Dear So-Cal Valley Residents,
Do yourself a Flavor and resist going to the same 3 restaurants … Make an old habit a new one… Yelp and Gulp for palates sake! It’s damn near unfortunate to live in a city so widely diverse in global cuisine and not take full advantage of such opportunity. So, do yourself a NEW flavor, your senses will thank you. Here are some Taste Tested, Gina Approved Pockets of Yumminess In, Around, Near and not far from anywhere in the Valley:

“A great introduction to cultures is their cuisine. It not only reflects their evolution, but also their beliefs and traditions.”~ Vikas Khanna

Robina’s Indian Cuisine in Burbank: http://www.robinasindian.com/
Gotta Try: Vegetarian Dinner for 2 w/ eggplant & lentil dishes
(GREAT VALUE/ TASTES and WELCOMING OWNERS)

Oh and… their Samosas are scrumptious:


“Such plentiful and vast influences combine to create the complex taste of present-day Thai cooking—one of the fastest-growing and most popular of world cuisines today.” -Darlene Schmidt

Krua Thai :http://www.yelp.com/biz/krua-thai-restaurant-north-hollywood
Gotta Try: Kah Kai Soup, Papaya Salad, Thai Style Pad Thai, Vegetable Red Curry & fresh young coconut (SERIOUSLY THE BEST THAI IN TOWN!)

“Eating in Germany is easy, because there is basically only one kind of food, called the ‘wurst.’” -Dave Barry

LA’s Wurstkuche: http://www.wurstkuche.com/
Gotta Try: Apple Sage or Chipotle Vegetarian Sausage & fries w/ Sundried Tomato Aoli (GREAT SCENE AND UNIQUE FOOD)

Must Taste Beer: Spaten Optimator (HONESTLY, THIS BEER IS AWESOME)

“At its best, [Japanese cooking] is inextricably meshed with aesthetics, with religion, with tradition and history. It is evocative of seasonal changes, or of one’s childhood, or of a storm at sea …” -M.F.K. Fisher

Shojin Vegan Japanese: http://www.theshojin.com/
Gotta Try: Mushroom Miso Soup & Vegetarian Dragon Roll
(HIDDEN GEM—-BOTH FOOD AND AMBIANCE ARE EXQUISITE– )

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” – Federico Fellini

Artizan Pizza Kitchen: http://www.yelp.com/biz/artizan-pizza-kitchen-north-hollywood
Gotta Try: 4 Cheese Spinach Pizza (NOT YOUR “AUTHENTIC ITALIAN JOINT” BUT…A QUAINT LIL PIZZERIA w/ FRESH FOOD AND UNIQUE PIZZA OPTIONS)

Vitello’s Restaurant: http://www.vitellosrestaurant.com/
Gotta Try: Trofie alla Vegetarian Sausage
(SERIOUSLY, THIS VEG SAUSAGE (made w/ eggplant) IS INCREDIBLE)

“To me, the evolution of Mexican cuisine in and out of Mexico, and the natural process of blending cultures and ingredients and ideas, is indicative of a larger trend in the modern world—”

Salsa and Beer: http://www.yelp.com/biz/salsa-and-beer-north-hollywood
Gotta Try: Vegetarian Chimichanga or Avocado Tacos, Spicy Orange Salsa & Mango Margarita (WHO CAN PASS UP A SALSA BAR? OH AND…GREAT VALUE + GREAT QUALITY = YUMMINESS)

“Food is the most primitive form of comfort.” -Sheilah Graham

Big Dean’s Ocean Front Cafe: http://www.bigdeansoceanfrontcafe.com/
Gotta Try: Fringe platter, Side salad & Michelob Amberbock
(DEFINITELY NOT ON YOUR DIET BUT, A FUN VIBE BY THE BEACH)

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” ― Michael Pollan

Sun Cafe on Chauenga: http://www.suncafe.com/
Gotta Try: Sun Burger w/ Cashew Cheese & Avocado w/ Kale Salad
(SERVING FRESH AND BEAUTIFULLY MADE DELICIOUSNESS DAILY)

Follow your Heart to Canoga Park: http://followyourheart.com/
Gotta Try: Dairy Free Pecan French Toast
(FOOD MADE WITH LOVE THAT YOU CAN TASTE)

“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” ― Ernest Hemingway

LA’s Pour Haus Wine Bar : http://pourhauswinebar.com/
Gotta Try: LE POUR ‘SMORES and a Flight of Cabernet
(AFFORDABLE FOOD, FRIENDLY STAFF, BOARD GAMES, GOOD WINE, TRUFFLE POPCORN, GOOD VIBES– CAN’T BEAT IT)

“He was a wise man who invented beer.” -Plato
Brickyard Pub: http://www.brickyardnoho.com/index.html#&panel1-1
Gotta Try: Eel River Acai Berry (AWESOME BEER SELECTION W/ ARRAY OF FUN-NESS… DARTS, POOL, SHUFFLE BOARD)

“A bit of Europe in the Valley” Marie et Cie: http://marieetcie.com/
Gotta Try: Organic Hazelnut Coffee (COOLEST VIBE EVER— BRING A BOOK OR A FRIEND AND JUST BASK IN THE AROMA OF THIS GORGEOUS SHOP)

SIDENOTE: I LOVE FOOD– cooking it, sharing it, eating it and i love… loving it! I take my friends recommendations to heart– and this is why i decided to make this post. I love to find spots off the beaten path and so, when I am introduced to a new place… i feel compelled to share it with others. I also know how energizing it has been to try new places— we all gotta eat. But, that doesn’t mean we have to do it the same way, at the same place– all the time. So, spice it up! Your tummy will thank you 🙂 Happy Grubbing! “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ― Virginia Woolf

Oh and while I’m in the mood to plug… Off the topic of food…Treat your-self to a bare-naked day at Olympic Korean Spa http://olympicspala.com/Korean Spa :

$15 admission will grant you full access to the: Jacuzzi, Mug worm Tea soak, Sauna, Himalayan Salt Room, Oxygen Room and Clay Room—- Oh, and a full body scrub is likely to make you leave this place feeling like a relaxed new born baby 🙂 This has become a weekly ritual for me and has become part of my “staying sane” routine— I recommend it as a mind-clearing, heart centering release— seriously, you deserve it—-GO!