Heather Platt

Salazar, the wonderfully smoky-smelling new taqueria from chef Esdras Ochoa, has officially put Frogtown (aka Elysian Valley) on the map as one of L.A.'s favorite new dining destinations, thanks to mesquite-grilled meats, homemade tortillas, tequila-heavy bebidas and lots of outdoor seating. But what makes Salazar's patio stand out in a......

There's more expensive sushi than Shunji and there is certainly cheaper. But this Westside favorite falls somewhere in the middle, in a perfect sweet-spot where melt-in-your-mouth fish meets unpretentious service and spending a little extra on dinner is actually worth it. Shunji charms with easy parking in the adjacent lot......

“I’ve always, even when I was a little kid, been a little ‘different.’ I’m definitely unusual,” says Ellen Bennett. The 28-year-old founder and creator of the apron line Hedley & Bennett stresses the word unusual, drawing it out as an onomatopoeia. “I’m just kind of like a really big little kid,” says the......

Almost six months after opening his zero-waste dining concept Wolf, chef Marcel Vigneron has opened fast casual concept Beefsteak in the adjacent space on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Beefsteak, to be clear, refers to the tomato rather than a steak of beef, as the small eatery leans towards a......

“Did you ever see the two women?” Susan Feniger asks. “Schweddy Balls,” chimes in Mary Sue Milliken. "That was us!” they exclaim in unison. The chef duo is referring to a recurring "Saturday Night Live" sketch that may have been poking fun at the KCRW show they started, Good Food......

“There’s a garbage bag on the door!” Evan Funke laughs, describing his ongoing reaction to the Abbot Kinney pedestrians who meander in asking, “Are you open?” He is standing in the once bar area of Joe’s, the long-lived Venice eatery which closed last winter after 24 years. It does seem......

Kettle Black, the newest addition to Silver Lake’s rapidly expanding restaurant scene, is now open on Sunset Boulevard in Sunset Junction. Brought to you by Beau Laughlin, Brett Cranston and Jay Milliken, the same team that opened the tres chic Sawyer two doors down, Kettle Black is its rustic Italian......

On a quaint stretch of Holly Street between Raymond and Fair Oaks Avenues in Pasadena, a generic over-hanging sign still reads Sangers & Joe, the name of the short-lived Aussie cafe where a new seafood restaurant now stands. Divert your eyes to the sidewalk, and a chalkboard reads "Lost at......

Landmark dining hall Clifton’s Cafeteria has a new chef at the helm. Andrew Pastore is now in charge of the daunting task of feeding thousands of daily tray-wielding diners. He will continue to serve the same “Clifton’s Classics” like meatloaf, mac and cheese and, of course, Jell-O while also bringing......

When an exciting new restaurant opens in Los Angeles, L.A. Weekly heads in for a First Look, a short review based on a single visit.  If you're hungry for more, see our starred restaurant reviews.  A server is standing beside you, half smiling as she opens a velvet-lined wooden silverware......