Michael's Restaurant

As a native Angeleno, Michael's offers the best cuisine there is: Californian.  Using fresh and seasonal ingredients straight from the Santa Monica farmer's market, you could not ask for a better source for lunch.  That being said, Michael's tends is by no means a cheap eat given the quality of their food.  Luckily for me, I got this trio of dishes for $25 during DineLA restaurant week.  

"Chicken and Waffle Wings"

Half-Dozen, Chili Salt, Maple Syrup

When I say I know fried chicken, I mean it.  I could eat fried chicken everyday if it wasn't for such a thing called cholesterol.  I know that Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles have become an LA landmark, but for those of you have been there, its actually not the best fried chicken in town.  This is definitely the best modern interpretation of chicken and waffles around.  There, I said it. #juicy #crispy #sweetnspicy

Michael's Cobb Salad

Blue Cheese, Chicken Breast, Bacon, Tomatoes, Egg, Mustard Vinaigrette

To step away from carbohydrates for a moment, I dived into a cobb salad packed with farm fresh vegetables and meat.  It was one of the better cobb salads I have eaten, but does not beat out Clementine's in Century City. #farmfresh #healthy #delicious

Chocolate Espresso Tart

Creme Fraiche, Coffee Ice Cream

The course to wrap it all up was a sugary delight of chocolate espresso realness (I stole that word from #RuPaul).  It was really effing good apart from the creme fraiche bit.  #yum

Avoid the crowds and the sky high prices by dining at Michael's for lunch rather than dinner.  It's a short walk away from 3rd Street Promenade, which makes for the perfect meeting spot for a group of friends.  

Piccolo Venice

When people ask me where to travel during DineLA, my first response here on forward will be Piccolo Venice.  For $45, I was able to sample FIVE delectable courses on a quaint winter evening on the cusp of Venice beach.  The location seemed appropriate considering my mind wandered to Italy over the course of two hours.

pomodori

tomatoes, burrata, basil, olive oil

The first dish was a modern interpretation of caprese salad.  Layered like tiramisu, pomodori had delicate layers of salted tomato puree, creamy burrata, and fragrant virgin olive oil.  My taste buds had arrived first class to Milan in a matter of minutes.

garganelli

rabbit ragu, spices, white wine

The second course was slightly more adventurous, with bits of rabbit sprinkled throughout a penne pasta.  This was my first experience eating rabbit, and I must say, it was delicious.  Consider this unparalleled dish a day trip to the glorious stadiums near Rome.

plin

fontina raviolo, parmesan butter sauce, truffle shavings

What is an exquisite meal without truffles?  This aromatic pasta delight was perhaps the most coveted dish of the meal.  Light wafers of truffles contrasted with dense fontina ravioli made for an impressional bite of food. Reminiscent of the Renaissance period, my mind floated to Florence to savor the memorable details of this piece of art.

rana

monkfish, kale, cinzano cream

For the main course, I savored a chunk of monkfish wrapped in a spinach and kale dressing.  While I appreciated the creativity of this dish, I found the monkfish was in fact too dense.  Perhaps the culinary masters need to spend some time in Genoa, Italy's principal seaport, to fine tune this dish.

bignole

puffs filled with valrhona gianduja chocolate

The grand finale was a cherished bite of chocolate puffs with vanilla cream sauce.  My heart recalled the last scene of Romeo & Juliet, and flew me to Verona to savor this incredibly sweet moment.

As you sip your last drop of wine, you come to the realization that your tour around Italy is over.  For those of you looking to spend an adventurous night out in Venice, California, beware of the portal that takes you to Venice, Italy.

Upstairs 2

Alas.  After waiting several months to try this well reviewed restaurant, I got my chance last night. Why is the restaurant so popular you ask? Upstairs 2 does not your average menu organized by appetizer, main course and dessert.  Staying close to its origins of The Wine House, Upstairs 2 has modeled its menu according to wine varietals.  For example, if you're in the mood for a medium bodied Chardonnay, the chef suggests that you pair that with a fig and goat cheese flat bread.  The point is not to order randomly; rather, it's about pairing the right wine notes with complementary flavors.    

