1.31.2005

Dessert


Mango sorbet at Saladang Song

All of these restaurants serve particularly good desserts or have a nice atmosphere in which to enjoy a dessert.

Baan Khanom Thai
Beard Papa
Big Sugar Bakeshop
Blue Marlin
Boule
Chameau
Cobras and Matadors
Cube
Gingergrass
Il Moro
India's Sweets and Spices
Jin Patisserie
Josie
Kiriko
Literati Cafe
Literati II
Lucques
Marmalade
Melisse
Musha
Nook
Orris
Osteria Latini
Pinkberry
Real Food Daily
Saladang Song
Senor Fred

1.30.2005

Los Angeles Hotspots


Seared Niman Ranch beef at Lucques

These restaurants are considered by the press and critics like Jonathan Gold to be the top dining destinations in Los Angeles.

Border Grill
Boule
Chameau
Cobras and Matadors
Hamasaku
Hide Sushi
The Hump
Josie
Kiriko
Krua Thai
Lucques
Matsuhisa
Melisse
Nobu Malibu
Nook
Orris
Pinkberry
Sushi Tenn
Warszawa

1.29.2005

Foodie Universe's Mission Statement

Foodie Universe strives to represent the average diner. We offer a site for people dissatisfied with or alienated by traditional sources of restaurant information--reviews that don't offer a complete picture of a dining experience or reviews of restaurants that most people can't afford. Some sources only focus on trendy parts of town, and some "reviews" are really articles of lavish praise that seem to be paid for by restaurants. Foodie Universe provides the detailed, down-to-earth restaurant review resource that was missing from the scene. We created this site because we wished this kind of resource existed each time we were looking for a place to eat.

Foodie Universe provides all the practical information you need when picking a new restaurant--addresses, phone numbers, hours, menus, websites--but you'll also find out how good a restaurant's service is, whether the atmosphere is great for a date or better for takeout, and how the food looks. For some people, going to a new restaurant can be daunting; we strive to make trying a new place easy and fun by giving you all the details before you go.

At Foodie Universe, any restaurant is up for grabs--not just places that are already highly ranked, brand new, hyped up, or have famous chefs. We eat where we want; no one instructs us to visit particular restaurants. We do not eat on an expense account. We do not accept advertising money from the restaurants we review. And we always dine undercover--we get no special treatment.

The average diner is likely to eat at whatever restaurants are most conveniently located--usually close to the diner's home and workplace. Often, many of these neighborhood restaurants aren't covered in any dining guide, especially in a city with as many restaurants as Los Angeles. People get curious about the restaurants they pass on a daily basis, and wish they knew whether these places were worth a visit.

Many sources of restaurant reviews only provide positive reviews. Foodie Universe thinks this practice is short-sighted. Why should a dining guide only tell you where to eat? Knowing where not to eat is just as important--we don't want you to waste your time or money.

The average diner is concerned with price. We might eat at upscale restaurants on special occasions, but most of our meals are under $20 per person. We can't afford to order one of everything on the menu or visit a restaurant three times before forming an impression. However, most of our meals are shared by at least two people, which provides a more balanced opinion of a particular restaurant and gives us more dishes to try. We also encourage comments on our reviews. Comments help our readers get multiple perspectives on a restaurant, provide additional information, or correct any inaccuracies.

The average diner is not a foodie, so we try to explain unfamiliar cuisines and food terms instead of assuming that our readers know what "bibimbap" or "boulliabase" is. Sometimes, we don't know a thing about the food ourselves until we eat it and do some research. We aspire to the depth and breadth of Jonathan Gold's food knowledge, but we aren't experts of his level yet. We're learning as we go.

Foodie Universe is a journey--a foray into new places, new cuisines, different cultures, and new experiences. We invite you to join us on this journey as we celebrate and critique one of life's necessary pleasures. We hope we encourage you to try new restaurants and new cuisines. We hope we help you find some gems you weren't aware of, and steer you away from places that aren't worth the visit. We hope you'll share your experiences in the comment sections. Most of all, we hope you have fun perusing the site and that we help lead you to many wonderful dining adventures.

1.19.2005

St. Louis

Pho Grand - Don't leave St. Louis without going to Pho Grand! St. Louis actually has a considerable Vietnamese population, and the pho and tofu dishes here are unrivaled by anything I have tasted in Los Angeles--even in Westminster. It's also cheap as hell, and has the nicest atmosphere of any Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to. It's dateworthy, in a casual sort of way.



Breakfast


Omelette at Jinky's

18th Street Coffee House
Abbot's Habit
Anastasia's Asylum
Broadway Deli
Buon Giorno Caffe
Infuzion Cafe
Jinky's
Lazy Daisy Cafe
Literati Cafe
Marmalade
Panera Bread
Swingers
The Talking Stick
Unurban

1.18.2005

All Restaurant Reviews


Chicken with miso sauce from Blue Marlin

This list is complete as of 12/31/07.

