San
Fernando Valley
Asanebo
11941 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 760-3348
They don’t serve sushi here but they do Sashimi pride. Also
if you want to know what on earth is a Japanese tapas bar then
Asanebo is a good place to start. Best seats in the restaurant
are of course at the bar where they will serve you bite-size
faire until you can’t take it any more. The experience is hard
to explain if you thought all Japanese cooking is based on sushi
but this eatery is worth the experience.
Lunch and dinner AE, D, DC, MC, V.
$$$
A&W Seafood Restaurant
9306 Reseda Blvd.
Northridge, CA 91324
818-882-6668
Real Cantonese cooking in an unlikely place. This eatery is
so popular that it is hard at times to find empty seats but
it is worth it. The seafood options are endless. Try the lobster
with black bean sauce and the orange beef for two of the many
excellent meals. 8:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. everyday
$
Bistro Garden
12950 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 501-0202
This place has been around since the golden age of Hollywood
and still does not disappoint. The room is designed like an
English hothouse where the garden like setting and excellent
service will put you in the mood for the killer French and German
cuisine. If you need a quick bite, try the patio and ask for
their Curry Chicken. Do yourself a favor, order your soufflé
even before your entrée because all in all that is what
the Bistro Garden is famous for. Daily, 5-11 p.m.; Monday.-Friday.,
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Carnival
4356 Woodman Ave.
Sherman Oaks
(818) 784-3469
For a place that started as a hole-in-the-wall eatery Carnival
has become a social gathering spots of sorts. Craving some Middle
Eastern faire but too afraid to risk the travel to the actual
region? Kebabs, humus, mezzes and lentil soup are all great
and will not disappoint. They always seem to be short of waitresses
but we thought you wanted to experience authenticity? Seven
days 11 a.m.–10 p.m. AE, MC, V.
$
Delmonico’s Lobster House
16358 Ventura Blvd.
Encino
(818) 986-0777
Remember the scene from Forest Gump when his side-kick was describing
the number of ways he would cook shrimp once he got back state
–side. Well, I bet they took that from Delmonico’s because they
do Lobster every which way here. Other well-prepared seafood
includes an excellent Mississippi catfish in a cornmeal crust.
Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. and dinner Saturday/Sunday
4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
$$ Market Broiler
5545 Reseda Boulevard
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 757-3663
We didn’t so much choose this restaurant for the food as we
did for their thoughtfulness. Every Market Broiler has a Fresh
Fish Market in the lobby and not only can you dine at the
restaurant but they will bag your choice of their catch of
the day to take home and prepare a special meal. While you
re there check out the pre-packed spices, bread and mesquite
charcoal as well.
Gangadin
12067 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 509-0722
They have been in this same spot for years and serve some
of the best Indian faire around. The owner lived in Iran for
a while and has tempered his spicy Indian dishes with Persian
culinary delights. Try the Lamb Vindaloo, and Chicken Biriani
as an example for the delightful entrées. Lunch Monday-Friday,
dinner nightly. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
$$
Good Neighbor Restaurant
3701 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Studio City
818-761-4627
Good clean food you can have fun with. Best part of the day
is going there in the morning for breakgfast. Order an omelette
and you get to name your own ingredients. They have been around
for the past 25 years and from the treatment of the wait staff,
you just know you are in company of some regulars. A quick
hop to Universal Studios from here. Breakfast & Lunch
Daily AE, D, DC, MC, V.
$
Karl Strauss Brewery
Garden
Universal City Walk
Universal City
(818) 753-2739
We were so busy sampling the different brews, we can’t quite
remember what was on the menu. Try the mini brew sampler and
you will have tried six of the most amazing tastes in beer.
On the menu you will find the Flame Grilled Bangkok Chicken,
a Thai Marinated Chicken breast with soy ginger glaze &
peanut as well as the Center Cut Filet Mignon with Balsamic
Amber Lager Glaze, both excellent with your brew. Lunch and
Dinner everyday. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
$$
Max Restaurant
13355 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks
(818) 784-2915
This restaurant serves Cal-Asian fusion cuisine with an attitude
for the dramatic. The dishes are imaginative and mmm-mmm good.
Try the appetizers and you may just not have room left for
their fabulous entrees like Pancit, which is a dish of Filipino
rice vermicelli with shrimp, pork, Chinese sausage, mushrooms
and vegetables, or Applewood Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Hoisin-honey
barbeque sauce, roasted garlic mash and edamame-kabocha succotash.
Lunch Mon.– Fri. 11:30 a.m.– 2:30 p.m.; dinner Sun.–Thurs.
5:30 p.m.–10 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. 5:30 p.m.–11 p.m. AE, D,
MC, V.
$$
Out Take Café
12159 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 760-1111
Small but cozy surroundings. On the menu you’ll find mostly
polish dishes but there are other items on the menu that don’t
belong with each other but they prepare them well for a café.
Try the Borscht and you may just become a regular. 10 a.m.-midnight
everyday. AE, MC, V.
Pinot Bistro
12969 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 990-0500
A jewel of a restaurant where you are sure to see the city’s
movers and shakers enjoying Braised Oxtails and Pan-seared
White Fish. Excellent wine list and deserts are sure to meet
your expectations. Lunch Monday – Friday, Dinner nightly AE,
D, DC, MC, V.
$$$
Posto
14928 Ventura Blvd.,
Sherman Oaks
(818) 784-4400
At Posto is Valentino's Valley sibling were homemade pasts
flows freely and excellent daily specials are the name of
the game. Sometimes, just sometimes, the dishes are erratic
and our suggestion is to deliver yourself and your palette
to the capable hands of the chef Stefano Samson and let him
pick what you should try. They will prepare a special three
or four-course meal and suggest wines to go with the masterpieces.
Lunch and Dinner everyday - AE, D, DC, MC, V.
$$
Spark Woodfire Cooking
11801 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 623-8883
Watching the open pit woodfire cooking and the small but cozy
surroundings will put you in the mood for the hearty and excellent
Italian dishes. Although they have regular menu dishes to
die for, glance over at their specials because that is where
you’ll find the best surprises. The thin crust pizzas are
a specialty and the wine list more than adequate for the dishes
served. Lunch Sat.-Sun.; dinner seven nights.
$$
Tama Sushi
11920 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
(818) 760-4585
There is an over abundance of good sushi houses in the city
but they are few and far in between in the Valley. Tama is
an exception. The restaurant is named after chef/owner Katsu’s
wife. He handpicks the fish daily and is not shy about telling
you what is good on any particular day. Lunch Mon.–Sat. 11:30
a.m.–2:30 p.m., dinner Mon.–Thurs. 5–9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat.
5–10:30 p.m. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
$$
Zankou
5658 Sepulveda Blvd.
Van Nuys
(818) 781-0615
For those of you old enough to remember the original Saturday
Night Live, this place is the re-incarnation of the skit “cheeboorge
cheeboorge , pepsi-no coke”, you get what you are given and
not a single pickle more. If you are looking for chicken,
they do it well. There are rows of rotisserie machines and
in a sick way watching all the chickens getting a tan is appetizing.
Service is non-existent but this is a fast food joint, so
what do you expect? Stay away from the garlic sauce if you
intent to talk to another soul that same day, it’s delicious
but wow.
10 a.m.-midnight everyday No credit cards.
$
Beverly
Hills Area
West
Hollywood/La Cienega
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