Last year I was finishing another great meal at Daikokuya, one of my favorite ramen joints in Little Tokyo, when I looked up to see a bright red “C” hanging in the front window.

Gulp.

Now I am no ratings snob. I’ve eaten at roadside shacks in rural Thailand. I’ve consumed sausage from a vending machine in Sweden, and I’ve knowingly dined at plenty of “B” establishments before. However, a “C” rated restaurant in Los Angeles? Never.

As soon as I got home that night I went straight to the Google. That’s where I found something that would continue to haunt me for the next few months: A database of Los Angeles County restaurant ratings, including the reasons for each score.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has a simple web site, lapublichealth.org/rating/, which allows you to search by restaurant or facility name, or you can search all of the restaurants in any given area.

“Information is power!” I thought. Feeling smug and empowered.

Once I found the database, I compulsively searched all of the restaurants that I dine at regularly. When that failed to reveal anything horrifying enough, I searched more. All of the restaurants in my zip code. All of the restaurants in the city. Scanning scores, looking for “C” ratings or below, obsessed with knowing why. Even when I found what I was looking for, I kept searching for more. I finally reached maximum overload when I Read the rest of this entry →

When economic times are tough, dining out is one of the first “luxuries” a lot of people cut out. Back in September, the L.A. Times reported on the sudden hit local major chains were taking. More expensive specialty establishments in Los Angeles and across the country are suffering as well.  It seems in bleak financial times, fast food joints are the only ones experiencing an increase in business.

Even though I’ve been trying to eat in more, I’m really not one for cooking and do go out or get take out several times a week. I was picking up a pizza the other night and noticed what seems to be a growing trend among restaurants in Toluca Lake, and possibly L.A. in general.

Robano’s, at 10057 Riverside Drive, is offering discounts on all food and yes, even alcohol every day of the week. Mo’s, at 4301 Riverside Drive, has special prices for certain menu items on Mondays after 5pm. This is great news to me and others who aren’t too interested in staying in every night and preparing meals. Hopefully we’ll see more of this around Los Angeles, which might also help the restaurants stay afloat.