Chef’s Night Out

Chefs don’t get a lot of time off. And, unfortunately, most of those free days fall on a Sunday or Monday, when everybody else’s restaurant is closed. But there’s always the occasional slow night, when a chef can slip away. It’s those places we really wanted to hear about. When we asked some of these gastronomically advantaged to tell us where they love to go, we got an stomachful.

Evan Kleiman, chef/owner Angeli Caffe, Los Angeles, and Angeli Mare, Marina del Rey

I’m not into going out to spy what the newest thing is anymore. I tend to go to low-key ethnic places. Asahi Ramen on Sawtelle has really great noodles and major, over-the-top portions. Paco’s on Centinela has incredible homemade flour tortillas, which I’m sure they make with a ton of lard. Barragan’s on Sunset still makes really good sopas, arroz con pollo and birria. My major place is Lawry’s--it’s so old-fashioned. I love the side dishes, that huge potato, the creamed spinach, the famous spinning salad with the vintage, classic French dressing. They have this whole scripted thing they do, the way they shake the dressing, the way they pour it. Sometimes I don’t even eat the prime rib.

Toribio Prado, chef/owner Cha Cha Cha, Los Angeles and Long Beach, and Cava, Los Angeles

My favorite, favorite, favorite is Vida. (Chef Fred Eric) always makes silly but great surprises. One time he whipped out this live lobster from under his apron and chopped it in half right in front of me. Then he put it in broth and added cilantro oil he had just made. It was phenomenal. Guelaguetza, this little Oaxacan place, makes wonderful black bean tamales and really unusual moles , black and ugly looking, but the best. I started at The Ivy, and various members of my family work there from time to time, so I eat that food a lot. I don’t go there much, though, because I can go to my family’s house and get the same food. One time, I was upset with Lynn (von Kersting), the co-owner, and told her I was going to take all my family back.

Wolfgang Puck, chef/owner Spago, West Hollywood, Chinois on Main, Santa Monica , Granita, Malibu, etc., etc.

I feel guilty being in somebody else’s restaurant. I think, God, I should be taking care of my own. Actually, I know more about restaurants in New York because I go there once a month and always go out to dinner. In L.A., I mostly go to see Piero (Selvaggio) at Valentino because he’s a good friend of mine and it’s on the way home from Chinois. He and I will have some prosciutto and a little pasta. Sometimes, I go to see Nobu (Matsuhisa) for lunch. I just tell him to give me something. If you go to good restaurants, it’s really easy.

Neil Rogers, chef/owner, Cafe Bizou, Sherman Oaks

If I want a steak, I go to the Arsenal. It’s a place where you drink a beer with your steak. The room is disgusting, all dark and red and seedy with guns on the wall, but they cook the steak the way you want it. I always order the chateaubriand. It’s a good steak and it’s only $25 for two. When it’s done, they ring the little bell-- ding! ding! ding! --and come out and slice it at the table. The food is very good at Valentino, but they gave me the impression I was a lowlife. They didn’t even hand me the wine list. Maybe it was because I ordered a gin and tonic?

N e ela Paniz, chef/owner, Bombay Cafe, West Los Angeles

I love the sushi at Matsuhisa. Joe’s is very comfortable and the food is consistently good. The sizzling catfish at Chinois is fabulous. If I want a good steak, I’ll go to the Grill. For a quick snack, Tito’s is the place. It’s a hole in the wall that hasn’t changed since 1968. For just a few dollars, you can eat two old-style crisp tacos with shredded beef and rice, and they’ve got some nice hot green chile salsa, which I think is homemade. It’s not gourmet food, but it’s something flavorful and wonderful.

Michael Roberts, chef/co-owner, Twin Palms, Pasadena

I like places that are kind of funky and don’t make a fuss. There’s this hysterical place called Red Lion in Silver Lake. It’s like stepping into another century. It’s totally German--potatoes, sauerkraut, blood sausage, liver sausage, schnitzel kind of things. I brought a friend from France who spoke no English, and here in this dump with flocked wallpaper and all these people drunk at the bar, is this waitress in a tight T-shirt who spoke perfect French. They had this synthesizer piano for entertainment and they sang songs from old TV shows. It was great.

Fred Eric, chef/owner Vida, Los Feliz

Sushi Nozawa does great monkfish liver and the rice is perfect. Sanamluang (Cafe) is the place for Chinese broccoli with fried pork belly. For breakfast, I like Pacific Dining Car. They have something called eggs blackstone, which are poached eggs on thick, grilled beefsteak tomatoes covered in hollandaise sauce. If I’m in a big eating mood, I get it with a steak. Kokekokko, this Japanese version of Koo Koo Roo, is where I go to get inspired about the restaurant business. These guys walk around in these Japanese diapers--really goofy outfits--serving yakitori chicken. Great! It’s full entertainment, plus the food is good.

Michel Richard, chef/owner Citrus and The Bar Bistro at Citrus, Los Angeles; co-owner Broadway Deli, Santa Monica; etc.

