(Roberta R. Deen, writer/stylist) The impeccable packaging was the first thing that impressed me about Harney & Sons when the gift box of sample teas arrived. The elegant black and gold gift box, with its embossed gold logo, emerged from the humble cardboard shipping carton. The sample box contained four black and...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) For Fathers Day, why not dine at a restaurant that a dad made famous and now is being cared for and expanded by a daughter? Antonio’s Pizzeria and Casa Vega have been lighting up restaurant way on Ventura Boulevard for 60 years apiece. These days, it’s “ladies night” in a dynam...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Cheers to the immigrant dads who originated successful restaurants now taken over by their sons or daughters. What better places to celebrate Father’s Day? First up is Kura Sushi Restaurant, the realm of a sophisticated Korean father-son team (Sunny and Daniel Son), offering the finest seasonal sush...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Masala Grill Indian Fusion Kitchen is the creation of four partners, all passionate about food. So childhood favorites (with whimsical sauce names), popular authentic street foods, and an international inspired menu section (this season Mexican with Indian versions of tortillas). Southern Indian cuisine ...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) It almost goes without saying that when Indians frequent an Indian place, as at the new Woodland Hills Grand Bawarchi, you know the crowds are there for authentic, consistent cuisine. And this is so true. The four family/friend owners’ already achieved their goal: to “create an initial sense of ...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) for young Chalio Luis in Jalisco, watching his grandparents cook delicious birria to ready for each weekend was more than a welcome treat. This was a 1930’s and the ritual became a highlight of his childhood. By that time the recipe has already been in the family for four generations, ever since ...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Meatballs as far as I (and my young, beautiful Paleo neighbor are concerned) are the “new hamburgers.” And, as it turns out, meatballs not only have a fascinating history but a very complicated set of rules and regulations for their names with the USDA. We offer choices to the best, the most unu...
(Gerry Furth-Sides, All photos courtesy of Lazy Dog Cafes). The first time I saw Paris, the first memorable evening in fact, I watched a chic couple finish supper at (at 11 PM!) and before leaving, scoop out a basket with a puppy in it from under the table. To complete the picture they also […]...
May’s top tastes are mostly Asian–ramen, two terrific Indian dishes and a cute Korean cake shaped like a fish. The exception is Good Measure’s crispy pork rillette, a shredded pork cake coated with crumbs and fried until the coating lives up to the word “crispy” in its title....
TV cook Siri Daly confesses that she’s an addict. Her addiction is to sweets. And it’s so serious that she limits consumption in her household to four nights a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. These are known as treat nights, and everybody (a husband and three kids) looks forward to them....
Gerry Furth-Sides 
Barbara Hansen 
Chef-owner Alain Cohen 
Roberta Deen 
Jose Martinez 
Nivedita Basu 