Top 5 Hamburgers

Tried Mantee in Studio City tonight. Very nice garden dining area. Oscar winner Christoph Waltz ("Inglorious Basterds") was there with a friend. We were the only four people on the small patio for quite awhile.

The food was good, but not beyond the norm for Mediterranean cuisine, IMO. The chicken kabob was excellent. The tabbouleh was drowned in lemon juice nearly to point of being tortuous to eat.

Bongo, I ate at Anjin last week with some of the Japanese guys I work with, it was sublime, a great dining experience. We ended up at Javiers tonight, about the 100th time I've been there.

Going to Father's tomorrow, and the Dodgers game. I love SoCal, there's a reason it costs so much to live here, it really is great.

Macdad: also love Ikko for sushi. Right around the corner from Anjin. Also love Javiers for their mole. El Matador in Costa Mesa is a great mid-scale Mexican Restaurant and Taco Mesa is a great taco stand. I love their tacos calamari and tacos al pastor.

PS: Father's Office has a newer sister restaurant in Culver City, which is about 30 minutes closer than the Santa Monica location to OC. While at the Dodgers, go to Phillipes The Original for French Dipped Beef Grinders. A LA tradition.

Javier's in Laguna has one of the best grilled/sauteed Calamari steaks I have ever had. Always perfectly tender and juicey, never overcooked and rubbery.

DMob

Try La Sirena Grill in downtown Laguna on Mermaid Street. The best organic sourced Mexican food in the country.