91.1 F
San Fernando
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Although Tucked Away, These Businesses Boom

The Business Journal’s report on the Best of the Valley reveals all, from the little-known eateries to the long-secret spots to lift a glass or dance the night away, along with a helping of the places locals have favored for years. There were few posers in our reader’s poll our survey respondents weren’t ashamed to share their penchant for fast food, convenience and simple pleasures. They showed no favoritism for expensive menus or famous names. A few even admitted they didn’t get out that much. Those who do were just as likely to soak up the atmosphere at the Valley’s trendy in-spots as they were to seek out casual jazz bars without any attitude. Interestingly, many of the spots named have been around for years, reflecting how the Valley’s hospitality industry has tapped into the character and preferences of residents. BEST BARS Oil Can Harry’s 11502 Ventura Blvd. Studio City (818) 760-9749 Whatever your preference, country, 80s or disco, you’ll be able to dance to it at Oil Can Harry’s. And if the only line you know is online, grab yourself a free country and western dance lesson, offered several nights a week. This gay and lesbian bar gets four-and-a half stars in AOL’s Cityguide, from gay and straight folks alike, who say the bar’s easy-going atmosphere makes it a favorite and our readers agreed. Firefly Restaurant and Lounge 11720 Ventura Blvd. Studio City 762-1833 Who’da thought that a hip night spot would make it in the San Fernando Valley? Since opening less than five years ago, Firefly Restaurant and Lounge, is drawing lines on weekends, despite its sort-of-hidden location and its red velvet rope entryway. A meeting spot for singles, the lounge also draws its share of celebrities. The most frequently cited bar among Business Journal readers, Firefly also attracts a dinner crowd. But as a review recently posted on Citysearch puts it, “The food is good, but often secondary to the scene.” Woodland Hills Wine Co. 22622 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills (818) 222-1111 Woodland Hills Wine Co. is a fully stocked wine store with all the trappings, and a little more. The shop also boasts a wine bar offering selections by the glass or by the flight on Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Husband and wife team Carol and Paul Smith first opened the store 27 years ago in Northridge. Woodland Hills Wine Co. moved to its current location seven years ago and added its wine bar at that time. Each wine tasting event, which pulls in anywhere from 35 to 50 customers, offers four different flights and they change each week. P6 Restaurant & Lounge 2809 Agoura Road Westlake Village (805) 778-0123 An impressive wine list and a spacious lounge area with banquettes make P6 a favorite meeting place in Conejo Valley. Losangeles.com notes that it is “one of the highest volume establishments between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.” The Fox and Hound 11100 Ventura Blvd. Studio City (818) 763-7976 Not to be mistaken for the hundreds of pubs by the same name throughout the U.K., The Fox and Hound may be about as close as patrons will get to a British tavern on the West Coast, its fans say. Modeled after its village tavern counterparts across the pond, The Fox and Hound strives to provide not just a stool to whet the whistle, but a meeting place for friends and neighbors. Opened in 1997, the pub also serves meals and offers music several nights a week. MOZ Buddha Bar 686 Lindero Canyon at Kanan Oak Park (818) 735-0091 Agoura Hills’ answer to Firefly (without the attitude) in Studio City, MOZ Buddha Bar has earned its reputation with its elegant furnishings and ample space for relaxing. There are three areas for sipping cocktails: a standup bar, a casual lounge and an outdoor bar. The place gets its name from its owner, Moez Megji, who is also the chef and the Buddha that greets visitors as they enter. Megji, also the owner of Fins in Westlake Village and Calabasas, has also drawn rave reviews for his food. “There is nothing like MOZ in menu or room design between downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean ,” wrote the reviewer in frankaboutfood.com. The Blue Room 916 S. San Fernando Road Burbank (323) 849-2779 If Ferdy’s Bar looked familiar in the 2000 film Memento, it’s because the scene was filmed at The Blue Room. The bar has served as the backdrop for a number of movies, including Heat, but its reputation was made long before The Blue Room landed on the silver screen. “Small and swank, The Blue Room is a true gem,” said a Citysearch review, and Business Journal readers agreed. The bar is a hangout for local studio execs, but it also attracts a neighborhood crowd for its inexpensive drinks and casual atmosphere. Mexicali Cocina Cantina 12161 Ventura Blvd. Studio City (818) 985-1744 Crowded and noisy, the Mexicali has become a favorite hangout in Studio City for its food, and its margatini’s, a half margarita-half martini concoction made in a shaker and poured into a martini glass. Clear 11916 Ventura Blvd. Studio City (818) 980-4811 One reader called Clear the closest thing to a Hollywood club in the San Fernando Valley. And with its velvet rope entryway, Clear is indeed an unlikely Valley spot. Clear, which does not serve dinner, is one of the few spots in the Valley that stays open late enough for a genuine night cap. Most nights the cocktail lounge does not even open until about 8 p.m. But Valley sophisticates are also