July 14 is Bastille Day in France. While this is a national holiday in France, no one says “Happy Bastille Day”. Instead, they may say “Bonne Fete Nationale” which translates to Happy National Holiday. This date marks the start of the Federation of France in 1790, one year after the storming of the Bastille. My…
South Bay
Mitsuwa Torrance Offers Japanese Gourmet Pop-up
Taking place now thru Sunday, June 9, Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance is featuring a selection of Japanese gourmet foods especially imported for this event. Mitsuwa worked with well known Japanese suppliers to provide bento boxes for foodies, delicious seasoned seafood salads, Japanese confections, and goods not found elsewhere. My eyes immediately spotted Sapporo Kanikosen’s display….
Happy Hour experience at Umi by Hamasaku
Umi by Hamasaku is a Japanese izakaya and sushi restaurant at The Point in El Segundo. The concept was derived from revered Japanese staple Hamasaku in West LA. Umi by Hamasaku is located on the southeast section of The Point. I recently invited a friend to join me for Happy Hour. The Point has a…
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo in LA
Cinco de Mayo is a time to celebrate Mexico’s heritage. It is also a time to enjoy festive music and delicious food. Mexican restaurants throughout LA are celebrating with food and drink specials. Towards that end, I have assembled a list of fun ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. There is something for everyone! Saturday,…
Fatto a Mano – Quality Italian Pasta in Redondo Beach
I enjoy featuring entrepreneurs because they are positive, enthusiastic, and they like what they do for a living. The latest entrepreneur I discovered is chef/owner Marco Pacelli. He owns and operates a new pasta shop in Redondo Beach named Fatto a Mano, translated to English, made by hand. Fatto a Mano is located in a…
San Pedro Fish Grille Celebrates One Year Anniversary
San Pedro Fish Grille in Rolling Hills Estates recently celebrated their first anniversary. To mark this occasion, they offered a free t-shirt for the first 365 customers and tax-free dining to help their customers during this tax season. Live mariachis were on hand to add to the celebration. The restaurant is located in the Peninsula…
Thai Lai – Delicious Vietnamese Food in the South Bay
South Bay Vietnamese restaurants primarily feature pho, bun and banh mi. I recently discovered Thai Lai, a South Bay Vietnamese restaurant that breaks this norm. They feature food that is common in Vietnam’s central region as well as the more common cuisine from the southern area. Thai Lai is located on Prairie Ave. in Hawthorne….
A Basq Kitchen Celebrates National Paella Day for 4 Days!
A Basq Kitchen will celebrate National Paella Day, March 27. It continues the celebration with a different paella each day until Saturday, March 30. Paella is a Spanish rice dish topped with peppers and loaded with everything from shrimp to chorizo to lobster. Variations on original Spanish Valencia exist, but the commonality seems to be…
Restoration Kitchen Features Italian Wine Dinner
The email I received from Restoration Kitchen in Torrance was too good to be true. A four-course pre-fixe meal paired with fine Italian wines for the price of $87 including tax and gratuity? Four-course wine dinners usually start at $100 and that doesn’t include tax and gratuity. Co-owner Wesley Takiguchi gave us a quick overview…
San Pedro Fish Grille Delivers Fresh and Tasty Seafood
The San Pedro Fish Market is California’s largest seafood restaurant and is home to the world-famous Shrimp Tray. They established themselves in Ports O’Call and have opened locations in Wilmington, Rolling Hills Estates and most recently in Harbor City. I attended the grand opening for their Habor City location named San Pedro Fish Grille. The…