Eating L.A. caught a Craigslist post touting that Sante La Brea did up a new menu, compliments of Chef Gordon Ramsay. In a phone conversation with the health conscious restaurant, who LAist visited last May to try vegan pizza, they said an episode of Kitchen Nightmares will feature them around next October.
Food
Monday, March 31, 2008
A Kitchen Nightmare That Was: Gordon Ramsay Fixes Sante La Brea
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Plywood down at Father's Office!!
...Or at least most of it is! Finally, a first look at the inside of the second Father's Office.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Fin Fish Cooking Class With Michael Cimarusti
Providence, Michael Cimarusti's culinary temple celebrating the wonders of seafood, has quickly become a byword for exquisite dining in Los Angeles. One can hardly fathom the pleasures of eating wildly creative and delicately presented dishes like razor-clam risotto or sea urchin scrambled eggs, let alone preparing them yourself.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Local Italian: Al Gelato
Al Gelato sits on Robertson in the southern part of Bevely Hills. It came recommended from a couple of friends, but I initially had doubts because it was billed more as a dessert place, but hey, if they have cake and pizza and gelato all in one place, who am I to complain?
Monday, March 24, 2008
A Dodger Game and Matzo Ball Soup
Farmer John may not sell kosher dogs and there may be only on stand in all of Dodger Stadium that sells veggie dogs, but now you can at least get your Canter's Deli and have your ball game too. Via LAObserved, the Los Angeles Business Journal is reporting that local flavors will be added to a stand at the field level third base area. Besides Canter's, expect to see Mrs. Beasley’s, Camacho’s Cantina and Ruby’s Diner.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Yummy Cupcakes - We Got the Goods
After discussing the various available Easter cupcakes yesterday, we just had to check them out for ourselves at Yummy Bakery.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
What's All This About the Waffle?
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who knew a simple little Hollywood diner, The Waffle, would somehow become the most controversial restaurant in Los Angeles right now? First there was the barrage of "meh" to "terrible" reviews from the Chowhounders, most of whom complained about overpriced entrees and slow, forgetful service (definitely my #1 pet peeve when it comes to restaurants). Then Lesley at EaterLA revealed that bad reviews might have been coming from "a Hollywood contingency who have nothing but disdain for TV and film producer/ex-agent and manager and Waffle co-owner Gavin Polone? He spoke out against the WGA and then opened a Hollywood restaurant during the writer's strike."
L.A. Rife With Restaurant Rows!
For Long Beach, scroll down | View Larger Map
Easter Cupcakes! Who Needs Chocolate Eggs?
Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank is serving up Easter specialties this week - Carrot Cream Cheese, Easter Bunny, Easter Basket, and the somewhat unusual Egg Hunt. This LAist favorite bakes up an irresistible "Old School" cupcake, a riff on Hostess Cupcakes. The "Old School" will be featuring a pastel palette of curliques this week. (Open 10am to 3pm Easter Sunday)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
How to Scam Del Taco and Go To Jail
Stealing $15 of Del Taco food for you and your buddies can land you a maximum of seven years in prison. That's what two accomplices are up against in a case where three men filmed themselves tricking Del Taco employees over the phone to give them a free meal and then posting it on YouTube. The video's "star," Robert Echeverria, who Rialto police said is a known gang member and was "crying like a baby" at the station before making a plea bargain to serve 30 days in jail with three years of probation.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
It's World Water Week!
Did you know it's World Water Week? Yup, a whole week to celebrate the stuff that comes out of your tap (and if you're an Angeleno, apparently it's pretty tasty stuff!). Lucky for us we don't have to think too much about where our water comes from, even in the worst So Cal drought conditions. That's not the case for millions of impoverished people around the world, and so restaurants across the nation have decided to take action and do something.
Asian? Fusion? Tapas?
EaterLA is on a "Trendwatch" and finds a USA Today article where three Food Network chefs/personalities are asked to give their predictions on the next big food trend.
Monday, March 17, 2008
RIBS RIBS RIBS!!! - Mr. Cecil's California Ribs
Surprisingly, the West Side has quite a few impressive barbecue joints, which are hole-in-the-walls. One of these is Mr. Cecil's California Ribs. We found it on Pico Blvd., one block west of Bundy Ave. The restaurant sits in this unique, little, round building. The tables are few, but the place is very cozy. The menu feels slightly limited, but maybe our eyes skipped some parts of it because we knew exactly what we wanted...RIBS RIBS RIBS!!! So, we ordered some baby backs and beef ribs, along with a 10oz. smoked tri-tip steak.
Japanese Vegan Restaurant Opens Downtown
An ancient cuisine is hoping to attract new fans in downtown Los Angeles: Shojin, an organic Japanese restaurant whose menu is inspired by Buddhist vegetarian principles, has opened in Little Tokyo. Traditional "shojin" cuisine is a plant-based, essentially vegan diet, which Buddhists adhere to as a form of spiritual discipline. So, of course, what better theme for a trendy new Downtown restaurant?
