(brunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner, 5-10 p.m.) Santa Monica just got a new French stage set. And while it may not be appropriate to break out that beret you bought in Paris, by all means, dress for the part.

(11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.) Though it's hard to find great BBQ joints in Los Angeles, Baby Blues is proof they do exist. Combining traditional techniques with the occasional haute touch, Baby Blues serves prodigious portions of meat from all over the American BBQ map: Carolina pulled pork, Memphis ribs, Texas brisket, etc. A bevy of sides are available: mashed sweet potatoes, creamed spinach and sauteed okra top the list. Sandwiches are available ($7-$9), but the smart money invests in one of the combo platters ($12-$29). You can also go a la carte down to a single shrimp ($1.75). Desserts ($5) are all southern classics—banana pudding, key lime pie, pecan pie and peach Betty. Woody's offers a small assortment of beer and wine. Bring your own bottle of wine, & the corkage fee is $10.

(deli: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; restaurant closed) This popular Northridge deli serves heaping portions of pastrami, corned beef, brisket, etc.; softball-sized matzoh balls; moist, savory kreplach; and eclairs the size of a football.

(11 a.m.-10p.m.) The steakhouse meets "Gilligan's Island" at this almost 70-year-old institution. Dine amid fake palm trees. Sip a dangerously potent mai tai. And on Monday nights, take $5 off any cut of prime rib au jus. Don't do red meat? There's shrimp, either deep-fried or skewered and slathered with herbed lemon butter.

(11 a.m.-10 p.m.) This family-owned classic has been doling out quality Mexican food and spirits since 1964. Start with their classic house margarita or the tempting "Mexican Russian," a below-the-border take on the bowling alley staple featuring horchata, and choose from any number of house specialties like the zucchini-rich Calabasitas con Elote or the smoky and vaguely addictive Barbacoa plate, a stew-like concoction of slow-roasted beef sauteed with onions and cilantro.

(11 a.m.-9 p.m.) Here it's about the beef -- the lomo saltado (thin skirt steak with punchy seasoning) and the grilled churrasco steak served with a fried egg and a chimichurri-like sauce. But there's also plenty of chicken (pollo saltado) and shrimp dishes for the cholesterol-wary that come served with savory black beans and white rice. El Caserio also touts plenty of Italian dishes like risotto and pasta in Vodka sauce. There's a tempting sangria that might be just a tad overpriced but you will enjoy the blackberry juice (jugo de mora) just the same. But the most authentic Ecuadorian fare you will find on the menu are the Llapingachos, cheese-filled potato balls.

(9:30 a.m-9:30 p.m.) At the Golden Deli, hidden away in a San Gabriel strip mall, there's always a wait to eat the fabulous Vietnamese fare. Once you've tried the shrimp paste--served on sugar cane and wrapped tightly in rice paper with romaine, bean sprouts, carrots, mint, cilantro and Asian herbs-- you'll be hooked.

(8 a.m.-6 p.m.) With its vibrant colors and homespun service, Guelaguetza has a mole for every tastebud, and two of the best-loved are the salted beef in black mole and the red mole enchiladas. While mole is the twinkle in Oaxacan cooking, you should also venture to try the other potent dishes like the grasshopper cooked in a spicy red sauce, the pork side ribs and the grilled cactus steak. It's a nice family spot that has a kid's menu (complete with a cartoon grasshopper waving hello) and an array of desserts.

(lunch, 12-3 p.m.; dinner, 5:30 p.m.-12 a.m.) Tucked in a passageway behind the Borders bookstore at Sunset and Vine, Hungry Cat has an edgy, urban vibe. The restaurant is a combination of straightforward, impeccably sourced seafood and more inventive dishes that sing because they're both delicious and well-executed. It's easy to see why it's catching on fast with a young and eclectic Hollywood crowd.

(11 a.m.-3 a.m.) This noodle-oriented, North Hollywood Thai hotspot features excellent versions of standard dishes such as pad thai, pad see ew and chicken satay as well as more authentic Thai cuisine such as yen ta fo (a hot and spicy rice noodle soup) and beef tendon soup.

(9 a.m.-9 p.m.) On New Year's Day, Little Dom's offers $10 bottles of Prosecco, along with $10 bottles of their house red and white wines, usually only available on the weekends. Or try one of their breakfast cocktails like a Bloody Mary with housemade pickled peppers or an Enzoni with Bombay gin, Campari, fresh grapes and a touch of sweet. Full brunch menu in effect including steak and eggs, pizza with a sunnyside egg; speck, mozzarella & tomato sauce; and more.

