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Labor Day weekend restaurant choices

Crystal Johnson's photo
LA Comfort & Soul Food Restaurant Examiner
 
 
Kitchen 24 in Hollywood
 
 
What to do with a three day weekend is the question on many a person’s mind this weekend. Well, let’s take a walk down memory lane of comfort food reviews to figure where to go and why?
 
So You’ve Got Tourists Visiting Town This Weekend: Kitchen 24 and Citizen Smith are hot choices to visit in Hollywood the restaurants neighbor each other but the styles are completely different. Kitchen 24 maybe the trendiest café you ever go to.  It is open all night thus the 24 in the 24 in the name. There is a DJ’s booth where the occasion celebrity DJ may be behind the wheels of steel. And oh yeah, the food is pretty good diner food. It did not blow me away but it is more of a see and be seen place. As for Citizen Smith read the review at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-9408-LA-Comfort--Soul-Food-Restaurant-Examiner~y2009m5d4-A-Bit-of-Comfort-in-Hollywood-at-Citizen-Smith-by-Crystal-A-Johnson
 
 
In search of Great Outdoor Eating areas: Canyon Bistro, 94th Aerosquandron, and take your pick of several restaurants at the Harbor Village, the Channel Island is Ventura.  From Mexican to Cajun to an array of seafood joints line the pier of the marina. Canyon Bistro is down the street from the Wil Geer Theatricum Botanicum where great plays can be watched at the outdoor theatre. The grounds at the theatre are great for a picnic. Take a leisurely drive up the hill 8 miles from Ventura Blvd and on Topanga Canyon Blvd.  The Canyon Bistro has jazz outdoors on Sundays along with a Sunday Brunch.  If you are not ready for take off this weekend you can at least watch the planes land while dining outside at the 94th Aero squadron by the Van Nuys Airport. There are large windows where can watch the planes and a great outdoor eating area with fire pits and ponds.
 
Reviews:
 
 
 
Want to have the Margaritaville Experience: There is nothing like going a Mexican Restaurant for a Margarita on a hot summer's day and if you are the extremely indulgent, for dessert the  spot ups the anty by having creamy flan. Oh the calories, but this is the holiday. Live a little.  Run it off next week.
 
Tequila’s (located in Van Nuys and Burbank) has an outdoor seating area. Van Nuys snobs, you will forget that you are in Van Nuys while dining in doors or outdoors.  I eat a lot of flan thanks to my one of constant dining partners by the last name of Cortez having appetite for the comfort dessert. Tequila’s gets my vote for best flan. They also have delicious Sangria.  Read review: http://www.examiner.com/x-9408-LA-Comfort--Soul-Food-Restaurant-Examiner~y2009m6d28-Tequilas-Restaurant-There-are-More-Reasons-to-Visit-than-Tequila
 
 
El Torito Grill is a popular franchise.  The Sherman Oaks location at the Galleria has a wonderful outdoor eating area and plenty of ambiance. It's not your grandma's El Torito.
 
Don Cuco has several locations. The newest Burbank location has indoor and outdoor seating but don’t imagine sipping anything with alcohol outside. Drinks with alcohol must be consumed inside. Read review: http://www.examiner.com/x-9408-LA-Comfort--Soul-Food-Restaurant-Examiner~y2009m8d13-One-More-Reason-to-Love-Don-Cucos-Mexican-Restaurants
 
 
Getting Out of LA for the Weekend: Check out the East Coast Pit Stops series of reviews which covers restaurants in Virginia and Maryland.
 
 
 
http://www.examiner.com/x-9408-LA-Comfort--Soul-Food-Restaurant-Examiner~y2009m7d28-East-Coast-PItstops-Seeking-ComfortFood-in-Baltimore-Part-II
 


 


 
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, LA Comfort & Soul Food Restaurant Examiner

Entertainment journalist Crystal Johnson's passion for Southern and comfort cooking has landed her interviews with Chef Jeff Henderson, Aaron McCargo and Pat and Gina Neely. The NY native with Southern roots is an LA transplant. Contact her: multiculturalcookingnet@gmail.com

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