Bite by Bite

The Supper Club, Hollywood (Dinner & Show, Club, Bar) *7.5 out of 10* $$$

The Supper Club has a lot going on.  What makes this place stand out is that not only is it a trendy Hollywood club, it is also a great place to have dinner while watching a freak show that they put on for your viewing pleasure.   

Personally, I prefer the dinner +show while lounging on their white sofa bed option versus the club option.   The 4 course meal is quite good; their lamb was amazing and I am VERY picky about my lamb.   The show is edgy, definitely adult rated, but in no way does the talent even come close to Circque du Soleil caliber so keep your expectations low, and you’ll probably enjoy it.  In my opinion, it’s worth checking out.  

Of course the quality of the club depends on the night and the DJ.   It’s usually okay, but it’s not my favorite spot.

Premiere Supper Club
1710 N Las Palmas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Neighborhood: Hollywood
(323) 978-0730
http://www.premieresupperclub.com

Restaurant Review : Cleo (Mediterranean) $$$ *6.5 out of 10*

Located within the Redbury Hotel and SBE’s latest creation…I’m sorry Cleo, I wanted to like you…I really did expect more from you!  Aside from the wobbly table and the broken chair that I had to switch out, I found the food boring, uninspired and frankly, not that good.   

We really did give it a shot and ordered a fair share of food.  What we ate and drank…

$14 Specialty Cocktails…served in martini glasses
-Clementina… Clementine vodka, crushed basil, Serrano chili, orange, juice, lemon juice.
-Vinebury…Stoli, Elderflower liqueur, basil, cucumber, Serrano, lemon juice.
-Honey Citrus Sidecar… Jack Daniels Whiskey, Cointreau, mint, yuzu juice, agave nectar.
These cocktails were way too sugary and…I can’t believe I’m saying this…needed more alcohol!  After the first round, we decided to change our drinks to something more standard (scotch on the rocks).

Mezzes… served in teeny tiny little ramekins upon a wooden board. 
-$6 Cauliflower with Cashews…Pretty good.  Tasty.
-$6 Cucumbers with Yogurt…decent yogurt, exactly what you think it is but in a very small portion.
-$6 Shishito Peppers…very average… 

Dinner
-$9 Brussel Sprouts w/capers and almonds… These were served on a coffee filter for a bowl.  The brussel sprout leaves were pulled apart from each other and fried leaving it tasting simply like something indeterminate, fried and salted.
-$12 Garlic Shrimp… The shrimps were fresh.  Really nothing much more to say.
-$13 Grilled Octopus…More potatoes than octopus on this dish.  The octopus was yummy but there was so darn little of it. 
-$14 Mushroom Flatbread…This was better than average but far from the best I’ve had. 
-$6 Lamb Kebab…Tasty.  But a bit overcooked.
-$6 Sausage…good and flavorful.
$10 Seasonal Mushrooms…this dish came out so charred and bitter that we had to send it back.  The second time around, it was pretty good. 

The space was to our liking; classic, yet modern, and bubbling with the energy of the diners.  Too bad the food couldn’t match up.

Cleo
1717 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Neighborhood: Hollywood
(323) 962-1711
www.cleorestaurant.com

Restaurant Review : Wood & Vine (American, tapas) $$$ *6 out of 10*

The first time I came here, I absolutely loved it.  The space was amazing, the interior was nice and cozy, and I immediately fell in love with the outdoor patio.  I felt like I was lost in a secluded little wonderland on Hollywood Boulevard…huh? 

The Chicken and Waffles were sweet and delicious, the service was great, the drinks were good, and they had this 3-course menu for $20 that consisted of a carrot and ginger soup, sausage linguine with fava beans in a lemon butter sauce, and a farmer’s market cobbler.  Aside from the bland linguine, the two other dishes made me a very happy girl…well, that and the drinks of course. 

If it weren’t for our return trip a month later, I would’ve given this place 8 or 9 stars for sure. 

The second time around, the drinks were horrible…really horrible. The five of us came in happy, and the five of us left very unsatisfied. The drinks weren’t mixed right and the glasses even had a smell of dirty rags.  My friend (who bartends down the street) told me that the good bartender was not working that day.  The replacement obviously did not know what he was doing.

Daily Happy Hour (11pm to 2am):  $4 California Beers and $8 Specialty Cocktails.  

Monday Night Farmers Market Dinner:  3 courses for $18

Wood & Vine
6280 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Neighborhood: Hollywood
(323) 334-3360
http://www.woodandvine.com

Restaurant Review : Thai Patio (Thai) *6 out of 10*

There are better places in Thai town than Thai Patio.  I gave it a couple of tries here and I’m just not impressed.

The Pros: The restaurant is quaint with a comfortable feel.  Sometimes they employ Thai dancers and musicians to entertain you while you dine.  Their portions are generous and prices are good. 

