Food

Once upon a time the words "La Cachette" evoked a sort of "ladies who lunch" sense of formality, even at dinner time. And while his La Cachette of days gone by was popular and beloved, Chef Jean Francois moved his restaurant to Santa Monica, to an the off-the-Promenade location, and reinvigorated the cuisine and atmosphere with a far more comfortable, family-friendly vibe. Hence La Cachette Bistro, where we went by invitation to sample their dineLA dinner menu. more ›

Though it did not make Farley Elliott's "official" list, we satisfied our burger craving today at Village Idiot. This is their Pub Burger with gruyere cheese and balsamic onion relish. We ordered it medium and it came out just right: juicy and delicious.
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A photographer can get jaded pretty fast on the red carpet. Hour after hour, a steady stream of beautiful people smile and pose while you elbow big hairy guys under the hot sun. Soon, any time you travel and meet people who ask, "You live in Los Angeles? Do you see a lot of movie stars?" you kind of want to punch them in the face. But just kind of. more ›

Intelligentsia on Abbott Kinney in Venice takes their coffee seriously. I'm thankful for it. more ›

Wednesday night LAist accepted a dinner invitation to test out the dineLA menu. The first thing we noticed were the vegetarian options, assuming the risotto is cooked without chicken broth. The menu seems basic upon first glance, but the high quality of the ingredients and careful execution made the simplest-sounding dishes exquisite. more ›

South Bay eats can be tricky. I once heard someone describe a Hermosa Beach restaurant as “like what you would find in LA.” That made me scratch my head and walk the other way -- right to Hermosa’s “The Chicken Shack,” which boasts claims “the best chicken around.” (They do have the best car around.) While they may not have the best chicken in LA, they do have some of the best around... the South Bay. This is a good thing. more ›

It was just days after a massive earthquake devastated Haiti that local restaurateur and Haitian TiGeorges LaGuerre held a fundraiser at his Echo Park chicken eatery, and in the days and weeks after many other Los Angeles restaurants have followed suit. While last weekend food truck enthusiasts had their pick of ways to eat and donate thanks to a 25-truck gathering at the TLofts in West L.A., this weekend and next there are plenty more opportunities to dine out for a cause. more ›

Before we really begin (but after you’ve already become enraged by the headline), let me say this: different people like different things. Toppings, bun, cooking method, texture, ingredients, ratios - all play a factor in determining the best burger in any given area. And to be sure, this single post won’t put the ‘Best Burger In Los Angeles’ debate to rest for you (even though our pick is absolutely correct) so don’t worry about being wrong when you criticize the list below. Who knows, maybe you get a real kick out of being wrong. Like we said, different people like different things. more ›

You may not be able to share lunch by the water in George Clooney's villa, but you can get a taste of Lake Como right here in Santa Monica. Its location on the 3rd Street Promenade may make some people think the restaurant is a tourist trap, but once ensconced in the tasteful high-ceilinged, white tablecloth restaurant it becomes clear this is not some cheesy chain. Locanda del Lago is a special occasion restaurant, but it is also down-to-earth enough that you can come-as-you-are straight off the Promenade. more ›

Every little bit counts, and cookies can certainly make the giving sweeter--at least that's the philosophy behind the No Cookie Left Behind bake sale that's taking place this weekend in L.A. to raise money to help with the relief and recovery work in Haiti. Up for grabs will be "a dizzying array of sweets from both professional kitchens (Spork Foods, Whisk LA whoopie pies, and Bitter Sweet Treats) and and local homes, as well as a few jars of choice homemade jams." All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders. more ›

In the interminable search for some of the best pizza in the Los Angeles area, we find ourselves at Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Beverly Hills, an early 90s stronghold now with two additional locations, another in Beverly HIlls and one in Encino. Reviews on Yelp are mostly all positive and raving, but there are those who offer a sharp contrast to this New York style pizzeria--in the battle over pizza in L.A., you can't win them all. more ›

The stage was set and the pressers positioned. After countless entries were submitted last December, five finalists emerged to go head to head at The Coral Tree Café Panini-Off last Tuesday, January 19. Brentwood would be the setting to determine just who makes the best panini in town. A rainy January night would prove to be the perfect backdrop, as few things are more comforting than hot-pressed sandwiches. Cecilia Fabulich’s fusion-esque Shanghai Spice Pork Loin Panini was the sweet-spicy selection of the night and came with a topping of pickled onions. Michael Haddad’s Breakfast Panini with Egg, Prosciutto, Gruyere and Chive Oil was a perfect morning hangover solution. Firefighters crowded around Tsz Chan and her comforting Holiday Ham Panini to ask for seconds (and thirds and fourths - but who’s counting?). more ›

