Dim Sum Restaurants usually consist of large banquet rooms packed with hungry customers. They are extremely popular and waiting lists are quickly form. These restaurants have largely been closed since March and a couple of them in Monterey Park recently opened. One such establishment is Elite Restaurant. The experience now is completely different. The parking…
101 Noodle Express, a Top Notch Chinese Noodle House
LA area restaurants remain closed and have had to transition to make-shift patios and take-out. One thing I’ve learned from the pandemic experience is that take out food is best enjoyed soon after you receive it. For a couple of days, I decided to change my home base and stay in San Gabriel so that…
Loroco Bistro – Much More Than Salvadoran Pupusas
I will be the first to admit that I’m not knowledgeable about Salvadoran food. I’ve been to a few restaurants and even a food truck that serves Central American pupusas, but that is the extent of my venture into their cuisine. I recently learned of Loroco Bistro and decided to visit them. Loroco Bistro is…
Broken Mouth – a Korean Hawaiian Food Adventure
Broke da mouth is Hawaiian Pidgin for something so delicious it broke your mouth. With a restaurant named Broken Mouth, I immediately took notice. For a Hawaiian restaurant, it is located in an unusual location; the fashion district in downtown LA. Broken Mouth is the brainchild of local Hawai’i boy, Tim Lee. Born on the…
Kotohira for Heavenly Japanese Udon Noodles
Twenty eight years ago, Tozai Plaza opened on the corner of Redondo Beach Blvd and Western Ave. in Gardena. The mini mall quickly became the buzz of the Japanese community because they opened new cutting edge restaurants. One of them was Kotohira and it is still operating today. As you drive by the busy intersection,…
Al Watan, for Flavorful Pakistani Cuisine To Go
Last weekend, I was picking up food at a Hawthorne restaurant and the owner told me that she is unable to process online orders. She was busy and stressed out and rather than argue with her, I opted to find another restaurant and see about obtaining a refund. Fortunately, I knew the area and I…
Dan Modern Chinese Offers Delicious Soup Dumplings
LA foodies immediately took notice when Din Tai Fung opened its doors in Arcadia, Suddenly soup dumplings were the rage of LA and lines quickly formed around Din Tai Fung. Since that time others such as Dan Modern Chinese have entered the competitive LA market. Dan Modern Chinese is located in Japantown, a busy ¾…
Spartina Launches Weekend Brunch on their Beautiful Patio
Stephen Kalt began his career in New York City and opened an interesting concept restaurant he named Spartina. He then worked in Las Vegas and later in Atlantic City and eventually settled in LA. After searching for an ideal space, he found one on Melrose Ave. At the suggestion of a friend, he named it…
N Café Features Bento Boxes and More!
According to USA Today, the average lifespan of a restaurant is five years and by some estimates, up to 90 percent of new ones fail within the first year. Chef Yuichi Natori bucked the trend by working for the last 25 years at Chaya Venice. He recently went out on his own and opened N…
Tacos El Galoso for Delicious Tacos de Birria
The busy intersection of Gaffey, Vermont, Anaheim, and Palos Verdes Drive North is used by many to get to and from San Pedro. Located there is a small strip mall anchored by a 7-Eleven, a cleaners, and a Mexican restaurant named Tacos El Galoso. They have been in operation since September 2019. Because of the…