tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78820892012-02-02T23:02:22.104-08:00Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.comBlogger15841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-34374836846442913212012-01-30T14:53:00.000-08:002012-01-30T14:53:21.478-08:00

Can't wait until Common Grains launches its Soba-Ya Restaurant in late February in Torrance? Want to see what happens when artisanal Japanese buckwheat soba noodles meet the modern cuisine of recently-opened Cooks County? On Wednesday night, Common Grains, a collaboration between soba maker Sonoko Sakai and rice company Shinmei, hosts a pop-up East Meets West dinner with hand cut soba and sake

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-78966331172998008512012-01-27T15:52:00.000-08:002012-01-27T15:54:54.851-08:00

Apparently the people of Silver Lake have spoken, and they've asked for...oysters? It's hard to say if an oyster bar was exactly what was needed in the former Domenico's and Michelangelo spot, but judging from the crowds of the first few nights, it was a popular choice. Dustin Lancaster and Matt Kaner of buzzing Los Feliz wine bar Bar Covell have transplanted their approachable wine and beer

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-27880787703275870662012-01-23T09:55:00.000-08:002012-01-23T09:55:19.727-08:00

In this week's New Yorker, Dana Goodyear profiles Javier Plascencia, the Tijuana chef who is a vital figure in bringing respect and reason to dining in Baja California. Goodyear made numerous trips to Baja to research the profile called The Missionary: A Food Renaissance in Baja, one of them with our October blogger trip (in which Dave Lieberman and Javier Cabral make anonymous cameos, while

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-9927602230064169702012-01-20T17:02:00.000-08:002012-01-20T17:02:20.370-08:00

Toyon berries are vaguely cherry-tasting and can be made into jam or put in baked goods Even before Noma restaurant and foraging TV shows were in vogue, I've wanted to find out what's edible along local trails. I didn't think I could figure it out by myself, so I was happy to be invited to try a Foraging Foodies class with Transitional Gastronomy.  Mia, left, tosses chickweed salad while

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-86546224310257543592012-01-17T21:27:00.000-08:002012-01-17T22:55:43.796-08:00

giant pretzel is the thing for beer; kale rolls (left) are...kind of vegan-ey Golden Road Brewing has come together in an amazingly short time compared to most things in L.A., and Sunday was both the grand opening of the pub eating area and the beer's availability in cans. Just seven months after the brewery was first announced, the owners of Tony's Darts Away and Mohawk Bend are brewing

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-5618304907852773052012-01-13T17:36:00.000-08:002012-01-13T17:36:39.869-08:00

Gastronomico's cured salmon sandwich The Gastrobus was one of the earlier stabs a mobile gourmet food, though I never got to try it. As with several other food trucks, the Gastrobus has morphed into a brick and mortar spot called Gastronomico. Tucked in the corner of the same Hillhurst Ave. mini-mall that houses the Drawing Room bar (open at 6 a.m.!), Gastronomico is a handy spot for a

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-59916955641092266992012-01-03T22:45:00.000-08:002012-01-06T09:42:41.255-08:00

basic bowl of porky ramen bliss Us mid-Wilshire office workers were suffering along with Baja Fresh and Callendar's for a long time before the food trucks arrived. They brought welcome diversity to office lunches, though not much in the way of seating or healthy food. If you're looking for burgers or beer, the Counter is certainly a viable option, but the arrival of Ramen Jinya on Wilshire

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-11448547478305981452011-12-23T11:16:00.000-08:002011-12-23T11:16:48.672-08:00

Homemade cherry/cranberry/walnut granola (inspired by David Leibovitz and Nigella Lawson) A few months ago I suddenly started craving really good granola, the kind that's usually $8 for a small bag and a zillion calories. I hadn't made my own granola since the Campanile recipe was popular for years, but I remembered it was usually expensive to assemble all the ingredients and so rich it was

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-38018114148456239932011-12-09T17:45:00.001-08:002011-12-23T11:22:46.829-08:00

Chinese broccoli and crispy pork Pa-Ord Noodle at lunchtime has to be one of the friendliest restaurants I've eaten at in a long time. After I awkwardly attempted to order my boat noodles "pet ma," which I thought meant "sort of" spicy, a table of four young women giggled at my pitiful attempt and insisted I stick with what the server described as "medium." They taught me the word for medium,

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-55471006070943760662011-12-09T16:23:00.001-08:002011-12-09T17:24:51.203-08:00

produce, snacks and jam are available in the marketplace With the massive popularity of Bottega Louie, it was inevitable that someone else would try a multi-purpose spot for Downtown residents and visitors to shop, drink, snack, dine and of course snarf macarons. So next door to Cole's, Artisan House has risen at the corner of Sixth and Main with a similar mission but look and menu all its own

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-74720894999318400592011-12-05T09:00:00.001-08:002011-12-23T11:24:17.954-08:00

Everyone's heading to Farmer's Market to see what Mozza's Nancy Silverton, Bill Chait and the late Amy Pressman have done to wow the city's burger enthusiasts  So for now, an early lunch at Short Order is the best way to avoid the fledgling burger destination's inevitable early service glitches. Arriving at noon on Friday, we had our choice of tables and found a cozy corner upstairs opposite

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-18555180767851011042011-12-01T08:51:00.001-08:002011-12-01T08:56:34.414-08:00

Artisanal L.A. takes it to Pasadena next Sunday, featuring vendors from the Altadena Urban Farmers Market and workshops by the Institute of Domestic Technology. It's at the Armory Center, which is close to the Gold Line Memorial station. Plus, there's craft beer and spirit tasting!

