Pete Wells Takes Per Se Down a Notch

A big shocker in the food world this week was New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells' knockdown of Thomas Keller's opulent tasting restaurant, dropping it from four stars to two. The review has set off plenty of debate over exactly how much diners should expect at fine-dining establishments when they're paying, at minimum, $325 for dinner. The short answer: a lot.

The Story Behind Instagram Chef @TrapKitchenLA

Munchies meets up with the founder of @TrapKitchenLA, a fascinating Instragram-based restaurant in South Central L.A. that offers pick-up dishes such as seafood pasta and chicken chops to those who call out orders over social media. The chef behind the project? He goes by “Spankihanas.” 

Could Cheese Reduce Cancer Risk?

Apparently that's the take-away from a recent University of Michigan study that found a peptide created by the bacteria Lactococcus lactis — found in dairy products such as brie and camembert — dramatically reduced tumors in mice. If you've lost track of which foods do and don't cause/prevent cancer, so have we…

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Events

Sunday, Jan 17: All Foie Dinner at Terrine | $95

In honor of the January 2015 repeal of California’s foie gras ban, Terrine chef Kris Morningstar will let the rich delicacy take center stage with a luxurious dinner menu of foie — poached, baked in puff pastry, whipped into cream, and everything in between. Guests looking to indulge may order all five courses for $95, or supplement the regular menu with à la carte selections. Wine director and managing partner François Renaud will be on hand with pairing suggestions best suited to each foie iteration, or to pour a five-glass flight for an additional $35.

Monday, Jan 18: Island Wine Tasting at Esters | $25

Esters Wine Shop & Bar is bringing a little sunshine and warmth with a tasting of “Island Wines” on Monday, Jan. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. For $25, guests can try six wines hailing from six different islands like Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, and the Canary Islands. Co-owner and wine director Kathryn Coker will be on hand to walk attendees through the indigenous grape varietals and the history of winemaking techniques particular to each region. A spread of cheese and charcuterie is included, with all wines from the tasting available for purchase with a 10% discount that night.

Monday, Jan 25: Shake Shack at Son of a Gun | á la carté

In collaboration with acclaimed L.A. chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Shake Shack will pop-up for one day only to spotlight a menu of signature items such as the ShackBurger and Crinkle Cut Fries, served with chef Shook and Dotolo’s malt vinegar aioli, alongside Son of a Gun's tuna melt, a special chocolate whoopie pie – or Shackwich – and three refreshing cocktails to match.

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