Casa Botin, The Oldest Restaurant in the World (Madrid, Spain)

What's the oldest restaurant you've been to? Well, unless you've been to Restaurante Botin (also known as Casa Botin), then you still have ways to go. Casa Botin in Madrid goes back to 1725, when it was operating as an inn and restaurant, and the space is reminiscent of what it was.

Tight spaces and narrow wooden stairs took us to the upper dining area. On the walls were menus from special dinners dating to the 1800s for the royalties and visiting government officials.

A visit to Casa Botin isn't just about visiting the oldest restaurant in the world - the food is actually quite good. For the most part they still serve simple fares. Appetizers include salads, soups, and jamon iberico or a plate of ham with melon.

The rest of the menu is divided into egg dishes, vegetables, fish, and meats.
They list two specialties on the menu, so naturally we had to get those. The two specialties are the roast suckling pig and roast baby lamb, both roasted slowly in a wood-fired oven.

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The Completely Revamped Vitello's (Studio City)

Vitello's in Studio City was an old school Italian restaurant in Studio City famous for being a mafia hangout in the 50's and the site of the Robert Blake shooting incident. If you were to ask the current staff, even they will admit that the food back then was no bueno. All that changed recently. Major renovation of the interior, an entirely new menu under a new chef (who for once is actually Italian), and a wine and cocktail program.

The cocktail menu was pretty interesting. I ordered the Bad Lil' Wabbit made with whiskey, carrot juice, agave, lemon, mint, and ginger beer ($11). I was wary at first. Carrot juice? But this drink was good! The ginger beer complements it nicely.

The chef likes to put out special items and customers can pretty much request whatever they wanted, as long as they have the ingredients. My dinner ended consisting of dishes not on the regular menu (except for the dessert). Fresh salmon tartar was served with diced apples and cucumbers.

A big mound of smooth, creamy burrata is served with sweet and crisp heirloom tomatoes. I welcomed every chance I got to eat heirloom tomatoes before the season ended.

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Get Spooked: Halloween Dessert Specials Around Town

While Halloween is not traditionally associated with dining out, some LA restaurants are getting creative with their dessert offerings. Eye ball cakes, worms, and chocolate and cocktail offerings are among the few things you can find. Here are some of the more fun ones:

At Cecconi's, diners can sip the new fall cocktails (or wine, if preferred), paired with five seasonal truffles from Compartes’ Chocolatier Jonathan Grahm. The tasting is available from 7-10 p.m. at Cecconi’s so guests can get their treats pre or post dinner. Guests can reserve their space for $25 prior, or purchase the tasting for $30 the day of. For reservations and more information call (310) 432-2000

Public Kitchen & Bar, located at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, is offering ghostly treats that replicate human body parts (a sight not for the weak!).
Executive Chef Tim Goodell has created eyeball cakes and “finger” cookies that literally look like the real thing. Pumpkin pies are topped with frozen shards of spiced foam.

I tried some of the eye ball cake pops myself and was quite impressed with how they looked!

Kerry Simon’s LA Market Restaurant at the JW
Marriott hotel, is transforming their Junk Food Platter into a sweet
and spooky version of the dessert. The creepy candy wonderland includes
orange and purple coconut snowballs, bat and mummy cake pops, pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispies treats, frosted brownies with worms, candy corn, and caramel
corn parfait.