Easy Peasy Cheesy

Nobody does cheesy like L.A., right? Here're some places to get some quality cheese.

Campanile 624 South La Brea Classic Grilled Cheese ($16)

Wally's Cheese Box 2107 Westwood Blvd. The Classic ($7)

And don't forget to cut the cheese in S.F. American Grilled Cheese Kitchen
Mousetrap ($8.50)

Did I hear someone say "fresh bread"?

This too from Sunset: 85 Degrees Centigrade Bakery Cafe in Irvine has Sea Salt Coffee (sweetened ice coffee with a sea salt/cocoa froth topping) plus walnut raisin bread loaves for less than $3. Expect a line.

A Moveable Feast

Sunset Magazine listed Orgasmo de la Boca as an underground supper club in the L.A. area. The group arranges catered meals at people's homes or yards and usually throws in a movie or a show of some kind for $50 per person. The locations of the events are announced to ticket holders a few days before the event.

A Feast on the Beach

This Sunday, August 1, Taste of the Coast, sponsored by Kids Connection, comes to the Belmont Pier. From 3 to 7 pm, more than 40 area restaurants will offer samples and there will be music and a fireboat show as well. Tickets cost $50 and proceeds will go toward local children's charities.

So Many Olives, So Little Time

Met my husband and son for a delicious and oh so easy lunch at Olive's Gourmet Grocer on Broadway. They have lots of olives to choose from plus sandwiches made to order and yummy vegetarian chili. Most people order take out from the deli, but there are a few tables on the sidewalk out front. Friendly service and lots of selection. Just one more excuse for shopping the Broadway Revival District.

Fish-tastic

Everything Long Beach posted a restaurant review that has my mouth watering. Long Beach Fish Grill has 10 selections of fish off the grill plus sandwiches, fryer combos, and chowder. I like the mix and match options, including a choice of seasonings: garlic butter, Cajun, and teriyaki. Located on the edge of a shopping center at Redondo and Anaheim, the ambience is unpretentious but friendly.

Am I Falling for Terranea's Fast-Talking Press Agent?

The bluff top restaurant at the Terranea Resort, Nelson's, sure looks serene in the feature in Sunset this month. After being featured in the most recent issue of Westway, Terranea must be basking in attention from Southern California residents. I think I'll wait a month or two before checking out the sunset views or the organic Bloody Mary.

To Dine List

Some people have to-do lists; me, I have a to-dine list.

Claire's at the Museum Creme Brulee French Toast

Delightful Crepes Cafe

Beachwood BBQ

Sophy's Fine Thai and Cambodian Cuisine 3240 E. Pacific Coast Highway

Le Yen Chinese Restaurant Chris's special

Rick and Brian's Cafe grilled pork chop

Gaslamp

The Abbey 306 Main Street Seal Beach, CA $5.95 lunches

New York's Upper Crust Pizza 2 slices of pizza and a beer $5.99 Monday-Friday 3pm-7 pm

San Pedro Fish Market and Restaurant 1190 Nagoya Way Berth 76

Suzanne's Du Rivage Creperie 191 Park Avenue

On the Mark 335 Nieto 562-986-5811

Cat Man Blu

Bono's

Long Beach Pizza Company

Ashley's Bar & Grill 1731 4th Street Crunch beef and potato tacos

Frosted Cup Cakery chocolate carmel buttercream toffee cupcake

Kafe Neo

E. J. Malloy's Eggs Benedict and Bottomless Mimosa

The Prospector prime rib dinner

Lotus Cafe

Baba Ghanouj falafel

Pizza Pi margherita, greek, the works

Thai on Main curry trio

Pizza Place antipasto salad

Queen Mary Sunday Champagne Brunch $39 9:30 am to 2 pm

Suits Me to a T

What a surprise to see the T Salon situated just a hop, sip, and a jump from where I used to live in Hollywood at Melrose and La Brea. Originating from New York, the Salon has lots of exotic blends of tea, fruits and spices as well as loads of good nibbles. Good thing it was there when I was. I would have gained too many pounds and lost too much ready cash.

A feast for the senses

Long Beach Symphony Chamber Players will hold their inaugural Sounds and Spaces performance at the sumptuous Madison Restaurant this Sunday, May 23. The event begins at 4 pm with a talk about the historical Security Bank building by architecture experts Cara Mullio and Jennifer M. Volland. A septet by Beethoven and excerpts from a jazz ballet by Martinu will be performed. There is no admission charge but reservations are required, lpearson@lbso.org

Award-Winning Restaurants

Everything Long Beach reports on top-ranking Long Beach restaurants in the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association Awards.

