The World According to Jonathan Gold

Last night's free Zocalo program at the Central Library featured L.A. Weekly food writer Jonathan Gold in conversation with Variety's Monica Corcoran. Her first question: Did winning the Pulitzer Prize (for criticism, this year) blow your cover as an anonymous food critic? And if so, this evening won't help, will it?

Gold sheepishly admitted that he can no longer be quite so anonymous. He went on to talk about topics ranging from the opening of Top Chef Tom Colicchio's Craft in Century City ("shtick, but good") to what street he'd recommend to eat one's way down, as he once did with Pico Boulevard: Sherman Way in the Valley, because it has Thai, Mexican, Chinese, and all manner of world cuisines.

Gold shared his one food phobia. He can cook eggs superlatively, he says, but he can't eat them. And yes, he does read food blogs. He mentioned the Chowhound boards, but also The Delicious Life (yay, Sarah!) and Potatomato as two places where he's found restaurants he didn't know of, or learned new things about places he knew.

Jonathan Gold seems like just the brainiac mensch you want scoping out the greasy spoon down the street. Other tidbits: he said that a "C" rating does not stop him, particularly in the San Gabriel Valley, and that he grew up on Hamburger Helper but refused to buy it recently when his daughter asked him what it was. And there's a new edition of Counter Intelligence, Gold's guide to real food in L.A., coming out mid-2008.

photo of Casa Bianca sign, Eagle Rock, by jfer via Flickr.