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Restaurant ReviewsParu's :: The Flowering Tree:: Astro Burger:: Formosa CafÈ:: Alessi Ristorante:: The Pig:: The Arsenal:: Anarkali By James Bartlett and Brian Tipton  aru's5140 Sunset Boulevard Around a dozen tables are snugly fitted into a welcoming room that is covered with pictures of yogis, colored silks, red taper lampshades and drawings and paintings of Ganesha. You drink from large, rounded goblets, and the colored fairy lights everywhere give the restaurant a distinctly continental, almost otherworldly, feel. With a handy guide as part of the menu to explain some of the items on this South Indian vegan menu - lentils, potatoes and chick peas were a staple ingredient of most dishes - we chose a samosa with chole, a filling crisp turnover spiced with potatoes and peas, and a vadai (urid), a savory lentil donut with sambar and chutney (both $3.95). They complimented each other perfectly. For the main course we almost chose the uttapam - " a sort of Indian pizza - but spicy!" from the ? la carte menu, but instead we had the Indian thali dinner ($13.95). It came with rice, two poori, two curries - the spinach lentil curry was exceptional - sambar, rasam, papad, yogurt, pickle and a dessert. We also had a Delhi durbar entrÈe - stuffed paratha Indian bread with chickpeas curry, raitha and chutney ($10.95). The selection of sweet and spicy sauces allowed you to customize your meal just the way you wanted, and with plenty left over to take home, we felt that Paru's was that rare thing amongst restaurants: great food that is reasonably priced, and offers a menu that matches it's unique dÈcor and style. The Flowering Tree The Flowering Tree is really more of a cafÈ, because it only seats around 35 people, and as the owner Marilyn told me, their main business is take-out and delivery. Regardless of that, I can say that it is worth a visit for their homemade soups alone - it was no surprise to find out that they are some of the most popular items on the menu. The kitchen prepares six soups a day, and top of the pops is split pea - it's really thick and meaty - and miso, vegetable, chili beef, broccoli puree, black bean coconut and chicken rice. They were all delicious, and almost a meal in themselves. The regular menu included a big breakfast selection of eggs and omelets with power protein, but there were also pancakes, burritos and Irish steel cut oatmeal served with elixir infused soy milk, dried cherries and toasted walnuts if you did not fancy that boost. Every dish on the Specials Menu offered tofu as an alternate option in almost everything: there was grilled vegetable salad, salmon spinach pesto pasta, chicken tostada salad, fresh roasted turkey club and chicken parmesan. I tried a Buddha roll from the "healthy sandwiches" options, which was homemade hummus, crisp cucumbers, brown rice, broccoli, shredded carrots and onion sprouts in a halved wheat pitta wrap - tasty and filling without making me feel overstuffed. Lunch and dinner offered a Mediterranean hummus platter, chapati quesadilla, and one of several house dishes, and there was a long salad list - tuna, chicken, avocado, Caesar, salmon served with a heap of veggies: bean sprouts, carrots, cilantro, tomatoes and so on. It was very tasty, and sated my hunger without making me feel overstuffed. To drink I chose the sweet and refreshing orange ginger fruit juice from a list that included carrot apple, organic carrot and ruby grapefruit, though the ginger oolong slushie with sweet peaches and honey was a close second! Desserts included a huge vegetarian chocolate walnut, carrot and coconut c akes, but I h ad already had my fill. The only criticism I had was that it's rather bare and dull inside The F lowering Tree - with a name like that, I expected more color. 5601 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood 90038
Right next to Paramount Studios on Melrose, Astroburger is the unlikely-named solution to all your food problems. Alongside the classic burgers, tacos, subs and hot dogs is their famous Gardenburger, a vegetarian or vegan soy burger that they introduced to California in 1986. With its big blue star - astro is Greek for "star" - outside (check), the red and yellow livery and 50's silver stools and booths inside (check), it may look like a plain and traditional diner, but one glance at the huge menu - so large that it puts some restaurants to shame - shows an amazing selection of vegetarian and vegan food. The whole smorgasbord has been painstakingly selected by Athens-born owner Cosmos, w ho is a vegetarian himself and insists that he won't serve anything that he wouldn't eat himself. Though rather small and on a rather barren stretch of Melrose, it's a favorite for celebrities and mere mortals, largely because of their strict policies: there are separate implements and grills, whole-wheat buns, unsalted fries, no MSG or lard, and they uniquely pre-cook ("glaze") their fries in canola oil, rather than the beef oil that is usually used: "Preparation is everything", insists Cosmos. It's this kind of