1 was at Bradley Ogden in Caesar's, followed by dinner #2 at B&B Ristorante in the Venetian. During a Northern California trip, dinner #1 was at the General's Daughter in Sonoma. Afterwards, I drove over an hour to have dinner#2 at Cyrus. I've eaten two meals in one evening before, perhaps I can do it again, right? For my vacation in Nov., I'm scheduling two nights of restaurant pairings. One night will be two different Italian places. I'm working on the other night. Has anyone else ate their way like this? What were the restaurants involved? Similiar cuisine, like all-Italian or all-Japanese? Were the meals the usual 3 courses or the multi-course tasting menu? Was location a factor? How much planning did you do? Or was it more spontaneous?

Do you know if the adjacent, more upscale, Louie's Las Vegas is still open? ← Yes, the upscale restaurant Louis's is still open. Mind you, I've never eaten there, just the late Fish Camp. They need to change their website a bit. Last I heard, chef Carlos Guia (formerly Commander's Palace) was working at Fish Camp and then moved on to SW Steakhouse at Wynn Resort before Fish Camp finally closed.

If you want one really nice fine dining restaurant, I recommend the Water Grill. It's my favorite restaurant in downtown LA. Chef David LeFevre used to work under Charlie Trotter. Another fine dining restaurant is called Noe, located inside the Omni Hotel. Noe was first started by Robert Gadsby and is now under chef Glen Ishii. Progressive American with Japanese aesthetics. If you need more info, just say so.

iriee, since you visit Las Vegas as much as some of us Vegans (Las Vegans, that is), what restaurants were you thinking of? lgott & David Ross pretty much covered most of the places. I'm probably going to repeat. So, here it goes ... Bouchon for breakfast. It's good for what it is. If you don't know your way around the Venetian, half the fun is finding the place, because Bouchon is not on the Venetian's Property Map (last time I checked) ... Another option for breakfast is Payard Patisserie over at Caesar's. I think Payard still has the all-you-can-eat continental breakfast for about $16 (That was the price back in 2007). If you don't know your way around Caesar's, good luck, even with a map ... Boulud has a $48 prix fixe dinner until 8:00 p.m. L'Atelier is my best value fine dining meal in Las Vegas. David, the menu decouverte is now priced at $165?? I checked the MGM website and I noticed their Fall Tasting Menu is priced at $75 for five courses, including the cheese course & dessert. I would have recommended Louis's Fish Camp way at the south end of the Strip (and a bit beyond), but it closed. Instead, let me recommend Sensi at the Bellagio. Chef Martin Heierling is European-trained and he knows the nuances of Asian cuisine. Don't scoff, but the lunch buffets over at the Bellagio and Wynn Resort are really good. For about $25, you can have a very decent lunch with a lot of dishes to choose from. Just off the Strip on Sahara Blvd. is Lotus of Siam for some Thai food. If you go there for lunch, order from the a la carte menu. Don't order the lunch buffet. Arguably one of the best Thai restaurants in the United States. As for steakhouses, I can't think of any "value" steakhouses along the Strip. I just go, eat the steak & pay those Las Vegas Strip prices. You might want to try one of the local LV steakhouses either off-Strip or downtown, like Binion's (around $40, includes vegetables & potato). How much were you thinking of? I hope this helps.

jmsaul, the only ethnic place in Santa Barbara I go to is La Super Rica. I think there's a Cajun place around downtown SB, if I remember correctly. Try searching for some of the discussion threads under "Santa Barbara".