Irish Recipes that are NOT Corned Beef and Cabbage
Rather stay in and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a quiet dinner at home? Or maybe you need to fill up before a night of serious partying. If corned beef and cabbage isn't your style, here are a few of my favorite Irish dishes.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
How to Cook Perfect Corned Beef and Cabbage
Many people do not find corned beef and cabbage very appealing. That's because most people (and most bars) boil the corned beef and vegetables together, resulting in a greasy, unappealing mess. Remember, it is still a brisket, so you want to treat it as such. Imagine throwing a big T-bone into a boiling pot of water; it would taste like crap too. The secret is to cook the corned beef in the oven, and to cook the vegetables separately. That keeps them from becoming greasy.
Barney's Beanery Biatches
As some of you may well know, I am embarking on Malingering's Marvelous March Madness Sports Bar tour, so I thought I'd hit up one of the usual spots: Barney's Beanery in Santa Monica.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The Girl of the Caramel
It'sNational Chocolate Week. It's always chocolate week for me, because I eat it daily. I take offense with the term "chocoholic" because it sounds like a problem. Chocolate is good for you! It's not an obsession that needs to be cured. Well, obsession - yes. Cure? No. Case in point: Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, which are only seasonal. That is tragic, because they are one of the greatest edible delights in the world. I'm not talking caramels that have a bit of salt in them, aka fleur de sel caramels - they're a horse of another color. The dark chocolate ones have sea salt sprinkled on them and that irresistible sweet and salty combination - mixed with the alternating velvety texture of caramel and the crunch of chocolate and bite of salt - are a PMSing woman's dream come true. Chocolate pretzels sadly fall far behind.
Splurge! Mastro's Steakhouse
I'm sure everyone here has some opinion on what's the best steakhouse in Los Angeles. There's Morton's, Cut, a number of Ruth's Chris's, Mastro's, and probably a ton of others that I can't think of right now. It was the g/f's birthday and we got to splurge at Mastro's a bit, so here are the photos -- proof, if you will -- that we lived it up for a night.
LAist In the Kitchen: Vietnamese Spring Rolls
One of my all-time favorite things to order from my neighborhood Thai delivery joint is what they call Salad rolls. They're cold appetizer wraps stuffed with fresh produce and the hallmark flavorful bite of Thai and Vietnamese cooking, thanks to the palate-pleasing mix of pungent Thai basil, mint, lime, and spice.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Shamrock Shakes - They're Ba-a-a-a-a-ck!!!
Uncle O'Grimacey! This year there hasn't been any advertising for that horror of horrors, the Shamrock Shake. But curiosity got the best of me. I headed over to the local McDonalds and ordered one up. The employees gathered to stare at me the way people do when I ask for my tacos extra spicy or I'm about to eat something like pig's ears. I heard one of the employees mumble to the other, "Did you taste it?"
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The LAist Irish Coffee Drink-off
Just in time for St Paddy's Day, we check out some of the Irish coffees around town. Screw green beer. That stuff will kill you. After drinking many Irish Coffees in the name of serious scientific research, I have discovered a good Irish coffee relies on two relatively simple elements: the freshness of the coffee and use of real heavy cream
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Locanda Del Lago: A Night in Como
In all the many, many years I have been trolling Santa Monica's Promenade, in search of shopping and people-watching and places to eat, it had never occured to me to stop in at Locanda del Lago, an Italian restaurant right in the thick of Santa Monica's shopping mecca. I was invited out to try some of their house specialties; it's Italian cuisine in the Lombardy style, which emphasizes ingredients like fish from Lake Como, veal, butter (rather than olive oil), and risotto (rather than pasta).
Screw Pinkberry! It's All About Menchie's Frozen Yogurt
Pinkberry, CeFiore, Red Mango, Lime Light, etc., etc., etc., have nothing on Menchie's Frozen Yogurt in Valley Village off Laurel Canyon between Magnolia and Chandler. At Menchie's, there's not just two flavors, there's ten. At Menchie's, you don't get served, you serve yourself. At Menchie's, there's not just a handful of toppings, there's more than thirty-five.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
St. Patrick's Day: Gentlemen, Start Your Livers
All right, you alchie lads and lassies, your day is near, the one time of the year where the bars open up for breakfast and people won't look at you twice for having a little whiskey with your morning cuppa. Take the day off so you can start drinking early to beat the mad crowds and avoid the long lines. These Irish pubs can accommodate your pre-dawn cravings as they open up in the a.m. for St. Patrick's Day next Monday.
