If you haven’t been to A.O.C., the wine bar and restaurant off of 3^rd Street in Mid-City West, then consider this another spot to add to your to-do list.

Angeleno Magazine named A.O.C. one of their “Ten for All Time” places for true foodies to dine, and the Los Angeles Times Magazine called it “the star” to look out for. Perhaps that’s a result of the management, which consists of the team behind Lucques, owners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne. They successfully created a menu and ambiance meant for sharing, as well as admiring.

Once inside you’ll find two dining rooms, two bars with seating, and a rooftop patio; all with subdued modern touches like cream lighting, sleek cobalt leather booths, and crisp white tabletops. There’s a simplistic elegance from designer Barbara Barry that also lends to the convivial atmosphere, and it’s not unusual to see tables passing carafes or glasses of wine back and forth.

The menu further lends to this communal environment, offering smaller Mediterranean dishes (like the clams with sherry and garlic toast) perfect for sampling. While the plates may be shared, you’ll have a hard time choosing with their extensive menu- arranged by Cheese, Charcuterie, Salads, Meat, Fish, and from the Woodburning Oven. Their impressive cheese selection includes blu di bufala from Italy and garrotxa goat cheese from Spain, which can easily be paired with one of the 50 available wines, served by the glass or carafe. Other must-haves include the mouth-watering squash blossoms stuffed with salami and provolone and the seabass, finished off with a potato-tomato gratin and tapenade.  Their list of desserts makes it near impossible to choose, but the butterscotch pot de crème with salted cashew cookies is the perfect dish to share with friends.

A.O.C. (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) – (323) 653-6359 – 8022 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles

New York’s West Village cupcake craze ringleader, Magnolia Bakery, has finally opened it’s doors on the corner of 3rd and Orlando! Enter a gleaming dessert bakeshop heaven: with splashes of classic mint green everywhere, black-and-white checkered floors, shiny pendant lamps, and huge windows swathed in that LA light, this place does sweets right!

The baking area is viewable, where bakers create and frost the divine cupcakes  in more than a dozen flavors including Devil’s Food, Vanilla, S’mores, Caramel, Sno Cap, Pumpkin, Banana, and Red Velvet. The menu also features icebox pies, layer cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, puddings, and brownies, bars and squares. No need to worry about parking or that long line – curbside pick-up is available for customers on the go.  Get your hands on some sugary delisciousness today!

8389 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 951-0636, http://www.magnoliabakery.com

Usually, when people boast about a restaurant having “the best food” and the “most glamorous” clientele, they are flat out lying. However, in the case of Asia de Cuba they happen to be correct. This Asian-Cuban fusion restaurant is an L.A. classic and the very embodiment of the California lifestyle: stunning views, celebrity regulars, mouth-watering food, sleek sophistication, and fun.

Located inside the Mondrian Hotel, Asia de Cuba offers an indoor-outdoor dining experience featuring white-on-white interiors designed by Philippe Starck. Find yourself on the whimsical outdoor patio, and expect dramatic views of the city below. Trees in enormous terra cotta pots present plenty of shade and the clusters of tiny votive candles will keep you warmly lit. Luckily, the clean design outside follows suit inside. There you’ll find comfy white leather seating and floor to ceiling windows with views of the twinkling city. The expansive tables and atmosphere make this restaurant perfect for groups, and is an ideal spot before a big night out.

But the best part of Asia de Cuba has to be the menu. Which offers a “Dinner Sharing” set of choices and a $67 Tasting menu, alongside their regular offerings. To start, try the Crab Croquettas (flavored with mango), and follow it up with one of their mouth-watering entrees, like the Lobster Pad Thai or the Miso Cured Alaskan Butterfish. Once you run out of food, fuel up with some inspired cocktails, such as their Lemongrass Lychee Margarita or the Kamikazberry (made with raspberry vodka, orange liqueur, and lime- yum!). But if you’re in the mood, definitely sample from their extensive sake collection- if the food isn’t enough then this alone will keep you coming back.

Asia de Cuba, at the Mondrian Hotel, 8440 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90069 - (323) 650-8999

There’s nothing that LA eatery Cube doesn’t offer. Seriously. It’s a restaurant, artisan cheese bar, gourmet market, and a pasta factory. Think about it: a factory that makes pasta. There is so much eye candy that once you walk in you’ll wonder why you bothered going to any old dull cafe.

Because a place where you can buy lobster mushrooms, puzzone di moena cheese from Trentino, salty pastured-pork fennel sausages from the Bay Area’s Fatted Calf, a tin of imported elder flowers, and Italian black truffle sauce, is a place you’ll want to just keep exploring. Located off of La Brea, seating at the wooden tables and outdoor patio can be as much of a challenge as the parking situation, but trust us when we say there’s nothing quite like it.

