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I invited a friend to join me at La Boheme for dinner recently. She asked, "you mean the restaurant in West Hollywood? It's still open?" That is what I had thought when I was invited to check it out as well. And the answer is yes! For twenty-five years, La Boheme has sat on Santa Monica Blvd in the heart of West Hollywood. la-boheme-1 From the street, there is something eye-catching about the building of concrete and stone with glittering lights and interesting ornaments. la-boheme-4 But when you walk inside, it is utterly mesmerizing. The 4,800 square-foot space is eye-catching with high ceilings, magnificent French chandeliers, a fireplace and red everywhere - the curtains, walls, ceiling, tables, chairs....everything! It is a bit eccentric and leans towards Gothic. It is like a set from of Moulin Rouge or Phantom of the Opera.
Sitting in a strip mall with neighbors such as Mediterranean Bar and Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Massage Envy, Gymboree, Coffee Bean, Allen Edwards Salon, Larsen's Steakhouse, a dental office, clothing boutiques and a carousel, I was surprised that was where I would find Chef Phillip Frankland Lee's Scratch Bar & Kitchen. But there it was, tucked into the second floor on the mall in Encino. encino-mall Scratch Bar & Kitchen first opened in Beverly Hills in 2013 and that was the first time I was introduced to Chef Lee. When the restaurant closed, Chef Lee opened the vegetable driven Gadarene Swine in Studio City which I went to a number of times. I was always impressed by the creativity of each dish, showcasing vegetables in ways one would never think of. Sadly Gadarene Swine recently closed but happily Chef Lee re-opened Scratch Bar & Kitchen one year ago in a strip mall in the valley. scratch-bar-kitchen-1
It has been almost a year since Roku opened on the Sunset Strip. The 8,000 square-foot modern restaurant with black-and-white marble flooring, manicured Bonsai trees and a warm, sophisticated vibe has been a popular spot for celebrities. It is a restaurant that can please most palates as they offer sushi, teppanyaki, new style appetizers, inventive entrees and, of course, favorite dishes from the iconic Sushi Roku. roku-sunset With the menu changing seasonally, we went to try the new items on ROKU’s menu. Shishito Peppers - Typical shishito peppers are elevated with a yuzu miso sauce and melted Parmesan shishito-pepper-parmesan-yuzu-miso
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