Apparently, the most frequently made New Year’s resolution is to exercise more. Is it any wonder that New Year’s goals are so notoriously short-lived? I mean, if my fat ass has never even seen the inside of a gym, then how realistic is it for me to expect that, just because the year ends in a different number now, I will somehow start Pelotoning three times a week? Like, who am I trying to kid? Here’s a lifehack, guys: Put more realistically achievable tasks on your New Year’s agenda; that way, you’re not setting yourself up for disappointment and self-loathing later on. Some examples: “My New Year’s resolution is to eat more chocolate.” Done. “Binge more episodes of MasterChef Junior.” Check. “Spread more gossip and bitch more mercilessly and at greater length about people I work with.” Done and done. See where I’m going with this?

In the spirit, then, of setting realistic, but nevertheless, commendable goals in this new year, we have decided to combine our shared love of fine dining and honest writing into the present enterprise. Over the course of the coming year, we will try one new restaurant each month and write about our dining experience to share it with fellow residents in this city of culinary diversity and richness, Los Angeles. Formally stated, our New Year’s resolution can be summarized thus: “In 2024, we will eat out more at nice restaurants and yap about it afterwards.”  We will do our level best to see this vow to its completion.

But who, you may ask, are these people anyway? I’ve never heard of this “Charlie” or “Mari.” What makes them qualified to write about food and restaurants? Are they critics of a caliber even approaching that of LA Times food critic and Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award recipient Bill Addison? Are they rarae aves gifted with exceptionally sophisticated palates? Do they have a degree from a culinary arts school at least?

The answer to all of the above potential questions/objections is a shamelessly resounding “No!” We have no formal training in any food-related field at all. We are just two friends who enjoy good food, and we know something’s good by how it makes us feel when we’re eating it. 

This blog, however, will be about more than just how certain dishes taste. After all, restaurants are never about just the food; it’s also about the drinks, the ambiance, the space itself, the location, the staff, the other patrons, and more. Similarly, dining out isn’t just about spending money at a restaurant so one can consume food prepared and served by others. Instead, it’s a conscious decision to do what can, practically speaking, be accomplished in half the time and often at a fraction of the cost at home (i.e., satisfying one’s hunger). But what we expend, in terms of time, money, and trouble, buys us an experience. And that experience can be memorable, happy, satisfying, or upsetting, regrettable, or merely, meh. The choice of restaurant has a lot to do with what kind of experience diners end up with, which is why you always, always, read the reviews first. So, join us as we eat our way across LA in the coming months and hopefully, you’ll find some useful information and recommendations from our restaurant reviews.