The Wilshire Grand is located on the northwest corner of 7th and Figueroa (aka "7th & Fig"). Yes, the bus/rail system is called Metro. An all-day pass costs $5.00. The Metro Red Line to North Hollywood takes you to Hollywood, if you're into seeing celebrities, stars, etc. The Korean restaurant at the Wilshire Grand is pretty good. Ciudad is a really fun restaurant, serving Nueva Latina cuisine by the "Too Hot Tamales" (Susan Feniger & Mary Sue Milliken). It's located on 5th and Figueroa, two long blocks away from the Wilshire Grand hotel. Chinatown is at the very northern part of downtown (Take the Metro Red Line or Purple Line to Union Station, transfer to the Metro Gold Line and get off at Chinatown Station, the first stop). Empress Pavilion, Full House, Ocean Seafood, Sam Woo ... Yang Chow is very popular, but quite Americanized IMO ... Little Tokyo is located on the eastern section of downtown LA. Several sushi places, izakaya, shabu shabu, teppan-naki ... Thai Town is outside of downtown LA, near Hollywood. If you take the Metro Red Line (not the Purple Line) to North Hollywood, get off the Hollywood/Western station, you're at the western edge of Thai Town. Just walk eastbound along Hollywood Blvd. and there are many Thai restaurants to choose from. They're all open until 2:00 a.m. The closest thing to Manhattan in downtown LA is a deli called Langer's. Take the Metro Red or Purple Line to the next station going west, which is Westlake/MacArthur Park Station. Langer's is half-block away from the station, on the corner across the street. Great pastrami & beef brisket. Excellent rye bread. "If Langer's were in New York, there would be a shrine," as one co-worker said. I hope this helps you.

David, I'll probably pass on this conference. The only thing that interests me is the Sat. morning panel at UNLV with Alan Richman, Jeffrey Steingarten, et al. Who knows? I might drive out to see it. It would be a quick (real quick) weekend trip. Have a great time!

I finally made a reservation for Urasawa for the end of the month. I told a chef/friend about it and he said a better time to go would be in December, when more fish are available. tupac, at least you didn't go to Pizzeria Mozza an hour before your dinner at Urasawa. Pizza before sushi?

kai, Delmonico's is a good steakhouse. Very large restaurant. It's worth trying. I don't know anything about Table 10 except it's new at the Palazzo. Alex is really worth the price. Before Robuchon & Savoy came to Las Vegas, Alex Stratta arguably had the best fine dining restaurant in Las Vegas. L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon is not overpriced (perhaps under $150 USD for the nine-course menu decouverte). In fact, I consider Robuchon's "casual" restaurant the best fine dining value along the Strip. Bouchon for breakfast. It's fine for what it is. Half the fun is trying to find it the first time, even with a map. I think I posted directions (with photos) how to get there. As for lunch, you should really try Sensi at the Bellagio. Chef Martin Heierling is very creative, combining European and Asian flavors together. If you don't mind going to a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, you can dine at Cut Steakhouse at the Palazzo or Spago Las Vegas at Caesar's. kai, it sounds like you two like the dinner at Providence. Schmeck es gut?

D, If you're staying in WeHo, you're basically near most of the good restaurants. Mind you, parking can be a bit much (about $10). I had the tasting menu at Gordon Ramsay at the London. It was very delicious. A really nice bar, and if mixologist Vincenzo is working that night, trust him for your drinks ... Apple Restaurant is quite new, headed up by chef Bryan Ogden, son of Bradley. I had dinner there during its opening night. The meal was fine and I enjoyed the ambience. Mind you, the two lounges (Apple Lounge & Pussycat Lounge) were not open yet. All three places have separate entrances. I plan to go back to the restaurant and see how everything works out (The dining crowd and the nightclub crowd are two different groups). Sona is one of the finer restaurants near WeHo, in fact, in all of LA area. Comme Ca is a French brasserie owned by David Myers, who owns Sona. I really like their French onion soup. The fourth version of Bastide with chef Paul Shoemaker (Providence alum) is pretty good. Just very good cooking, fresh ingredients, doesn't really "push the envelope" (very few LA restaurants are into that, truth be told). Bastide recently introduced an a la carte menu, along with the tasting menu. Complimentary valet parking (you read correctly). Lucques is a great restaurant with a nice casual feel. Suzanne Goins is an excellent chef. That's just a few places in and around West Hollywood. Mind you, I'm not too familiar with that area, compared to the rest of the LA area. I hope this helps.

tjdnewyork, I've been doing some "research" for my upcoming trip to San Francisco. Here are some restaurants that are open on Sunday nights, according to their websites: A16 Boulevard Delfina Gary Danko Incanto Quince I hope this helps. There are plenty of more places that I'm agonizing over ... Edited to add: Hey, chezcherie! I heard that Zuni is very similiar to Chez Panisse. Is that so? Mind you, I also heard that most of the restaurants in SF are under the "tyranny of Chez Panisse," as Daniel Patterson (Coi) once said.