When I have French friends in town, I always take them to Lawry’s for prime rib. It’s fun and very American. French people love meat, and at Lawry’s, you get a very big piece. In France, they give very small portions. Chin Chin is close to my home and they have these crunchy chicken nuggets. They are fried and have a nice crust; it’s like biting into a walnut. I’ve always wondered how they do it. One place I really love to go very late at night is Canter’s. I always take the chicken in the pot--you get a big bread dumpling (matzo ball) and a nice piece of chicken in a rich broth. They use lots of schmaltz . . . chicken fat.

Joe Miller, chef/owner Joe’s, Venice

On the way back from skiing, we always stop at Le Yeun in Monterey Park. Their Peking duck is the best in town. They also have fish and shrimp tanks; I usually get the steamed live Dungeness crab with black bean sauce. For lunch, there’s this little sushi bar on Sawtelle near Missouri that I like. I don’t know the name because there’s no sign out front, but it’s in this old Mexican restaurant they converted to a sushi bar (TK). You get the normal sushi-type things: geoduck clam, yellowtail hand roll and uni , which are sea urchins. But my friend knows the chef, so he always fixes us some neat stuff.

Odette Fada, chef, Rex il Ristorante, Los Angeles

I never go to Italian places--if I want Italian, I cook it myself. Chinese and Japanese are my favorites. Japanese food is very intellectual and Chinese is varied. I like to go to Katsu and say, “Give me the best you have.” I like the egg custard, the liver of the monkfish, the soup with the head of the fish and the sushi, of course. When my family visits, they always ask for American food. I take them to Lawry’s. What could be more American?

Sam Marvin, chef/owner Modada, Los Angeles

I usually go to other chef-owned restaurants because it’s like a camaraderie thing. But I do have my favorite watering holes, such as R23 Downtown. The sushi is fresh and delicious and it’s not overly priced. Ita-Cho, in this strip center, is phenomenal. It’s small and always packed. I usually order the sashimi platter of the night. They do a lot of cooked Japanese food too. Last time, I had the black sea bass collar special.

Louise Branch, chef/co-owner Woodside, Brentwood

I go to Chaya Venice and Joe’s a lot. And I go to Jackson’s fairly often too. To be honest, it depends on my mood. The last time we were at Jackson’s, it was quiet and sort of romantic and I had really great squab. Chaya is always busy and noisy and fun. When I go there, it’s usually for the seafood or the sushi bar. Joe’s is one of my favorite places. I usually just order the prix fixe , but the venison with red wine reduction is really good.

Russell Jackson, chef/owner, Russell’s, Los Angeles

My hands-down favorite is Pinot Bistro. The service is consistent, the food is great and (chef) Octavio (Becerra) is downright brilliant. As a kid, I used to go to the Bob’s Big Boy in Culver City (which is now a Coco’s). I’m a hamburger freak, I admit it. And I still like Bob’s. There’s nothing else to eat there but a Big Boy Combo with ranch dressing, lots of seasoning salt and a chocolate malted milkshake. I also like India’s Oven, even though they keep forgetting things in my takeout order and their portions have gotten smaller. I’ve been eating at Spago a lot lately. They treat me good there. Granted, if Michael Eisner walks in, it’s a whole other ballgame.

Restaurants listed in order of appearance.

Asahi Ramen, 2027 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 479-2231. Paco’s, 4141 Centinela Ave., Los Angeles, (310) 391-9616. Barragan’s, 1538 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 250-4256. Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 100 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 652-2827. Vida, 1930 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, (213) 660-4446. Guelaguetza, 3337 1/2 W. 8th St., Los Angeles, (213) 427-0601. The Ivy, 113 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 274-8303. Valentino, 3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 829-4313, Matsuhisa, 129 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 659-9639. Arsenal, 12012 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 479-9782. Joe’s, 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 399-5811. Chinois on Main, 2709 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 392-9025. The Grill on the Alley, 9560 Dayton Way, Beverly Hills, (310) 276-0615. Tito’s, 11222 Washington Place, Culver City, (310) 391-5780. Red Lion Tavern, 2366 Glendale Blvd., Silver Lake (213) 662-5337. Sushi Nozawa, 11288 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 508-7017. Sanamluang Cafe, 5176 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (213) 660-8006. Pacific Dining Car, 1310 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, (213) 483-6000 and 2700 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica (310) 453-4000. Kokekokko, 203 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 687-0690. Chin Chin, 8618 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 652-1818 and other locations. Canter’s, 419 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 651-2030. Le Yeun Seafood Restaurant, 1001 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, (818) 571-0888. Sushi Sasabune, 11300 Nebraska Ave., Los Angeles, (310) 268-8380. Katsu, 1972 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, (213) 665-1891. R23, 923 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles (213), 687-7178. Ita-Cho, 6775 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 871-0236. Chaya Venice, 110 Navy St., Venice, (310) 396-1179. Jackson’s, 8908 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 550-8142. Pinot Bistro, 12969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 990-0500. Bob’s Big Boy, 5050 W. Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 932-9520 and other locations. India’s Oven, 11645 Wilshire Blvd., West Los Angeles and other locations, (310) 207-0500. Spago, 1114 Horn Ave., West Hollywood, (310) 652-4025.