Petit Trois is one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. And I’m including my recent meals in NYC. It’s that good.

There wasn’t a single thing I wouldn’t order again. And several items I still dream about.

First off, the place is super tiny. Don’t come with a group. Don’t even come with more than one person, unless you really, strongly dislike one of those persons.

Stools are your only seating choice, so take note if you have any back issues or enjoy complaining about non-existent back issues.

If you come here, you MUST order the omelet. Definitely share it with your friend as an appetizer. It’s superb. Stuffed with soft French cheese. So silky. So sexy. Omelets are never sexy. Except this one.

I would definitely swipe right on this omelet.

They give you a complimentary crusty baguette to start, so come hungry. Come starving. Nothing on this menu is light. It’s all incredibly decadent French fare and you will love it. Everyone except those back problem complainers. I’m sure you’ll find something to bitch about.

The Croque Madame may seem small but it packs a wallop. It’s pricey, at $23 bucks but you will not leave hungry. Unless you have a hollow leg or tape worm.

We had no complaints about the Confit-Fried Chicken Leg, however, I would not order it above any of the other dishes we tried. The omelet and burger are your two “Must Order” dishes, for sure. “What burger?” you ask.

The Big Mec burger is perfection. So saucy and cheesy. I hate a dry ass burger. This is not that. Simple and sexy. Not as sexy as the omelet. Maybe, more of an ugly sexy. A burger you’d take home and then sneak out the back door in the morning.

718 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Hollywood
(323) 468-8916
petittrois.com

Real talk, here. I don’t remember a ton (or anything) about this meal. We came here at the end of a long day exploring downtown LA. At this point in the evening, we were all most definitely very “tired”.

Here are the facts (I think):

The place is lively, the drinks are fun and the food may or may not be good. If that isn’t the most helpful tidbit you’ve ever read, I’m a monkey’s uncle. If anyone tries to tell you that expression is archaic, they can go directly to hell.

On that note….

514 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 622-3744
bstaqueria.com

Because I love all things Chef Ludo, I made sure to check out all the two new Trois restaurant additions since I left LA.

Trois Familia is the brand new collaboration between Ludo Lefebvre and the Jon and Vinny team. Since talking about restaurant ownership is about 100% less interesting than talking about food, I’ll stop right there. Google “Trois Familia” if you really care.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Trois Familia is a cute breakfast and lunch only spot in Silverlake. It closes at 2 pm, which is annoying. People love breakfast all day, as McDonald’s can attest to. Let’s move on.

If you don’t show up right when they open, you’ll be waiting. We waited about 20 minutes. Not bad, for NYC standards.

The dishes are all creative Mexican fare with portions being on the smaller side. Definitely fun to order a bunch of stuff and share. Ok, maybe not fun. I’m almost 40, is anything really “fun” anymore?

The best dish was most definitely the Hash Brown Chilaquiles. Spicy, flavorful, crispy, saucy…eggy? Just a really great dish.

The Poached Omelette sandwich was also great. The caramelized onion gravy looks scary but it made the sandwich.

The Double Decker Potato tacos were just ok. They could have used something else. Maybe some roasted peppers or any kind of seasoning. Thank goodness for the house made hot sauce at our disposal.

The Horchata was a bit pricey at $7 but tasty and lasted the entire meal. I can’t remember the last time any one beverage lasted my entire meal. Unless I was at a drive-thru…

3510 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Silver Lake
(323) 725-7800
troisfamilia.com

Terrine could serve the most vile food ever and the waiters could strike me directly in the face and force me to tip 50% as my reward…and I would still come back for that damned beautiful outdoor courtyard.

They’ve really lucked out having taken over the old Pane e Vino space, which briefly became the now forgotten Sirena restaurant, and I knew I had to check them out the next time I was in LA.

Everyone’s favorite multi-hyphenate ginger (was Phillip Seymore Hoffman a red head?) Jesse Tyler Ferguson is attached to Terrine which, if I’m being honest, drew me to come here if only to witness the funnyman sipping a martini at the bar.

Well, sadly, JTF was not there. Maybe that’s a good thing, considering the last time I was in this location (during the Sirena days) I had sort of locked myself in the bathroom. Who constructs doors that move sideways?? I panicked that this was going to happen again, so I decided that holding my urine for the entire dinner would be a good character builder.

Now, take a gander at the amount of food we ordered. This was for a hearty group of 6 folks, right?

Wrong.

Two people ordered all this food. Amazing how gluttonous one becomes when one is not paying for one’s dinner.

Tonight’s meal was very meat-centric. There is a ton of meat on the menu, in general. And the portion sizes are quite substantial, so you’ll be taking home leftovers. Hopefully. If not, I worry for your colon.

