PLAYA 7360 Beverly Boulevard / Los Angeles / (323) 933-5300

Located just down the street from the landmark (and one of the worst) Mexican restaurants in town—El Coyote—this new addition to the Beverly Boulevard scene is the proud sister to Downtown’s Rivera. This just may be another example of wanting to date the little sister instead.

Enter into a giant loft like space that is both hip and yet warm in its display. Floor to ceiling backlit bottles anchor the bar, which opens into a room of tabletops, long community slabs, and banquettes. The floors are pentagon shaped painted tiles, trimmed by hardwood on the sides. Add in whimsical chandeliers that look like fantastical wigs that would make any drag queen jealous, and you’ve got a great neighborhood eatery.

Unlike so many new restaurants, there’s no pretense here. We were greeted warmly each of the three times we arrived, and by the fourth visit, the gorgeous Christine was kissing us hello, while Will, one of the terrific servers, offered us a welcoming handshake. Serving dinners every night, and brunch on the weekends, it’s a tough job for the Duo to recommend one experience over the other since they were both winning events.

The dinner menu is interesting and unique, reminiscent of their downtown Rivera, but with its own twist and emphasis on casual, not fussy presentation. Thank god the head “bartender”, Julian Wayser, calls himself just that, and didn’t utilize the inflated “mixologist” (please, is this science, or is this dinner?).

The bar is a happening (and very pretty) scene, so make sure to let him serve you one of his myriad concoctions. Our favorite was the one he called “Chinese Democracy”; how could it not be with a name like that? Picture yourself in the hot and sultry South-East Asia, a monsoonal shower is banging against the tin roof of your beach cottage, and there you watch a heron leaving footprints down a warm, sandy beach, while you sip on London Dry, Arrack lime, jack fruit, gomme and micro amaranth.

We don’t know what it all is, but for only $12, you’re transported, and it delivers a sneaky punch as well.

Most everything is tapas with a salute to some Latin country somewhere in the world. The flavors are like fireworks in your mouth, and there wasn’t anything we didn’t enjoy. We started our eating fest with corn flour tortillas that were delivered to our table piping hot, hand made by the bar-side Latina, and imbedded with rose petals to set a beautiful beginning.

The gazpacho dish called “Fission” is a must try, loaded with habanero peppers (wow, hot & tasty) scallops, shrimp, laced with Spanish extra virgin olive oil (the Spanish olive oil is the healthiest in the world due to the trees’ location, soil and weather conditions), micro herbs and topped with a slice of watermelon—so good and only $7 bucks.

We tried the Enselada Flan de Elote, which was fresh corn custard, queso cotija squash blossom sauce and black quinoa (not a rice, not a grain, but a small sort of cous cous that is being touted as the healthiest to consume). Healthy or not, the dish was great tasting. Who thinks of these things?

Chef John Sedlar does, in fact. He’s North American, but he was raised with his Latina mother and grandparents. Chef had previously owned Bikini and then promoted Patron Tequila around the globe, but now he’s cooking at Rivera and Playa, the latter of which opened its doors February 11, 2011. If you ask around, he is renowned as “the Father of Southwest cuisine”, an infusion of all Latin cuisine, and after a few bites, we can understand why.

If you want something hearty, try the tapa Arepas Cacas, which are Venezuelan corncakes used like hamburger buns around Mexican shrimp, mango, cotija cheese and lathered with a mojito dressing ($11.00). The maize cake salsa samilla ($11.00) served with fresh burrata, salsa verde, arugula salad, amaranth and sal de Colima proved to be refreshing and light. Michael loved the “muscles melt down” (while Scott loved the muscle melt down of bar back Preston),

a combo of vapor cooked muscles, charred tomatillo Serrano, salsa, avocado, lime and crema ($13). There were a half dozen of them, enough muscles to keep anyone in West Hollywood happy for the night, and they were very spicy and very flavorful accompanied with a superb broth.

Don’t think of this place as “fine dining” or elaborate, the food is rustic and very reasonably priced, which we like.

The plates are fun, often times decorated with political and satirical fancy, and even the names of some of the dishes are unique. We just had to sample the Maize Cake Jewish, only to discover that it was smoked salmon, crème fraiche, Bermuda onions, caper berry and lime ($12); and yes, you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this one, but it sure helps.

