Huckleberry Cafe (LV's LA)

Huckleberry is a Santa Monica eatery known for using high quality ingredients and fresh produce from local farms. This is a farm to table restaurant where everything is made on site. Organic flour, Vahlrona Chocolate and lots of produce from local farmers. Everything is fresh and delicious, but there is a price to pay for the high quality of food.  It is worth the splurge every once in a while because the quality of food is so superb.

Food lovers can enjoy fresh baked bread, pastries, and savory dishes in a rustic inviting atmosphere. Like most great eateries, Huckleberry is always crowded, especially on the weekend. This is a pay first, find a seat after establishment. You pay and they bring your food to you. They have a policy that you cannot have anyone hold a table for you, so if you come during peak hours it can be a challenge. The challenge is increased if you have a child with you because you have to scramble around hoping you find somewhere to sit. Don't come here if you are in a hurry because you will definitely wait in line.

The Thursday night family dinners at Huckleberry are a great way to enjoy a meal here with your kids. The meals are $30.00 and include appetizers an entree and dessert. Kids eat for half price and if they are 5 and under they eat for free. The menu constantly evolves with the seasons and the fresh produce available from local farms find its way into the many different dishes. The Thursday night dinners is a great concept with some pretty amazing food, although some of it might not be palatable to a child's finicky taste buds. But if you are lucky enough to come on a night when there is fried chicken or fish n chips, it will please even the pickiest of children:-)

Their is a great selection of pastries.

Definitely a great place for a sugar fix to go with your coffee

Decisions Decisions

 Doesn't this look delicious?

This lemon poppy seed cake was so moist and delicious. Every bite was bursting with lemony goodness. Would it be wrong to buy a whole loaf and have it for dinner?

This roasted brussel sprout salad was flavorful and a great complement to the rest of the meal

Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with spring salad. Fresh and Delicious

 If you are in Santa Monica, this is a great place to grab a bite before you hit the beach or the many shops in Santa Monica. Make sure you get some treats to take home and enjoy. I promise that around midnight when you can't sleep and are channel surfing, you will thank me when you reach into that bag and find something tasty to munch on.

Huckleberry

1014 Wilshire Blvd

Santa Monica, CA 90401

310-451-2311

Acabar (LV's LA)

I like beautiful places and gorgeous spaces. What if I told you that hidden behind a golden door in Hollywood is a Mediterranean oasis.
 Acabar is a swanky Mediterranean restaurant that occupies the space where Dar Maghreb used to be. Opulent and sexy, this spot transports you to another place. Nights over Egypt is a great way to describe the ambiance.The Moroccan decor is so stunning that you will forget you are in Hollywood and feel like you have arrived on the Hot Sands of North Africa.

 Behind this gold door, is some amazing eye candy

 We were greeted by these candles and rose petals in an open roof atrium surrounded by a fire pit. Absolutely stunning to look at.

And of course I had to get dolled up for the occasion:-) And since this is a birthday celebration, that calls for a little glam and elegance. Queen for a day. Or in my case, Queen for the month of July! This is birthday celebration #2 :-)

 It is not often that I have an occasion to wear a dress with a train, but since I am Queen for the day. Why not?

My  friends and I loved the ambiance

three the hard way:-) I love these ladies!

It was dusk when we arrived, but as the sun went down, the vibe in this place got really sexy

And this is what I mean...

Roses, candles, fire pit, sexy sexy sexy

 Every  detail is ornate and beautiful

Acabar is perfect for the Shah that wants to "Rock the Casbah"

If you like glamorous opulent settings, this is definitely
 the perfect place.

Every detail is awe inspiring. If you appreciate and admire beautiful things and I definitely do. How about you?

We started with the infamous "Porn Bread" yes, this is actually called Porn Bread, which is a playful and seductive twist on cornbread. This delicious bread is accented with corn, jalapeno and bacon and chock full of flavor. Slathered with whipped honey  butter, this is absolutely scrumptious. The phallic shape of the bread and even the way it is served sliding out of a cylinder, is playful and seductive.

 The food at Acabar is meant to be shared, so be sure to order lots of different things. Everything we tasted was delicious and had layers and layers of complex flavor. The Zuchinni blossoms with tomato and preserved lemon were fragrant and delicious.

 This photo does not do this dish any justice. This caramelized cauliflower with pickled peppers was an absolutely refreshingly different way to eat cauliflower.

