Erin Lyall

The Bar at Aventine

Poor Hollywood. Aside from the folks who actually live there -- and tout its cheap rent, down-and-dirty attitude, and "central location" -- the neighborhood inspires sneers, scoffs and, at best, a low level of tolerance from other L.A. residents. By day, tourists clog the main boulevards, slowly rubbernecking through crosswalks while we strum our fingertips on our steering wheels, waiting to make our right turns. By night, underdressed 20-somethings teeter on too-tall heels, stumbling around after overdosing on over-priced drinks.

But stop the sighing. Stop the head-shaking. When you sift through the grit, there's some really great cooking happening in Hollywood, particularly these five restaurants that care about the food more than the scene. Or think of it this way: Now you've got somewhere to take your relatives after their trip to the Walk of Fame.

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Christine Chiao

Red chili oil wontons at Bean Sprouts Restaurant

Taiwanese cuisine has gained recognition for its street food, night market eats, and even beef noodle soup, but what might be overlooked is the accessibility of vegetarian fare throughout the island. A Jan. 13, 2011, article published in CommonWealth Magazine reported that flexible vegetarianism becoming a greater part of of the average Taiwanese diet has led to a greater variety of options. The options as a result can range from upscale restaurants to convenience stores with "a wide array of meat-free selections."

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Anne Fishbein

Chocolate tart at Bestia

This week's L.A. Weekly profiles the one of the city's hottest neighborhoods: the downtown arts district. Check out the other stories in our series: *Tyler Stonebreaker: Curator of the Downtown Arts District. *6 Developments That Will Change the Downtown Arts District's Future*How the Arts District Got Its Name.

Clustered in pairs or trios, newer restaurants, bars and cafés have cropped up in the Arts District in the past five years or so, reflecting the forward trajectory of a city accustomed to fashioning function from old spaces and form at new locations. A path between buildings becomes part edible garden, part sanctuary at The Daily Dose. At the entrance of the Seventh Street Bridge, the Bread Lounge bears no signage alerting passers-by that some of the city's best bread is found within, save for the lone steel rack of loaves visible only at close range through the front door's glass.

This may be why, at first glance, the edible landscape of the Arts District appears to be in draft mode: The restaurants are mostly hidden, and often not within walking distance of one another. But the transformation of the Arts District nonetheless is best witnessed by exploring its food and drink options. What better way to visit a new neighborhood than to make a dinner reservation -- or just stop by for that delicious bread?

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A. Scattergood

art in the dining room at Michael's

Maybe it's because so many things in this town seem impermanent that our fondness for those that do not increases, exponentially, with each year they remain. Michael McCarty's Santa Monica restaurant Michael's, which he opened in 1979 -- yeah, yeah, that's ancient for us -- is one of those places that we love not simply because it is good, but because it has remained so for decades. But that does not mean it should not adapt to the times, which is what happened recently, when McCarty radically overhauled his menu and renovated the interior of his restaurant. Don't worry, the open leafy patio and the artwork remain, because some things should not change. You were expecting maybe Jeff Koons and a chocolate fountain? No.

"We've been here for 33 years for a reason," said McCarty on a recent afternoon, perched at one of the high wooden bar tables that now fill the restaurant's front room, where new Dennis Hopper photographs line the walls. "Change is good, but it's evolution not mutation. As my mother and grandmother used to say, 'stick to your own knitting.'"

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LOUD Channel via YouTube

Four rounds of K-Town partying

Coverage of the delicious side of Koreatown has expanded past the well-tread over the years. We've learned about chic naengmyon (kudzu noodles in chilled beef broth) and gamjatang (pork neck soup). If we want Korean-style barbecue, we can distinguish places by cuts of meat and quality of banchan.

Even as our Korean food vocabulary has sharpened, the grammar that helps us form dishes into meals and rituals is still a work in progress. Enter the reality YouTube show K-Town, an unexpected source for a basic -- if not rough -- tutorial on one aspect of Koreatown dining.

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A. Scattergood

Mochi at Mikawaya

Visit Little Tokyo, and -- even if you're a rabid manga fan or karaoke maniac -- your trip will likely involve food. Perhaps yakisoba, fried noodles topped with bright red ginger. Or okonomiyaki, a pancake cooked with a variety of savory ingredients. (The name literally means "what you want.") And the smell of fresh takoyaki, dumpling-like balls filled with diced octopus, can be hard to resist. Then there are Asian grocery stores selling produce such as kabocha, gobo (burdock) and shiso leaves.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Japanese American National Museum will offer the chance to explore local foods on a walking tour called "Graze Little Tokyo Walk." "The food tour will encompass the neighborhood's history, which is unique," a museum worker told us.

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Brian Posehn is a comic, writer, actor, and food-eater. The Comedians of Comedy, Sarah Silverman Program, and Mr. Show alumnus is also a dedicated San Fernando Valleyite and gastronome.

Squid Ink recently asked Posehn to describe what his most perfectest day in the Valley with his wife and baby would look like. "I'm on the road a lot. A lot.," said Posehn. "So when I'm home, my wife and I try to cram as much fun and errands (also known as "un-fun") into our days, starting with..." Turn the page.

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whysarah/flickr

Fish tacos at Best Fish Taco in Ensenada.

The ideal fish taco is a time-sensitive collision of hissing-hot battered fish, a shell puffed up around mild, sweet flesh; a tortilla or two; crunchy cabbage; and cool, slightly sour crema. It is time-sensitive because, if the diner doesn't scoop it up quickly and put it away, the crema melts, the tortilla becomes gummy, and the fish's shell deteriorates. There are many variables, the most precarious of which being the freshness of the fish itself. In our day, we've encountered plenty of specimens we would not feed to a cat.

Between half-hearted shopping and a show last weekend, we doubled up on fish tacos at two reasonably well-regarded institutions: Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, a local micro-chain based in Los Feliz, and just a five minute-drive away, El Siete Mares, a Silverlake stand with outdoor seating.

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Screenshot of Javier Cabral's Twitter page

Tajrish

The grill.

If you are stickler for restaurant menu clarity, Tajrish in Marina Del Rey will make you want to hurl your baklava across the room. For instance, there are chunks of filet mignon, marinated and char-broiled. There are also chunks of filet mignon, skewered, marinated, and char-broiled. The latter would appear to be kabobs, but then so are the former, we think. Rice may be substituted for salad at no extra cost. However, if you want half a side of salad and half a side of rice, you pay a dollar more.

Of course, none of this matters at all. Located on the edge of Venice, Tajrish is a strip mall Persian joint, on many nights emptier than a high school in July, the pink tablecloth-draped tables bare and clean. Yet, as you stumble in, curious and hungry, the proprietor seated at the register grins. If Tajrish were a high school, you'd think he was baked to a lavash-like crisp, but he's only enjoying his work. And what work it is.

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