Food: February 2010 Archives

LAist catches Executive Chef Sascha Lyon in the kitchen at Delphine in the new W Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. Lyon comes to LA with a pedigree, previously of Balthazar, Pastis and his own New York restaurant, Sascha. He brings with him bold flavors from the Mediterranean, specifically the South of France. more ›

The old-fashioned tradition of Sunday night family dinner has gone the way of tuna noodle casserole, so why not start a new Sunday night tradition? Zeke's Smokehouse in West Hollywood (Next to the Formosa) is featuring "BBQ & Blues", a weekly live musical performance featuring local blues musicians. Don't worry, you can probably still find time for the occasional family dinner or Pupu platters and Singapore Slings at the Formosa. more ›

Get ready, Hollywood. Trader Joe's Hollywood & Vine location--more specifically, at 1600 North Vine--is scheduled to open sometime this year. This morning, LAist reader Shamara Jones caught a temporary sign being installed. "Super exciting!" she wrote in an e-mail. more ›

A few months ago when we started keeping tabs on the ever-increasing number of nouveau food trucks hitting the streets of Los Angeles we began to wonder what kind of cuisine could possibly take to the road next. Every niche seemed to be the perfect parking spot, from Grilled Cheese sandwiches to french fries and beyond. So the game seems to be to yearn for a truck to serve something that isn't currently out there in truck form--but play fast, because chances are by the time you realize it's not there, someone's already working on it. more ›

Last summer a riot of neon notified Burbank that there was a new store in town and it was all about fun! Rocket Fizz is here to bring back the candy and sodas of childhood, as well as hard-to-find local products. They even have a wide assortment of obscure diet sodas. more ›

Sometimes the best creativity comes with some boundaries. When you join one of the many local Community Support Agriculture (CSA) programs, you get a large amount of vegetables, often ones that are not part your staple. Radishes?! What the hell am I going to make out of these! more ›

Tucked into the back of the kitchen at Groundwork Coffee in Venice is a little operation of major inspiration. Two locals have set out to share their love of dessert through sorbet made from locally sourced organic fruit and the results are not just amazingly sweet and tasty, but encouraging to the state of the growing social awareness of what we eat. more ›

Finally...a reason to drink on a Monday! (Like you needed one, right?) more ›

Susan Feniger of Susan Feniger's Street will be competing for title of Top Chef Master during season two. We took this opportunity to check in with LA's most cheerful chef (and to try to finagle some Kaya Toast). Who did you have the most fun working with? Honestly, all the people I had the chance to work with were down to earth, open and great to hang with…getting to know new people and see old friends…that was a great part of this experience. more ›

We might have kept our wallets closed tightly enough to put Gourmet magazine out of business, but as soon as Saveur magazine gets to talking about us--and by us I mean Los Angeles--we can't seem to keep anything shut, including our mouths. In an issue devoted solely to the food, drink, and dining scene of the City of Angels, Saveur has for their March edition assembled what they believe is a game-changing look at L.A. Penned by a melange of voices... more ›

A late-night coffeehouse is tough to find. One open all night long is even harder. Sure, there are all-night diners like Norms and the 101 Coffee Shop, but true coffeehouses, whether it be one with an eclectic menu, cozy couches, hand-picked teas or other unique tendencies, are sorely needed in Los Angeles. more ›

Hot Dog stands across Los Angeles should be shaking in their boots right now. Ray has taken dogs to a whole new level. Indecisive people stand frozen in place staring at the Slaw Dogs menu. Other diners are truly inspired, practically giddy at the wealth of choices. more ›

Okay, we can easily answer our own question in its literal sense: No, bacon is not Kosher. more ›

Beloved Food Network personality Paula Deen's love of butter and rich home-cooked Southern fare makes her a perennial fan favorite and the entertaining chef was poised to share her culinary enthusiasm in a live stage show due to stop here in Los Angeles on March 4 as part of a tour of several US cities. However Deen's company has announced that the "Celebrity Chefs Tour; An Evening With Paula Deen and Family" has been canceled due to issues with the event promoter. more ›

"It was the longest I have ever waited for food in my life. And I'd do it again in a flash." That's LA Weekly's Pulitizer Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold on last week's first annual L.A. Street Food Fest. It's about your personality, he says. "In my experience, you are either a festival guy or you are not..." more ›

Silver Lake's hip coffee boutique Lamill has a liquor license, and they're ready to use it. They've debuted a new menu of beer, wine, and sake drinks, some of which are offered in combination with their specialty coffee brews and drinks. Included on the menu are two signature cocktails of which the Alhambra-based coffee emporium is particularly proud... more ›

Would you eat live tentacles? Testicles? Perhaps a human placenta? If you wouldn't, or even if you would, Deep End Dining's Eddie Lin does. more ›

Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" has scored some serious talent this season with more representation from Los Angeles. 22 world-renowned chefs, six of whom are returning from last season, are set to compete to benefit their favorite charities. The lineup includes hometown heroes Susan Feniger of Street, Govind Armstrong of 8 oz Burger Bar, Ludo Lefebvre of LudoBites and Mark Peel of Campanile. more ›

Last month at Twiistup 7 we had the opportunity to chat with the founder of Bakespace.com -- the social network for foodies. Babette Pepaj was bouncing around the networks as a reality TV producer before she decided to go full-time with her new-found passion for baking. The LA-based Bakespace.com is now one of the top online communities for recipe sharing and more. So before you step into the kitchen, check out Bakespace and be sure to save some leftovers for us! more ›

When a restaurant has 20+ items on the menu and 30+ specials on the chalkboard, who goes to Lazy Ox and orders a burger? Although most people are there looking for the baco, the burger shouldn't be ignored. more ›

Whether today is an official day off for you or you're clocked in as usual, you can give your wallet a break if you take advantage of some of the dining out deals we've spotted for today via Twitter. more ›

Pulitizer Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold wasn't kidding last week when he said "Los Angeles is the best place in the world to eat at the moment." The L.A. Street Food Fest last Saturday, where Gold himself was seen standing in the lines, truly showed that sentiment, quickly finding its place as one of the city's top festivals. Yes, there were complaints--an estimated 10,000 or more were turned away and the lucky 10,000 who actually got in found extremely long lines--but that only means room for improvement and growth. (To see photos of the food, click here) more ›

There were thousands of people who showed up to Saturday's first-ever LA Street Food Festival, and what they were there for was undoubtedly the food. Waits in many of the lines were long, and there were just as many patient people waiting--many who applied divide-and-conquer strategies concocted with friends--as there were cranky, fussy impatient people. No matter the 'tude, the food fest's bests were found in the food. While we couldn't possibly wait for and taste everything, we managed to land some good eats, and, with the help of our LAist Featured Photos pool, chronicle what else was being eaten. more ›

Chocolate mint chip, lemon, red velvet cupcakes at Frosted are dressed up and ready to celebrate Valentine's Day. These cupcakes and several other flavors can be decorated with toothpick messages: "Happy Valentine's Day", "XXOO", and the sure to be popular-- "Valentine's Day Sucks". more ›

There is a bakery on Glenoaks called Paradise Pastry and Cafe. It is a land of wonder, with a hot deli, cold deli. meat market, and import shop. If you need foie gras, sweetbreads, back bacon or yoghurt soda, this is the place to go. In the Armenian bakery, where you can get nazook still warm from the oven and a huge assortment of French pastries. more ›

It's such a delicious food, you'd think someone in Los Angeles would already be doing this. Last night Mac & Cheeza previewed their comfort food to a lucky couple hundred Downtown Art Walk strollers who savored over the menu, which sets the counter service restaurant up to be like the Yogurtland/Menchies or Subway Sandwiches of Mac and Cheese. more ›

Sherry Yard, Wolfgang Puck's longtime pastry chef, is always laughing and smiling and whipping up delicious creations. She was once again wearing her signature pink chef's jacket at the Governors Ball preview surrounded by a Candyland of little goodies. But how on earth could she ever top last year's stunning chocolate bento box? How about a dessert that glows? more ›

LAist loves the pizza you can take home from Mozza2Go (see, see more.) Actually, we love their entire 2go menu. The take-out arm of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza isn't a traditional pick, but it's this week's Recession Obsession. more ›

This year's Academy Awards will take place on March 7th. But the real fun happens after the awards, when the stars let loose at the Governor's Ball. 1,500 guests, including both award winners and nominees, will finally be able to stop dieting and start drinking recklessly. LAist was there to preview the feast prepared by Wolfgang Puck and his pastry chef of wonder, Sherry Yard. Moet & Chandon was also on hand to show off the official Oscar cocktail. more ›

So you've joined a Community Supported Agriculture program, or perhaps you went a little wild at the farmers market, and have more vegetables than you can imagine. It can be a little intimidating and the clock is ticking, or those veggies will go bad. more ›

Manhattan Beach's Cafe Pierre has been a local favorite for over thirty years, and they've welcomed Chef Remi Lauvand to the team, who is currently responsible for the restaurant's thoughtful French Bistro fare... more ›

Details are out now about well-known Chicago-based chef Rick Bayless' foray into L.A. The innovator of Mexican cuisine in America is partly behind a new Melrose Ave endeavor in the former Table 8 Moustache Cafe space. Red O is Bayless' only venture outside of Chi-Town, however his role will largely be a bit more hands-off than previous speculations. Bayless will be creating and updating the menu seasonally... more ›

