Thanks for answering social worker. I mixed you up with Momdd, then. I believe they moved to someplace near Dana Point. We love to visit Santa Monica when we're in town, too. DS lives in Culver City.

The BEST pasta we have had in Los Angeles (or just about anywhere else)...Maccheroni Republic at 332 S Broadway, Los Angeles 90013…

This place is across the street and down a few doors from The Grand Central Market. It takes NO reservations, but it also has NO corkage (always a big bonus). We got there at 5:20 (opens at 5:30) on a recent Saturday night. We got a table on the patio (nicely secluded). A line quickly followed, and by the time we left at 7, the place was packed.

Since we did not have to pay for wine, dinner for Tracy and me cost LESS than $55.

The Crostini Di Prosciutto E Mascarpone parma prosciutto & mascarpone ($12.95) with four pieces was shared by four. It was tremendous...as was my Carpaccio.

My main course was Ravioli Di Zucca...pumpkin ravioli with butter cream truffle cheese sauce ($12.95…again wonderful). I think I licked the plate. Also at $12.95, Tracy reveled in a Bianchi And Neri...black and white pasta thin vermicelli, shrimp, mushroom roasted pancetta in a creamy bisque.

A great find. People on Yelp complain that parking is quite "expensive," which is why Yelpers are often clueless (and make ignorant comments when they don't take the time to find out an alternative). We found a lot about a block and and a half away ($5). Enjoy…but get there early!!

Downtown L.A. is constantly providing us with some spectacular meals. The area could be considered by some as perhaps a "little sketchy," but, hey, that's the excitement of Urban Living, baby!

I also think there is a Red Line Metro Station not too far from here, which takes the parking question out of the equation.

Thanks for the rec, Tom. Good pasta is always a great find. Everytime we are in L.A., I plan on convincing everyone to go downtown, but it doesn't work. Someday. . ..

In downtown L.A....Church & State, Factory Kitchen, Maccheroni Republic and Bäco Mercat have all been winners for us.

Maitai, so glad you loved Maccheroni Republic. The Di Mori brothers have been in the restaurant biz for years. I started going to Pane Caldo in West Hollywood years ago where we met and became friends with Silvio. They really have the best Italian dishes! You will have to try Il Piccolino over on Robertson, the restaurant is casual and elegant at the same time and a little quirky too (like Maccheroni Rep.) Same delicious food from this family's recipes. This one is kind of like an open secret.

http://www.ilpiccolinorestaurant.com/

Thanks, SeaUrchin, that's close to where we usually are in L.A. Sounds perfect for us to treat DS and GF.

Best meal yet at Claud & Co. (Eatery) in Pasadena last Friday. October is N'awlins' Month. Only four more days to enjoy this menu (starting tomorrow). Gumbo was outstanding! Loved the Hush Puppies too. November will be Holiday Favorites. Can't wait to see the menu.

OK. We've got some really good food in Pasadena. But, if you want to wonder 20 minutes away (Glendale) and head to the Americana SHOPPING CENTER (NOT Mall), then Trattoria Amici is REALLY good. I've been eating there for many months. It's located directly across from the front door of our gorgeous Nordstrom store (new-2013- and built from the ground up). Shop and eat. LOL!

I do lunch at Trattoria Amici regularly and also took my best friend who said she will return to try everything on the menu. I've had only positive experiences. Then, the other day, I was watching Eye On L.A., an episode where they went around to the restaurants of top chefs in L.A. and took a look at their food and then asked them where they eat when not at their own restaurant. Well, one of the chef pairs mentioned that it was at Trattoria Amici (Glendale), so Eye On L.A. went there and filmed a mini segment of them at the restaurant.

I'll mention now that I have not tried the meat/poultry dishes as I don't eat meat/poultry. But, I do eat fish and it has been very good. Also, since I regularly dine alone after shopping, it's nice to go there and be able to order a half order of pasta to go along with my fish order and side order of a vegetable. I like the flexibility. It's not stated on the menu, but when I mentioned that I couldn't eat a whole order of pasta, along with fish and a vegetable, then it was the very nice waiter who mentioned that he could bring me a half order of pasta which I order each time.

http://www.amicila.com/menu.php

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...a.html#REVIEWS

Happy Travels!

