MAPPED! Over 200 restaurant reviews and finds -- so you'll never go hungry again

If you are reading a food blog, then you no doubt plan your entire life, week, and month around places to eat. As in, "Ooo, I have a doctor's appointment next week in Orange County. That gives me an excuse to hit up Pizzeria Ortica afterward."

But, sometimes you might find yourself, unexpectedly, in a new part of town, wondering where to eat. As in, "Well, my interview was canceled at the last minute, but I don't want to go back to the office just yet or that darned Russ Parsons will just put me back to work. Hmmm. Any place good to eat around here?"

Of course, I am just speaking hypothetically.

In answer to such delicious problems, we have mapped our weekly reviews and finds going back about two years, and will continue to do so going forward. You can use the map to zero in on certain parts of town, and then look around for nearby restaurants that catch your eye. Click through to the reviews so you can read up on the restaurant -- as well as suggested menu items.

Keep this link handy, and you'll always have the answer to the all-important question: "Any place good to eat around here?"

And because we try our best to make everyone happy, you can also look at our recent Reviews and Finds in a more traditional list format.

Happy dining!

ALSO:

Top reviewed restaurants of the L.A. Times

The Review: Ray's and Stark Bar at LACMA

Only in L.A.: A restaurant specializing in stuffed pretzels

--Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch 

One dish is served free -- with gratitude -- at Cafe Gratitude

 
There’s one dish at Café Gratitude, the new vegan restaurant on North Larchmont Boulevard in Los Angeles, that stands out from the others. It’s called the I Am Grateful bowl. Piled high with shredded kale, quinoa, black beans and garlic-tahini sauce, it's filling, flavorful, healthful and free.

That's right. $0. The cafe says it’s the "community supported grain bowl" and lists the dish's suggested value ($7) but doesn't require payment. You can order the dish and pay nothing or something, or pay the suggested value and add a donation for those who can't pay. It doesn't matter how much is in your wallet.

The Find: Get in line at La Cocina del Camaguey

Now this is the kind of fast food I can get behind.

Our "find" of the week is La Cocina del Camaguey which is pretty much the definition of a hole-in-the wall. They are a cash only, takeout only kind of joint, located in the back of the El Camaguey Meat Market on Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles. Let Bill Esparza fill you in on the details:

"...regulars line up for affordable, soulful Caribbean dishes such as arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), rabo encendido (braised oxtail) or mofongo (mashed plantains and cracklings).

La Cocina del Camaguey has been building a loyal customer base with its specials of the day: a savory beef picadillo (ground beef in a stew of tomatoes and peppers) or camarones al ajillo (garlic shrimp) accompanied by smoky herbal rice and beans served separately, or mixed together in the theologically integrated moros y cristianos (Moors and Christians). At $5.99, it's one of the best deals in town."

Read the rest of Bill's review here. And if you check out La Cocina, report back and tell us what you thought of it.

RELATED:

--More budget friendly restaurants

--Six days, six Bay Area restaurants

--Top reviewed restaurants of the L.A. Times

--Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch

Some of the appetizers on the menu at La Cocina del Camaguey. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Tender Greens and Ford's Filling Station go hog wild with whole-animal roasts for spring

Something about spring makes people want to, well, roast an entire animal and feed it to people. Maybe because the change of season makes people hungry.

Two new roasts have popped up on my radar, both within a week of one another.

The first is a whole-hog feast with live reggae music at Ford's Filling Station. The celebration takes place April 20 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The cost is $35 for the dinner and two Red Stripe beers.

The pig itself will be smoked with Jamaican flavors (julienned jicama, carrots, scallions and mango, cilantro, house-made barbecue sauce) and served with scallion tortillas, roasted corn salad, avocado, mango, papaya, roasted peppers with cilantro lime dressing, fried plantains, and mini key lime pie cupcakes. There will also be happy hour specials at the bar and on the front patio.

Ford's Filling Station, 9531 Culver Blvd., Culver City. (310) 202-1470; www.fordsfillingstation.net

Meanwhile Tender Greens is launching an ongoing series of beer garden events featuring whole-animal roasts and guest breweries. These casual gatherings, organized by chef Eric Hulme, who is a dedicated home brewer, will take place on the back patio of the Hollywood restaurant on the last Sunday of every month.

The first roast kicks off on Easter Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. and features beer from the Tustin Brewing Company as well as a whole lamb roasted in the restaurant’s caja china, which is a Cuban roasting box. The lamb will be served with an assortment of sauces and sides, as well as dessert. The cost for food and beer is $35. Reservations are required. To reserve a spot, email Heidi@tendergreensfood.com

Tender Greens, Hollywood Patio, 6290 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 382-0380; www.tendergreensfood.com.