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-6855788500666845672011-11-28T09:13:00.001-08:002011-12-01T09:32:46.940-08:00

Bluefin tuna is seriously overfished. Local Southern California seafood is seen on few menus. What's an avid pescatarian to do? Farmed salmon too has been thought to be a sustainable faux-pas, but Skuna Bay salmon, from the cold, clean Pacific waters off Vancouver Island, is out to change that perception. The British Columbia fishery is launching the salmon to chefs first in Los Angeles,

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-71011191832631519122011-11-17T16:10:00.001-08:002011-12-23T11:23:28.063-08:00

Gingergrass's new annex Bia Hoi is up and running featuring its namesake beer, a Vietnamese fresh-beer style brew made in collaboration with Eagle Rock Brewery. At $4 a pint, the 3.8% alcohol beers is of course pricier than its 15 cent Vietnamese counterpart. But this is L.A., and it's a nice light beer just right for a warm summer evening. If you prefer something a little more hefty,

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-77919435597055905412011-11-06T21:42:00.000-08:002011-11-07T08:59:13.983-08:00

Best visuals:Jonathan Waxman's shaved vegetable salad Despite some muddy shoes, the sun came out along with chefs from around the country for one of the best tasting events of the year. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation sprang from the idea of a 4-year old girl with cancer who wanted to raise money to fight the disease. 11 years later, the organization that sprang from her lemonade stand has

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-7155191966498462772011-10-31T09:31:00.000-07:002011-10-31T12:51:41.891-07:00

 Here's a press release about Eagle Rock Brewery's new collaboration with Silver Lake's Gingergrass about a new bakery/bar featuring Vietnamese "fresh beer" or Bia Hoi, opening tomorrow. Beer: it's what's for breakfast? Local craft brewer Eagle Rock Brewery and Silver Lake’s Gingergrass introduce the unique Vietnamese concept of Bia Hoi or “fresh beer” at the eatery’s new bakery/bar which

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-8839406726296678782011-10-30T17:48:00.000-07:002011-10-30T17:48:47.436-07:00

Gabrielle Hamilton Not all food fund-raisers are created equal, and next Sunday's second L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade benefit looks like it could land near the top of local tasting events. Because it's hosted by  Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne of Lucques, AOC and Tavern and David Lentz of The Hungry Cat, there's a stellar group of chefs from around the country attending. Find ticket info here

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-58550001729799600742011-10-29T20:09:00.000-07:002011-10-29T20:10:46.139-07:00

Herbs for the cooks are grown on the patio, which will soon be open for diners Highland Park residents were long overdue for an alternative to Good Girl Dinette, the York and the old-school Mexican choices, and with the arrival of Andre Guerrero's casual, lively Maxmiliano, the restaurant scene has taken a huge step forward. It can be hard to find an Italian restaurant that doesn't have the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-34382507387346945582011-10-19T09:37:00.000-07:002011-10-19T12:45:13.722-07:00

Naya's dining area goes white-on-white  Most restaurants could use a little freshening up every few years, and after 10 years as Tantra, the Sunset Junction Indian spot has gotten a re-do as Naya. Naya's grand opening is on Monday. We stopped by for the preview night and saw that the menu is similar to Tantra -- same coconut prawns, for example -- but with more "fusion" touches like a curried

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-11005735583938534592011-10-16T10:02:00.000-07:002011-10-17T10:44:19.306-07:00

  L.A. Beer Week is actually two weeks this year, so there's still time to catch some hopping events. It's true many of the great beer stops (Naja's, Beachwood Brewery, etc.) are a couple of DUIs down the freeway for most of us, but that's no reason to miss beer week. Here's a few choice events for us east-of-Hollywoodites. (Go to the LA Beer Week site for a full schedule.) Monday:  Verdugo

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-4165165416427158232011-10-12T22:20:00.000-07:002011-10-16T15:33:57.313-07:00

When a dozen or more food writers descend on a town for the same event, there's sure to be plenty of write-ups on the highlights. Dave Lieberman pointed out 5 Products You Didn't Know Came from Baja in the OC Weekly, while Javier, aka The Glutster, took readers course by course through the special Mision 19 Baja Culinary Fest dinner with Javier Plascencia and John Sedlar. So EatingLA highlights

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-16983827042380510302011-10-06T21:57:00.000-07:002011-10-06T22:11:04.978-07:00

Diavola pizza features peppered salami Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana is the latest entry in the ongoing push for Pasadena not to suck so badly, foodwise, and it's a worthy attempt. Like nearly everything else along Colorado, there's a whiff of the corporate about Settebello, which has two locations in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, a slick website and servers who earnestly explain that the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-19301035812652418092011-09-28T09:29:00.000-07:002011-09-28T09:29:54.019-07:00

I can't believe I've missed FoodGPS' Beer Float Showdown, benefitting Share Our Strength, two years in a row. Well, the third time is going to have to be the charm, because hosting it at the Eagle Rock Brewery is just too convenient for me. I could even ride my bike, like FoodGPS and EatingLA did on the first Bike Bender. You should be there too on Saturday October 15, with the dual aim of

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-43823701694930174802011-09-22T11:06:00.000-07:002011-09-22T11:06:36.282-07:00

Whether you have a drop of Italian blood of not, you can try food from Il Grano, Il Moro, Claro's , Il Pastaio, La Bottega di Marino, Paciugo Gelato and more, as well as drinks from Ventura Limoncello, Fernet-Branca, San Antonio Winery and more at next Saturday's benefit for the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. Click here for tickets - it's sure to be a musical and wine-soaked evening!

