O, Toy Soldiers!

If you're ever in my 'hood and want to grab a meal, just call or e-mail me. Don't worry if it's on short notice -- a day before, an hour before, whatever. More often than not, I'll be free, and we will go somewhere with tasty treats!

Case in point -- Claire was in the area for family holiday togetherness yesterday, and our evening schedules just happened to mesh perfectly. We tried the little restaurant at O Hotel, a fairly new addition to downtown.

Why the sign says "Orchid," I'm not sure. While the boutique hotel is sort of wishy-washy about its identity, it is decidedly dark and contemporary inside.


The O Bar & Kitchen dining area is simply a long line of booths against the wall to the right of the lobby. Pick a table, have a seat, and wait for your server. The menu includes a decent array of fun martinis and mixed drinks ($12), a good mix of cheap tapas ($3 to $5), and a full dinner menu.

I had a Pearadice (Grey Goose Le Poire with pear nectar juice). Claire started with a blackberry mojito (Cruzan rum with fresh mint, lime, and blackberries). Both were damn good.

We decided to sample a bunch of tapas and a starter and a flatbread from the dinner menu.

New York steak skewers with horseradish aioli ($4). Pretty flavorful, although they could've been a tad more tender.

Risotto balls with jalapeño remoulade ($3). Reminiscent of fried mac 'n' cheese, but not quite as amazing. The remoulade was rather something, though. A swift kick to your tastebuds.

Petite meatballs with spicy tomato sauce and grilled bread ($4). The least interesting of our picks. Juicy and familiar, but I probably won't get them again.

Truffle parmesan tots with horseradish sauce ($4). So simple. So good. I guess there are some things we will always love. I'm only sad that my stupid picture features paper and not tots.

Wagyu sliders, pickled shallots, bacon, provolone, horseradish aioli, and tomato confit ($12). Very good. Mr. Monkey loved the one that I brought home.

Tuscan flatbread with eggplant, goat cheese, and pine nuts ($8). Thin! Crispy! Dee-lish! I liked this a lot.

There is something really nice about having a one-on-one meal. I learned a lot about Claire that I didn't know before, and it made me like her even more. Isn't it great when that happens?

We couldn't resist the obvious photo ops with the holiday soldiers in front.


After dinner, we took a short stroll to L.A. Live to take a look at all the new developments.

It wasn't that exciting, but it was a far cry from the downtown that Claire remembered from years ago. I also liked sauntering a bit after eating. It made me feel like I worked off one tater tot.

Bonus outfit pic:

Burberry quilted jacket, Blue Cult jeans, Stuart Weitzman suede flats with bow accents (yes, I love bows on shoes), Paul Frank bag. Not pictured is a boring brown Banana Republic banded tunic underneath.

Bonus story:

That morning, a woman in the CIA cafeteria exclaimed, "What an adorable bag! Your children must love it!"

My retort: "I don't have children. I love it."

As if anyone with children could possibly fit all her shit in my tiny round bag.