Tin Roof Bistro (LV's LA)

Tin Roof Bistro is a quaint, rustic and beautifully decorated restaurant hidden in a shopping center in Manhattan Beach.  The restaurant has an extensive offering of delicious appetizers, fresh salads, pizza, sandwiches pastas, chicken and seafood. There is something on the menu for every palette and if you bring your children, you will easily find items they like even though there is not a kids menu. There are lots of great lunch specials and the prices are reasonable for the quality of food that you get.

I highly recommend the caramelized Brussels sprouts. Full of flavor and healthy. The lemon, butter, garlic and capers really bring this dish together

The poached pear salad is the perfect combination of sweet and salty with mixed greens and a little crunch from the candied walnuts

The thin noodle lasagna is delicious, filling and a perfect complement to the poached pear salad

This delicious roasted tomato and corn soup was one of the highlights of my meal. It was full of flavor.

This braised beef short rib sandwich pictured above at the beginning of the post  is one of many lunch specials. This came with a delicious soup and a salad of mixed greens.

This light and refreshing salad tossed with a honey Dijon dressing was also a part of the lunch special.

The restaurant has indoor seating highlighted by lots of beautiful rustic decor

There is also a cute outdoor patio area, which is perfect for taking advantage of the warm weather and Cali sunshine:-)

This delicious pumpkin cheesecake was the perfect ending to a great meal and it is nice to be able to enjoy pumpkin cheesecake when its not Thanksgiving season:-)

Tin Roof is perfect for lunch or dinner and close to the beach and shopping.  Reservations are taken, but you can also walk in and be seated without a long wait. If you are in the south bay, this is a great restaurant to try.

Tin Roof Bistro

3500 North Sepulveda Blvd

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310-939-0900

Five romantic restaurants to try (LV's LA)

 I just love a beautiful, luxurious romantic restaurant. Valentines day brings out that part of us that craves, candlelight, crashing waves, fireplaces, cozy tables, amazing food and that special person. Southern California is home to some of the most beautiful restaurants and ambiance that makes us forget everything else except the moment we are in. If you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing the restaurants on my list of five, definitely give them a try and if you don't have a special someone in your life, there is nothing wrong with celebrating yourself:-)

II Cielo is a beautiful intimate oasis in Beverly Hills. Perfect for an evening of great food and conversation

II Cielo

9018 Burton Way

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

310-276-9990

The Penthouse in Santa Monica is the perfect mix of swanky and romantic. Perfect ocean view and lux white on white decor make this a perfect spot for a relaxing and romantic dinner

The Penthouse (located in the Huntley Hotel)

1111 2nd Street

Santa Monica, CA 90403

310-394-5454

The Little Door is a  hidden French Mediterranean restaurant that will make you feel as if you have stepped into another time and place. Dark with the flickering glow of candles and a romantic vibe that will put you in a sentimental mood. There is no sign, so look for the wooden door that says 8164.

The Little Door

 8164 West 3rd Street

Los Angeles, California 90048

323-951-1210

The Royce in Pasadena is the perfect steakhouse for a change of scenery and a romantic setting

The Royce Steakhouse

1401 South Oak Knoll Ave

Pasadena, CA 91106

626-585-6410

I am always partial to an ocean view and Splashes in Laguna Beach is the perfect romantic setting and even if you dine indoors, the massive windows will bring the ocean directly to you. The view is the star here, so come with the expectation, that you will have an enjoyable meal, but it is the atmosphere that will put a smile on your face.

Splashes

1555 South Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

866-348-8940

Second Story (LV's LA)

I just love a good adventure, which is probably the reason I discover so many hidden gems like Second Story restaurant in Manhattan Beach. This restaurant is tucked away in the chic 60's inspired Belmar Hotel. If you blink you will miss this cute tucked away eatery. On each occasion I have dined here, the food has been consistently delicious and the ambiance is very cozy. During the day, the vibe is low key and you may find yourself the only patron, but at night, when the sun goes down, Second Story takes on her sassy alter ego with flickering candles, ambient lighting and a clientele as diverse as the menu offerings. Some of my favorite items are the crab cakes (pictured above) and their delicious and inventive salads.

This cute wall display of candles and fresh blooms will greet you as soon as you enter the restaurant.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting. We lingered long after we finished our meal and had didn't want to leave the relaxing and quiet atmosphere

 

These fish tacos were flavorful with just the right amount of seasoning and a generous serving of fresh guacamole and pickled onions. Absolutely delicious

I convinced my friend to try one of my other favorites, the blackened chicken quesadillas and she thought they were phenomenal

Second Story has a serene and peaceful environment during the day. My friend and I had the entire restaurant to ourselves and the servers were very attentive to us

We finished our meal with a delicious croissant bread pudding with caramel drizzle and fresh whipped cream. Perfect sweet ending to a great meal. 