(5-10 p.m.) The folks who brought you Sushi Roku, Katana and Robata Bar bring you Luckyfish, a price-conscious conveyor-belt sushi joint in the middle of Beverly Hills. This place has that fun, space-age Jetsons-style novelty to it. If you’re squeamish about rotating raw fish, you can order standards like tempura, teriyaki and yakisoba off the menu instead.

(8 a.m.-6 p.m.) An excellent Mexican restaurant known for its incredible array of moles and its welcoming atmosphere. They also serve a variety of antojitos, and Angelenos in the know make sure to leave room for the flan.

(11 a.m-8 p.m.) The sign out in front of this converted burger stand promises "slow fast food." The home-cured pastrami has foodies flocking to Colorado Boulevard, understandable even for the expanded version topped with crash cart-courting pickled cabbage and gruyere cheese. The burgers rival those offered by many local gastropubs, and the Belgian fries have a following of their own. Less well known is their rotisserie chicken; a plain but moist, barely seasoned and slightly wet-brined golden bird a la carte with a garlicky aioli is $8.75.

(6 a.m.-10 p.m.) Philippe's signature French dips – available with beef, pork, lamb, ham or roasted turkey – are truly special. In addition to the dip sandwiches, a variety of soups, salads and sides are available. Sliced pickles and creamy potato salad are an excellent compliment to any menu option. Unusual options such as pickled eggs, beets and pigs feet are available for daring customers. And don't forget the famous ten-cent cup of coffee.

(11 a.m.-11 p.m.) It's almost impossible to find 100% authentic New York-style pizza in Los Angeles, but Pizza Buona's pies probably come the closest. A neighborhood institution since 1959, Buona serves up the usual fare of thin-crust pies, pastas and salads either in its frills-free dining room or by delivery, but either way, it's cash only.

(11:30 a.m.-some time in the evening) Traditional Italian fare in a typical American setting. Located on Fourth Street in the Old Bank District, Rocket Pizza's menu reads like the greatest hits of Italian-American dishes from calzones to eggplant Parmesan to meatball subs. Of course, there are plenty of specialty pizzas too, including the "Rocket Pizza" with scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, green peppers, goat cheese and mozzarella.

(11 a.m.-midnight) Slightly more upscale than many of the restaurants in this area, Seafood Village specializes in chiu chow (Chaozhou), a cuisine based on seafood originating along the coast of Guangdong (Canton), the province that borders Hong Kong. House specialties include bird's nest with rock sugar, scrambled egg with preserved turnips, sauteed spinach chow chiu style and cold crab chiu chow style, which is steamed upside down so the juices and flavors are retained in the shell. They also offer sauteed prawns, hot pots, and eight different varieties of shark's fin soup.

(11 a.m.-11 p.m.) At Soot Bull Jeep, meat is king and kimchee is queen. Leave your royal robes at home, however, as the barbecue smell that permeates the place will definitely leave your clothes with a meaty Martinizing.

(9 a.m.-3 p.m.) Known for their thick-cut bacon. It's good to know if you sleep in on the weekend -- or, for that matter, almost any day of the week, even well into the afternoon -- there's still somewhere to get breakfast, a friendly smile and a good, strong cup of joe.

(11 a.m.-3 p.m.) Tigeorges' chicken takes Haitian barbecue seriously. An industrial sized rotisserie grill dominates nearly a third of the restaurant's space, spinning George’s succulent chicken to juicy perfection. The pate de poulet (chicken pate) and acra -- which resembles a hush puppy in size and texture -- are two of the most popular appetizers. George's chicken comes in a variety of forms: an entire chicken is available for parties of four or more. Half chickens are served with several side options, including salad, plantanos fritos -- better known as fried plantains -- and rich and flavorful rice and beans.

(6 p.m.-2 a.m.) Belgian-ale-steamed mussels and a pint o' Guinness your style? WeHo neighborhood pub the Village Idiot dishes out upscale pub fare (the burger is quite good) and a formidable selection of beers, ales and wine. Take a seat at the mahogany wraparound bar for pub grub such as steak and potato pie or grilled sausages and wash it down with some Boddington's.

(8 a.m.-midnight) If you're the kind of meat lover who thinks that BYOB means bring your own bacon, then The Waffle's signature dish, an Applewood smoked bacon waffle with hefty chunks of bacon embedded in the waffle AND sprinkled on top, transforms your hybrid fantasies into reality. If you prefer a less savory breakfast starch, they offer nearly a dozen waffle varieties including the traditional malted Belgian, blueberry lemon, carrot cake and sticky bun (Oh, that such a combination of breakfast sweets should exist!). The lunch and dinner menus are filled with upgraded, generation-spanning comfort food such as mac & cheese (made with cheddar, fontina & gruyere), chicken pot pies, gravy fries and more. But it's the breakfast dishes where The Waffle aims to stand out.