Oomasa + +

Located in the Tokyo Village Plaza, this booth/counter restaurant is almost completely shielded from outside eyes. The dinner special is served in Bento boxes and is pretty decent, and although nothing spectacular is pretty filling. The tea-flavoured ice cream was the best part. Prices are moderate. A nice place to talk privately, to discuss life and/or research over some food.

Who? Andrew, Joyce, Thomas

East India Grill * * * / + + + + +

Who? Howie, Andrew, Ravi
Who? Themos, Dimitri
Where? (next to) The Grove
How much? $21
Zagat: 21, $19

Andrew's take: Located at La Brea and Beverly, this is an absolute hidden gem of a restaurant! The food is cheap and just plain excellent. I had the Sagwala Lamb Curry dinner and I was totally stuffed, my tastebuds in an oh-so-happy mood. I love spinach, and this curry did not disappoint with its thick, rich flavour. As an appetizer, the Seekh Kabab was very fragrant and tasty, and the Samosas were likewise wonderful with the table dipping sauces. I had never experienced Cheesy Nan before, but after trying it once, I'm a fan! (Although Ravi says it's not so traditional) Try a Mango Lassi, for they're perfect yoghurty, sweet concoctions. Parking on the streets is easy to find. My only complaint was the rather terse waiter. But thumbs way up and it even gets a coveted 5+ rating. Now if only they delivered to SC!

Themos's take: It sounds like a joke to combine Indian cuisine with Californian cuisine. However this little place brings the two worlds together very efficiently, although I am not a great fan of indian food (especially with all these things that Rajay makes!). The food is good and fresh, the service is just ok, so the people best advantaged from this place are the nearby take-outers. Thumbs up.

C&O Trattoria * * * * * / + + + + +

Andrew's take:Located at Venice pier, this beautiful patio-garden restaurant boasts a super-busy, fun and loud atmosphere. Right from the get-go, they gouge you with little bread buns of garlic butter covered goodness. When the main meal comes, you wonder if there is any pasta left in Italy because the portions are large enough to feed entire armies! I know I say this all the time but I really mean it this time - all five of us took home boxes! And that was the "normal" size dish. Apparently there's also "gargantuan" (I'm afraid to ask). I had the Calamari and the Chicken Pepperonata which was quite good, although a bit too stewed for my liking (I still have a whole chicken breast left). However, the prices are excellent for the amount and quality of food you get ($8-11/entree). In between bites of your meal, you can indulge in the singing of "That's Amore", an event that stops the entire waitstaff for a few minutes as they parade around the room, clinking everyone's glasses, to the waltzy tune. Unfortunately, I didn't have an opportunity to try the self-serve Shianti deposited in the large barrels around the restaurant. But I have to say, any place that has crayons where you can draw on the table is tops in my books. Park on the beach ($3), and take a stroll on the pier/beach after. You'll need it. Thumbs up.

Themo's take: Good pasta, good value for money, good location, good atmosphere, good prices: This place has a little bit of everything. I had 3 garlic breads outside while waiting, 6 more after we sat down and while waiting for the main meal, 4 while eating, and 7 more for dessert. After eating these 20 garlic breads I could only eat half of the gargantuan pasta full of meat sauce. The normal sized dishes are pretty big but I wouldn't call them huge, anyone who didn't have 2 meals before on the same day and is not skinny asian can handle them.

Who? Andrew, Chris+MichelleY, Su-chizzle, Howie

Joy Mart + + +

Delicious sashimi and sushi are served in this very nice-looking restaurant located at the heart of the Japanese Village. Ingredients are fresh and well presented. The noodle dishes may look small in the menu but they are huge! The ramen is virtually unfinishable. I had the Pad Thai here and it is very good, as was the Hot Asian Sushi Roll. Prices are moderate and can add up quickly.

Who? Andrew, Howie, Jenn Jenn and later... Steve

Porto's + + +

Don't let the industrial, take-a-number, form-a-line, decide-your-order-now atmosphere overwhelm you. The croissant sandwiches are excellent, and virtually every type of pastry and dessert for the sweet tooth can be found here. The fruit smoothies are cool and refreshing on a hot L.A. day. Shop in closeby Glendale Galleria. Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew, Howie, MichelleP, A. Lok, Siao

Shaherzad * * * *

Zagat: * * * *, $22

We didn't have any Persian restaurants on this list yet: Shahrzad is a nice one on 1442 Westwood Blvd with reasonable prices, just make sure you make a reservation first. I don't remember a thing from what I ate there, but everything was classy and good.

The nameless Korean BBQ * * * * / + + +

Themo's Take: This place has no english name nor a website. However it's classic Korean BBQ stuff (cook-it-yourself-play-with-the-fire-stuff) with really nice meats, although somewhat pricey. from the 10 freeway exit at Crenshaw North, right on Olympic, then the place is on the second block on the right side - the one with no english characters :-). It doesn't get 4 stars because of the relatively expensive meats - which are good, though.

