WHY The best old-school stand burger in the Valley. WHAT 84-year-old Bill Elwell has been making burgers on his vintage grill in this dumpy part of Van Nuys for decades, and something about the seasoning of the grill and Bill’s technique makes for the perfect fast-food burger, complete with orange cheese and a grilled white [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Vietnamese fusion restaurants have exploded in recent years, but Red Medicine is no ordinary pho-taco joint. WHAT Jordan Kahn’s painterly riffs on Vietnamese flavors are under the radar—he’s doing some of the city’s most creative cooking right now. The chic, industrial polished-concrete space makes a neutral backdrop for eye-popping compositions. Unusual ingredients—rose marmalade, smoked [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Fruit flavors that taste like they were just plucked from the earth and rushed straight to the mixer. WHAT Of the 8 billion gelaterias in Italy, Grom differentiates itself by an obsessiveness with ingredients—it doesn’t use any old pistachios, for instance, it uses Syrian pistachios. Its dark chocolate is the darkest in town, and [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHAT With the explosion in farmers’ markets, not all of which were created equal, here’s how we gauge quality and integrity. CFMs are places for growers to sell their crops directly to consumers. They are neither outdoor convenience stores nor swap meets. Ask yourself: What’s the ratio of crops to crap? Management’s focus should be [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Quality cooking schools are like independent bookstores—distinctive and passionate about their mission. WHAT The focus is still on desserts, but savory classes, a pro series and team-building workshops are now offered at Clémence Gossett and Hadley Hughes’s trendy-looking space on the new third-floor food court at Santa Monica Place. WHO Amateur and aspirational bakers. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The best ice cream soda in L.A., if not the world. WHAT Set inside a pharmacy that sells a Cronenbergian array of medical devices, this retro-style soda counter serves a fantastic array of ice creams: Lappert’s, Cascade and Fosselman’s (including our fave, chocolate-dipped strawberry). But what we love most is how they use that [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Dulce de leche frozen yogurt, free WiFi and delivery. WHAT Want to see a cool, subtly tattooed, wedge-wearing junior studio exec leap up and down like a kindergartener? Invite her to Froyo Life, which has developed a rabid cult following in Los Feliz. The yogurts, both of the sweet-and-creamy and tart varieties, are well [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY To enjoy an architectural ice cream sandwich without having to chase a truck around town. WHAT After a couple of years of success with its modern-day ice cream truck, this vendor of insanely thick ice cream sandwiches named (and designed) in honor of Frank Gehry, Richard Meier and other architects now has its own [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY To savor top-quality Vietnamese and Thai cooking. WHAT Owner-chef Dan Nguyen, who seems omnipresent in this small, stylish café in Warner Center Shopping Plaza, has created a neighborhood gem offering Vietnamese and Thai specialties, including pad thai, sates, salads, curries and stir-fries. Don’t miss the wonderful pho and other noodle soups, the succulent, porky [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For the chance to take home amazing edibles both decadent and divine—or eat them on the spot. WHAT More like Harrod’s food hall or Eataly NYC than the familiar food court, this collection of shops will put your appetite on sensory overload: Primi al Mercato (from Piero Selvaggio of Valentino) offers fresh pastas in [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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