The Cons: The food generally tends to be too sweet.  The food, especially the curries and soup, do not have a depth of taste.  They tend to just sweeten things up so that people would like it.  

Valet parking is $3 unless you can find a street parking spot which is highly unlikely.

Thai Patio
5273 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Neighborhood: Hollywood, Thai Town
(323) 466-3894

Restaurant Review : Palm’s Thai (Thai) Hollywood-Thai Town *8 out of 10*

Ever since Palm’s Thai moved to its new location down the street many years back, I’ve had my reservations.  But I’ve slowly warmed up to their huge cafeteria-like setting to make a fair assessment.

Like most restaurants in Thai town the food can be inconsistent at times but generally speaking, I think that Palm’s Thai’s food is the best of its kind in the area, along with good menu selections and pricing.

Besides, dining to the sound of Thai Elvis crooning to you in the background deserves its own merit doesn’t it?  Aside from the gimmicky aspect of his performance, he’s not that bad.

Some of my favorites here are as follows…

-Steamed whole fish (trout) with Spicy Lime Juice : Served on a fish-shaped cast iron plate atop a live fire, this dish is perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather.  It’s fresh, and warming to the soul.
-Steamed whole fish (trout) with Spicy Basil Soup : this is a different, more fragrant version of the dish above.  I love this too and opt for this on a cold day but not necessarily when I’m feeling ill.
-Pad Kee Mow : Always a good bet with a taste of the flame that it was cooked on top of.  A couple of times the noodles were served pretty broken up but they’re usually pretty consistent.
-Papaya Salad with Dried Shrimp : I always get mine with peanuts on the side.  I don’t like them clouding up my salad.  It fresh and tasty here and not too too sweet.
-BBQ Beef : Great for meat lovers.  The sliced steak is grilled and served at medium to medium well with a side dipping sauce.  It’s simple and hearty.

You can’t go too wrong here so experiment with the menu.  Their curries, noodles, soups, salads, rice dishes, seafood and meat dishes are waiting for you to consume.

Restaurant Review : Ruen Par, Thai Town *7 out of 10*

I’ve been coming here for about 15 years now.  It’s open late and we would come here for some after club grub.

With the growing popularity of Thai Town, Ruen Pair has taken a turn to the mainstream and so has their food.  It’s not as spicy and there’s less fresh chili and less fish sauce used in their food.  There’s more sugar added and the dishes are generally a bit saucier.   A restaurant must please the masses I guess. Their remodeled interior is so so much better now.  

They were never consistent with their food.  On some days it’s great and on some days it’s just eh.  But I would have given them 9 out of 10 stars back in the day because of it’s authenticity and its hit-the-spot capability.  Now it’s dropped to 7.  It’s still good, a bit mainstream, but it still hits the spot.

I always get the papaya salad with the naked shrimp (huge portion now), Panang (red curry with peanut and coconut milk) and pad kee mow or pad see yoo. Sometimes I get the egg omelet, morning glory, and the noodle soup with roasted duck.  Extra chili please.  :)

Restaurant Update : 3.7.2011 Delphine (French) Hollywood*6 out of 10*

A close friend of mine and I went again for dinner this past Friday night.  We treated ourselves to some Sparkling Rose  and  a Petite Seafood Platter.  For dessert we indulged in a super-strong whiskey cocktail made by our awesome bartender Lisa.

While the service was immaculate and the space is enviable, I say, go during happy hour or for pre or post Pantages Theater dining.  Otherwise, it’s not really worth it.  While our Petite Seafood ($70 or so),  looked wonderful, it really wasn’t.  It fell terribly short on taste.  The oysters were fresh, but everything else was previously frozen and had a distinct tasteless taste.

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Restaurant Review : Delphine (French) Hollywood *9 out of 10 (for happy hour)*

My favorite place for Happy Hour.  7 days a week from 5-7PM.  On Mondays there’s a Happy Raw Menu all night long.

$5 for most beers on tap, $5 Sparkling Rose and Pinot Grigio (the wines are not so good).

But I don’t come here for the alcohol.  Oh no, I come for the uber happy feeling I get when I consume all the yummy oysters and shellfish.  Oh yes.  :)  I always get oysters and clams($1) then mix it up with other things.

I definitely prefer the East Coast oysters ($1).  They usually serve Malpeques. They’re clean, briny and delicious.  The West Coast ones ($2) are fatter and fattier.  They leave a heavier, more coated taste in your mouth.

The cheese bread they serve is delicious.  I always end up getting more.  

Their truffle oil cheese fries are like crack and I’m addicted.

Beer battered cod fish ($3), mussels ($1), chilled shrimp ($1), ceviche ($3), burgers ($8), pizza ($3-$5)…it just goes on and on.  Dessert is not to be missed.

Where else can I possibly get my almost-never-ending shellfish fix in such a great space with great selection at such a cheap price?  This deserves its 5 stars for its Happy Hour.

PS  Love the bar manager.  Cute Japanese girl named Lisa.