Jack-o-lanterns. Creepily-decorated homes. Loads of mini-candy bars (or wrappers, if you’re like me). These are just some of the images that come to mind when I think of Halloween. Like many of you, this time of year always gets me into a more adventurous mood; almost hoping to see or experience something scary. If we […]
Ever mourned the closure of a beloved cafe or been surprised to find your childhood ice cream parlor replaced by a chain? Mom-and-pop business owners—but especially restaurateurs, who create a sense of community by providing spaces for people to come together and break bread—are the heart and soul of any neighborhood. But in a landscape […]
When Alexander Palermo’s mom came to visit recently, she brought a long-forgotten sixth-grade school project titled “How to Make a Pizza.” She wouldn’t have guessed it at the time, but that Wisconsin school project would prove to be the first step in her son’s lifelong journey to share Italian cooking with the world. Palermo founded […]
When Micah Wexler and Mike Kassar opened their first Jewish deli in downtown L.A.’s Grand Central Market, they set out to push the traditional cuisine forward while simultaneously staying true to its roots. Four years and three locations later, Wexler’s has done just that: serving mouthwatering, nationally recognized food in a vibrant setting with custom-designed […]
Grandma’s signature chicken noodle soup. Cotton candy at the state fair. Strawberry-picking in the summer. Foundational childhood experiences with food tie all of us to generations past and present and set the tone for how we think about eating and cooking for the rest of our lives. But what kind of childhood memories spark not […]
Poké is the Hawaiian verb for “to cut crosswise into pieces.” It is also a raw fish dish traditionally served as an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine. This dish originated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… literally. While on the job, fishermen would add different seasonings to small cuts of whatever they would be pulling […]
In a city where five-star restaurants are tucked away in nondescript strip malls, there’s nothing particularly novel about a high/low culinary mash-up. Still, when Rome native Mario Vollera opened South End, a casual eatery dedicated to pairing fine wine with rustic pizza, it’s hole-in-the-wall location at the very southern end of Venice’s Abbot Kinney quickly […]
There are few things more enjoyable than eating a bowl of something deliciously sweet with a spoon. Yes, this includes ice cream, (we would never downplay the importance of ice cream) but it also includes the sweet, frozen creations that Backyard Bowls has been blending up (LOUDLY, I might add) since 2008. The acai bowl […]
What are you going to do to celebrate Mother’s Day? Are you visualizing yourself being on a restaurant patio, enjoying an eggs benedict, in the company of people you love? In Los Angeles, the brunch scene will be in full swing — last year, my mom and I were among the many holiday brunchers… neither […]
Ask a friend: what’s your favorite kind of pizza? Go ahead, I’ll wait. Chances are they have an opinion regarding not only their top spot for a slice, but also what style and which toppings reign supreme. In fact, I bet you’ve conjured up a personal pizza of your own while reading this. Pizza is […]
