December 2010
25 posts
Pasadena For Foodies: 4 Must-Eats →
Pasadena has long been a source of frustration for its food-loving residents and visitors. Though it’s a pretty upscale town, the restaurant scene has long left something (well, many things) to be desired. But here’s the good news: in the past few months a slew of great places have opened, putting Pasadena well on its way to becoming a valid dining option for those who enjoy...
'Top Chef' Jamie Lauren Gets Cooking at Beechwood →
Jamie Lauren has been working in kitchens for more than a decade now, but it wasn’t until she made a strong showing on season five of “Top Chef” that she became something of a household name. Well, to foodie households, at least. Since then, she’s been working in San Francisco, but this year she’s settling in the kitchen of L.A.’s Beechwood, a move that...
Toque contributors' favorite restaurants →
The writers over at Toque chose the restaurants we’re compelled to return to, over and over…mine’s in LA, and if you’ve talked about food with me for more than 30 seconds, my choice won’t surprise you in the least.
more here…
Will Mohawk Bend be Good for the 'Hood? →
Tony Yanow was a bit surprised at the resistance he faced after announcing Mohawk Bend, the restaurant and bar he’s installing in the old Ramona Theater on Sunset Boulevard. While most locals welcome an addition to the neighborhood’s eating and drinking options, a small but web-savvy contingent of Echo Park residents expressed concerns about parking and public drunkenness.
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Speaking of Jewish Christmas celebrations, here’s a list of excellent Christmas Chinese options for the non-cookers looking for a way to pass the day. (I wrote it three years ago, but I double-checked and it’s still good.)
Here’s a piece I did this year, with Chinese and Italian and Thai and fancypants hotel (yes, that’s a cuisine category) options included. Happy eating,...
Bar Hopping in Atwater Village →
Atwater Village is a fairly small little neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles. Some people say it’s got everything a person could need — mostly because Costco is there. But even after the big-box stores close, we found that Atwater keeps things lively well into the night with its stretch of three very different, equally great bars. Bigfoot Lodge: An excellent place to start...
“Based on programs now successfully used in New York and Boston, Metro Transit...”
– D.C. Metro Transit Police to step up system security
I encourage you to join me in always declining to let the police detain you to search your belongings when you want to use public transportation. Stay strong: It’s just a short walk to the next station where they aren’t searching anyone.
(via...
What's New At the Revamped Comme Ça →
Comme Ça has been around for a couple of years, attracting a fashionable crowd, a drinking crowd, though perhaps not a consistent food-loving crowd. But recently they’ve made pretty big changes on the bar side, to both the physical space and the menu, and Çomme Ca is on its way to becoming destination dining. Or at least a destination happy hour — but Angelenos love a good small...
L.A. Bars Brewing Egg Nog Delights →
Egg nog has been part of the American culinary tradition since the 1700s, when it was invented here based on similar drinks in England. Made with eggs, sugar, cream and spices, it was once considered quite the luxury — and still is, in a way, since it’s really only available seasonally. Add a bit of alcohol to the mix (rum, whiskey or bourbon would be the most historically...
Holiday Feasts: Christmas Eve/Day Dinners Out →
Food is always a big part of Christmas celebrations, but that doesn’t mean you have to cook it yourself. A fair number of restaurants around Los Angeles are serving up gorgeous feasts, both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Here are some of the best. Christmas Eve: Polo Lounge: What could be lovelier than a sunny, outdoor Beverly Hills holiday? The Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo...
Festive Cocktails For L.A.'s Holiday Bar Hoppers →
The holiday season is about good cheer and brotherhood, but when you get down to it, people are mostly interested in the food. Of course, people need something to wash down all those rich winter delights — and some people just prefer to drink their calories. That’s a lifestyle choice, we don’t judge. Some restaurants are putting as much care into their holiday drink menu as...
It brings me great joy that at least once a day someone arrives to my blog by googling “awesome cookies.”
“American chocolate is legendary in its vileness…Hershey are the US firm responsible for two of the most egregious international crimes against chocolate: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey’s Kisses.”
You shut the hell up, England.
5 Reasons To Love Downtown L.A.'s Art Walk →
There are many art walks in Los Angeles, but the one Downtown is the queen bee. With tens of thousands of revelers at each monthly event, it’s the biggest regular happening in the city. There are many elements that make this one of the most successful events around: here are five of the best. Food trucks: The number of food trucks here is mind-boggling. About a dozen each set up in...
Best Bars for Holiday Parties →
The holiday season may as well be renamed the party season. Some of these are held in private homes, but sometimes — like when you know your friends are ready to get truly crazy under the mistletoe — they’re better suited to bars. Here are some of the best bars around town for hosting a gathering of holiday revelers. (And hooray for L.A. weather: three of them have outdoor...
Tasting Table: Food Words →
Angelenos are people of culture. We love art, books, food—and it seems unfortunate that they must always be celebrated separately. Heather Taylor, owner of the Taylor de Cordoba Gallery in Culver City, has set out to change that by bringing books and food to her gallery with Eating Our Words, a new bimonthly series with readings and snacks amidst visual art. The first installment...
Eat My Blog: A Unique Bake Sale Experience →
This isn’t your average bake sale. Sure, there will be brownies. But they’ll have bacon, bourbon and caramel in them. And the nutter butters are from Thomas Keller’s own recipes. This is Eat My Blog, a fundraiser put on by food bloggers for the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. They’ve done a couple of bake sales before, raising almost $8,000, but for this third one the...
I’m interviewing Top Chef contestant (and All-Star) Jamie Lauren today. Got any questions for her?
Senate passes bill to boost food safety →
OH. GREAT.
Not since the Upton Sinclair era has increased government interference in food production been a good thing.
This bill will increase the number of on-site FDA inspectors. You know, since those already there are doing such a bang-up job it. Just pile more money on the broken program! That’ll help.
It will also allow the FDA to mandate recalls of food. Meaning they can...