As thousands of people flocked to Denny's for free, yet not ideally healthy, meals this morning, First Lady Michelle Obama launched LetsMove.gov, a campaign to change the way we raise our children. more ›

Denny's does the free breakfast thing every once in awhile and today's that day. Of course, the lines are expected to be long at any Dennys location. Kingsley Anyanwu compared it to a "Hollywood club" on Twitter after he passed by one. You've got until 2 p.m. to take advantage. more ›

There's no question about it. Hugo's Restaurant (you may know them for their taco stands) has some of the best mac and cheese in town (fusilli in a creamy combination of Cheddar, Gorgonzola, and Parmesan cheese baked crispy for $12.95). So when they introduced a vegan mac and cheese special ($7.50) for the month of February, it had to be tried. more ›

Gentlemen (and ladies) you've got less than a week now to shop for something sweet for your sweetheart. Perhaps your beloved is all about cupcakes; in that case, hie thee to Crumbs to get their Valentine's Day flavors. But if you're thinking chocolate, for crying out loud, skip the drugstore aisles (we've warned you!) and consider some of these local confections to help you pour some sugar on this Hallmark holiday. more ›

For veggie and vegans, the nouveau gourmet food truck trend is a tough one to get on board when many of the menu items offered by the different innovative, fusion, or traditional restaurants on wheels. After much anticipation, the Mandoline Grill Truck was out last night at an event held at the Verdugo, showing off their selection of Vietnamese eats, of which about half are vegan. LA's Vegan blogger extraordinaire, Quarrygirl, was on hand to give the food a taste drive, and shares her thoughts on her blog and with us. more ›

Cupcakes are for many a 365-day-a-year obsession, but for those who abstain until there's a special occasion, Crumbs Bakeshop's delectable Valentine's Day flavors might be just the sweet for your sweet tooth--or that of your sweetheart. more ›

An opportunity to taste some custom-selected Zinfandels paired with In-N-Out burgers was something we just couldn't pass up. And while it certainly isn't tough to pick up a Double-Double and some fries from the nearest In 'N Out and uncork a bottle of red to sup on at home, the fact is we're far less oenophiles and more Oh, no, I don't know! when it comes to wine selection. more ›

One thing you may have noticed about LAist is that we take our mac and cheese very seriously. Luckily, so do the good folks over at Citizen Smith. The trippy junk store-chic hotspot that has inhabited the Cahuenga corridor for four years is known more for its nightlife, but they definitely take their food seriously. more ›

With the opening of a new green and satellite L.A. city hall in South L.A. last week comes the re-opening of the Central Avenue Farmer's Market, which by all appearances seems to be a bigger and badder operation. A kitchen built inside the new city facility means freshly prepared foods and cooking classes to be hosted at the the market in addition to the market operator, SEE-LA (they operate the big Hollywood Farmers Market and Farmers Kitchen, too), be working with a federally funded state program to bring more fresh food to families. more ›

When the W Hollywood Hotel & Residences opened last week at the famous Hollywood and Vine intersection, so did its main restaurant, Delphine, run by chef Sascha Lyon. Although we've heard the breakfast on day one was just "okay," a whole three Yelp reviews are all saying good things and LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold today wrote about his experience there, also noting a trend in new restaurants. more ›

What happens when you take one of the most creative chefs in town, put him in a food truck and add him to the line-up of the most buzz-worthy and anticipated food festival in town? You get some deep fried magic. more ›

We weren't kidding yesterday when we said there was a day for pretty much any foodstuff you can conjure, and, in that spirit, break out the bunny ears, because today happens to be National Carrot Cake Day. more ›

When The Foundry's Eric Greenspan announced he was opening a grilled cheese restaurant, it was big news. Grilled cheese, the ooey, gooey and naughty comfort food that could possibly solve world peace, has encapsulated Los Angeles in the past, whether it be with the hordes of people that show up at the annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (no date announced yet) or head out to the Grilled Cheese Truck. Greenspan, who won the Invitational and is known for competing on Iron Chef, is still working on his restaurant, but Lucinda Michele at Metblogs spoke to him about his plans. more ›

Every day is some random-ass holiday, whether it be the awesome Talk Like a Pirate Day or Hug a Vegetarian Day. Apparently, this month is National Pancake Month. Wait, maybe it's just the last week of February. Or is it Valentine's Day Week? What about the 23rd, claimed as IHOP National Pancake Day? more ›

Everything I really need to know I learned at Rush Street. 1.Share everything. The servings here are so generous and the food is so tempting-looking, it is impossible for friends to keep their fingers out of your fries. Luckily, you have a mess of fries and can afford to lose a few. After all, Rush Street generously invited LAist to sample their dineLA menu, so share and share alike. more ›

Yesterday afternoon the good people behind No Cookie Left Behind held a bake sale to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders and their work in the relief and recovery of Haiti following last month's devastating quake. more ›