Buon anniversario
Rao's, Waymo, Addison, FOUND anniversaries, Melrose Triangle, Caruso's, Audio-Technica, best hotel restaurants, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Driver, to Rao’s
In this car town, the most intriguing sets of wheels on the roads right now belong to Waymo, Google’s self-driving car project.
This week, we fused new and old by ordering a ride on the Waymo app to old-school restaurant Rao’s in the heart of Hollywood's working studio district, south of the big Boulevards — Sunset and Hollywood. Our Waymo “driver" masterfully navigated the tricky side streets east from WeHo. While often disoriented, I’ve never felt safer in a driverless car.
Quiet lighting and soft music in the purring Waymo car create an aura of the surreal and futuristic. The sensation that nobody’s listening to you takes on an entirely new texture. As we rolled up to Rao’s, the car respectfully didn't move up to the two valet spots. We got out, and entered the Old World of the restaurant.
Opened in 2013, Rao’s Hollywood is larger than the New York original, a Harlem icon since 1896. In New York, there are no printed menus, but in Los Angeles, young actors/waiters are trusted to remember movie script lines but not a kitchen’s offerings.
Still, we didn’t need a menu to order the veal chop Milanese, the most popular dish at all three Rao’s locations (the Miami outpost opened in 2023). Served on an oversized dinner plate, the in-bone chop sprawls across the plate under a pile of arugula. As in New York, the Hollywood decor is red luxe from another era, with year-round Christmas decorations and photos of celebrities adorning the walls.
The food is more than good enough, the service is on the mark, and the LA vibe is unmistakable — happier, friendlier, younger. After two bottles of wine, we safely rode home with another Waymo faceless automated driver. But not nameless — this one we called Gloria Swanson. –Brad Inman
→ Rao's (Hollywood) • 1006 Seward St • Sun-Thu 5-9p, Fri-Sat 5p-10p • Reserve.
→ Ride: Waymo (Santa Monica to Downtown).
RESTAURANTS • Fine Dining Report
FOUND’s fine dining correspondent Lee Pitofsky dines at The French Laundry as often as he checks his email. Here, now, his latest SoCal report:
I’ve been dining at Addison in The Fairmont Grand Del Mar two times a year for a half-dozen years now. It’s the definition of a getaway restaurant — worth the drive from LA for dinner alone, and for me, a flight in from New York before hitting the skies again the following morning.
The space is as grand as they come, with 20-foot-high ceilings, Carrara marble, ironed white tablecloths, and multiple live fireplaces and wraparound balconies, perhaps for a cognac (or an after-dinner cigar).
Addison describes its cuisine as “California Gastronomy,” which loosely translates to a celebration of the vast and diverse culture of Southern California with nostalgic flavors executed thoughtfully and meticulously. I consider the signature “eggs & rice” dish to be very much on par with the legendary “oysters & pearls” of The French Laundry. A hefty dollop of Regiis Ova Reserve caviar is set over warm koshihikari rice, an applewood smoked sabayon, and toasted sesame. It’s a masterclass in varying texture and temperatures.
Also memorable from this visit: the final savory course, Wolfe Ranch Quail (the best of the best) in two progressions. First, as an egg drop soup with silken tofu and shiitake mushrooms. Then, Cantonese-style quail, with yu-choy and five-spice quail jus.
The hospitality at Addison is among the best you’ll experience. Many team members have been there from day one. Expect synchronization like you’ve never witnessed, beyond simultaneous plate drops (as at a four-top with one server per guest pouring water service in unison without a single drop ahead of another). World-class at every angle, and just a stone’s throw away. –Lee Pitofsky
→ Addison (San Diego) • 5200 Grand Del Mar Way • Tue-Sat 5-830p • 10-course tasting $385 per • Reserve.
LA RESTAURANT LINKS: Pizza pop-up Wallflower opening permanent spot in Eagle Rock next weekend • Australian-owned Great White expands to Brentwood • Chicago sandwich shop All Too Well opens in Culver City • Natural wine isn’t over.
WORK • About FOUND
Birthday party
Two years ago this week, we launched FOUND NY (04/18/23), and one year ago, we debuted FOUND SF (04/17/24) and FOUND Miami (04/18/24). Time flies when you’re building a global lifestyle media brand.
Building the way we do — send by send, city by city — requires diligence and patience. The road to media success is paved with well-intentioned enterprises that flame out in a six-month flurry of content creation, or worse, a sustained, venture-fueled spending binge.
So we’re celebrating the anniversaries, but just for a minute, because there’s much more to build even as we’re poised to cross 100K FOUND subscribers any moment now. Deeper coverage of our current markets? Definitely. New cities? Very likely. Heightened utility for all our subscribers? It’s why we get up every morning.
To make all this happen, we’ve got some immediate projects worthy of your attention:
With thanks to the thousands of you that are already paid FOUND subscribers, we’re adding new paid subscriber benefits as we turn two. First up: Quarterly Reports, punchy and actionable roundups of our top recommendations for LA plus NYC, San Francisco, and Miami. Paid subscribers will receive the inaugural Q1 ‘25 Quarterly Reports — perfect travel cheatsheets — for each of these locales this month, then add FOUND’s newest haunts, London and Paris, starting in Q2 ‘25.