attention to detail - and prices that make you wonder how on earth they do it - that makes Astroburger one of the best-known places around for those who care a little more about their food and how it tastes. "People said I was mad when I took on the Gardenburger", says Cosmos, "but nearly 30 years later it's our most popular burger by far, and won the "Best Veggie in America" award from PETA last year too". Times and fashions may have changed since 1986, but Astroburger is still the joint that people come to from far and wide when they want to chow down - Cosmos says hungry people regularly drive long distances just to have one of his Gardenburgers for dinner. My favourite? Check out the soy chicken fajita wrapped in a green spinach tortilla and stuffed full of peppers; truly delicious! Formosa CafÈ
On the walls are photos of endless celebrities, but since Formosa has been here nearly 80 years, most of these are from the days when the Warner Brothers Studio was right opposite, though they filmed part of "L.A. Confidential" here too. I went for the House Special, a Mai Tai, which was pleasingly sweet, and my guest had a vodka martini, which was good, though she found the olives tasted chalky. It's true to say that Formosa has never been known for it's food, but their new selection of Asian foods - rice, chicken and fish - wants to change that. For an appetizer I tried the Panko catfish tossed in Japanese fried breadcrumbs, which was rather average, though the sweet honey dip was great. My guest had the shrimp tempura, which was crispy and came with a sweet and spicy plum sauce. For the main course, I picked the red Thai curry, which combined chicken and shrimp and came with rice, snow pea s, hepa cabbage and Chinese sausage in spicy red curry sauce. The chicken and shrimp were tasty, but there wasn't enough red sauce, and when my guest was handed her New York steak, the special of the night, she found it was very rare, rather than medium rare. More than that it was cold inside, and by the time Spike Spengle, the manager, asked us if we had enjoyed the food, it was too late to do anything about it. Disappointingly, he didn't apologise at all, just made a stupid joke about "taking it home for the dog" and said he'd have it "properly cooked" to take home. We did choose the brownie dessert, made by one of the other waitresses, for dessert, and it made up a little: it was dangerously chewy and came with whipped cream and ice cream. There was still no apology when the manager presented the bill, so while Formosa is definitely a funky bar, do think twice about ordering any food. Alessi Ristorante Located on the busy corner of Highland and Melrose, Alessi Ristorante has the potential to be that most elus ive of things - a neighborhood pizzeria where they ask your name, and actually serve food that you want to eat more than once. There are many pretenders around the area that vary both in terms of price and quality of food, so it was a wonderful surprise to find that Alessi was the sum of its parts. With the flamboyant and friendly Jack greeting you at the door and then giving you samples of the house wine - a cabernet from Santa Barbara - and bruschetta with tomato and cheese topping, you immediately feel at home. A large space, the restaurant is split into three: the lively, family-oriented pizzeria has a large bar and screens sports games, plus there are two private rooms for hire - one an intimate small wine cellar, the other a larger, airy room - all of which are decorated with terra cotta and mahogany beams, giving an air of simple Tuscany. The emphasis is on the home-made too; not only were the tables made by Antonio Alessi himself and have ingenious fold-up extensions to hold the large plates, but the pasta is specially prepared and cooked to perfection. My guest and I started the meal with an antipasta misto (assorted vegetables oven-roasted in the wood-burning oven at $7.50) and insalata Siciliana (a large salad including bell peppers, cucumbers and ricotta salate - $6.50), choosing a glass of the house cabernet ( $7) and a Moretti beer ($3.75) to go with it. For the main course, I chose the home-made Fettucini Alfredo ($9), which was one of the night's specials; with plenty of chicken strips and real Alfredo cheese and sauce (again home-made), it was exceptional. From over 30 choices of pizza, my guest chose the Melanzane with mozzarella and eggplant ($10), which they found to be subtle and delicious, with the vegetables cooked just right. For desert, we shared the Panna Cotta - Italian cream custard with caramel sauce - which was absolutely heavenly, though t he other options of sorbets and ice creams (all around $6) appealed as well. It's a clichÈ to say that a loc a l restaurant is a "hidden gem", but with Alessi it really seems to be true: with such friendly service and excellent food, it really is great news when you find somewhere that is reasonably priced and you want to make a regular haunt. With little extra touches like truffle oil for your pizza, it is worth making the effort to check it out - you won't be disappointed.
