Good Food, Great View, Beautiful Ambiance-but there are callouts

I recently went to Asia de Cuba in the Mondrian Hotel for dinner with my boyfriend and another couple. The overall experience was great but there are some callouts that might not be for everyone. First and foremost the restaurant is beautiful with soft lighting and a spectacular view of the city. We ate outdoors since they had heat lamps and it was perfect because the Sky Bar is right next door and they had live artists performing so it was like dinner and a concert. We did the tasting platters since the food portions are large and sharing is recommended, however, once our server took our orders we didn't see him much after that. The service is very slow. This was convenient for us because we were enjoying the music and our conversation but stretching a meal over the course of 3 1/2 hours isnt for everyone (we sat down at 8:30pm and did not leave until midnight even though we would have gladly sliced an hour off of our stay if given a choice). The food is above average and I commend the restaurant for the eclectic fusion of cuisines, but I felt that the flavors were a little lacking. Bottom line, Asia de Cuba is like buying a decent house in a fabulous location. You still do it. I think a part of the reason why so many people claim to love the food is because everything else is so nice and you feel like you have to or that it's just the right thing to say. I would recommend this restaurant but under certain circumstances. You have to be prepared to be there for awhile so go with good company. You'll wait for your drinks so savor them. The bill can become pricey (we averaged about ($90 per person) so your budget must be
accomodating. The portions are healthy but the taste might not knock your socks off.

TASTE RESTAURANT on MELROSE

I have eaten brunch at Taste in West Hollywood twice now and must write about it. It's so damn good. First and foremost the restaurant is a quaint, dark wood structure accented with bright pillows and windows facing Melrose. It's perfectly designed for comfort in rain or shine and I've been there for both. The first time I ate there I had the Southwest Scramble and bottomless mimosa. It was tastey but I was more impressed by the trendy yet lazy atmosphere of the place and the elevated seating which allowed me a great view for people watching. The second time I dined at Taste it was simply delicious. I ordered the Braised Short Rib Hash with scrambled egg (instead of poached), red pepppers, potatoes and bearnaise sauce. My boyfriend decided on the crab Cake Benedict with rosemary garlic potatoes. Both were absolutely yum. That's the best description I can give. Yum. Yum. The hash is $14.75 and the crab cake benedict is $15.25. Enjoy a Sunday brunch at Taste. It's worth it.

I read reviews on Trip Advisor about Taste simply to see other's opinions of the place and think those who gave the restaurant a low rating are nuts and probably complain about stars, toenails, popcorn, itunes, pens, carpet, etc. I'm sure nothing makes them happy.

Taste
8454 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 852-6888

JIGSAW BOUTIQUE

In this time of economic penny-pinching and spendthrift luxury, many clothing boutiques throughout the once trendy West Hollywood area have fallen to extinction; there downfall being expensive clothing that is no longer deemed in fashion. The chic streets like 3rd and Melrose are now pocketed with deserted stores with blank windows dressed in a simple "For Lease" sign. But as we learned from Darwin, the strong will survive and when it comes to clothing boutiques, Jigsaw on Melrose is one of the fittest. Jigsaw has been a staple boutique on Melrose since I began shopping the street 15 years ago and it still stands firm today. What's great about this boutique is that it carries a variety of clothing from both local L.A. designers and major brands alike. Loyal customers and feasible pricing have also kept this boutique afloat. As boutiques in Los Angeles crumble under the weight of nonsensical merchandise and become nostalgic memories in the minds of us fashionistas, there's a feeling of security that comes from walking the altered street of Melrose and still seeing one of the staple boutiques standing strong.