Four miles from Malibu and light-years away from downtown LA is this lovely, cheerful restaurant, styled to look just like some little grandmother's house. It's tucked on a hillside just next to a creek bed, convenient to the nearby upscale suburbs and easily accessible to the day-trippers from busy West Los Angeles. The owners have taken special measures to ensure that families, couples and groups of friends can enjoy themselves equally, installing an upstairs play area and a picturesque downstairs patio. Children can amuse themselves as adults enjoy ocean breezes, mountain views and, on weekend nights, live entertainment. The menu is traditional to a point, but in deference to the large numbers of vegetarians and perma-dieters in the region, the chef offers a number of low-calorie vegetarian options. Everything is made fresh daily. There is a full bar. -- Lena Katz
Pros: great food
Cons: bad parking
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