Eating Out

littlefork Review: If You're Craving New England in Los Angeles, Jason Travi's Restaurant Is the Place To Be

It's also a great place to get a drink in Hollywood

The Top 10 Bars in Santa Monica

Bordered by the Pacific, the Palisades and the 405, Santa Monica is home and host to every shade of bar and every breed of drinker. Tourists may be our bread and butter, but they're also the bane of our existence, and we prefer our drinking establishments to be minimally invaded by camera toting, di ... More >>

The Korean Restaurant Guide: Los Angeles 40 Restaurants and Bilingual Text

If you love Korean food but aren't as conversant in the intricasies of either L.A.'s Koreatown neighborhood or, well, Korean, the folks at The Korean Food Foundation have engineered a terrific guidebook for you. Just published in a handy square cornflower blue paperback, the Korean Restaurant Guide: ... More >>

Top 3 Weekend Events: Passover Cooking Class, 4-Course Dinner Seder at Jar

Passover Cooking Class Meal and a Spiel private cooking school founder Elana Horwich will teach a class on Passover seder classics inspired by her bubbie, or grandmother in Yiddish. The menu designed for the class: Moscato spice haroset, "Best Brisket Ever" with potatoes, matzo ball soup, and an oli ... More >>

Now Open: MSG Pop-Up in Venice

For a limited time, former Alma chef de cuisine Derrick de Jesus is running his MSG pop-up at Brick House Kitchen in Venice on Monday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. This latest version departs from the tasting menu series the chef ran at City Sip in Echo Park, but it continues his plans to scope o ... More >>

Happy Hour: Yxta Cocina Mexicana in the Arts District

Place: Yxta Cocina Mexicana: 601 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles; (213) 596-5579. Hours: Mon., 4 p.m.-9 p.m.; Tue.-Fri., 4 p.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Deals: $3.50 bottled beer; $4 draft beer; $5 margaritas; $5-$7 appetizers Vibe: Yxta Cocina Mexicana is located on the corner of a strip mall, i ... More >>

Club 33: Disneyland's Secret $25,000 Dining Club

Club 33 may just be Disneyland's worst kept secret. In fact, depending upon who you ask, there are staff that will give you directions to the "hidden" entrance and others that still adamantly deny its existence. Try calling Disneyland for an official comment on the club and you will be told that the ... More >>

Banadir Somali Restaurant: More Fun With Goat in Inglewood

At first glance, Banadir Somali Restaurant looks more like Somalian community center than a restaurant. White bars cover the shaded and tinted windows. The main entrance leads to a long hallway with a kitchen off to the left. You have to look around a bit before noticing a door that leads to the din ... More >>

The Undercover Vegetarian: Bar Ama

When you think of Tex-Mex, you don't think much of vegetarian food. Unless you're one of those vegetarians who lives on 7-layer burritos from Taco Bell. Sure, there are cheese enchiladas, and queso dip, and guacamole. In fact, sometimes Mexican and Tex-Mex spots can be a respite for vegetarians -- ... More >>

Bar Ama Review: Josef Centeno Provides a Playful Mashup of Tex-Mex and Mexican

The downtown restaurant gives new life to a cuisine long derided as a culinary bastard

This Week's Restaurant Review, The Condensed Version: Bar Ama

This week, the restaurant review focuses on Bar Ama, Josef Centeno's new downtown Tex-Mex spot. Head over to the food section to read the full review, or take a peek below for the condensed version. Food: Bar Ama is ostensibly a Tex-Mex restaurant, but it's also a Josef Centeno restaurant. That me ... More >>

5 Essential Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles

Our 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants issue came out recently, and we're highlighting a few categories drawing from the list. Today: Thai restaurants. This is not a definitive list of the best Thai restaurants in L.A., but it is a sampling of five that we think are each essential in their own way.

