QUESTION: We’re going to Santa Barbara wine country this April, and then will be spending a week in the Los Angeles area. Can you recommend a couple of L.A. restaurants where we could bring in a few bottles that we plan to buy in Santa Barbara?
ANSWER: Sure. Try Bistro Verdu in Glendale, which focuses on French and Mediterranean cuisine. It charges a mere $5 for corkage, and its phone number is 818-541-1532.
For even more eclectic cuisine, try the fusion of Japanese, Italian and French flavors at Restaurant 2117 in West L.A. There, the corkage is $10, as long as the bottle you bring is not on the restaurant’s list. Reservations are available at 310-477-1617.
And here’s a sleeper if you’re a burger fan: 25 Degrees on Hollywood Boulevard is a fabulous burger joint that charges nothing for corkage. Call 323-785-7244 for directions.