What: American and Italian food; lunch/dinner; appetizers; brunch

Where: Luna Park in LA, near Miracle Mile

Must Order: S’mores

The Verdict: I’ve been on a perpetual search for the perfect go-to, moderately-priced, date-friendly, girls’-night-out restaurant for several years. Naturally, I’ve stumbled upon many great places but none hold a candle to Luna Park in Los Angeles. It’s cozy and kitschy, the staff is friendly, the cocktails are tasty and there’s a dish for every occasion. What more could you ask for in a restaurant?

Come here for happy hour form 4-7pm and enjoy two appetizers for the price of one, or take your girl friends out for brunch with bottomless mimosas (or sangria) for $11. Not sure what to order for tapas or dinner? You can’t go wrong with the Warm Goat Cheese Fondue with Grilled Bread and Sliced Apples (for $8.50) and the Mussels with Stella Atrois, Bacon, Cilantro, Fresno Chiles and Limes with Frites (for $11.25) And for brunch? Try Le Cafe for all your favorite breakfast foods — eggs, bacon, house made sausage, home fried potatoes, regular toast, cinnamon french toast — packed onto one plate for $13.50. No other french toast comes close to the Cinnamon French Toast ($10.50 for a hefty helping of just the toast) and Luna Park is one of the (surprisingly) few establishments that knows how to cook bacon — extra crispy.

But the one item you absolutely must order is the S’mores, a make-your-own dish with molten marshmallow, bittersweet chocolate, and house-made graham crackers. For $8.25 you can enjoy the best part of a campout (and not have to sit through your friend butchering your favorite Beatles songs on his acoustic guitar). Dip a delicate graham cracker into the soft, stick marshmallow, and top it off with a hearty dunk of velvety chocolate whose sweetness doesn’t overpower the other flavors.

Le Cafe

Cinnamon French Toast