Cuisines

  • Ericka Sanchez’s New Aguas Frescas & Paletas Book

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Summer in Mexico means  aguas frescas and paletas. They are the much older “coca cola” of Mexico. Erika Sanchez brings 40 recipes to make these popular street food treats at home in her delightful, engaging book, Aguas Frescas & Paletas. “Frescas” literally translate...

  • Five Ethnic Secret Garden Restaurant Surprises for Summer

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Los Angeles as the city with most diverse ethnic cuisine in the world also boasts “secret garden” venues that surprise and delight. Two are classics that have renewed themselves with outdoor dining. We start with a favorite, actually a “sand garden,” Back to the Beach, and work our way...

  • Chicken Troopers and How Korean Fried Chicken Became Crazy Popular

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) What makes Chicken Troopers head and shoulders above the rest: the crispest, most perfectly seasoned (heat not spiky pepper) fried chicken meticulously made by Chef-owner Sean An, executive chef formerly of Slow Fish and other fine dining restaurants in the area. He also happened to cook for officers in the K...

  • How ARTH Bar & Kitchen Redefines Indian Fare

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) ARTH BAR + KITCHEN offers contemporary Indian cuisine, one of a handful of places in the country to offer it.  Mihir Lad, Founder & Partner has been on hand to welcome guests.  He is happy to explain the story  at this spiffy, new addition to Culver City’s “Restaurant Row.”...

  • Happy National Lasagna Day: “Meat or Plant?”

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) This National Lasagna Day (July 29 or week!) celebrate Sicilian style with Celestino Ristorante at home or in the beautiful Celestinorestaurant.   Owner and Executive Chef Calogero Dragoprepare his special Homemade Authentic Family-Style Lasagna Bolognese ($19.50) made with ...

  • Sharlotka: Iconic Careme’s Royal Gift to Homemakers

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) My birthday last month was the second time I was treated to Sharlotka baked by @tableconversation, and the home grown apples and loquats in it got my attention. The attraction from the beginning was the light-as-chiffon stone fruit cake texture. And as it turned out, the cake alone has a surprisingly, royal a...

  • New Potato Salad Platter Salutes Spanish Explorers

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) According to culinary history, American potato salad most likely originated from German and other European immigrants’ recipes during the nineteenth century. We were so excited to try a Spanish version because as our staff writer, Roberta R. Deen pointed out, it was the Spaniards who...

  • Upper West’s Surprising New Ethnic Menu

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Reopening at our gorgeous rustic neighborhood favorite means pared down hours (dinner only five nights a week) and a pared down menu from Chef Nick Shipp that is SENSATIONAL! Even with Nick’s obsession-worthy, take-away Burger Box last year, it was like “coming home” to have a dinner in the glas...

  • New (Original) French Commerson

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Now is the time to visit Commerson, open for indoor and outdoor dining. Usually fully booked on week-ends, we were delighted to be welcomed by the original executive chef who created the menu concept, Executive Chef Sascha Lyon, and his wife who designed the muscular restaurant interior. It took a glass of wi...

  • Finland Shares Its Pulled Oat Favorite in Vegan Sunday Supper

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Pulled Oats are so popular with the whole family in Finland that fast food cafes have them on their menus along with chicken and hamburgers. “And they are the kids’ first choice,” laughed the Consul General of Finland at a private dinner in his home to introduce the product in Los Angeles. T...