Andrew's Take: It's a cute little place and it can get very cosy with 10 people! Good quality ingredients. I particularly liked the steamed egg and those white "dumpling" wrappers. But what they do need is some better ventilation! I was crying at night's end due to the smoke in my eyes :(. The funny quirky girl waitress was awesome. Maybe next time they won't spill hot oil all over my pants when they change the grill plate! Congrats on learning chopsticks Themo. Always fun to play with fire! Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew, Themo, Darren, Chris, Yao, 5 of Yao's friends + 1 quirky waitress

BCD Tofu House * * * / + + + +

Themo's Take: This place is pretty good, but it's hard for me to give more than 3 stars in an asian restaurant. They never impress me for some reason.

Andrew's Take: Excellent Korean food for a chain restaurant at decent prices. The Tofu dinner combos are superb - perhaps because I'm partial to thick and spicy tofu soups and mounds and mounds of Bulgogi. However, I was not a big fan of the small-dish vegetables they put out. The Kimchi was average as was a lot of the other vegs. The one on Wilshire is open 24 hours a day. Parking is readily available in a huge lot. Don't push the little button on the table repeatedly, it actually does something! Thumbs up.

Who? Themo, Dora, Rajay, Steve, Andrew

Leela Thai * * / + + +

Located at Silverlake and Effie, this family-owned restaurant is truly in the middle of nowhere. The atmosphere is extremely cosy (think no bigger than your living room) and the dishes are prepared in that same "homemade" spirit. Large selection of decent Thai food at a very cheap price. Cash only! Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew, Themo, Dora, Rajay

The Loft + + +

Located in Torrance (Hawthorne & Lomita), this PacIsland decorated restaurant is a buffet serving Hawaiian BBQ . Although at first glance the food selection does not appear to be very large, it is actually quite satisfying. The grilled meats are delicious, and fresh pancakes, topped with fruit, are made before your very eyes . I liked the finger foods a lot. A little birdie from Hawaii told me that the foods are quite authentic. Most of all, I also enjoyed the fact that they were showing playoff basketball on big TV's. Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew, CASA board 2004-5, CASA board 2005-6

Suehiro + + +

Located in J-town, Suehiro is a nice cosy place where you can satisfy late-night Sushi cravings. The flan dessert is delicious. Bring a few friends for a relaxed eating experience. Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew, Howie, Jared+Erika

Olive Garden + + +

An excellent place to have a nice sit-down meal. Be it a dinner date, a business dinner, or in my case a recruiting dinner - all fit well in this more "upscale" Italian restaurant chain. The flavours are fresh, light and simple. And the presentation style makes it feel like home. There is one tucked away in beautiful Westwood. Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew, Steve, new PhD student+girlfriend

The Woodranch BBQ & Grill * * * */ + + + +

Who? Themo, Dora, Andrew
Where? The Grove
How much? $35
Zagat: * * * *, $24

Themos' Take: Niam niam... Tasty meats and great ribs ans steaks at the $20-$30 range. The only one in LA is located at the Grove, and it's worth it. Thumbs way up.

Andrew's Take: Best take-out BBQ menu. Bring it home!

Moishe's (Farmer's Market) * */ + + +

Who? Andrew, Themo
Where? The Grove
Zagat: * * * *, $11

Excellent shish kebab, hummus and other middle-Eastern dishes can be found here. Although it's "fast" food, it's still very tasty - and quite kind to the wallet. The busy patio atmosphere of the Farmer's market gives me that "dai pai dong" dining experience that I miss from the East. You can also pick up some fine NY Strips and Rib Eye from Huntington Meats for BBQ delight Thumbs up.

Pomodoro Italian Cuisine * */ +

Who? Andrew, Themo, Ravi, Rajay
Zagat: * * *, $19

Themos' Take: Decent quality for price Italian chain restaurants - I tried the $6.95 spaghetti and it was pretty good. Niam niam.

Andrew's Take: The quality is very average and the portions are a little on the lean side. The nice setting is not enough for me to recommend this place. Thumbs down.

Hodori * * * / + + + +

Andrew's take: Located at Vermont and Olympic, this place caters a Korean set-meal "picture" menu. Lots of nice dishes at very affordable prices. The restaurant is open 24hrs a day... so you can get your Tofu Soup fix after a few Gin and Tonics... Nak Kwon, Hodori's neighbour is also open late and serves pretty much identical food. Thumbs up.

Themos's take: I love 24h restaurants, escpecially if they are open 365 days a year. It's good to know there is someone you can always rely on. The pricing is very good for the amount of food you get.

Who? Alex, Andrew, Steve

Village Pizzeria * * * * / + + + $

Who? Alex, Andrew, Steve
Where? Somewhere between Ghetto and Hollywood
How much? $13
Zagat: 24, $13

Andrew's Take: This is a cute, little pizza and pasta place on N. Larchmont. The pizza is fantastic and all the food comes with that "authentic" NYC flavour. The ravioli was quite awesome. The only downside is that the menu is a touch on the pricy side. Thumbs up.

Themo's Take: This is definately one of the top 2-3 pizza places in LA I've tried so far. With the exception of Cheebo which makes fully organic pizzas (but not NY style), this is one of a kind find. The ingredients are fresh and tasty, the bread is awesome, and the pizzas are huge hence even the small one can satisfy two people. This results in ultra-cheap bills and full stomaches!

