With construction underway for a new Mo-Chica location downtown, we asked Chef Ricardo Zarate to share with us some of his earliest memories of family meals in Lima, Peru. From a young age he was destined not only to love food but to grow up to be a daring and talented chef, who brings his taste memories of his homeland to California and beyond. more ›

The menu at Chef Ricardo Zarate's new restaurant Picca offers an abundance of delicious fresh fish and Peruvian delicacies. Over at the bar, cocktail master Julian Cox developed recipes for several Pisco libations filled with fresh herbs, fruits, and bitters. more ›

If it happens, some are calling it the end of California's avocado dominance. The state's $300 million-a-year industry -- it brings the United States 90 percent of the nation's avocados, much of it from Southern California coastal areas -- has been facing competition from Peru since January. But competition is not what the industry is, at least, publicly fearing, it's what imported avocados can bring. more ›

Do you long for your carefree days taken up by playing Donkey Kong, Pong and other '80s video games? You can't have those days back, but if you are feeling nostalgic, check out the I am 8 bit exhibit. I am 8 bit features works created by over 100 varied artists and inspired by the classic video games of the '80s. Through September 7th. more ›

LA Dodgers defeats Philadelphia Phillies 7-6. The Dodgers do it again. They comeback from a 6-1 defecit after two innings to tie it 6-6 off of a Jeff Kent two-RBI double in the bottom of the ninth. While they could have shut the door closed, they would go into the ninth inning with a tie game. Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth inning getting two strikeouts, and a familiar hero came up to bat with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Yes, the Nomar Garciaparra that hit a walkoff homerun in that 4+1 homer game in 2006 came up big again with a line-drive homer that carried ever so delicately into the Dodger bullpen. That walk off homer gave the Dodgers the share of the lead in the Loser's Division, and all is well in Chavez Ravine. more ›

Unlike the rather tired and off-handed assessment of the LA food scene that the SF Chronicle tossed off about six months back, the New York Times has been showing how it's done: their recent piece on "36 Hours in Hollywood" and last week's survey of Sunset Junction. Okay, yes, some of their picks are probably geared to the curious tourist rather than the traveler interested in a more gritty L.A. experience -- Teddy's nightclub is one of their spots to hit up (although you do get to see L.A. teenage wildlife in its natural habitat). more ›

cabrito norteño from Inka Mama's" title="A little home-cooked cabrito norteño from Inka Mama's" src="http://laist.com/attachments/la_ryan/IMG_9690a.jpg" width="640" height="480" /> Every Friday, LAist is taking you on a trip down to Orange County to uncover the unique dining experiences that await adventurous eaters willing to explore beyond the county line. A few years ago, I spent a couple of weeks in Peru. Like most tourists that visit, I backpacked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (which was one... more ›

Photo by dogseat via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr more ›

Yes, you are not crazy. A very quick 3.5 earthquake struck to the north of the Valley at 12:23 p.m. A quake last night in Peru, registering at 8.0, killed 450 and had aftershocks of 6.3. Today in the Solomon Islands was a 6.7 and a 5.3 in Japan (add to that a 5.3 in Hawaii a few days ago). It may have been a dry summer, but Earthquake season might be upon us this... more ›

Have you ever sat around and tried to name the 7 Wonders of the World? What about figuring out if you've been to any of them? Chances are you haven't as it seems that 6 of them are no longer in existence. (The only remaining are the pyramids in Egypt.) Which are gone? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Pharos lighthouse off Alexandria. And the list hasn't been revisited since ancient times -- you know a long, long time ago. more ›

There comes a time in most diner's lives when clearly the palate should be expanded. Sometimes this means heading into unchartered waters. It helps to have a guide along for trip; at the very least in dining out it is nice to be taken somewhere new to you by someone who's been there before. That is precisely how this LAist was introduced to Peruvian seafood at Los Balcones Del Peru. more ›

Discussion follows with MSF field volunteers Gildon Beall, MD, who worked in Thailand and China, Deborah Milligan, MD, who worked in Kenya, and Rick Hamner, MD, who worked in Malawi. more ›