Aunny "Boom Boom" D.'s Profile

This place is just OK to me. Of course I prefer the skanky bars of Los Angeles so I just wasn't feeling it. Although they were playing Lady Sovereign when I walked in, always a good choice. The bar has a nice aesthetic and a great selection of vodkas. It was way too crowded, the doorman was a sensitive ass with not much of a sense of humor about things. I do like that this bar is off of the Sunset and Hollywood Blvd strip so parking is a bit easier. I went on a Tuesday night and it was packed, so I can't imagine what it is like on the weekends. I will probably give it another go but maybe get there a bit earlier to try and score a table.

I'm in love with the number 15. Wow, that was reminiscent of Sesame Street wasn't it?

This is quite possibly the greatest concept known to man: high quality food, lovely presentation, and smaller portions to keep the prices low. How low you might ask? Well, $15, of course. In a country where the food portions doled out in restaurants are redunkulous, I wish that more restaurants would adapt this as their concept because so much food is wasted on a daily basis. The restaurant '15' in Echo Park is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood; it is an unassuming building with low-key decor, and a very friendly staff. It's a small restaurant with a lotta heart, and emits that good ol' fashioned neighborhood bar/restaurant feel. They also have an outdoor smoking area out back where you can sip on a cocktail and get your smoke on. Between the hours of 5 - 6:30pm, 15 offers a prix fix 3 course meal for $15, however we arrived around 6:45pm and they still allowed us to order off of the 15/15 menu anyway. I ordered the 15 mac-n-cheese for my first course and was really impressed with this signature dish. My main entree was the parpadelle pasta with wild mushroom ragout (Yum!) and to finish it off, it was chef's choice for desert, which happened to be bread pudding. I'm usually not a fan of bread pudding but this stuff was gooooood. After our meal I was totally satisfied and full, but not roll me out the front door full. They also have a very interesting menu of specialty cocktails from their full bar. My personal favorite was the Guavamojito, and my friend enjoyed the Citron my Face. She enjoyed the drink and I enjoyed hearing her order that from our waiter. I can't wait for the next show at the Echo, because you better believe that I will be going to 15 beforehand!

I like the places in LA that make LA feel like NYC. Is that weird? I have been waiting for Katsuya Hollywood to open since the first day I saw the big plywood barricade up against the office building on Hollywood and Vine right down the street from Dean Martin's star and the Frolic Room. I mean how much better can this town get when Phillipe Starck's Japanese-inspired creation finds a new audience next to the Vine Metro station just two doors down from the Head shop on Hollywood Blvd and a block up from the Pantages? Los Angeles hasn't quite arrived as the metropolis it was once meant to be, but we are getting there.

Now I have to say that I didn't not eat at Katsuya tonight but I did try several of their specialty cocktails with a few friends. I believe my first drink was called the Katsuya Fresh? It was a blend of cucumber infused sake, effen vodka and a splash of citrus. The favorite drink of the night, however, was a toss up between the snappea martini and the heavenly kiwi drink (can't quite remember the name, it was that good) but all it takes is one look at the drink menu to spot the elderflower / kiwi goodness that was that drink. The decor is magical. The ambiance is divine. Yes, I said divine. The price point is expensive but that is to be expected. This is a brand new restaurant so the wait staff is on their best behavior but I have a feeling that this will be a constant. I can't wait to go back for dinner as I can only imagine that my four stars will turn into a five star review. To be continued...