WHY With its chill vibe and entertaining concept—six choices in each category (appetizers, sides, entrées), six brews on tap and six wines by the glass—the Six fills a gaping need in the Overland-Pico neighborhood, where the mall overwhelms sidewalk life. WHAT This café-pub is a relaxed but confident departure for owners Will Karges and Jake [...]
April 30, 2012 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY Because Malibu has long needed a sophisticated, ingredient-driven dinner house. WHAT Chef Paul Shoemaker, who’s cooked at Bastide and the Water Grill, refines American comfort foods (smoky clam chowder, Jidori chicken pot pie, house-baked breads) with a seasonal menu based on produce that’s often sourced from nearby farms. His straightforward preparations elevate but don’t [...]
April 10, 2012 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY The perfect middle-of-L.A. spot to meet friends from across town for lunch, with a menu that has something for everyone. WHAT The quintessential L.A. café, Buddha’s Belly has a bright, bamboo-lined indoor-outdoor space, an appealing and affordable pan-Asian menu and good service, and we find it handy when needing a central spot to meet [...]
February 13, 2012 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY Big salads of local provenance, and a huge, sunny patio on which to enjoy them. WHAT This always-busy outpost of the upscale cafeteria is notable for its 1,200-square-foot patio in back, as well as its roster of salads (grilled chicken Cobb; prawns with chorizo, lima beans, arugula, butter lettuce and lemon vinaigrette) and sandwiches. [...]
January 26, 2012 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY Mexican dishes with a jolt of traditional flavors in a casual, eco-friendly storefront café. WHAT Tinga’s owners were inspired by Santa Barbara’s deceptively casual La Super Rica. Their thick corn tortillas also have a house-made heft, with cochinita pibil pork tacos as spicy as advertised. Taco plates, quesadillas, burritos and tortas made with steak, [...]
January 25, 2012 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY Yountville foodie elegance in Brentwood. WHAT Freshness is a fetish here, whether it’s braised sunchokes or perfectly cut shoestring fries from Weiser Farms potatoes. Jeffrey Cerciello, former culinary director of Thomas Keller’s casual dining division, has created an upscale larder featuring dishes (salmon rillettes, poached chicken salad) made with the best local produce alongside [...]
January 4, 2012 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY Because darts, vegan sausages and beer go well together. Even in Burbank. WHAT A neighborhood pub with more than 40 draft beers, Tony’s has a no-bottle policy—all beers, wines and sodas are served on draft. The multi-animal/no-animal sausage menu comes with the de rigueur selection of über toppings, and a nice chili comes ‘sin [...]
December 23, 2011 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY All things good and local are found at this modestly sized temple to tempting baked goods, bursting-with-flavor vegetables and ever-changing menus. WHAT The quintessential Silver Lake café turns out some of the area’s best home-style,locally sourced cooking, from the pork belly sandwich to superb daily quiches, many involving produce from nearby backyard farmers. At [...]
December 22, 2011 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY Fresh tofu made on-site, as well as some vegan grocery essentials, including soy milk, tofu pudding and packaged vegan foods. WHAT Kevin Tran is L.A.’s king of fresh tofu. Come here to buy the good stuff, and allow time to eat in his amazing vegan Vietnamese café while you’re there. WHO A steady stream [...]
December 12, 2011 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »
WHY You’re feeling nostalgic for Drucker’s Store from Green Acres. WHAT A tiny, well-edited neighborhood mercantile selling gourmet pantry items is hard to find outside of Brooklyn or the Bay Area, but now Echo Park has Cookbook. Each week a changing selection of takeout foods centers around a featured cookbook—or buy the book and the [...]
November 2, 2011 | Posted in
Discoveries |
Read More »