Toast, Los Angeles California

Where the Griddle Cafe was all about enormous portions and good prices, Toast was all about image and quality. 100% natural ingredients and 100% delicious, breakfast consisted of omelets, bread, and fruit. My meal included chicken, onions, spinach, and portabellas with a fantastic whole grain bagel and mixed fruit dish that tasted more fresh than I've had in ages.

When the hip waiter stopped by after we were finished and asked "can I interest you in dessert?" my response of "Dessert at Breakast?" was met with "Yeah, what better time?" On his recommendation, a coffee cake muffin was split in half, buttered, and grilled. Cinnabon, eat your heart and trans-fats out, this place kicks your ass. To ANYONE visiting LA, put this item on your must have list, it is THAT good.

The rest of the experience.....meh, I prefer Doughboys and Griddle Cafe as a vacation breakfast, but if I lived in LA and beat the morning rush, I'd eat here based on the healtfulness, quality, and scene. On par with Northstar in Columbus.

Sprinkles Cupcakes, Los Angeles California

On my most recent visit to So. California I decided to fully experience the cupcake rage that is sweeping the nation and just now finally arriving in the midwest. During my visit I tried Yummy, Crumbs, Sprinkles, and Mrs Beasleys. Visiting with three other people, a myriad of options were selected at each and many pictures were taken.

This place seems really good.....until you realize that there are far better options to be had....and that you're waiting in a 1 hour line for a cupcake when you could've just gone to Crumbs down the street for a better cupcake and a shorter wait (recall, your car is getting charged like $1/15mins to sit in a garage.)

I wanted to like Sprinkles based on the hype, but honestly, the cakes just didn't do it for me. Texture was dry, Flavors were pretty plain compared to Yummy and Crumbs, prices were high, the line was long, and one of the 17 year old hipster dolts behind the counter actually yelled at me for taking a picture. "Dude" get a grip, they sell your mix at Williams and Sonoma in Ohio, its not that special!

While I appreciate the use of natural ingredients and both the Strawberry and Banana options were good, they weren't THAT good. Additionally, in the battle for "best Red Velvet" in LA, this place doesn't hold a candle to the options at Yummy or the cake at Doughboys.

Cheers to hype!

Amex Arena Club, Los Angeles California

Fantastic seats, quality food, top notch service, and suprisingly good prices for higher end arena food. Sat here during a visit to LA in on 01/18/07, directly overlooking the Kings offensive zone, for the first period. I had Sushi, mom had Crab cakes, and the table had some amazing cinnamon raisin bread. Sushi and Kings hockey, I took a picture because when I go to heaven I want to say "yep God, this and a nice stereo is all I need to be happy in life."

Web description: Overlooking the arena floor, the AMEX Arena Club is a beautiful restaurant located on Suite Level A. Sumptuous selections are elegantly presented on several buffet tables. You won't miss a moment of the game with 19" color TVs mounted throughout the restaurant. Or, you can turn your attention to the spectacular cityscape of downtown Los Angeles.

The spacious main dining room provides seating for up to 450 and the comfortable outdoor terrace seats an additional 80. The indoor bar/lounge seats approximately 80. The ample 14,000 sq. ft. space makes this a perfect setting for a large group or event.

The AMEX Arena Club is available to Premier ticket holders.

Roscoe's Chicken n' Waffles, Los Angeles California

Arriving early in the afternoon after a nonstop from Detroit to LA, my mother and I loaded up the rental car and feeling quite famished made our way to Roscoe's with our baggage still in the car. Myself being a bit of a tech-nerd (camera, phone, laptop, psp, mp3 player all in tow) I was somewhat tentative to park at the $0.25 meter, but thankfully all was well. Tiny, dirty, and not a single other Caucasian face in the crowd, $25.00 netted us some Louisiana Style Double Fried chicken Breasts, Corn Bread, Sweet Ta To Pie, Mac n' Cheese, and WAFFLES. Snoop, Funk Master Flash, and some old NWA played on an old boombox behind the bar and the staff was incredibly friendly, fast, and helpful.

I don't normally eat "comfort food," but I have to admit the stuff was amazing and the environment was actually quite comfortable. While it may not be the "best" food, or even the best soulfood (hey, I grew up in Toledo, Detroit was less than 1 hour away) this place is DEFINITELY worth the trip just for the novelty compared to the normal 'dining scene' in Los Angeles. GREAT cornbread.