davebr, sorry it's not much, but here it goes ... I'm speculating that the late night chefs and cooks might go to some of the bars along Melrose like the Village Idiot. A number of chefs have spouses and children to go home to and very few places in LA are open real late, like Thai Town and Koreatown. The Mozzas (Pizzeria & Osteria) are open until midnight, as well as the Hungry Cat. Restaurants in LA generally close up around 10 p.m., but things are changing ... slowly ... Besides what I just gave you, you'll have to do some research ...

Now that all of you guys have hugged each other and finished singing "Kumbaya," I have a question about Manresa Restaurant: How busy is Manresa on a Sunday night? What is the activity level like on Sun., as opposed to a weekend night? More relaxed? Is Kinch there on Sundays regularly? For you regular Manresa diners: Is Kinch & crew more "creative" on certain nights as opposed to other nights? Reading all these recent postings makes me want to go back to Manresa on my next vacation in Nov. It's either going to Manresa and a few SF restaurants or take a vacation to Hawaii for the first time. I'm leaning towards the former and it's all your fault. I thought I'd let you know.

Define a "romantic" restaurant, please. The last thing I want to be guilty of is directing you to love and food ... in all the wrong places ... If you want a small restaurant (40-50 seats), Hatfield's on Beverly Blvd. is really nice. Owned and operated by Quinn and Karen Hatfield, that culinary love couple serve delicious dishes and desserts. The volume can be medium loud at times. Perhaps even quieter is Bastide Restaurant on Melrose Place, parallel north of Melrose Ave., east of La Cienega Blvd. Paul Shoemaker is the current chef there. Bastide just introduced an a la carte menu, along with the chef's tasting menu. Inside, the decor is modern & abstract. Nice outdoor dining area. One of the few places where complimentary valet parking is offered (You read correctly). Sorry, no website available for Bastide. A bit larger is the French restaurant Ortolan on 3rd St. The decor looks quite luxurious (Some would say gaudy and over the top). Christophe Eme has a culinary creativity that's wonderful and sometimes playful. And he's married to actress Jeri Ryan, if that interests you. Please let me know if these might be the restaurants you were thinking of, potsticker. BTW Planning to move back to Southern California?

Don't worry, jumanggy! I didn't notice either until now. Verjuice, I have to agree with you that he is human, and quite normal for a human as well. Rob, glad to meet you when you were in Los Angeles. It's a joy when I can meet fellow eGullet members like you in person. BTW, if you need another LA pastry tour, please let me know. Take care, Russell

I too wish you and Nicole well on your next venture. I feel very fortunate to have eaten at the restaurant on my NorCal trip. I still want some more shrimp and grits. Please keep that on the menu. If, for some reason, things don't work out, I wouldn't mind if y'all move down south to Southern California and hang your hat there ... Take care, Russell

The "worst table" at Providence is not bad at all. That was where I was seated during my first time there. The photo I took back in 2006 shows the curtain to the left and an entrance door to the right. Behind me would be the enclosed patio area. The patio area has heaters installed above. I don't recall any "signature dishes." The Santa Barbara spot prawns are great, if they're available. Looking at my previous post, I noticed how chef Michael Cimarusti still likes to use Tasmanian sea trout.

kai, as for me, I usually take photos when a new restaurant and/or a special dinner event and/or a major change (i.e., new chef) comes around. As for posting them, I'll admit that I've been slacking off. After dining at a restaurant a few times, I leave the camera at home and enjoy my dining experience. I haven't been to Sona in a while. Mind you, I want to go back. kai, you should reconsider and more importantly, find out for yourself. I tend to read reviews with a grain of salt, and/or an air-sickness bag. Once in a while, I even disagree with the LA Times food critic about certain restaurants. I think Ortolan is going through hard times, given the current economic state. Christophe Eme is a fine chef. However, the service needs to improve if they want that second Michelin star. The popular French places tend to be more brasseries & bistros (Comme Ca, Anisette ...), and very few are the high-end (i.e., Melisse). I'm hoping French restaurants make a comeback. There are plenty of Italian places already. What chezcherie said. Langham brought that R-C property and wisely kept Chef Craig Strong. Definitely have dinner at The Dining Room. Chef Strong has big plans and the hotel is supporting him. A sommelier has been added to the restaurant staff. Yes, you can hope. I've eaten at Bastide (version 4) just once. I'm planning to eat there within the month, then I'll give a report. When are you visiting LA? Because later this year (hopefully), a Jose Andres restaurant is opening up on La Cienega Blvd. within a SBE Hotel (Sam Nazarian, owner). I hope Andres brings his "modern" menu to LA. That would be fun.

