Gory Girl Restaurant Reviews

California Dining

Hollywood

Taste

8454 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90069
p: 323.852.6888

This is a little restaurant on Melrose that has good food at good prices. I usually stop in here after a day of shopping. It is in a great location close to the shops (hence my shopping and eating trips!). Alexander McQueen is on the same street so as you can imagine I am there a lot! The foods a bit fattening - but you can always ask for less of this or that - not that you'd really WANT to!

Thai chicken cups
Minced chicken, napa cabbage , romaine lettuce, shallots, crispy rice, peanuts, lemongrass vinaigrette $9.75

Grilled artichoke
White balsamic tartar sauce $7.50

White truffle oil & mushroom mac & cheese $8.50

Roasted veggie salad
Mixed greens, zuchinni, bell pepper, red onion, carrots, tomatoes, goat cheese, pine nuts, white balsamic vinaigrette $9.75
Add grilled black tiger shrimp $5.50
Add chicken breast $4.00

Mint pesto chicken salad sandwich
Mint pesto chicken, goat aheese, arugula, tomato $11.75

Ahi tuna sandwich
Ahi tuna, Asian slaw, cilantro, spicy aioli $15.75

Grilled cheese sandwich
White cheddar, tomato dipping sauce $9.00

Cecconis

West Hollywood
8764 Melrose

Where's the new lunching hot spot? Well, it seems to be at Cecconis. Every time I go there their seems to be a big Hollywood 'pow wow' with someone or another. Toby was seen there last time with the Spidey production people so I know they must be preparing for the next one. Anyway, about the food. I have lunched there a few times and it is fantastic. The lunch portions are small and that is one thing I like about it. It helps keep me on the diet path! Reservations are recommended especially for a terrace seat.

My favorite menu options are:

Chopped summer vegetables $10/16

Pappardelle, homemade sausage & wild mushrooms $14/20

Tagliatelle bolognese $12/18

Chicken paillard $18

Buffalo mozzarella, Heirloom tomatoes pizza $16

Homemade sausage & roast red pepper pizza $16

Jaipur

Indian cuisine
10916 West Pico blvd
310-470-4994

I happened upon this little hole in the wall Indian before going to a movie and I am so glad I did. It's not a fancy place by any means but the food is fantastic and, for me, tastes like an Indian that you would get in England. It's next door to the Landmark movie theatre so its a great place for a quick but good meal before a show.

My favorites are:

Chicken Tikka Masala $12.50
Barbequed pieces of chicken with tomato and cream sauce.

Lamb Vindaloo $11.95
Highly spiced pieces of lamb cooked with vinegar and potatoes, in very spicy sauce.

Garlic Nan $2.50
Nan with garlic.

Peas Pullav $4.50
Basmati rice with green peas.

Spicy Mango Chutney $1.50

Raita $3.00
Yogurt with grated cucumber.

Rock Sugar

Pan Asian Kitchen
Westfield Century City
10250 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles Ca 90067
310-552-9988

Rock Sugar is a restaurant that simply has the best cocktails...but the food is a little on the greasy side, so be prepared. Surprisingly, this does not detract too much from the overall enjoyment - the appetizers and specials are really quite good. The look of the dining area is also very appealing and it has a hip Asian feel to it - making you comfortable in the knowledge you are at a classy establishment.

For casual dining I would certainly recommend it. The service was excellent and reservations were not needed (which is always a bonus!)

Asian Pear Martini $13

Ruby Lemon Drop $13

Chicken Lettuce wraps $12

These have a lot of mushrooms and are a bit greasy but good.

Pot stickers $10

I prefer these steamed.

Green Mango and Papaya Salad $9

Very fresh and light.

Thai noodles with chicken $12.50

This is like a traditional Pad Thai.

Claypot beef $10

This was good but a bit greasy.

Barneys Gourmet Hamburgers

11660 San Vicente Blvd
Brentwood CA
310-447-6000

This little burger joint is always slammed with people! They use all organic meats and plenty of vegetarian options for the non-meat eater. The burgers are juicy and made anyway you like to order. I very much enjoyed the 'Chili Cheese Fries' and 'Blackened Chicken Salad'. My Husband always opts for one of the many burgers and enjoys them immensely.

