Getting More Airline Miles at Restaurants & Bars on LA's Westside

There are a lot of fine Italian restaurants in Los Angeles, but few can compare to this one. It all starts with the decor, where several different dining rooms each give … you a unique experience. It continues with the food, with fresh ingredients flown in from Italy. And finally, you get to the wine list, with one of the most famous cellars on the West Coast (and for a $10 corkage, you can bring in whatever you want). Try the tasting menu with the wine pairing, and by the end of your meal, you'll feel as if you ate two Marlon Brandos. [link]

Tengu is everything you want in a trendy sushi restaurant, with plenty of style and lots of substance. The restaurant describes itself as Asian fusion, but there's no … denying that sushi is king. There's also no question that you'll pay for the quality looks and quality taste, but it will give you something to talk about when you're killing time in the Admiral's Club. [link]

Offering up fresh and authentic Peruvian food, Qusqo (Incan for "navel of the world") also doubles as a gallery, giving the space an artsy but comfortable feel. The … specialty here is the seafood, and you'll enjoy some of the best ceviche in town to go along with freshly grilled fish and tamales. [link]

Some people would consider the gelato served here more like ice cream than the smooth Italian treat, but unless you're a real purist, you'll only care about how … wonderful all of the various flavors taste. Made fresh daily, the gelati come in regular, fruit-based, or sugar-free, from lemon to Rocky Road. If there's anything to get pissed off about, it's the cost, where the lowest-priced item comes in at about half the size as at most frozen diary product establishments. [link]

Los Angeles has a reputation for containing a lot of fake people with fake personalities, so it's nice to be able to recommend a bar that's not trying hard to be … something it's not. This Irish pub is perfect if you're on the hunt for beer and booze, and they'll even throw in the musty stale vomit smell for free! If that's not enough to get you coming back, the daily happy hour and weekly trivia and karaoke contests will. Make sure to get there early on the weekends so you can get drunk before the usual 3-to-1 guy-girl ratio discourages you from sticking around. [link]

With so many cute French bistros spread out across the city, sometimes it's difficult to decide which are legitimate and which should only be serving Vichy and Petain. … Rest assured, this bistro is the real deal, and has so much to offer it actually needs two storefronts. One is dedicated to the bakery and deli, where you'll enjoy fresh breads, tarts, cheeses, and all the cafe au lait you can guzzle. The rest is reserved for an excellent restaurant with all of the rich French food you expect, and an excellent selection of housemade pate. At times, the service may make you scream "Putain de merde!", but that's all forgotten once the food arrives. (photo) [link]

This family owned eatery has long been a staple for those seeking good quality Mexican food on the Westside. Here you'll find authentic dishes with chicken, fish, beef, … or pork, fresh margaritas, and all of the salsa and chips you can handle. However, if you can't get through your meal without a Mexican stereotype to liven things, a mariachi band is on hand several nights a week to serenade you as you finish off another plate of carne asada. [link]

I rarely recommend buffet style restaurants because too often the quantity of food does not make up for the horrific quality of the dishes. Therefore, trust me when I say … that the lunch buffet here is amazing. I normally try the same thing at every Indian restaurant, afraid to stray too far off the path without one off my Punjabi friends there for guidance, but the buffet here dispels any feelings of apprehension. Dinner is very reasonable as well, but if you like your curry very spicy, you'll need to request that they to prepare it extra-hot, as I think they tame their dishes a little bit. [link]

Since LA traffic makes it a bitch to get anywhere, the people of Santa Monica have a natural buffer, protecting the residents from dealing with venues such as this, which … are usually found in Hollywood. However, since there's always an element of the population that prefers overpriced drinks, long lines, loud music, and bottle service, Holly's exists to serve. In general, one would go here if you like guys who talk about their leased BMWs and Audis and girls who talk about their fake tits and noses, but it does have a great happy hour with decent food and drink specials. (photo) [link]

Many believe that getting fresh-tasting fish served fast is a near impossibility, but the Fish Grill is an exception. For around $10, you have your choice of a variety of … fresh fish mesquite-grilled to perfection, along with two sides, in about 10 minutes. If you pine for seeing your fish dipped in some sort of batter, you can choose a plate of fish and chips. Fish sandwiches, fish tacos, and fish pasta round out the menu. [link]

High-end sushi restaurants are everywhere in LA,. This used to be a good thing because there were enough sushi chefs floating around that most places had their own unique … style, but lately they've almost become dime a dozen. The upstairs lounge/patio at Akwa has a unique ambiance, and there are plenty of non-sushi items for your friends who don't need any extra mercury in their diet. But for the hard core sushi fan, the menu focuses more on interesting and flavorful sauces than fresh and flavorful fish. [link]