Food

At least once a week, I find myself driving on Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, near the exit from the 405. Whether I am driving to or from my parents home, I pass by a handful of restaurants on the west side of Sepulveda Blvd. There is an Italian restaurant and a Katsuya izaka-ya, which I have been to, but I had not noticed the restaurant in between the two until now. Mizlala, which opened in 2016, is a family run restaurant serving modern Mediterranean cuisine and I now cannot stop going there. Mizlala is owned and run by Danny Elmaleh and his wife Justine. Danny took over the space, formerly known as Simon's Cafe, from his father, chef-owner Simon Elmaleh, when he retired. Danny Elmaleh had previously worked at Cleo and Doheny Room before opening Mizlala, which means "eatery in Hebrew". Open for lunch and dinner, Mizlala, which has a second location on West Adams, offers a flavorful menu of Mediterranean dishes that will tempt you. I can never decid what to have as everything looks and sounds so good and I have not ordered the same thing twice yet.
04 February, 2020
Downtown Los Angeles is a restaurant destination. When I was meeting a friend this past week to go to the final taping of The West Wing Weekly Podcast at the Ace Theater, we decided to first grab a bite to eat. I figured to make it easy, we would eat at the restaurant in the Ace Hotel. But he suggested we go to Woodspoon. I had never heard of the restaurant but gamely said yes and I am glad I did as Woodspoon is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Woodspoon is an intimate little restaurant with only 12 tables. Nestled in the middle of 9th Street, between Broadway and Spring Streets, it is only a block away from the Ace Hotel. Inside the decor is simple and inviting. It feels like entering a friend's chic living room.
01 February, 2020
A sustainable seafood market, a restaurant and a coffee shop do not seem like the likeliest of combinations, especially in a location like the San Fernando Valley. But sitting on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, The Joint Eatery is just that. Open since the summer of 2018, The Joint Eatery sits on the south side of Ventura Blvd, just west of Woodman Ave. The space is quite large and bright with long wooden tables for communal seating. The coffee bar and counter where you order the food is in the back left corner of the open space. On the right side of the space, separated by a partial wall, is the seafood market, featuring fresh fish and shellfish sourced from around the world, as well as dry-aged fish, a specialty of The Joint Eatery.
28 January, 2020

Hermosa Beach, the beachfront city in the South Bay, sits between Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. It is a city popular for sunbathing, surfing, beach volleyball, cycling, running and paddleboarding. Hermosa Avenue runs parallel with the beach and the northern end is filled with restaurants, bars and shops. The southern end is a bit more residential with a smattering of local neighborhood restaurants. And the southern end of Hermosa Beach is now home to a new restaurant, Mosa.

Mosa is on the corner of Hermosa Avenue and 2nd Street. A casual restaurant, it is accented with shades of blue tiles, live greens and eclectic pieces of art on display. The space is shaped like an L, with a bar that runs along the main dining room. Mosa is comfortable and inviting beach town restaurant.

21 January, 2020
Having grown up in Studio City, I am always excited to try new places that open in the area. The newest spot that I tried was Vintage Wine + Eats on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City. Located in the former Artisan Cheese Gallery space, Vintage Wine + Eats is a charming and welcoming neighborhood spot with an interesting selection of wines and some tasty food and it is the Please The Palate pick of the week. I remember when Artisan Cheese Gallery first opened its doors in 2005. The space was a retail store but there were tables inside and outside and whenever I would drive by, the outdoor tables would be full with people enjoying sandwiches and salads. This popular spot closed in the summer of 2019 and in July 2019, Vintage Wine + Eats opened in its place.
18 January, 2020
Majordomo has been on my list for almost two years. New York Chef David Chang of Momofuku fame opened his first Los Angeles restaurant in January 2018. Located on the edge of Chinatown, the first issue was getting a reservation. The second issue was getting across the city to the restaurant. Sure, I drive downtown from West LA all of the time, but Majordomo is located just a bit further which made it a bit off-putting on a week night. The last issue was that I was traveling so much that I just kept putting it off. I finally went and it was worth the wait! Located in an isolated warehouse district, just off Spring Street where it crosses the LA River, Majordomo is a beautiful space. Glass walls separate the inside and the outside dining areas. Ceilings are very high. The decor is minimalistic.
14 January, 2020
With the ability to watch movies from our homes, heading to the movie theater is not as common today. But, there is something special about sitting back in a large dark theater with surround sound and watching a movie on the big screen. At Studio Movie Grill, watching a movie combines the grandeur of watching a movie on a big screen with the comfort you would get at home. Add in-theater dining and personal service and that is why Studio Movie Grill is the Please The Palate Pick of the Week. Studio Movie Grill, established by Brian Schultz in 1993, is the first movie theater concept to offer in-theater dining. He started with one theater in 1993 and today there are more than 250 screens throughout the United States. Studio Movie Grills can be found in 34 locations across California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Virginia.
11 January, 2020
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