Golden City, an old timer in Chinatown, has given way to the new Full Moon House, which was almost empty when I had lunch there the other day. This may have had more to do with declining business in Chinatown than with the restaurant, which produced a tableful of dishes that pleased my group of […]...
If the discovery of a new dish does a lot for the world, what about the discovery of a new wine? My world was certainly brightened by a Vermentino from Cecchi Family Estates in Tuscany. Dry, bright and fresh with a touch of minerality, it’s perfect for the food I like to eat– Indian, Thai, […]...
Don’t put that same old red cherry into your Manhattan, Old Fashioned or lemonade. Instead, go bold with kumquats, bright orange, syrupy preserved kumquats that you can make yourself. Kumquats are in season now, so pick up a few, or a lot–but hurry, because the season ends soon. Then set aside a few minutes for [&hel...
What would you learn to cook in a class about Thai Hispanic food? Green curry with poblano chiles? Mole with coconut milk? Aguachile decorated with orchids? None of the above, at least not at the Thai Hispanic class held at Sur La Table by the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles....
Spain’s cava is a great alternative when you want a sparkling wine that doesn’t cost too much. But not all cavas are cheap. There are high-end cavas that can offer formidable competition to premium Champagnes. Take, for example, the three presented by Codorníu at a lunch at Ray’s and Stark Bar, the restaurant ...
Vegetarian or not, you’ll find lots of things you’ll want to cook in Deborah Madison’s latest cookbook, “In My Kitchen” (Ten Speed Press, $32.50). The recipes may be vegetarian, but Madison is not. Therefore, she knows how to make meatless food that will please everybody, including meat-loving folks...
Restaurants come and go, but not Papa Cristo’s Greek Grill. For 35 years, It’s been the place to go in Los Angeles for home style Greek cooking. Before that, it was a market, C & K Importing, where Greek food lovers came to buy cheeses, sausages, olive oil, wines, spices and other ingredients....
Did King Solomon really exist? Some say no. But Joan Nathan is sure he existed, which is a good thing. Without this extravagant monarch, known for his 700 wives and 300 concubines, his wisdom (you would have to be wise to manage such a household) and his love of good food, her latest cookbook might […]...
When life hands you a loaded loquat tree–make jam. This is what I do each spring, when the tree is filled with glorious bunches of orange fruit. There’s more than I can use, so I share with squirrels and friends. A man used to sneak onto my lawn with a ladder and help himself to […]...
“This coffee is fantastic,” I told the shopkeeper who bought it for me. “What is it?” “Menengic,” he said. I did not know what that meant, because this was my first trip to Turkey, and everything was new and unfamiliar....
Gerry Furth-Sides 
Barbara Hansen 
Chef-owner Alain Cohen 
Roberta Deen 
Jose Martinez 
Nivedita Basu 