Da Vinci Restaurant

The longtime stomping ground of the Rat Pack, Da Vinci Restaurant has since renovated and directed its mission toward serving fresh, in-season ingredients, mostly gathered from local farmers markets and across southern California. Those choosing the dinner deal can peruse Da Vinci's ever-changing seafood-infused dinner menu. Start with the farmers-market vegetable risotto topped with smoked nuts ($12) before moving on to heartier entrees such as Sangiovese-brased veal shank accompanied by mascarpone polenta ($32) or the Colorado lamb duo (lamb chops paired with house-cured lamb bacon, $30), the most successful lamb-related partnership since Lamb Chop married her longtime love, Baa Baa Blacksheep. For a midday feast, lunchtime taste-testers can find noodle ecstasy with one of Da Vinci's pasta dishes, such as the lobster linguini ($16), which competes for top billing with the hummus and kabob plate (choose lamb, chicken, or beef, $16). And for your three ordinary, run-of-the-mill stuntman buddies, Da Vinci offers a mini-hamburger trio topped with foie gras and truffle ($18).