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-74981316757802827892011-09-18T21:15:00.000-07:002011-09-20T18:56:53.423-07:00

Baja bluefin tuna tostadas and Baja cheeses at the Baja Culinary Fest preview at Playa restaurant. John Sedlar of Playa is participating in Friday night's dinner at Tijuana's Mision 19 restaurant. Tequila. Mescal. Amazing seafood. Unusual cheeses, game and tropical fruits. No, it's not the Yucatan, but nearby Tijuana and Ensenada, which are fast becoming the muy caliente eating destinations of

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-13057955850616958082011-09-17T12:49:00.000-07:002011-09-17T12:49:05.393-07:00

Niki's clams with chorizo I was honored to be asked to judge a cook off between my tenants Christian and Tyler and their friend Niki, a longtime EatingLA reader. The cook off took place over two evenings, and there were no real rules except that no vegetarians were invited. Each contestant chose a starter, entree and dessert. This was a really fun format for a dinner party that encourages the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-48911185636696581222011-09-13T08:12:00.000-07:002011-09-13T08:15:45.070-07:00

Well, not officially, but chef Laurent Quenioux is all over the city today. First, he's creating the menu for Cart with a Cause, which is parking conveniently in front of my office at 5900 Wilshire Blvd. For the lunch, he's partnering with Starry Kitchen where's he's been doing a residency the past few months for a French-Vietnamese snack supreme. Plus, your $10 lunch will feed a senior citizen

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-74085812487461938382011-09-09T17:43:00.000-07:002011-09-12T14:21:36.087-07:00

The arrival of Mixto in the old Burrito King spot is a sure sign of the Silver Lake of the future: grass-fed, compostable, vegan-friendly, and of course more expensive than the old Silver Lake. From the owners of Tomato Pie, Mixto's menu sticks mostly to tacos, burritos, tortas and quesadillas with a few sides and salads.     I tried a carne asada torta; made with grass fed beef, the meat was

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-60813355938368909932011-09-01T11:51:00.000-07:002011-09-01T12:00:41.091-07:00

The food fests just keep on coming: September 14 through 18 is the first Good Food Festival & Conference, sponsored by the Santa Monica Farmers Market, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and FamilyFarmed.org. The five-day event concludes with a weekend festival and street fair at Santa Monica High School (Go Vikings!). A number of top local chefs are involved, but the focus is squarely

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-70277116419767125582011-08-29T14:37:00.000-07:002011-09-01T13:33:03.574-07:00

cold sesame chicken noodles, Tasty Noodle House It can be strangely difficult to find a good-quality, straight-up place for a relaxed Chinese dinner in the San Gabriel Valley. Dim sum is out; the dumpling houses are great, but the menu can be limited for several people dining together. Newport Seafood and its like is good for a group but gets pricey fast if the group likes lobster; the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-80070362777840271012011-08-27T10:14:00.000-07:002011-08-27T10:14:41.284-07:00

The Blue Boar sports the Union Jack It would probably take a major earthquake to dislodge the venerable barflies from their spots at Ye Old Cat 'n Fiddle -- I'm pretty sure some of the patrons were stuck to the furniture when the Cat crawled down from Laurel Canyon. But if you're up for a newer pub experience in Hollywood, Curtis Nysmith's Blue Boar is just a wee laddie of one month old but

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-27230221955512914802011-08-19T11:54:00.000-07:002011-08-19T11:57:04.487-07:00

Todd English hosts Los Angeles Food and Wine's bowling night Are food festivals the new film festivals? Los Angeles only recently started to see multi-day food festivals; last year, the L.A. Times' first Taste festival was held on the same weekend as the Beverly Hills Celebration of Food and Wine. This year, the Taste has vastly expanded to a four-day multi-venue festival over Labor Day

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-1995284319358374252011-08-15T23:08:00.000-07:002011-08-15T23:09:08.947-07:00

After successfully launching Yxta downtown last year, Jesse Angel Gomez announced plans to take over the former Serenata di Garibaldi spot on 4th St. in Santa Monica with Mercado. Gomez and Mercado chef Jose Acevedo hosted a Mercado preview at Yxta last week accompanied by a Partida tequila tasting, where we got a preview of some of the dishes to be expected there. Mercado is aiming for an

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-80917222699322270842011-08-08T22:48:00.000-07:002011-08-08T23:34:56.611-07:00

 Tioga Gas Mart/Whoa Nellie Deli overlooking Mono Lake A summer roadtrip on Highway 395, from Lone Pine to Lee Vining by way of Mammoth, isn't necessarily a gastro-tourism experience. With a little effort, the California tourism folks could rebrand this lonely highway the Pie Highway, the Jerky Road or the Trout Route and cultivate a whole new group of visitors. But if you have an appreciation

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-41771803906871962752011-08-02T21:54:00.000-07:002011-08-02T21:58:51.429-07:00

catfish 'n chips in a bag, with shaking and dipping sauces I've been to Beer Belly twice in two weeks now and I'm already plotting my route on the subway so I won't have to drive home next time. That's the time when I'm going to need to settle in with a beer tasting flight and whatever new items pop onto the ever-changing menu. I might even have to take a friend who has an iPhone, so I can get

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-35503127785660961562011-07-29T18:52:00.000-07:002011-08-02T21:59:18.956-07:00

Veggie Grill's sweet potato fries I wasn't sure what to expect at Veggie Grill, a Southern California mini-chain that takes "American comfort food" -- bbq chicken sandwiches, onion rings, Buffalo chicken wings -- and makes them completely vegan, but with familiar flavor profiles. A few writers and I were invited to try the Farmer's Market location recently and meet with co-owner T.K.