The sun came out this weekend, and shone down upon the streets of West Los Angeles, where 25 of LA's trendy mobile eateries had gathered at the TLofts to give hungry Angelenos a chance to eat for a cause. Organized by the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association (the folks working hard to get the Santa Monica Food Truck Lot in the clear again, too), the trucks and patrons lined the streets from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. to raise money for the American Red Cross' Haiti Relief operations. more ›

Inspired by his Tuscan family roots, actor and transplanted Frenchman Mathew Cape partnered with a good friend to open Vinolio in Hollywood's burgeoning Cahuenga Corridor last fall. Offering rustic, quality comfort dishes and a convivial atmosphere with affordable prices, Vinolio is one of the over 200 restaurants participating in dineLA 2010's winter Restaurant Week. Just a few days before the promotion launched, LAist was invited to stop by to preview the dineLA lunch menu and to get to know Vinolio. more ›

So, hey, maybe today is a good day to spark the contentious debate over who makes the best old school French Dip sammie in Los Angeles. more ›

If you are comfortable in the kitchen, but not a pro, and you're ready for your closeup, you might want to get yourself and your savvy down to the Sur La Table store at the Original Farmers Market next weekend to see if you've got what it takes to be on a new show. Gordon Ramsay will star in the upcoming MasterChef, a show that "celebrates great people who make great food." (The Hollywood Reporter called it a "culinary American Idol.")They are on a national search for budding chefs from all walks of life - amateur chefs, passionate foodies, or the ultimate dinner party hosts to be a part of the show. more ›

It's curious that such a day would fall not when we're gorging on Thanksgiving and Christmastime treats, or at the height of berry season in the summer, but today happens to be National Pie Day. So if you need an excuse to find yourself a big ol' slice of something delicious bedded down in some flaky crust, today you've got it. (Does Chicken Pot Pie Count?) more ›

If you're hungry and have some cash and can get yourself to West L.A. between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. today you can eat and help support the relief efforts in Haiti. Today is the SoCal MFVA's Food Trucks for Haiti fundraiser, with 21 of Los Angeles' awesome eateries on wheels participating. Head over to the TLofts (11500 Tennessee Ave.) [map] and hit up as many of the trucks as you can, because the more you spend, the more the trucks can give to the American Red Cross. more ›

Maybe this will make your rainy day a bit better: 21 Choices, an LAist favorite, is giving away their delicious homemade frozen yogurt at the USC location today, according to an employee at the USC location. Come on in and get a free tre small (that's the small size) of their yogurt, they say. Chai Divinity and Bluberry Muffin are among the six flavors at the USC location today. Over at the Old Pasadena storefront, Nutter Butter Cookie and Milky Way look good. There are also two locations in Claremont. Update: Corporate says their USC employees are wrong. The free deal is only for the USC location, not Pasadena or Claremont. more ›

All hail the cheese! Today happens to be National Cheese Lover's Day, and while the powers that be have not been wise or kind enough to grant us all a day off in observation, there are still plenty of ways you can mark the occasion on your own. We culled some inspiration from our LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr to illustrate the gamut of cheese options, though, of course, this is just the tip of the Jarlsberg. more ›

The Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association is assembling food trucks for a fundraising event on Saturday to benefit the rescue and recovery operations in Haiti. The trucks will gather at the TLofts in West L.A. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. more ›

Maybe we should move beyond the donut indulging cop stereotype. Amid news of Taco Bell founder Glen W. Bell's death, the LA Weekly finds that the first Taco Bell franchise went to an LAPD officer in 1964. That officer was one of the five motorcycle cops who opened franchises in the 60s. Five more soon got into the business and one of them, a former officer and current reserve, owns 21 Taco Bells. Random Taco Bell Fact: Local Chef (also known for appearing on Top Chef), Stefan Richter, once planted seeds found in a Taco Bell hot sauce packet. Now he has a "beautiful Taco Bell tree full of peppers." more ›

With their fourth location poised to open this weekend, Pitfire Pizza hosted a preview tasting event at their almost-ready Culver City digs last week. Pitfire and I have something in common: we've both been in North Hollywood since the late 90s, which is why I've been enjoying watching the brand expand slowly over the last decade, finding success in Downtown and West L.A., and hopefully now in Culver City. more ›

We are still doggedly in pursuit of finding the best burger in town (although sometimes it helps if we break it down by region) and recently we tucked into this tempting meat, cheese, toppings, and bun combo from Cube and found it's definitely in contention for a top spot on the list. more ›

