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Print2011 Best of A to Z
To celebrate the finest our community has to offer, Ventura Blvd magazine asked readers to select their favorites from nearly 200 nominees in more than 40 categories.
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A is for Adventure
BEST adventure ACTIVITY
I Fly Hollywood
I Fly Hollywood is for thrill-seekers who savor a big rush but have a small budget. With this airborne experience, you feel like you’re skydiving—but instead of falling toward the earth you’re in a vertical wind tunnel, while spectators on the Universal CityWalk cheer you on.
100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City 818-985-4539 | iflyhollywood.com
Finalists
•Field of Fire Paintball Adventures, Santa Clarita
•MB2 Raceway, Thousand Oaks & Sylmar
•Oxygen Paragliding Flight School, Camarillo
B is for Booze
BEST wine SELECTION
Vendome Wine & Spirits
Wine lovers can lose themselves in the aisles of Vendome. The chain offers wines from all over the world with knowledgeable staff more than happy to help you find one in your price range. Regulars also love their weekly beer and wine tastings.
11555 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City | 818-766-5272 | vendomes.com
10600 Riverside Dr. in Toluca Lake | 818-766-9593 | vendometolucalake.com
Finalists
•Flask Fine wines
•Green Jug
•Tarzana Wine & Spirits
•Wine & Liquor Depot
best craft beer selection
Laurel Tavern
Handpicked domestic micro-brews are the hallmark of this prime Studio City hotspot. And the varieties, from Delaware’s Dog Fish Head to Pasadena’s 1903 to Maine’s Wild Blueberry, are fresh and frothy. FYI—this is one of the most popular venues on this side of the hill right now, and beer or any beverage for that matter is just part of the attraction. There’s no place better to watch beautiful people eating spectacularly juicy burgers. Get there weekends after 8 p.m. and plan on noisy crowds, not intimate conversation.
11938 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City | 818-506-0777 | laureltavern.com
Finalists
•Blue Dog
•Boneyard Bistro
•Local Peasant
•The Federal Bar & Grill
best dive bar
Springbok Bar & Grill
Talk about a place where everyone knows your name. Springbok has a great crowd of regulars, but newcomers feel welcome too. It has all the attributes of a great joint: it’s comfy, well priced, casual and you can see a big-screen TV from every angle. Locals love the pub food, including the spicy “Peri Peri” sauce, hanging on the outdoor patio, as well as the weekly karaoke show.
16153 Victory Blvd. in Van Nuys | 818-988-9786 | thespringbok.com
Finalists
•Fox & Hounds
•Pickwick Pub
•Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill
•The White Harte
•Weber’s Place Sports Bar and Grill
C is for Cuts
BEST HAIR SALON—women
Onyx Salon
Onyx is not one of those fancy-schmancy salons with expensive wood floors, fresh orchids and waiters serving wine. Now, we’re not insinuating you’ll find customers with blue, Aqua Net-frozen hair. The stylists are among the best in the Valley. They really listen to what you want and are always eager to please. That, coupled with reasonable prices (cuts are $70 a pop), makes regulars wonder why they ever drove over the hill.
15053 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks | 818-501-0299 | onyxsalon.com
Finalists
•Allen Edwards Salon & Spa
•Butterfly Loft Salon & Spa
•C The Salon
•Salon True
•Suburbia Salon
Best Hair Salon — Men
Floyd’s 99 Barber Shop
Going to Floyd’s for a cut is easy-breezy and just plain fun. Whether you walk in or make an appointment, you’re likely get into a chair quickly, and when you exit you’ll have a style that’s hip and cool. If you take your kid, you can relax—no salad bowl cuts here. Also a great spot for people watching—not just for the “who’s who” of the Valley, but for Floyds’ stylists, who often rock rad hairstyles and sport the most creative assemblage of tattoos and piercings this side of Venice Beach.
17622 Ventura Blvd. in Encino | 818-906-7200
11700 Moorpark Ave. in Studio City | 818-980-9900 | floydsbarbershop.com
Finalists
•Manny’s Barbershop
•Outlaw Barbershop & Salon
D is for Dance
BEST DANCE STUDIO
Releve Dance Studio
This studio offers classes for dancers of all ages, from ballroom to hip hop to stomp to ballet to hula. Students get inspired by the fact that many of the teachers are bona fide professional dancers.