This restaurant is in a great location and walking distance to the beach, so if you want to burn all those calories from your amazing meal, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll to the Manhattan Beach boardwalk. Great food and atmosphere and the prices won't make your wallet anorexic when you leave:-)

Second Story

3501 Sepulveda Blvd

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310-750-0132

Lyfe Kitchen (LV's LA)

When some of us think of healthy eating, we imagine rabbit food. A carrot here, a piece of celery there, boring iceberg lettuce everywhere, but there are some eating establishments that make eating healthy exciting, delicious and colorful. Lyfe Kitchen is one of those places. I am known to eat my fair share of scrumptious junk food, but I enjoy eating healthy foods that actually taste good. The roasted salmon on the photo above is one of many delicious dishes I have enjoyed on my many visits to Lyfe Kitchen.

Many of the dishes available are great for sharing so It is always a good idea to come here with a lunch companion so that you can try more items on the menu.

Eat good, feel good, do good. Yes! I will

This cute display of fresh herbs reinforces the restaurants light, modern and airy decor

Perfect spot to grab a healthy meal that will be good to you and good for you

These delicious roasted artichokes with lemon Aioli are a great starter

The corn chowder is among the most delicious I have every had an is another great way to start your meal

This Kale Caesar is healthy, fresh and flavorful and you can add chicken to make it more filling. Who knew that a  heaping mound of romaine, baby kale, cherry tomatoes and broccoli could be so good. Go ahead, eat your veggies...it's good for you

The Barbecue chicken flatbread with one of the many tasty salads, makes a delicious and satisfying meal. The grilled chicken, sweet corn, caramelized onion, cilantro and barbecue sauce will definitely tickle your taste buds

The farmers market salad has that perfect mix of sweet and savory with arugula, blackberries, pickled onions, spiced pecans, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette and yes, it does taste as good as it looks. Who can resist the sweet burst of fresh blackberries, the crunch of pecans and goat cheese. Absolutely perfection.

The fish tacos is one of my favorite dishes to order at Lyfe. The fresh fish,, Chayote slaw, avocado, cilantro, Chipotle ailoi and fresh salsa make these extra special.

The roasted  brussel sprouts with squash and cranberries is a dish that is so tasty that I have to have it no matter what I order.

I highly recommend the lyfe waters, which are fruit infused drinks like the one pictured above. This drink is a hibiscus tea infused with beet, apple, lemon and ginger. The perfect complement to a meal full of fresh and colorful veggies. Be sure to try the equally delicious ginger pomegranate lemonade.

The vibe is casual with ample seating indoors and outdoors. The prices are moderately higher than what you would pay at a fast food restaurant, but your body will thank you for it. Eat healthy and enjoy Lyfe:-)

 

Lyfe Kitchen

9540 Washington Blvd

Culver City, CA 90230

310-507-7955

Hot n Sweet Chicken

I love fried chicken and I really love KFC. Nope, not the KFC you might think, but this is definitely fingerlickin good stuff. Not just fingerlickin, but suck the bone good. Ever had chicken like that? 

 I feel so sorry for you if you haven't, but you can lick fingers and suck bones too if you venture out and try some Korean Fried Chicken (KFC).  This type of chicken is different from its American counterpart because it is double fried, and bathed in a sweet glaze of garlicky goodness.  I don't need much help finding delicious foods to get addicted to, but thanks to my colleagues I can now add this local joint to the list. Hot n Sweet Chicken takes traditional wings and pizza and puts a tasty Asian twist on them and the end result is a delectable fusion of Korean and American.

The pizza that this local eatery is known for is Bulgogi, which is a marinated beef.  Bulgogi  pizza  definitely has its own unique flavor.  My son and I frequent lots of pizza joints, but I think his taste buds might need to grow up a little before I can bring him here:-)

  I don't usually eat salad with chopsticks, but this simple slaw tossed with Thousand Island dressing is the house starter salad and it is served with chopsticks rather than a fork

The wings come in delicious flavors such as garlic fried chicken and sweet garlic, which are two of the most popular, but you can be adventurous like me and try all of them:-)

This is definitely a great casual spot to venture out of your pepperoni pizza and buffalo wing comfort zone. Hot N Sweet is located in Arcadia and is a bit of a drive if you are not in the San Gabriel Valley/Arcadia side of town, but worth a visit if you are in the area

 Doesn't this slice of bulgogi pizza look delish? This is the perfect spot to grab some takeout for those Netflix marathon days when we could all use a little KFC and a slice of pepperoni pizza's Korean cousin...Bulgogi.

Hot n Sweet Chicken

48 E. Huntington Drive

Arcadia, CA 91006

626-445-6300