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We have a new favorite restaurant in Bar Angeles, which is sandwiched between Dinosaur Coffee and Malo. We started Friday date night with a salad for her and the smoothest country pate in a jar for me. Then we moved on to spring pea agnolotti and squash blossom pizza. The sauce with the pasta was so yummy that I used my spoon to scoop it onto the pizza. The bread with the pate and the pizza crust were crispy and had a slightly fire-roasted flavor. We both liked the coffee pudding more than the pannacotta but both disappeared in a couple of minutes.  

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What better way to celebrate the Lunar New Year than eating roast duck while watching a dragon dance? They say that whatever you do in the new year is what you will be doing for the rest of the year. YES. It was my first time at the Arcadia mall and I was torn between Side Chick’s Hainan chicken and duck. The duck won and so did I. I ordered the whole duck and took the leftovers home for at least three more meals.   

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Trois Familia, where beautiful hipsters brunch, and the rest of us go to enjoy Mexican meets French food. The flavors and food were true to hype. The bread beneath the mound of salmon was smoky and crispy and almost more enjoyable than the salmon. The citrus butter sauce for the crepe was dreamy and made me want a spoon to get all of the goodness. Get there early as the parking lot and street parking fill up because of the crowds at Millie’s. 

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The Arts District in LA has so many great food options that you need more than a weekend to enjoy them all. Manuela in Hauser Wirth and Schimmel is Texas meets Californian cuisine for hungry contemporary art lovers. Fritzi by Neal Fraser serves brunch through dinner. Fried cauliflower and dutch baby for brunch are both naughty and nice. di Alba features focaccia with toppings from brussel sprouts to smoked salmon and reminded me of the delicious slices we ate in Rome. For dessert, if you still have any room left, go for some Salt and Straw in fun flavors and pints to go. Nearby are our regular haunts--Wurstkuche, Pie Hole, and EightyTwo LA. 

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PYT is Josef Centeno’s ode to all things vegetal. From the cocktails to the desserts you will feel virtuous. Similar to my experience at Orsa and Winston I don’t remember the names of the dishes so much as the color and flavors. The beet juice cocktail was my favorite. The beiges and greens were yummy, especially the flat bread with shmears. There was a lone meat dish that evening but why have a pork chop when you can sample roasted, braised, grilled, and baked seasonal vegetables you might never see elsewhere? So much imagination reflected in each dish by this magical chef. 

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Kettle Black in Silver Lake has the best cacio e pepe that I have had in this town. It would be dangerous to live nearby as I would find myself craving this dish every week. This is pasta as good as the Bucato used to make, which was also known for its cacio e pepe. The sexy backlit bar is the central element of the room. A succulent wall display covers the opposing wall and the vibe is midcentury modern garden. The eggplant and octopus starters are my two repeat items on the menu. Desserts are creative but could use a little more flavor. Great happy hour selections on small bites and beverages as well. It’s a little noisy in the room so get there early and ask for a table closer towards the back. It’s a terrific option for date night, dinner with friends, or a work dinner.  

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We visited DC in October for a mix of work and play. After checking into the hotel we took a short walk to The Passenger and enjoyed the low-key vibe and nachos with a smoky BBQ chili side. We met up with old friends at The Dabney on the same day they got a Michelin star. The sugar toads, Northern puffer fish and not the poisonous kind, and quail were fun and freaky. More delicious DC dining at Momofuku CCDC where we had the pork belly bun, vegetarian ramen, and crack pie with cereal milk soft serve. Capping off the trip was a snack board--deviled eggs, crackling, pickled vegetables, pimento cheese, and salmon spread--at Art and Soul. The highlight of the trip was visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Lunch at Sweet Home Cafe included regional African American cuisine.  

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The perfect end to a walk along the LA River is a meal at Salazar near the Fletcher Drive river walk exit. Start with the guacamole (not shown) and a couple of refreshing beverages, continue with tacos and ceviche, and wrap with dessert.  

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If Mad Men were styled into a restaurant it would be Paley in Hollywood. From the leather covered booths just low enough to look over and maybe see the people at the next table to the menu listing a seafood platter it feels like a place to make deals. Add a few faces that look like actors (including the servers) and sprinkle a couple of older guys in suits. Stir. I wanted to like this place but found it more dressing than delight. The oysters were Pacific oysters, cod was bland and desserts were lovely but not memorable. The upside is that you can show up in jeans and no one blinks an eye. 

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Officine Brera is from the same team operating The Factory Kitchen in the Arts Industrial District. The converted Nike factory is styled in brick, steel and glass and feels like the setting for an underground dinner. When I asked our server if I could add a spirit to one of their housemade sparkling beverages he kindly obliged. “If the bartender likes it you may get to name it” he said. So, if you go and you see the Ponte Vecchio on the drink menu this summer you’ll know who to thank. Although this place is known for meats we opted to try almost everything not meat on the menu--strette al sugo with asparagus (hold the lamb ragu), peach salad with taleggio cheese, polenta with chanterelles,  veronese rice with (more!) chanterelles. Desserts shown were the cannoncini and gianduja mousse.

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Nashville hot chicken was made famous by Prince’s but it was closed on a  Monday so we went to Hattie B’s. No regrets here. The story behind hot chicken involves an angry woman and a cheating lover whose meal she “seasoned well” to get back at him. Thus do food legends begin. The 30 minute wait in 90+ degree heat and humidity was worth it. The spice was just right (medium) and the serving were large. Skip the banana pudding and have more fried chicken. If you can’t make it to Nashville try Howlin’ Rays in LA’s Chinatown. Same wait and even better hot chicken.

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Biscuit Love in Nashville was our favorite meal on this trip. The biscuits are huge, fluffy and good to last crumb. They make bonuts with a cream cheese dollop and blueberry compote which are a must have. Go to the Gulch for breakfast and then check out Station Inn for bluegrass that evening.

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Yes you want to explore Beale Street in Memphis and you should also dine in Memphis. A little of the old and the new on this music meets eating trip --BBQ Spot for the wet AND dry ribs, Staks Pancakes for the cinnamon roll pancakes which were our favorite dish, and Lunchbox Eats for nostalgic school lunch foods near the National Civil Rights Museum. Skip the tourist food on Beale, eat at these places and enjoy the music of Memphis.

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When in Nashville be sure to go to Husk and order the fried chicken skins appetizer. The restaurant is housed in a former mayor’s residence and surrounded by views of the Cumberland river. Chef Sean Brock sources and serves only Southern heirloom ingredients. There are several vegetarian friendly options and “lacto/ovo” roll smoothly from the servers’ tongues so you can always ask about the items. The vegetarian grits (not shown) with poached egg that anchors the Southern vegetables entree were the best grits She had on this trip. The pork chop was juicy and cooked perfectly which was amazing given the size of the dish and the added complexity of the fat cap (loved it). 

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Pok Pok LA is the second Andy Ricker spot in LA and where you go to for food that pairs well with a beer. The famous Ike’s chicken wings are on the menu, dried cuttlefish, and lots of spicy dishes. Skip the dessert and head over to Scoops near Pok Pok Phat Thai.   

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Spring near the LA Times Building reminded me of courtyard restaurants in Vienna. You turn a corner and walk into a softly lit space that reads like one of those fuzzy photo filters on your smartphone. My favorite dish was the squid ink pasta with assorted seafood. Somewhat vegetarian friendly. Desserts were deconstructed but not memorable.

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For my first time at sugarfish I got the Trust Me option and added uni. Get there when it opens to avoid the line especially if you are in a group.