drawn to Clear for its minimalist style the bar gets its name from its Plexiglas and white vinyl d & #233;cor. Opened in 2002, Clear is the brainchild of a former fashion photographer who had no experience in the hospitality industry. That clearly hasn’t been an impediment. Aura Nightclub 12215 Ventura Blvd. Ste. 209 Studio City (818) 487-1488 How cool can a club that sits on the top level of a strip mall be? Aura’s unlikely location has not stopped it from quickly acquiring a rep as the place to be seen in the Valley. The club, with a lounge, dance floor, restaurant and live music stage, all done up in deep red, attracts a mix of singles on the prowl and chic others who appreciate a place to drink and dance without going over the hill. There is a happy hour Tuesdays through Fridays featuring half price drinks and appetizers and famous faces have been known to drop in. Saddle Ranch Chop House Universal CityWalk 100 Universal Studios Blvd. Universal City (818) 760-9680 You may know the original on Sunset, but this Saddle Ranch Chop House is that venue on steroids. Three times larger than its sister, the CityWalk location boasts not one, but three mechanical bulls, three bars and about 120 monitors and big screens flickering with sports events from around the globe. BEST KEPT SECRETS Joe Peeps New York Style Pizza 12460 Magnolia Blvd. Valley Village (818) 506-4133 If you call a pizza a pie, as authentic New Yorkers do, then Joe Peeps is for you. The Blue Collar Pizza comes as close as any you’ll find in L.A. to the original served up in New York. But for non-traditionalists Joe Peeps also offers a 5,969-calorie pizza, a gooey version with a thicker crust. There’s little ceremony about the place, a hole in the wall with a few hardly used tables. Joe Peeps’ “Unfancy Menu” proclaims “We deliver anywhere except Iraq,” which it will although the charges can add up, and most folks take their pizza to go. Graffiti as old as the restaurant (the original owner, who has long since gone, opened Joe Peeps more than 20 years ago) covers the walls. But its fans have learned to see through the ambiance, or lack of it, and call it the best pizza anywhere. Wat Thai Buddhist Temple 8225 Coldwater Canyon Ave. North Hollywood (818) 780-4200 The largest Thai Theravada Buddhist Temple in the U.S., the courtyard of the Wat Thai Temple hosts a gaggle of mom-and-pop food vendors on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The food is cheap, authentic and really good, Business Journal readers report, and there’s often an adventure to be had, as during Songkran Festival, which took place earlier this month, when it is the tradition of the monks to splash everyone they see with water. Even without a formal celebration, the temple is a goldmine for people watching. A gathering spot for the Thai community, visitors are likely to happen upon families dining under the trees or monks out for a stroll who will gladly answer questions about the temple or their beliefs. Charlie O’s Bar and Grill 1325 Victory Boulevard Van Nuys (818) 989-3110 www.charlieos.com You’d hardly mistake Victory for Sunset Boulevard, yet readers say Charlie O’s is the kind of jazz club you’re more likely to find on L.A.’s most famous music strip. A hamburger and chili joint for most of its 18 years in business, Charlie O’s five years ago got its liquor license, giving the restaurant the financial green light to upgrade and to add music. “I’ve always wanted to be a jazz club but the beer and wine license wouldn’t support it,” said Charlie Ottaviano, the supper club’s owner. “The liquor license still doesn’t fully support it, but it’s a little better.” Today Charlie O’s serves up steaks and chops along with live jazz featuring some of the best studio musicians around (there’s Ron Anthony who played guitar with Sinatra and John Heard who has played base for Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie) along with a few that are names in their own right. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and the jazz, which changes nightly, plays seven nights a week. So what about this Van Nuys locale? “It’s weird, but I was already here,” said Ottaviano, “and the acoustics in the room are excellent.” The Horseless Carriage 15505 Roscoe Blvd. North Hills (818) 892-3707 The Valley’s most famous car dealer has a restaurant that has arguably gained as much notoriety to locals. Galpin Ford opened The Horseless Carriage so that car buyers who need to chew over a deal needn’t go far, but the restaurant has since gained a local following among neighboring business folks and residents for its food and prices. Geovanni Euceda, formerly chef at the Beverly Hills Hotel, cooks up something for every taste seven days a week. The menu ranges from omelettes and pancakes served all day to prime rib, at $17.95 and broiled lobster tail, priced at $34.25. The restaurant also provides a kid’s menu. Stoney Point Park Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Chatsworth Street and 118 Freeway Chatsworth (818) 756-8060 A natural rock outcropping is the centerpiece of this 76-acre playground with bridle paths, caves, hiking trails and rock-climbing. Though it’s on the bouldering and rock-climbing radar screens of serious extreme athletes, the park also offers great picnicking for the more sedentary. Saddle Peak Lodge 419 Cold Canyon Road Calabasas (818) 222-3888 Though Saddle Peak Lodge is not much of a secret to those who know it and there are more than a few Valley-ites among them its location, tucked away in the hills of Calabasas and its air of