Grilled Cheese and Cupcakes recently took over Famous Cupcakes in the strip mall of Laurel Canyon and Riverside (near my favorite ), blending a perfect mix of sweet and savory. There's a large selection of ten gourmet melts, including Jack Daniel's Chicken Melt (pulled chicken, carmelized onions, chopped tomatoes—my fave so far), The Mac Daddy Melt (American and made from scratch mac n' cheese), The New Yorker Melt (provolone, salami, avocado spread, banana peppers) and The Mushroom Melt (swiss, sauteed mushrooms and carmelized onions). Prices run $6.25-$7.50 and each comes with a shot of tomato soup. There's also Simple Melts with a choice of cheese from $3.50-$5—and you can design your own by choosing additional items (.50-$2.50). On the sweet side, choose from 16 flavors of cupcakes (regular and mini, cheesecakes, pop cakes, cookies, mini cones with frosting, macarons, and The French Kiss made with whipped cream, chopping meringue, fresh berries and berry sauce (so good!).
Nate 'n Al's recently closed shop in Thousand Oaks (but Beverly Hills is still here). It's replacement? Another which is set to open in a few months.
in Studio City is now serving up a late night happy hour with $6 pizza. Stay up late until the wee hours and you could make it for brunch from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
LA Creamery shops may have left the 818, and are on their way to opening shops in the Middle East, but if you're still craving the specialty ice creams, they’re around at Umami Burger, and in the 310 at 800 Degrees Pizzeria, Tar and Roses, Vicente Foods, Jones on Third and The Farm Shop's new Artisan Marketplace
Maggiano's is offering a "Month of Love" special meal for two through the end of February. Enjoy any appetizer, flat bread or two side salads; two entrees (choose lobster tail and risotto, chicken scallopini or beef tenderloin); one dessert and two glasses of wine — all for $79 a couple.
Chablis Food + Wine in Tarzana offers wine flights on Wednesday evenings for $12-$14 for three different types of wine.
Karen Young is the Founder/Editor of MyDailyFind.com, a lifestyle site with a free subscriber newsletter about where to eat, shop, play in the 818. If you have restaurant, food or market news, please email: karen@mydailyfind.com.