RECENT & RELATED:

April showers bring spring cocktails

Oh. My. Darling. The butterscotch brownies at Clementine.

Five Guys Vs. In-N-Out

--Jessica Gelt

Photo: Chef Ben Ford at his restaurant Ford's Filling Station. Credit: Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times

Vote: Five Guys versus In-N-Out

When the craving strikes for a burger, where do you go? Do you head for the drive-through at your local In-N-Out, that icon of Southern California culture? Or do you keep driving until you hit Five Guys, the upstart burger joint that's giving In-N-Out a run for its money?

A story in Friday's Business section says the East Coast interloper is starting to eat In-N-Out's lunch:

Like In-N-Out, Five Guys' menu is focused on single and double hamburgers and cheeseburgers, along with hand-cut fries. And like In-N-Out, Five Guys restaurants are red and white, with perky employees in red-and-white uniforms.

And Five Guys is coming on strong.

The privately held chain, which has 770 locations in the U.S. and Canada, began moving into California two years ago with a handful of shops in Orange County and the Inland Empire.

What do you think? Have you tried Five Guys? Which do you prefer? Vote and then tell us why in the comments section below. (Personally, I prefer Five Guys. But not because of the burgers. I prefer Five Guys because their fries are served well-done and with seasoned salt.)

RELATED:

Latest recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila would like to quiz you

Buckle up, L.A.: Season 2 of Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution' gets underway

-- Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch

Photos: Los Angeles Times

3 Food Events You Should Know About: Gonzo wine tasting at LGO; Petrossian's caviar class; Eva restaurant and Grilled Cheese Truck get together

Sippy-sip at LGO: On Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., La Grande Orange in Santa Monica hosts a wine tasting with unlimited sips of more than 25 wines for $25. Try wines from Veneto, Italy, to Marlborough, New Zealand, to Mendoza, Argentina, for example, along with jumbo lump crab cakes, green chile sliders, spicy tuna sushi rolls, veggie potstickers with toban djan sauce and mini red velvet cakes and double chocolate chip cookies.  

2000 Main St., Santa Monica; (310) 396-9145; www.lagrandeorangesm.com. 

Caviar 101: Beginning next Thursday, Petrossian in West Hollywood starts hosting a monthly caviar class led by general manager Christopher Klapp and a "devoted team of caviar experts." Novices and/or aficionados can sign up for the tasting and get how-to-appreciate-caviar tips. Sample up to three types of caviar paired with either Champagne or vodka, along with additional small plates showcasing caviar from chef Giselle Wellman.  7:30 to 8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. $35 per person. Call to save your spot. 

321 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 271-0576; www.petrossian.com. 

Grilled cheese at Eva: Eva chef-owner Mark Gold and Dave Danhi, chef and co-owner of the Grilled Cheese Truck, reunite for a grilled cheese pairing Tuesday. (The two worked together at the Water Grill downtown 15 years ago.) They've collaborated on a four-course menu for $35 and a five-course menu for $50 that will include Danhi's truffled mac and cheese melt along with Gold's butter poached lobster to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month. (See the full menus after the jump.) Wine pairing, $20. Call for reservations. 

7458 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (323) 634-0700; www.evarestaurantla.com.

-- Betty Hallock

Photo: Grilled cheese sandwiches. Credit: The Grilled Cheese Truck.

Mezze opens today in West Hollywood; Sotto in former Test Kitchen space set to debut this week

Middle Eastern at Mezze: Anyone in West Hollywood with a craving for manti (Turkish dumplings) served under a skylight and a glass of Moroccan wine might already be anticipating Mezze, the new Mid-Eastern/Eastern-Med restaurant opening today on La Cienega Boulevard. Mezze has taken over the space that was formerly Sona, now with wood floors, front-facing windows and an olive tree or two (in the dining room). The veal manti come with almond milk and black lime. Yellowtail crudo is garnished with pine nuts and cherry gremolata. Flatbreads (with merguez, tomato jam and Aleppo pepper, for example) come from the wood-burning oven. 401 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 657-4103; www.mezzela.com.

Pizza (and more) on Pico: Italian restaurant Sotto is scheduled to open Wednesday in the location that formerly housed Test Kitchen on Pico Boulevard. Chefs Steve Samson and Zach Pollack, previously at Pizzeria Ortica in Orange County, have installed a pizza oven imported from Naples, Italy. The rest of the menu features other regionally inspired southern Italian dishes, including fresh pasta and entrees such as bone-in lamb breast in agrodolce and tomato-braised octopus ai ferri. Expect a cocktail list featuring Italian liqueurs and a wine list with southern Italian and California wines. 9575 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (See OpenTable for reservations.)