 The braised lamb with couscous, was  delicious and fall off the bone tender. The other dish that we really enjoyed was the Shrimp toasts with rock shrimp, quail egg and Thai basil. Some of my photos did not come out clear because the flash on my camera wasn't on at first.

The Boneless chicken wings are served with green chickpeas, quinoa falafel, charred dates and walnut Tahini. These wings are succulent and layered with so much flavor and they marry well with all of the other dishes. Definitely try the chicken wings if you are the type of person that is nervous about trying different foods. These yummy wings are a great dish to try and a safe place to start

The drinks at Acabar are exotic and full of potent liquors, but my friends and I decided to have a mocktail and the bartender happily obliged and created a special birthday libation for me. This drink was refreshingly tart, but very fruity with grenadine, OJ, sparkling water and a hint of pineapple

Happy!

The lounge oozes with the kind of vibe that makes you feel like you are dreaming an Arabian Nights fantasy, but you are not sleeping. I guarantee that all five of your senses will be engaged.

 luxe, warm and inviting.

 Happy Birthday to me!

I tried the goat cheese cheesecake with lavender ice cream. The cheesecake was light and fluffy and the lavender ice cream that co-starred with the cheesecake was absolutely sublime. Ice Cream flavored with flowers is very common in Mediterranean ice creams and sorbets. Rosewater and Orange blossom have always been favorites of mine, but this lavender ice cream is pretty delicious as well.

 This dessert was such a treat for my taste buds. I was very curious about what a cheesecake made with goat cheese would taste like and it was tasty, but the texture is different than traditional cheesecake and it had a hint of sweetness, but wasn't over-the-top sweet

 My girls made me feel like a true VIP for my birthday dinner:-)

 Reflecting on a great evening. A beautiful environment is such a great way to enjoy life and lift your spirits. Enjoying unique restaurants is truly one of my passions.

 

This is the perfect place for a girls night out, an evening among friends and the cozy lounge and soft candle light make this the perfect date night destination

Acabar

1510 N. Stanley Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90046 

323-876-1400

Urth Cafe (LV's LA)

The Urth Cafe is one of the most popular casual eateries in Los Angeles. I have known about it for years, but had never tried it. For the past year a friend and I kept making plans to go and we could never sync up our schedules and then serendipitously another friend invited me out for lunch at Urth Cafe and I finally got to see what my other friends were raving about.

I love this place! Now me and my friends are regular fixtures here. Everything is organic and they have the best green tea and Spanish Lattes. This is definitely a hipster joint. Very Los Angeles and a great spot for people watching. One of my favorite locations is the one in the Arts District in downtown Los Angeles. We tend to bounce between this one and the different locations depending on what mood we are in.

The quiche here is absolutely delicious and they also make some pretty yummy pizzas including a breakfast pizza that is pretty tasty. I  love to enjoy it with a honey vanilla latte.

The cilantro pesto chicken sandwich is full of great flavor and comes with a nice side salad of mixed greens in a light balsamic vinaigrette

Doesn't that look delicious?

 Almost everything on the menu is pretty healthy and even a turkey burger gets served with a side salad

 As delicious as the latte's are, this mango smoothie really hits the spot on a hot day. It was cold, refreshing and delicious

Although this is a healthy restaurant, the dessert case will make you want to indulge. There are lots of options including gluten free. I have loved everything I have tried.

Every location gets very crowded and the downtown location seems to be a spot where police officers love to dine. The downtown locations feels a little like New York

I really have a thing for Spanish Lattes and they always hit the spot. If you have never had one, you are truly missing out.

The green tea Tiramisu (matcha) is delicious and a nice change from the traditional version. If you enjoy Tiramisu this is a great dessert to try when you are here. If Tiramisu is not your thing, I promise there is plenty of other treats to satisfy your sugar fix.

This berry tart was scrumptious and the fruit was juicy and sweet, although my favorite part was the filling and the crust. Delicious!

The pastries are always so good with a great cup of coffee or one of their many lattes. Go ahead have anything you want, I promise I won't judge you

It gets crowded very fast, so it is always best to come early when they first open or non peak hours if you want to get a great seat.

Urth Cafe 

451 S. Hewitt Street

Los Angeles, CA

213-797-4534 

8565 Melrose Ave

West Hollywood, CA

310-659-0628