Monday, September 29, 2008

#383: going for dim.

i was really bummed when father's office said 'no'. it literally would have been perfect. PERFECT. amazing food, fun atmosphere, upscale casual, budget friendly-er than your next door 4-course sit down restaurant (or so i would imagine since we never even got the chance to talk numbers...).

and...unconventional.

remind you of anyone?

but at this point, i need to get over it because it's just not going to happen. we have 6 nieces and nephews attending who are all under the age of 8 and a few cousins who are in their first years of college.

and, perhaps most importantly, my brother, who is THE golden apple of mine eyeseth, at age 12. {long story short, he was an 'accident' for my parents who'd been married for close to 20 years and had already raised 2 teen-aged daughters by then. it's kind of really awesome and ever so slightly gross at the same time.}

and our motto is: family first.

so now i'm going down the path of researching restaurants. nothing too pricey of course...but a place that could possibly offer a similar vibe. you know, fun and dimly-lit...but at the same time ok with the under aged.

with my trusty zagat in hand, i contacted the following places. i'll let you know what they tell me.

p.s. i'm hoping they don't tell me the minimum for a saturday buyout is $20,000 to 30,000 as did cafe del rey. lord.

p.p.s. all you LA'ers, of course your suggestions are welcome.


luna park.


fraiche.


rush street.

11 comments:

cats said...

what about cliff's edge in silverlake? they have a gorgeous outdoor area that's perfect for a wedding. i went to a wedding at ortolan on 3rd street a few years ago that was absolutely stunning.

m said...

This isn't a suggestion that fits your criteria, but why not do Korean BBQ or something? It's fun, tasty, no age limit, a lot less hassle...you won't get charged an arm and leg. It's fun...

cats said...

also, if you want something a little unconventional, what about one of the fish shacks on PCH?

.reese. said...

mmmmm. luna park has the best mac n cheese!

check out the Rec Center Studio in Echo Park. Not a restaurant but a space. Last time I checked, rental fee was $2300. BYO everything! Cool for the avant garde bride and groom.

http://reccenterstudio.com/flash/flash.html

Luminiarias in Monterey Park: http://www.luminariasrestaurant.com/

Coco Palm: http://www.cocopalmrestaurant.com/

Have you checked out Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills? I've been suggested to check it out, but we wanted to keep our wedding in the OC. Do ceremony, dinner and first dance there, then move the party to a restaurant/club down Sunset (you have to be outta there by 8pm).

Keep us updated on your findings!

deeds102 said...

find a place that does most of its business for brunch so that giving up a saturday night won't be an economic hit for them.

conversely, if you find a bar/restaurant that is hopping at night, they might be willing to open for a brunch reception.

that's what we did...

Rachel said...

You are so far ahead of me that I don't think I'll have any LA recommends that you haven't already looked at. I'll keep my eye out for you, though!

Linda Ly said...

Look into Tangier in Los Feliz. Amazing tomato bisque.

Anonymous said...

Here are a couple of places to maybe check into:

1. C&O Restaurant in the Marina
2. Royal T in Culver City- http://www.royal-t.org/cafe/
3. Inn at the 7th Ray

margaret lee said...

try looking into cafe metropol:

http://www.cafemetropol.com/

Anonymous said...

I know this isn't a restaurant, but I'm in a similar predicament (same exact budget actually) and just found a VERY reasonably priced beautiful location: Orcutt Ranch in West Hills (Canoga Park). They have a great indoor and outdoor space, amazing gardens, and what's even better is that it's under 2k!!!

Anonymous said...

the Viceroy quoted me $500 rental and $900 min f&b for a saturday daytime reception. Also try the penthouse at the huntley hotel. I've found that daytime hours are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper.