Carrie Meathrell

There's an awesome free event (yes, FREE! for those who RSVP) going down at The Grove at Farmers Market this Thursday, Sept 25th at 7pm. Top Chef contestants Chris "CJ" Jacobsen and Antonia Lofaso (who is also executive chef at WeHo hot spot Foxtail) are scheduled to appear, thanks to Los Angeles Magazine and the Sherry Council of America. CJ and Antonia will be facing off against each other in a "friendly" cooking competition,...

Here's a big win for fans of classic sandwiches: a tip just came down the wire that Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet, one of the two restaurants in L.A. that claims responsibility for inventing the famed French Dip sandwich (the other being Phillipe's), will be reopening sometime in late October or early November. Downtown nightlife impresario Cedd Moses, of 213 Downtown, acquired Cole's in 2007 and has been renovating the space back to the glory...

High-profile, pricey dining events are fun and all, but most of us would rather spend our dining dollars on an event that supports a great cause. If you're one of those people, you're in luck this weekend, because Savor The Season is one of those worth-it events. Not only does it feature a catered spread from some of L.A.'s best restaurants, but proceeds from the event are going to Break The Cycle, an organization...

Andrew Steiner, former "Maitre Fromager" at Patina (Cheese Master -- now there's a worthy sobriquet!), has opened a shop of his own on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Andrew's Cheese Shop is offering over 200 varieties of cheese, including many hand-crafted and artisanal varieties from all over the globe -- even raw milk cheeses! Andrew highlights cheeses like the Chimay Grand Cru (yes, from the same makers of the potent Belgian ale), Sally Jackson...

Rumors have been swirling lately around Citrus at Social, the Jeffrey Chodorow/Michel Richard production in the former Hollywood Athletic Club on Sunset. Last month, chef Remi Lauvand was mysteriously dismissed, and some insiders were predicting the restaurant's demise, despite rave reviews from the likes of the LA Times and LA Weekly. It's a shame, because the restaurant is a lovely and accomplished addition to the Hollywood food scene. The space itself is stunning, decorated in...

It's been all about the morning meals lately: the LA Times proclaimed the return of the restaurant breakfast just last week (although LAist had its finger on the pulse back in February, with our Wake Up LA series). Now Rush Street, the new Chicago-themed restaurant in Culver City, has announced a brunch menu that begins Saturday, September 6th. From 9:30am to 3pm, you can expect to enjoy treats like Belgian waffles and a "Red Eye"...

Huevos rancheros are a classic hearty Mexican breakfast: fried corn tortillas topped with a fried egg and tomato salsa (warm or cold), along with a side of refried beans and rice. It's filling for sure -- but hardly healthy. However, with a few tweaks you can customize this delicious dish into a health-conscious, flavor-filled breakfast or lunch. Instead of frying the tortillas, bake them in the toaster until they are crisp. If fried eggs...

The latest thing in great restaurant ideas? Pinot Bistro in Studio City has announced a new service for busy worker bees: Cuisine Rapide, a $20 lunch menu guaranteed to get you in and out of the restaurant in 45 minutes. The menu will change week to week, but expect to enjoy apps and entrees like beef tartare, onion soup with Comté cheese, steamed mussels with French fries, frisée spinach salad, and tarte tatin. This...

Just announced: DineLA is set to return next January, with three price points for prix-fixe lunch and dinners. The 2008 event, which spanned two weeks and had the participation of 140 restaurants, was apparently enough of a success for sponsors to bring it back. LAist covered the event, of course, and our hungry staffers will surely be ready for more. If you can't wait until January, however, check out Wine and DineLA, a similar event...

In an attempt to give the public more information about the nutritional value of the fast food they're consuming, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is presenting a proposal next week that would require fast food restaurants to post calorie counts on menus: If the measure is successful, Los Angeles County would be following in the footsteps of New York and a handful of other municipalities nationwide that already have implemented calorie counts on the menus...