Tel: 323-935-1116 Perhaps better known as a take-out joint, it's worth making the effort to go there for a bite because whilst it may be small, it is perfectly-formed and has bags of character. Inside, it's pure 50's diner; red leather booths and sports memorabilia on the wall - as well as pictures and toys of Geor ge Orwell's favourite animal. Outside are half a dozen tables, which are great if you arrive in the early evening, because you can people-watch the suckers still trying to drive home and just catch "Piggy Hour", which runs Monday to Friday 4-6pm and offers Buy One Get One Free on sandwiches (though that's with no sides) - could be the way to go for an early dinner. The crowd they get seems to reach across the board - everyone from suits to students to celebrities - and the thing that gets them lining up is the chance to chow down into some good old-fashioned chicken, ribs and pork without feeling any guilt; there's only one salad on the menu here! My guest and I went straight to the point, choosing the baby back hickory-smoked dry-rub ribs ($11.95 with 2 sides, $9.95 without) and a half BBQ chicken with hot vinegar BBQ sauce ($9.95, $7). As with all house specialities, these came with a piece of jalapeno cornbread (which has a highly addictive quality), and we chose sides of BBQ beans, rice, mixed vegetables and mashed potato, all of which complimented the meat well - although the vegetables were a little tasteless. Taking desert orders early because they refuse to use a microwave to heat them up, we took advantage of their lightning service and ordered blueberry cobbler and apple rumble crunch ($4.50), both of which were temptingly sinful sugary treats of the highest order - and mad e a great breakfast the next day as well. A beer would have been great, but The Pig does not have an alcohol licence (maybe an idea for the future), so we had diet coke ($1.75) and the unspectacular "special soda" bottled Alita root beer ($2.50) to drink. This is food that virtually cuts conversation to a minimum; it's so good that you just want to eat it, and with the ribs and chicken done to a point where they are just soft enough, you get a quick and filling hit. Each table also has several bottles of The Pig's special sauces - Smokin' Spicy, Sweet Mustard and Red Hot Vinegar - so there is no excuse for your dish to stay clean. This is food that requires lots of napkins and a towelette afterwards, and when it clocks in at around $35, don't we all deserve this once in a while?