privacy make this restaurant a hidden gem. Long known for its somewhat exotic game fare (think roasted elk or venison), the restaurant’s menu also features steaks , salmon and pasta. Canyon Theatre Guild 24242 San Fernando Road Old Town Newhall www.canyontheatre.org (661) 799-2700 Canyon Theatre Guild attracts about 23,000 visitors to its nine productions each season. The theater sticks mostly to the classics Guys and Dolls and Much Ado About Nothing recently closed and Brighton Beach Memoirs is on tap later in the year. Tickets range from about $9 to $16 and there are discounts for groups and others. BEST PLACES FOR MUSIC LISTENING Cozy’s 14058 Ventura Boulevard Sherman Oaks (818) 986-6000 Delta blues, urban blues, rock and blues, Cozy’s features blues six nights a week. Open since 1996, Cozy’s Sherman Oaks location does not look like much from the outside, but inside patrons find a broad menu, well-stocked bar, pool tables, even a lounge area, along with a live performance stage and, every once in a while, a celebrity sighting. The Baked Potato 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. Studio City (818) 980-1615 The jazz ranges from Latin to traditional and the potatoes at this long popular spot are equally eclectic. The club has a no-frills atmosphere, which is fine by the jazz aficionados who frequent it. “This is a musicians and music lover’s club, so if you’re not into the tunes, don’t bother,” reads a review in All About Jazz. Spazio 14755 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks (818) 728-8400 Spazio’s unlikely location, above a furniture store overlooking SavOn in the neighboring strip mall on Ventura Boulevard, apparently has not deterred patrons, and the supper club that features jazz seven nights a week and on Sundays with brunch, has developed a loyal following since it opened several years ago. Live performances range from Latin jazz to guitar soloists and other international sounds. The menu is French-Italian. Concerts in the Park Warner Center Park 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Woodland Hills (818) 704-1358 More than a few Business Journal readers report they like to pull up a blanket or lawn chair each summer for the free concerts put on by the Valley Cultural Center. The concerts, a Valley institution for more than three decades, run from June through August, and the performers range from 50s rockers to classical, jazz and Dixieland bands. Some of the performers on tap for this year include Gin Blossoms, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Young Dubliners. The Back Room at Henri’s 21601 Sherman Way Canoga Park (818) 348-5582 Sure, it’s a coffee shop, but you never know what you might find in the back room of Henri’s. Performers from saxophonist Pete Christlieb, who for years was part of The Tonight Show band, guitarist John Pisano, who played with the Chico Hamilton Band and for years with Peggy Lee, and the John Hammond Trio have all played there. BEST PLACES TO DINE Alessio Ristorante & Bar 6428 Platt Ave. West Hills (818) 710-0270 Readers give the quaint Italian restaurant high marks for good food, good service and good prices. The West Hills location is the independent operator’s first, but there are also branches now in Northridge and Westlake Village. Salt Creek Grille 24415 Town Center Drive #115 Valencia (661) 222-9999 It would be hard to find a Santa Clarita resident who doesn’t sing the praises of Salt Creek Grille. Co-founders Pete Truxaw and Tim McCune have won accolades from their patrons as well as the industry for their classic American fare served in an elegantly appointed Frank Lloyd Wright-style setting. Spark Woodfire Grill 11801 Ventura Blvd. Studio City (818) 623-8883 Voted one of the best neighborhood restaurants by Bon Appetit magazine, Spark is a casual bistro with an extensive wine cellar. As its name suggests, the restaurant specializes in woodfire grilling and roasting. Las Fuentes 18415 Vanowen Reseda (818) 708-3344 Most readers don’t seem to mind that the restaurant is totally no frills. The good, cheap food and generous portions at Las Fuentes seemed to make up for what it lacks in d & #233;cor. Perhaps not coincidentally, the newest restaurant opened by the owners of Las Fuentes, Sol y Luna, won a few votes too. Tuscany Il Ristorante 968 S. Westlake Blvd. #4 Westlake Village (805) 495-2768 Don’t let its shopping center location fool you, Tuscany Il Ristorante is pricey. But there are plenty who say the food is worth the freight. Tuscany also gets a corporate executive crowd from around the area. Ruth’s Chris Steak House Westfield Shoppingtown Promenade 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Ste. 1360 Woodland Hills You can find a Ruth’s Chris location in just about every city in the country, but that’s probably because these steak houses are so popular. The Woodland Hills location, the only one in Los Angeles, opened about three years ago, and if readers’ responses are any indication, it wasn’t soon enough. Pinot Bistro 12969 Ventura Blvd. Studio City (818) 990-0500 Perhaps the only celebrity chef restaurant in the Valley, Pinot Bistro gets a crowd on just about every night of the week. The tiled floors and dark wood bar and paneling make the restaurant among the most elegant in the Valley with food to match. Brandywine 22757 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills (818) 225-9114 Intimate is an understatement at this tiny, elegant Woodland Hills restaurant where the Continental menu runs to foie gras and sweetbreads.

Featured Articles

Related Articles