Figaro Bistrot Avec Mes Amis

I recently had friends in town and wanted to show them the best spots in LA - especially for dining out. I took them to Katsuya in Hollywood and Don Antonio's in Santa Monica, but on our last night together, my plans came to a fumbling halt when opentable.com denied our request for reservations at Taste on Melrose. After dealing with the frustration that is technology, I decided to look for a spot closer to home that would impress both by way of edibles and environment: Figaro Bistrot.

The French restaurant features a dimly lit interior filled with antique-mirror donning walls and miscellaneous chandeliers, low lounge-like tables and plush overstuffed chairs to match. The mood and environment are laid back, yet luxurious.

The food is right on par with the decor. It's rich, flavorful and aesthetically pleasing to boot. I ordered the French Onion soup to start, and was happily surprised to enjoy the soup past the melted cheese and bread topping that usually serves as my sole excuse for ordering a bowl. The Parmesan-encrusted Alaskan Halibut trumped all other seafood I've consumed as of late, arriving atop a crispy risotto cake served in a lemon garlic aioli sauce. Both the fish and risotto cake were cooked to perfection.

The menu is (by no surprise) en Francais, with English descriptions below each item; perfect for those of us who have peu d'expérience with the foreign language. But even if you mistakenly order le poisson instead of le poulet, you won't be disappointed. Nothing can pacify the enjoyment a meal shared with friends exchanging jokes and memories over the flickering flames of slow burning candles.

Keep your eyes open, too, when you you're at Figaro Bistrot. We happened to spot former 90210-er Lindsay Price. She's just as pretty in real life as she was on "Lipstick Jungle."

In the Name of Love and Food

This year for Valentine's day, my boyfriend took me to Paris...just kidding! But he did take me to an amazing little Parisian cafe where we spent the early afternoon hours outdoors enjoying the gleaming sunshine at a tiny wrought-iron table for two.

Via Yelp

Cafe Los Feliz on Hilhurst specializes in baked goods, all of which look tantalizingly tasty through the display case in the restaurant. This delectable noshery also offers a number of sandwiches which fittingly are served on the cafe's breads or croissants.

Via Yelp

After a long, prolonged encounter with the menu, I decided on the breakfast sandwich: scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, tomato, pepper jack cheese, and a light mayo-inspired sauce on a freshly baked croissant. I've never had a better breakfast sandwich or croissant in my life.

Cafe Los Feliz is just a few blocks away from the ever popular Alcove, another indoor/outdoor cafe and bakery. The Alcove's outdoor eating area is monstrous in size compared to the Cafe's four table sidewalk spread - and so are its prices, but only by comparison. The cost of brunch for two at Alcove is twice the price of the Cafe, but equally enjoyable. It appears that the Alcove is a more dressed up version of the its smaller competitor located up the street. What can I say? Every now and then, I like to root for the underdog.

Hangin' with Jack Bauer

As if it's not distracting enough to work in an office, where nearby conversations, furies of keyboard clattering and different musical preferences are forced to meld together, add a Hollywood shoot to the environment and the level of perplexity becomes immediately intensified.

From Wednesday through Friday, the cast of the hit Fox show 24 took over the lobby, elevators and outdoor area of my office building, One Bunker Hill. Kiefer Sutherland and gang could be seen throughout the day acting in various different scenes, from some sort of bank heist, to action scenes in the elevators and on-foot chases overtaking the sidewalks.

Kiefer playing chess during a break on the set.

Freddie Prinze Jr. getting ready for shooting to begin.

Freddie and Kiefer in between takes. Photo taken from inside Coffee Bean, my coffee shop of choice.

It was clear from the hot dog stand, long line of yellow cabs, and extras dressed in buttoned-up black that the episode is meant to take place in NYC rather than LA. The only thing that remained true to the laid back style of the West coast was the relaxed nature of the crew, including Sutherland, who was nice enough to pose for a shot with me.

Kiefer and I before his next scene began.

BabyCakes: Open in Los Angeles

This past week in LA, the rain seemed to take over the city. It poured from morning to evening, and through the night for several days over. For whatever reason, the break from the sunshine made me want to slow down a little bit, and find new refuges to escape the divergent SoCal weather.

Via Style Section LA

After a long day in the office last Thursday, I decided to duck into BabyCakes, a new NYC-based bakery that just opened in downtown LA in Pacific Electric Lofts. The charmingly kitchy environment, casually cluttered with retro records, mismatched furniture and vintage artwork was a pleasant contrast from the seemingly endless rain that poured outside.

Via Style Section LA

Between the delicious carrot cupcakes with rich vanilla frosting, and the Alice-in-Wonderland reminiscent decor, BabyCakes definitely boasts an environment contrasting to that of your average cupcake shop. The antique-inspired plates and hidden-away location of this bakery make it feel quaint and almost mystical.

