Katsuya (Vine & Hollywood)

6300 Hollywood Blvd. | Los Angeles, CA 90028

323.871.8777

Just got back and I am super full. Katsuya in Studio City had always been one of my all time favorite sushi places so I was skeptical about this one. The first time I got to experience the Hollywood location was the day before it opened. Me and my friends were able to try everything - food, drinks and all sorts of desserts. To my surprise - they made the baked crab rolls and crispy rice tuna just as well as Studio City. The onions could have been crispier on the crispy onions with albacore dish. But overall - same great food and mostly at the same cost (except valet parking!). Of course, they do offer some pricier and fancier dishes on the menu like the black cod with miso, beautifully presented on a lotus leaf. Yum! They also have great martinis that are dangerously delicious (they're like those juice-like drinks that you don't realize how drunk you are by the 2nd round until you get up to take a bathroom break) and decent sake options that are affordable (try a bottle of the Bamboo Princess). Anyway - I thought it might have been a fluke since it was a special pre-opening night. Turns out they served consistently well night after night and the service is always impeccable. Since opening, I've been there about twice a month. In addition to the food, Katsuya Hollywood has been a great place to bring clients and co-workers to, plus friends around town and from out of town, and just regular ole dates with my husband. Just make sure to make a reservation - you're setting yourself up for disappointment by showing up without one.

Cobras and Matadors (Beverly)

7615 W. Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-932-6178

Cobras and Matadors on Beverly has been around for quite awhile, yet some people still don't know about this place and there are those - such as myself - who almost forgot about it. Beyond the BYOB and reasonably priced Spanish tapas, this cozy restaurant offers anything from oven roasted mussels with chorizo sausage to sweet potato fries, skirt steak, salmon and paella - all ranging from $6 to $20 only! It's perfect for a date or with a small group. Tonight, I came here with 3 friends and 3 bottles of wine and we must have sat, ate and laughed for over 3 hours. Good times, great food. My personal favorites were the grilled rack of lamb in a port honey reduction and the paella with clams, prawns, chicken and chorizo. Talk about perfect bites! I also enjoyed the mussels and couldn't quite figure out what the ingredients were in the broth - I tasted lots of butter, red wine (or maybe I had too much to drink), a hint of soysauce, sweetness from the chorizo, and something else. Let me know if you happen to know the secret ingredient. I definitely need to find my way back to this place again very soon!

This place gets really packed - so even when you have a reservation, you may be waiting a while. But the food is always worth the wait.

Anyone have any comments on the Hollywood location? I hear it's bigger and no wait at all - might not be a good sign though. Never been there myself - but if you have, let me know what you think of it.