It's probably too late to pair this freebie up with your morning coffee (apologies!) but the offer runs all day, so consider this a possibility for an afternoon snack or a sweet treat for dessert. To celebrate a decade of adding to the waistlines of Angelenos, Krispy Kreme is giving out one donut per customer today. "Krispy Kreme celebrates 10 years in So. Cal. Visit participating stores on Jan 16 and receive a free doughnut of your choosing!" declares their Twitter feed. Speaking of feed, go get yours on. more ›

Yuca’s on Hillhurst is an institution. This shack-in-a-parking-lot serves award-winning Mexican fare praised by crowds of both the working class and upper crust. Their entire, wonderful menu is very cheap, making Yuca's a perfect Recession Obsession. more ›

Merril Shindler of ZagatBuzz, the blog from the influential Zagat guide folks, has published his picks for the most-anticipated Los Angeles restaurant openings of this year. more ›

Consider it confirmed after weeks of speculation: Chef Kerry Simon of SimonLA will head up the downstairs eatery at the soon-to-open JW Marriott/Ritz Carlton hotel at LA Live. The announcement came late this morning as part of an AEG/LA Live press event held on the downtown entertainment campus, and validates rumors that began to swirl in November when the info was overheard on a DC-to-LA flight then reinforced by a series of Tweets on the topic. more ›

To get everyone in the mood for the upcoming dineLA Restaurant Week, dozens of Los Angeles' most celebrated chefs gathered at the Hollywood Roosevelt Tuesday night for a night of food, drink, and revelry. more ›

Free coffee or ice-blended bevs, anyone? The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is hosting another "open house" later today because they are "bringing back" some beloved menu items. The freebies are available at participating area stores (not including Ralph's locations). From 4-7 p.m. guests can receive one free 12 oz. heritage drink, which includes three options: the original Café Mocha, Sunrise Ice Blended or Berry’s Treasure Ice Blended. (One per customer, mmmkay?) more ›

Street eating is about to get a freshly-hatched addition. The Monsieur Egg cart is gearing up for a February 3rd debut, and will focus peddling their wares in the DTLA vicinity. They describe themselves as "a customized push cart operating mostly out of downtown los angeles. We are bringing the finest eggs, scones, croissants coffee and more to the street for the downtowner on the go," according to their Facebook fan page. A short list of their offerings include omelettes of all varieties, croissant and egg sandwiches, scones, muffins, and coffee. Look for a likely "dry run" pre-launch outing on January 31st at or near the Silver Lake Farmers' Market. [Twitter] more ›

Here are some dining out deals spotted today on Twitter aimed at taking the bite off your budget: more ›

Just a couple of weeks ahead of the launch of this year's first Restaurant Week, dineLA has put together a local "Chef Family Tree" which charts and honors chefs, their eateries, and the influential link between today's hottest new names in food and their mentors. While we've just got a screenshot to act as a teaser, dineLA's site offers a more interactive experience where you can discover the links between restaurant and chefs past and present, as well as take a look at the connections between chef and restaurants. more ›

I have a confession to make. I LOVE plastic food. It's one of my favorite reasons for wandering around Little Tokyo. I found out from one restaurant that they have their plastic food custom-made to look exactly like their real food, which amazes me. I had always thought they just ordered "Udon #2" from a catalog. Imagine my surprise at finding a perfect plastic rendering of a sub sandwich at the Subway shop. Just in case you aren't sure what a sandwich looks like. more ›

Looks like Kogi BBQ is losing some of its roots as it expands from the streets to a permanent address. Mike Prasad, the brand/social media guy for Kogi (and credited for bringing the Twitter idea to the table), has severed ties with the mobile food truck king. more ›

With their Hollywood location open since late September, The Veggie Grill is hoping to bring in fresh and hungry diners to surrender their "virginity." Okay, before you get the wrong idea, to explain: The Veggie Grill's "Virgin Night" is when someone who has dined there before brings someone who has never eaten there before in for the first time--and the newbie will get their entree on the house. more ›

Whether it was your New Year's resolution or just something you've been meaning to try, knowing what produce is in season when can help you plan and shop for healthier meals. more ›

When Rebel Yell came out with their bacon bourbon we knew exciting things were going to happen. The bacon old fashioned was created by Kevin Tidwell, bartender at Little Dom’s. more ›

Yes, I am saying bites rather than meals, because most of the fantastic food I have eaten this year has been at foodie events. A few may be sips, not bites, but hey--who's making the rules? more ›

