I was up most of the night. The Yankees lost in 11 innings to our nemesis, the Boston Red Sox.  I am also prepping for an impending storm front at home as I am terribly worried about Berkeley. She has that look in her eyes and it turns me into a weepy idiot. This morning I had to prep my mom for a crucial switch from Cablevision to DirectTV (talked her down off the satellite ledge), walked the dogs at 5am and was greeted by the smell of poop in the morning (think I would prefer Napalm) as the lazy bitches in this posh building cannot walk the 10 feet to the sidewalk to let their dogs relieve themselves. I jump started my brain and ran to an 8:30am spin class. The music was super so I was able to sweat away my negative start to the day and now I am in a positive space and ready to take on, Titillating Tuesday.

It’s all about the food. I am focusing on a brand spanking new restaurant in the up and coming Eagle Rock neighborhood on the eastside of Los Angeles…it is trending towards becoming the new Silverlake.  As with the route to the Vet in Pasadena, I have to take the 10 East to the 110 North to the 5 North to the 2 North…all for food. I am driving myself crazy over food (20 miles on LA freeways), but my friend, Rebecca, invited us to dine so it is well worth the drive just to see her. Little did I know that I would have doubled the mileage to eat this food!

Rebecca is a throwback to times when “them youngum’s” had manners and cared about others and, even though she is tall and thin and likes to eat, I still think she is a wonderful woman with a heart of gold.  She has an amazing grasp of food and service and if I ever catch anyone talking down to her or giving her shit, I will find you and have you wearing your meal. Rebecca and the rest of the best who used to work at Lazy Ox have joined forces with chef, Sean Lowenthal, who most recently was the sous chef at the Chateau Marmont.

Little Beast is situated in a charming, refurbished cottage that was originally built in 1911. the restaurant was conceived as a pop up down the street. Lowenthal and his wife, Deborah Schwartz, who is a photographer’s agent, named the restaurant after her 10 year-old son, Miles, who they lovingly refer to as, ”little beast!”

The food is identified as progressive American comfort food and has the vibe of a neighborhood place, but it is definitely a destination restaurant.

Now for the opening act, followed by the headliners. Kicking it off is the must have burrata and peach salad…you are served an ample portion of burrata which literally melts in your mouth and the peaches will remind you of hot summer evenings with Martha and the Vendellas playing in the background.  Start with any of the delectable salads. We have established the burrata as a must, but the grilled romaine BLT is fab. The bacon is unbelievably flavorful as are the heirloom tomatoes. Just about all of the small plates are worth trying, including duck liver mousse with carmelized sweet onions (who knew that my grandmother Syd’s chopped liver would become the “it” item on so many menus in 2013),  the wild salmon tartare and Chipotle hummus…so many choices. Don’t go if you have had Lap Band surgery because even if you want to stop eating, you can’t.

After devouring the left side of the menu, you are going to have a difficult choice with the mains. The enormous (no A-Rod steroids injected to pump up ‘em up) pan roasted Diver scallops are impossibly great, topped off with roasted cauliflower and cauliflower puree. The dark side of the surf and turf equation is the charred filet of beef crowned with a spray of crispy and succulent onions, a whisper of Point Reyes demi and spinach…Popeye would have an orgasm.

The pan roasted organic chicken flew by and looked divine. The burger is piled high with heirloom tomato, charred red onion, butter lettuce. aioli and Pt. Reyes bleu, cheddar or guyere (don’t be a pussy, go with the bleu.) Seriously, everything was beyond tasty. The wine list is lovely and the Mozzocco Cabernet from Sonoma was a wonderful and reasonable accompaniment to the meal with just the right amount of spiciness to enhance all the selections.

Sustainable and local ingredients take priority and the owners embrace all eating issues, including gluten free options and vegetarian preparations…good food and considerate. You aren’t in Beverly Hills anymore, Toto!

Make sure you sit outside, lots of charm and ask for Rebecca, Krista or Nicol . The lighting is beautiful and even women over 50 look mighty fine in the restrained, but flattering lighting…the moonlight was perfection the other night. I lost 10 years, but probably gained some lbs.

Since I cannot make the all-important dessert decisions, Rebecca took the lead and presented us with vanilla bean brioche bread pudding with caramel and crème fraiche blueberry cheesecake.  My “sweet beast” reared its’ ugly head and I spooned up major dollops.

Little Beast serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday 5-10.  1496 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock. No need for valet parking so you can order another course.