Editor's Favorites: Matthew Allard

6360 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (map)

Beside the Arclight, Spacecraft Designs' Kristofer Keith apparently had a good ol' time redesigning this former Charcoal space. It's kitsch to the max with old folk furniture, retro chandeliers, secondhand paintings, animal busts and more. Gotta call it one of the more comfortable spots in town, and a dynamite decision for beer lovers (like moi) since they have a monthly rotation of 25 unique brands.

4348 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029 (map)

The Kitchen is a good place to be. It's a little worn around the edges, like any self-respecting Silver Lake eatery. Painted on the wall they have crazy critters doing strange things with salt shakers. There is graffiti, everything is more than gently loved! So, that's that. I will tout their fried chicken, vegetable medley, and mashed potatoes dish until the day I...well, for a real long time.

641 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038 (map)

Probably the most talked about pizza place in Los Angeles, Mozza makes folks call exactly one month in advance for reservations. And since everything has already been said about how the pizza dough took years to perfect, I have nothing else to add. Except for this haiku: Pizza in the sky/ pizza flying at my face/ What an autumn day!

7605 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (map)

They serve fantastic pasta and pizzas (er, pizze) with true gourmet toppings, like eggplant, speck, and Italian tuna. As a baby gourmand, I'm still stuck on margherita though. Regardless, the food is anything but average, and the setting is down to earth with exposed ductwork, creative light fixtures, and a bathroom that teaches you how to speak Italian. Waiting for a table (because they do not take reservations)? Elbow up to the shiny bar area and make friends. They may be your new dinnermates if you end up at the long community dining table toward the back of the restaurant.

7702 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046 (map)

Grab your i.d. and head on over to this Russian bar on the outskirts of West Hollywood. There's a minimal outdoor drinking area cordoned off by floor-to-ceiling iron gates, a dive-y front bar and a deep red bar in back where waitresses work the room clad in communist-era uniforms. It can be sardines on the weekend, but a great escape into another world on weeknights.

2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (map)

Feist, Groove Armada, Massive Attack, Zero 7 and Ray LaMontagne are some of the great concerts I've been able to attend at this outstanding outdoor venue. I love it so much that I would consider watching Michael Bolton do the Macarena here. That's real love, guys. But what's also cool about "The Bowl" is that you can bring your own everything, from blankets and booze to snacks and picnic dinners.

1636 Silver Lake Blvd, Silver Lake, CA 90026 (map)

LAMILL, pronounced 'la' not 'L.A.', is doing coffee like no one else in the city. You pay a bit more for it. For that, they've been labeled by some as pretentious. I say: Get over it. Their drinks are artfully made and delicious, and the selection is wide and eclectic. I love the high-style, mod-foreign diner feel. (And the warm brioche donut holes.)

4655 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (map)

The second location of the wildly popular, Japanese-flared burger eatery comes with more bells and whistles: a bar and a much larger dining room. I've been won over by their "Manly Burger" in a big way. It comes topped with beer-cheddar, bacon lardons and smoked salt onion strings--toppings I'd normally avoid. Funny, then, that it's currently my favorite burger in Los Angeles. The fifth taste, indeed.

8616 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (map)

I can't get enough of the red velvet cupcakes from this sweet little bakery in Sunset Plaza. They're perfectly sized--not large and unwield-y like some of the others in town--and the amount of cream cheese frosting on top is just right. Highly recommended.