My daughter and I recently traveled to visit family friends in Texas. Since my daughter is 16, I know my days traveling with her are numbered. Soon she will enroll in college and after that, she will probably start to branch out on her own. Our Texas friends met us at the airport and we…
Asian
Yang’s Kitchen Succeeds with Asian Fusion in the SGV
Many years ago, I frequented the Alhambra / Monterey Park area on a regular basis. As I recall, the scene was very much Chinese cuisine with BBQ shops, bakeries and stinky tofu eateries. As I drove through Alhambra, I was surprised to see the changes: ramen shops, Vietnamese food, and some Southeast Asian digs. The…
LA Times, The Taste, Returns Labor Day Weekend
Each year during Labor Day weekend, the LA Times hosts their annual “The Taste”. This event features food and beverage tastings from some of the hottest restaurants in LA. Attendees may also attend cooking and beverage demonstrations by some of the most notable chefs and mixologists in LA. My recap of last year’s opening night…
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….
Ord and Broadway Delivers Delicious Asian Fusion
Editor’s Note: Ord and Broadway closed in 2022. Modern Filipino cuisine is trending in LA. More dishes with adobo, ube, and silog are appearing on local menus. What I’m enjoying about this movement is the fact that chefs are taking dishes that they enjoyed growing up, and are using modern cooking techniques to prepare them….
Menya Musashi – My Tsukemen Choice on Sawtelle Blvd
UPDATE: Menya Musashi closed in April 2020. Menya Musashi is one of the newest restaurant to open on Sawtelle Blvd. in West LA. The restaurant is named after the legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, who was famed for his double sword style. Menya Musashi debuted in Tokyo and the founders are considered to be icons in…
Ruiji Brings SGV-Quality Sichuan to the South Bay
China is a huge country with many provinces. Because of the differences in geography, climate, and natural resources, regional Chinese cuisine varies widely. In the United States, Panda Express has popularized Mandarin cuisine, but until Ruiji Sichuan Cuisine opened, Sichuan dishes were mostly confined to restaurants in San Gabriel Valley. Ruiji Sichuan Cuisine opened about…
A Royal Treat at Subhannahong Thai Cuisine
For my birthday I don’t like going for the tried and true. Instead, I like trying new places. A Thai restaurant named Subhannahong Royal Thai Cuisine caught my attention and I asked my wife if we could celebrate there. Subhannahong resides on Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach. Most establishments with a PCH address are…
Gindaco Takoyaki Lands in Tokyo Central in Gardena
Gindaco Takoyaki, the number one takoyaki chain in Japan, recently opened its first American site in the food court inside Tokyo Central in Gardena. The chain, extremely popular in Japan, specializes in this golf ball-sized street food made with a wheat flour mixture with fresh octopus. Takoyaki originated and became popular in Osaka and then…
The Taste OC Debuts in Costa Mesa on Oct 19
The Taste recently took place over Labor Day weekend and was another huge success. This year, the Times is adding The Taste OC in Costa Mesa to focus on the thriving dining scene and award-winning restaurants in the heart of Southern California. The Taste’s debut in Costa Mesa will take place at The MET over…