LA Restaurants, Four Oaks or Crustaceans or???
 

We will be in LA in a couple of weeks and would like a recommendation for a nice but not over the top restaurant. Fodor's raves about Four Oaks and it sounds beautiful, have also read nice things about Crustaceans. (We're staying in the Beverly/Century area.

Your comments are appreciated.

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I've been to both, although not that recently to Four Oaks. Both are brilliant. Four Oaks is more gentile; Crustacean is trendier. Both serve good food, but for me, I would favor Crustacean, only because I am a picky eater and they serve food that I might otherwise pass on with such flavor that I think they'd make a rock taste good. If you decide going there, ask for the inside room or, better, upstairs, unless you like a lot of noise and music, in which case the front room by the bar is okay.

I've also been to both restaurants. They are two completely different experiences, atmospheres and menus.

Four Oaks is part-way up a canyon road. More romantic, rustic, cozy. The patio is great but a bit chilly at night. I'm sure there will be heaters, a common amenity since L.A. nights (except at the height of summer) are cool. Food is southern French.

Crustacean is a slick, hip city restaurant two blocks off Rodeo Drive. The decor is the opposite of Four Oaks and includes a koi pond under a glass floor running like a stream through the place. Food is described as Vietnamese seafood, and I guess that's as good a description as any.

My choice would be Four Oaks. A close second would be the restaurant at the Bel Air Hotel. I'm not sure I would even have thought about Crustacean if you hadn't mentioned it. I'm more into Italian, southern French, Californian...

A comment on Beverly Hills and specifically Rodeo and Beverly Drives. It's a mess. The city is in the midst of a street beautification project but at the moment is stuck in the street uglification stage. There are no trees or vegetation of any kind. The streets are torn up, and the sidewalks have been reduced in width to about four feet between storefronts and a chainlink fence. The signs say the project will be finished by the end of November, so unfortunately I think it will still be awful when you're here in a couple of weeks. Sorry!

Just visited Crustacean; very "sleezy" chic and expensive; I thought the people were tacky and wannabees. the food is ok, but not worth the money. The decor is interesting, especially the koi pool you walk over. For a Euro-asian feel, try Chinois in Santa Monica--far superior.

Hi again! I had lunch today at Maple Drive in Beverly Hills, and it reminded me of your original question. I don't know why I didn't think of Maple Drive earlier.

Maple Drive
345 North Maple Drive
Beverly Hills
310-274-9800

This restaurant has been the site of the last several Elton John AIDs benefits on the night of the Academy Awards. A hip, contemporary, classy place, more traditional than Crustacean. Menu is described as "American classics." Ask about their jazz nights (if that interests you).

It's located away from Rodeo Drive, near City Hall/Fire Dept./Courthouse on a semi-residential side street.