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-83893543921430928862011-07-20T22:22:00.000-07:002011-08-02T21:59:36.520-07:00

Mohawk Bend saved the theater's marquee I've probably spent decades complaining about how hard it is to find a good craft beer selection along with some beer-friendly bites like fried calamari or fish 'n chips. Echo Park's new Mohawk Bend, which took over the nearly 100-year old Estudio theater that sat empty for so long, looks like its about to remedy that situation when it opens sometime

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-13601183104180021022011-07-20T18:21:00.000-07:002011-07-20T18:24:12.494-07:00

Joseph Shuldiner, the multi-talented designer of Eat:Los Angeles, mustard-making maven and author of the upcoming book Pure Vegan, is launching the Institute of Domestic Technology to bring all kinds of home arts to Angelenos. In addition to Foodcrafting and Cheesemaking classes, the Institute is kicking off Saturday, August 6 with a Downtown L.A. rooftop Urban Farmer's Dinner in association

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-8449837726837730672011-07-19T08:45:00.000-07:002011-07-20T18:23:45.447-07:00

"Red Medicine. There's just so much...baggage," sighed one man about town when I mentioned lunching there recently with another food writer. And it's true, more people wanted to know if we were photographed and booted out of the restaurant like L.A. Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila when she tried to eat there. But no, in the waning days of lunch service, they seemed happy to have

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-24641133653804544522011-07-05T09:40:00.000-07:002011-07-05T09:40:57.882-07:00

The patio on hopping Vermont Ave. is the place to be at Sidewalk Grill Though the Middle Eastern population is spreading more towards Pasadena and the west valley these days, Armenian/Lebanese/Mediterranean restaurants continue to open in Los Feliz. Middle Eastern is one of my very favorite cuisines -- healthier than most restaurant fare, easily adaptable for vegetarians, and usually

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-56133204074419961722011-07-01T12:41:00.000-07:002011-07-01T12:41:58.108-07:00

Tricolore salad is the poster child for this popular dish When Cheeky's came on the scene in Palm Springs a couple of years ago, it was a breath of bacon-scented fresh air in the mostly moribund desert. Now, the owners of Cheeky's have taken it a step further, turning the large adjacent garden into Birba, a mostly-outdoor evening pizza and cocktails lounge. Even without burrata and charcuterie,

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-24979053431020418542011-06-22T09:36:00.000-07:002011-06-22T09:42:34.524-07:00

Flat-iron steak tacos at Tinga Tinga has been open on La Brea near 2nd for nearly a year, but many people still haven't noticed the tiny storefront with two tables outside near the larger Cafe Midi. Inspired by the approach of Santa Barbara's La Super Rica, husband and wife team Chris and Jerry Baker didn't replicate the menu, but brought handmade tortillas and the same careful approach to

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-74463115217172467382011-06-21T09:43:00.000-07:002011-06-21T09:43:31.828-07:00

So after a couple of successful Oakland festivals, Eat Real is heading down to Helms Bakery near Culver City on July 16 and 17 for a giant artisanal food fair. Along with local favorites like Cast Iron Gourmet bacon and Lindy and Grundy are Miracle Mile Bitters and Carlsbad Aquafarm Oysters and localish breweries including Eagle Rock Brewing, Craftsman, The Bruery, Stone and Lost Abbey. A slew of

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-12141778941223107092011-06-10T16:13:00.000-07:002011-06-10T16:22:56.751-07:00

There's plenty of room on Broome St.'s patio for having coffee and pastries. Broome St. General Store has taken over that sweet little bungalow on Rowena near the Coffee Table formerly occupied by Zanzabelle and Freight. Where Zanzabelle sold ice cream, coffee and nicely-designed vintage toys, Broome St. concentrates on coffee, sandwiches and desserts, and nicely-designed kitchen items. Broome

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-23394937279298524392011-06-06T22:36:00.000-07:002011-06-06T22:45:33.032-07:00

Moko's watermelon granita (photo courtesy GourmetPigs) Moko has replaced Gyenari on the busy stretch of Washington Blvd. in Culver City that offers a large choice of restaurants, so every restaurant has to really pull its weight. Apparently Gyenari wasn't pulling them in anymore, so owner Will Shin re-concepted and brought in a new chef, Gary Robins. Obviously Robins is not Korean, and though

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-25210383866698922952011-06-02T19:06:00.000-07:002011-06-02T19:07:32.304-07:00

Good is doing some excellent work with its local Los Angeles community news and events. They support everything from food swaps to beer bike rides, and you can't argue with doing good. The magazine/integrated media platform emailed me to ask if I'd like to post about their June challenge, which is to go meat-free for 30 days to help save the planet. I'd love to support Good and all they do, but

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-90634097890293524192011-05-26T17:46:00.000-07:002011-05-26T17:46:42.441-07:00

Brown Derby on Wilshire, Ansel Adams I'm still recovering from jet lag, so it's nostalgia time at EatingLA. I'm glad Ansel Adams took time out from Yosemite to shoot the Brown Derby. While searching online, I was surprised to find this letter to the editor I wrote to the L.A. Times back in 1994. Do any of these places ring familiar? Thanks for your great section on restaurants of L.A. past. As

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-74301470612989655812011-05-21T16:21:00.000-07:002011-06-10T16:25:42.031-07:00

Au Vieux Saumur is part of the booming Belleville cafe culture So, I've been working in France for the past two weeks -- mostly sequestered in an office working on Variety's daily Cannes Film Festival issues, with an endless supply of pre-packaged madeleines and the occasional publicist gift of macarons from Cannes' wonderful Jean-Luc Pelé. Before the festival, I spent a weekend in Paris. I

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-39926703912837356902011-04-30T17:17:00.000-07:002011-04-30T17:24:43.995-07:00

Pizzas cook quickly in the wood-fired oven L.A. has taken big steps as a pizza town since I did a big pizza tasting round-up for VLife Weekend back in 2005. Since then we've gained Pizzeria Mozza, Tomato Pie, Lucifer's, Garage, Two Boots and Il Capricco Pizzeria, just down the street from the new Mother Dough on Hollywood Blvd. Also sporting a wood-fired oven, Il Capricco is now Di Carlo, and I

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-79755308096611430572011-04-24T09:49:00.000-07:002011-04-24T09:49:34.045-07:00

kale chips are super easy to make In the time since I first started writing this post a few weeks ago, I've heard kale mentioned approximately a zillion times. - Bearded guy on the patio at Bar Covell: "Local has the most amazing kale salad!" - Tweet from someone I follow: "Great greens from Montrose farmer's market 3? kinds of kale!" Naturally, that tweet came with the hashtag #kaleaddicts. -