Raise your hand if you had no idea that there over 40 vineyards nearby, mostly found in Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains. When we talk sustainability and eating locally sourced food, Los Angeles is king, thanks to a plethora of farmers markets, when it comes to urban centers with such offerings. We should start adding local wine to our bragging rights. more ›

The ever-expanding neighborhood market that is Fresh & Easy appears to be preparing to open a store in Encino. California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control records released today indicate the market's application for a beer & wine license. more ›

After a taste test yesterday and comments from readers, it's safe to say that Long Beach's Frosted Cupcakery location in Hollywood will be a local staple, giving other popular cupcake shops some good competition. The extremely friendly staff serves up a variety of cupcakes flavors, including ice cream cupcakes (wow, just wow) and pupcakes for dogs (they are most popular than cats, you know?). So watch out, Los Angeles, this shop is here to stay. more ›

A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it sticks in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. We last obsessed over looking at Old School Pie, and Churro Bites. Today we obsess... more ›

Those of use with less refined palates (snort!) tend to pair an In-N-Out burger with, like, a Strawberry Milkshake or an ice-cold Root Beer. But if you want that Double Double with a nice glass of vino and just aren't sure which one to choose, LearnAboutWine has the solution. more ›

It was the summer of 2007 when the v-word caused the doors of Doughboys' 3rd Street location to be locked up--that's v for vermin--eek! By the following summer things were still messy, this time thanks to a bureaucratic saga that shut down both locations of the eatery. Last summer brought news that Doughboys was renovating and prepping to relaunch at their 3rd street location. While they're several months later than their original plan, they "did indeed have a soft opening today," reports Blackburn & Sweetzer. Better news: Their soft open means FREE FOOD Thursday and Friday from 11am-2pm and 5pm-8pm. They plan to be open for business on Monday. more ›

Attempting New York style pizza in Los Angeles is always a contentious effort. But what about the rarer find that is Chicago style deep dish pizza? BJ's attempt at it is a fallacy and Yelpers are mostly "meh" for Taste Chicago in Burbank (they like Dino's in Burbank a little more). On a recent taste journey, LAist tried NY+C Pizzeria and Bar in Santa Monica (we haven't tasted the NY part, yet), where the above photos are from. more ›

Here are some dining out (and shopping!) deals spotted today on Twitter aimed at taking the bite off your budget: Hello, happy hour! From The Artisan Cheese Gallery: "Introducing the ACG Apertivo! Mon-Fri, 4pm-6pm, 2 selected cheeses, bread & a glass of wine for $12! Sounds like a nice afternoon!" [via @ArtisanCheese] more ›

The discounted dining special aimed at getting Angelenos out and about and sampling some of our many phenomenal restaurants returns again at the end of the month. dineLA restaurant week will run its winter installment once again, this year from January 24-29 and January 31-February 5th. more ›

On Saturday, Frosted Cupcakery opened its second location in Hollywood. If the excitement in Long Beach over this shop is any indicator, Frosted may have a chance at giving Sprinkles, Crumbs, Famous and others a run for their money. Not only does the eatery offer a slew of daily cupcakes, they have pupcakes, which are meat filled cupcakes for dogs. Prices are $2.95 for each regular cupcake, $2.00 for a bag of three pupcakes and $4.95 for jumbo cupcakes. more ›

We've been excited about Pourtal's month of featuring Malibu wineries, which begins tomorrow, and today we find out about Pinot Days, a three-day festival dedicated to Pinot Noir, thanks to LA Weekly's Squid Ink. "The festival, touting 70+ Pinot Noir producers, primarily from Northern California and Oregon, is the first of its kind on Los Angeles," says the Weekly of the $50 event that begins on the 14th in Santa Monica (an LA Weekly discount code gets you $5 off). In other wine news, wines in California are becoming more potent. Drink up! more ›

EaterLA is confirming that Rick Bayless, Chicago's famed Mexican restauranteur, is opening two local restaurants. At first it was a rumor since Bayless was seen going restaurant-to-restaurant back in November, something that was unusual considering he hadn't visited Los Angeles in 15 years. Apparently, Bayless will take over the two spaces, the former Table 8 space on Melrose (scheduled to open in March) and the soon-to-be-shuttered Ma'Kai space in Santa Monica (scheduled to open in May). Bayless will head up both kitchens and be in town monthly to oversee operations. more ›

A little after 7 p.m., some eight hours after cooking non stop, Sumant Pardal of the India Jones Chow Truck was completely out of food. He was wiped out, his eyes were glazed and he was ready for a well deserved break. "Good day?" we asked. His eyes widened. "Yes!" he exclaimed as enthusiastically as possible as he finally sat down for the day. more ›

