LA Food Show

It’s too bad this place is going out of business at this location because some of the food here is bomb!
— Spicy Tuna Roll with Kyoto Garden Salad is SOOOOO GOOD!
— Fried Chicken & Waffles are GREAT — the Chicken is flavorful and juicy, but the Belgian Waffle w/​Maple Buttter is the star in this dish!
— Red Velvet Cake is incredible, best RVC I’ve had other than the one my Mama makes
— BBQ Pulled Pork Quesadilla is just okay, wish there was more cheese and it was served with some guac and/​or sour cream instead of a ranch sauce
At least the Manhattan Beach location will still be around

Hmm… My heart says order the salad… but my ass says go for the Fried Chicken & Waffles… Ass wins!
Dood, this place makes the BEST Fried Chicken & Waffles I’ve ever had. For 14.99, you get half a fried chicken, a fluffy Belgium waffle, and some apple slaw. The waffle is served with this butter-​maple syrup that I would bathe in. The chicken is fried with a thin buttermilk batter that gives the meat this force field of juiciness that really is «finger licking good». The downside to this place is the parking situation is kind of sucky. My suggestion is to part at the Montage hotel and walk over. Also, I don’t like how the men’s bathroom is upstairs. The last thing I want to do after eating a waffle and half a chicken is to climb up a flight of stairs to wash my hands. I’ve tried other things on the menu, but the Fried Chicken & Waffles is by far the best. Highly recommend!
A little about my credentials:
I first got into cooking & food when I was in college. After being rejected by numerous girls and getting zero action, I decided it was time for a change. I needed a new makeover to boost my geeky, engineering image. I applied for a cooking position at a Mediterranean-​Italian Restaurant near my home and learned to cook all sorts of pastas and dishes. I never became a professional chef, but I continue to enjoy & love food. 9 years later and 55 lbs heavier, my passion is travelling around the world to try new foods and learn about different cultures.

This past Saturday we thought we would try something new and opt for LA Food Show instead of the normal Urth Café, which by the way was not easy to do. God, those Urth Café Green Tea with Bobas are to-​die-​for! I Unilocaled LA Food Show and, to my surprise, the reviews were not that great. I loved the place, but I am also beginning to think that I am easy to please when it comes to food. I like restaurants that are nicely lit — not too bright. Oh, that reminds me — don’t go to Katsuya in Encino, you’ll likely be blinded and need immediate eye surgery. The place is like a spot light! LA Food Show had the best lighting. It wasn’t too crowded when we went, actually it was a bit dead. That’s probably why our food came promptly. The greatest thing too is that the menu had so many options. I will be going here again!

Reality check. If I didn’t enjoy cooking at home as much as I do, I could literally walk out my door and never prep another meal again, let alone do the dishes. That’s how saturated with good to great restos my neighborhood is.
LA Food Show has been on my «Bookmarked-​To-​Try list» for some time. When Angela O. (a.k.a. Angie) emailed she was swamped, and I should «pick», well you know, here’s our story cuz y’all know the backstory, so I won’t bore you ‘cept for: CPK owned, upscale venue, ya da, ya da.
Wednesday evening, we had our choice of seating but I suspect that was a midweek, holiday fluke. We ended up dining front and center in the establishment; a «fish bowl» booth reminiscent of a «moon-​bounce» that triggered brief, intermittent bouts of bouncing, especially when we discovered we could order half glasses of vino. Nothing like sampling a variety!
Our server Brandon was attentive, friendly and supportive of our choices. Angie likes her red. Just one sip of her grape: Penfolds’ Highland Shiraz confirmed its teeth staining worthiness. She later sampled the Stagg’s Leap Merlot; equally pearly white damning. I held fast with the Acacia Chardonnay.
Our personal, food show consisted of their «Teaser» offerings. First off, a trio beckoned. Soup served in demitasse cups (almost too cute to eat). Pureed «Asparagus, Dakota Smashed Pea & Barley and Seafood Bisque»; each unique; bowl or cup worthy for bigger appetites!
In search of a protein we chose the BBQ Pulled Pork Quesadilla (four small servings on the plate) «with Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, red onion, black beans, fire roasted Anaheim chilies and fresh cilantro in a flour tortilla. Served with a side of homemade ranchito sauce». I HATE cilantro but in this dish it was used so appropriately, so sparingly, I hardly noticed the soapiness that usually makes me recoil.
We balanced out our veggie requirement with a «Teaser» portion of Apple Slaw, the only less than stellar component. Angie thought it needed more acid/​vinegar and I had to agree, although I might have added a tad of Granny Smith instead.
Awesome ambiance. Spot on service. Unique fare. Un-​bookmarked but not forgotten! (Sorry no pics, I just wasn’t in the mood but do check out their website!)

