MAIN STREET — In my imbibing infancy, I found Budweiser to be palatable, enjoyed the crisp burn of the High Life and chugged with happiness ice cold Coors Light at many USC tailgate parties.
They say that when man lands on Mars, he will find a Starbucks on one corner and an Italian restaurant on the other. But, like in Los Angeles, no classical French food.
Gladstone’s is back. When Bobby Morris owned it, it was the hot spot on the beach, where you could wet your pallet and quench your hunger with a nice selection of seafood, while overlooking the Santa Monica Bay.
Second son Spencer lives in Japan, where he teaches Japanese literature and culture. About twice a year he comes home for vacation. As a special treat and to celebrate his visit we usually go to dinner (with other family members) to Sasabune, where Spencer kids around in Japanese with the owner and
WILSHIRE BLVD — Chefs, like any artist, are continually searching for inspiration. For his latest menu, Drago Ristorante’s Evan Gotanda didn’t have to look very hard.
GENERAL COMMENT: The new food court in the Santa Monica Place is a lot of fun. There are two Japanese restaurants, one taco place, a chicken and rib joint that needs improvement, a crepe place, one pizza place (and it was tasty), a typical Chinese, and best of all, Charlie’s Kabob.
OLYMPIC BLVD — Stefan’s at L.A. Farm screams aristocratic eatery with every detail of its composition, starting with the rampant bulls with smouldering red eyes at the street entrance and following through to the richly appointed tomes that sit adjacent to the host desk.
We used to sail out of Marina del Rey. After a cold, rough sail, with Spencer seasick and Bonnie bored, we would return to the marina looking for a good dinner.
When Jean Francois Meteigner, one of the great French chefs in town, moved his restaurant from Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City to Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, many of his clients eagerly followed.
Groucho Marx used to say, “I’m a person of high principles, and if you don’t like them … I have others.” I too have high principles, including what kind of restaurant I like to go to.
We’re so lucky in Santa Monica to have a number of extraordinary chefs trained in France by the greatest of the great. Michael McCarty has been around the longest I guess, and has maintained a top quality restaurant for years.
CITY HALL — Restaurants may see their rents rise on outdoor dining facilities in two years after the City Council voted to increase rent on city sidewalks to bring them in line with improved property values.
