Posts Tagged ‘Los Angeles’
Get Into The Know About Bibigo
Restaurant Reviews • Tags: Beverly Hills, Bibigo, bibim, bibimbap, Korean food, Los Angeles
Los Angeles does not suffer from a lack of diverse food offerings, so it should come as no surprise that Korean fast casual and casual sit-down restaurants are nestled in several pockets all over town. Bibigo is the spawn of a company that has manufactured and distributed Korean products for decades, and now the eatery is a place to sit down and enjoy fresh, authentic dishes. According to Bibigo, the idea of ‘bibim’ “reflects the Korean value of a collective lifestyle, where good fortune is shared, and new things are embraced.” Take this as a lofty suggestion for life in general, then apply it to a meal with friends if you venture to Bibigo.
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Chef Bruce Kalman Spruces Up The Churchill
Restaurant Reviews • Tags: brunch menus, Chef Bruce Kalman, Los Angeles, The Churchill, West Third Street
Just before The Churchill hit its one year anniversary, the restaurant had already undergone a major change in the kitchen. Last month, Chef Bruce Kalman stepped into the culinary lead and revamped the neighborhood restaurant’s offerings. With a new touch, The Churchill has re-positioned itself as a major contender in the Third Street area. Both Amir and I missed the anniversary party due to his birthday celebration in Las Vegas. Just a couple of weeks prior to a few days in Sin City, I had the opportunity to enjoy a midweek brunch at The Churchill featuring several dishes and cocktails from the new menu.
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A Second Go 'Round With Okonomiyaki
Special Events • Tags: cooking class, Foodstory, Japanese, Los Angeles, okonomiyaki, Yoko Isassi
A little more than two years ago, Amir and I made our first okonomiyaki. Up until that point, we had never even heard of it, but without any hesitation, we decided okonomiyaki would be the best dish to feature in our upcoming Ethnic Exploration series. Some called it a Japanese pancake, others a Japanese pizza. Regardless, it was a vegetable-filled, pork belly-covered, sauce-doused, bonito flake-dusted creation on a plate. A bit intimidating, but definitely much better tasting than it looks. Fast forward to earlier this month when I received an invitation to attend FoodStory led by chef and self-proclaimed Japanese food storyteller, Yoko Isassi. In a Downtown loft, I spent a couple of hours with fellow food lovers reliving the okonomiyaki experience.
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Announcing A Seasonal Vegan Cooking Demo
Special Events • Tags: baking with olive oil, cooking demo, healthy dishes, holiday recipes, Los Angeles, vegan, Westmoreland Lofts
This is just a quick announcement to let you know that I will be teaming up with Christa of Veggin’ Out With Christa to co-host a vegan holiday cooking demonstration on Sunday, October 21st from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm at the Westmoreland Lofts. We will offer samples and a few snacks plus a glass of wine to all attendees. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for $22.50 starting today. Make sure to reserve your space, and spread the word!
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Revitalize With M Café's Summer Menu
Restaurant Reviews • Tags: Babycakes NYC, Los Angeles, M Cafe de Chaya, macrobiotic diet, restaurant review, vegan
If you live in Los Angeles, chances are you’ve heard of M Café de Chaya, the city’s mainstay in macrobiotic dining. M Café serves up whole, made-from-scratch foods that are vegetarian and vegan-friendly without refined sugar and other highly processed ingredients. The casual European-style café boasts an array of garden-fresh juices as well. At the beginning of the month, Chrystal and I were invited to the restaurant to check out the new summer menu. Both of us have been there more than once in the past, but it was high time for another visit for a lunch of seasonal dishes and a cooling beverage.
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Eating At The JazzReggae Fest
Special Events • Tags: JazzReggae Festival, Los Angeles, music, UCLA
Who’s going to the 26th Annual JazzReggae Festival this year? If you don’t have a ticket, you still have time to grab one! What does jazz and reggae have to do with this food blog. Obviously, no festival is complete without local vendors hawking their edible wares. That is where the focus of this event, at least for us, comes into play. That doesn’t mean the sounds of The Roots, Thundercat, Selah Sue and Booker T. Jones won’t be enjoyed. But they will be enjoyed while walking through the field dotted with more than 25 vendors. The offerings include bites from Kobbler King, Pampas Grill, Nu Nu Orleans, Delrose Jamaican, Rastaco, Natraliart and more.
