dear gang:
meeting an out of town friend at a gallery in bergamot.
where should we go – nearby – after to eat? won’t have reservations.
nothing too too casual please, nothing uber expensive either.
alcohol a MUST.
otherwise, open to most everything.
many thanks.
Cassia, rustic canyon, nanbankan?
I would check in with Cassia about their availability tonight. Wonderful food. Great atmosphere. They do have tables tonight after 9pm.
http://www.cassiala.com
Have heard great things about Cassia. Would think it would be crowded.
A fun choice might be Chez Jays. Old dive steak house with strong drinks and a fun scene.
@linus, I third the vote for Cassia.
They have a portion of their restaurant always available for Walk-Ins Only, so you might have some luck there perhaps (it is busy on weekends).
Their bar program is also very well done (great cocktails, farmers market ingredients (in the vein of Julian Cox-style, but not by him)).
Great suggestion, @Chowseeker1999. @linus, you could also get an aperitif at Esters Wine Shop & Bar (next door to Cassia) beforehand if you decide to do a walk-in.
thanks so much you fine people.
I wouldn’t count on Cassia not being slammed on a Saturday night. At the minimum make sure you have a back up plan if the wait is to long for a walking in. Personally I think Cassia is better to do with a bigger group so you can taste more of the menu. It can get expensive quickly if you are hungry.
Too bad I missed this thread yesterday - I have so many recs from Wilshire to Valentino and on and on. Where did you end up?
Valentino may be a bit pricy for what they were looking for. Only been to Wilshire for lunch but enjoyed the food and patio.
Where did you end up and how was it? 
i ended up on my couch drinking kumquat sours. SWMBO ended up at furaibo and they had a good time.
Har! Thanks for the update. 
