A LA CARTE : NO-LABOR DINING.Byline: Larry Lipson Labor Day weekend may be the best holiday of the year to dine out - many people leave town, eat at someone else's home or cook out. So, restaurants generally are not crowded during this, the year's last outdoor fling. If you're thinking about Labor Day dining possibilities, consider these: Beaurivage Address: 26025 Pacific Coast Highway Pacific Coast Highway may refer to:
Phone: (310) 456-5733. Cuisine: Mediterranean/French. Reason: Because it's near the ocean, it's romantic and resembles a rambling Cote d'Azur-style villa. Picks: The bouillabaisse bouil·la·baisse n. 1. A highly seasoned stew made of several kinds of fish and shellfish. 2. A combination of various different, often incongruous elements: a bouillabaisse of special interests. here is one of the best around. And you won't go wrong with any of the traditional French dishes. Cafe N'Awlins Address: 122 N. San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the , Burbank. Phone: (818) 563-3569. Cuisine: Cajun-Creole. Reason: It's brand-new, and its Louisiana fare is hard to find these days. Picks: Blackened black·en v. black·ened, black·en·ing, black·ens v.tr. 1. To make black. 2. To sully or defame: a scandal that blackened the mayor's name. 3. redfish, seafood gumbo, crawfish etoufee, red beans and rice Red beans and rice is an emblematic dish of Louisiana Creole cuisine (not originally of Cajun cuisine), traditionally made on Mondays with red beans, vegetables (onion and celery), spices (thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf), and pork bones left over from Sunday dinner, cooked . County Line Address: 18588 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Phone: (818) 342-5171. Cuisine: Barbecue and steaks. Reason: Because Labor Day weekend is barbecue time and this is the newest barbecue spot on the scene. Picks: Buffalo balls (spheres of seasoned, baked buffalo meat), a lean ostrich burger, the hickory-smoked tri-tip and the belt-buster - a huge serving of barbecued, roasted and smoked meats. Gilliland's Address: 2424 Main St., Santa Monica. Phone: (310) 392-3901. Cuisine: California/Irish. Reason: Because it just celebrated its 12th anniversary. Picks: Hopefully Geri Gilliland will continue serving such birthday-party Irish goodies as her breads (soda, Barmback and Tralee yellow meal), Kilkenny potato, roasted leg of lamb with parsnip Parsnip, river, Canada Parsnip, river, c.150 mi (240 km) long, rising in central British Columbia, Canada, and flowing northwest to join the Finlay River at Williston Lake and form the Peace River. and kale colcannon col·can·non n. An Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage, seasoned with butter. [Irish Gaelic cál ceannan : cál, cabbage (from Old Irish, from Latin caulis) + , Cullohill apple tart and Connemara-style salmon with savoy, cabbage and thyme. Il Teatro Address: 19563 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Phone: (818) 996-8008. Cuisine: Italian. Reason: Its Venetian chef cooks excellent fish and pasta dishes. Picks: Salmon cartoccio, tagliolini with rock shrimp and baby calamari cooked Sicilian style. JiRaffe Address: 502 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Phone: (310) 917-6671. Cuisine: Rustic American/French. Reason: Named the No. 1 new restaurant in the Los Angeles area - a consensus choice of the town's critics, featured in Los Angeles magazine. Picks: Tomato fanciers will love such recent specials as the fresh grouper with tomatoes (red, green and yellow) and basil or tomato stuffed with Maine baby shrimp. Kushiyu Address: 18713 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Phone: (818) 609-9050. Cuisine: Japanese. Reason: This may be the hottest Japanese restaurant in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Not only is it favored for its kushiyaki (small grilled, skewered delicacies), but its sushi and other small plates are considered the finest north of Matsuhisa. Picks: The spicy tuna sushi served on a crispy rice cake is so popular here, owner-chef Nick Niikura figures he averages more than 100 orders per night. Matterhorn Chef Address: 13726 Oxnard St., Van Nuys. Phone: (818) 781-4330. Cuisine: Swiss/Italian. Reason: Also named in the top 10 by local critics. Picks: Raclette ra·clette n. 1. A Swiss dish consisting of cheese melted and served on boiled potatoes or bread. 2. A firm cheese used in making this dish. , bunderfleisch, flaedli suppe, gnocchi gnoc·chi pl.n. Dumplings made of flour, semolina, or potatoes, boiled or baked and served with grated cheese or a sauce. [Italian, pl. , Berner platte, rabbit and polenta. MEMO: Do you have a question about restaurants? Mail it to Larry Lipson, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200, and look for the answer in a future dining beat column in L.A. Life. |
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