We’re hiring sales people (full- and/or part-time). If you’re a creative seller with entrepreneurial instincts, especially if you have experience in luxury or real estate advertising, we’d love to chat.
Finally, we’re adding contributors with good taste and sharp pens in all of our markets. That’s NY, LA, SF, Miami, London, and Paris. Interested? Email us with a very quick pitch about the joy you’re going to bring to the FOUND universe.
Thanks for being part of FOUND: The Early Years. Keep sending us feedback and tips (found@itsfoundla.com). More good times ahead. –Josh & Lock
REAL ESTATE • Development Report
The West Coast version of Hudson Yards is officially dead. The much-ballyhooed Melrose Triangle development in West Hollywood is so over that developers must fill in the cavernous hole at the site, as the building permits expired this year with no new plans proposed.
It’ll take months to refill the gargantuan pit that was often filled with water and dubbed “Lake WeHo.” The Charles Company promised a 350K-square-foot mixed-use complex at the triangle of Santa Monica Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, and Almont Drive, including housing, office space, retail shops, restaurants, and an underground parking garage. How about Melrose Triangle Park instead? –Brad Inman
WORK & PLAY LINKS: With home price growth slowing, whose market is it now? • Closed by fires, PCH stretch by Palisades set to reopen by end of May • For fire-affected LA artists, getting back to work means playing the long game • Culver City-based food waste startup Topanga raises $8M series A • Geffen Playhouse announces ’25-’26 season • In tight labor market, ‘the idea of working with my dad is becoming way more appealing’ • The spring workwear update.
WORK • Thursday Routine
Lobsters & Pickles
SHIBANI MONE • sr. chef de cuisine • Caruso's, Rosewood Miramar Beach Monteceito
Neighborhood/city you live: Santa Barbara
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
At Caruso’s, we begin the day collecting our weekly produce from the farmer’s market. The team works together to ensure that all the fresh ingredients have been handled with care, our way of respecting the farmers and growers for their hard work. This important prep work allows us to get ready for a busy weekend ahead.
What’s on the agenda for today?
We curate the menus daily based on the ingredients at our fingertips. Now that it’s lobster season, we’re excited to introduce a new dish on The Ocean tasting menu: Santa Barbara Spiny Lobster Girasoli.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, or this weekend?
I plan on heading over to the Montecito Country Mart tonight (just a short drive away from Caruso’s) to grab dinner at Bettina. Its menu is seasonal, and I fell in love with their Carrot Pizza when it made an appearance. For my day off, I’ll venture over to the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara for some cocktails, then dinner at Loquita. Their chicken paella is a must-order.
How about a little leisure or culture?
When I’m not in the Caruso’s kitchen, I spend time cooking on the barbecue in my backyard. My golden retriever, Mr. Pickles, plays and runs around while I whip up different recipes. On sunny afternoons, I love to sip margaritas on the porch with a good book in hand. I also enjoy making my way to the Santa Barbara Farmers Market to pick up weekly produce. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of becoming friends with many of the local vendors, so it’s always fun to catch up and learn more about the ingredients they grow.
Any weekend getaways?
Two of my favorite getaways are Carmel By The Sea up north and Crestline in Lake Arrowhead. They’re both beautiful, scenic drives and very dog-friendly places.
While in Carmel I love to do the 14-mile drive and take in the seagulls, otters, and other wildlife that’s abundant along the coast. Highway 1 itself is part of the escape. There is a small coffee shop that I always stop at on my way there, Carmel Coffee House, which has the best croissants in town. We love strolling around the quaint little shops. Last time we discovered this little chocolate shop tucked away in the back called The Xocolatl Garden, which offers a hundred different types of chocolate bars and a chocolate tasting.
In Crestline, I like to go fishing and kayaking on Lake Arrowhead. It's a mountain town that has this little Mexican restaurant right on the cliff called Hortencia's with a thousand-foot drop protected just by a glass panel. Super unique and incredibly scenic. Usually dogs are a no-go but the owner now recognizes Pickles (since he has been there several times) and makes an exception.
What was your last great vacation?
Pattaya in Thailand. We were staying at the Rosewood Phukat, and the food on the property was phenomenal. The spa was so relaxing, just what the vacation needed. Exploring the alleyways and shopping for trinkets while taking in the local Thai culture was a great way to spend the evenings when we weren’t on the beach.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I just recently bought and fell in love with an Audio-Technica record player. I have always wanted to have a vinyl collection for my home, and it is the perfect background music for when I’m hosting friends and family.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Back in Black
AC/DC • Rose Bowl (Pasadena) • Fri @ 7p• section B2, $437 per
The Americana Roadshow • Troubadour (West Hollywood) • Fri @ 7p • GA, $18 per
Kim Gordon• The Belasco (Downtown) • Wed @ 7p • GA, $69 per
GETAWAYS LINKS: Tahoe’s Homewood Mountain Resort reopening for 2025-2026 ski season • Checking in at the remade Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui • American joining free wi-fi race, eyes 2026 debut for 90% of fleet.
ASK FOUND
This week, one urgent FOUND subscriber PROMPT for which we are seeking intel:
What restaurant should we take our picky kids that’s also somewhere I actually want to eat?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@itsfoundla.com.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Restaurants, hotel
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of LA’s best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundla.com.
Calabra, The Proper (Santa Monica), poolside rooftop spot, Mediterranean plates and mezzes, reserve