And, in a city where it's common to cross paths with filming locations and spot the occasional celeb, there's something to be said for that new, unique place that can make you forget make-believe is simply a state of mind.

Newsroom Cafe: Hot (and Fresh) off the Press

I was a little hesitant to dine with my vegan friends for our first-ever brunch together. Luckily, we were able to find a restaurant that made me forget immediately it was initially chosen as a compromise: Newsroom Cafe on Robertson in LA. After reviewing the cafe's diversified menu, which features numerous vegan and non-vegan options alike, it seemed like an attractive brunch spot for all involved.

The atmosphere is casual, despite rumors of a celeb-dotted environment, and the food is even better. Fresh, flavorful, and reasonably priced, you really can't ask for much more. Oh, except prime people-watching on Robertson -- if you're fortunate enough to snag an outdoor table.





My unwavering craving for seafood was finally satisfied (at least for today) after enjoying Newsrooms' crab and shrimp quesadilla. Packed perfectly with fresh crab, shrimp, and a light amount of cheese, the taste was outstanding. I can't remember the last time I dined out and ordered a quesadilla that wasn't overpowered by the taste of cheese. (Don't get me wrong, my love for dairy products is immeasurable. But, love quickly turns to dislike when it starts infringing on my enjoyment of seafood.) Topped off with a slightly spicy avocado salsa and garnished with a few sprigs of cilantro, the simplicity of the entree speaks for itself.

Does Sprinkles Have Competition?

There are few things I love more than cupcakes, but competition is one of them. There's nothing like the freedom of options to either move your preferences from point A to point B, or to make you realize there's nothing better than that one bakery, shop, restaurant etc., you've been claiming as your favorite all along. That being said, I'm wondering if I should reexamine my love for Sprinkles Cupcakes after reading about a new baked goods manufacturer in The New York Times.

Photo via Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times

Melissa Bushell recently opened up Baked by Melissa, a bakery selling bite-sized, vibrantly-colored cupcakes in NYC. Because I have yet to taste these tiny treats, I'm blaming my curiosity primarily on the cupcake's cuteness-factor. My secondary enticement with these cupcakes is their value; prices start at $3 for three. I'm not sure if Sprinkles can beat that, but until I travel 2800 miles to NYC and find out, I'll just have to continue curbing my sweet-tooth with the original cupcake bakery.

Baked by Melissa is located 7 East 14th Street in NYC.

Toast: Overcooked and Overrated

To say that riding the metro (subway) in L.A. is "interesting" would be quite the understatement. I've seen near-brawls, traveling bands (which I love, by the way) and everything in between. Although I admit, I'm a little jaded by my overexposure to transit oddities, I couldn't help but eavesdrop today on an early-morning scuttle between two men waging conversational war in a battle of McDonald's vs. Subway. Each overly-zealous male was taking turns shouting what he liked best about his favorite fast-food establishments. Verbalized preferences for each side began with a match of fried vs. baked, but then quickly and predominantly focused on good customer service and taste. How could what originally began as an idiotic conversation turn out to be a logical reminder of what every restaurant patron should be entitled to when eating out?

Image via laist.com

As I slipped out of the train station and hustled into my office building, I couldn't help feeling a little shamed. This weekend I had fallen prey to dining at Toast, a trendy breakfast spot in LA, and was utterly disappointed in my experience. I had heard the restaurant was overrated, but I guess I had to get burned before conforming to this opinion.

I arrived at Toast around 2 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon thinking I would beat the brunch rush, but still had to wait 45 minutes for a table. During this time period, there were multiple cars that drove by and screamed comments expressing what seemed to be the general consensus of "Toast Sucks." It wasn't until I sat down and had my first brush with the waitress that I realized how close to truthful those comments were; after waiting an additional 30 minutes to order, unsuccessfully asking for coffee four separate times, and observing the blatant disdain our server had toward us, I was less than happy.

The food on the other hand wasn't completely a disappointment - but it wasn't a subject of great excitement either. The breakfast burrito contents (scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, sharp cheddar and black beans) were delicious, but the haphazard manner that the burrito was thrown together in was distracting from the overall enjoyment of my meal. The rosemary potatoes on the side were average as well; they would have been better had they not been slightly overcooked.

After mulling over my experience at Toast, I can only help but wonder: how did Toast become so popular? Maybe it was the eatery's appearance on "The Hills." Or maybe it was the restaurant's close proximity to 90210. Either way, I don't want to have to be Sandra Bullock to get the sub-par service I've gotten used to receiving, and now, actually appreciate.