Who loves Thai food? I sure do! I do not know if you guys have ever tried Thai food but let me tell you, it is one of the best you can have. Though Thailand is a bit too far away from Hollywood just to go there for a meal, you can actually have a taste of the real thing right in La Brea Avenue!

The restaurant is called Pink Pepper (now isn’t that name just cute? Who has ever seen a pink pepper?) and has actually been in operation for almost 20 years now. It was in 1989 when Pink Pepper was opened by Tony Boon and it was located near the west end of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Naturally, the decoration of the restaurant included golden Buddha images. The interior was infused with rose and pink – probably the origin of the name. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant became a hit. Its popularity declined a bit after several years but today, it has once again risen in popularity and is THE place to be if you want Thai food in Hollywood.

What can you expect from Pink Pepper? How about some green curry fried rice, Thai herb-crusted salmon, and green papaya salad? Of course, they have more on the menu than that. To find out more about them, visit the Pink Pepper web site.

Do you love tequila? I know very few people who do not. Well here is good news for tequila lovers who are in the area of Hollywood. There is a newly opened tequila bar called the Mission Cantina. Judging by the name alone, the theme is Mexican but where does the “mission” come in?

The tequila bar somehow resembles a small church or chapel. The windows are stained glass, there is a front courtyard patio, and there are chandeliers that are reminiscent of a tiny Mexican chapel. The pride of the Mission, however, is the bar, which is made of dark oak and is hand built. The beautiful bar seats 20.

So who owns this hot new bar located at 5946 Sunset Boulevard? A man whose name many people from Hollywood would recognize - George Abou-Daoud. This man is, in fact, considered to be one of the up and coming restaurateurs in Hollywood. He is already known for his other restaurants Delancy and Bowery.

The LA Times writes of the Mission:

Mission Cantina serves food at reasonable prices for a thirtysomething crowd. On the menu? How about Mexican ceviche with Red Snapper, barbacoa tacos, fish tacos or their “mole rojas” (served with jalepeno cornbread).

Dishes like the afforementioned aside, we suspect it’s the “liquid gold” that will be the true draw for Mission Cantina well into 2009. Expect an extensive tequila list, including Casa Noble Reposado, Cazadores Reposado and of course, Patron. We also like the strawberry guava mojitos here….the perfect L.A. drink to sip on a hot summer night.

Ahh, I bet you can’t wait to pay the Mission a visit.

I don’t know about you but one of my main considerations when I go on vacation is the quality and the variety of choices when it comes to food. Going to Hollywood should be no different. In fact, if there is one city in the United States wherein you should expect some of the best restaurants, then it should be Los Angeles. So how would you know which restaurants to go to? You can always look for the restaurants of some of the celebrity chefs.

Then again, if you want some more variety, there are other alternatives – many other alternatives. Your best bet would be to visit the site Los Angeles Restaurants. I went through the web site earlier today and I really liked what I found. For one, on the main page, you already see some really useful lists. Some of the categories are Best Restaurants – Overall Dining Experience, Best Service, Best Food, Best Ambiance, and Best Wine List & Bar Selection.

When you click on a restaurant name, you will be taken to a page with more details about the restaurant. You can find information such as the full review, which is very detailed, I have to say. You can also find details about the location, type of cuisine, pricing, dress code, and more. There are some items on the menu shown with the description and price. Best of all, you can actually make reservations on the site itself.

I once heard someone ask “What is America’s national food?” A friend then replied without any hesitation, “Hotdogs!” Now I would have to say that there just might be some truth to that answer, although of course, it could be questionable. The fact is that we love hotdogs and many of us have our own favorite brand.

If you are ever in Hollywood, if there is one hotdog place that you should try, it should be Pink’s Hotdogs. This is actually one of the famous landmarks in Hollywood and in fact offers more than hotdogs today. Indeed, the Pinks have gone a long way since Paul and Betty Pink sold hotdogs in a pushcart in 1939. Back then, they did their business on the corner near La Brea and Melrose.

Today, Pink’s home is in a building found at 709 North La Brea. Their menu has also expanded to more than hotdogs – from burgers to side orders and special hotdogs, one can expect to have a LOT of choices at Pink’s. Of particular interest to many tourist are their special hotdogs which are named after Hollywood Stars. It is said that these are the hotdogs that the stars themselves have ordered in the past. Want a few samples? Well, they have The Ozzy Spicy Dog which has spicy Polish dog, Nacho cheese, American cheese, grilled onions, guacamole, and chopped tomatoes. This one goes for $5.40. There are other interesting concoctions like Rosie O’Donnell Long Island Dog, and the Martha Stewart Dog (which seems to be popular).

Pink’s is definitely a place to visit – just be sure to pack along a lot of patience with you as there is usually a long line.