Mel Elias' Picks for dineLA's Restaurant Week
As CEO and president of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, Mel Elias has helped lead the company’s dynamic growth over the last 14 years from 60 to over 850 stores worldwide. Mel gives us his top picks for dineLA’s Restaurant Week.
The food at Ammo is exceptional. It is my go-to dinner spot for an elegant yet simple evening of cozy ambience and a meal that always surprises me. The location is a bit random, which I like because it's kept the restaurant from becoming overcrowded and “sceney”.
BLD is a great place for a casual weekend, breakfast, lunch or dinner meeting. The menu has a great variety of simple but delicious meat, fish and vegetarian options which any business associate I've taken there has enjoyed. They also have a great wine and beer list.
Best burger in LA! Comme Ca is just down the road from my house. so I treat myself more often than I care to admit to their hamburger. They're always packed, so unless I plan in advance, I end up taking it to go.
Papilles
When I first went to Papilles I was sure I had the wrong address, but then I discovered that tucked away in the corner of a mini-mall under the 101 Freeway is a real gem. The chef uses local ingredients to create dishes that are real works of art and taste even better than they look. The menu is fixed and changes everyday, so check online to see the selection of the evening as well as the paired wine to go along with it.
Petrossian Restaurant & Boutique
Petrossian is high on my list of things I crave. When I'm in the mood for a light meal I go to Petrossian for their vodka cream egg with caviar, and a beautiful plate of exquisite smoked salmon with crème fraîche and triangle toasts.
The Restaurant at Mr. C
I'm here at least once a week. The service, food, drink, everything are the best in Los Angeles. I try to schedule as many lunch meetings as possible here because the food is just to die for, plus it's very close to my office. The homemade pasta with veal ragu is a must try.