At Cube, traditional Italian cooking mixes with touches of California in all of their inspired offerings. A menu is posted each Thursday for their restaurant side, and reads more like food porn than anything else. That’s partly because the ingredients are all-organic and come from local farmers, which translates into a fresh taste that’s hard to beat (for lunch think inventive sandwiches, pizzas, and salads, while dinner can range from a Truffle Burger to Spaghetti Carbonara).

There’s a $15 corkage fee (wine is a must if you plan to visit the Cheese Bar).  It’s a great way to start the evening, and never fails to impress with their selection of 85 different gourmet options from around the globe that change seasonally. And if you really want the full treatment, reserve their 12-seat private dining room where a six-course tasting menu is $60 per person.

615 N. La Brea Ave. (Melrose Ave). (323) 939-1148

A new addition to the lovely city of Hollywood is a true charmer: Vintage Enoteca, which opened on June 1st by former east coasters Danielle Francois and Jennifer Moore.

This quaint and unpretentious wine bar, serves up small Italian inspired plates in a minimalist atmosphere.  Black and white photos, distressed metal tables, and hanging Edison bulbs add to the chic vibe that provides a nice subtle contrast to the comfort food that covers their menu.

With New World and Old World wines, the Enoteca’s selections have all been carefully chosen by New York Sommelier Sarah Sutel, and include such far ranging wines from Australia, to Spain, and to more local Californian grown wines. Sip a delicious glass of Spanish Rosé, nosh on creamy burrata Caprese, and you will find yourself sold on summer in this new neighborhood gem.

Vintage Enoteca, 7554 West Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90046 – OPEN : 8am to Midnight Every Day

First & Hope is the kind of ultra swank hotspot that’s begging you to come and play on a night out. A glitzy “supper club” where the hostess wears a pearl colored gown, live jazz filters through the joint, and a purplish flush from the chrome and LED lights illuminates the tables. This new downtown restaurant, across from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, couples flashy ambiance with proto-Southern tavern food, and it’s working.

Inside you’ll find an L-shaped dining room filled with stylish booths and banquettes, large chandeliers, and a well dressed staff. The fully stocked bar is complemented by pearlescent walls and a curved ceiling. And to add to the glam, Mad Men assistant costume designer, Allison Leach, created the hostess gowns along with the shorter versions worn by the waitresses.

On the edible side, menu offerings are nothing short of tantalizing. Cocktails like the “Blackberry Cobbler” and “Champagne Julep” were crafted by Aidan Demarest, former director of spirits at the Edison. And the Southern comfort food comes straight from Memphis native Shelley Cooper, who was primarily stationed in the South until now. Items like the “BBQ Fried Oysters” and the “Crabmeat Justine Pot Pie,” are easy to share. While the creative entrees, like “Nenaw’s Picnic Basket” which comes with deep-fried buttermilk hen, potato salad and collard greens, and the “Moonshine Meatloaf” will leave you all but torn on what to order.

The only downside is the location, which is a bit tough to find, as it happens to be in a strip mall underneath a towering residential complex. However, it’s an impressive spot and even has a club in the back, called Fedora, where you can sit in on live jazz to round out your posh evening.

710 West 1st Street – Los Angeles, CA 90012-2442 – (213) 617-8555

Foodies eagerly anticipated the opening of Red O, a restaurant featuring Mexican cuisine and a menu crafted by none other than famed Chicago chef and TV personality, Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill, Topolobampo).

Although not an owner, this is Bayless’ first venture outside the Chicago area, where he created the menu, designed the kitchen, and trained the staff. Luckily there’s an all-star team running the day-to-day operations. Executive Chef Michael Brown (of Patina Group and Wolfgang Puck Catering), will be the man behind the kitchen, while Jorge Pultera, (late of such celeb-hotspots as Koi and The Ivy), will serve as vice-president of operations.

Once inside you’ll take notice of the dramatic décor (by Dodd Mitchell Design and G+ Gulla Jonsdottir Design), which features an open dining courtyard with two 14-foot chandeliers hand-made by Mexican artisans. Travel through a glass tunnel into the Tequila Lounge, where you can sprawl by a 25-foot-long fireplace and a pool of floating candles while sampling premium tequilas. Other inspired accents include a fire-spewing birdbath, leather swing seating, and garage doors with bronze-tinted glass.

