FREE BREAD!!!

Every time I eat at this adorable cafe, they give me at least one free loaf of bread to take home. This time...we got 3 bags of rolls!! I love it here! Vienna Cafe is a great spot for brunch/lunch. To start things off they bring you a bread basket with a yummy olive oil and cheese dip (YUM!). And the rest of their menu is pretty delicious. Their outdoor seating is prime for people watching on Melrose too ;)

1. Pan-Asian Shrimp Salad 2. Migas Scramble 3. Huevos Rancheros

Vienna Cafe

7356 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

www.viennacafe.com

French Bistro

This fancy little place is in the most random part of Downtown LA, the industrial district. Let me start by saying, if you want to eat here, get a reservation! Church & State is a popular spot so without a reservation you could wait up to an hour for a table! (we waited almost 45 min on a Thursday night) It's a loud, fun restaurant/bar with a great menu and a great playlist (the music was awesome..they played a little Black Keys) If you're down to be experimental with food, order the Roasted Bone Marrow. It was pretty weird but edible! We also got Steak Tartare, Tarte Flambée (that pizza lookin thing), and the Rack of Lamb. This would be a fun place to go with a large group.

Church & State

1850 Industrial St
Los Angeles, CA 90021

(213) 405-1434

www.churchandstatebistro.com

Midnight Snack

After a wild night out with friends, the best way to wrap up the evening is with a midnight snack. We can reminisce on the evenings events and gorge ourselves with junk food. One of the best places in town to do this is at The 101 Coffee Shop in Hollywood. This retro coffee shop has everything you need at 2am. Recently some friends and I dug into these two desserts. The Waffle Brownie Sundae and a Banana Split. Believe it or not, I had never tried a banana split. I was not let down. Mmmmm....

101 Coffee Shop

6145 Franklin Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028

www.the101coffeeshop.com

Authentic Ramen Noodles

If you're familiar with Little Tokyo, then I'm sure you're familiar with the long line of hungry people outside of Daikokuya. This place has always intrigued me. Who would wait in line for an hour for a meal? Well, apparently I will, and it was totally worth it. After checking out the Dennis Hopper art exhibit at the MOCA (which was very cool by the way), I ended up here. This tiny little restaurant knows what they're doing. Once seated, the food came within minutes. The starters, a side salad and a miso soup were divine. Then the pork fried rice came, incredible. Finally, a teriyaki pork rice bowl and the ramen noodle soup came out. I ate until it hurt. There still was so much left over to eat for dinner. Cheap food too! I can't wait to take friends. GO HERE!

Daikokuya

327 East 1st StreetLos Angeles, CA 90012(213) 626-1680‎

Tea Room

While killing time in Little Tokyo I stumbled upon this new spot, Four Leaf. It's an adorable little Tea Shop that also serves Crepes! Such a cute idea. It was a little hot out for a tea and it wasn't quite lunch-time so I opted for their fresh squeezed juice. But don't think I didn't have to talk myself out of a crepe. Their delicious smell filled the room. This is definitely a place I'll have to check out again, especially to try a sweet nutella filled crepe. Great service by the way too!

Four Leaf

318A E. 2nd ST.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(877) 797-4532

PRINCESS CAKE!!!

So you'll learn quickly that my favorite dessert is Princess Cake...I'm sure I'll be posting about it a lot. Whenever it's on a menu, I have to order a slice. If you're not familiar with Princess Cake, it's a white cake with marzipan on the outside, jam and pastry cream on the inside. My favorite place to grab a slice is at The Alcove in Los Feliz (the purple one above). Another cute place to find it is at Larchmont Bungalow (the green slice). Both delicious!

The Alcove

1929 Hillhurst Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027-2711
(323) 644-0100

Larchmont Bungalow

107 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004

(323) 461-1528

www.larchmontbungalow.com

Gourmet Lunch

If you're like me and love to have lunch outside on a patio, then this is the place for you! Joan's on Third is a gourmet marketplace and cafe with a New York feel. Aside from stopping through to grab lunch, this place is also great for picking up some fancy foods for picnics or dinner parties. These three sandwiches we tried were divine!

1. Goat Cheese and Fig Jam on Raisin Bread (probably one of the most amazing things I've ever tried) 2. Ham & Brie Sandwich 3. Short-Rib Grilled Cheese

Joan's on Third

8350 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048-4311
(323) 655-2285

www.joansonthird.com

Little Tokyo Brunch

We went to this place with the intent to eat, and eat we did! The Lazy Ox Canteen is a fabulous little place in downtown's Little Tokyo district with huge flavor. Chef Josef Canteno draws on inspiration from modern and traditional French, Mexican, Japanese and Catalan cuisines. I've been there for dinner (I'll post about that soon) and for brunch. This brunch was out of this world. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

1. coffee 2. buttermilk biscuit with butter & strawberry jam 3. blueberry muffin with creme fraiche 4. procuitto sandwich 5. “migas” scrambled eggs with manchego cheese, chorizo & tortilla chips 6. pig ears (compliments of the chef) 7. braised beef paleron (pot roast) 8. lazy ox burger with carmody cheese

Lazy Ox Canteen

241 S San Pedro
Los Angeles, CA 90012

lazyoxcanteen.com

Old Skool Burger

Once a month, Downtown LA opens up its commercial art galleries, museums, and non-profit arts venues for the Downtown Art Walk. My intent was the get down there, see some art, and eat from a food truck. While searching for wherever these food trucks may be, we found this place: D-Town Burger Bar. Our plans changed, and we decided to check this place out. It's a new diner with an old skool, Johnny Rocket's feel. The menu is limited, and so is the seating, but it hit the spot. I got a regular ol' cheeseburger, fries and a drink. They spice it up a bit by throwing in a few sweet potato fries.

D-Town Burger Bar

216 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Los Feliz Sushi

This place has huge, hearty sushi rolls. Niko Niko Sushi in Los Feliz has great prices and is in a great part of town. My favortie part? Every item on the menu has a photo to accompany it, so you really know what you're about to order! I can't remember the exact rolls we ordered, but you can just check out the menu and compare photos!

Niko Niko Sushi

1755 N Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Restaurant and Gourmet Market

Downtown LA is finally getting back on its feet. Bottega Louie has jumped on board with the re-vamping of the once scary part of town and has brought some glamor and culture to the area. Chyna and I stopped in today for a quick bite to eat. She said it was the prettiest restaurant she had ever been to in LA. Now maybe she was exaggerating but it sure is a gem. There are two sides to this place, a sit-down restaurant and a cafe/market/bakery. Both are fab! Today we opted for the quicker option.

Chyna ate a feta and walnut salad and a sweet tea

I had a saucisson sec sandwich (salami and butter on a baguette) and a sweet tea

Bottega Louie

700 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90017

www.bottegalouie.com

An All-time Fave

I've been eating at Il Tramezzino since middle school. My go-to was their Chicken Special Panini. I now have a new sandwich. GASP! Their Vegetarian #2 Panini has been added to my list of must-haves in LA. GO GET ONE NOW!

Il Tramezzino 13031 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604-2237 (818) 784-2244 iltram.net‎