18th Street Coffee House
2117
Abbot's Habit
Akwa
All India Cafe
Ambala Dhaba
Anajak Thai
Anastasia's Asylum (closed)
Angeli Caffe
Annapurna Cuisine
Artisan Cheese Gallery
Asahi Ramen
Asakuma
Asuka
Baan Khanom Thai
Baja Fresh
Bamboo Cuisine
Bamboo Village
Barney's Beanery
Beard Papa
Big Sugar Bakeshop
Blue Marlin
Border Grill
Boule
Broadway Deli
Buon Giorno Caffe
Cacao
Cafe Bizou
Cafe Brasil
Cafe Orient
Canal Club
The Cellar
Chabuya
Cha Cha Chicken
Chameau
Champagne Bakery Cafe
Cholada Beach Thai
Cobras and Matadors
Coffeecana
Cravings
Cube
Donuts and Delites
El Pedregal (closed)
El Super Taco
El Taco Llama
Electric Lotus
Empanada's Place
Famima!!
Fina Estampa Authentic Restaurant
Finn McCool's
Friedel Caribbean Cuisine
Fritto Misto
FuRaiBo
Gaam
Gingergrass
Gio Cucina Napoletana
Gladstone's of Malibu
Golden Crown Wok Palace
Good to Eat (closed)
The Great Greek
Gr/eats
Guelaguetza
Hamasaku
Hide Sushi
Hong Kong 88
The Hump
Hurry Curry
Hurry Curry of Tokyo
Il Moro
Il Moro (second review)
India's Sweets and Spices
India's Tandoori
Indo Cafe
Infuzion Cafe
Jack Sprat's Grille
Jaipur Cuisine of India
Java Groove
Jin Jiang Seafood Restaurant (closed)
Jinky's
Jin Patisserie
Joie Luck Kitchen
Josie
Juliano's Raw
Ketchy's II
Key Club
Kinchan's
Kiriko
Krua Thai
La Bottega
La Curva
La Fogata
La Pergola
Lago, Santa Monica Farmer's Market
Las Fuentes
Lazy Daisy Cafe
Le Saigon
Library Alehouse
Literati Cafe
Literati II
Little Hong Kong Cafe
Lollicup
Lotous Boba & Tonic
Lucques
Malibu Kitchen
Mama Voula's (closed)
Manpuku Tokyo Barbecue
Mao's Kitchen
Marmalade
Marrakesh
Matsuhisa
Meditrina Cafe
Melisse
Merkato
Messob
Mezbaan Indian Cuisine
Mi Casita Salvadorena
Mi Ranchito Salvadoreno
Mizu 212
Monte Alban
Musha
Nanbankan
Nawab of India
Ngoma
Nobu Malibu
Noma
Nook
Ocean Avenue Seafood
Organic To Go
Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers
Orris
Osteria Latini
The Otherroom
Palms Restaurant
Palomino
Panera Bread
Pecorino
Pho 99
Pho 999
Pinkberry
Place Yuu
Phoreign
Punch Grill
Ramayani Indonesian Cuisine
Rambutan
Ramenya
Rincon Salvadoreno
Real Food Daily
Renee's Courtyard Cafe
Rosalind's
Rosti
Sak's Teriyaki
Sanamluang Cafe
Santino's
Saladang Song
Sawtelle Kitchen
Senor Fred
Sham
Shan Halal
Shige (closed)
Siam Chan
Sushi Mon
The Slice
Spumoni
Sri Siam Cafe
Stroh's Gourmet
Sunset Bar and Grill
Sushi House
Sushi Masu
Sushi Tenn (closed)
Swan Thai
Swingers
Tacos Por Favor
Taqueria Emanuel
The Talking Stick
Tapioca Express (closed)
Tender Greens
Thanh My
Tia Juana's (closed)
Todai
Tofu-ya
Toi
Trastevere
T's Thai
Typhoon
Udupi Palace
Unurban
Upper House (changed ownership)
Versailles Cuban Restaurant
Volcano Tea
Wahoo's Fish Taco
Warszawa
Woodlands
Yakitoria
Yangtze
Zankou Chicken
ZaZen (closed)

1.15.2005

Westwood

Ambala Dhaba
Asuka
Palomino
Ramayani Indonesian Cuisine
Sak's Teriyaki
Sushi Masu

Culver City

Annapurna Cuisine
Empanada's Place
India's Sweets and Spices
Tender Greens

Mar Vista and Palms

Guelaguetza
Hurry Curry


Santa Monica

18th Street Coffee House
Akwa
Anastasia's Asylum (closed)
Barney's Beanery
Border Grill
Broadway Deli
Buon Giorno Caffe
Cha Cha Chicken
Famima!!
Finn McCool's
Fritto Misto
Good to Eat (closed)
The Hump
Infuzion Cafe
Jinky's
Josie
Juliano's Raw
Lago, Santa Monica Farmer's Market
Lazy Daisy Cafe
Library Alehouse
Literati Cafe
Literati II
Marmalade
Melisse
Musha
Nawab of India
Noma
Ocean Avenue Seafood
Panera Bread
Punch Grill
Real Food Daily
Renee's Courtyard Cafe
Rosti
Santino's
Sham
Shige
Sushi Mon
The Slice
Spumoni
Sunset Bar and Grill
Swingers
Tacos Por Favor
The Talking Stick
Toi
Trastevere
T's Thai
Typhoon
Unurban
Wahoo's Fish Taco
Warszawa
Yangtze