If you find yourself in Orange County, Costa Mesa more precisely, I highly recommend giving Pueblo a try. It just opened a few weeks ago in the SoCo center and it's getting really good reviews. It is a tapas place and I have had both an excellent dinner and brunch there.
http://m.yelp.com/biz/pueblo-costa-mesa-2

We had a wonderful dinner last night at La Serenata de Garibaldi on Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles. This is not a burritos and tacos place. It felt more to me like a restaurant in Mexico that is not catering to tourists. Here is a link to their website: http://www.laserenataonline.com/ Please note that the photo on their website is the East LA location, not the one that I visited. (I think their website says that it is downtown. Dinner for two with a margarita and a beer and a shared dessert came in at about $70.00.

What did you have cferrb? We went in once but only had appetizers (after a movie).

I had carnitas habaneras and my husband had tres carnes (beef three ways) I think there was a mole, a carne asada and a carne en salsa verde.

This is the thread I was looking for.

We recently tried Cesar's Bistro in Long Beach, on Pacific Coast Hwy in the same shopping center as Enrique's. The chef is from Colombia, & the menu is not the same old same old.

They have arepas (South American corn cakes) that are used as the bread on sandwiches. We had the Kobe burger, and the pulled pork ropa vieja, and an empanada. All three were good.

Prices are very reasonable.

http://www.cesarsbistro.com/

mlgb, you're a mind-reader!

My husband and I tried Cesar's last night after a long day of errands. Two glasses of the Trapiche Pinot Noir, then three Colombian empanaditas, a couple of their jalapeño fingers, a ranchera steak and a Latin brisket later, we were full and very happy. We love Latin American cuisine, so this is a great addition to the local food scene.

By the way, we've been going to the Attic now for special occasions. The Mac-and-Cheetos is like crack-- totally addictive, as are those bacon-wrapped jalapeños (do I sense a theme...?). I tried their gumbo-- quite good. The last time we went was our niece's 19th birthday, and we had their rib-eye; absolutely perfect. Our niece had their butternut squash ravioli special-- which she loved. And for her birthday dessert they gave her a slice of their sublime banana foster bread pudding-- so good that we immediately ordered a second for the table to share. Yummy!!!

http://www.theatticonbroadway.com/

Full bar including made-to-order Bloody Mary drinks actually ordered on their own menu (the signature Bloody Mary includes a slice of bacon AND a pulled-pork slider). Worth the trip IMHO.

That is place I haven't been yet, rjw..looks kind of Cajun-ish!

Can't remember if you've been to Kashiwa in Signal Hill for sushi. Good value for the quality.

Don't bother with Fisholicious, though!

Chic Wine Bar & French Bistro on Pico, just west of Hauser in mid city opened up a few years back, and I never even noticed it. But my hairdresser raved about it, saying it was in an area that in the past few years has become more and more gentrified.

So we went last Sunday. Several days a week they have "event" specials, like Duck Tuesday, Paella Thursday, and Steak Sunday. They have 4 or 5 different cuts for Steak Sunday, and you pick your accompaniment . . . two sides and a sauce.

Wine specials (including flights) are listed on a big chalkboard on the back wall.

I took my mom and our dinner for 2 (both had beef tenderloin) with 3 glasses of wine ran us under $75. We loved every sip and every bite! A true winner!

Here a few of our recent favorites...

Flintridge Proper Restaurant & Bar – La Cañada Flintridge, CA
A great place for gin, too!
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/flintridge-proper-restaurant-bar-la-canada-flintridge/

Café Verde – Pasadena, CA
Breakfast, lunch or dinner...this place never misses the mark.
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cafe-verde-pasadena-ca/

Café Santorini, Pasadena, CA
Mediterranean food. always delivers the goods.
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/19664-2/

Redbird – Los Angeles, CA
Expensive, hip, and fantastic. Located in the famed (former) St. Vibiana’s Cathedral.
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/redbird-los-angeles-ca/

Breakfast burritos at J&S are one of my favorite places to go at any time of the day. They are open 24 hrs. and serve the breakfast burritos all day. I usually order the bacon and guacamole breakfast burrito. Be sure to bring cash because it's cash only.

Forgot to add a link for J&S! http://www.yelp.com/biz/j-and-s-montebello

We went to Culver City today to a matinee performance of a play at the Kirk Douglas Theater and in walking back to the car, we passed a very cute place on Culver Blvd called Meet in Paris. It was only ~4:00 PM and they had the most amazing Happy Hour where every wine on the menu was 1/2 price. The food we had, from the happy hour menu was good as well, but the atmosphere of the place and its locale on a tree-lined stretch of the street there SO made us feel as if we were back in Paris. Then as it was getting dark and starting to rain, the feeling of being in Paris was even stronger. We loved it!!