Food

Fallout from the massive Westland/Hallmark meat recall scandal continues to affect Southland restaurants, stretching from San Diego to Ventura County. The California Department of Public Health has released a document listing every food purveyor which has purchased the recalled beef -- and at 59+ pages, it's a doozy. Chances are very good you have purchased or ingested some of Westland/Hallmark's product at some point, since markets and restaurants across the city are represented. more ›

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National Strawberry Day. Go for it. more ›

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If you've been enjoying our Wake Up LA: Breakfast Series this month, you're sure to be excited about the latest restaurant opening up in Hollywood: The Waffle. This new comfort-food "hipster" diner, with a menu by chef Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill, is already receiving fairly positive reviews only a few days in. more ›

-- Neighborhood Project: Little Armenia more ›

Here's what you know about Toast whether you've been there or not: it can get insane. Insane. The late breakfast/long lunch crowd swells in proportions that are greater than the restaruant's ability to contain them. If you've never eaten at Toast but have driven by at, well, most hours of the day, you know what we mean. Nuts.The photo at the top of Toast's website perfectly captures the madness, with people crowded inside, people crowded outside, and a line of hungry people that give you the "come on, eat fast, I'm hungry too" eyes. more ›

Tonight is the night to break out that special bottle of vino and head over to one of more than 20 LA-area restaurants that are obliterating the corkage fee in honor of "Open That Bottle Night." more ›

Occasionally breakfast-time can't be a thing of luxury. Granted, it's the most important meal of the day, but it's also not something we all get to sit down for and order up a spread of tantalizing goodness, particularly if its a weekday and there are things that need to get done. Breakfast criteria then equals: Coffee, sustenance, and free wireless internet. more ›

Once upon a time Millie's was the only game in town. Sure, there was the House of Pies and the coffee shop on Sunset that is now some kind of brewpub -- but no one ever went there. Millie's had a strong family vibe. Everyone in the neighborhood considered it home. Most of the servers were local musicians, and everyone knew each other. Then new restaurants started popping up all over town, and when Millie's changed hands around 8 years ago, it was the final nail in the coffin. Millie's fell off the map. more ›

Launched last October by Neil Kohan, Max Wanger, and Margaux Elliott, Just One Plate is pretty self-explanatory. They select one plate from some of the top restaurants in town, including Grace, Fraiche, Bastide and La Cachette. more ›

Whether you are a carnivore or herbivore, the question these days is about your locavore status. Does the word sound familiar to you? It won the 2007 New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year Award. Via VegNews Magazine:

If you really want to lighten your carbon footprint, don' just go vegan, go locavore. That means buying food locally to avoid the burning of fossil fuels entailed by long-distance transport by truck or rail. The term "locavore" was coined in 2005 by a group of four San Francisco women... The Locavores continue to encourage Bay ARea residents -- and people around the country -- to only eat foods within a 100-mile radius of their homes during the month of August (and beyond). "Our food now travels an average of 1,500 miles before ending up on our plates," the group maintains.

Ever feel like rolling out of bed and rolling into your neighbor's kitchen to a tasty plate of banana hotcakes or an omelet smothered in avocado and jack? Breakfast at The Cozy Cafe in Redondo Beach is a lot like that. It's the kind of place where frills are not allowed, but where you can feel free to stroll in with a jacket tossed over your PJ's and the paper under your arm any given morning. more ›

Unless you don't like drinking liquor to begin with, it can be a bit of a drag to be the designated driver for your drunkard friends. You have to sit there on your bar stool sipping your tiny, weak soda while they get to enjoy pretty, decked-out, specialty cocktails. Fortunately, there are some lovely nonalcoholic options out there for you responsible folk, and I'm not talking O'Douls. more ›

We've spent the last two weeks critiquing the DineLA restaurants. Last week I just happened to run into a restauranteur who was participating in DineLA. Being the ever-prepared girl reporter that I am, I whipped out my digital recorder and did an on-the-spot interview. It seems only fair that the restaurants get the last word. more ›

While most restaurants forgo the use of totem pole style mascots, CJ's Pantry wheels out this weird creepy statue man to guard the breakfast goers from evil spirits, and to insure that you won't soon forget where you ate those awesome semi-crunchy pancakes, and that crunchy-as-hell bacon. more ›

