hugo's

fruit smoothie

protein scramble

mac&cheese

avocado-hummus wrap

type of food: american style breakfast/lunch, vegetarian, gluten-free.

price: $~15

atmosphere: as soon as you step in, you're warped into a place full of people and conversations. the place has much of the neighborhood/diner vibe to it without the weird/creepy old people. parking is plenty in their parking lot, although it might get busy during lunch times and you may need to wait for a spot to open up. however, the place is comfortable and very much down to earth.

rating: 8.5 out of 10. the food was great and the service was great. it was also nice to have the option of eating vegan and vegetarian if preferred-- it's kind of hard to find gluten-free places around LA that serve hearty food...or at least food that looks edible. the menu had a helpful legend with symbols telling which items on the menu were vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free friendly. the food was filling and yummy-- my friend i both cleared our plates clean. nice place to come to for a relaxed brunch.

12851 Riverside Dr

Studio City, CA 91607

red hot kitchen

short rib burrito

type of food: korean/mexican fusion

price: $5-10

atmosphere: situated virtually away from the city is little (and i really mean little...the place has inside seating for about 8-10 and outside seating for about 5-6) ole red hot kitchen. the place, although small, is clean and tidy. the inside seating is small and cozy with modern furnishings. definitely casual and a place to grab a quick bite to eat-- no place for a get together with a bunch of friends or whatnot. parking is street parking, but not too much of an issue...will be able to find parking within a block or so.

rating: 9.5 out of 10. one of my friends, Michael Kae, is pretty much obsessed with this place and for good reasons. the place is cheap: the burrito was less than $5 and needed two hands to hold up (my way of measuring the worth of a burrito). the burrito was filled (no skimping here) with rice, a bit of greens, and meat meat meat. the meat was succulent and marinated perfectly. the only problem i might have with the burrito (hence the 9.5 and not a perfect 10) would be the choice in type of rice. they use the sticky type of rice (korean type) as opposed to the non-sticky-more-mexican rice. i would have preferred the mexican rice....but that's a preference. in all, the place is greatly priced and yummy. definitely will be coming back to get a taste at their tacos soon.

4625 Valley Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90032

literati cafe

fruit tart

ice blended cafe mocha

fruit parfait

french toast

eggs benedict w/a side of caesar salad

close up of the eggs benedict

type of food: american; brunch, lunch, cafe

price: $~15

atmosphere: the place is located near ucla and is on the oh-so-busy street of LA, wilshire; hence, it is street parking and metered. however, it shouldn't be too hard finding parking within 2 blocks of the cafe. the place is cutecutecute with an eclectic interior and sweet workers.

rating: 7.5 out of 10. although the place is cute in and out, the food was just mediocre-- nothing special or unique. however, although the variety of foods was a bit monotone, the food was made well and in a tasteful fashion. most likely will come again. cute spot for brunch/lunch/catch-up with a friend.

12081 Wilshire Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90025

coco's bakery restaurant

poached eggs w/mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach

layered upon english muffins

type of food: american diner

price: $~15

atmosphere: like any other american diner, coco's is lax and comfortable. the interior is a bit dated, but clean. the staff is courteous and nice. nothing too spectacular about the diner compared to other diners out there. parking is usually plenty at each location, so no need to worry.

rating: 6.5 out of 10. there isn't anything special about this place compared to other diners. the food came out in a timely fashion and was served in good, hearty portions. the food itself was well-made and comforting. the selection of food was wide and appetizing. all in all, a nice place to stop by for some regular diner food either early in the morning or late at night.

for various locations:

http://www.cocosbakery.com/locations.php?state=ca

the golden state

the burger with sweet potato wedges

look at that stack up. mm mm.

type of food: burgers, hot dogs, salads..ect.

price: $~15

atmosphere: located near the grove, the place is a hidden gem within all the hustle and bustle that is LA. the service is polite and helpful. no need to dress up or anything; casual setting. parking might be a hard to come by-- street parking with some metered along fairfax-- but isn't too horrible. the place is worth walking a few blocks for--trust me. regular burger joint with the addition of the hip, LA customers and tidy interior.

rating: 9 out of 10. i'm not the biggest burger fan, but this burger was by far one of the best burgers i've ever eaten in my life. the meat was so juicy (i get mine medium- well done, too!), the glazed applewood bacon works wonders for the tongue's taste buds, and the arugula provides just the perfect hint of freshness and crunch. the potato wedges were soft and sweet, just the way i like my fries done. overall, a great place to stop by for a tasty burger; definitely need to try this place if you're in the LA area and have a liking for a great burger.

426 N Fairfax Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90036