Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
141
544 S. Grand Ave. (btw. 5th and 6th sts.), Los Angeles.
&
213/891-0900.
www.watergrill.com. Reserva-
tions r ecommended. M ain c ourses $19-$49. AE, DC, DISC, MC,
V. M on-Fri 11:30am-9:30pm; Sat
5-9:30pm; Sun 4:30-8:30pm. Valet parking $5.
MODERATE
Cafe Pinot
Kids
CALIFORNIAN/FRENCH A member of superstar-chef Joachim
Splichal's L.A. restaurant empire, Cafe Pinot is less formal and lighter on the palate—and the
pocketbook—than his P atina restaurant at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The restaurant's
location, in the fr ont garden of the L.A. P ublic Librar y, makes it a natural for D owntown
business folk; at night there's a free shuttle to the Music Center. Be sure to request a table on
the shaded patio. Splichal has installed a giant r otisserie in the kitchen, and this is wher e the
best meals come fr om. The moist, tender , mustard-crusted r oast chicken is y our best bet.
There's a kids' menu and (even better) kids 10 and under eat fr ee.
700 W. 5th St. (btw. Grand and Flower sts., next to the L.A. Public Library), Los Angeles.
&
213/239-6500.
www.patinagroup.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $15-$35. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-
Tues 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-9pm; Wed-Thurs 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-9:30pm; F ri 11:30am-2:30pm
and 5-10pm; Sat 5-10pm; Sun 4:30-9pm. Self-parking $3.
Cha Cha Cha
BREAKFAST/CARIBBEAN/CUBAN Cha Cha Cha ser ves the
West Coast's best Caribbean food in a fun and funky space on the seedy fringe of D own-
town. The restaurant is a festiv al of flav ors and colors. I t's impossible to feel do wn when
you're par t of this eclectic hodgepodge of pulsating Caribbean music, wild decor , and
kaleidoscopic clutter; still, the intimate dining r ooms cater to liv ely r omantics, not the
obnoxious types. Claustr ophobes should choose seats in the air y covered courtyard. The
very spicy black-pepper jumbo shrimp gets top mar ks, as does the paella, a gener ous mix-
ture of chicken, sausage, and seafood blended with saffron rice. Other Jamaican-, Haitian-,
Cuban-, and P uerto Rican-inspir ed r ecommendations include jer k por k and mambo
gumbo, a z esty soup of okra, shr edded chicken, and spices. H ard-core fans of Caribbean
cuisine might visit for breakfast, when the fare ranges from plantain, yucca, onion, and herb
omelets to scrambled eggs with fr esh tomatillos served on hot grilled tortillas.
656 N. Virgil A ve. (at M elrose A ve.), Silv er Lake .
&
323/664-7723.
w ww.theoriginalchachacha.com.
Reservations recommended. Main courses $12-$22. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 8am-10pm; Fri-Sat
8am-11pm. Valet parking $3.50.
6
Church & State
FRENCH BRASSERIE This is one of the city 's best F rench
restaurants found in the most unlikely of places. H idden in an industrial neighborhood
downtown, in the gr ound floor of the B iscuit Lofts, chef Walter Manzke creates classic
dishes like garlicky escargot ser ved in five individual ramekins and topped with butter y
puff pastry, perfectly cooked steak frites, and house-made char cuterie like rabbit galan-
tine and foie gras terrine. The crisp, thin-crust tarte flambé smothered with caramelized
onions, bacon, and crème fraîche should not be missed. The room is exactly what you'd
imagine finding in an urban setting: high ceilings, brick walls, mirrored columns, and an
open kitchen bustling with chefs. The wine list is just as exemplary as the menu—mostly
French varietals priced right for the neighborhood. A t night, it might seem a bit out of
the way and uninhabited until y ou see all the expensive sedans lining the street. During
the day, the place is crawling with ar tists and loft dwellers from the building.
1850 Industrial St., (at Matteo St.), Los Angeles.
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213/405-1434.
www.churchandstatebistro.com. Reser-
vations recommended. Main courses $11-$26. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs noon-3pm and 6-10pm, Fri
noon -3pm and 6-11pm, Sat 6-11pm. Metered street parking (free after 6pm) and nearby lots.
