Restaurant Review #14: Palms Restaurant, Thai Town

Palms Restaurant is home to the famous Thai Elvis. Frankly, I think he's a pain. I just want to eat my yummy authentic Thai dinner, and the entertainment, combined with the long family-style tables, lends a loud, chaotic carnival atmosphere to the restaurant.The food rocks though, and you have to try the palm juice. It tastes like drinking a sugar cookie. Amazing. (It should be noted that the

99 Ranch Market, Van Nuys

This is the only large Asian supermarket I know of near me, and it's in Van Nuys, which is not that near (they have many other locations, too--check out their website to find them). The store not only carries just about anything you could possibly want, they have a variety of brands for most items. I particularly noted their ample selection of fish sauces and ice cream (including a wide variety

Restaurant Review #13: Bhan Kanom Thai, Thai Town, Hollywood

Pancakes with coconut custard

Bhan Kanom Thai is a bakery and snack shop serving a variety of fresh, authentic Thai sweets, including preserved fruits like orange, pineapple, mango, and plum; taro pancakes, various puddings, and plenty of other amazing treats that I unfortunately do not know the names of or know much about, except that they taste incredible and often contain some form of

Restaurant Review #12: Jin Patisserie, Venice

Tucked away behind a fence on the most well-traveled portion of Abbot Kinney, you may walk by this pastry shop ten times before you notice it.

A lovely unpretentious courtyard with a fountain and designer stools greets you as you enter the shop. The pastries are beautifully and unusually displayed in display cases built into the walls, as if the pastries were museum pieces or jewelry. The

Restaurant Review #11: Renee's Courtyard Cafe, Santa Monica

Off the beaten bar path in terms of both location and decor, Renee's is a regulars bar with a nice courtyard atmosphere and a more down-to-earth clientele. The bar is divided up into different rooms, which creates a homier, less chaotic atmosphere than usual, but crowds on busy nights can destroy that vibe.

They also have a decent-sized food menu. I didn't particularly enjoy the ahi tuna salad I

Restaurant Review #10: Todai, Beverly Center

A visit to Todai is quite distressing if you are a sushi lover--but if you're a sushi lover, you probably know better than to try to get quality sushi at a buffet.

The buffet is very well-presented. It stretches the entire length of the restaurant and the sushi and desserts are arranged in beautiful rows. The presentation definitely gives the impression that the food will be amazing.

Restaurant Review #9: Cholada Beach Thai, Malibu

On the Westside, we have Thai options like Natalee Thai, Pam's Place, Thai Dishes, Bangkok West Thai, Toi, Yangtze, and T's Thai. Well, I've been to them all, and none of them come even close to Cholada.

This restauarnt is a bit hard to find, but it's worth it. It's next to Something Fishy, right off of PCH, a minute or two before you see the Malibu sign if you're coming from the Westside.

Restaurant Review #8: Typhoon, Santa Monica

Don't be fooled by this restaurant's location at the Santa Monica Airport. The interior is sleek and the food high quality. Nor does the clientele consist primarily of pilots and other airport-related folks. The weekday lunchtime crowd is largely suited. The restaurant is small and aesthetically pleasing, and overlooks the runway, but is noisy due to poor acoustic design (a concrete floor and

Restaurant Review #7: Noma, Santa Monica

Noma is a friendly neighborhood sushi place without any Los Angeles pretentiousness. It is clearly popular without being crowded. The sushi menu is pretty basic, and they have quite a few hot dishes for your non-sushi eating friends. No omakase is explicitly offered, and I have not tried requesting one in an attempt to consume something more innovative, but it's probably worth a shot. I am

On Eating at the Sushi Bar

Eating an interactive meal at the sushi bar is a dining experience unlike any other. In no other situation (that I can afford or have heard of) does the chef prepare custom dishes for you (or tasty morsels of fish, as the case may be), right before your eyes, and then watch you eat them while eagerly anticipating a pleased reaction.Personally, I find the whole thing to be a bit daunting. For me,