Latest Posts

  • Next Generation Marius Taix and Marius Taix Jr. of Les Freres Taix French Restaurant

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Second generation Michael Taix is credited with transforming the landmark continental era restaurant back to Le Frere Taix’s original French roots, and has been successful at attracting a wide-range of customers from long-time customers and business executives from 11:30 a.m. into happy hour at 5 p.m., to f...

  • New “Wild & Crazy” Vegan Trend Becomes Healthy 2020 Signature

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) I continue to be bombarded with article request for Impossible Burger stories.  We did this already twice: first and last at Umami Burger.  The taste was ok although we did not understand the need for this when there are so many fantastic veggie options.  And then we learned recently the sodium in fake me...

  • The Joy of the New (Expanded) Joy of Cooking Book

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) From the newest generation of the JOY family, for a new generation of cooks, comes a brand-new edition of America’s most enduring and trusted cookbook, the Joy of Cooking.   is a true celebration of foundational recipes that have stood the test of time, and an introduction to over 600 new recipes chose...

  • Centuries Old Clement French Caribbean Créole Shrubb the New Garden Guy

    Clement’s Caribbean Créole Shrubb is a superb blend of the finest white and aged Agricole Rhums,  interlaced with macerated Créole spices and sun-bleached bitter orange peels.  Its sunny aromas and flavors are themselves reminiscent of Martinique. A staple of Caribbean culture, Créole Shrubb is the “secret ingredien...

  • Restaurant of the Future? – It’s Here in Pasadena Now

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) It’s shocking to think that 60% delivery is not uncommon in todays most successful restaurants (we just wrote about the Mandarette going through this)  in the rapidly changing restaurant world.  On the one hand, less personal contact is already here with delivery options, and now the newest common tre...

  • New Italian-Inspired No Faux “No-Fat Cheese” We Love!

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Who doesn’t love cheese? The fatty, satiating texture and slightly salty taste of cheese is universally satisfying whether eaten alone as a salad or topping pizza, salads, casseroles or omelettes.  An extraordinary Italian company allows cheese lovers to forget the carbs and high fat these days with ...

  • Italian Porta Via’s Phenomenal French Pork Chop and Other French Things

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) We recently had a dish,  so unique with a “magnifique” French technique that it deserves a post of its own – along with the rest of the meal and service.  The Porta Via French Cut Pork Chop Porta Via, translates into “take away” in Italian, although Peter Garland’s casual bistro...

  • Mandarette Chinese Café’s Special 35th Anniversary Menu

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) Mandarette Chinese Café in West Hollywood celebrates its 35th anniversary with a special menu this winter. The original goal of founder, Philip Chiang, was “offering clean, fresh, delicious traditional Chinese Cuisine with a modern twist.”  Current proprietor Ken Yang’s dad was the origin...

  • The Astonishing Astana Ballet Opens Window to Kazakhstan Cuisine

    (Gerry Furth-Sides, photo courtesy of the Astana Ballet Theatre) The Astana Ballet Theater has toured all over the world with performances in almost every major city, and recently premiered on the West Coast. Astana Ballet Theater is named after the country’s capital city.  It reflects the described as having building t...

  • The CleverOne™ (Board): The Perfect, Original Gift

    (Gerry Furth-Sides) You almost have to see and feel the Nflex™ from CleverOne  to understand how what it is and how it works.  It is pliable and light and much thinner than a substantial cutting board.  The underside is non-slip even on a granite counter.  Not only that, but you can flip it over and use the silicone [&h...