Most dim sum connoisseurs categorically state that the best dim sum in LA may be found in the San Gabriel Valley (SGV). Sea Harbor, Elite, and Lunasia are a few they usually utter when asked. From my house, it can take just under an hour with no traffic to arrive to the SGV. With traffic,…
Piccini Delivers Dine-In Quality For Italian Takeout
Updated Oct 31, 2022 During the pandemic, some restaurant owners took advantage of the downtime to create new concepts. Due to the staffing shortage, fast-casual restaurants became popular because they don’t require servers. One example in the South Bay was Piccini, a restaurant created by the owners of Gaetano’s in Torrance. Piccini means young children…
Nostalgia Bar & Lounge, A Retro Bar with Quality Food
With COVID restrictions largely lifted, people seek ways to get out of the house and have fun. For me, it’s terrific to see restaurants and bars back open again. The Nostalgia Bar & Lounge is one of the most recent to open. I attended their grand opening ribbon-cutting event with the Santa Monica Chamber of…
Byrdie’s Rotisserie – Slow Cooked Chicken Done Well
The Bacari team, brothers Robert and Daniel Kronfli, and chef/partner Lior Hillel recently opened Byrdie’s Rotisserie, a restaurant featuring slow-cooked chicken made as sandwiches, bowls, platters, plus roasted vegetables. Byrdie’s Rotisserie is located on 3rd Street, not coincidentally next to Barcari W. 3rd. Hillel graduated from the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu and was offered a…
Eden’s Hungarian Delivers Modern Take on Cuisine
Two years ago, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the near-complete closure of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues, and gyms in the city. It was a devastating time for restaurant owners and workers. Take-out and delivery became the new norm. Entrepreneur chefs created pop-up events in order to make ends meet. One such person was Eden…
Blessed Tropical Jamaican For Delicious Jerk and Oxtails
I’m a long-time LA Rams football fan, and not having been to a game at SoFi; I purchased tickets to tour SoFi Stadium. The tour ended at lunchtime, and after searching for restaurants near SoFi, I discovered Blessed Tropical Jamaican Restaurant, directly across the street in a corner strip mall located at Prarie Ave and…
Bicyclette, an Impressive Westside Parisian Bistro
Walter and Margarita Manzke opened République in 2013 and caught LA by storm. Since that time, they have opened other popular restaurants like Petty Cash Taqueria and Sari Sari. During the pandemic, they transformed the place where Sotto operated into a Paris bistro named Bicylette and an upstairs formal Parisian restaurant called Manzke. The interior look and…
Where To Buy Purim Gifts in LA
Purim is the most joyous day in the Jewish calendar, celebrating the defeat of Haman, one of the evilest and most vicious antagonists in all of human history. Purim is the time for fun – for eating, drinking, carnivals, plays, and food gifts to friends and the poor. A popular way to celebrate is through…
Chef Melba’s Bistro, Seafood Heaven in Hermosa Beach
I’ve always thought of Hermosa Beach as a bar town and not somewhere you can dine on anything except bar food. Despite driving, bicycling, and skating on Hermosa Ave right in front of Chef Melba’s Bistro, I never felt the urge to visit. Due to a friend’s recommendation, my wife and I recently dined there. …
Thai Town LA Hosts Weekly Street Food Gathering
The CNN series Part’s Unknown with Anthony Bourdain opened the world to food and culture in areas not typically visited by travelers. When Bourdain traveled through Asia, he often featured Asian street food. On Saturday mornings, Thai Town LA becomes a local version of what you could experience in Thailand. Thai Town LA’s Street Food event is located on…