Fred 62 * */+ +

Who? Andrew, Themo, Rajay, Laura, Michelle, Steve, Shane
Zagat: * * *, $17

Located at Vermont and Franklin, this is a great 24hr place. "Mac and Cheese Balls" and other fine diner foods are amply available here. Great malt shakes but stay away from the Pho. Park on the streets behind the restaurant.

Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market and Patio Cafe + + +

Don't let this shack on the side of the road deceive you! Great seafood dishes, excellent battered fish served with coleslaw, fries... Enjoy the Malibu sun on the patio while breathing the fresh Pacific breeze. Then go for a stroll on the beach...

Who? Adam, Shane, Wan, Steve, Andrew

Yard House + + + +

Who? Andrew, Themo, Xiong, Ravi, Steve
Zagat: * * *, $27

Here resides the largest selection of draft beer ever. The restaurant has a busy atmosphere and a loud sport's bar feel. The food is absolutely excellent... a great place to go with friends to throw one back.

The Original Pantry * */+ + + +

Who? Themo, Andrew and Steve used to a lot, Michelle, Ravi
Zagat: * *, $15

Themos' Take: Located near Staples Center in downtown LA, it's 24/7 crowded and noisy - this is what makes it so good. Great breakfast option.

Andrew's Take: Get to know the chefs over bottomless coffee, and prepare yourself for a coronary. The breakfast bacon, eggs and hotcakes are a lethal combo. Don't forget the sourdough bread - one of my personal favourites. Skip the line by jumping on the counter... all the hip kids are doing it. Thumbs up.

Marie Callender's * * */ + + +

Themo's Take: Initially well known for their pies and bakery stuff, however they have nice dishes to offer overall.

Andrew's Take: Mmm... pie.

Hurry Curry of Tokyo * * * */ + + +

Themos' Take: Excellent quantity for price restaurant - beef, chicken and pork along with mild curry and awesome rice. Did I mention the good looking customers that go there?

Andrew's Take: Excellent curries drench your tastebuds in a flavour explosion. Deceptively small pots of delicious goodness mixed with cutlets or fruits de mer. My only complaint is the severely undercooked rice they served us that one time. Thumbs up.

Who? Lots... Andrew, Themo, Ravi, Shane, Rajay, Darren, Yao, Chris... ... ...

Mama Voulas * * */ + + + +

Who? Andrew, Themo and Ravi
Zagat: * * *, $20

Themos' Take: Nice greek restaurant in Westwood - decent meats and relaxing enviroment. You can also say hi to mama voula herself.

Andrew's Take: I may not be a connaiseur of Greek food (like Themo) but this is about as good as I've had. It's got a cozy, warm feel. Great dishes. Thumbs up.

Houston's * * */ + + + $ $ $

Zagat: * * * *, $31

Themo's Take: American style restaurant - I like them , what can I do? Haven't seen it outside the US (unlike T.G.I. Friday's). They have the largest seletion of draft beer.

Andrew's Take: It's great food but it breaks the wallet! You're looking at $40+ with tax and tip. Order the rack o' ribs (not actually on the menu) and you won't be disappointed. I have a soft spot for Julienne fries. The spinach dip is excellent. Thumbs Up.

Cheesecake Factory * * * * / + + + +

Who? Themo, Andrew, Charlie, Felecia
Zagat: * * *, $24

Themos' Take: Well known chain of quality restaurants - not too expensive for what they offer.

Andrew's Take: Always a safe bet for a good meal... But be prepared to wait a long time for a table if it's a weekend evening. It also takes me at least two sittings to eat a piece of their cheescake - but it's good to the last drop. Thumbs up.

Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers * * * */ + + + + $

Who? Andrew, Themo and Ravi
Where? Brentwood
Zagat: * * * *, $13

Themos' Take: One of the best burger places around here - fresh meats, fresh ingredients, fresh bread. Really tasty. Wann eat a whole cow? Try the Big Barney Burger :-) Thumbs up for me.

Andrew's Take: Yes, absolutely... and the best part about this place is that the prices are very affordable. It's cozy, tasty and you have a million burgers to choose from! Also vegetarian friendly. The restaurant's on a busy road, so it may take a while to find parking. But thumbs way up for me too.

Parkside (the USC "restaurant") * * * * */ + + + + + $

Andrew's Take: Endless food that's not always that good. But it's an easy and convenient way to cover all the food groups for $5.50 a trip. I agree, 5 +'s for the hand that feeds us.

Themos' Take: This is not the idea of the blog... I'm taking this entry off. 5 Stars for the almost infinite food/money ratio.

Who? Andrew and Themo, and of course Steve, a lot

Buffet Land Seafood and BBQ + + +

Located at Olympic and Westlake, this is one of the greatest Japanese/Korean buffets around. Do-it-yourselfers who enjoy BBQ'ing their way through the night will love the copious amounts of fresh meats and sea creatures. A tremendous selection of appetizers, sushi, vegetables, fruits and desserts. The low rating is due to the expensive price of dinner (~$25) - try lunch instead. Thumbs up.

Who? Andrew + Steier Research Group