AOC: Wine, Tapas, and now Brunch!

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Stoli The Foodie

AOC is an L.A. gem, commonly known for its wine selection and small plates menu. Chef Suzanne Goin’s California French menu has some Mediterranean influences and is driven by seasonal ingredients. It is an excellent restaurant for dinner that I would recommend anytime (must tries are the arroz negro with squid with saffron aioli; brussels sprouts with pancetta and parsnip puree; grilled pork confit with potato, apples, dijon mustard, and cabbage). Now AOC is open for bunch on the weekends! The delicious culinary decadence of the AOC dinner menu is brought forth in a divine brunch menu.

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La Provence Patisserie & Cafe– Casual French

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Stoli The Foodie

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La Provence Cafes bring a quaint French village culture to Los Angeles. From French macarons to paninis, you can’t go wrong with a visit here. The ambiance is casual and non-pretentious. It’s order at the counter and find an available seat style. The baked goods here are delectable (more on that later). The food is consistent and great. I’ve been coming to the Beverly Hills location since I was in middle school, nearly 15 years now. The portions are a good size at very affordable prices. I can generally get lunch for less than $15 which is great for Beverly/Brentwood.

I love the sandwiches and paninis at La Provence, they are served on baguettes that are nicely toasted on the outside and a bit soft on the inside–a nice crunchy panini. There is an option to get half a panini with soup, chili or salad so that’s what I usually go for. They also have one of my favorite soups in town, the country vegetable. It’s a pureed soup and tastes more like tomato soup, but that’s just how I like it. One of my favorite paninis is the Autogrill Special [pictured here], with prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, basil and black olive tapenade ($10 + $1 with soup). My other favorite panini is the prosciutto with sauteed mushrooms, goat cheese and arugula.

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Meet French Bistro

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Stoli The Foodie

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Meet, a French Bistro, located where L’Hermitage Bistro used to be, is a lovely addition to the Culver City area. This is not a typical pretentious French restaurant with exorbitant prices. The all French wait staff is very attentive while still maintaining a very unhurried atmosphere. Dinner is served at a French pace, no one is rushing to turn over your table, so you can have a nice leisurely meal. The service is excellent, new plates and silverware are brought between courses, the waiters aim to be unobtrusive and always try to serve to the left and clear to the right. We had mussels during our meal and when our bowls were full of shells they were replaced before we even realized it was necessary. Our table had a slight wobble that we didn’t even notice, but when one of the waitresses was setting something down she noticed it and had it fixed immediately. I was quite impressed with this unassuming establishment. It’s located in a less congested area of Culver City so sitting out on the patio is like sitting in a little cafe in Paris and the food is just as good too.

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