Correct me, somebody, if this is incorrect: Westminster has many Vietnamese restaurants. Directions from Anaheim Conv. Ctr.: westbound Katella to southbound Euclid ; Euclid to westbound Westminster Blvd., between Beach Blvd. (39) & the 405 (San Diego Freeway). edited to say: Ah Leung, who says you don't have sophisticated taste buds??!!

Chris, from the Anaheim Convention Center, you can drive about 15 miles to South Coast Plaza, the huge shopping center in Coast Mesa. Directions: Katella to Southbound 5 ; Southbound 5 to Southbound 55 ; Southbound 55 to 3333 Bristol St. Marche Moderne is located at the north end of SCP, 3rd floor, near Nordstrom's. Charlie Palmer is located on the south end of SCP, street level, on the corner next to Bloomingdale's. I hope this helps.

I've eaten at Anisette when they just started serving dinner. I sat at the bar and had the onion soup, which had very little Gruyere. The steak frites was fine. I would go again. Mind you, with Comme Ca already in place and Keller's Bouchon coming to Beverly Hills, and I living near downtown LA, it will be a while. Interesting note: The kitchen is located upstairs. Patti, I heard that Santa Monicans won't drive beyond the San Diego Freeway to have dinner ("It's too far."). So, what's stopping you??

Eliot, congratulations on passing your inspections! Don't try this in the city of Los Angeles, unless you want more hoops to go through ... You might want to double-check your menu on your website for spelling et al.: Fettucine or Fettuccine? Please pardon the pickiness. Mind you, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. No pressure, ehh? You got your purveyors all lined up? Are you sourcing your produce from California and/or more locally? What's been the buzz around town about your restaurant? Please respond at your earliest convenience, as though you have nothing else to do ... Again, wishing you well, Eliot.

Hoshe, welcome to eGullet! I'll be in Las Vegas in Aug. as well, on the weekend of the Olympic Games. As for DJT, you think you're devastated!!!??? I just want to cry, but I refuse to act like SpongeBob. In the meantime, I'm trying to get some more information about DJT's closing. Perhaps, there can be one last dinner, one last hurrah. We'll see ... Rosemary's is worth the drive, if you combine that with some other activity elsewhere during the day, like Settebello for lunch, after a tour of Hoover Dam in the morning. Louis's Fish Camp is really good. I haven't tried Louis's yet. I heard the seafood restaurant called "rm" (Rick Moonen) over at Mandalay Bay is good. I need to try that place. Prime is definitely fine dining, and it's more than just steaks. This is a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant. Enjoy Las Vegas, Hoshe! If we meet, I'm the Chinese-looking man with glasses eating my way through the Strip ...

Ever considered something Southern? I was thinking of Louis's Fish Camp at the Town Center, south of Mandalay Bay. They have live music on the weekends (country, bluegrass ...). That place might suit a bachelor party. Did you want more of a scene/restaurant, with table service, a la Pure or the Light Group? More upscale? Or I might have to refer you to this website. BTW Is the bachelor party for you? If so, congrats epg13!!

Actually, I did eat at Bastide version 4.0, but I haven't posted yet. I had the seven-course tasting menu. Overall, it tasted very good. It didn't "pushed the envelope," just very good solid food. Paul Shoemaker is a very good chef. At this point, Chef Paul is providing a stabilizing influence at Bastide. I want to try the restaurant again, sometime in the fall. I hope to give some more details later, when I can find the menu Bastide gave me afterwards ...