Friday night we went to dinner at Taix, which is one of those Los Angeles hidden in plain sight wonders. The food is solid, and more importantly, super reasonably priced. The wine list is incredible and ridiculously reasonably priced. (And I do mean ridiculous.) And the restaurant itself is like a trip back in time- big ol' booths and white tablecloths and charming waitstaff. Soup that comes in its own tureen. (The clam chowder was the best I've had outside of Boston.) An eclectic crowd. A dining room volume low enough that you can carry on conversation. A bar with a jazz trio... etc.

Plus, though we've driven by it a jillion times, my husband (an LA native) had never noticed or heard about it. I like uncovering hidden gems, and I think we'll definitely be back to Taix. (While, honestly, I can make a better steak at home, the Taix experience is worth the extra cost.)