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-60607692554598102852011-04-16T20:12:00.000-07:002011-04-16T20:14:15.730-07:00

Northeast Pasadena might seem like kind of an unlikely place for an artisan creamery like Carmela Ice Cream -- that is, unless you've been to Bulgarini Gelato, which is even more remotely located in Altadena. But when I stopped in to Carmela today in the midst of the sudden heatwave, the shop was full of neighborhood families sampling the luxuriously creamy stuff, made from Clover organic cream,

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-58398954833067692712011-04-13T18:57:00.000-07:002011-04-13T18:57:21.297-07:00

Here's a fundraiser that's a cut above the usual silent auction/spring fair action. The parents at Silver Lake's Rose Scharlin pre-school have cooked up Taste of the Eastside, which should make for a very pleasant afternoon at Barnsdall Park on Sunday May 15. KCRW's Garth Trinidad will be spinning tunes, and there will be food and drink from a vertitable who's who of locals including Eagle Rock

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-38534904145246601542011-04-09T09:39:00.000-07:002011-04-09T09:42:50.712-07:00

King's Row has cocktail, wine and several California draft beers The owners of Neo Meze on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, who also own hotdoggery Doghaus, have totally redone the space and re-opened as gastropub King's Row. The bar area has a retractable ceiling for warm summer nights, and there's a large patio in the back alley similar to the one at Lucky Baldwin's a few doors down. Plus, a

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-79101173883902380882011-04-07T21:59:00.000-07:002011-04-07T21:59:55.821-07:00

I missed the last Ciclavia but I won't let that happen again: Sunday is the day when 8 miles of streets are closed to cars from Heliotrope to Boyle Heights from 10 am to 3 pm, right through the middle of Downtown. Here's a few places to eat en route: Guisados Tacos on 1st St. in Boyle Heights at the finish line Al & Bea's Burritos on 1st St. Redwood Bar Mas Malo Bottega Louie Seven Grand -

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-6995946496877292602011-03-31T23:08:00.000-07:002011-04-01T07:48:38.809-07:00

This type of tequila bottle used to be made by nuns...but why would they make the bottle look like that? Mas Malo Downtown is a different animale from Silver Lake's original Malo -- located in a former jewelry store that was later Clifton's Silver Spoon cafeteria, it's a cavernous room that holds a few secrets in addition to plenty of tables and a long bar extraordinarily well-stocked with

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-45729253729284920252011-03-29T09:42:00.000-07:002011-03-29T09:42:53.567-07:00

The Spice Table is on Central, next to Weiland Brewery L.A.'s newfound devotion to modern Vietnamese has taken a giant leap forward with The Spice Table, which adds Singapore flavors and a urban rustic feel to the former Cuban restaurant in Little Tokyo. While Sang Yoon's Lukshon near Culver City offers a long menu of Asian-influenced dishes in a sleek modern space, The Spice Table is

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-87743065355945984392011-03-21T09:32:00.000-07:002011-03-21T09:36:23.594-07:00

The lounge area is outdoors in the museum's breezeway With Ray's Restaurant and Stark Bar, LACMA finally has a restaurant worthy of the sleek new buildings on its campus. And it's really good news for us Variety staffers, since there's not many good places for business lunches -- or post-work cocktails -- within walking distance of our Wilshire offices. Producer Ray Stark wasn't known as the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-78844720790127592452011-03-12T16:12:00.000-08:002011-03-12T16:12:04.850-08:00

Honoree Susan Feniger chats with ex-husband Josh Schweitzer, now married to Mary Sue Milliken. Taking a rare day off, I was able to make it to Planned Parenthood's Food Fare without having to rush from work. I caught the evening session, where unhappily a few unhappy-looking folks were picketing right on the grounds of the Santa Monica Civic. Many more happy-looking people were streaming into

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-68300674610831286792011-03-08T13:33:00.000-08:002011-03-08T16:30:44.127-08:00

The sign first went up in 2009, but David's is looking more lively now. It's been over a year since we checked in with David in the old L.A. Chinese spot on Sunset at Parkman, near Cafe Tropical. Now David, owned by caterer David Sutton, is open for breakfast and lunch. At breakfast, try a Mochie crepe with nutella and banana ($7), a Silver Lake Mochie crepe with brie, caramelized apples and

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-6005327008553182672011-03-05T19:22:00.000-08:002011-03-05T19:22:10.710-08:00

paprikawurst -- pork sausage with paprika and garlic No, EatingLA is not still reporting from Berlin. In a strange, curry-flavored bit of serendipity, while I was wandering around Berlin without ever getting the timing right to try the local specialty of currywurst, Berlin ex-pats Hardeep and Lena Manak and Haike Buentemeyer were opening Berlin Currywurst in the former pupuseria next to Pazzo

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-68872875098817849082011-03-03T16:33:00.000-08:002011-03-03T17:05:44.492-08:00

Sila on Hyperion at Griffith Park was the new name for Fritzie's, but despite a revamped menu and chef, the reboot never quite gelled. Then there was the strange interlude when it was going to become Hora Bohemian Bistro. Owners Ray and Frank had been planning another revamp into the Rosemary Cafe but decided to call it quits instead, and will serve their last dinner this Saturday. Here's hoping

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-10109774698632694892011-03-03T11:26:00.000-08:002011-03-03T11:26:32.216-08:00

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-43893184563031184752011-02-22T08:50:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:50:51.484-08:00

Berlin's Cafe Anna Blume: a lovely spot to while away the morning I wasn't sure what to expect from eating in Berlin for two weeks while working at the Berlin Film Festival. While I heard that Berlin had excellent restaurants, I also remembered my last trip as an economizing backpacker when I nearly overdosed on a steady diet of wurst and doner kebab. It turns out that just like L.A., in

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-90996518771286295592011-02-20T18:16:00.000-08:002011-02-20T18:19:06.227-08:00

