Restaurant Review #131: Mao's Kitchen, Venice

Peace not war wonton soup

Mao's is an incredibly popular Chinese restaurant. Granted, there aren't many Chinese restaurants in the area, and most of them are bad, but even so, Mao's is very good, and it's healthy, too, with not a trace of MSG.


Late in the day, the sun can really get in your eyes

It took me a while to warm up to Mao's, because my first couple of experiences with them were

Restaurant Review #97: The OtherRoom, Venice

A somewhat new place on hipper-by-the-minute Abbot Kinney, I was excited about the OtherRoom because there are very few wine bars in the area, and I love wine. They're also a microbrewery, and offer over 60 different kinds of beer. They don't have a liquor license though, so don't get your heart set on that martini.

I'm not excited anymore, though. The OtherRoom is exactly the kind of place I

Restaurant Review #68: Stroh's Gourmet, Venice

How did I discover Stroh's Gourmet? Well, it's funny you should ask. I was waiting at the bus stop on Abbot Kinney to catch the bus home from my first day of work in LA when a homeless schizophrenic man decided to come up and chat with me. I've dealt with my share of crazies, having lived in major cities my entire life, so I wasn't too worried. My bus would be along any minute. But it wasn't

Restaurant Review #56: Abbot's Habit, Venice

I love Abbot's! I particularly like their blended mochas and bagels. They also serve baked goodies and sandwiches. Abbot's was a favorite lunch spot of a place I used to work.

The place is extremely casual and very Venice. If you want to get an immediate feel for this part of town, Abbot's is a great place to check out. It's not pretentious at all, and even during business hours is not populated

Restaurant Review #22: Canal Club, Venice

My other bar food experience this month was at Canal Club. I hadn't been since July 2004, so I was eager to try the place again, especially given the promise of half-price happy hour sushi. On a Monday night at 6:30, the place was slightly under half-full, which was fine with me since I don't really like screaming at my friends. I was disappointed to find that half-price sushi meant a selection

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