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 […]
Why South End’s Mario Vollera Believes in “Slow Pizza”
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 […]
Wine & Takeout Pairing 101
Wine pairing. Two words that can bring to mind dim restaurant lighting, never-ending wine lists, and high brow musings on this year’s grapes from the Napa Valley. But enjoying wine doesn’t have to be this way. While pairing can be intimidating, especially when considering wines outside of the “Big Six Grapes” (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, […]
Behind the Counter with Zak Fishman of Prime Pizza
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 […]
The Proof is in the Dough at Lodge Bread
We’ve been told that working with dough demands consistency — a precise ratio of yeast, water, flour and salt that rises and bakes at just the right temperature. It’s a science, they say. But toss that assumption out the window when you visit Lodge Bread, a wild yeast bakery in Culver City, where recipes are […]
How Moving Abroad Has Changed My Perception of Food
I didn’t start paying attention to what I was eating until I was in college. Even then, I had no concept of “healthy fats,” or too much sugar, or processed food. I was on my own and my goal was to create a balanced meal for myself, which usually meant raiding the frozen protein section […]
The 10 Most Iconic L.A. Restaurants
The best restaurants keep diners coming back because they capture the pulse of a place and time. And though the cultural and culinary landscape of Los Angeles is always changing, fickle Angelenos know loyalty when it comes to the city’s great restaurants. From institutions like Randy’s Donuts and Canter’s to more recent — though equally […]