Elevated Pub Fare at Tom Bergin’s

Founded in 1936, Tom Bergin’s remains one of the few classic (as opposed to “gastro”) Irish pubs east of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, and come St. Patrick’s Day, it’s ground zero for beer swilling celebrations in Los Angeles. There’s more than just Guinness and Bass bubbling out of the taps though. Tom Bergin’s …

Poutine In My Mouth, My Mother ‘Effin Mouth

A few weeks ago, after I had been invited to a media-comped meal of various Quebecois treats at P’tit Soleil in Westwood, I knew I just had to make some sort of crazy poutine pun in my headline. It took me a while, but I’m thankful for the musical genius of Akinyele for the assist …

DINING IN LA: Meatless Mondays at Street, and Then Some

A few years ago, celebrity (and celebrated) chef Susan Feniger opened up Street in Hollywood, a restaurant that bills itself as a home for global street food. For some strange reason, I had never set foot in the establishment until a few weeks ago when I was invited to enjoy a media-comped dinner there, and …

Burger Lounge Brings LA’s Burger Craze to Sunset

In case you hadn’t heard, burger-mania has struck Los Angeles — specifically, fancy gourmet burgers. It started years ago with The Father’s Office. Then came The Counter and 8 oz. Burger (RIP) and Umami. Now the city is littered with gussied up, high quality concepts. From Stout to 25 Degrees, these burger joints are everywhere, …

Trying New Things At Blu Jam Café

For the past several years, one of the best brunch spots in Los Angeles has been Blu Jam Café on Melrose. Their crunchy, Corn Flake-dipped French toast ranks as one of the best French Toasts in the city, and given that I’ve grown to consider myself a French toast expert, that certainly is high praise …

Papilles Brings French Bistro Fun To Hollywood

I’ve long complained that Los Angeles lacks two significant dining scenes: seafood and French. I’m not going to get into my seafood bitching here (the long and the short of it is that for a city perched on the ocean, we have very few options — both in terms of dining and buying), but I …

Mohawk Bend in Echo Park Serves Brunch, But Can It Redeem Itself?

Back in July, I wrote about the opening of Mohawk Bend, a vegan-friendly (but meat serving) gastropub in Echo Park. The evening had been a fun one, but not all the dishes were the ones you’d write home to Mom about (not that I write home to Mom about every dish I eat). While we …

Getting Into the Holiday Spirit with Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken

A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend a holiday cooking class held by the “Two Hot Tamales” Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, the two chefs most recently famous for ascending the ranks of Top Chef: Masters. In addition to finding fame (or rather, additional fame) on Bravo, the two head up several …

Eastern Mediterranean Fare At Mezze in West Hollywood

Small plates are a big thing in Los Angeles these days, which can be a blessing and a curse — if I may be so dramatic. On the upside, small plates lead to greater variety in a meal, and they also engender a convivial social element that comes from sharing food with friends. On the …

Thanksgiving in Chinatown? Why Not?

Earlier this month, I was invited down to Chinatown in Los Angeles for a media-comped meal at the Plum Tree Inn. The purpose of the dinner was to introduce a dining alternative to the usual turkey and stuffing offerings found on most Thanksgiving tables. As such, if you’re looking for something new and untraditional (or …