-- Betty Hallock 

Photo: Mezze. Credit: Tiffany Rose / Courtesy of Mezze.

A power trio -- Silverton, Feniger and Tracht -- take center stage at Jewish Federation lunch

 
Feeding lunch to 700 women? That’s an ordinary challenge for the likes of Susan Feniger, Suzanne Tracht and Nancy Silverton. But a lunch that also meets all kosher dietary laws? Now, that was interesting.

The three chefs were featured at a fund-raising lunch Tuesday marking the 100th anniversary of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and to make sure that everyone could eat the meal regardless of how strictly she followed the laws of kashrut, the chefs had to plan their dishes in a new way.

All the equipment in the catering kitchen set up in a tent was blessed. New knives were bought and wrapped in plastic wrap at night to make sure they were not used inappropriately, Feniger said. The salad greens were washed three times to make sure they were insect-free.

“It was an interesting learning experience,” Feniger, co-founder of Border Grill and owner of Susan Feniger's Street, said before the lunch, which   was held in a hangar at the Santa Monica Airport.

Tracht, chef-owner of the restaurant Jar, said she had to use feta cheese rather than the burrata, a cream-filled mozzarella, that she normally uses because she couldn’t locate kosher burrata. And Silverton, co-founder of Pizzeria Mozza, La Brea Bakery and Campanile, had to use a different chocolate for her pudding.

Tracht said she wished she's spent time in a kosher market looking at what was available before she’d started her planning.

She grew up in a kosher household and said one of her childhood meals was borscht, and “it wasn’t always the most attractive thing,” so she decided to use beets in a different way. She made a beet salad with cucumber slices, arugula and feta cheese. (Find the recipe below.)

Two stars: Hostaria del Piccolo in Santa Monica

Plan ahead if you want the calzones, above, at Hostaria del Piccolo in Santa Monica. They have to be ordered 24 hours in advance.

In this week's review, Times restaurant critis S. Irene Virbila says of Hostaria: 

The food here — pizza, pasta and more — really tastes like Italy, comforting and familiar. Normale, as an Italian would say.

Read the rest of Virbila's review here, and check out this photo gallery of more images of Hostaria del Piccolo, as well as some of the signature items on the menu.

RELATED:

-- Top reviewed restaurants of the L.A. Times

-- 113 wine picks by S. Irene Virbila

-- 121 recipes for your favorite restaurant dishes

-- Rene Lynch
twitter / renelynch 

Photo: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

3 Wine (and Beer) Events You Should Know About: Wine Riot hits L.A.; City Sip home brew classes; Bogart wine dinner at the Bazaar

Make your own beer: City Sip wine bar in Echo Park announces a series of craft beer home brew classes, starting with one on Saturday. Beer expert Alex Macy will lead the class through each step of creating an India pale ale -- that is, up to fermentation (in accordance with local laws). Students also will taste several varieties of beer and take home a guide to sources and brewing methods. $50 per person, includes the class, all materials, beer tasting and lunch. For more information or to sign up, call City Sip at (213) 483-9463.

Wine with your app: Wine Riot, a wine event aimed at the young and tech-savvy, throws its first tasting on the weekend of March 25-26 on the dining deck of Santa Monica Place. Expect 250 wines, food vendors including Coolhaus and I ♥ Pies, seminars such as "What Wines Go Best With Takeout Thai?" and music from DJ Andie Cassette. Wine Riot also has its own wine-tasting mobile phone app. The L.A. event kicks off a five-city tour that heads to Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington. Tickets are $50 to $60 a person, available online. Part of the proceeds go to 826LA, a nonprofit that encourages creative and expository writing skills for youth. 

'Cinco de Vino': The 9th Annual Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program Wine Aficionado Dinner takes place May 5 at José Andrés' Bazaar at the SLS Hotel. This year's dinner has been dubbed  "Cinco de Vino," featuring a Champagne reception and a four-course dinner served with flights of Champagne, Burgundy, Rhone and American as well as Spanish wines from Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat. Lots for the live auction include dinner with Burgundy expert Allen Meadows, a seat on the Robb Report magazine annual "Car of the Year" panel, and a collection of rare wines rated 99 points by wine critic Robert Parker. To date, the annual event has raised nearly $2 million for pediatric cancer research at the Bogart labs at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Tickets are $1,250 per person or $10,000 per table of 10. Call (323) 330-0509 or e-mail info@bogartfoundation.org.

 -- Betty Hallock

Photo: Enjoy an IPA (especially if you've made it yourself). Credit: Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times.