The pan seared Loup de Mer was one of Scott’s favorite dishes of the evening. A sea bass filet served on a square plate and accompanied by five vibrant streaks of different sauces (chimichurri, ahi pinca, salsa verde, ahi romesco and ahi Amarillo....if any of that means something to you other than “terrific flavors”), it proved to be tender, fresh and bursting with tangs and zests. It was also a beautiful dish at which to look, and well worth the $28.

Full? Keep going with the unusual and particularly yummy Thai Tamalli, which was a tremendous combination of fresh corn masa, shrimp, basil, mint, slantro, lemon grass,Thai chili, ginger garlic salsa that resulted in a superlative blend of savors and spices.

Leave room for the desserts; they should not be overlooked. The outrageous, Patel Cafe, came as a breathtaking display of everything chocolate, comprised of pastel café, mocha sponge, espresso crème, toffee honeycomb and Colombian chocolate ice cream ($10). We can’t say enough about this dessert and it was worth every single unfathomable calorie.

The Coconut dessert was a coconut and pineapple bread pudding with roasted pineapples, papaya and the best, creamiest coconut sorbet we’ve ever tasted ($9). We’re drooling all over again just writing about it.

We don’t like spending weekends inside and yet the lighting here is so nice and open that you don’t feel like you’re indoors. We also want something “sweet” on the weekends, and boy do they have this and more (and we’re not just talking about Preston and Christine).

Almost as soon as you are seated,a basket of hot almond flavored blue corn muffins are rushed to the table and quite frankly, this and an espresso would have been enough to keep us happy all day. There are too many great items to mention, but there were three standouts for us.

The Waffles de Jalapenos Confitados ($13), are contemptible. Who would have thought that waffles with Jalapeno peppers would have made for a good taste-treat, but trust us they do (order it with a side of thick-cut smoky bacon that will easily make you forget about your impending heart attack).

The Panqueques (pancakes) are like some alien (no pun intended) form of pancake we’ve never before experienced ($12). The thin cakes are layered with a nutty chocolate, and bite after bite delivers a sweetness that is truly incomparable.

Lastly, the Eggs Benedict are a Latin take on this age-old dish with chipotle bernaise ($13), and the result is stupendous.

Thursday through Saturday are the most popular and fun nights, so make sure to reserve ahead. Brunch is still relatively unknown, so you can enjoy a nice afternoon in a bright, airy space without having to wait in line just to get inside. Do yourself a favor and come to Playa, come hungry, and leave happy. We did all of the above, and we’re glad we did.

Appetizingly Yours,

Michael and Scott

The Dining Duo

Mercury was in retrograde again. Why the Dining Duo chooses to travel when Mercury is in Retrograde is beyond us; or perhaps we’re just gluttons for punishment. Having nearly missed our plane to Morocco the last time we were controlled by the stars, we got to the airport with hours to spare, only to find that our reservation in the first class Priority Pass lounge was never made by Centurion and this horrible woman with control issues called security on us when we refused to leave. The plane left for CR at 2:30 am, and of course we were in the front row with the bulkhead two inches from our knees; thankfully there were two other seats available, but sleeping in a nearly upright plane seat was akin to sleeping in the adjustable bed that Michael made Scott buy a few years ago. Of course the hotel car wasn’t at the airport to pick us up, and just as we arrived at the hotel, totally sleep deprived, we checked in only to get an urgent message from our housekeeper telling us that apparently just after we left for the airport a hot water pipe had burst and our house was totally flooded with water. It was a great start to a wonderful trip because we knew that it would only get better from here.

Grano De Oro – San Jose, CR
Room 31 used to be a lounge, now a room that overlooks the lights and city of San Jose. It’s located over the Jacuzzi area that is surrounded by ten columns all lit at night, and topped with flowering plants and palms.

We recommend this suite as the best in the hotel($275), other than the garden villa. It’s a grand old stately colonial room surrounded in wood carved paneled wainscoting. Various hand hooked rugs grace the individually painted tiles on the floors and on the walls, which are accented by notched wood recesses displaying different flatware painted with fruit…all lit beautifully. Wall to wall windows display an unobstructed view of the city beyond, and although there are some street and car noises when the window is open, it is easily overlooked. Wood tongue and groove slats cover the ceiling in between beams, with two ceiling fans framing the room. At the head of the room are steps up to a bathroom, as well as to your own in-room Jacuzzi. The suite is decorated opulently, with thick drapes, vases filled with plants, and fresh cut flowers in and outside the room. It has a grand feel that is accented at night by the beautiful soft accent lights that warm the natural local woods. The crown molding is hand carved and intricate, speaking of times gone by. This is the only suite on the third floor and so there are no neighbor noises or intrusions, making this gorgeous and private suite an oasis in an otherwise unattractive major city.