Food Prices Going Up, Restaurants Cutting Back
As if the rising rent prices weren't enough, now food prices are skyrocketing for consumers all over the country. Everywhere you look this morning, there are articles about the rising costs of staples like eggs, milk, and even coffee. As gas prices rise and demand for alternative fuels made from corn also increases (corn is the staple crop of all Americans), your grocery bill is suffering.
I Just Tasted Some Awesome Pizza
Two of my friends have been raving about this supposed "real Italian/napolitana" pizza in Monterey Park, and after months of accumulated hype I decided to give in and drive 20 miles just for fucking pizza. I even took five other friends in tow for the expedition to Monterey Park, the hotbed for all great cheap eats -- some of my favorites include Shakas and The Boiling Crab.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Making A Salad From a Downtown Sidewalk
">Weekend America report about urban foraging in Los Angeles. That is, can you take a walk in your neighborhood and find and eat lunch without any cooking or prep back in the kitchen? Why, yes, yes you can.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The First Sign of Spring: Banberries
Like many coffee shops, Polly's may just be a great place to take your grandma. Maybe the menu isn't very interesting beyond breakfast, their exotic chicken salad sandwich (ooh, are those cashews?), and the chicken pot pie. And yes, they are in an unholy alliance with the Colonel ("it's a well-known fact he puts an addictive chemical in his chicken that makes you crave it fortnightly"). But if there was only one Banberry Pie left in the world, I would fight you to the death for it.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Cure
There is some kind of hellish cold going around that's sent people from all over running to their doctors for a z-pack (to the uninitiated out that that would be pack of Zithromax, the antibiotic du jour these days.) But what if you're trying to stick it out and fight it off with a wing, a prayer and some echinacea?
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Make Your Own Fruit Wine & Vinegar, This Monday
Artist and forager Nancy Klehm will be holding the last of her highly unique cooking classes at Echo Park gallery/performance space Machine Project this Monday, March 10th, from 6-9pm. There are still a few spots left (tickets cost $85 for members, $95 for non-members), so head on over to the website to sign up for a lesson on making your own fermented fruits and vinegars. Fruit wine sounds like a fantastic way to take advantage of Southern California's many urban fruit trees!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
uWink Opening New Location in Hollywood
uWink, the entertainment/dining "experience," has just announced plans to open a new location in the Hollywood & Highland complex, in the space formerly occupied by Wolfgang Puck's Brasserie Vert. The restaurant is coming to Hollywood sometime in early May 2008, and promises to bring as-of-yet-unheard-of levels of FUN!!! and FAMILY EXCITEMENT!!! to the Highland complex.
Asian Eats: Seafood Village
I don't know about you, but I like my seafood fresh, cheap, and in big hearty portions. So when I heard about Seafood VIllage and their crab special, I had to drive over and see for myself.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Cocktail Review: The Hungry Cat's Sourpuss
Want your date to pucker up? Take her to the Hungry Cat in Hollywood, well-known for its innovative and freshly juiced cocktails, and order her up a Sourpuss ($12).
Deacon Booze: March Towards Happy Hour!
Lot 44: New Coffee Concept Opening Downtown This Spring
I hope you haven't had enough of the Great Coffee Debate that has been ROCKING the Southland ever since hip joints like LA Mill and Intelligentsia have hit the scene. (Although you all know that we prefer a cup of the working man's brew, Dunkin' Donuts coffee, over here.) A new coffeehouse, Lot 44, is set to hit downtown sometime this spring.
Monday, March 3, 2008
The Cheese Stands Alone
It's National Cold Cuts Day. That term has always brought to mind those not very fresh, tasteless sandwich fillers served at large functions that you eat because you don't want to eat only macaroni salad. With the beef recall, dashing to your local butcher for some cold cuts sounds less appetizing than ever. However, the term "cold cuts" can include cheese and that's where you can freely celebrate.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Nova Express Cafe to Close This Week
It's a sad day week for those who frequent Fairfax Village, for those who need a late-night nosh alternative to Canter's Deli, or for those who love some vegan pizza -- Nova Express Cafe announced (letter below) that they are closing their doors this Wednesday at 2 a.m. (not be too confusing, that would officially be Thursday, 3 hours in).
A Farmer's Market Morning....
I recently finished reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food", and I couldn't wait to get out to the Studio City farmer's market this morning. I stuck a couple of twenty-dollar bills in my back pocket and threw a "Ventura County Fair!!!" tote bag over my arm.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The Waffle: A Breakfast Joint for Dinner and Cocktails?
"hey, i wanna check out this new place daily candy wrote about today. the waffle. i checked out their menu and it sounds cool and they're open til 4am on fri/sat nites." My friend Shelley IM'd me this last week. I gave their menu a look-see, Googled them and found that not only Daily Candy wrote about them but LAist, LA Times' The Guide and Eater LA. "I can't believe I found out about something b4 u!" she wrote smugly. "oh whatev. I find out about things from my friends," I replied defensively.

