Eating En-Counters

Certain meals out require proper tables with regular chairs (e.g. for group dining), while other times eschewing regular round/square/rectangular table shapes and grabing a seat or two at a long counter can prove to be far more fun and interesting.

The joys of dining bar-side have been increasingly celebrated. As a result, LA neighborhoods are blessed with restaurants where eating at the bar or counter isn’t equated with second-class status, two-eggs with bacon and hash browns breakfast specials, or treated as an waaay distant afterthought to booze. Plenty of eateries welcome casual dining in a setup that actually encourages talking to strangers, and offer friendly service on tap along with the regular goods. The list is potentially quite long, but for now we’ll include Edendale (if only the kitchen would deliver), Minibar on Cahuenga, AOC, and Blair’s on Rowena.

And since today is Monday we gotta mention Nancy Silverton’s Mozzarella Mondays at Jar on Beverly. This weekly event makes us very, very grateful for the invention of both ingenious dairy products and communal dining spaces.

In Hollywood proper, we love sitting at counters that are just counters, compared to the aforementioned places which are more like bars where you can also order awesome food. (Follow?) The Hungry Cat's sleek zinc, outdoor seating at Skooby’s (where today delicious free lunch was served to customers on their e-mail list!), and the sushi bar at Ike where staggeringly fresh items are consumed elbow-to-elbow with other raw fish enthusiasts (or any good sushi bar, really), are all great venues for this type of arrangement.

Norm’s, Pann's and Canter’s are almost always open and shine as appreciated standbys in this world of newfangled restaurant counters. Plus in the category of classics, let’s not forget dearly loved Musso’s, where some great tales are always served alongside chops, creamed spinach, and stiff martinis.

Image from LAPL Photo Collection.