Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Working on Wilshire: Life, Caffe Latte and more

Anne and I decided to take a walk for lunch today on Wilshire near Fairfax, an area which could really use some better dining options. There's a brand new restaurant called Life at 6311 Wilshire, with a full bar (and happy hour!), the usual tired menu items like Chicken Penne and Ahi Tuna Nicoise salad, and a few vaguely Asian dishes. We were too skeptical too try it...anyone been?
There's a new place opening next in the minimall next to Wahoo's Taco's called Green Apple...I'm guessing slightly tart, pricey frozen goodness will be their specialty.
We ended up at the durable Caffe Latte...their food has always been fine, but the service has been going steadily downhill for the 10 years I've worked on Wilshire, and they still have a "B" rating.
...and so the search for edible food on Wilshire continues.

8 comments:

Dan Hess said...

I work in the same area, this is what I've gathered food-wise:

Caffe Latte is reliable, yes.

There's also Garden of Eating, a place that makes good (and big) wraps, salads and sandwiches--it's inside the building on the corner of Wilshire & Crescent Heights--across the street from Life.

Which brings me to Life. Agreed, the menu is been there done that, but it's surprisingly good. Not only that, it's just a really cool atmosphere and you can sneak a drink or two into lunch, which is always fun. I recommend trying it at least once, you'll find something you like.

I'm sure you're familiar with Rocco's Pizza, which is right by Life & the Quizno's...frankly, it's some of the best pizza and calzone you can get in L.A. In fact, Citysearch had it in it's top ten pizza places of last year. It's not healthy in any way, but damn it's good.

Right next to Rocco's is a "Korean" place with a name that I don't remember, but it's cheap and pretty good. Their daily specials provide you with good deals of bim bim bop, half-a-chicken, and bulgogi. I like it, despite the lackluster service.

If these places let you down, there's always Subway, Wahoo, Trimana (passable), or closer to your part, the Koo Koo Roo, Baja Fresh.

I'm actually pretty impressed by the variety of food found on our little stretch of Wilshire. It could definitely be worse.

Anonymous said...

I also have been in the area and the dining options are inexcusable. An area with SO MANY businesses, including "hipster" companies like E! Entertainment, Variety and The Weinstein Co, should also have, at the very least, more upscale chains like Houston's, Il Fornaio, PF Changs or CPK...even a California Chicken Cafe would be great. How about even a Starbucks, Peets, Coffee Bean and Jamba Juice. No, we get nothing!! Instead we get a bunch of generic, and crappy places like Sizzler, Marie Callendar's and IHOP. Hopefully this will change as more residents move in to the new condos/apartments being built, and as LACMA prepares to open the new Broad Contemporary in Feb 08.

Anonymous said...

What about Plaza Cafe at LACMA? I believe it's owned by the Patina group, they have daily specials that change, along with Pizzas and Panini's, and a solid salad bar. I worked on Wilshire for years, and only found it in the last few months of working there. The outside seating is wonderful too!

Meeting up with friends at Life next week for happy hour! I'll try and review it at DigLounge if I get a chance.

Anonymous said...

A museum cafe has too many tourist types to be enjoyable. Unless it's at the level of The Modern at MoMA in NY. Hopefully LACMA chief Michael Govan will bring some of that NY style with him to LACMA's renovation and open a top-notch restaurant there -- like a Mario Batali or Craft outpost.

Anonymous said...

I've hardly ever seen "tourists" at the LACMA Plaza Cafe. Mostly museum workers and local worker bees from the surrounding office buildings. The key to the Plaza Cafe is it's quick and inexpensive. As opposed to Pentimento right across the way.

Anonymous said...

I work in a building located between the new Life restaurant and San Vicente so Restaurant row and the Beverly Center provide great restaurants that are near the work place... I went to Tokyo Table the other day with a vendor and I was shocked how hip the place was inside! The outside sign for Tokyo Table does nothing for that place, the food was also fantastic!! Check it out, I hope this place stays around.

Anonymous said...

LIFE is awesome!! gotta try the blackened scallops that are served in a half shell & marinated in pomegranate reduction sauce...then when your done with the scallop, add red wine to the sauce that the scallop comes in and try the LIFE shooter.
We have loved everything thing we have had thus far.

Anonymous said...

I assume you're guessing about Green Apple. I can't find a thing about it online. Does anyone know for sure?