3 1/2 Stars

If your idea of a great meal is garlic, garlic, and more garlic, head to Restaurant Row on La Cienega and visit The Stinking Rose. Executive Chef and owner Andrea Froncillo has created a garlic lover’s paradise, featuring great food in a wildly fun, garlic-themed atmosphere. Fantastic for large parties, the restaurant boasts a varied menu with specialties including roasted crab, prime rib, pastas, and giant tureens of steamed clams, all bathed in garlic. Don’t forget to visit "Dracula’s Grotto," one of many ornately decorated rooms, and to try Gilroy’s Famous Garlic Ice Cream.

Dish in La Cañada Flintridge has been serving up California comfort food to the chagrin of hungry patrons. Weeknight specials included Fried Chicken Tuesday and half-off beers on Monday nights. All items are made in house, including Banana pancakes featuring banana batter, and desserts like the decadent Turtle Bar. The folksy atmosphere, accentuated by the shabby-chic décor, has touches like pop-up toaster ovens on each table so diners can toast their bread to exact taste. With a warm and cozy feel and filling meals, it is no wonder Dish is popular among those looking for something a little different.

Whether you’re staying at the Le Merigot Hotel and Spa or are simply searching out a fabulous dining experience, Cezanne is the restaurant to visit. Parisian charm and elegance is served up in abundance here, along with a captivating menu of fine French fare. Massive glass-molded chandeliers, plush upholstered bench seats, and impressive architectural features all make for a subtly dramatic atmosphere complemented by similarly stunning cuisine. Come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner any day of the week and savor your very own bite of French goodness at Cezanne, in Santa Monica.

Stepping into Melvyn's Restaurant in Palm Springs is like stepping back in time. Known as an A-list celebrity hot spot during the 1940’s and 1950’s, Melvyn's Restaurant at the legendary Ingleside Inn has the feel of old Hollywood glamour. Entrees pay homage to classic American meals: Oysters Rockefeller, Steak Diane, Bananas Foster, Strawberries Romanoff, and many more. The walls are adorned in giant portraits of the beloved classic stars of yesteryear. Melvyn’s Restaurant offers an extensive wine list with a variety of local and international selections. The adjoining piano bar features the melodic sounds of classics like Frank Sinatra and …

With its earth-tone walls with floral accents and copious mirrors, Panzanella strikes a new balance between a formal dining venue and casual trattoria. Served along side a dozen classic pastas and risottos is a sizable soup selection including the signature bread-thickened ribollita.

Opened in March 2005, Ocean and Vine is located in the gorgeous Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, next to Santa Monica pier. The swanky lobby sets the scene for an upmarket experience. The split-level, low-ceilinged room is attractive; the top level is dominated by a steel chimneyed fire pit, with striking artworks adding to the ‘wow’ factor. The cuisine, from Head Chef Robert Trester under the watch of Executive Chef Gregg Wangard, is Californian; each dish a showcase of local, seasonal ingredients. Dishes are near-faultless, and although prices are high, it’s worth coming here for a splurge or special occasion.

Mori Sushi exudes an elegance and class that sums up the Los Angeles dining scene, but brings eastern culinary traditions to brilliant life with their selection of dishes. Serving up fresh, quality sushi daily, plus premium lunch specials based on traditional Japanese recipes. Mori Sushi also features a private dining venue for special events and private parties. Though sushi is plentiful in Los Angeles, Mori Sushi boasts a certain simplistic confidence and variety, all of which make this establishment unique.

Rogelio and Janet Huidobro opened the first Café Sevilla in 1987, honoring their homeland with a Spanish restaurant in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. After finding additional success in Riverside, they launched in downtown Long Beach in 2006. Mid week, the old-world setting draws business types. Weekends attract a younger crowd for upstairs dancing and dinner shows. Café Sevilla specializes in pans of paella and traditional Spanish tapas. The reasonably priced wine list is especially strong on full-bodied Spanish reds like Tempranillo and Torre Oria.

With a décor that emits an early 70’s vibe and a compelling menu of American comfort food from Chef Vania Almeida, The Second Story Restaurant at The Belamar Hotel, situated less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean, draws a mix of hotel guests, locals, and neighborhood business people. Second Story serves three meals daily, with the most ambitious food surfacing at night, highlighted by horseradish crusted Alaskan halibut with organic mushroom risotto and honey roasted chicken breast with Parmesan polenta and roasted pistachio Brussels sprouts. The happy hour runs seven days a week and features 50% off numerous drink …

In May of 1999, Bill Chait, Danilo Terribili and chef Jeff Sladicka partnered to open this Studio City restaurant specializing in mesquite-grilled meat and seafood. The second floor hosts a sleek black lounge and a dining room framed by wine racks, but the real action is downstairs, in a boisterous dining room with views of the exhibition kitchen. At lunch, expect to find entertainment execs. During the week, Spark draws locals, and on weekends, it’s a dater’s playground. Signature dishes include Roman-style pizzas, grilled Atlantic salmon, and steaks. No matter what you order, save room for the house-baked apple walnut …

Hatfield’s in Hollywood serves California fusion French cuisine in a New American style while using locally grown produce from local farmers markets. Owned and operated by husband-and-wife chefs Quinn and Karen Hatfield, the couple works as a team as Quinn cooks the entrees and Karen creates the desserts and runs the restaurant. The menu consists of items a la carte, a well-known weekly market pre-fixe menu, and a seven-course chefs’ tasting menu. The atmosphere is cozy, simple, and relaxed, perfect for a date or a nice conversation. For a fine dining experience in a striped down modern and modest setting, …

