I don’t get to Los Angeles often but when I do go, I eat well…at least I try for it. I spend more of my time in Santa Monica or Hollywood than I do anywhere else although I’ve spent chunks of time in Malibu as well as downtown, the latter of which is typically for an event, but not necessarily to eat.
On a recent trip, since I was bound by downtown due to an event, I was able to take in a couple restaurants in the LA Live complex which has a number of interesting cafes, bars and restaurants, ranging from Japanese and seafood to Mexican and Italian.
My favorite place in this complex is Katsuya (by Starck, meaning yes, he seems to be behind the design which if they just turned down their blaring air conditioner, would have been just perfect).
We chose to sit at the bar and bartender Rodney took care of us together with a couple others, since they seem to share “service” as a team, which inevitably results in higher quality service all around.
Signature dishes include Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño and Miso-Marinated Black Cod. They also have halibut wrapped with crab and avocado, kiwi scallops (yum), salmon sashimi with cavier (rolled with Japanese onion chutney), and seared albacore with a garlic soy lemon butter.
If you’re in the mood for a treat, order the Kobe Filet with Foie Gras, smothered in a plum wine reduction, and a half lobster sauteed with mushrooms and tossed with a dynamite sauce (for only $23).
Then of course, they have the classic sushi and sashimi options, including a sunset roll, which is freshwater eel, crunchy cucumber, and avocado, the traditional rainbow rolls, and a baked crab handroll for something a little different. They also have ceviche, which blends sashimi with a citrus ponzu sauce.
What makes this place truly special however is the ambience and the bartenders, who know what great service is all about.
Thirdly, the martinis and specialty cocktails. 
Most people know that I’m a wine snob and love my Cabs, very (very) rarely ordering a specialty drink of any kind as I tend to stay away from spirits in general and get far too full on beer after a half glass.
A martini has to be good (really good) for me to be wowed but these guys know how to stir up a storm.
They had a contest going on when we were there, a contest among the bartenders. Each bartender had created their own recipe for a drink and whoever sold the most number of “their drink” won the contest. All of the choices were compelling so it was hard to decide given their combined creativity.
On the regular menu, they had such a wide variety that it was equally hard, but we opted for the White Grapefruit Cosmopolitan, which was served with a Finlandia grapefruit vodka, Cointreau and freshly squeezed lime juice and white cranberry juice.
What makes their drinks so good is not just that the guys know how to stir and mix, but they chill it just right and the juices are all freshly made downstairs.
Other great choices are Kiwi Envy, which is St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, gin, hand-pressed kiwis (again fresh fruit), freshly squeezed lime juice and sparkling water. They also had a watermelon cucumber mojito, which is served with white rum, crushed seedless watermelon and fresh mint with lime juice.
A second option in LA Live, alongside the regular staples and chains such as Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, Lawry’s Carvery, and Boca, there’s Glance Wine Bar in the Marriott, as well as a seafood restaurant called Rock-n-Fish.
Rock-n-Fish comes across as more of a family restaurant or a place for people in their early twenties to go, fill up a booth and share a bunch of appetizers or burgers. Meals are not cheap for what you get quite frankly nor is the food a culinary experience, but the ambiance is fun and festive and that’s the reason to go here, not to be blown away by fresh fish served in a sauce or style that will knock your socks off. For example, appetizers were in the $12-20 range; their signature oak grilled artichoke served with a roasted garlic aioli was a wopping $12.95 as an appetizer, same goes for their popcorn shrimp beer and fried calamari.
ROCK’N Steamers are steamed in a wine broth with Andouille sausage, fire-roasted corn, red pepper, onion, and garlic, served with garlic cheese toast but as an app, this one is $18. It’s not as if the service or ambiance warrants it, but location location location matters, particularly in LA when people have more money to burn in trendy places and I didn’t seem to run into a boat load of foodies who cared what kind of wine was on the menu.
They do serve a number of sandwiches and fresh salads, all of which are fairly large so if you don’t want to get mediocre food and spend a lot of money, this is a safe bet if you’re after a quick bite before a movie or a night out on the town. For example, they have a Seattle-Style Shrimp and Avocado Louie Mexican shrimp, served with avocado, tomato, green olives, and hard-boiled eggs atop a bed of iceberg lettuce and red cabbage tossed in a what they call a “Louie dressing.” They also do an oak grilled tuna niçoise served over a bed of baby lettuces and topped with Kalamata olives.
Their skewers come with a healthy number (and size) of shrimp, alternating with garlic. With most of their meals, you get two sides and their roasted corn on the cob is pretty good.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