I fell in love with Porto's Bakery long before I ever actually visited one of their Glendale or Burbank bakeries -- they've always been our go-to place for catered meals at work. It only took one bite of one of their famous potato balls to convince me that this was a place I HAD to visit. more ›

We’ve already discussed the satisfying lunch and bright atmosphere at Town & Country Bakery & Café in Silver Lake, but now it’s time to talk breakfast. Served all day from this laid back, casual establishment, breakfast includes the usual fare (pancakes, eggs bacon) and less common items like a Brie and walnut quesadilla or French toast stuffed with Mascarpone and marmalade. more ›

I like to think of myself as a person who does what they say they’re going to do when they say they’re going to do it. So it was that, two days after spending the afternoon in the bathroom with the stomach flu, I found myself walking into Ugo: An Italian Café to partake of their DineLA menu. I’ve been there before, and generally Ugo is a solid though not particularly creative Italian option in the Culver City area (though in the interest of full disclosure, I’ve not yet tried the gelato place they opened next door.) more ›

Near the Studio City-Sherman Oaks border on Moorpark Street at Longridge near Fulton is a new spacious and clean contemporary feeling coffeehouse. M Street Coffee opened about a month ago serving the regular fare of espresso, macchiato, americano, cappucino, and chai teas. Eco and vegan friendly, they have organic frappes, soy and organic milks and fruit smoothies with raw vitamin complex add-ons. All are served in eco-friendly containers. more ›

Bread and Porridge has gone through a number of changes since LAist last reviewed it in 2004. It still retains its tiny dining room, decorated simply in red and white with lots of little country decorations about. They bought the space next door and stocked it with brown leather couches and ottomans, newspapers and a coffee counter and now it’s become the perfect place to wait for brunch. Because wait you do, my friends, 20 minutes, an hour on weekends. But here’s the secret – it’s worth it. more ›

I love DineLA week. All these great restaurants at almost affordable prices. I wish I had more time to hit up all the great places! DineLA YEAR, I say! Bring it back now!Useless and completely unrealistic rant aside, Harold and Belle's came highly recommended from my friend Sharon, "Our favorite place, so much food!" she says. I can't say no to that! So here we go: more ›

Encountered this lineup for Vanilla Bake Shop in Santa Monica. The line was 20 stylish ladies deep with a sprinkling of guys. I asked one of the would-be cupcake customers who she was buying cupcakes for and she just said, "A friend." Another customer behind us wondered aloud why there were so many women and not really any guys. I guess women are more apt to buy cute cakes for each other and maybe their significant others while guys rather stick to ye old red roses for their gals. more ›

Can we now add eating habits to the long list of modern relationship deal-breakers? The New York Times published a pre-Valentine's Day article this morning discussing the difficulties couples face when their diets are dramatically different:

Ben Abdalla, 42, a real estate agent in Boca Raton, Fla., said he preferred to date fellow vegetarians because meat eaters smell bad and have low energy. more ›

Philippe The Original is one of those places that has been around for so long, you almost forget its there. Every weekend, we wonder aloud where we'll go for breakfast and Philippe's rarely enters our mind. But when it does, we remember their biscuits - big, flaky, warm, delicious - and we can't believe how much time has passed since our last visit. more ›

Remember that episode of I Love Lucy where Lucy and Ethel get a job in a chocolate factory? Of course you do! Along with the grape-stomping scene, it is one of the classics of physical humor. The conveyor belt in the Edelweiss Chocolate Factory, located right in the center of downtown Beverly Hills, was the inspiration for that scene. more ›

For my final DineLA menu, I thought I should try something in my home town. For years, Redondo Beach was known for fantastic breakfasts and Mexican food, but not much else. For fancy dining you were looking at standard surf-and-turf - Tony's The Chart House, etc. Only in the early 90s when the Westside had filled up did gentrification move down the coast, bringing nouvelle cuisine along for the ride. more ›

All good things come from the Valley first. Lucky for those who stay "over the hill," Executive Chef David Anderson at LA's fanciest and tastiest vegan affair in the Tarzana Safari Walk (yes, that's an official Los Angeles Neighborhood, city blue sign and all), there is plans to open up a new vegan eatery with full bar on the Westside according to VegNews, who gave his West Valley restaurant a 2007 Veggie Award (Note: VegNews is the real magazine for Vegetarians, not that other mag). But first thing's first; and that's starting your weekend brunch at his restaurant on Ventura Boulevard -- Madeleine Bistro. more ›