Pastry chef Sherry Yard displays the traditional chocolate Oscar While EatingLA was at the Berlin Film Festival, contributor Kathy A. McDonald was checking out what Oscar-goers will be eating on Feb. 26. What's on your Oscar menu this year? Tea and crumpets for "King's Speech," But what about "Social Network"? Certainly not Salted Red Bull Granita! Anyway, if you're at the Governor's Ball,

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-6192155114124187062011-02-20T07:56:00.000-08:002011-02-20T07:56:27.656-08:00

The causes don't get much better than this one: Planned Parenthood Los Angeles' 32nd annual Food Fare takes place at the Santa Monica Civic just as the House of Representatives has voted to stop Planned Parenthood centers from receiving federal funding for birth control, cancer screenings and HIV testing. To sign a letter to Congress regarding the vote, go to PP's online petition. While benefit

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-79390294533613025612011-01-29T21:21:00.000-08:002011-01-29T21:21:35.322-08:00

Tacos are described on the blackboard menu at Guisados in Boyle Heights A caramelized-around-the-edges al pastor taco from a pineapple-topped spit on the street, or a deeply beefy carne asada taco from Tacos El Poblano in Tijuana -- they're pretty much the platonic ideal of of street food, and the one single item that converted me from baconatarian to full-on carnivore back in 2001 or so. But

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-85271681226409203482011-01-24T22:20:00.000-08:002011-01-24T22:22:16.594-08:00

a picnic in the Indian canyons is always a good plan in the winter months Known more for pools, movies and mid-century architecture than for good food, Palm Springs continues to slowly add some better eating opportunities -- at least enough to fill a long weekend lounging poolside.  Birba is a new cocktail bar/pizza spot next to Cheeky's During last week's trip to the Palm Springs Film

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-23549290047110599612011-01-21T09:50:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:50:41.820-08:00

As if all those films and filmmakers in one place weren't enough, now people at the Sundance Film Festival have the crazy idea that they should actually be able to eat decently too. So Michael Voltaggio, Ray Garcia, Mr. Chow, the London New York and even Kogi BBQ are heading out to Park City this weekend to feed festgoers at Chefdance and the Food and Wine Stella Artois Cafe. But where to find

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-84455391451410351712011-01-12T09:32:00.000-08:002011-01-12T09:32:49.096-08:00

I thought I was done with Christmas cookie baking, but when a copy of Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich landed on my front porch, I became re-obsessed with finding a cookie that would appeal to my less-sweet, unusual-flavor loving tastes, but might still please those like my daughter who prefer traditional, gooey, sweet cookies. This book has a little of

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-77313606615724599142011-01-08T08:53:00.000-08:002011-01-11T22:42:08.299-08:00

Fiore Market Cafe in South Pasadena is furnished with rustic antiques I moved to Pasadena too late to experience the magic of Bistro K, so Laurent Quenioux and his ant eggs had moved farther west by the time I got here. Finally there's some life in the tiny space next to the Fremont Center Theater, with the recently-opened Fiore Market Cafe. Fiore is a labor of love from the husband/wife team

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-22312477317673429262011-01-05T08:51:00.000-08:002011-01-05T08:51:24.446-08:00

First-time visitors to the mini-mall that houses Rambutan might not realize everything that's going on there, since several spots there don't need a sign to draw visitors. Pho Cafe has been packing them in since it opened in 2005, and now Beer Bar at Rambutan is also flying on the downlow. Designed by Bar Covell's Dustin Lancaster, the bar is going for a Northwest woodsy feel with the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-9339521510875360302011-01-02T18:22:00.000-08:002011-01-02T20:33:11.294-08:00

Now that Mani's has closed for good in its new Maple Drive location, let's breath a sign of relief for the arrival of Black Cat Bakery in Mani's old Fairfax Ave. location. Sorry for you Mani's fans, but the place had gone way downhill in the last decade and the oil-soaked, fruit syrup-laden baked goods were never "healthy" to begin with.  There's already Black Dog Coffee and Animal in the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-59961907786263425042011-01-01T18:19:00.000-08:002011-01-01T18:22:25.186-08:00

Rambutan beer bar, photo from Matthew Kaner The beer scene on the near-Eastside continues to explode with Rambutan Thai spinning off a dedicated beer bar with 50 taps and beer-friendly snacks like fried chicken. Bar Covell's Matthew Kaner consulted on the beer selection and the space already looks cozy, complete with de rigueur antlers for decoration.

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-8261495192900859692010-12-25T11:17:00.000-08:002010-12-25T11:17:41.347-08:00

Hibiscus Christmas cooler I love the deep, fruity flavor of jamaica or hibiscus flowers. Their bright red color makes the perfect holiday cocktail. Here's a festive hibiscus Christmas cooler inspired by the Sterling Daiquiri in the L.A. Times, by Allan Katz of Cana Rum Bar, but minus the ginger liqueur. (Steeping some grated ginger in the agua de jamaica would probably impart a similar flavor).

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-86000527324508800542010-12-21T09:22:00.000-08:002010-12-21T15:17:18.338-08:00

Dog Haus has plenty of seating, and a parking lot in back Pasadena is a lovely town in many ways, most of them historic and a bit stodgy. But the food scene is changing fast with the arrival of more up-to-date spots like Intelligentsia Coffee, Daisy Mint, Cham Korean Bistro, Slaw Dogs and now another doggery, Dog Haus. Just up the street from Pasadena City College, Dog Haus has an industrial

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-52859280605066054422010-12-16T08:10:00.000-08:002010-12-16T08:10:13.646-08:00

Good Girl Dinette is something of a hidden gem in Highland Park, and now it's even easier to fit in a visit for the spicy jalapeno fries or curry chicken pot pie. Good Girl is now open for lunch on Fridays (yay, my day off!) and all day on Saturdays (noon to 10) and Sundays (noon to 9). Who eats at Good Girl?  Here's the perfect snapshot of modern-day Highland Park from Good Girl's blog: lizz