The Cote de Porc was incredible (could easily feed 3 people) and the Truffle Agnolotti and Broccoli Gratin were out of this world!

Ordering the Half Roasted Duck was unnecessary. It was tasty, yet a mountain of food.

The Charcuterie was impressive, definitely a great starter. Yet, it was almost too filling for an appetizer. That and some cocktails would have been enough.

I guess if the worst thing about a restaurant is their portion sizes are too big, I would say Terrine is in good shape.

Two words that would not describe you, if you consumed our Terrine feast regularly.

8265 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Beverly Grove
(323) 746-5130
terrinela.com

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN WITH AN iPHONE 6

It’s challenging to live in NYC for 2 years and not turn into an a**hole about Italian food, especially pizza.

So, when I came to LA for a visit and decided to check out the crazy popular Jon and Vinny’s, I had to reign in my expectations. I had to dial down the a**hole, just a smidgen.

I came here with Clyde and we were both determined to consume as much food as humanly possible. Basically, a typical Wednesday night.

Our meal proved that some city stereotypes are true.

First, the worst dish of the night was the pizza. Second, the best dish of the night was the salad! You’re making this too easy, LA.

NYC doesn’t pretend to do their veggies much justice. On the one hand, our most praised restaurant right now is a veggie burger joint. That’s how NYC does veggies. Disguised. Pureed and cooked to death.

LA has incredible produce, so dishes featuring fresh veggies and herbs will stand out. Jon and Vinny’s take on the Caesar salad was just mind-blowing. Perfect leaves of gem lettuce slathered in this spicy Caesar dressing, covered in parmesan and bread crumbs. Simple and perfect. I would come back just for this dumb salad. And maybe also see a few friends. But, mostly the salad.

The Meatballs were also pretty fantastic. The garlic bread and ricotta that came with it helped amp it up a bit.

The pasta was good. Maybe we should have ordered something else. Or maybe we should have ordered less food and not be such fat f*cks. I won’t discount the pasta, considering we were mighty full at this point.

What do two gluttonous friends do when they’re stuffed to the gills with food?

Order a pizza!

This was a mistake. Not because it was too much food (I can feel your judgmental stares) but because the pizza was not good.

It came out hard a rock. I mean, it was really hard to chew threw. I love a crispy pizza. I prefer them over your soggy Neopolitan pizza. This tasted like it had sat in the oven for an hour. I’ve had charred pizza that was still light and airy. This was charred and dense. No bueno.

But don’t let that stop you from coming here!

Come for the salad and meatballs (and make a reservation, ya dummy) and you’ll be all set! We arrived sans reservation (on a Wednesday night) and were basically informed that the seating for the entire night was already booked and if we managed to snag a seat, it would be a miracle. How abusive!

Well, an hour later of sitting by the entrance and making fun of every poor soul that entered the restaurant with an actual reservation, a miracle occured!

412 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Fairfax
(323) 334-3369
jonandvinnys.com

Otium is the gorgeous new eatery (the place is fancier than an “eatery” but I’m feeling combative) connected to the insanely popular and just a bit bratty, Broad Museum.

Not pronounced Brah-d, like one would think.

Rather, it’s pronounced Broh-d.

Annoying. Right, bro? Broseph?

Regardless, I outright refuse to pronounce the name correctly. I AM in a feisty mood today, aren’t I??

Ok, enough about me. Here’s my take on all things Otium.

My overall opinion? Great for drinks and sharing a few small plates. But only right after payday, as it’s a bit pricey.

We ordered, like, every single drink from their cocktail menu. They were fun, boozy, and quite pretty.

The food was also artfully presented. The decadent Bucatini pasta dish is begging to be Instagrammed. The Hamachi also looks like a work of art, but is a super tiny portion. It’s minimalist art, I suppose.

The crispy potatoes were definitely not pretty but they were delicious! Ugly and amazing. Like a Picasso bust? Ok, I really don’t nearly enough art education in my background to be continuing down this path. My apologies.

The Tri Tip and rice dish was very tasty and will definitely fill up your dining companions (as long as you each order other stuff and plenty of cocktails).

Otium is certainly a nice companion to an afternoon at the Broad. If you can manage to score tickets online 18 months in advance or fellate someone for a decent spot in the stand by line.

222 S Hope St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Downtown
(213) 935-8500
otiumla.com

Remember to check out my new blog, Bun Boy Eats NYC!

I moved to LA in the fall of 2000.

Young, chubby, poorly dressed, totally naïve and constantly hungry.

So much has changed!…..um…well…I’m no longer young!