Although the staff is extremely hospitable and helpful, we found it rather odd that there was no nightly maid service and no body lotion in the rooms. We asked for body lotion and we were told that it could be purchased at the gift shop. The beds are hard as rocks (we tried some others while the doors were open during cleaning times) and they only have foam pillows; apparently birds in this country are for flying not stuffing pillows. Our 9:30wake up call came 5 minutes late, but for Central America, that’s practically right on time. Also, there was an old 17-inch TV in the room that screamed to be tossed in the “bassura”.

The Hotel’s dining room is also gorgeous, with heavy wood beams and crown moldings, surrounded by silk drapes. All dining areas look out to a courtyard that is filled with flowers and plants, and centered by a dripping fountain that is both romantic and soothing. We chose to sit on the patio as it was an unusually dry summer night, and the tranquility of the fountain accented the particularly good meal. We were surrounded by Spanish native Costan Ricans, confirming that this restaurant was one of the best and most charming in San Jose. The service was excellent, and friendly, enhancing the meal that was otherwise good, but not of world-class standards. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was so transporting that it really didn’t matter much.

Scott had duck pate that was so soft and creamy that when enhanced by the mango chutney, it melted in his mouth. Michael had a few appetizers; the gazpacho soup that he thought was tasty because it was accented with shrimp, but he admits that it wasn’t as good as Scott’s homemade version. He followed that by the salad with bacon and poached quail eggs that looked better than it tasted. Scott had the sea bass, which was delicious but served cool. It was accented by a puree of vegetables that was a bit tasteless and a side of rice that was just rice. Michael enjoyed the three cheese ravioli that was sinking in cheese and way too heavy for the dish; that being said, it was tasty. The trio of chocolate was the best dessert, but although it looked magnificent, it tasted rather blaze. It was served with a side of café mousse that helped the chocolate, but again was only average. It didn’t really matter as the presentation of the food and the atmosphere of the environment were definite winners.

Although there is just about no reason to stay in San Jose, if you chose to stop over like we did, make sure to go to the museums which are small and interesting. We liked the Museo de Oro (the Gold Museum), which had a vast display of gold artifacts. Also, just walking distance down the populated Central Avenue is La Casona Souvenirs, a terrific set of stores selling all the crap you don’t need; it’s not crowded and the shop owners are friendly and not aggressive. Make sure to ask for “una ganga”—a bargain; you won’t get one, but it’ll make you think you did.

Paradisus Playa Conchal

Just for giggles, The Dining Duo decided to try an “all inclusive resort” something we’ve not done since our Club Med days. Although this one is certainly heads and shoulders above the Club Med of yesteryear, it’s definitely geared for the family who wants great value and a “no brainer” vacation. Playa Conchal is strewn across 2,400 acres of lush tropical landscaping that creates a walking village of sorts and is more of a “golf” feel than a beach focus in that only a few of the rooms face the ocean. The resort offers a “Royal Service” as well which has it’s own check-in service (very nicely done) and a private “adults-only” pool that has a beach entry and a swim up bar with unlimited drinks, of course, in the pool. The place has events every night and 5 restaurants that will attract the “where the food at” cruise folks. The rooms are adequate and although our suite was the “Bali Suite” we didn’t notice anything Balinese about it, save the Roman Columns to the upper bed area and the Central American iron headboard. The Butler service was always friendly, but the language barrier ensures that you’ll never quite get what you want in full. That said, if you want access to a long stretch of off-white beach and fabulously warm water, with lots of distractions and nothing to think about, this is a good spot to hang your sombrero for a couple of days. Rooms 35 and 37 are the best, overlooking the ocean, but beware that the 4-wheelers start early in the morning right between your room and the beach. Vrrrom, Vrrrrrrom.

Camaron Dorado Restaurant

Down the beach from Paradisus, and on the sand is a local restaurant that delivers atmosphere and food. Take off your shoes and dig your toes into the beach while they grill up fresh seafood right out of the ocean in front of you. A quartet of serenadors wanders by to complete the scene.

We started with the seafood soup (approx $7), which was loaded with scallops, lobster, oysters, shrimp and fish; it was a meal by itself. It had a creamy base and seasoned lightly to please the pallet. We followed it by freshly grilled lobster ($26) that was tender and delicious. The net result was an authentic experience that was absolutely worth getting away from the hotel for and discovering food in the real Costa Rica.

Next week: Nicaragua -- part dos