If you’re looking for an amazing Poke Bowl, look no more! Try Sweetfin! They offer three Health Goal Bowls, six Signature Bowls (intended to be eaten as is), and three different B.Y.O.B. (Build Your Own Bowl) choices. There are also plant-based options. But that’s not all. The menu also includes a few fun dessert items like Taro Chips (lightly dusted with a wasabi furikake seasoning) and Matcha Popcorn (white chocolate, matcha, coconut, and sesame seeds). And be sure to try the kiwi coconut lemonade, mango ginger chamomile tea, or vanilla black iced tea.

For the uninitiated: poke is native Hawaiian cuisine — diced raw fish served in a bowl accompanied by any number of other ingredients. Sweetfin is a healthful, chef-driven, California-inspired poke concept that uses local produce, sustainable fish, and innovative ingredients. It was created with the goal of providing healthy, nutritious and flavorful bowls and a more approachable way for diners to enjoy sushi. In sourcing their fish they aim to use the highest-quality and most sustainable raw fish they can find while still maintaining a reasonable price point.

Said the LA Weekly, “With its gorgeous blond-wood interior, celebrity chef affiliation (Top Chef alum Dakota Weiss) and stylish clientele, this poke restaurant would be as much at home in the pages of Vogue as Bon Appetit.” Other LA locations include Topanga, Westwood Village, Larchmont, Silverlake, and Burbank/Toluca Lake. Takeout and delivery are available.

For more details, click here.

I absolutely love Republique for breakfast and brunch and it is, hands down, the best bakery spot in LA! Located on South La Brea Avenue in the heart of Central LA, this is one classy restaurant! If authentic French classic cuisine is what you crave, Republique is truly not to be missed. Rustic bread with Normandy butter, short ribs, beef tartare, and Puff Pastry Escargot are just some of the scrumptious delicacies on the menu. A large selection of fine wines, caviar, fresh oysters … you get the picture!

Brunch is excellent. Main dishes I’ve tried are the Fried Chicken and Waffles and Smoked Salmon Benedict, and I was totally blown away by the Brioche French Toast. It features a rich custardy interior with a crunchy caramelized exterior. Another favorite is the Shakshouka (wood oven baked tomatoes & peppers, farm eggs, black kale, chickpeas, yogurt, baguette).

Co-owner and Pastry Chef Marg Manzke really knows her stuff!! Having sampled authentic French pastries in Paris, her baked goods absolutely compete with the best. I even bought a copy of her new book because of how much I love these pastries. My personal favorites include the Tomato and Zaatar Croissant (haven’t seen this offering too often, so snatch it up when you can), Canelés, Crème Brulee Cheesecake, and Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake. My absolute favorite? Oatmeal cookies!

(Note: Republique is closed through January 18.)

So what if you can’t dine inside the restaurant? You can still get your Charcoal Venice fix at home! This Marina del Rey favorite has provided many different ways to order out its delicious beachside meals. The Charcoal Venice at Home Tasting Menu is available each weekend by 12pm for pick-up the same day. You can also order from the a la carte menu on the restaurant’s website (and avoid all service fees) by hitting the ‘Order Food’ tab for pickup. Additionally, everything is available through delivery partners UberEATS, Postmates, Doordash, Caviar, and Grubhub.

Inspired by the backyard barbecues he hosts on weekends for his friends and family, Michelin-starred Chef and owner Josiah Citrin and Chef de Cuisine Joseph Johnson cook everything over live fire — whether over charcoal or in the coals. The menu boasts craveable comfort foods featuring proteins and vegetables ideal for sharing family-style. The signature Collard Greens Salad with fresh yams, lemon caper vinaigrette, shaved onion, aged cheddar, and breadcrumbs is not to be missed. The steaks melt in your mouth, the duck is aged to perfection, and the local black cod is to die for! All condiments are house made. In response to coronavirus indoor protocols, there is now a walk-up burger window open each day from 1-5pm. Swing by and grab a burger, fries, a cold beer or one of their signature cocktails, and watch the sunset over the ocean!

For more details, click here.

You are not done with cooking up restaurant-quality dinners, yet. Try BúHo Rouge, a weekly pop-up focusing on Basque-style grilling. Brothers (Chef) Hugo and (Sommelier) Eduardo Bolaños have worked at LA’s finest, including the Hotel Bel-Air, the Wolfgang Puck group, Mozza group and Terroni. Both spent years traveling and working in Spain’s Basque country and in Southern France; these influences show up in the generous, flavorful and expertly prepared meals. The wine offerings are surprisingly reasonable and pair well.

A typical four course dinner for one ($65) includes 10oz of highest-quality grilled ribeye resting on a bed of mushrooms; the steak cooked to rare so that you can finish it at home. Housemade roasted pepper sauce adds the authentic Basque flavor. On the side is a Caesar Salad, and a slice of traditional Spanish tortilla (potato, egg and onion omelet.) Start the meal with a trio of tapas – a ‘gilda’ skewer of olive, anchovy and pickled pepper, fresh crabmeat on toast and a small jar of housemade chicken liver pate topped with tart raspberry preserves. End the meal with two tiny cheesecakes topped with a warmed buttery caramel sauce. There is enough prep to obliterate cooking stress, but enough do-it-yourself so that the meal is indeed fresh when you plate. Stay tuned to this fabulous duo for a full-fledged restaurant. Menu changed weekly.

Pick up in Pasadena, click here for more details.