Here's a sample of some of what youll see on the menu:

Baja Chicken
Jack cheese, avocado & crisp bacon with our home-style salsa.

Teriyaki Chicken
Sautéed bell peppers, onions & mushrooms smothered in teriyaki glaze.

Hickory Chicken
Jack cheese topped with tangy barbecue sauce & crisp bacon

Chipotle Burger
Jack cheese topped with spicy chipotle sauce, fresh red onion, tomato, lettuce & pickles.

Parisian Burger
Crumbled blue cheese, tomatoes & marinated red onions on a French baguette.

Pesto Burger
Jack cheese topped with garlic-basil pesto on a French baguette.

North Beach Burger
Cheddar cheese topped with sautéed mushrooms & marinated artichoke hearts.

Western Burger
Cheddar cheese topped with tangy barbecue sauce, sautéed onions & crisp bacon.

Milano Veggie or Tofu
Jack cheese topped with sun-dried tomato-pesto sauce, grilled zucchini & eggplant.

North Beach Veggie or Tofu
Cheddar cheese topped with sautéed mushrooms & marinated artichoke hearts.

Guacamole Veggie or Tofu
Jack cheese topped with sour cream & our home-style guacamole.

Greek Veggie or Tofu
Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado & Feta cheese in pita bread.

Barney's Gourmet Burgers is a neighborhood favorite and with good reason.

The Ivy

113 N Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048-3101
(310) 274-8303

This is a hot Hollywood hangout so be prepared to wait for a table at lunchtime. It's best you call ahead to make reservations. The food is fresh and has a variety of vegetarian items as well as home style favorites. My friend and I always have a freshly squeezed fruit and champagne cocktail like a Mimosa or Bellini with lunch and the location is right next to the shopping district so plan to spend a few hours there. The grilled vegetable salad with chicken and the chicken enchiladas are two menu items not to be missed.

The Fountain Room Coffee Shop

The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows
9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California 90210, USA
Tel: +1 310 276 2251, Fax: +1 310 887 2887

The Fountain Room Coffee Shop serves informal breakfast, lunch, and light dinner menus. Breakfast options include omelettes, pancakes, waffles, and French toast. Later in the day, salads, hot or cold sandwiches, and burgers grilled to order are on the menu. The sandwich in my opinion to splurge on is the grilled Russian. Turkey, ham, coleslaw and cheese all grilled together with thousand island dressing. This is of course as fattening as all can be - but well worth it. They are also known for their pecan waffles the smell is divine and hard to resist. Landmark food at a landmark hotel.

Katsuya

6300 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 871-8777

Slicker than the Brentwood version (my neighborhood one) is the Hollywood Katsuya. It has a nightclub atmosphere and A listers come in hoards for the unique menu and fresh sushi. Katuya Uechi is one of only 4 master sushi chefs in the US and offers glammed up rolls and hot dishes like the sake-steamed cod. All the dishes are not large portions, so you can try many things on the menu and share.

Some of my favorites on the menu are:

Creamy rock shrimp

Sautéed Shishito peppers

Baked crab roll

Lobster Dynamite

Cajon style halibut cheeks

Grilled lamb chops

Comme Ca

8479 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
323-782-1104

This little French bistro off Melrose had really good food! I find that most French food is a bit too 'foo foo', with ingredients that I don't understand but this restaurant had a wide variety and plenty of lower fat options with plenty of flavor. My only issue is the bar menu. They said it was a prohibition style bar serving Gin, Rum and Whiskey. So if you're a Vodka drinker (like myself) you will most likely be having the wine. I really enjoyed the Butter Lettuce Salad and the Beef Stroganoff. Both were delicious.

Open daily from 11am-11pm. Specials daily. I will definitely be visiting this place again and keep you posted of other things I try off the menu.

Entrees:

Bouillabaisse $31

Local California Halibut $25
Eggplant caviar, pea shoots, crisped pork

Scottish Salmon $25
Roasted fennel, melted tomatoes, bernaise

Roasted pork chops $26
Summer squash, beans and arugula

Beef Stoganoff $24
Egg noodles, creme fraiche, button mushrooms

Roasted chicken $24
Green tomato jam, sunchokes, mustard greens

Las Vegas Dining

One of the great things about Las Vegas is the food.