Four Stars: Awarded to restaurants that score an average of 90 or more points
DaVinci—Italian
Chelsea aboard The Queen Mary—Seafood
Parker’s Lighthouse—Seafood
Lasher’s—American
Tracht’s—American
Phil Trani’s—Italian
Elise’s Tea Room—Before Five

Three Stars: Awarded to restaurants scoring between 85 and 89 points
Alegria Cucina Latino—Ethnic (Spanish)
Viva Café at MoLAA—Ethnic (Spanish)
Utopia—Contemporary
Café Sevilla—Sunday Brunch
Michael’s On Naples—Promising New
Lotus Café—Ethic (Vietnamese)
La Palapa—Mexican
Jimmy’s Fish & Grill—Seafood

Two Stars: Awarded to restaurants with scores between 80 and 84 point
Café Piccolo—Italian
Café Ambrosia—Contemporary
Baba Ganoujj—Ethnic (Middle Eastern)

Special Venue
George’s Greek Café

Affordable Beverly Hills?

Another article in Sunset spotlighted relatively low cost options in Beverly Hills like the Crescent Hotel ($175 a night). Tour on the Beverly Hills Trolley cost $10, and other low cost amusements are the Celebrity Vault, the Paley Center for Media, and the Greystone Mansion, Anat B (boutique). Sprinkles cupcakes were mentioned as well as a manicure for $23 at Thibiant Beverly Hills. At the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills, you can claim a poolside cabana if you order a drink before 5 pm, and the Luxe Hotel's Cafe Rodeo and Beverly Hilton Trader Vic's Lounge. Suggested restaurants are Nirvana, Brighton Coffee Shop, and LA Food Show Grill & Bar.

Big Fun in Little India

Sunset Magazine featured Artesia this month, reminding me of all the good restaurants out there. They pinpoint Pioneer Boulevard between State 91 and South Street at the heart of Little India. Some shops mentioned are Cottage Art and Sona Chaandi; restaurants: Rajdhani Indian Cuisine, Standard Sweets & Snacks, Ambala Sweets and Snacks, Udupi Palace, and India Restaurant

Weeks for Thrifty Eating

Both Los Angeles County and Orange County will both sponsor restaurant week in the next two months. Dine LA runs from January 24 to 29 and January 31 to February 5. Three course dinners will run from $26 to $44. In Orange County, February 28 to March 6 will be the week when top notch restaurants offer dinners from $20 to $40.

Click, click, yum, yum

Eat: Los Angeles, a directory of one-of-a-kind Southern California restaurants, has a new 2010 edition and a companion website with discoveries, deals, and events.

Happy Healthy New Year

Here's some good places for healthy meals in 2010:

Real Food Daily 514 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica

Agura 514 N. La Cienega Blvd. West Hollywood

Veggie Grill 8000 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles

Zephyr Vegetarian Cafe 340 E. 4th St. Long Beach

New Year's No Mystery

The New Year's Eve Mystery Club offers a nifty way to while away those leaden hours before midnight on New Year's Eve. On Dec. 31, beginning at 7:30 pm they're offering a sumptuous multicourse dinner at The Red Violin Cafe (45 Broadway), an interactive murder mystery and a midnight count down with Baby New Year's and a conga line. The price tag is steep, $100, but with all the trimmings it's well worth it.

Factory Fresh?

Here's one of those non-sequitar names that I'll get turned inside out in a New York minute. The Factory, a new restaurant in Bixby Knolls, features locally grown and responsibly grown food in tasty and imaginative combinations. Seems like it should be the un-Factory to me, but with sandwiches like the Spicy Viking (free range turkey with caramelized onions and smoky mustard) and a salad called Jimmy's Farm Box (with ingredients picked from an organic farm only blocks away), I guess I'll have to wrap my mind around that confusing name.

The District does Dishes

Some restaurants I'd like to try based on the District Weekly Best Food and Drinks section:

• Alondra Hotwings - philly cheesesteak
• Viento y Agua - cafe con leche
• Beachwood BBQ - buffalo sloppy joe
• Lolas Mexican Restaurant - mar y tierra
• Sophy's Thai & Cambodian Cuisine
• Dipiazza Restaurant & Lava Lounge
• Choices Cafe
• Gallagher's Pub & Grill

Takeouts to know about

Have the yummiest ever cream puffs that a friend bought from Beard Papa's in West Hollywood. There's also one in Cerritos (11127 183rd Street) at the north side of the mall, which is so much more convenient for me.

Rossmoor Pastries has a luscious buche de Noel during December only.

Lines form during the Christmas season for the succulent tamales, chicken and pineapple, at Amapola Deli & Market ($15 for a dozen) at 7420 Florence Avenue.