Rather than stick to the DineLA menu, my partner and I tasted several dishes from the menu [paired with several glasses of 2.5 ounce portions of wine].

Portabello Mushroom Ravioli ($6.00)

Wild Mushroom Parmesan Broth

Our culinary journey began with a Portabello Mushroom Ravioli. I found the dish to be quite tasty; however, it was very reminiscent of the Trader Joe's frozen dinner. That may sound disconcerting, but rest assured, both are very yummy. This was paired with a rich oak and butter 2010 Luli Chardonnay "Santa Lucia" (CA). The wine was so pleasing, I had to order another!

Roast Duck Salad ($13.00)

Summer Greens, Candied Walnuts, Quince Vinaigrette

Our second appetizer was the roasted duck salad.  I prefer more crisp to a fat rendered duck breast, but overall, the salad was a sweet and savory delight.  The quince vinaigrette was a wonderful accompaniment to the dish, which would have been further enjoyed with bits of cheese.  I found the presentation to be a bit sloppy, especially considering the dish cost $13, but in all honesty I look forward to eating it again in the not so distant future.

Grilled Bison Hangar Steak ($17.00)

Yukon Smashed Potatoes, Red Wine Sauce

Perhaps the star of the night was the hangar steak.  I might have been a bit drunk at this point, but let me tell you, the red wine sauce went perfectly with my 2010 Standing Sun Grenache (CA).  I found the steak to be succulent and rich with flavor, which paired well with a slightly blander side dish of potatoes.  I urge you to order this!!!

Boneless Beef Short Ribs ($16.00)

Roasted Barley, Portobello Mushrooms, Asparagus, Espanole Sauce

Not as spectacular as the steak was the beef short ribs.  I found them to be flirting with dryness, and in need of a succulent sauce.  To my surprise, my partner and I found the roasted barley to be the best part of this dish.  With some improvements, I think the short rib would be just as good as the hanger steak.

Bittersweet Molten Chocolate Cake ($6.00)

Vanilla Bean Gelato

As if we hadn't eaten enough, my partner ordered the molten chocolate cake for dessert.  Considering this is my favorite dessert to order when I eat out, I was taken a back when I tasted this bittersweet morsel.  I'm not sure which aspect of the cake is displeasing, but perhaps it would be better with a different type of chocolate.

Marcona Almond Pie ($6.00)

Spanish Sherry Glaze, Chantilly Cream

Last but not least, the marcona almond pie was without a doubt one of the best desserts I have ever had in Los Angeles.  Think of it as pecan pie's better tasting sister.  It was sweet, crunchy and creamy - a fantastic way to savor hundreds of calories.

After waiting for months to try Upstairs 2, I finally know what all the hype is about.  I enjoyed every dish and wine I tasted, some more than others.  Think about dining at Upstairs 2 for your next night out with a hot date.  

The Gorbals

Tucked away inside the lobby of the Alexandria Hotel is a quirky upbeat restaurant by the name of The Gorbals.  You feel as if you've walked into the wrong place for dinner, but your nose assures you that you've in fact arrived to a glorious eatery.  Some have described the cuisine as reformed Jewish tapas, welcoming pork belly and bacon to its menu.  Let's review a sampling of the DineLA dinner menu.

[photo not pictured here]

celery root soup

smoked celery pickles, whipped maple syrup

Although this dish lacked in presentation, the celery root soup certainly had flavor.  Several upscale restaurants have added this winter dish to seasonal menus, which makes for a savory start for the beginning of the meal.

manischewitz-braised pork belly

orzo, beech mushrooms

This entree was jam packed with flavors of pork belly and beech mushrooms. I would have appreciated more crisp to the pork belly, but it was an excellent dish that I would order again.

sticky toffee pudding

whiskey cinnamon ice cream

I think the question here is who doesn't like whiskey cinnamon ice cream?  The sticky toffee pudding was a bit dry, but like the pork belly, very delicious!!!

The Gorbals was an excellent alternative to the hustle and bustle of other Downtown Los Angeles restaurants.  I paid $35 for dinner during DineLA to sample their offbeat menu.  I would recommend this restaurant if you're in the mood to try something new and low key.