West LA

All India Cafe
Asakuma
La Bottega
Cacao
Cafe Brasil
Champagne Bakery Cafe
El Super Taco
Hamasaku
Il Moro
Il Moro (second review)
India's Tandoori
Jack Sprat's Grille
Jaipur Cuisine of India
Jin Jiang Seafood Restaurant (closed)
Le Saigon
Mama Voula's (closed)
Monte Alban
Nanbankan
Nook
Pho 99
Siam Chan
Sushi House
Tapioca Express
Tia Juana's

Recommendations and Future Reviews


Foodie Universe hard at work

Foodie Universe's Best and Worst Restaurants
Future Dining Experiences

Little Ethiopia

Merkato
Messob
Rosalind's

Everywhere Else

Angeli Caffe (Hollywood)
Baja Fresh (Everywhere)
Boule (near Beverly Center)
The Cellar (Century City)
Chameau
Cobras and Matadors
Coffeecana (Koreatown)
Cravings (West Hollywood)
Cube
Gaam (Koreatown)
Key Club (Hollywood)
Las Fuentes (Reseda)
Lucques (West Hollywood)
Matsuhisa (Beverly Hills)
Ngoma (Mid Wilshire)
Organic To Go (Miracle Mile)
Pinkberry (West Hollywood)
Shan Halal (Artesia)
Thanh My (Westminister)
Todai (Beverly Center)
Udupi Palace (Artesia)

Encino

Gio Cucina Napoletana
Versailles Cuban Restaurant

Chatsworth

Cafe Orient
Fina Estampa Authentic Restaurant
Lotous Boba & Tonic
Woodlands

Pasadena

Mezbaan Indian Cuisine
Saladang Song

North Hollywood

Krua Thai
Sanamluang Cafe
Sri Siam Cafe
Swan Thai

Van Nuys

Donuts and Delites
El Pedregal
El Taco Llama
Java Groove
Mi Casita Salvadorena
Mi Ranchito Salvadoreno
Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers
Pho 999
Rincon Salvadoreno
Taqueria Emanuel
Zankou Chicken

Studio City

Artisan Cheese Gallery
Big Sugar Bakeshop
Friedel Caribbean Cuisine
The Great Greek
Marrakesh

Malibu

Cholada Beach Thai
Gladstone's of Malibu
Malibu Kitchen
Nobu Malibu

Sherman Oaks

Anajak Thai
Bamboo Cuisine
Bamboo Village
Cafe Bizou
Golden Crown Wok Palace
Hong Kong 88
Joie Luck Kitchen
La Fogata
La Pergola
Senor Fred

Eastside

Baan Khanom Thai
La Curva
Electric Lotus
Gingergrass
Palms Restaurant
Rambutan

Brentwood

Osteria Latini
Pecorino

Venice

Abbot's Habit
Canal Club
Jin Patisserie
Mao's Kitchen
Meditrina Cafe
The Otherroom
Stroh's Gourmet
ZaZen (closed)

Recommended Restaurants

Up-to-date as of 12/31/07

Abbot's Habit
Angeli Caffe
Annapurna Cuisine
Artisan Cheese Gallery
Asahi Ramen
Baan Khanom Thai
Beard Papa
Blue Marlin
Border Grill
Boule
Broadway Deli
Buon Giorno Caffe
Cafe Bizou
Cafe Brasil
Cafe Orient
Cha Cha Chicken
Chameau
Cholada Beach Thai
Cobras and Matadors
Cravings
Cube
Donuts and Delites
Empanada's Place
Famima!!
Fritto Misto
Gingergrass
Gio Cucina Napoletana
Golden Crown Wok Palace
The Great Greek
Guelaguetza
Hamasaku
The Hump
Il Moro
Il Moro (second review)
India's Sweets and Spices
Indo Cafe
Jaipur Cuisine of India
Java Groove
Jinky's
Jin Patisserie
Juliano's Raw
Kiriko
Krua Thai
La Curva
La Pergola
Lazy Daisy Cafe
Literati Cafe
Literati II
Little Hong Kong Cafe
Lollicup
Lucques
Manpuku Tokyo Barbecue
Mao's Kitchen
Marrakesh
Melisse
Merkato
Messob
Mezbaan Indian Cuisine
Mi Casita Salvadorena
Monte Alban
Musha
Nawab of India
Ngoma
Nobu Malibu
Noma
Nook
Ocean Avenue Seafood
Organic To Go
Orris
Palms Restaurant
Palomino
Panera Bread
Pecorino
Pinkberry
Ramayani Indonesian Cuisine
Rambutan
Real Food Daily
Rosalind's
Sak's Teriyaki
Sanamluang Cafe
Saladang Song
Senor Fred
Shan Halal
Siam Chan
Spumoni
Stroh's Gourmet
Sushi Masu
Swan Thai
Taqueria Emanuel
Thanh My
Tofu-ya
Udupi Palace
Unurban
Versailles Cuban Restaurant
Volcano Tea
Zankou Chicken