18356 Oxnard Street in Tarzana | 818-343-7353 | relevestudios.com
Finalists
•Anisa’s School of Dance
•Anna Cheselka Dance Studio
•Hama’s Dance Studio
•Nadia Eftedal’s Rhythm Room
E is for Eats
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD SUSHI BAR
Katsu-Ya
Blink and you’ll miss the Valley’s number-one sushi restaurant, tucked in a nondescript Ventura Boulevard strip mall. But what Katsu-Ya lacks in location, it makes up for in consistently fresh and creative fare. The spicy tuna on crispy rice and the baked crab hand roll will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven. Devour with caution: it ain’t for penny pinchers.
11680 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City | 818-985-6976 | katsu-yagroup.com
Finalists
•Brothers Sushi
•Katsu-Ya, Encino
•Kiwami
•Kushiyu
•4 on 6 Sushi
Best Burrito
Casa Vega
A staple of the Valley since the seventies, this family-owned business doesn’t take reservations. They don’t have to. Satisfied customers pack the house day after day, night after night. Casa Vega burritos boast fresh ingredients and super soft tortillas—with fresh-made salsa and guacamole, which comes in “chunky” or traditional (smooth). Nosh on your burrito with a “skinny” margarita, which eschews mixes in favor of all-natural, fresh juices.
13301 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks | 818-788-4868 | casavega.com
Finalists
•Hugo’s Tacos
•La Fogata
•Mexicali
•Salsa & Beer
•Senor Fred
•Sol y Luna
Best Cakes
Big Sugar Bakeshop
Big Sugar offers an irresistible array of beautiful, handcrafted desserts. Plus fans say there’s almost nothing that the friendly owners, Lisa and Mary, won’t whip up to perfection.
12182 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City | 818-508-5855 | bigsugarbakeshop.com
Finalists
•Diana Sproveri Designer Bake Shop
•Hansen’s Cakes
•Immaculate Confections
•Nothing Bundt Cakes
•Lollicakes
Best Romantic Rendezvous
Olive & Thyme
You can gaze into your lover’s eyes over delicious, seasonal fare and full-bodied wine at this Toluca Lake newcomer. Revered for gourmet sandwiches like the Short Rib, tasty salads (beautifully displayed on glass enclosed shelves) and their signature burger with Gorgonzola, caramelized onions and arugula. If the food doesn’t put you “in the mood,” the charming atmosphere will. Sit outside at cute sidewalk tables or in the cozy, well-decorated indoor space. Limited hours (no dinner Saturdays and closed Sundays) and higher-than-average prices have not dissuaded crowds.
4013 Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake | 818-557-1560 | oliveandthyme.com
Finalists
•Firefly
•La Pergola
•La Petit Restaurant
•Pinot Bistro
•8½ Taverna
Best Burger
In-N-Out Burger
In a day when everyone is talking about Umami Burger and the constant line out the door, this winner was something of a surprise! But sentiment for the longtime fast food restaurant, with its uber-convenient drive-thru, runs high. Make no bones about it, the Double Double with special sauce, at less than half the price of an Umami Burger, reins king in the Valley.
Multiple locations | in-n-out.com
Finalists
•Laurel Tavern
•The Counter
•The Stand
•Umami Burger
Best Slice of Pizza
Mulberry Street Pizzeria
Owned by actress Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull), this popular eatery just opened its second location in the Valley. Whether you’re ordering thin crust or the Sicilian deep dish, patrons swear by the white spinach and eggplant pizzas. A plain cheese pizza (only one size) costs $16.95, so, add a bunch of toppings, and you’re definitely spending more than you would at many pizza shops around town. But converts say it’s worth every penny.
17040 Ventura Blvd., Encino | 818-906-8881
4954 Van Nuys Blvd. in Sherman Oaks | 818-986-7272 | mulberrypizzeria.com
Finalists
•Joe Peeps
•Oak Fire Pizza
•Pagliacci’s
•Papa John’s
Best for Breakfast
The Baker Café and Bakery
There’s a reason why so many venture to the western corner of the Valley to dine at this small eatery and full-service bakery. The most popular entrees are the Challah French Toast and the Moroccan dish “Shakshuka” (literal translation: Eggs in Purgatory)—eggs poached over a spicy “stew” of tomatoes, red peppers, onions and garlic. Owner Sari Afriat can often be seen table-hopping to check on customers. Patrons also love the warm breadbasket served with breakfast. Cap off your meal with a homemade, preservative-free Pop Tart, “OMG! Ding Dong” or a white chocolate chip raspberry cookie—which often sell out by noon.
21600 Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills | 818-340-1987 | thebakerbread.com
Finalists
•Cici’s Cafe
•Dupar’s
•Jinky’s
•More Than Waffles
•Sweet Butter Kitchen, Café & Marketplace
