The Porteña

Today’s outfit says: it’s 90 degree, everyone in Orange County will be having a hot Valentine’s Day 

  
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching I thought I’d make a list of some of my favorite date night restaurants. If you’re in the Southern California area check them out!

I will start with the restaurant that Danny and I go to every Valentine’s Day, Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks. I first went to this restaurant in 2005 after watching an episode of Newlyweds, with Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, she was eating a GIANT plate of nachos, and it looked too, too good. I googled it and off I went with my friend Megan! I usually get taquitos, their salad (which is amazing) and the vegetarian burrito. We usually go around 9 or 10pm to beat the crowds, and we always end the night with the flan (even if we have to take it home because we are too stuffed).

This next restaurant has some of the best Argentine food in Los Angeles! I go to the one on Melrose, it’s called Lala’s Argentine Grill . They have the best tortilla de papa, the entrana is to die for, and their mashed potatoes taste like butter. Delicious butter. Their chimi churri is some of the best I’ve ever had (including my dads, sorry papi), and the milanesa and gnocchi is perfection as well. If you’re in LA you have to try it. You won’t be sorry, but you will be burping chimi churri burps all night long it’s worth it 🙂

This next restaurant is in Orange, right in the Orange Circle. It’s called Felix Continental Cafe . I first came here with my dad, who is known by all the waitstaff, and fell in love. The location is amazing, and the food is perfectly Cuban (they also offer some Spanish dishes). Their calamari and tres leches cake are the best I’ve ever had, anywhere. I recommend the Arroz on Pollo and the Carne con Papas. All the meals are simple and taste homemade.

Long Beach is one of the best places to go on a date night. There is so much to do there! One of my favorite restaurants there just so happens to by owned by my dads friends, it’s called p3 Artisan Pasta. Pasta is made fresh daily! There are even seasonal pastas around the holidays, like pumpkin ravioli! The pizza is good, the pasta is good, the empanadas are insanely good and the service is amazing.

The next restaurant also happens to be owned by one of my dad’s friends and is delicious. As you can tell, my dad has amazing taste in friends and food. It’s in Laguna Hills and it’s called Villa Roma . One of the coolest things about this restaurant is that it has a deli area (where you can buy Argentine food, order Argentine food, and on game days sit elbow to elbow with Argentine’s rooting for Messi), and there’s a sit down area with an adjacent patio. I love to go on rainy days! Everything is good here, everything. I have yet to eat something here that I have not liked, but I usually get the milanesa a caballo. We almost had our reception here when we got married! But when you’re Argentine, you can’t limit the guest list to 120, just think “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, but with better food 😉

Last, but not least, is Danny’s favorite date night stop: Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Manhattan Beach. This is seriously the best pizza I’ve ever had. The first time I went I got a fancy pizza with all the trimmings, and I actually didn’t care for it! We gave it a second go, and I did not regret it!!! I ordered the pepperoni this time, and I am seriously drooling thinking about it. Their pizza is perfect, it’s never a super long wait, it’s located right next to an Arclight (so it’s perfect for dinner and a movie), and it has THE BEST cheesecake. Seriously, the best.