[Pic of a Susina pastry by Alex Berliner]

Jonathan Gold’s put up his list of “99 Essential LA Restaurants” for the LA Weekly — and I’ve been to just 11.

It may actually be a few more than 11, cuz some descriptions sound familiar, but the experience was either unmemorable, or I drank too much to remember. In any case, I’ve definitely been to:

• Border Grill. Yummy drinks –
• Campanile. One of my diss advisors treated me to a delish meal at this place –
• Ciudad. Back when I worked downtown, we’d eat here once in a while, courtesy of The Capital Group. Also great for happy hour piscoritas –
• Cobras & Matadors. The one on 3rd gets way too crowded with hipsters; I prefer the Los Feliz branch — yummy, if not traditional, tapas :)
• Europane. This place has great bread and serves fair trade coffee :) Reviewed here.
• Guelaguetza. Went here for a Fair Trade LA meeting once — Not recommended, as there are no vegetarian options — not even alcohol :(
• JiRaffe. I ate chicken for the first time in a long time here — cuz it was antibiotic and hormone free –
• Mama’s Hot Tamales Cafe. Fair trade coffee, super yum and pretty tamales, right across the street from Mcarthur Park — Review here.
• Pink’s. I got a veggie dog here once while my ex wolfed down chili cheese fries –
• Susina Bakery and Cafe. Yummiest almond croissants EVER!
• Red Corner Asia. Went here for Nicky’s birthday — I rate it a meh –

And 2 places I really wanna visit now:

Angeli Caffe. Gold sez “The pastas of chef Evan Kleiman, KCRW radio host and the local standard-bearer for the Slow Food movement, are beyond remarkable.”

Lucques. I heard about this place from Anna, who said it was green in some way, but I can’t remember how and the website’s down :( Still curious though –

Others in the list of 99 I should add to my list of places to go?

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