The Westin Bonaventure Hotel.

Herein lies the site of an epic adventure about to unfold. The Bonaventure is a Los Angeles icon, an enduring gem amongst a wash of underwhelming mid-century architecture. Already immortalized in cinema, print, and interactive media, it is hard to imagine architect John Portman’s 1974 masterpiece surprising anyone in 2010. But most people have not stepped inside and witnessed the progressive and often times baffling array of features, design, and commerce.

The Bonaventure, in addition to being a hotel and self-sustaining commercial district, boasts a total of 19 different eateries, ranging from a first-class revolving restaurant on the 34th floor to Subway. But the Subway has beer. Which further advances the fundamental thesis that the Bonaventure is the greatest living structure known to man. (Westin Dining | Food Court & Shops)

Over the course of the vernal season of 2010, “Bon-Adventure” will commence, documenting each and every dining option available at the hotel. For this purpose, I have invented the term “Cuisinaut”, a portmanteu of cuisine and astronaut, to describe the nature of the journey ahead. This web log shall document — in utmost, critical detail — what it is like to experience nom noms at this monument of our fair city, El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula. 

Godspeed, Cuisinauts.