Now Open: Crossroads in Beverly Grove

Tal Ronnen has had a busy week, first with the grand opening of LYFE Kitchen in Culver City last Friday and now Crossroads in Beverly Grove. Whereas Ronnen was a consultant for LYFE, he's both chef and partner at Crossroads. Unlike the fast casual concept behind LYFE Kitchen, Crossroads is designed ... More >>

10 Best French Macarons in Los Angeles

French macarons are glorious confections, little sandwiches of buttercream or ganache filling pressed between two meringue disks. (They are not to be confused with macaroons, which are coconut, and most definitely do not resemble tiny round pastry sandwiches.) When well-made, macarons are delicate c ... More >>

Open Today in West Hollywood: Pingtung Eat-In Asian Market

A new restaurant called Pingtung is soft-opening today on Melrose in West Hollywood. The restaurant, which bills itself as an "eat-in market," will operate as a casual cafe in the daytime, then go for a more glam vibe at night with cocktails and Asian nibbles. The restaurant is owned by Li Ping, a ... More >>

Happy Hour: SiLO Vodka Bar in Downtown L.A.

Place: SiLO Vodka Bar: 221 W. 7th St., Los Angeles; (213) 221-7956. Hours: 4 p.m.-8 p.m. everyday. Deals: $5 well drinks; $4 house wines; $3 draft beer; $3-6 food. Vibe: SiLO Vodka Bar at happy hour belies its nighttime persona, shinier in its sleek design of darker wood paneling and glass orb in ... More >>

5 Essential Japanese Restaurants in Los Angeles

Our 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants issue came out recently, and we're highlighting a few categories drawing from the list. Today: Japanese restaurants. This is not a definitive list of the best Japanese restaurants in L.A., but it is a sampling of five that we think are each essential in their own w ... More >>

Where the Chefs Eat: 10 Restaurant Picks From Hinoki & The Bird's David Myers

Where the Chefs Eat is an ongoing series in which we ask a local chef to give us his or her favorite dining options. This week we talk to Hinoki & The Bird and Comme Ca chef David Myers. Burgers, Japanese comfort food, high end modernist cuisine -- David Myers covers quite a lot of ground with his ... More >>

Meatless Monday Weekly Series: Sage Organic Bistro

With a long civic history, Meatless Mondays remains as relevant a strategy used to curb the ever-growing list of public health and environmental issues as ever. In fact, last November, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a resolution approving Meatless Mondays, making this the largest ci ... More >>

Cooking With Charcoal: At Hinoki & the Bird and ink., the Coal Is in Your Food, Not Underneath it

In Japan, a restaurant recently served an entire tasting menu of dirt -- dirt soup, dirt dressing, dirt risotto ... you get the idea. At Copenhagen's Noma (aka the Best! Restaurant! in the WORLD!!) you will eat burnt hay in any number of ways: coating tubes of leeks in a layer of black ash, accompa ... More >>

Fire Damages Chez Panisse in Berkeley

A fire broke out at the Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse shortly after 3 a.m. this morning, according to various San Francisco news outlets, damaging the front of the restaurant. Firefighters were able to get the fire under control before it spread to neighboring buildings, and reportedly prevented ... More >>

Now Open: LYFE Kitchen in Culver City

LYFE (an acronym for Love Your Food Everyday) Kitchen opened in Downtown Culver City on Feb. 25, in the former Gyenari location. Featuring an eco, health, social and somewhat budget conscious dining concept, LYFE has two of McDonald's top executives, Michael Donahue and Mike Roberts, at the helm. (E ... More >>

The Undercover Vegetarian: Alma

At Alma, the downtown restaurant owned by chef Ari Taymor (and the subject of this week's restaurant review), vegetarian options take up about a quarter to a third of the menu on any given night. The problem is that the menus are very short, so while there are certainly meat-free things you can eat, ... More >>

Coming Soon: The Salon at Osteria La Buca

A salon was a respected -- sacred almost -- intellectual space, taking on different meanings at various points of history as a literary gathering or an art exhibition. On Thursday, March 28, Osteria La Buca will attempt to reintroduce this European tradition to Angelenos with the launch of its month ... More >>

10 Best Eats in Monterey Park: Neighborhood Grub Crawl

The first U.S. city with an Asian population majority, Monterey Park has been referred to as "the Chinese Beverly Hills" and "the first suburban Chinatown." When it comes to doing a food crawl, it will obviously skew heavily to Chinese cuisine. Indeed, a top 10 could consist solely of Chinese resta ... More >>

