Luna Park | dinner

I'm convinced I have some of the best friends in the world. Somehow, they've learned how much I love to eat--and eat well--and have accommodated my epicurean habits into their personal lives and social calendars. My friends save coupons from the market to go to IHOP and watch me salivate like a Pavlovian dog at the mention of a buttermilk short stack. They email me when they hear about places to get good cookies and every time Fire City decides to hold a Cupcake Challenge. I mean, really. I'm fast realising that my loving relationship with food is one of my defining characteristics. And why shouldn't it be?

Most recently, my friend Cartoon SaMo (he lives in Santa Monica and has the endearing loveability of a Saturday morning cartoon--look, SaMo has a double meaning!) started a tradition he's monikered Dinner Club. Weekly--and we're currently trying for Thursdays--he and his chosen list of invitees will meet at a different notable Fire City food joint to make conversation, make friends, and simultaneously food ourselves to our hearts' content. Yeah, that's right, in my world "food" is a verb. And one place that knows how to use it is Luna Park.

Luna Park was the destination, last night, of the inaugural meeting of Dinner Club. I'd been there before, to enjoy a prix fixe dinner during Fire City Restaurant Week, and at the time, I walked away saying, "Those wasabi mashed potatoes were a bad choice," but the ambiance, I remember liking, and its proximity to my workplace also earned it some points. When Cartoon SaMo suggested it for Dinner Club, I was at first a little disappointed. Still enjoying the newness of fooding in this town, I don't tend to double-hit many locations outside my fave five, but I realised if our first visit impressed SaMo that much, then we'd better go back.

This visit, no wasabi mashed potatoes. But yes to drinks at the dimly lit bar. Reservations were at 7.30, but I'd heard stories of Luna's cocktails, so I strolled over after work (hurried over, actually; SaMo beat me there) and ordered at the bar. The early-arriving boys went masculine: SaMo's friend Theme Park Parking (he works for Disney) ordered whiskey on the rocks, and SaMo downed a dirty martini. I went androgynous and ordered a gimlet: vodka and lime juice, apparently. Presentation was so-so on the beverages (the dirty got spilled all over the glass and wasn't even pat dry...which was kinda dirty), but our 'tender was smooth and friendly.

When the rest of the guests arrived, we settled in for the eats, and the night rolled along nicely. Our table started with Luna's signature fondue, a goat cheesy number that I didn't try, but that disappeared quickly. Obviously, we were pleasantly stuffed by meal's end (though I boxed up half my pizza to go--thirteen bucks actually bought me that night's dinner as well as the next day's lunch and maybe more dinner), but there was no way we were saying no to the create your own s'mores for dessert. Oh man, to be at the campfire again! But without the bears, ghost stories and too many soccer moms wearing sleeveless tops.

the food: I think I scored highest. Others raved about the mac and cheese, but my choice, El Camarone pizza, was magnificent. Shrimp on mozza with fresh arugula and this...ever so delicately spiced lime sauce drizzle...don't know what they called it, but I'm calling it fantastic sauce.
the mood: They describe themselves as "kitschy, flea market chic." Interesting. I say...they're like the lantern booth in a casbah with the daytime lights turned off and the sexy lights glowing at half-mast.
the cocktail: LA Gimlet, get it while it's there. Absolut LA vodka (the special edition blend with notes of acai berry and pomegranate) makes the gold.
in five: 3.5/5

a walk around the park: http://www.lunaparkla.com/