Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
133
The Little Door
FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN For more than a decade this
provincial hideaway off 3rd Street has been voted one of L.A.'s most romantic restaurants.
There are four dining ar eas situated throughout a converted cottage-style house, the most
popular being the lush “P atio” with its tile fountain and koi pond. I f you can't get a table
here, ask for one in the back r oom by the fir eplace, which is both quieter and r oomier.
Fittingly, the cuisine is French/Mediterranean, ranging from a terrine of duck foie gras with
strawberries to pistachio-encr usted scallops with M oroccan greens to r osemary-encrusted
rack of lamb in a parsnip purée. It's pricey ($30 for fettuccine?), the tables are a tad too close
together, and the attitude fr om the servers can be a bit . . . er . . . F rench. But when it all
comes together perfectly—the candlelit table, an attentive waiter, a warm summer night, a
nice glass of wine, a soupçon of foie gras melting on y our tongue—it's easy to see why the
Little Door is where the locals go when they're in the mood for r omance.
8164 W. 3rd St. (btw. Crescent Heights Blvd. and La Jolla St.), L os Angeles.
&
323/951-1210.
www.the
littledoor.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $30-$48. AE, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 6-10:30pm;
Fri-Sat 6-11:30pm. Valet parking $5.50.
MODERATE
El Coyote Cafe
Value
MEXICAN Everyone fr om 20-something hipsters to
slick sho wbiz play er-types, r ockers, mo vie stars, and r egular folk like y ourself can be
found at this family-o wned cantina that has been ar ound since 1931. The r owdy bar
scene alone is a great reason to hang out at this highly popular (yet eminently affordable)
Mexican r estaurant. D uring prime dining hours, the r estaurant's bustling atmospher e
spills over into the bar , which is fr equently crowded to capacity. Settle in b y sampling
from the
grande
-size menu of appetizers such as taquitos, quesadillas, and nachos, and be
sure to wash them down with a couple of World Famous House Margaritas (a bargain at
$4.50). The fare is traditional Mexican and well prepared; recommended plates include
the enchilada H oward smothered with chile con carne, ostrich tacos (y es, ostrich), and
sizzling fajita platters.
7312 Beverly Blvd. (at N. Poinsettia Place), Los Angeles.
&
323/939-2255.
www.elcoyotecafe.com. Main
courses $8-$10. AE, MC, V. Mon-Thurs and Sun 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm.
Hungry Cat
SEAFOOD Tucked away near the back entrance of Borders Books
at the odd S unset + Vine complex is this modern, casual, bustling place for local and
regional seafood that is simple and seasonal: The raw bar has some of the freshest chilled
oysters, crab legs, and S anta Barbara sea ur chin (served in the spiny shell); the mar ket
lettuces with pecorino cheese, egg, and av ocado is a r efreshing take on chopped salad;
and mussels or clams simmer ed in choriz o-laden broth is hear ty and flav orful. And for
you landlubbers, there is exactly one all-meat dish: The pug burger, a towering beef patty
(more like a ball) charr ed to per fection and ser ved with thin, crispy fries. The annual
Maryland-style crab feast (one of Lentz 's childhood favorites) is one of the most antici-
pated ev ents for locals. The bar puts out fr esh-fruit cocktails; get the “kumquatini. ”
There's a great patio for lunch, brunch, and warm summer nights.
1535 N. Vine St. (near back entranc e of Sunset + Vine complex), Hollywood.
&
323/462-2155.
www.
thehungrycat.com. Main courses $10-$16. AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-midnight; Sun 10am-11pm; ra w
bar open until 1am during the week. Parking garage at Sunset + Vine (entrance on Morningstar Court).
6
Kings Road Cafe
AMERICAN This is the cafe y ou wish was do wn the str eet
from your place instead of that S tarbucks. The Kings Road Cafe has the per fect combo of
everything you'd want in a neighborhood cafe—sunny side walk seating, ex cellent coffee
served in big bo wl-like cups, gr eat people-watching, attitude-fr ee ser vice, the occasional