The Arsenal
Regular patrons and those who popped in for the weapon-lined walls and intimate atmosphere both feared the worst, but it came through unscathed, and has reinvented itself just fine, thank you very much - and no, despite the regular calls: it has no affiliation with the current champion English soccer team of the same name! They - wisely - wanted to keep the feel of the old, but take it up a new notch - and has successfully steered the ship through the icebergs. It's now been split into three sections; an outdoor covered patio, a sports bar with low, plush black leather couches and chairs, and the restaurant - with its candles and bright red leather booths - effortlessly creates and an atmosphere ideal for seduction or, as the menu says, break-ups. Gone are most of the weapons - too many were getting stolen - and the jukebox in the corner that played 'ol Blue Eyes and Patsy Cline has gone too, but it has been replaced by a new juke in the sports bar, playing tracks from across the board; while we were there we heard everything from the S ex Pistols, to Dylan, to the Beatles, and of course, to Frankie. The great, super-friendly service is still present and correct too, and there is even a DJ booth in the sports bar as well, keeping the place absolutely jammed from Wednesday nights onwards, with, for example: hip-hop on a Thursday and reggae on a Sunday. As for the nosh, again, the effort has been made to keep things fresh and "above bar food" standard, and in that, the Arsenal has really hit the spot: there are daily specials, and it must be said that they really do offer that rare and precious thing in LA; a decent and tasty meal - even cocktails - at a reasonable price. Really reasonable. For starters, my guest and I shared the scrumptious cream cheese stuffed jalapenos ($5) and the juicy Southern chick-a-tenders ($7). For this watching the dollars instead of the calories, take note: these two as a combo, with maybe another side, would make a meal in itself. For the main course, still standing out is the classic huge Arsenal Burger ($8). Really reasonable priced, coming with hand-cut fries, it absolutely dwarfed my guest's petit filet mignon ($13) - perhaps so much so that it was to the steak's detriment. Maybe some salad or another little something on the plate would make it look like a better deal, but that's really splitting hairs. With our cocktails; the fresh but not-too-sw eet Pomegranarita and the truffle-liquorish Crazy Dutchman (not orange as you'd think, but still like drinking candy) only making the overall cost for the whole shebang around $60, I was assured by my guest that the spirit of the "old" Arsenal was still there, like a happy ghost haunting the place and glad to see so many new faces.
Anarkali Indian Restaurant Walking in off the street, you're greeted by one of a handful of smiling hosts. "Good afternoon sir" the gentleman says with two menus in hand. One for me. One for my date. Leading us back a few booths in the amazing sultani tent atmosphere, we are seated at a moderately sized table adorned by intricate and beautiful paintings and photos. Each booth is separated by flowing curtains which gives the feeling of privilage and splendor. ? Our waiter hurries back with two glasses of water and with a kind bow asks if we need a few moments to decide upon our order. We definitely do. I could eat the whole menu, but my girlfriend is vegetarian, so we t ake extra time to find a happy median. It doesn't take long. The vegetarian dinner seems to be the direction we're headed so we move on to deciding which three main dishes to put in the mix. ? Again the waiter approaches, asks us if we're ready and takes our order. "How hot would you like it sir, how spicy?". Now, if you know anything about my girlfriend and I, you should know that we're like adrenaline junkies when it comes to spicy food. Rarely are we satisfied unless we both sweating bullets. "Uh..very very spicy please..Hot" I tell him. He laughs. "Are you sure?" He asks me. Judging that he's probably asking a very wise question of me at this point, I defiantly say "Yes, please, hot" to which he bows again and retreats into the kitchen. ? A bare few minutes pass and two servers approach, arms loaded with trays. The food smells divine and it's only a matter of seconds before I have to dive right in. Piling the colorful basmati rice onto my plate, I then begin to layer mounds of the different dishes and bookend the plate with two wedges of soft, warm Na'an bread. ? Of the three main dishes we got, all were absolutely superb. The Aloo Gobi Matar, a delicious blend of potatoes, cauliflower and a spicy cream sauce seems to melt into my mouth, while at the same time retaining it's slightly cruncy exterior. And it's hot...really, really hot. The Bombay Aloo is no dif ferent. A potato based curry dish similar to the Aloo Gobi, is stunningly full of flavor while at the same time being hellishly hot. We're drinking water quite heavily now, but can't stop eating because the food is so good. The Chana Masala is the last of the three main dishes we sample. It's my girlfriend's favorite overall, but I'm a bigger fan of the potatoe dishes. Still, overall, a meal fit for a king. ? If you can find a better spot in Los Angeles for Indian food, excellent service and an all encompassing middle-eastern atmosphere, please let me know. ? Regards,
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©2005 California Film Industry
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7156 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood 90046
At the grand old age of 130, The Arsenal has seen off enemies like the Santa Ana devil winds, the Great Flood of 1916 and even a raging fire, to be faced in late 2003 with perhaps the greatest test of them all: renovation and new management.