Food

Whenever we cook, there is a little voice that occasionally admonishes, reminds, and keeps us from cutting off a finger. (What? You guys don't hear the voices too???). Whether it was your mom, dad, neighbor or Hints from Heloise, or if you had to learn the hard way, these tips are invaluable and keep the ambulance away. Here are a few tips from LAist to you. more ›

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for the challenges we have met thus far, and to be at peace knowing that people are becoming more open to our green message. more ›

Blogdowntown has begun to profile coffeeshops that carry wireless internet in the downtown area. This is especially good for those of us who don't live downtown, but still need the occasional hook up to get some work done. Other than the obvious Starbucks option, Ed Fuentes visits Lot 44 Coffee, a secret hideaway to him, but also one of his top spots to go get some work done with a cup of joe. The WiFi is consistent and there are a handful of outlets to plug in. And the organic fair trade coffee is good too, even if a little more expensive than other shops. more ›

Five Guys Burgers & Fries, the much raved about East Coast based burger chain, now has two locations in Southern California, albeit not in the direct Los Angeles area. The first one opened in Carson six months ago with the second opening last week in Cerritos. Another was set to open in La Habra, but that ran into problems. more ›

Yes, alas Jones Soda isn't doing its special turkey and gravy soda for Thanksgiving this year. But never fear, you'll still be able to drink your mashed potatoes, and in a martini glass at that, or one of the following holiday specialty cocktails. BTW, not all places are open on Thanksgiving so call ahead if you're really counting on that après-dysfunctional-dinner drink. more ›

Pasta with mushroom sauce usually means cream. That's pretty rich and kinda boring, so I decided I would try to make something that was more like the Italian version. more ›

Gu Jip is a hidden gem of sorts. It's not tucked away in a dark alley somewhere, but I sure had enough trouble finding it -- there's no English signage at all except a blue lit sign that says "Tofu House." Not. Helpful. Good thing the suite number is also on top of the door and that matched up with the Gardena address we had in hand. more ›

With the holiday season right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about gatherings, celebrations, indulgences, and treats. Of course, sometimes we get in a holiday rut; the same old-same old cookies, cupcakes, and pies. LAist recently got tuned into a truly delicious alternative, the Los Angeles based Sweet Square, who make really scrumptious squares and bars available by order. We were lucky to sample some of their four-cornered fare, including the Oatmeal Fruit Squares, the S'mores, their fudgy Brownie, and, our favorite of the bunch, the Peanut Butter and Jelly. more ›

When you think weekend brunch you probably imagine vanilla French toast, cheddar cheese and bacon scramble and a stack of blueberry pancakes. We do, too, so we were intrigued when we heard about the "Dim Sum and Then Some" Brunch at Equator in Pasadena. You get to choose from a menu of dim sum created by Chef Zhang, who learned a thing or two about the cuisine from his mother. She has worked at acclaimed Monterey Park and Chinatown restaurants for years. more ›

When I first heard about Ivan Kane's Café Wa s, the piano lounge/French bistro that opened up in Hollywood several months ago, I shrugged it off. Apparently Dave Navarro and Zoe Kravitz are already regulars. more ›

Pulitzer-Prize-winning and family-feuding restaurant critic Jonathan Gold published his updated list of L.A.'s 99 Essential Restaurants in the LA Weekly today, an annual tradition that arrives this year sans fun interactive Google map. L.A. classics like Langer's and Phillipe's are still holding down their spots (and may they forever more), while modern masterpieces like Melisse and Providence continue to reign over the dining scene. more ›

An e-mail is floating around pointing out Southern California restaurant high ranking employees or owners who donated to Yes on Prop 8, which sought to eliminate gay marriage. The author of the e-mail, who wished to remain anonymous wrote "it's wrong to penalize those whose employees were the ones that donated, of course, so this list is limited only to ownership and decision-making upper management. Still, the results are surprising. All of these results are freely available to verify yourself." As you may already know, El Coyote Restaurant on Beverly Blvd. has already been the focus of much discussion. more ›

Now with the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension nearing completion, there is much more accessible without a car. With that in mind, Metro is highlighting the food along the transit corridor with their interactive Metro Gold Line Eastside Flavors Map. more ›

Starbucks is not doing so well, but McDonalds is (hey, cheap coffee!). And what is better than cheap? Free. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is doing an "open hours" of some sort which basically means complimentary 12 oz. holiday themed coffees, teas, lattes and expressos at all their California storefronts. If you plan taking them up, the offer is only good beween 5 and 8 p.m. tonight (but some stores are doing their own thang). more ›

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In late-August when Los Angeles foodies learned of the annual tofu festival's end, there were still rumors that another festival operator was to take over. The Tokyo Service Center who ran the popular festival didn't bring it back this year instead looking for new lucrative yet fiscally conservative events to pursue (think Sake drinking events). An anonymous source originally told LAist that someone was definitely planning on bringing the festival back in November or December, but today we find out there are some new tentative dates. The tipster says it has been pushed to April of 2009, most likely the last weekend for a two-day affair. more ›

People love free stuff. People have been asking about where the nearest Ben and Jerry or Krispy Kremes are. Now you know! Overheard at Starbucks..."I don't like coffee, but I do like FREE." more ›

Good news for the best cupcake storefront in town: a federal judge yesterday dismissed Beverly Hills' Sprinkles trademark infringement case against Famous Cupcakes in Valley Village "citing problems with Sprinkles' court filing," according to CBS2. Famous uses a dot within a circle design on their packaging and website, but Sprinkles says the have a copyright for that and uses the design on their own cupcakes. But this is not the end of it: "attorneys from Sprinkles said they plan to refile the motion after making the required corrections." more ›

Let's face it. Ever since Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills first filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Famous Cupcakes in Valley Village over the use of a modern circle, people had to give the competitor a try. What happened? Business went up for the Valley Village storefront, according to employees, as many cupcake fans discovered they liked Famous better (us included). more ›

There have been bake sales and Dem versus Rep chocolates, and now Echo Park's Delilah Bakery is putting the frosting on the upcoming election, so to speak, with her free mini-cupcakes in patriotic red-white-and-blue. Head over this weekend to get a bite for yourself! more ›