bestia
bavel
majordomo
republique
animal
pizzeria mozza
gjusta
guerrilla tacos
ricky’s fish tacos
howlin’ ray’s
langer’s
holbox
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Hell of a good list. I’d replace Republique with AOC though and would add in Petit Trois and Szechuan Impression
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Gjusta Gjusta Gjusta - prime rib butcher, smoked fish plate, etc, etc, etc
Holbox - coctel mixto, scallop taco
Parks BBQ - marinaded galbi, pork belly with grilled kimchee
Kagura - mille feuille katsu with shiso cheese
Sidecar - butter and salt, birthday cake, huckleberry
Connie and Teds - lobster roll, french fries, oysters
Bizarra Capital - chimichangas, pulpo, mole verde fries
Edit: just read solo dining, Parks probably not the best for that. 
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I’d replace Gjusta with a smoldering heap of rubble.
I’ve had great meals solo at Broken Spanish, Langer’s, Majordomo, Osteria Mozza, Cassia, Gwen, Luv2Eat, Petit Trois, Shunji, and Rustic Canyon.
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Chengdu Taste Crew
Also, Ta-Eem Grill
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Where are you staying? Lodging alone could eat up that entire budget.
I haven’t picked a place yet. Recommendation? I don’t want to stray too far from I5. For example, no Santa Monica, but I’m entertaining Hollywood, that’s where I usually stay.
Thanks for the replies everyone. Wow, I didn’t expect such a response. You guys are great.
If you’re getting a work stipend, I’d consider that as a way to subsidize your eating trip. If places like Holbox, Shunji or Aburiya Raku, Gjusta or Bavel aren’t in range of your home town, and if any of them interest you, make a point of going if you can. LA is definitely not the LA in so so many ways that you left 10 years ago.
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I’m not understanding what you’re saying, are you saying my daily budget is not enough? I’m not getting a stipend, but budget isn’t a huge concern of mine, anything south of $500 I’d consider, but being a cheapskate, I’d like to keep it at $300.
And nice lodging isn’t a huge concern either, I’m used to staying at places like Courtyard Marriott, I don’t mind. I’m more about food.
Thanks for replying!
I think a concern is if you present us with a total budget that includes lodging, this gets difficult (at least from my perspective).
Lodging is a potentially huge bite out of this budget. Since you usually stay at Courtyard Marriott, you probably know the lodging portion of your budget already - at least within a range. You obviously know your comfort level for lodging far better than we do. I would personally not want to suggest staying at the Encore Motel in order to maximize your eating budget.
It would be far easier for you to determine what your food budget would be and then we could chime in on appropriate suggestions.
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Wow, I feel like I’m on trial… but since you’re so persistent, how about a food budget of $200/day? Can you work with that?
And I am getting a stipend while at work but this is my weekend food excursion. So all costs go back to me.
And if you read my earlier post, I’d like to stay near the I5, as I need to be in Central California Monday afternoon, Venice is out of the question.
Check out the Best Western Plus Hollywood Hills. I stayed there in February and it’s a cool old hotel- lots of movie memorabilia. Gracious staff and nice rooms. Around $200 if you have AAA.
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I like staying within easy walking distance of the Hollywood / Western or Vermont / Sunset Metro stations. Lots of choices on Airbnb.
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On trial? Don’t understand that the one. Anyway, asking for food suggestions is fine. Asking for accommodations? And work food and lodging into a certain budget? If you feel like you’re on trial, I feel more like a travel agent.
I only used the Encore Motel as an example because it’s pretty much a place for “hourly” rates. In other words, I was half-joking. But the point is offering a budget and wanting recs for food and lodging that work within those parameters is awkward. If I recommend Providence for dinner, that meal portion of your daily budget puts the lodging portion in a precarious place. If I rec the SLS, where’s that leave your food portion of your daily budget? Would you even want to stay there? Does that make sense?
And because I’ve “cross-examined” you, you now have presented the kind of info that will help nail down some better useful information. Carry on…
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You still haven’t given any recommendations.
And you don’t have to answer every post, if you don’t have any answer, it’s better to say nothing than remove all doubt.
But thanks, I guess…
And I won’t ask how you know about “Encore Motel”.