Gastronomic Gutbuster: Beer Belly

If you're starting a diet soon, I highly recommend you go to Beer Belly.  Not for your diet.  For your last hurrah before your diet.

I imagine the beer here is really good.  I imagine because I can't actually tell you because I don't drink beer, but I did have a great spicy Blenheim ginger ale ($3).

Death by Duck -- duck fat fries, duck skin cracklins, duck confit, raspberry mustard ($8).

A damn good way to die.  Freakishly delicious.  Even non-duck-loving Amber was a fan!

Buttermilk fried chicken -- breast strips, roasted corn aioli ($9).

While the rest of us were quacking, Eleana cried, "Give chicken a chance!"  And, boy, were we glad we did.

The Duck French Dip -- sage-roasted duck breast, Provolone, duck-skin horseradish aioli, duck au jus, pickled onions ($14).

Sometimes it's the condiments that really make a sandwich.  Gold stars for the duck-skin horseradish aioli and the duck au jus!

The Beer Belly Grilled Cheese -- cheddar, Asiago, Gruyere, goat cheese, applewood bacon, maple syrup ($11).

Maple syrup!  Yes, once again, the condiment made the sandwich.  What an epic inclusion!  At our table, Mercy recognized this first.

Chipotle and beer-braised short rib -- cheddar puff pastry, roasted short rib jus, dill and onion housemade chips ($15).

Hard to believe that this dish came from a street-art-adorned Koreatown structure and not a fancy-schmancy Beverly Hills establishment.

Deep-fried mint Oreos, Nutella, strawberry puree, whipped cream, strawberry sugar, chocolate chip ice cream ($5).

This tasted like the county fair.  I like the county fair.

Next time I want to try the deep-fried cheddar with beer and bacon batter and jalapeño aioli.  And pork belly chips.  And steak and garlic truffle fries.  And pizza mac 'n' cheese.  And a fried Twinkie.

An American Brasserie: Currant

We've eaten at Currant twice and enjoyed it both times.  Currant is probably the best part about The Sofia Hotel.

The space is high-ceilinged and comfortable.

Mr. Monkey had fresh-squeezed orange juice ($3).  I got a super cheap mimosa ($3).

For only $8, you can make your mimosa bottomless!  A veritable steal!

Chorizo hash and eggs -- two eggs any style, red chili sauce, toast ($8.95).

The hash was made of sweet potatoes and steeped with spicy chorizo. Great spicy start to the day!

Machaca breakfast burrito -- pulled short ribs, jack cheese, scrambled eggs, red chili sauce ($9.95).

Stuffed to the brim with beefy goodness.  Definitely no skimping on meat here.

Currant feels very different at night.

Hot bread and butter greet you.

Duck salad ($11.95).

Hazelnuts and strawberries? Yes, please!

Moules frites ($14.95).

Strong rendition of the French classic.

Duck linguine ($18.95).

Ample meat, powerful flavors, springy pasta.

Duck cassoulet ($22.95).

Yeah, we love duck.  This was my fave dish of the night.

Chevre cheesecake -- goat cheese, granola crust, raspberry coulis, fresh seasonal berries ($8.95).

Creamy and strong.  Don't get this if you don't love goat cheese.

Currant is a modern French bistro with American warmth and hospitality that's worth visiting.

Fine Dining With Friends at Josie

Josie has pleased palates in Santa Monica for nearly 10 years.

Restaurants survive this long for a reason.

Food this solid doesn't come cheap. Entrees alone range from $28 to $38. That's why my friends and I happily took advantage of the $44 three-course deal during dineLA.

The rest of the room was positively geriatric, but we had blast at our happy round table.

Corkbar, You Make Me Gush

********THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED.********

Corkbar has been my favorite casual Downtown restaurant for over a year. Selfishly, I wanted to keep it a secret, but I suppose that's just not possible. Plenty of people are in on the secret now, so I might as well spill the proverbial beans.

Have a glass of wine. There are tons from which to choose. The place is called Corkbar after all. Don't drink? Don't worry. Get a parsley lemonade ($3). It won't get you drunk, but it'll get you giddy.

I am going to make a bold statement. Nothing at Corkbar is bad. Nothing, I tell you. Everybody at your table should leave happy. If they don't, they're not friends worth having. I stand by Corkbar against your hypothetical insane, taste-challenged friends.

Cheddar cheese gougères ($7), Corkbar burger ($12), grilled Fontina cheese with sherry onion marmalade and roasted tomatoes ($9), chocolate tart ($6).

See those prices? Steal of the century, dear readers.

Corkbar gets pretty packed on nights when there is an event at Staples Center or Nokia. I recommend coming early enough to enjoy your time fully at Corkbar. It's worth it.

Or do what we do. Visit Corkbar during the day.

The vibe is completely different.


Bright yet serene. We love coming here for lunch.

Shredded duck and Brussels sprout salad with candied hazelnuts, Maytag bleu cheese, frisee, drizzled with a roasted apple and hazelnut oil vinaigrette dressing ($16).

Incredible. One of my favorite salads ever. Ever. Imagine my heartbreak when Chef Albert Aviles told us he was retiring it. I nearly cried. But he assured me that its replacement would please me, too.

Corkbar always has some familiar staples, but a good portion of the menu is constantly evolving.

Rest assured, like I said before, nothing at Corkbar is bad, including the more experimental stuff.

Pork bruschetta ($8), butternut squash risotto with scallops ($16).

That's Mr. Monkey with another irresistible cheddar cheese gougère.

Duck cobb salad with housemade duck confit, cucumber, corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, bacon, topped with grated egg and herbed bleu cheese dressing ($16).

Chef Aviles made good on his promise. I don't even like eggs in salad. In fact, I hate them in salads. But these eggs? Wow. So fine. So delicate. So wondrous with that generous heap of duck confit. Chef Aviles is my hero.

Spring lamb sandwich with cucumber, mint, onion, and feta ($16); "breakfast" dessert of cinnamon brioche muffin with rum caramel sauce, vanilla whipped cream, and bacon ($10).



As delectable as they sound. Maybe even more delectable than they sound. No matter what you order, all of your plates will look like this at the end of your meal.