ANGELENOS TIP OFTEN - BUT POORLY ZAGAT SURVEY FINDS WE DINE OUT MOST, BUT GRATUITIES ARE SMALLER.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer Angelenos now lead the nation in dining out, but in spending on service they leave the lousiest tips, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the annual Zagat restaurant survey released Wednesday. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. residents reported noshing outside their kitchens at least 3.7 times a week, but were the cheapest tippers among 40 U.S. cities. ``Fiscal woes may have the state tightening its belt, but Los Angelenos' appetites have not diminished,'' said Tim Zagat, chief executive officer of the Zagat Survey Zagat Survey (pronounced za-GAT)[1] was established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979 as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. For their first guide, covering New York City, the Zagats surveyed their friends. of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . ``Los Angeles leads the country in dining out: We found 55 percent of the meals eaten in Los Angeles are eaten or prepared outside the home.'' Nowhere were appetites more apparent Wednesday than at Katsu-Ya in Studio City, rated the No. 1 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. for its signature crispy rice with spicy tuna, seared sear 1 v. seared, sear·ing, sears v.tr. 1. To char, scorch, or burn the surface of with or as if with a hot instrument. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. spicy albacore albacore: see tuna. albacore Large oceanic tuna (Thunnus alalunga) that is noted for its fine flesh. The streamlined bodies of these voracious predators are adapted to fast and continuous swimming. and baked crab rolls. ``I'm in here five nights a week,'' declared Elaine Saller, 58, sated sate 1 tr.v. sat·ed, sat·ing, sates 1. To satisfy (an appetite) fully. 2. To satisfy to excess. after $57 worth of sesame tuna and sashimi. ``If my friends want to join me, they come here.'' Saller's tip belied the survey when she left behind $12 - higher than the 18 percent left by the average L.A. diner. ``The super cuts of the fish, the talented and wonderful presentation and the courtesy and the generosity of the staff make this, for me, the only place to eat in L.A.,'' she said. The other top Valley area restaurants, rated by Zagat in descending order, were Sushi Nozawa in Studio City; Saddle Peak Lodge in Verb 1. lodge in - live (in a certain place); "She resides in Princeton"; "he occupies two rooms on the top floor" occupy, reside move in - occupy a place; "The crowds are moving in" stay at - reside temporarily; "I'm staying at the Hilton" Calabasas; Brent's Delicatessen & Restaurant in Northridge; and Brandywine in Woodland Hills. The 2004 Zagat guide covers 1,638 restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange counties and bases its ratings on the responses of more than 6,060 diners, who ate out 1.2 million times in the past year. The survey also found that 37 percent said they eat out more than they did two years ago, with 59 percent saying they spend more now when dining out. Among the survey's key findings: --Los Angeles residents eat out 3.7 times a week, compared with 3.5 times in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , 3.3 times in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden and 2.6 times in Washington, D.C. --The 18 percent average gratuity Money, also known as a tip, given to one who provides services and added to the cost of the service provided, generally as a reward for the service provided and as a supplement to the service provider's income. left by L.A. diners lagged behind the 18.3 percent left by diners in 40 U.S. cities surveyed. --Los Angeles restaurant mavens praised the variety of ethnic foods, with 30 percent favoring Italian, 20 percent Japanese, 12 percent French, 10 percent Chinese and 8 percent each preferring Thai and American. --Three-fourths rated poor service as the biggest complaint, in contrast to food, at 6 percent. The average meal at the 20 priciest L.A. restaurants cost $66.20, compared with $90.68 in New York, $136.44 in Paris, $167.59 in Tokyo and $59.80 across the United States. The average meal in Los Angeles cost $29.61. When it came to food quality, as rated by its residents, Los Angeles ranked sixth overall, with San Francisco rated first, New York second and New Orleans third. Paris, home of some of the world's most finicky fin·ick·y adj. fin·ick·i·er, fin·ick·i·est Insisting capriciously on getting just what one wants; difficult to please; fastidious: a finicky eater. eaters, rated 23rd, just behind Las Vegas. ``L.A. is probably the No. 2 dining city in the country,'' said Zagat, speaking for himself. ``San Francisco is not in the same league - it's a great restaurant city, but L.A. beats it hands down.'' That's if you know where to go, he said. At Brent's, rated by Zagat as the No. 1 deli in Los Angeles for 11 years running, the patrons know exactly where to go. ``Let's put it this way,'' said Norman Acker, 85, basking in an aroma of steamy pastrami, kosher sausage, a tinge of mustard and fresh deli pickles at the Northridge restaurant. ``I live in Beverly Hills. My wife likes cabbage soup. That's why we come here - it's the best she's ever eaten.'' ``Wonderful, love it,'' added Samuel Safran, 93, of North Hollywood, gazing at a $5.95 black-and-white cookie as large as a dinner plate. ``The matzo ball soup, they make the ball as big as a softball ... the ingredients, unheard of.'' Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (1 -- color) At Katsu-Ya, Saori Seki serves up the sushi that garnered the Studio City establishment its designation as best restaurant in the San Fernando Valley. The Zagat poll for 2004 includes 1,638 restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange counties. (2 -- color) Brent's in Northridge, rated the best deli in Los Angeles for 11 years in a row, is a local standby for big sandwiches. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer Box: GOOD EATS SOURCE: Zagat Survey Daily News |
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