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…
Pizza
Roberta’s, Authentic New York Pizza
New York expats often long for familiar items like New York pizza. While many pizza restaurants in LA claim to offer New York pizza, the opening of Roberta’s intrigued me because they started their operation in New York City’s Brooklyn borough. I missed opportunities to sample Roberta’s LA pop-ups and I was glad to see…
Little Prince Delivers Big Experience
Chef Ari Taymor got LA’s attention when he opened Alma as a pop-up restaurant in Venice. Since that time, he worked at The Standard in Hollywood and later created another pop-up featuring all things brunch in Santa Monica which has become Little Prince. It is named after the children’s book. Due to the number of…
The Taste of Italy 2018 – Mangia in the Piazza
The Taste of Italy is LA’s premier Italian food and wine event, It recently took place in Downtown LA next to Olvera Street. This year was the 10th time the event has been held and this year’s theme was Puglia, where Italy’s southern region forms its geographic boot. The event was hosted by the Italian…
Weekend Trip: Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tour
My wife and I had plans to fly to Pittsburgh to catch a baseball game. We were really going to see PNC ballpark because we used to design mini vacations checking out new stadiums and PNC Park was at the top of our list. I’d been so busy at work that I hadn’t had time…
Cal Mare Brings the Amalfi Coast to LA
The Beverly Center is currently undergoing a major renovation. As part of the makeover was the grand opening of Cal Mare, a flashy Italian restaurant. I recently learned that they have a happy hour and I invited a friend of mine to check it out. Cal Mare plays homage to the coasts of Italy and…
Surfside Bar and Grill – Great Eats and Drink
Venice is a city that is strong about community. After local favorite Danny’s Deli closed, the property owners had a mission to keep this location as a meeting place for the Venice neighborhood. The Surfside Bar and Grill accepted the challenge and opened in June 2017. The Surfside Bar and Grill is located in the…
Eataly Brings Italian Marketplace to LA
Growing up on the Westside, I was quite familiar with the Century City Mall. It has since been acquired by the Westfield Group and transformed into a massive and modernized indoor-outdoor mecca for eating and shopping. Eataly just opened there and it sparked my curiosity. Eataly is a mega Italian marketplace that opened Friday, Nov….
Primo Italia Enters Torrance With Fresh Italian Done Well
Recently I heard that a new Italian restaurant opened in Torrance. Named Primo Italia, I had to see for myself what they were all about. Michelangelo Aliaga is the executive chef for Primo Italia. Co-owner Lou Giovannetti described “Mic”, as his brother from another mother. He added that he’s a true heritage based Italian chef and…
Osteria Venice West Introduces Vetalian Cuisine
I recently sampled a line of Italian vegan cuisine dishes. Branded Vetalian, this is a plant-based food concept developed by Chef Luigi Fineo of Osteria Venice West. Fineo established his creds in Puglia where he earned a Michelin star working as the executive chef. After moving to the US, he worked at Celestino Drago and…