Modern American restaurants in California
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Vert
The exquisite, almost too-pretty-to-eat salads are the must-try dishes at Wolfgang Puck's stylish new addition to the Hollywood & Highland complex. While you wait for your leafy lunch, sip on a signature Bellini (prosecco and green apple juice) and watch the continuous parade of passersby - the adjoining exterior walkway provides an awesome view of the Hollywood sign.
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Cafe La Haye
This tiny bistro, with open kitchen, creates earthy New American dishes from ingredients sourced within 60 miles. Reservations essential.
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Whoa Nellie Deli
Great food in a gas station? Really, you gotta try this amazing kitchen, where chef Matt 'Tioga' Toomey serves up delicious fish tacos, wild buffalo meatloaf and other tasty morsels.
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Whistlestop Oasis
This unlikely gourmands' haven serves up scrumptious pork chops, sandwiches and more. There's just one cook in the kitchen, so go ahead - have an ice-cold beer and shoot some stick while you wait.
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Krazy Coyote Saloon & Grill
The bar and grill at the Palms at Indian Head serves famous martinis and classics like chicken cordon bleu, alongside newer fare like sesame garlic pork tenderloin. The atmosphere is fun and the views terrific.
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Providence
Michael Cimarusti's gourmet creations will definitely take your tastebuds on a wild ride. Foie-gras parfait? Sea urchin with truffles? To truly sample the master's talents, sign up for the nine-course tasting menu.
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Mendo Bistro
Choose a meat, a preparation, and an accompanying sauce from Mendo Bistro's crowd-pleasing, mix-and-match menu. The loud, bustling room is big enough that kids can run around and nobody will notice. Good crab cakes.
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Arcadia
Chef Michael Minna, San Francisco's biggest celebrity chef, opened this fine New American restaurant in the Marriott Hotel. It's not the daring, cutting-edge style Minna is known for, but it's slick, expensive and, of course, very good.
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Croce's Restaurant & Jazz Bar
Empty tables are a rare sight at this sizzling restaurant - a pioneer of the Gaslamp and Ingrid Croce's tribute to her late husband, singer Jim Croce. The contemporary American menu has few false notes, nor have the musicians who perform nightly at the jazz bar.
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Vermont
This is a smart, grown-up spot with a dining room punctuated by pillars and palmetto palms. The American contemporary food is smart and satisfying and reminds you of the simple goodness of slow-cooked pork, seared halibut or braised duck. The bar is a lively meet-and-greet zone.
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Mona Lisa
Aside from delicious, hearty meals, Mona Lisa also makes some of the best sandwiches in town and sells imported Italian specialty foods. Linger in front of the deli counter and you're certain to be offered a tissue-thin sample of sausage. I recommend the spicy sopressata.
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Saddle Peak Lodge
As rustic as a Colorado mountain lodge, this rural oasis tucked into the Santa Monica Mountains serves up elk, venison, buffalo and other game in a setting watched over by mounted versions of the same. This is fine dining, so don't come here after a day on the trail. Reservations are recommended.
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Blue Velvet
David Lynch would likely approve of Blue Velvet's magical views, sleek poolside lounge, edgy yet ecofriendly decor and especially ex-Patina chef Kris Morningstar's market-driven menu. Compelling dinner options include slow-poached ocean trout and venison loin with bacon-onion puree. Wicked unisex bathrooms.
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561 Restaurant
For a preview of what'll be cooking in tomorrow's kitchens, pop by this popular bistro run by Cordon Bleu–level students of the California School of Culinary Arts. Dishes are inspired (grilled ono with black thai coconut rice) and the service is impeccable. The adjacent café serves more informal fare.
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Waffle
After a night out clubbing, do you really feel like filling yourself with garbage? Us, too. But the Waffle's 21st-century diner food – cornmeal-jalapeño waffles with grilled chicken, carrot cake waffles, mac 'n' cheese, samiches, heaping salads – is organic and locally sourced, so it's (almost) good for you.
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Beechwood
With its woodsy details, cubic furniture and toasty fire-pit patio, this place is a luscious port of call for Modern American bistro fare. Singles and small groups gravitate to the lively bar to graze on richly flavored pork ribs or sweet-potato fries, while couples retreat to the dimly lit dining room for grilled barramundi, roast quail or other seasonal delights.
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George's at the Cove
Chef Trey Foshee's Euro-Cal cuisine is as dramatic as this eatery's oceanfront location. George's has graced just about every list of top restaurants in California. Three venues allow you to enjoy it at different price points: George's Bar, Ocean Terrace and George's California Modern. Walk-ins welcome at the bar, but reservations are recommended for the latter two.
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Hal's Bar & Grill
The name may evoke brass and wood, but Hal's dining room is an all-cool industrial loft brightened by revolving art from local artists who treat the place like an extended living room. The menu, sourced from farm-fresh ingredients, changes seasonally but always features superbly executed staples such as grilled chicken, Caesar salad and bread pudding with crème anglaise. Free jazz on Sunday and Monday.
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Abode
The latest to enter the pantheon of respected gourmet restaurants in Santa Monica, Abode will indeed make you feel right at home. With chocolate booths, tangerine chairs and walnut tables, its design is as tastefully composed as its contemporary American cuisine. Only organic, sustainable and artesanal ingredients find their destiny in such dishes as arctic char with truffle berry guacamole and vegetarian eggplant chorizo.
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