The bartender was awesome, and they have like a million choices on the menu. It’s one of those places that’s great for groups because the environment is really low key and comfortable, and everyone can find something they like.
The drinks are great and it’s an ideal place for post-​work mayhem.

This place is a good option to have in the BH area. It’s brought to you by the same folks of CPK.
The food is generic but it’s consistent. There are a lot of options on the menu, the portions are generous and the food is tasty.
Great fries, decent burgers, good fish tacos. You get the picture. It’s a chain. But sometimes that’s what you’re in the mood for!
Service was a little slow but the waiter was really friendly and offered great suggestions.

«The first Lady of Motown» — Claudette Robinson, said this is one of her favorite places to eat. We went today… She was right!
Grilled Salmon delicious!
Dion Jackson

I keep eating here and every time, I like it.
The salads are great. Very fresh. Sometimes I get a half order because the full order can be a bit much.
I finally had to try the chicken & waffles. Overall, I enjoyed it. The quality of the ingredients is great. Fresh juicy chicken, the waffle was just right. My only critique would be that I think the chicken should be more flavorful. Maybe some herbs & or spices in the batter. But hey, I’d order it again.
I’ve taken a few friends here and so far, everyone has liked it.

Get the Chicken and Waffles! You will not be sorry ;)
Buttermilk-​battered crispy fried chicken paired with a vanilla-​infused Belgian waffle, melted butter and maple syrup. Served with apple-​cider slaw.
How could you NOT love this!!!
Great service… I liked the food! I will be back when I am in BH again!

Despite what my mom and pop happy Unilocalers will think of me, I have to admit I’m a big CPK fan. So when I found out that the company also owned LA Food Show, I was excited to try it. I stopped by without a reservation with a party of 6 after an art show down the street and had to wait about 15 minutes at the bar — not too bad.
From the moment we sat down, I could tell we got paired with the superstar waiter in the house. He was funny, friendly, and rolled with all of our punches, including adding last minute appetizers, splitting the check and altering our orders.
After poring over the menu, I chose the Tuscan turkey meatloaf, substituting the roasted red potatoes for some mashed ones. $ 16 for meatloaf isn’t too affordable, but the portions were HUGE, the mashed potatoes nice and creamy, and the garlic spinach fresh and yummy. The meatloaf itself came in two enormous slices, easily enough for two meals! I know it’s italian style, but I would have preferred gravy to the tomato sauce. It would have been nice to have had a choice.
I also really enjoyed the green been fries that came with a ranch dipping sauce. A perfect appetizer to share with the table.
The beers on the menu were pretty affordable (all under $ 5 I believe), but the cocktails were outlandish in price! I think $ 10 was the cheapest drink.
In terms of atmosphere, the space is somewhere in between the big glossiness of a chain and the artsiness of an independent place. The lighting is dim and there’s modern art on the wall, but it’s still comfy enough for kids to eat there.
Not sure if this is going to be my main go-​to as I don’t think there is anything super unique about the menu, but it’s a nice place to have in your back pocket for those times when you want a big variety of choices on the menu!