Another cool aspect of the festival is its commitment to green and sustainable practices. Who knows if the weather will cooperate, but let’s cross our fingers, shall we? Hop on two wheels and ride your bike to the UCLA campus. Bike valet will be available. Or you can get a ride one of the many MTA bus lines or the Santa Monica Big Blue Line to arrive in mass transit-style. There will also be refillable water bottles, recoiling and composting of course and the collection of …
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Potaje de Garbanzos y Chorizo (Chickpea and Chorizo Stew)
Poultry & Pork • Tags: chickpeas, cooking dried beans, Cuban, Ethnic Exploration, Los Angeles, sofrito, Spanish chorizo
Believe it or not, it’s already the end of month. So that means the time has come for our latest Ethnic Exploration! We decided to mosey on over to Cuba for this edition. We were craving spicy and exotic flavors during our on-again off-again chilly weather, and our blog could use more traditional and authentic Latin recipes. Cuba seemed a fitting place to start our journey.
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The Taste in Los Angeles
Restaurant Reviews • Tags: chefs, food and wine event, Los Angeles, The Taste
Around the country, many people spent Labor Day weekend with friends and family, by the water or next to a smokey grill. Many people in Los Angeles spent their weekend traveling between Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Downtown L.A. for a four day food, wine and chef extravaganza otherwise known as The Taste. The event’s name is an understatement. In truth, it was a feast–a feast of food and drink from Los Angeles’ hottest restaurants, both new and well established, in addition to breweries, wineries and television food personalities. All across town, there were different events happening. It was difficult to choose which ones to attend, but it came down to the following:
Saturday
Hollywood
Taco Tequila Tryst
Presented by Hornitos, Buick and GMC
Roy Choi, the big name behind Koji BBQ and pretty much the inception of food trucks in L.A., hosted an evening of restaurants serving their taco on great tacos. KCRW’s Jason Bentley was the evening’s MC, and he introduced live music by Pollyn and Diego Garcia. Tequila from Hornitos and Don Q rum flowed into cups as soft and crunchy filled tortillas were popped into hungry mouths. Yamashiro wowed everybody with its duck tacos. Chef Ameera of L.a. Girls Do Cook and …
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Bertolli Shows Us Los Angeles' Italian Flair
Special Events • Tags: Bertolli, gelato, Italian restaurants, Italian wine, Los Angeles, moscato, salumeria, Santa Monica
Where to start, where to start. Let’s try to start at the beginning, although it feels like a formidable task. Last weekend, Amir and I were invited to taste and sip the wares of several Italian restaurants and eateries here in Los Angeles under the guided hand of our friends at Bertolli. We are never ones to pass up a food experience, especially one that will open our eyes yet again to another undiscovered side of Los Angeles. This is truly a rich food city, and we confirm that fact almost every day. The itinerary would include visits to Café Bella Roma, Obika Mozzarella Bar, Primi al Mercato, Norcino Salumeria, Café Bellagio and Osteria Mamma–each one offering its own specialty that would be authentic, traditional and delicious. With eager appetites and loose fitting pants, we made our way over to the first location where we would meet the other bloggers who would accompany us.
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Goat Cheese and Grapefruit Basil Swirl Tart
Restaurant Reviews • Tags: French restaurant, giveaway, Los Angeles, Monsieur Marcel, The Original Farmers Market
Just look at those little guys. Aren’t they cute? Those would just be mini tart shells filled with a silky curd flavored with sweet, tangy grapefruit and aromatic, earthy basil. The tart shells were homemade, but the curd was not. It came from Monsieur Marcel, which is a store in Los Angeles’ Original Farmers Market. Monsieur Marcel is full of goods that will make any kitchen cook freak, including a wide array of jarred curds, sauces, vinegars, dressings, seasonings, spices, oils, chocolates and candies. Outside of the store lies Monsieur Marcel’s restaurant where French delicacies and prime wines are served to eager patrons. On this day, though, it was all about the curd–a jar of thick, creamy curd full of citrus and herb that made two desserts feel like major treats.
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