In a quiet part of Glendale, hidden behind a red door, awaits a foodie’s paradise. Bashan offers French and modern American cuisine in a sophisticated but casual setting. Seated at dark, wooden tables under a simplistic décor, guests dine on dishes featuring fresh ingredients with a French influence. The appetizers follow a motif of seasonal dining. Salad offerings such as the Lobster Salad, and Burrata Salad with Bresaola, Wild Arugula, White Nectarines, and a Tomato Relish. The main courses rarely disappoint the taste buds. The Roasted Duck Breast, with Truffle Scented Spaetzle, Roasted Kohirabi, Seared Black Mission Figs, and a …

Serving “Hellenic-California Cuisine”, the upscale Greek restaurant Petro’s spices up the food scene in the Manhattan Beach area. Decorated in a Grecian fashion, the restaurant features white walls and arches in a light and airy space. The menu offers many variations of Greek dips served with grilled pita bread. Entrees like Lamb Pasta, with slow cooked lamb, roasted peppers, broccolini, olives, kefalotiri cheese, and oregano, and Lamb Pizza are available on the menu along with classic Greek dishes. Petro’s also has a traditional Greek dessert menu where guests can order Baklava, Bougatsa, and other Greek favorites. For those looking for …

Nestled discreetly above the intersection of PCH and Main Street in Huntington Beach, you will find Spark Woodfire Grill. Specializing in contemporary American cuisine and a California-driven wine list, Spark offers an upscale casual setting and inspiring views of the Pacific Ocean and Huntington Beach Pier. One of three Spark restaurants, the menu at the Huntington location is focused on steak, chops and seafood. Noteworthy features include the 1600 degree steak broiler which cooks meat to perfection and creates intense flavor. Also, the restaurant boasts a large heated terrace that is perfect for enjoying your meal while watching the sunset.

Taste in West Hollywood offers diners a California spin on down home American comfort food. Lunch features soups, salads, pizzettas, sandwiches and burgers, as well as pasta entrées. Dinner pares down the overall menu options, but expands upon main courses to include items such as Lobster & Brown Butter Risotto, Grilled Salmon, and Crispy Parmesan Chicken Paillard. Brunch, served on the weekends, offers a la carte items like Huevos Rancheros and Brioche French Toast, while a Prix Fixe menu allows diners to choose from a two-course menu for a flat fee. Every Thursday, Taste offers the “Farmers’ Market Dinner,” where …

With wide sweeping views of the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean, The Penthouse sits atop the elegant Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica. The menu features a range as wide as the view. Breakfast dishes such as the Chef’s Daily Selection of Crêpes, Bananas Foster French Toast, and Moroccan Eggs showcase that this is not a run of the mill operation. Lunch plates include Wood Oven Flatbreads, Soups & Salads, Sandwiches, and entrees like the Pappardelle, Spicy Tomato Capellini, and Jidori Chicken Breast. Dinner offers Charcuterie Plates, hot and cold first courses, main courses including beef, lamb, chicken, seafood, and pasta dishes, …

Since 1983, Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois on Main has been serving Asian Fusion cuisine to the hungry hordes in Santa Monica. The décor has not changed since the day the doors opened, but Chef Rena Mata presents a menu that features not only selections of dishes that made Chinois on Main famous, but some new additions as well. All dishes presents ingredients from the Far East, transformed into modern culinary masterpieces of daring and stimulating flavors. Dishes served family style include classics such as Whole Sizzling Catfish with ponzu, Shanghai Lobser, Mongolian Lamb with cilantro-mint vinaigrette, and the Famous Chinois Chicken …

Chef Simon Dolinky brings a lot to the table with every dish he creates: His commitment to environmental sustainability and his energetic vision for flavorful cuisine blend quite nicely on the plate. Simple elegant presentations allow the rich and vibrant flavors of his food to shine as diners mingle in a dining space equally refined and satisfying. Deep earth tones bathe the walls in subdued sophistication, while energetic splashes of green pop up in the strategic placement of leafy plants. Small plates of artisan cured meats and cheeses warm the palate, and comforting soups and savory entrée selections warm the …

Located in the heart of fashionable West Hollywood, Bossa Nova embodies its eclectic and vibrant surroundings, serving up the American dream with a Brazilian flair. Offering American favorites like lasagna to traditional Brazilian fare like Coxinha, there is something to satisfy any craving. It is no surprise that Bossa Nova boasts three locations. Bossa Nova’s new happy hour special includes their vast selection of beers, wines, and margaritas at a discounted price weeknights from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Tasty food, casual atmosphere, and wallet friendly prices make it a neighborhood favorite throughout Los Angeles.

Situated at the cross roads of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, is a quaint corner eatery called Toast Bakery & Café. This Los Angeles hotspot, often frequented by celebrities, offers a wide variety of menu options. Open from early in the morning to relatively late at night, this café provides a hearty breakfast, a relaxing get away from work for lunch break, or for simply a light cup of coffee when a pick me up is needed. Toast is a phenomenal venue for a Sunday brunch as well as a date. Their menu showcases pastries, eggs, salads, soups, sandwiches, and …