Fie upon those who wish downfall upon the Westside! We shall smite thee with our flaming elven sword. (That's how we talk to LAist staffers who aren't behaving; nothing whips a writing team into shape like a little dangerous elf talk.) We will now stop being nerds and give you incentive to visit the Westside. Here are some more happy hour specials that'll make you wish you lived on the beachier side of life. Smell that fresh air? Feel that breeze? That's called the ocean. It's why you live in California. Westsiders know that -- why don't you drink to it? more ›

The second location of Cobra & Matadors is a warm, inviting restaurant that invites lingering. Diners share small plates and feed each other delicious bites that are exotic, yet comfortingly familiar. It is hip enough for your most fashionable friends, but cozy enough that you always feel at home. more ›

Many of LAist's contributors have been checking out L.A.'s dineLA Restaurant Week -- and we've discovered that some experiences definitely offered more value than others. I decided to close out my own Restaurant Week experience with a casual lunch and a more upscale dinner: for the former, I took LAist editor Zach out to lunch at eat. on sunset, while I saved the fancy hotel dinner at Circa 55 for my special guy. Both restaurants offered exactly what I was looking for in a Restaurant Week experience: tasty, unique dishes for reasonable prices in a beautiful location. And did I mention good service? When it comes to dining in this city, nothing sets apart a fine meal so much as excellent service. more ›

If I had know about Andy's Coffee shop during my days at Pasadena City College, just two blocks down, I would've ditched biology in the morning at least a couple more times. Hiding on a stretch where the store facades all look the same, I almost wish Andy's had a 50 foot high coffee mug sitting on the restaurant, steam rising from the top. more ›

After a rocky start, my DineLA restaurant experience last week at The Palm Downtown had a happy ending. (Unlike my fellow LAisters who, unfortunately, didn’t.) more ›

Why not surprise your Valentine with a homemade treat this year? more ›

Recently, a group of friends came over unexpectedly and I didn’t have much to offer as a proper host. Scanning my bare cupboards, I found a box of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate packets and a bottle of Bailey’s. Ding, ding, ding! With the cold weather and rain, the warm beverages were a hit – even for the dudes who don’t usually like girly drinks. One excited friend named them Hot Chockis and the proclamation has stuck ever since. more ›

In spite of the greasy mess plate of hungover love pictured above, Foxy's in Glendale is far from your last resort, still-drunk brekkie-plate of mornings soon to be forgotten. more ›

Got a sweetheart with a sweet tooth? Valentine's Day is just around the corner and candy is everywhere. I'm not into those heart-shaped boxes full of chocolates nor do I think my boyfriend would want to receive one of those from me - but everyone likes candy, right? It's a fun gift and can be surprisingly meaningful if you put some thought into it. more ›

Jeffrey Chodorow is at it again in Los Angeles: along with renowned chef Michel Richard, he is bringing a new upscale dining experience to Hollywood, in the form of Citrus at Social -- yes, Social, the nightclub-cum-lounge located in the old Hollywood Athletic Club building on Sunset. The restaurant (with its own separated bar) will be opening tonight, and as of 11:00 am this morning, you can still get reservations through OpenTable. more ›

Square One Dining on Fountain Avenue, tucked behind the Scientology Center that extends from Sunset to Fountain in East Hollywood, is a restaurant of little pretension and noble purpose: it serves one of the finest breakfasts in Los Angeles. Although two years ago, LAist had careless service at Square One, despite the great food (it even made a staffer’s top ten list), the service on this and previous visits was attentive and polite – and the food is still great. more ›

So the big V-Day is only a week away -- and if you're anything like me, you're making reservations for a fabulous spot and forcing your boyfriend to take you out to dinner. He's gonna take me out, he's gonna express his undying love for me through the purchase of an expensive meal of my choosing, and he's gonna like it.* more ›

