Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
142
Kids
Family-Friendly Restaurants
Cafe P inot
(p . 141) and
Pinot Bistr o
(p . 145) ar e upscale off shoots of chic
Patina that don 't often come to mind when y ou're searching for family eats ,
and many kids are certainly too antsy to behave during an entir e bistro meal.
But the Pinot dynasty welcomes little ones with a special child-friendly menu ,
and kids 10 and under can or der anything from the menu fr ee of char ge. It's
a great way to enjoy L.A.'s finest and sta y close t o your budget, t oo.
On the other end of the scale is
Pink's Hot Dogs
(p. 136) in Holly wood, an
institution that has been ser ving politically inc orrect franks f or what seems
like forever. Everyone loves Pink's chili dogs, but you may never get the orange
grease stains out of y our kids' clothes.
The Mexican minichain
Kay 'n Dave's Cantina
(p. 117) is a g reat spot t o fuel
up with the k ids at the star t of a long da y. They ser ve fiv e k inds of fluffy
pancakes, a k iller breakfast burrito, enchiladas, fajitas, and mor e—all cooked
lard-free—plus there's a k ids' menu and cra yons at ev ery table.
Miceli's
(p. 146), in Univ ersal Cit y, is a ca vernous I talian r estaurant that the
whole family is sur e to love. The gimmick? The waitstaff sings sho w tunes or
opera favorites while (and sometimes inst ead of ) ser ving. K ids will lo ve the
boisterous atmosphere, which might ev en drown them out.
Jerry's Famous Deli
(p. 146), in Studio Cit y, is fr equented mostly b y industry
types who populate this Valley community; their kids often sport baseball caps
or production T-shirts from Mom's or Dad's latest project. Jerry's has the most
extensive deli menu in t own and a casual , coffee-shop atmosphere. Families
flock here for lunch, early dinner, and (crowded) weekend breakfast.
6
Ciudad
LATIN Amid juicy sherbet pastel walls and Miró-esque abstract designs,
exuberant crowds gather to revel in a menu that brings together cuisines from the world's
great Latin urban centers: Havana, Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona, and so on. Standout dishes
include the tortilla soup, Argentine empanadas, Swiss chard with tomatillo sauce, citrus-
roasted Cuban-style chicken (ser ved with P uerto Rican rice and fried plantains), and a
Brazilian
moqueca
—shrimp, mussels, and other seafood in a coconut-lime br oth o ver
coconut rice. Between 4 and 9pm on Sundays, Ciudad presents happy hour tapas served
at the bar; it 's easy to make a meal of sev eral, choosing from carnitas tacos, goat cheese
fritters with sherry-soaked cherries, lamb meatballs with chimichurri, and more. Desserts
are worth saving r oom for and ar e large enough to shar e.
Tip:
From Tuesday through
Saturday Ciudad pr ovides fr ee shuttle ser vice to the M usic Center, the Walt D isney
Concert Hall, and select STAPLES Center events.
445 S. Figueroa St. (at 5th St.), Los Angeles.
&
213/486-5171.
www.ciudad-la.com. Reservations recom-
mended. Main courses $16-$29; tapas $4-$6. AE, MC, V. Mon-Tues 11:30am-9pm; Wed-Thurs 11:30am-
10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat 5-11pm; Sun 5-9pm. Da y parking $3 with validation; valet park ing (after
5pm) $5.
Corkbar
WINE BAR Set in the ground floor of the new EVO lofts in the South
Park neighborhood of do wntown, this sleek, stylish spot is gr eat for tasting the best of
