Circa 55, our first DineLA lunch, was pure serendipity. After covering the Oscars luncheon at the Beverly Hilton, I wandered downstairs to my old standby, Trader Vics. But my commitment to DineLA soon lured me over to the classy yet casual Circa 55. The design is reminiscent of a mid-century modern living room, uncluttered and airy, with sunlight streaming through the windows. more ›

Many of LAist's contributors have been checking out L.A.'s dineLA Restaurant Week -- and we've discovered that some experiences definitely offered more value than others. I decided to close out my own Restaurant Week experience with a casual lunch and a more upscale dinner: for the former, I took LAist editor Zach out to lunch at eat. on sunset, while I saved the fancy hotel dinner at Circa 55 for my special guy. Both restaurants offered exactly what I was looking for in a Restaurant Week experience: tasty, unique dishes for reasonable prices in a beautiful location. And did I mention good service? When it comes to dining in this city, nothing sets apart a fine meal so much as excellent service. more ›