When you’re done ogling the surroundings, a vast menu with a mix of traditional Mexican fare and Cal-Mex dishes is ready for the tasting. With entrees like the Shredded Creekstone Beef Short Rib Sopes (think tender beef, cheese, and roasted tomato-chili dressing), and the Pollo en Mole Poblano (chicken topped with homemade mole poblano and black beans), choosing what to try may be tricky. And even though you’ll likely be stuffed, it’s hard to imagine you’d pass up desserts like the Creamy Goat Cheese Cheesecake and the Golden and Crispy Empenadas… Are you drooling yet?

Los Angeles is never short of Mexican eateries, but with a menu this inventive and furnishings that will make you want to linger, Red O is a standout.

8155 Melrose Ave. (just west of Crescent Heights Boulevard), Los Angeles. Phone: 323-655-5009.

The group that brought you h. wood and the tea room is at it again. And this time they’ve revitalized former Hollywood restaurant and nightspot, Las Palmas. With a soft opening on Cinco de Mayo, Las Palmas had its official opening last night.

The transformation brings with it a whole slew of exciting renovations. One of the more unique feature is a mouthwatering outdoor taco stand at the entrance. This will not only greet guests but also serve up hot tacos and a la carte Mexican food until 3 a.m. (Now we know where to head after hours!). While inside you can expect to find vibrant Spanish tiles accenting the dark woods, and brass details contrasting with the richer metal features. The menu will consist of traditional Mexican fare, and the spot itself promises to showcase eclectic DJ’s catering to the exclusive h. wood clientele (Lindsay Lohan was recently spotted here with a new bodyguard).

If you’re looking for a spicy spot, this is our new favorite dig.

Nothing quite signals the start of summer in LA like heading to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for a picnic dinner and a movie. The screening calendar is out, and the cemetery is kicking things off this Saturday, May 15^th with the Wizard of Oz.

Going through mid-September and happening most Saturday or Sunday nights, the screenings have been known to sell out to crowds numbering the thousands. And it’s not hard to see why. Guests are able to bring blankets, lawn chairs, full picnic baskets, and wine through the cemetery gates. The spacious lawn offers viewers the chance to catch a flick under the stars and amongst some of Hollywood’s greatest deceased talents (including Cecil B. DeMille, Jayne Mansfield, Rudolph Valentino, and Douglas Fairbanks). The cemetery screenings have expanded their clientele from hard-core film buffs to any and all looking for a uniquely LA experience.

Perhaps one of the better advantages to this is that local restaurants have started to catch on, providing fully prepped picnics to grab on the way. Joan’s on Third offers a wide selection with their summer picnic options, including poached salmon, caprese salad, and shrimp summer rolls for sharing. And on the Westside, Clementine offers three course meals, cheese plates, chocolate samplers, and their homemade marshmallow-topped hot cocoa.

Gates open at 7 p.m. and films start at 8:30 p.m. For the full and current schedule, click here.

Obviously, Cinco de Mayo is meant for partying hard. That is why we say, start early! We give you a list of some really fucking good Mexican joints in L.A. If you want the dish on the best places to party after those empanadas and flaming margaritas, email us at rsvp@minxsociety.com (tells us what you’re in the mood for, and we’ll tell you where to find it).

Always a Minx Society favorite, the uber trendy Loteria is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a selection of special appetizers including empanadas made with corn masa and special drinks not on the regular menu: a cucumber margarita, a beet and orange margarita and an apple paloma. Don’t forget to try their famous shredded beef tacos and spicy jalapeño margaritas!

Loteria Grill Hollywood
6627 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles
(323) 465-2500

Serving their full menu and flaming margaritas until 2 a.m., the famous and authentic El Compadre is definitely going to be rowdy tonight! If you’re with a big group, go for the appetizer platter, which features the restaurants very best (grilled shrimp, chimichangas, quesadillas and carne asada).

El Compadre
7408 West Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles
(323) 874-7924

Over 300 kinds of tequila at the bar and a Mexican wrestling theme throughout, what more could you ask for? El Carmen is a fabulous place to mingle (closely) and get hammered.

El Carmen
8138 West Third Street
West Hollywood
(323) 852-1552

Silver Lake’s Malo is hip, hip, hip. Famous for their melt-in-your-mouth “chewy” chips and to-die-for ground beef pickle tacos (weird combo, right?) and stiff drinks; join sexy musician/artist/hipster types as they celebrate in style.

Malo
4326 W Sunset Blvd
Silver Lake
(323) 664-1011

Looking for a new hot spot with a fabulous happy hour? Mingle at Oliverio (formerly known as Blue on Blue) at The Avalon Hotel, a beautiful place filled with beautiful people drinking beautiful drinks, during their new happy hour, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 5-9 .

