 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |  |
| Canal Club – 2025 Pacific Ave.; 310-823-3878. This colorful tropical beach restaurant offers a veritable United Nations of options like miso soup, stuffed calamari, caviar, arroz con pollo, baby back ribs, mykonos platter, and Brazil nut-coconut cream cake. Chef Michael Roberts is talented enough to serve them all up right. Dinner served Mon.-Thu. and Sun. Raw and roe bar open Fri. and Sat. nights and bar open Mon.-Sat. evenings. $$$ Hal's Bar & Grill – 349 Abbot Kinney Rd.; 310-396-3105. Between the décor and the clientele, a more appropriate name might be Hal's Art & Grill. Savor variations on old themes like house-cured salmon with tequila and chipotle and roasted pork mignon wrapped in smoked bacon. Lunch weekdays, dinner nightly, and brunch on the weekends. $$ James' Beach – 60 N. Venice Blvd.; 310-823-5396. There are a few international items on the menu like penne puttanesca and a mykonos plate, but at heart, the fare consists of good old American grub e.g. turkey pastrami Reuben, beach burger, and chicken pot pie. Critically acclaimed and appreciated by local artists and international celebs alike. Lunch Wed.-Fri.; dinner nightly, and brunch on the weekends. $$ 72 Market St. Oyster Bar and Grill – 72 Market St.; 310-392-8720. This restaurant-cum-art gallery owned by Dudley Moore and Tony Bill is a perfect 10 from the quirky décor to the critically acclaimed American dishes with a French accent. Try the classic meat loaf or the kick-ass chili. $$$
|