I was excited to try this place after looking at the website but was disappointed when I actually dined here. The idea behind this restaurant is great but the food was lacking authenticity. Just like their original restaurant (California Pizza Kitchen), the portions are generous but the food is generic.
Also, the décor is pretty cool but I hate the way they pile their cutlery in the center of the table. I think they were going for a more artsy, casual table setting but instead it looks like the servers were too lazy to set the table.

I’m not gonna lie, I’ve had very few entrées at this restaurant, mostly a taste here and there of things my friends ordered. But I’ve eaten here a good dozen times. So why the lack of diversity in my dining palate? That grilled vegetable salad is soooo good I order it every single time!
I usually eat at the bar tables, the bartenders aren’t as attentive as a regular server would probably be, but they’re nearby and it’s easy to get their attention. When I eat I usually prefer to be left alone until I need another glass of wine or another order of sweet potato fries, etc, so these bar tables are perfect for me. PLUS happy hour 3−6pm on weekdays!
I have yet to have any even remotely negative experiences here so I definitely recommend the place.

Why do people like these places? I just don’t understand it. I am a fan of real, unique, interesting, one of a kind restaurants. Why do people come to these mediocre chain-​like restaurants? The food is always just that-​mediocre. I just don’t understand. It baffles my mind that fabulous restaurants in LA, you know, the ones that are really special have to struggle because people just want to go somewhere lame. Why? Where is the sense of adventure? Where is the sense of culinary excellence? And no, I’m not talking more money. This place charged in the $ 20s for entrees. There are tons of restaurants that are fabulous in the area that are around the same price point. I just don’t get it.
Anywho, I got the ahi martini and the lettuce wraps, both were overly salted and so uninspired. It tasted like your usual, made for the masses who don’t know any better, «upscale» mall food.
If you’re looking for a place to eat in the area, hit up La Scala which has some rocking spaghetti bolognese and a great chopped salad. Life is too short to eat subpar food.

Just went to this location at the suggestion of one of the co-​workers (who has been on a pretty good tear with the recommendations as of late) and I got the surprise of day — an affordable AND palate-​satisfying lunch in Beverly Hills proper? Why YES, I will have another when it comes to LA Food Show!
Between the five of us in our sadly corporate motley crew, we had the Salmon Burger, Veggie Burger (yours truly), Chicken Breast sammich, and Thai Chicken – and random and sundry beverages. The portions were improperly large and we stuffed our faces accordingly. The helpfully titled «side» salad would easily service as a regular-​sized entrée and we smiled happily at our server while wolfing down everything in sight.
In these recessionary times it’s always a wonderful thing to come across a beautiful, shinning oasis of delectable affordability amid the rarified air of designers with unpronounceable names.

One of my favorite lunch & happy hour spot!
First of all, this is one place that keeps me going back over and over cuz of SERVICE!!! Everyone is AWESOME! I can’t think of many places I go back cuz the servers make me happy!
LA Foodshow is brought to you by the guys who brought you CPK. But this place is so much better than CPK, foodwise, selection wise, and taste wise. And it’s much hip/​upscale décor.
Most of the food I tried tend to be on the more saltier side, but I guess it all depends on your taste bud. But if it’s too salty or not your cup of tea, then the server/​restaurant is always willing to accomodate. I’d give it a 5 star if the food wasn’t so salty.
I’ve had, Thai grilled chicken, seafood enchilada (awesome!), calamari, kungpao chicken with noodles (my new fave!), seafood bisque, etc… and my favorite drink– Mango lemonade~! Try it, you will not regret!
During happy hours (3PM-​6PM) — all appetizers and drinks are 50% off! It doesn’t get any better~

