Many chefs have an entrepreneurial spirit the which leads them to open a restaurant of their own. If the concept succeeds, the entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, and frequently, a chef will launch another restaurant. After all, if they have name recognition, they already have a built-in following. One such chef is Neal Fraser. He recently…
Celebrate National Tequila Day at Lanea in Santa Monica
This year National Tequila Day takes place on Saturday, July 24. Unfortunately, no one knows the history behind National Tequila Day and how it began. Perhaps the creators of this holiday just consumed too much of the drink they celebrated to remember they created it. Either way, the exact roots of this day are not…
Banh Mi My Tho for Amazing Vietnamese Sandwiches
Banh Mi is one of my favorite sandwiches. Done right, the French-influenced baguette shatters when you bite into it and explodes with sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. The protein could vary widely from beef to pate to sardine. It includes a mixture of pickled daikon, carrots, and cilantro. My last stop on my SGV…
Mandarin Noodle House – Tasty Chinese Food since 1978
According to an article published by CNBC, 60% of restaurants close in their first year, and nearly 80% shutter by their fifth anniversary. Knowing this, I’ve always been amazed to learn of restaurants that have been open for 30 years or more. One such restaurant is the Mandarin Noodle House. As part of my SGV…
Tokyo Fried Chicken Serves Crispy Bone-In Experience
Fried Chicken is hot in LA and Angelenos are fortunate to have many different types of fried chicken available. They range from the conventional Honey’s Kettle, Nashville hot fried chicken with Hotville Chicken, and Korean-style fried chicken with Honey Dress Fried Chicken. When Tokyo Fried Chicken introduced Japanese fried chicken, I became interested in trying…
Where to Enjoy National Michelada Day in LA
A Michelada can simply be described as a Mexican cocktail made from tomato juice, beer and spices. When made well, is one of the most refreshing and bracingly flavorful summer beer drinks out there. Monday, July 12 is Naitonal Michelada Day and I’ve gathered places around LA that serve a mean michelada. North Los Angeles…
Mama’s Lu for Delicious Dumplings with No Frills
Editor’s Note: Mama’s Lu and Mama Lu’s both reside on Garvey Ave and have different owners. San Gabriel Valley has some of the best Chinese food LA has to offer. Ground zero for some of the best eateries seems to be Monterey Park, Rosemead, Alhambra, and Rowland Heights. I decided to stay in Monterey Park…
Kaz the Soba Place Prepares Unique Soba Dishes
While Japanese ramen and udon noodles are well known, soba remains a favorite to those who are familiar with Japanese food. Ramen and udon are made with wheat noodles. Conversely, soba noodles are made from buckwheat. I recently visited Kaz the Soba Place, a restaurant that specializes in soba. Kaz the Soba Place is just…
LA Eateries Fuel Craze for Canned Craft Cocktails
On March 15, 2020, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered the closure of LA bars, nightclubs, restaurants (except takeout/delivery), entertainment venues, and gyms. This action severely impacted restaurants that are set up for dine-in-only business as they were forced to shut down or go into hibernation. Soon after the closure was ordered, California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control…
Wes Avila Opens Angry Egret, a Sandwich Shop in Chinatown
One of my favorite taquerias in LA is Guerilla Tacos in downtown LA. Chef Wes Avila established it and he used the tortilla as a canvas to produce some of LA’s most innovative tacos. In fact, the late Jonathan Gold wrote a feature article about his career. Avila left the restaurant to his chef de…