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-85550613561737428452010-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:002010-12-14T12:19:54.972-08:00

Unexpected locations are one of the fun aspects of pop-up restaurants, and the sleek, spacious Korean pub Biergarten on Western might not seem like the kind of place to find ex-Bastide chef Joseph Mahon and maverick sommelier David Haskell. But Haskell loves Korean food and Mahon has a background in Asian food as well as a history of doing underground restaurants at his house, so it kind of all

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-34506881495766324462010-12-10T10:52:00.000-08:002010-12-10T10:52:01.717-08:00

This weekend's the time to find presents for food-obsessed friends at Artisanal L.A.'s pop-up storefront across from Unique L.A. going on at the same time. Where: Cooper Design Space's Santee Shop, 851 Santee St (just north of 9th) When: Saturday & Sunday  11am - 6pm $6 Admission Partial proceeds benefit LAUSD school garden programs. Entry includes access to the shop, hosted drinks, holiday

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-80349018992943646292010-12-07T09:35:00.000-08:002010-12-07T09:37:21.123-08:00

Co-owner Jose Sarinana's art covers the walls Pork tacos have intricate seasonings Quick, name where you ate if you lived near Echo Park in 2000: Barragan's, Pescado Mojado, Rodeo Grill, Freres Taix...the Brite Spot. There were a few more, none of them much of a culinary destination. Ten years later, Echo Park is a bustling nightlife area, detailed in last week's L.A. Times' article Echo

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-15300505266644657392010-12-01T08:20:00.000-08:002010-12-01T08:20:19.455-08:00

The best way to get my attention is to title your email "Bacon and beer." The second-best, or maybe even a tie for first, is to title your email "Pie and beer." So among scads of unread emails, I opened that one to find:  What: I Heart Pies pop-up When: Sunday Dec. 5, noon to 6 Where: Eagle Rock Brewery There will be sweet pies, savory pies, and info on the pie of the month club. Be there.

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-71585488361762624302010-11-26T22:24:00.000-08:002010-11-26T22:29:48.375-08:00

Mary's first opened in 1922 -- it's now owned by Carolyn.  It's not easy to find a place close to L.A. where you really feel like you're not in the middle of the city anymore. Froggy's in Topanga Canyon, maybe, or the Rock Store way out on Mulholland. Too far to drive? Just a few minutes north of Sierra Madre is Mary's Market, a 90 year-old institution in Santa Anita Canyon near the trail for

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-40340427217205721292010-11-20T15:58:00.000-08:002010-11-20T15:59:12.781-08:00

Lobster with mayo is the way to go The Lobsta Truck, one of the few places in L.A. to get real East Coast-style lobster roll sandwiches, is rolling out starting Dec. 3 in Venice, but we got a preview of the lobster rolls and chowder at the soft opening last night in Pasadena. Owner Justin Li ships in both the lobster and the special split-top rolls from the East Coast. Lobster chunks were big

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-61522284999266090142010-11-17T23:18:00.000-08:002010-11-17T23:23:22.321-08:00

"It's rich," warned a work colleague who had been to District. "And kind of salty. But really good." He was right -- District is rich, and a bit salty, and porky, and irrestible. At last night's press tasting, the Spam slider that stood out for its insanely inspired juxtaposition of Spam lightly caramelized around the edges, a perfectly fried quail egg, a ripe slice of deep red tomato and the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-18871087801015492652010-11-15T21:38:00.000-08:002010-11-15T21:59:53.523-08:00

It took years for Silver Lake to get a taste of the kind of fresh, casual modern food that was found in other neighborhoods. Venice got Lemonade, Downtown got Mendocino Farms, Third St. got Joan's on Third, West Hollywood got Food + Lab...and until Forage arrived, Silver Lake mostly got bupkus. Now the scruffy, spacy vegan place a few doors down from Dusty's has become the third outpost of Food

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-51001219286510199712010-11-14T09:52:00.000-08:002010-11-14T18:15:11.525-08:00

I can't tell you how relieved I am that the tide seems to be turning from cupcakes to pie, which I adore much more. It's been said before, but 2011 is definitely shaping up to be the year of pie. Here's a few slices of the pie scene: On Thursday, Machine Project hosts a pop-up pie shop benefiting the L.A. Regional Food Bank. Julia Luke is art director, Sarah Williams is pie director. Yes, pie

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-44680958401305531912010-11-11T09:42:00.000-08:002010-11-11T09:42:51.110-08:00

crunchy corn kernels with pimenton set the tone for the full-flavored menu Little Tokyo's The Lazy Ox is one of those rare places that's both capable of snagging three stars from S. Irene and serving as an easy place to drop in for some beers and happy hour snacks -- whether you like the word or not, it's one of L.A.'s most ambitious gastropubs. I love how chef Josef Centeno incorporates spices

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-5199266599180330942010-11-05T16:19:00.000-07:002010-11-05T16:19:39.132-07:00

All year long the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has been featuring EatLACMA, where food meets art, performance and music in all kinds of bizarre ways. Sunday from 12-8 is the huge culminating exhibition across the entire Wilshire Blvd. campus. It's free with museum admission, and the events are too extensive to list them all. But there's exhibits from locals like Fallen Fruit, Machine Project

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-16368085953198523672010-10-31T18:29:00.000-07:002010-10-31T18:43:09.088-07:00

South Pasadena's Mix 'n Munch fits its small community well: very child-friendly, unpretentious and a bit quirky. It's not really a destination spot, more of a place for parents to take hungry kids after soccer practice or for laptop-wielding folks to catch a bite while studying. But we liked Mix 'n Munch's homey grilled sandwiches, which are reasonably-priced and reasonably-sized, in contrast

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-25783932329155218762010-10-29T12:25:00.000-07:002010-10-29T13:01:57.728-07:00

