I am not a Foodie. I honestly have a pretty strange palette, which probably emanates from the fact that I have no sense of smell (which was a fabulous trick when working with all men, but not so great when eating). I have never liked condiments - which includes salt and pepper. One of my favorite sandwiches came from a train station in Paris (I might have been slightly hungover), but the combination of bread, cheese and butter was just divine. I come from a family with a culture of food - family discussions and outing were always over meals. My mother has been known to ask on many occasions what we are having for the next meal, while we are still eating the current one. Both my mother and sister are great chefs, while I live on take out and Trader Joe’s.

I have been fortunate, however, to have had an expense account for work, and part of my job was to entertain clients at some of the world’s best restaurants. I have been to Gramercy Tavern, Daniel, the French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon, Nobu, Momofuko, Ad Hoc, etc. I love a good meal. I love a good glass of champagne. I love the artistry of small plates and a heaping serving of french fries.

I was particularly intrigued when I moved to Los Angeles about the food culture. While some restaurants are exceptional, the star of the meal is always the amazingly fresh produce. Lettuce tastes like lettuce (as opposed to dirty water), tomatoes taste like fruit, and the fruit tastes like candy. However, I discovered a few bites in LA that were so unique, I had to write about them.

Mac ‘N Cheese Pancakes at Blue Plate - while I recognize that this sounds incredibly unappealing, I recommend you just try it. Whoever came up with this decadent creation must have been hungover or actually drunk, but the combination of savory and sweet is actually phenomenal. My friends recommend trying it with syrup and hot sauce, but as I said, I am no fan of condiments.

The Fish Burrito at the Bear Flag Fish Company - I have had fish tacos before, and some of my favorite were actually at a dive bar in Kauai (the freshness of the fish and the sea breeze definitely stole the show), but a fish burrito was new to me. This was amazing! The combination of the fresh fish of the day, the avocado, salsa and brown rice - indescribable. Definitely worth the trip to Newport Beach.

The Brussel Sprouts at Katsuya - yes, Katsuya is a Japanese restaurant, and the sushi is incredible, but the Brussel Sprouts blew me away. They were grilled to perfection and seasoned with Japanese soy and salt, and an amazing appetizer to start of the meal Divine.

Dried Fruit at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market - the Farmer’s Market maybe about fresh fruit, but the stall outside the parking lot on 2nd Street has the most amazing dried stone fruit - white peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries. No preservatives, just dried decadence. Take my word for it, stock up on snacks.