Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
134
celebrity sighting, a huge magazine stand right next door , and fr esh, healthy, inexpensive
food ser ved in large por tions. I t's open fr om morning until night, so y ou can dr op b y
anytime for such local fav orites as banana-pecan buttermilk pancakes, fluffy F rench toast,
spinach and shiitake mushr oom omelet, blackened ahi with mashed sw eet potatoes, and
signature panini-style sandwiches. You can pr etty much count on waiting for an outside
table on weekends, but it giv es you time to do a bit of inconspicuous star sear ching, pick
up a few magazines, and check out the Kings R oad Cafe Bakery next door (the black cur-
rant scones are wonderful).
8361 Beverly Blvd. (at Kings Rd.), Los Angeles.
&
323/655-9044.
www.kingsroadcafe.com. Reservations
not accepted. Main courses lunch/dinner $8-$14, breakfast $6-$11. MC, V. Mon-Sat 7:30am-10pm; Sun
7:30am-7pm. Metered street parking.
Musso & Frank Grill
AMERICAN/CONTINENTAL A survey of Hollywood
restaurants that leaves out Musso & Frank is like a study of Las Vegas singers that fails to
mention Wayne Newton. As Hollywood's oldest eatery (since 1919), Musso & Frank is
the paragon of O ld H ollywood grillr ooms. This is wher e F aulkner and H emingway
drank during their scr eenwriting days and wher e Orson Welles used to hold cour t. The
restaurant is still kno wn for its bone-dr y martinis and perfectly seasoned bloody mar ys.
The setting is what y ou'd expect: oak-beamed ceilings, gr uff r ed-coated waiters, r ed-
leather booths and banquettes, and mahogany r oom dividers. The extensive old-school
menu is a veritable survey of American/Continental cookery. Hearty dinners include veal
scaloppini Marsala, roast spring lamb with mint jelly, and broiled lobster. Grilled meats
(particularly the Welsh rabbit) ar e a specialty , as is the Thursday-only chicken potpie.
Tip:
For the full M&F effect, sit at either the counter or r equest table no. 1 in the w est
room, which was Charlie Chaplan's regular table.
6667 Hollywood Blvd. (at Cherokee Ave.), Los Angeles.
&
323/467-7788.
Reservations recommended.
Main courses $13-$32. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues-Sat 11am-11pm. Self-parking $2.25 with validation.
Osteria Mozza
ITALIAN This is the kind of place that can be so wonderful,
you keep thinking about it for days after ward. The par tner restaurant to the bustling
Pizzeria Mozza (see below) is an airy, lively, Italianesque space with a central free-standing
mozzarella bar, a full bar along the south wall, and an indoor/outdoor dining ar ea that
opens onto Melrose Avenue. Dishes are composed of only the finest and fr eshest ingre-
dients. The result: small-dish heaven for the adventurous epicurean, with standouts like
fresh ricotta and egg ravioli with br owned butter, the monkfish
alla diavolo,
the bufala
mozzarella with caperberr y r elish (sigh), and for desser t the
bombolini,
a huckleberr y
compote with vanilla gelato. Reservations can be tough, so make them as far in adv ance
as possible, and take me with y ou.
6602 Melrose Ave. (at N. H ighland Ave.), Los Angeles.
&
323/297-0100.
www.mozza-la.com. Reserva-
tions recommended. Main courses $17-$29. AE, MC, V. Mon-Fri 5:30-11pm; Sat 5-11pm; Sun 5-10pm.
Valet parking $8.
Pizzeria Mozza
ITALIAN Open since 2006, this is still one of the har dest
reservations to get in to wn. Locals call up to a month in adv ance for an oppor tunity to
experience celeb-chef Nancy Silverton's—she founded the famed La B rea Bakery—arti-
sanal pies. When she partnered with Mario Batali, L.A.'s foodies swooned and surged. In
contrast to the restaurant's celebrity status (everyone from Scarlett Johansen to Jake Gyl-
lenhaal to M ario B atali himself ar e often her e), the ambience and decor ar e entir ely
unpretentious. There are about a doz en tables and two first-come bars—one is situated
in front of the pizza ovens—that are always packed. The pizzas are small and inexpensive
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