Want to try tastes from 30 Great Chefs of L.A. and also benefit the Kidney Foundation? "Top Chef's" Stefan Richter and Candice Kumai are hosting the Nov. 7 Go Green, Go Organic tasting event, with chef of honor Jimmy Shaw of Loteria. Other chefs include Josie Le Balch, Mary Sue Milliken, Celestino Drago, as well as tastes from Momed, Chaya and Saddlepeak Ranch. The event also includes a beer

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-30119376341138534562010-10-23T19:50:00.000-07:002010-10-23T19:50:20.871-07:00

Russell from Feral Honey shows off some beeswax Lindsay at LAist summed up 8 things to check out at ArtisanalLA on Laist...now here's a few more if you're going Downtown on Sunday. 1) Cast Iron Gourmet housemade bacon: This was the first event for Rashida Purifoy and her brand-new Cast Iron Gourmet bacon. There were samples of maple and Cajun bacon and bacon trail mix, and I took home half a

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-80632086178085422852010-10-23T11:22:00.000-07:002010-10-23T11:22:43.859-07:00

Pal Cabron's Bricia Lopez with Deep End Dining's Eddie Lin Bricia and Fernando Lopez, whose family owns Guelaguetza restaurant, is ushering in a new wave of interest in the cuisine (and mescal!) of Oaxaca with their gradual updating of the family's empire. They launched Pal Cabron last year in Huntington Park, then opened the Natura juice bar on 8th St. and have now moved Pal Cabron to the

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-54023827224771331632010-10-20T10:01:00.000-07:002010-10-20T10:02:17.291-07:00

Here's a schedule of events at this weekend's Artisanal L.A. event at the Cooper Building Downtown, which brings together food artisans for a snapshot of the L.A. artisanal food scene. But it's not just about buying chocolates and cupcakes, honey and handmade bacon -- the workshops offer tastings and chances to learn about all kinds of DIY food trends. Saturday, October 23 12p: Chef Jonathan

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-38244412861519530362010-10-18T23:06:00.000-07:002011-02-22T18:59:52.097-08:00

Firestone Walker's dense Parabola With more Best tastes from the Beer Fest: We only sampled a small slice of the bounty at the beer festival, but a few highlights were: 1) Our favorite was Firestone Walker's Parabola, a hefty, chocolatey Imperial Stout with 13% alcohol and notes of anise or ginger. If I ever find a bottle of this, I'll make sure to try a float with a mild, caramelly ice cream.

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-23642038253702709342010-10-17T22:27:00.000-07:002010-10-17T22:27:51.097-07:00

The beer and wine bar is at the rear of Intelligentsia Pasadena It's been a very beery L.A. Beer Week and Friday night we headed over to Intelligentsia's Pasadena location to celebrate their brand-new beer and wine license, which went into effect just a few minutes before we arrived. Jeremy and Ting from Eagle Rock Brewery were there toasting their newest creation, Eagle Rock Stimulus made

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-81342626689752554772010-10-15T12:22:00.000-07:002010-10-15T12:24:41.588-07:00

Four Barrel Coffee's spacious counter I couldn't spend a weekend in Berkeley and Mill Valley without squeezing in an afternoon roaming San Francisco's Mission district. But I've gorged on enough Tartine pastries; where else to go? After settling on Poc- Chuc via a little Internet intelligence and Four Barrel Coffee, which I first tasted at the Cognoscenti Coffee stand, I had a chance encounter

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-10958350491869508452010-10-14T18:58:00.000-07:002010-10-14T18:58:34.070-07:00

Here's a vintage postcard of Union Station, which looks much the same as it will Sunday when several hundred beer lovers convene to try beer from more than 70 local, national and international breweries. A $40 ticket gets you unlimited 4 oz. tastings, and with weather forecasted for a temperate 71 degrees Sunday, it should be a very chill afternoon on the patio at Union Station from 12-4 pm. Of

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-70889151378844986992010-10-11T22:29:00.000-07:002010-10-12T16:09:55.478-07:00

Revival's special bourbon/wine cocktail It's always fun to spend a few days in the Bay Area, where I usually stay with my sister in Berkeley. She's a great sport about taking me around to the hot newer places. Here's what we tried: Revival Bar and Kitchen is a retro-themed farm-to-table restaurant and cocktail bar on Shattuck in downtown Berkeley. While that area's not usually where the best

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-43163629064735389312010-10-10T22:19:00.000-07:002010-10-10T22:19:48.350-07:00

I just got back from Berkeley, where the Cheese Board and others have apparently changed the name of tomorrow's holiday to Indigenous People's Day. Little Joe's in 1962, before remodeling In L.A., it's still Columbus Day, I was reminded by this article in the Daily News about L.A.'s Italian heritage. I don't remember eating at Little Joe's restaurant in Chinatown, but it was quite a community

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-78317278248095968202010-10-07T08:10:00.000-07:002010-10-07T08:10:41.420-07:00

It's going to be really cool to see seven miles of streets from East Hollywood through MacArthur Park to Downtown given over to bikes and pedestrians for CicLAvia on Sunday from 10-3. Here's a list of what food trucks will be along the way to fuel the riders, and a helpful list of other restaurants along the way: Hollenbeck: Crepe N Around Slice Truck Maui Wowi MacArthur Park: Smokin Willies

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7882089.post-12755998076291695252010-10-05T21:32:00.000-07:002010-10-05T21:38:00.553-07:00

EatingLA's papas canarias - just like Bazaar! Everyone was raving about Bazaar's papas canarias the other night, and they're actually pretty easy to make. Hopefully you have a fairly high salt tolerance -- I recommend offsetting the pleasant saltiness with something like a mild, flaky white fish. Here's the recipe from MarthaStewart.com: Papas Canarias Ingredients: 2 pounds baby potatoes 1

Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11301459337765753609noreply@blogger.com1