The Chef's Table at Providence - Los Angeles, CA

Dinner - Tuesday, September 20, 2011

With San Diego establishments mired in the drudgery of Restaurant Week, we elected to bring our out-of-town guests to Providence to celebrate their wedding anniversary in style. I made reservations for the Chef's Table (a private nook separated from the kitchen by a glass partition), adding to the festive nature of the occasion. Dinner was, as expected, wonderful. I maintain that this is one of, if not the most, polished restaurant in Los Angeles.

*Note* As this blog approaches its first birthday, I realize that it has strayed slightly from its original purpose of being (primarily) a photo-journal. Beginning with this post, I plan to emphasize larger pictures and significantly reduce the amount of boring text - after all, a picture is worth a thousand words (and who really cares what someone else thinks about a dish anyway!). Perhaps this time, I'll actually allow the food to speak for itself.

Julienne - Santa Barbara, CA

Dinner - Sunday, September 18, 2011

Julienne is a cute shoebox of a restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara, a relative newcomer to their dining scene. It is owned by Justin and Emma West, a young couple living their dream, so to speak. The space is remarkably tight (comparable to Commis, but with a denser layout of tables), but the two of them and their small team dance very well. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and the simple rusticity of the food matches up well.