With the number of people that are gluten intolerant these days, it is surprising to me to not see that many gluten-free bakeries in LA. One such gluten bakery is Kirari West, an artisan bakery that opened in Redondo Beach five years ago. They are located in the King Harbor shopping center almost underneath the…
Tasting the dineL.A. Menu at Sea Level Restaurant
dineL.A. is a 14-day event sponsored by LA Tourism and takes place twice a year. The event showcases LA as a premier dining destination while highlighting the diversity of culinary experiences L.A. has to offer. Enjoy special lunch and dinner menus at hundreds of LA-area restaurants. After perusing the online menu, I selected Sea Level…
Baran’s 2239 Collaborates with Papadakis Taverna
Baran’s 2239 is a cozy bistro tucked into a strip mall on busy Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach. They became popular quickly and in 2019 Michelin placed Baran’s 2239 on their Bib Gourmand list for LA. Owners Jonathan and Jason Barans recently collaborated with long-time restaurant owners John and Tom Papadakis of Papadakis Taverna…
Al Noor – Quality Pakistani Cuisine in the South Bay
Lawndale’s Inglewood Ave is beginning to look like Little Pakistan. Three excellent Pakistani restaurants are located within a mile of each other and each one appears to be thriving despite the pandemic. I recently visited Al Noor, one of the three Pakistani restaurants on Inglewood Ave. In addition to Pakistani cuisine, Al Noor also offers…
Lonzo’s Restaurant – Where Peruvian Seafood Reins
I enjoy living in the LA area because there is an enormous number of ethnic eateries. Included in this group are bakeries, and while I prefer savory over sweet, I enjoy partaking in items such as empanadas, croissants, pastries, and fresh-baked bread for sandwiches. Through social media, I recently stumbled upon Lonzo’s Restaurant in Culver…
Enjoying Fat Tuesday at Harold and Belle’s
Fat Tuesday is the last day of Carnival and the day before for Ash Wednesday. It is the intertwining of a period of festivals and feasts that lead to a time of fasting and reflection. To celebrate Fat Tuesday, my wife suggested that we order food from Harold and Belle’s, a long-time standing Creole restaurant…
Most Valuable Playa Serves Taiwanese Goodness
I find it interesting when a restaurant owner decides to close and immediately reopen with another type of cuisine. This strategy could backfire with customers that enjoy the original theme, but sometimes it works. An example of this is this is the Humble Potato; they closed and reopened as The Most Valuable Playa or MVP…
Rice Box – Flavorful Cantonese BBQ in DTLA
A growing trend taking place is the number of second and third generation immigrants that are following in the footsteps of their parents’ restaurant livelihood. The generation raised here is influenced by modern cooking techniques exhibited by many LA restaurants. An example of this is Rice Box, a modern Cantonese BBQ restaurant located in downtown…
Kotosh – Japanese Peruvian Done Well
Kotosh originally opened with the name of Kotosh at Kamiyama and is a Japanese Peruvian fusion restaurant. Knowing how important restaurant naming is, I wondered about having a long name that isn’t easy to remember. Fortunately, they are thriving 15 years later. Today, they are simply known as “Kotosh”. Kotosh is located in a strip…
Pizzana – Signature Slow Dough Artisan Pizzas
With many restaurants serving pizza in LA, you may wonder what makes one rise above the top of LA’s best pizzas? Focusing on quality and creating a crisp and savory crust is why Pizzana continues to be popular. It also helps that the late LA Times Food Critic, Jonathan Gold, willingly waited in line for…