Chef/Owner Ulises Pineda-Alfaro (Tikifish, Umi by Hamasaku) didn’t waste any time when Angel City Grill closed. El Barrio quickly took its place and he and his co-owner Joe Lin transformed the location to a modern LA taqueria. This is not your typical taco restaurant that serves street tacos. The menu is chef-driven and it is…
Manuela – South Meets West For Delicious Plates
Three years ago, a Texan named Wes Whitsell set out to bring “California Southern” cuisine to LA. After cooking Mediterranean food for a while, he was happy to open Manuela, a place for him to prepare the food that represents his upbringing. Fast forward three years, Chef Kris Tominaga now runs the kitchen at Manuela….
Cemita Poblanas El Sapito for Unique Sandwiches
Los Angelenos are able to enjoy a wealth of authentic Mexican food. While Sonoran cuisine is quite plentiful across LA, you have to visit South LA and Boyle Heights to experience food from other states such as Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Puebla. My goal that day was to eat a cemita poblana at Cemita Poblanas El…
Touring the USS Comstock at LA Fleet Week
LA Fleet Week has quickly become an annual tradition that takes place over Labor Day weekend. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The event is a multi-day celebration of the U.S. armed forces and held at the Port of Los Angeles. LA Fleet Week features tours on active Navy ships, live entertainment,…
Court Cafe, A Success Story of Three Chefs
All Flavor, No Grease is a food truck I follow on Instagram. Owner Keith Garrett successfully used social media to build his business selling tacos, burritos, and quesadillas from a driveway on 108th street. Again through social media, he teamed up with Calvin Johnson and Jermelle Henderson. Together these three chefs opened Court Cafe and…
Snap Tin Eatery Opens inside Yorkshire Square Brewery
Craft breweries open their taprooms and quickly realize that having food available becomes a necessity. Many breweries arrange to have food trucks visit, but the food isn’t always consistent with their clientele’s tastes. Yorkshire Square Brewery attempted to remedy this by partnering with Snap Tin Eatery. Co-owner and chef, Bruno Wu, consulted with them to…
Ali’i Fish Company, Fresh Hawaiian Seafood
When I heard about the opening of Ali’i Fish Company, I wasn’t interested in visiting it. I heard that it was a poke restaurant and I felt LA was already oversaturated with poke establishments. Further, my favorite poke restaurant just so happened to be located near my house. Buzz about Ali’i Fish Company continued and…
Visit 106 Seafood Underground For Amazing Mariscos
updated Aug 2004 Editors Note: Sergio Peñuelas closed his backyard operation and opened Checo’s Seafood, a brick-and-mortar on Imperial Hwy in Inglewood. The late Jonathan Gold passed away a couple of years ago, but his indelible presence in the food community is still felt. When he was alive, I asked him for advice on mariscos,…
Poca Madre, Modern Mexican in our Nation’s Capital
I recently traveled to our nation’s capital for business. I only had one night out for dinner and I had to make the most of it. Since I was traveling with two others, I had to select a place that would also satisfy my colleagues’ desire for something they wouldn’t mind eating. I selected Poca…
LA Times, The Taste, Returns Labor Day Weekend
Each year during Labor Day weekend, the LA Times hosts their annual “The Taste”. This event features food and beverage tastings from some of the hottest restaurants in LA. Attendees may also attend cooking and beverage demonstrations by some of the most notable chefs and mixologists in LA. My recap of last year’s opening night…