Alma Review: This Downtown Restaurant May Be the One You've Been Waiting For

This Week's Restaurant Review, The Condensed Version: Alma

This week's restaurant review considers Alma. Read the entire review here, or, if you're in a hurry, see the condensed version below. Food: Chef Ari Taymor presents beautiful, meticulously plated plates of food that are intensely seasonal. It's the type of food you'd expect to find perhaps on high ... More >>

St. Patrick's Day Food Drink Specials

St. Patrick's Day is 10 days away and, while the prospect of downing Jägerbombs may not call to everyone, surely the combination of drink and dining deals around town would have more appeal. When reviewing the specials in honor of St. Paddy, we found that just as not every celebrant of St. Patrick' ... More >>

10 Best Crab Cakes in Los Angeles

Recipes for delicate cakes of minced and bound seafood are as old as, well, maritime cooking. The crab version we mostly eat today -- crab, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, eggs, seasoning and some onion, gathered up and pan-fried or broiled -- is a colonial American recipe that hasn't changed much since it ... More >>

5 Essential Special Occasion Restaurants in Los Angeles

Our 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants issue came out last week, and we're highlighting a few categories drawing from the list. Today, we're focusing on special occasion restaurants. If you're like us, a special occasion is just as likely to happen at one of the list's taco stands as it is at one of thes ... More >>

Now Open: Corazon y Miel in Bell

Eduardo Ruiz, formerly of Animal, introduced the city of Bell to Corazon y Miel (Spanish for "Heart and Honey") last Friday with partners Travis Hoffacker and Robin Chopra. Ruiz created a menu based on influences from Central and South American cuisines, in addition to recipes inspired by family and ... More >>

February Roundup of Restaurant Openings and Closings

February was a big month for restaurant openings: Umami Burger continued to grow its empire with a $20 million dollar acquisition and a 14th location in Pasadena. On a smaller scale, Josh Gil and Daniel Snukal opened Tacos Punta Cabras in Santa Monica. The tiny taqueria replaces Utopia Cafe. After ... More >>

John Sedlar Announces the Closing of Playa: New Concept Coming Soon

Chef John Sedlar has just announced that Playa will be closing after service this Wednesday. From the email statement we received:

5 Essential Italian Restaurants in Los Angeles

Our 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants issue came out last week, and we're highlighting a few categories drawing from the list. Today: Italian restaurants. This isn't every single Italian or Italian-influenced spot on the list, so make sure you check out the whole thing, but here are five of our favorit ... More >>

4 Great Places For Tianjin Buns In Los Angeles

Nestled comfortably next to Beijing, Tianjin is a northern Chinese province famous for their expertly crafted baos, the doughy equivalent of soup dumplings. At the core is a ball of pork, simmered in its own juices and enveloped by a pillow of soft, downy bread. The bread isn't overpowering at all; ... More >>

10 Best Restaurants for Brunch in Los Angeles

Brunch is one thing that's done well in Los Angeles, a town that's very well-versed in mashups -- Carmeggedons I and II, for starters -- that grab more attention than should be necessary. And while it may not be the favorite meal service of chefs, this internal struggle is not transparent when you'r ... More >>

Night + Market: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Eva: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Canelé: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Cacao Mexicatessen: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

BierBeisl: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Bestia: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

The Bazaar: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Bar Amá: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Bäco Mercat: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Animal: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Angelini Osteria: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

A-Frame: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

Forbes Travel Guide Releases 2013 Ratings: Melisse Receives 5 Stars

Forbes Travel Guide has released its annual hotel, restaurant and spa ratings, and Melisse has received the highest rating, 5 stars. Josiah Citrin's Santa Monica restaurant is one of only 28 restaurants nationally to receive the highest ranking, and one of four in California. What does the rating ... More >>

3rd Annual Happy Hour Week in Pasadena Starts Tomorrow

Don't let the title fool you, this year's Happy Hour Week in Pasadena will be running for two weeks instead of one. Starting tomorrow, participating restaurants and bars in Old Pasadena, a.k.a Old Town, will offer food and drink specials during their respective happy hours through Friday, March 15. ... More >>