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B-wood

I pretty much never venture west of Sepulveda, but this place is worth it. The vibe is great and the food is really delicious.

If you're in Santa Barbara and you like tacos, this place is worth the stop. Their guacamole is great and the beans are not your typical beans (they're frijoles de olla which means they are simmered in a pot with chiles and ham hocks) and they are really tasty. The tortillas are homemade and the tacos are simple (the carne asada tacos are just that - carne asada on two homemade corn tortillas), but you throw one of their salsas from the salsa bar and guacamole on it and it can't be beat. The one thing to know is that you will have to wait in line (we waited in line 45 minutes to order) but it is well worth it.

Top Chef

I'm a big nerd and I love Top Chef so, I had to try Harold's restaurant (he won season 1 for those of you who don't watch). It was amazing. The duck meatball appetizer was insanely good and I had a fish in a green curry sauce that was delicious. They have a great wine list that is relatively inexpensive (particularly by New York standards) and the red velvet cake is probably one of the best desserts I've ever had. I almost hate to tell people about it because it's small and it's that good.

I hate to endorse an Emeril restaurant, but I ate here when I was in New Orleans and it was delicious. The service was great and the food was just really good.

All I have to say is Croque Madame.