Four Restaurants

I left Los Angeles last October, after nearly thirteen years of living in the city of palm trees at your bedroom window, winding bike rides on the beach, old movies in the cemetery, honey hand rolls, driving with the warm wind in your hair, Sunday margaritas, gallery walks in China Town, champagne and crepes at the Farmer's Market, baseball games and Friday night's at the track, music and fireworks at the Hollywood Bowl, mountains, sunshine and hummingbirds. Nostalgia aside, I am already longing to return. Eager for reveling in old haunts with old pals. And even more so, dragging those old pals for a bit of face-stuffing at these four "new" restaurants, which opened after my departure (except for Bottega Louie). No exact plans for a visit, but I am counting down the days nonetheless.  

Thomas Keller's BOUCHON BISTRO

GJELINA, on Abbot Kinney, open late

A lovely downtown dive, Bottega Louie

The Bazaar by Jose Andres and The "New" Dirty Martini at Bar Centro in the SLS Beverly Hills