(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...
(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...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) What gives Hatch Chile Peppers its distinctive taste? Answer: hot days and cool nights in Hatch, New Mexico. The same reason for the distinctive taste of fine wines from the Central Coast of California. Melissa’s Hatch peppers harvested from fertile soil along the Rio Grande, bring about these prized Hatch ...
(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...
(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.”...
(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 ...
(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...
(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...
(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...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) With beef pricing soaring, pastrami sandwiches are even more dear than ever. They still make up the most decadent meals, and LA has the five best in the world. The criterion remains the same: quality hand-cut and house-cured meats and bread, and keeping the tradition real. Yet Two are class mainstays, three a...
Gerry Furth-Sides 
Barbara Hansen 
Chef-owner Alain Cohen 
Roberta Deen 
Jose Martinez 
Nivedita Basu 