I’ve watched LA transition from a restaurant wasteland to a foodie paradise. There was a time when it was only diners/delis/dives, archaic steakhouses or the snooty, celebs-only hot spots serving abysmal and overpriced cuisine. I’m talking to you, Il Sole.

Before I moved here, I only knew of two famous LA restaurants. Spago and Pink’s.

While I have since been to Spago multiple times and quite enjoy it, I always considered Pink’s a touristy cluster*** best avoided by locals. Who else but tourists would wait in a line that long for a meal that quite possible will send you straight to the toilet?

Truth be told, I have repeated this exact scenario on (drunken) occasion but Pink’s is never a destination visited on purpose. Call it accidental diarrhea.

Tonight would be different. It was my last week in LA. Finally making the move to the Big Apple after all these years. I wanted my very last blog to pay tribute to LA’s most famous food landmark.

Ok, here’s the thing. The hot dogs aren’t bad. Some of them are even good. Random celebrities like Martha Stewart and Rosie O’Donnell even have a bedazzled dog named after them, topped with various, only-sort-of-gross sounding ingredients.

Some of the hot dog specialties are kind of a joke, where the actual hot dog gets lost in the shuffle.

I ordered the Ozzy Spicy dog, which is covered in cheese sauce, guacamole, grilled onions and chopped tomatoes. Benign sounding enough but it came out looking like “after” not “before”, was the size of my big head and needed a knife and fork to eat.

If one orders a hot dog, one would assume one would want to taste the actual hot dog.

Which is why I never order a Chili Dog (or a chili anything) because the chili takes over.

Love can sometimes take over too, but it’s often less greasy.

Pink’s ghetto, pureed “chili” is no exception. I couldn’t fathom eating this glop on it’s own. It tastes like heirloom chili.

No, that sounds too fancy. How about Hand-Me-Down chili?

Chain letter chili that has been passed around for generations.

Antique chili, sitting in the pot since the 1920’s and the employees keep adding new chili to the mix. Vintage. But not in a good way.

What I do really enjoy about Pink’s is ordering a side of onion rings and a side of nacho cheese sauce in a sort of “Chips and Dip” scenario and going to town. Jalapenos are usually involved somehow. And unlike a threesome, no one is left out here.

We showed up on a Wednesday night, so the wait was only about 15 minutes. If you live in the area and are curious, don’t even bother coming to Pink’s on a weekend.

It’s too bad that you don’t care for hot dogs for breakfast, because that’s the ideal situation for the least amount of wait time.

My dining companions tonight were Thelma and Louise. Both having lived in LA over 25+ years and both never having eaten here. Did I mention they both live close enough to walk? I didn’t? Oh, because you don’t care where they live. You don’t know them. And if you do care, you’re an obsessive stalker.

Many Angelenos find themselves in a similar position, never having been here. And I’m not surprised.

Waiting an hour in a cramped line, surrounded by fanny packs in the blazing sun for a hot dog??

No thanks. I’d rather drink a lukewarm shellfish smoothie. Not even my own, but someone else’s leftover shellfish smoothie. Ok, I need a minute to recover from that.

Best leave Pink’s to the swarms of tourists who also think George Clooney and Julia Roberts are actually hanging out on Hollywood Boulevard. Taking selfies with fans next to their respective stars on the Walk of Fame.

If I were famous, I’d swing down to the Boulevard on occasion just to give the tourists a thrill. And unlike the aggressive Darth Vader or Captain Jack Sparrow who will sexually assault you if you don’t hand over $1 for that sneaky photo you just took, I wouldn’t charge you a dime.

Call it charity. Maybe I could write it off?

It’s been a swell ride eating LA with you, folks. Bun Boy has been my life and moniker for over 5 years. It’s given me a creative outlet and promoted my increasing waistline. I want to give a special thanks to Chesty Morgan, who was my dining companion during a majority of these meals. Chesty, I miss our 35 minute meals.

Another shout out to regular Bun Boy diners: Siegfried and Roy, Captain and Tennille, Sid and Nancy, Barnacle and Whale, and Bonnie and Clyde. And, of course, Thelma and Louise and Sonigram!

I’m not sure how I rank with other food bloggers (or just general fat asses) but I would say I pretty much ate the city of angels UP! With a healthy squirt of Sriracha sauce.

If you want to see what I’m up to in the Big Manzana, feel free to look me up on Instagram as @BunBoyEats or check out my NYC blog: www.bunboyeatsnyc.com which I should start updating more regularly in 2015.

HUGS AND SLOPPY (JOE) KISSES,

BUN BOY

PLEASE NOTE:

I will be keeping this website active indefinitely, as a restaurant reference guide, enjoy!