I’ll echo the common sentiment… I just don’t understand the restaurant’s name… Food show? Hmm… I’ll have to think about that. The inside of the restaurant makes you feel like maybe it was themed after an art show? Overall nice set up though some seemingly misplaced things here and there. For some reason I couldn’t stop thinking of the set for Hell’s Kitchen.
Food wise a nice big mix in the menu. Should be able to satisfy a decent sized group’s cravings without having to go to multiple restaurants. The bread is EXACTLY the same as CPK’s. A bit cold and dry but enough to hold you over. Butter packets didn’t quite seem to match the restaurant, but hey, it’s still CPK. I ordered the seared ahi tuna burger. That mixed with onion rings and fries went well together. My wife had a salad with mixed grilled vegetables. She loved it as the vegetables that were grilled were warm, and the lettuce etc was nice and cold.
Could be an ok date spot, but is it me, or are there kind of a lot of kids in here? Overall impression is a more dressed up version of CPK, that parents and families go to when they want food that’s a bit on the nicer side.

This place is huge and offers a variety of food. I’m not sure how they came up with the name. It suggests that someone is going to come out and demonstrate something to me.
We came here last night for impromtu dinner. No reservations, but got seated in a big booth right away. Our waitress was really nice and came by several times to make sure we were doing okay.
I ordered the chicken piccata and he had the mahi fish tacos. We shared the chicken lettuce cups. I was tempted to try the cotton candy martini that she mentioned was their most popular drink, but opted to to just drink water. I know. lame.
Chicken lettuce cups were pretty good, but the sauce was off the charts spicy! I wish it came with a warning sign, cuz it made me cough up my other lung.
Chicken piccata was meh. I wasn’t too keen on the lemon on my chicken. It just makes it look kinda cheap. Also, it said the chicken was pounded, but it did NOT look pounded at all. Roasted red potatoes were tasty as were the grilled zucchini.
I had a bite of his fish tacos, but didn’t like them at all. Too fishy! However, the onion rings were not bad.
Guess what? I ordred dessert. *gasp*. Yes. Key lime pie. And it was actually really good. I’ve never had key lime pie except as a martini. The pie was a bit sour, but the fresh whipped cream balanced it all out.
I’ll come back and bring my kid next time. Maybe she can help me with the cotton candy martini. Just kidding!
*pix*-

A friend mentioned that he liked this place so my family and I gave it a try.
We thought it was nice and comfortable place to enjoy dinner. The food was very good. We started with the spinach dip. They should give you more chips with the bowl of dip. We asked for some more and they were glad to accommodate.
I had the seafood enchiladas and they were excellent. Everyone else had different hamburgers or chicken burgers and they were pleased as well. The beer glasses are small but they try and make them look big and tall. I would like to see them add a few more items to the menu. We will be back. Prices are not cheap here but it is a nice place and B. H. is B. H. !

Seems like wandering into this place is a common thing– I don’t think its really a destination spot although if you are in the area and want some Cheesecake Factory with a stylish twist, then this might be the place for you.
Slick on the inside with rather poor lighting (I had the brightest light bulb in the world shining down on me the entire meal. Besides the squinting, it doesn’t shed the best light on the person you are with either. Be prepared for all those flaws to pop out in the shades and shadows where you think, «Wow, he looks old. Is that a new pimple?»)
My fish tacos were really good. Mahi mahi was fresh and the sauces went well with the slaw. I enjoyed the presentation and the prices were reasonable, meaning that you could order an entrée or a sandwich depending on your mood. There is something for everyone on this menu. Service wasn’t hokey or too much in your face like your usual CPKs.

IIRC, this is owned by CPK. I’ve been to the LA food show down in Redondo Beach too. The food is just as good there. Knowing that I wasn’t about to pay an arm and a leg because I was going to eat in BH, I went here. This is a non-​Beverly hills type establishment for that reason. However, they are BH savvy and give you the golden gloves treatment. I paid maybe 16 bucks for a filling awesome turkey burger that was flavored so well, I almost forgot it was turkey. I wound up in the lounge this time and while the girl at the bar was busy, she was very good at keeping up on any of my needs.
There is a new parking lot next door that is below the Montage Hotel, with tons of spaces. Definitely worth the visit. The one thing that the other LA Food Show no longer has is the Bangers n’ Mash and they really need to bring this back.