In the Alibi Room

We parked on a side street and walked into the guard protected Alibi Room. With IDs in hand, we strolled right in. It was 8pm and the few tables at this lounge were already occupied. After a few moments had passed, some seats at the bar opened up and we were on them like peanut butter is to jelly in a PB&J.

MS ordered a scotch on the rocks and I had a lychee cooler - ketel one vodka with lychee puree and soda water on the rocks. He just turned 31 and started drinking more grown up drinks.

We then ordered the food - the reason why we chose the Alibi Room for the birthday celebrations.

Now, I'm pretty sure that almost everyone in LA has heard of, tried, and already waited in line for one of the most talked about kogi korean bbq tacos.

But we're late bloomers, and didn't try them until that night.



They came out (along with the kogi sliders which were wolfed down before I could take a photo), and we were excited to try this fascinating fusion of foods.

The tacos were good and tasty, according to MS, but they were no West LA $1.25 el pastor and lengua tacos from the trucks down the street.

I enjoyed the spicy, full of vinegar, sweet tacos. My favorites were the short rib and bbq chicken. Now if only I could get it on top of some kimchi fried rice, I'd be in heaven.

The Alibi room was definitely worth trying out and we'll go back for more with friends.

Was it worth the hype?

Sure, I guess. But if we had to wait for the 30+ minutes to an hour that has been recorded at the Kogi trucks, I'd bypass the line and head straight to the next taco truck down the street.

Here are Dylan and Jeni's taco tour posts with owner/chef, Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ:
http://eatdrinknbmerry.blogspot.com/2009/03/taco-tour-with-roy-choi-of-kogi-bbq.html
http://oishiieats.blogspot.com/2009/03/appreciating-taco-warriors-with-kogi.html

Alibi Room
street: 12236 Washington Blvd | Culver City, CA | 90066
m-sat 6p-midnight
web: http://kogibbq.com

Sunday Supper at Dominick's, West Hollywood

Photo taken from Dominick's website.

It's easy to do the same things and go to the same places, especially when it comes to eating out. There's something comforting about the rotation of restaurants on our eat list. We always order the same thing and know exactly what we're going to get.

But every once in a while, it's exciting to shake things up with the usual suspects and try something new.

Since moving to West LA, we usually stay on the west side of the 405 and it always seems like an adventure when we head east. So a few Sundays ago, we were in for a great three-course meal and a bottle of wine for $20/person when MS surprised me with Sunday Supper at Dominick's in West Hollywood.

With a reservation for two, we had a table out back in their patio area where most 20 to 40 somethings sat. Most regulars (like the photo from their website above) sat inside in the dimly lit restaurant.

Fresh Fennel Citrus Salad

Homemade Pasta with Mushrooms in Cream Sauce

Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla Bean Gelato

The atmosphere was casual yet sophisticated, very LA. The servers were beautiful, as were the people, and there was lively chatter all around us. The food was simple, delicious and so reasonably priced for a nice dinner out. We had such a great time that I'm sure we'll be back for another Sunday Supper this summer.

For this upcoming weekend's menu, they have another great line up:

Sunday Supper for $15/person
Heirloom Tomato Brushetta
Tortiglioni with Sausage and Peppers
Vanilla Bean Rice Balls

$10 Bottles of Red or White

Dominick's Restaurant
street: 8715 Beverly Blvd | West Hollywood, CA 90048
tel: 1.310.652.2335
url: www.dominicksrestaurant.com