Wanting to continue to revisit old haunts before the move to NYC, I thought it necessary to pay tribute to one of my favorite old school Mexican restaurants in LA, El Compadre.

One of the best things about El Compadre (besides the flaming margaritas and the fact that it’s so dark inside you need your cell phone light to see the menu) is the fact it’s only blocks from my apartment. That’s always a bonus when you can stumble home after a good meal.

The food is traditional fare. Hot ass plate (which you still cannot resist touching) filled like a swimming pool with beans, rice and whatever your entrée is. Tacos, enchiladas, fajitas or burritos. Most likely.

Their Mole Enchiladas are really quite fantastic, they’re enormous, flavorful and the meat is high quality.

As for everything else….well, I didn’t try everything else. But I’m sure it’s great!

The Flaming Margaritas are also a must order. Don’t even bother coming here if you’re in a diet coke mood. They might not even let you in?

If you want kitchy, divey, old school Mexican restaurant décor, a stiff margarita that could also set your hair on fire (literally) and food that’s actualy really good, El Compadre is the place for you.

This place makes another LA favorite, El Coyote, seem like the worst place ever. Bad margaritas, even worse food. El Coyote wishes it could be El Compadre. El Coyote is like the dumpier, sluttier, jealous sister.

El Compadre has been my haunt for 14 years, I now pass it on to you.

7408 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 874-7924
elcompadrerestaurant.com

Musso and Frank’s is Hollywood’s oldest restaurant.

And I don’t think the menu has changed since they opened. In terms of nostalgia and decor, that’s a good thing.

In terms of the food, not so much.

The food here isn’t great, let’s be honest folks.

In fact, the Welsh Rarebit was one of the grossest dishes I’ve ever paid for. It tasted like rotten cheesey wine soup. Sour and awful. I made myself eat most of it cuz I’m a sadomasochistic cheapskate.

The fact that they offered stuffed celery on the menu amused me so much I had to order it. BLUE CHEESE ALERT! It’s an apocalypse of blue cheese, it’s way too intense to actually be consumed. They also used the palest innards of the celery bunch, not the nice, crisp green stalks. It reminded me of something my grandmother would have noshed on, during the War. When rations were tight. (Except for her blue cheese rations, she probably acquired some extra on the black market).

The Chicken Pot Pie, on the other hand (the daily special) was excellent. Purely by accident, I would assume.

The French Onion soup was also pretty good. It’s because of these two items (and the place is charming, that I was generous to give it two Buns).

The waiters are old as Methuselah (but nicer. I think Methuselah was a real b*tch) so the dining process may take a tad longer than average.

Come here for cocktails and the pot pie and call it a day. Let’s face it, if you’re coming here, you’re probably a tourist and more likely to drink during the afternoon anyhow. So, welcome to Hollywood, folks! This place is what it’s all about.

Musso and Frank’s IS Hollywood.

Pretty old, a little gross and a little dirty but a good time can still be found here. As long as you’re drinking.

6667 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 467-7788
mussoandfrank.com

Gjelina is most certainly in my top 10 LA restaurants. I’ve been here 3 times for crying out loud, and I just don’t do that.

If I’m sacrificing a new Bun Boy blog entry for a repeat restaurant visit, the place better be damn good.

And Gjelina, thankfully, is not just damn good, but effing good. Sorry mom, but harsh language was vital in making my important point.

I never branch out here, I don’t ever explore the menu. I always get a pizza. The pizzas are some of the best in LA.

Super thin, airy crust, a nice char on the outer edges. Excellent, tasty toppings. The kind of pizza you could demonically devour in minutes while feverishly slapping away anyone’s attempts at grabbing a slice. Gjelina’s pizza turns you into an starving animal, it’s a fact.

The last time I was here I also ordered two other necessary dishes that I ended up ordering again this time.

The Kale salad is simple and very tasty and sorta kinda makes up for the fact that you’re about to shove an entire pizza down your gross gullet.

However, you’re going to throw all that down the tubes when you finish your meal at Gjelina (I do have a few, tiny issues with the name) with the absolutely crucial Butterscotch Pot de crème.

It’s even better than Mozza’s Butterscotch Budino! Honest! (It’s slightly thicker, so takes longer to eat).

I firmly believe it’s my favorite dessert in LA. After careful consideration. Seriously, folks. Also, don’t forget to ask for the incredible olive table bread. It’s…well…incredible.

This Venice hotspot is still one of the busiest, trendiest restaurants in LA and please don’t be dissuaded when Gwyneth Paltrow say’s its one of her favs.

Just make sure you don’t show up without a reservation (annoying wait) and maybe even say you’re John or Jane Paltrow and see if that gets you a better table.

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 450-1429
gjelina.com