All the great chefs seem to have flocked to open restaurants here. These are a few of my favorites and this list will most likely keep on growing!

Casual Dining

Pin Kaow

9530 S. Eastern
Las Vegas NV
702-407-1188

This is by far my favorite lunch spot and I usually get off the plane and go directly there to eat. These are the dishes that never disappoint. Prices are good and if you get the entree portions there is plenty to share.

Spicy Mint Beef (ground sautéed beef with mint, onion, Jalapeno and bell pepper)

Tom Yum Koong (spicy lemon grass soup with shrimp)

Red Curry with Chicken (red curry with chicken and bamboo shoots)

Panang Chicken (Red curry with coconut milk and green beans)

Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai Shrimp Salad

Veloce Cibo at the M Resort

M Resort - 12300 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas NV 89044
866-551-1540

Veloce Cibo restaurant is located on the top floor of the M Resort. It has spectacular views of the Las Vegas strip and very modern decor. The food is Asian inspired with Sushi and Nigri also offered. I tried various foods there and as far as the Asian inspired dishes went, they were really rather good - it's when they tried to do basic style foods that they went far off the mark.

This is what I ate and what I would suggest ordering:

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Steamed Pot stickers with Ponzu

(I would most defiantly stay away from the Scallops with the apple fries. They were cooked badly and had a fishy taste, the tempura fried apples were greasy and mushy!)

As for Entrees:

Pumpkin Ravioli

It was good but unfortunately they added corn to the sauce and that made the entire dish taste of creamed corn.

Roasted Chicken with Artichokes and Asparagus with Madeira sauce

This was way too salty and the artichokes were out of a can and for me thats a big NO NO. It's lazy and should not be in the dish at all unless fresh.

Sesame Crusted Ahi with a sherry Glaze

The best thing that I tried there. The cut was a bit too large but it was cooked well and had a very nice flavor.

Overall, I think it is a very nice restaurant and if you stick to the Asian inspired dishes you will enjoy the food.

Noodles at Bellagio

Lunch and Dinner Daily
11:00a.m.-2:00 a.m.

Dim Sum
Friday-Sunday
11:00a.m.- 2:00a.m.

I usually like to hit this authentic Chinese noodle shop on the weekends during Dim Sum but sometimes can't wait until then and eat off the menu. The food is amazing and the service is excellent. The line is always long and they dont take reservations. Trust me, when I tell you its worth the wait - it's DEFINITELY worth the wait.

These are my must haves off the menu:

Appetizers:

Char Siu Pau (steamed BBQ pork buns)

Hot and Spicy Cucumbers

Won Ton Noodle Soup

Entrees:

Double Happiness Soya Chicken and BBQ pork

Singapore Curry Rice Vermicelli

Beef with Black Bean Sauce

Rao's in Caesars Palace

Dinner 5pm-11pm nightly 877-346-4642

This is a family run joint from New York. The food is, as they say, Simple, Honest & Italian - that certainly rings true. I'm Italian and have been cooking since I was 10, so when it comes to this type of food I'm a stickler and would never eat anywhere that doesn't cook it better than I do. It's served up 'family style' and there is plenty to share, so be sure to order a few different dishes and have it coursed out. Also make sure you have a reservation here a good week in advance for a table. The bar is first come, first served and has a smaller menu.

My favorite dishes are:

Antipasti:

Vongole Oreganate - Baked, Stuffed Little Neck Clams
Bruschetta al Pomodoro e Carciofo - Sample of Roasted Bread Topped with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, EVO Oil and Marinated Artichokes

Insalate:

Insalata Della Casa - Green Leaf Lettuce, Iceberg, Cucumber, Endive, Fennel, Radicchio, Red Onion and Tomatoes in House Vinaigrette

Primi Piatti:

Gnocchi alla Bolognese - Ground Veal, Beef and Pork Slowly Cooked with San Marzano Tomatoes and Herbs, Served over Fresh-Made Potato Gnocchi
Fusilli con Cavolo e Salsicce - Hot and Sweet Italian Sausage and Cabbage in San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Secondi Piatti:

Costoletta di Vitello in Agrodolce - Pan-Seared Veal Topped with Sautéed Hot and Sweet Cherry Peppers
Costoletta alla Milanese - Pounded and Breaded Veal Chop topped with Lightly Dressed Arugula, Tomato and Red Onions
Gamberoni in Umido - Giant Shrimp in Lemon, Butter and White Wine
Le Polpette di Rao's - Traditional Rao's Meatballs Served in Tomato Sauce

Fine Dining

Reservations always recommended

Nobu

4455 Paridise rd
702-693-5090

I have been fortunate to eat a many Nobu's around the world and I have to say that the Las Vegas version is the most consistent. You can always find your favorites at all of them but I tend to like the Vegas location best of all. It is located inside the Hard Rock Hotel, so a great night will always be had there.

Reservations for a table a must but first come first serve at the Sushi Bar.

My favorites on the menu:

Cucumber Sunomono $8

Yellowtail with Jalapeno $20

Nobu Style Lobster Tacos $33

Kobe Topan Yaki $32 per oz

Rock Shrimp Tempura Creamy Spicy Sauce $20

Shrimp and Lobster with a Spicy Garlic Sauce $32

Chilean Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce $45

Jasmine

702-693-7223

Dinner Daily
5:30 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.

The view from any table in this restaurant overlooks the Bellagio fountains and is beautifully decorated with a warm garden like setting. The food is amazingly good. Dress to impress and bring your loved one because its very romantic. At any gourmet restaurant I always like to trust the chef and do a tasting with wine pairing. That usually runs around $100 per person with $50 added on for the wine pairing. Its well worth the money and this way you can taste the best the chef and restaurant has to offer.

Imperial Peking Duck - (served 2 ways)
Open flame roasted carved table side with crepes, scallion & cucumber
Wok fried with jacima, water chestnuts, black mushrooms served in lettuce petals

Soya Chilean Sea bass with Rose Dew Wine with ginger soy

Braised Kobe Short Ribs with Wok fried baby bok choy, Wu Xi Sauce

Andres

401 S. Sixth st.
Las Vegas NV
702-385-5016

Chef Andre has 3 restaurants in town. The original Downtown (my personal favorite), Andres in the Monte Carlo Hotel and Alize in the Palms Hotel & Casino.

I love the one Downtown, its tucked away from the strip and feels like a little piece of France when you walk in. The food changes seasonally and again, I recommend the Chef's tasting menu. The wine list is one of the largest in town. I never leave hungry or unhappy. The restaurant Downtown no longer has an Alacarte menu. You could always go to Alize if you want to order off a menu the traditional way.

Here is a sample of the prix fix menu for the downtown location:

Amuse

Foie Gras Mousse in a Brussels Sprouts Cup with Grapefruit Coulis

Carrot, Caramelized Onion and Apple Cider Soup
Cardamom Crème Fraîche, Walnuts and Grated Nutmeg

Pan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops
Honey Baked Ham, Kabocha Squash and Orange-Mustard Seed Gastrique

Pomegranate Sorbet

Choice of:

Andre's Traditional - Oven Roasted Free Range Turkey Herbed-Nut and Dried Fruit Stuffing Giblet Gravy, Sweet Potato Puree, Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Chestnuts and Cranberry Relish
or
Grilled Atlantic Salmon - Smoked Salmon Sausage, Cornbread-Butternut Squash Panzanella and Sweet Corn Coulis
or
Apricot Stuffed Rack of Berkshire Pork - Sautéed Spinach, Potato Croquette and Cognac Cream Sauce
or
Pan Seared Cervena Venison Loin - Roasted Red Delicious Apples, Shiitake Mushrooms, Celery Root Fondant and Poivrade Sauce

Endive and Goat Cheese Salad - Pickled Pumpkin, Sun-Dried Cranberries and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Apple Tarte Tatin with Crème Anglaise and Calvados Ice Cream
or
Pecan Pie with Rum Raisin Ice Cream and Crème Fraîche
or
Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Vanilla Anglaise
or
Warm Cherry Chocolate and Pear Cobbler with Brown Sugar Ice Cream

$65.00 per person
Nevada sales tax, beverage and gratuity are not included.