To perfect the glamorously retro yet light modern atmosphere, reserve a private cabana poolside under the stars and enjoy their discounted Italian-inspired nibbles prepared by one of Beverly Hills’ best up-and-coming chefs, Mirko Paderno.

The dishes are as inventive as they are delicious. Go for the Albacore Carpaccio, Goat Cheese Pizza with black Summer Truffles, or the Grilled Octopus. Valet parking is free.

Oliverio at the Avalon

9400 W. Olympic Blvd.

Reservations: 310-277-5221

Downtown LA has created a hideaway for its locals with the Lazy Ox Canteen. Situated in Little Tokyo, the minimalist style and knowledgeable staff make this an ideal spot to grab a drink and a bite before a night out.

Chef Josef Centeno formed a menu with modern dishes you’re not likely to find anywhere else; like the buttermilk fried quail and Moroccan-style beef jerky. As a former executive chef at Meson G and Opus, Centeno seems to have found a venue that can support his unique style. Small plates are perfect for sharing and chances are you’ll want to, since the items alone beg to be tried.

The crowd tends to border on the younger side, but that doesn’t mean it’s exclusive. Atmosphere here is surprisingly low key, as are the prices. Because it has yet to be discovered by the masses this is one place where you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled upon something truly special.

When my date suggested pizza, I hung the little black dress back up and reluctantly slipped back into my skinnies.  However, I was pleasantly surprised when we pulled up to Pizzeria Mozza, a noticeably stylish restaurant met with a bustling line out the door of a myriad of young Angelenos:  suited up professionals and fashion-forward couples.  Immediately, I knew that Pizzeria Mozza is not your average straight-up pizza kitchen.

First thing’s first: don’t miss the wine menu!  Pizzeria Mozza is known for its extensive wine list and feel free to ask your server for a few samples of some of their more rare selections before getting a bottle for the table.  For starters, go for the melt-in-your-mouth crispy goat cheese antipasti ($12) or the eggplant caponata ($8) to share before delving into the sensational pizza selections.

The pizza selection is overwhelming and anything but your usual pepperoni (think wild nettles and funghi misti) – but with prices between $10-$22 and selections fit for foodies, you can afford to take chances.  A favorite is the Squash blossoms, tomato & burrata pizza – a thin-crusted pizza satisfyingly full of the freshest flavors. For an impressible (and might we add, hip) experience, try Pizzeria Mozza. Reservations are a must.

Pizzeria Mozza

641 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 297-0101

Change can be a good thing, and with Hatfield’s new location and expanded menu this certainly seems to be the case. This posh locale is exclusive and stylish not only in its design, but in the menu as well. The French inspired restaurant re-opened in February in its new spot on Melrose. And while the previous dining room was famously small, that’s now changed with seating that doubled former occupancy. Along with the new size comes a fresh look by Alexis Readinger of Preen Design (Akasha, Philippe Chow). Diners get an expansive view of the kitchen, and a dining area infused with rich earth tones. Honeycomb chandeliers and walls speckled with live plants lend to the elegance and artistry of this design.

Hatfield’s is known for its seven-course tasting menu. But if you prefer to order a la carte, you can expect to enjoy their yummy Croque Madame, Pan Roasted Scallops, and entrees like the Date and Mint Crusted Lamb. However, the best is saved for last, and with desserts like the Cinnamon Swirl Brioche Pudding (let me paint you a picture: pear, maple syrup ice cream, and cinnamon toast chips) you might just want to skip straight to the sweet stuff.

Housed in the former loading dock of the 1925 National Biscuit Co. building in the newly energetic loft district of Downtown LA, Church & State specializes in French bistro fare. Owner Steven Arroyo’s keen sense of “cool” (best known for trendy Cobras & Matadors) and chef Walter Manzke’s flawless cuisine (renowned for his meticulous French-California cuisine: Bastide, Patina and L’Auberge Carmel) have fused together to create a truly unique restaurant experience.

We suggest joining the late-night crowd after 9 PM. Order yourself a glass of wine and start off with the plate of gougers (a.k.a. mouth-watering puffs made of Gruyère cheese.) Next, treat yourself to the smaller version ($16) steak and frites. For dessert, the Pot de Crème au Chocolat is a must (need we say more?). And, if you’re feeling fearless, ask for their infamous absinthe setup.

With the heart and soul of a French bistro and the genuine sense of Angeleno cool, Church & State has our stamp of approval.

Church & State

1855 Industrial St
Los Angeles, CA 90021