Fatty's
1627 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Neighborhood: Eagle Rock
(323) 254-8804
www.fattyscafe.com
The food was out of this world! The lentils with kale over meyer lemon sauce was like taking a bite out of heaven. Everything was delish! Get the fudgey for dessert. The service was kinda slow. Getting the check and leaving took about 25 minutes, so that was annoying but overall the food was so good I'd definitely go back!
Madeleine Bistro
18621 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
Neighborhood: Encino
(818) 758-6971
madeleinebistro.com
The food is VERY good. It's high quality, and very creative. It's just that after spending about $40 a person (or more?), I still felt hungry when I left. And I'm used to this type of food...I've been a vegetarian for 15 years and was vegan for many of those years. It's more about the quantity of food. So, I'd give it 5 stars for quality and taste, 3 stars for quantity and price. Also, for a restaurant this expensive, I was sort of hoping for a classier ambiance. They did allow us to bring our own wine, though, and didn't charge a corkage fee. Two thumbs up for that. All in all, I would go back, hopefully one day when my wallet is a little more full.
Inn of the Seventh Ray
128 Old Topanga Canyon Rd
Topanga, CA 90290
(310) 455-1311
www.innoftheseventhray.com/
We came for the atmosphere and it was perfectly romantic: the middle of nowhere and little twinkly lights everywhere.
I had made a reservation online on their website and they got back to me right away. I also forgot that I wanted to request a table by the creek, sent off an email to them, and they responded right away. From reading the other reviews, I was imagining a grassy area right by the creek but that was not the case. Nevertheless, it was a nice feature to our dinner. Other nice features: the sound of the water fountain, the Buddhas, and the burning incense.
Let's talk about the food: Everything was delicious. We asked the waiter for wine suggestions and he happily obliged. Both glasses were delicious. We also got the apple crumble with the lavender ice cream for dessert and that was also great.
My only complaint: My chair was wobbly and at times it felt like some of the tables were too close together. Other than that, a perfect evening.
Au Lac
16563 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 418-0658
www.aulac.com
Best raw food place in Orange County (out of the few, but whatever). I would not bother with their cooked food menu, since it is comparable to Wheel of Life in Irvine, which is just over processed soy layered with sweet sauces, nothing healthy even though it's vegan. The raw soft tacos, raw doughnut holes, the mermaid, and everything else on the raw menu is well worth the money you're going to spend and you feel incredible after eating it. I've been eating here for ages and even though the prices have gone up, I think it's justifiable to support chef Ito and his cause. If you're sick, visit him, he is a modern day apothecary and can cure anything.
Elf Café
2135 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Neighborhood: Echo Park
(213) 484-6829
elfcafe.com
Elf is one of the true hidden gems in Los Angeles. Tucked away in an unassuming storefront on Sunset, and with a feel like you are dining in a friend's fancy living room, Elf is a wonderful surprise.
The food is vegetarian, but the exclusion of meat does nothing to diminish one of my favorite dining experiences in LA. From the Kale salad, which is spicy and imanginitive, to a decadent crepe, to specials which are always home runs, this "little engine that could" of a restaraunt competes with some of the highest rated and reviewed eating experiences I can imagine. Like other reviewers have mentioned, the place is small, so plan accordingly and the dishes are best enjoyed shared so you can experience the wide variety of excellent offerings.
Regardless of whether or not you eat meat, Elf will blow you away and have you coming back again and again.