Kogi BBQ owners have been talking about this, even before the food truck craze grew to an unwieldy size: have a real restaurant. You know, like a real restaurant where a competing food truck, in theory, could park outside and take business away from it (tee hee). Via Eater LA and Food & Wine, we learn of the designer street food king's next move is to open up a rice bowl-focused mom-and-pop-like counter service-style digs on the Westside on Overland. Opening date? They hope February 24th--that's chef Roy Choi's Birthday. more ›

Lunchtime crowds grew to about 500 people at today's debut of the Santa Monica Gourmet Food Truck Corner. Although some were disappointed with the four options--India Jones Chow Truck, Border Grill, Barbie's Q and Fishlips--organizers said this is only the beginning, as today was a soft opening. Here are some quick tid bits about the property: more ›

Here are some dining out (and shopping!) deals spotted today on Twitter aimed at taking the bite off your budget: Happy Hour at The Spring Street Smokehouse: have a great monday, folks. happy hour is on from 3-6pm! discounts on draft beers and deeelicious $5 sandwiches! [via @SpringStreetBBQ] A gift with purchase at Pourtal: Free Artisanal Cheese Plates Monday Night @Pourtal Wine Bar with minimum purchase after 7p ($12 value) (promo details) [via @pourtal] more ›

An LAist reader just sent in this iPhone shot from the debut of the Santa Monica Food Truck Lot at Santa Monica and 14th (it's official title is the Santa Monica Gourmet Food Truck Corner). Food trucks parked on Santa Monica streets haven't always mixed well (cops vs. food), but parking a truck on a private lot solves that issue. We announced the lot yesterday, so read more about it here. more ›

For those who love a good burger, more new places are revving up for an opening. Tasha Nita Adams at Blackburn and Sweetzer finds that Surya India on West 3rd Street is set to become The Burger Factory, according to a public notice posted in the restaurant window. Also, word on the street is that a gastropub will be taking over the old Largo space on Fairfax, a few storefronts down from Golden State. more ›

Yesterday BabyCakes, a NYC import, opened up their bakery in Downtown Los Angeles (it was our Tweet of the Day too). With many locals eagerly awaiting their arrival and their selection of vegan, agave-sweetened, organic, and gluten-free goodies their first day drew crowds, including blogger Quarrygirl, who put together and shared with us a post with photos and some quick thoughts on what she tasted. more ›

Tonight the Food Network's Iron Chef America's season premiere is a 2-hour episode with some very special guests, and it's a show we've been looking forward to for some time now. Facing off in Kitchen Stadium will be White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford and Bobby Flay versus Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse, as the two teams try to take on the heat while using the unique secret ingredient. While usually the item or category is somewhat of a surprise to participants and viewers, tonight we know already that it's First Lady Michelle Obama who will assign the chefs the task of working with anything grown in the White House garden. more ›

They call themselves the "Oldest in Hollywood"--restaurant, that is. The Musso & Frank Grill has been celebrating their 90-plus years now of serving folks martinis and steaks in their iconic dim, clubby interior located right in the heart of mean-ol' Hollywood Boulevard. more ›

The Santa Monica Food Truck Lot (so far) has only issued one Tweet: "Get ready for a new place to eat in Santa Monica," they declared on the last day of 2009. And then over the weekend, Barbie's Q revealed that this endeavor was due to launch on Monday, and that they and about a half-dozen food trucks were slated to be part of it. So what is the SM Food Truck Lot? more ›

Walking through the Farmers Market, we couldn't pass by Littlejohn's without spending some time watching the candy makers coat their world famous English toffee with milk chocolate and crushed almonds. Then we bought some to give to friends and family for holidays presents. At just $19.95 per pound, this treat is a bargain for some of the crunchy sweet goodness. more ›

Hot off the virtual press and soon to be hot out of the oven, Babycakes NYC, a bakery specializing in "Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Agave-Sweetened, Kosher" goods is opening their Los Angeles shop tomorrow. Here's the Twittered proclamation: "OK, LA! We are opening tomorrow! We will see you from 10a-8p at 130 East 6th Street." [map] On their menu posted online: Cupcakes and Cakes (Vanilla, Chocolate, Carrot, Red Velvet); Loaves (such as Gingerbread, Pumpkin, Lemon Poppy); Cookies; Muffins; Macaroons; Brownies; Biscuits; Scones and more. more ›

Good morning, sunshine! Did you have your breakfast today? more ›