Devoted LAist reader Ashley requested a Westside version of Deacon Booze -- and as a former long-time resident of the Westsiiiiiiiiide, I'm more than happy to oblige. Here are some of my top spots for drinks in West LA -- (and trust me when I say I have TESTED these places more than a few times). Why not email me your picks for when you find yourself west of the 405? carrie@laist.com. Did I tell you love email? I sure do. Sigh. [Hits refresh.] Siiiiigh. [Refresh. Refresh.] SIIIIIIIIGGHHHH. more ›

The Happy Ending is the perfect place for your bachelor party to grab a bite to eat on the way to the strip club. more ›

Have you had enough of $5 coffee? $99 burgers? $125 martinis? I know I am -- doesn't anybody in this city want to find the cheapest drinks, meals, and booze? Los Angeles Magazine comes through this month with a feature on great deals and bargain finds on everything from martinis to furniture to underpants. We went straight for the food section, of course -- and here are our top food bargain picks from the February issue. What are your picks for best foodie bargains in the city? more ›

John O'Groats is an inconspicuous little breakfast and lunch joint on Pico Blvd, near Westside Pavilion. There's a blue awning and a container of coffee outside -- to keep you awake while you wait for a seat. Alas, I can't vouch for the quality of the coffee, because we were seated promptly. more ›

And I was very surprised by how much I actually enjoyed the taste of this martini. No, it didn't have a fishy taste. more ›

Last week I put on a fancy dress and hit Ciudad. Of all the DineLA restaurants so far, this was the highlight. The open expanse of the room seemed a little chilly and impersonal at first, but little touches like homestyle drinking glasses and retro 1950s accents warmed the room. This restaurant runs with Disneyland-like efficiency. You know those musicals with dancing waiters twirling through the room in perfectly choreographed symmetry? That is what the service at Ciudad brought to mind. Even a party of 20 next to us could not throw a wrench in this well-oiled machine. more ›

If You don't actually live in Eagle Rock or Highland park, getting out here for a nice weekend breakfast probably feels like joining the Donner party, especially if you're hungry and your belly is screaming "NOW NOW NOW" at you as loudly as a belly can. Which it probably is. more ›

You may have heard that February is Breakfast month here at LAist, in which we celebrate the glory that is the morning meal. But our celebration is twinged with sadness for those who may have been fans of the a.m. food fare served up at Starbucks. The company has announced they are ditching their breakfast sandwiches and declaring that their Mission: Lure Customers Back from Fast Food Joints that Sell Breakfast Eats that Include Some Form of Protein was ultimately unsuccessful. more ›

The Blueberry Bonanza (blueberries, banana, nut milk & dates) and Green Lean (kale, mango, orange juice, cinnamon & banana) Smoothies | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist more ›

As you may have guessed, we're focussed on breakfast this month. And this February is a chilly one. Last week we were cycling through storms like planes landing at LAX. When it's like this, you need a little something extra for breakfast in the morning to keep you warm. And, since having different kinds of grains is good for you, oatmeal is just the ticket. Everyone likes theirs different -- some people like it instant, others like to go old school and cook it up in a pot. Some people like bananas, or chocolate chips, flavored cinnamon, or even vanilla. Even instant, where you can get it flavored with all manner of things right in the packet -- peaches, pears, blueberries. These days I make mine with nonfat milk (extra protein, extra calcium!) with brown sugar, sliced almonds (more proteins! Good fats!) and dried cherries. Which seems kinda weird, but it's great, they taste tart, a little appley. It's a real treat. more ›

The first thing you blurt out when you walk into Jose Bernstein's is "it's a fuckin' hole in the wall" because it is a fuckin' hole in the wall". But that's never been a problem for UCLA students because what we lack most are money and holes. But Bernstein's is clean, hygienic and delicious so we do it anyway. more ›

Vermont was my favorite neighborhood "upscale" joint when I lived in Los Feliz. Not only was the food outstanding, but the service was attentive to the point of obsequiousness. Once during a particularly romantic meal, a waiter casually dropped a large cloth napkin on my table and gave it a few pats, then continued on his way with great aplomb. I was confused by the intrusion until I realized that I had set the table on fire. Talk about sang-froid! more ›

What are your favorite breakfast spots in Los Angeles? Who's got the best cup of coffee? The yummiest pancakes? The thickest slabs of bacon? Who's overrated and who's overlooked? We're determined to find out -- so wake up with us, won't you? Enjoy L.A.'s Best Breakfasts!!! more ›