Anthony Bourdain, the late host of CNN’s Part’s Unknown, still resurfaces in my memory or appears in my on-line research. One of his visits to LA was recorded in a Part’s Unknown episode and featured Taste of Tehran, a small Persian restaurant on Westwood in Tehrangeles. Chef / Owner Saghar Fanisalek grew up in Iran….
El Cochinito, Cuban Cuisine Prepared to Perfection
During this COVID-19 period, I believe it is important to support family-owned restaurants. These owners aren’t backed by a lot of corporate funds and many live their existence month to month. Because of this, I focus my attention on many small businesses, and this week I feature El Cochinito “The Little Pig” in Silver Lake. …
A&J’s Seafood Shack Delivers Terrific Asian Fusion
While most restaurants are barely trying to weather the pandemic, some restaurant owners are brave enough to open. One such restaurant is A&J’s Seafood Shack, an Asian Fusion Seafood restaurant located in Long Beach. They soft-opened on April 10, 2020. A&J’s Seafood Shack is Cambodian owned and located in Cambodia Town in Long Beach. Cambodia…
Music Restart at Spaghettini Grill Cut Short
My wife and I both enjoy live music and we especially like going to small intimate venues. Restaurants and jazz clubs aren’t as large as theaters and don’t require binoculars to see the musicians. For Valentine’s Day my wife gave me tickets to a jazz performance with Eric Marienthal and David Benoit at Spaghettini Grill. …
Donut Man opens in Grand Central Market
Donut Man is a popular donut shop located in Glendora and known throughout LA. They recently announced opening a new location within the Grand Central Market in downtown LA. Impatient fans kept inquiring about the opening and were eventually rewarded when they opened in Grand Central Market on June 26. Since Donut Man’s grand opening…
July 4 BBQ Take-Out in Los Angeles
Updated July 2, 2020 Due to the State of California prohibiting large social gatherings, most firework displays won’t take place this year. In addition, fireworks of any kind are illegal in Los Angeles County. Finally, with so many people cooking at home these days, why not take advantage of one of these July 4 BBQ…
Saffron Food Mart, a Great South Bay Find for Middle Eastern Cuisine
I drive by the Saffron Food Mart on a regular basis. The market is on the way to many stores I frequent. Because it does not have an entrance facing the street and it lacks visible windows, I think of it as a grocery store and not a restaurant. Seeing a recent social media review…
Swell Deli, an Artisan Sandwich Shop
It seems like Subway is almost as pervasive as Starbucks. They are located everywhere and sometimes attached to gas stations. If I find a new sandwich shop that isn’t named Subway, I automatically feel compelled to try it because I yearn for something different. My wife told me about Swell Deli and I told her…
Sandwich House, A Tasty Vietnamese Sandwich Shop
The banh mi sandwich is quite a remarkable Vietnamese creation. A baguette is typically the foundation and it is usually filled with proteins such as beef, chicken, pork or fish. Cilantro gives the sandwich a lot of aroma and flavor, the cucumbers add crunch and jalapenos provide heat. I recently visited Sandwich House, a popular…
Alma’s Cookies and Company Restaurant – Delicious Southern Cuisine
Given today’s times, I made a conscious decision to accomplish two objectives with a single post. The first was to select a black-owned business. The second was to continue my goal in supporting independently owned small restaurants. I decided to try Alma’s Cookies and Company Restaurant in Compton. Like most restaurants in LA County, Alma’s…