Lum-Ka-Naad, fittingly translates into “delicious,” a popular expression to honor cooks in Northern Thailand. It’s no surprise that despite their remote valley location husband and wife team, host Alex and chef Ooi Sonbalee will celebrated the restaurant’s 19th anniversary this year, and the fourth anniversary of their n...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Project x Project’s PbP-LA evening was always one of my top three food events. It proved better than ever this year. The annual charity benefit continues to be exquisitely organized and presented. All proceeds benefit a single different charity each year. Planning is key. With Delhi Belly in Alhambra, t...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) When people used to ask me for restaurant recommendations, I would always suggest attending a charity food event to sample a variety of places. and a chance to meet the chefs or owners, plus benefit a worthy charity were reasons enough. Project x Project’s PbP-LA was always one of my top three. It [&hel...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) If Italian and soul food and Thai were insanely popular at the 2022 sold out Masters of Taste 2022 it is no surprise. The news is all the surprising twists of why for these ethnic and regional favorites. Over 100 savory Culinary Masters and restaurants, plus unique sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet [&hell...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) The invite that arrives this year signaled the transition of lockdown to a party! The festive and fun 5thAnniversary Masters of Taste preview promises the L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival will be the welcome back public event after two years. The Sunday,April 3rd, 2022, fr...
(Gerry Furth-Side) Traveling with Chef TommyTang to film the travel sections of his fourth TV cooking series, Tommy Tang’s Modern Thai Cuisine, aired on PBS nationally, turned out to be a major culinary hunt for the remembered “great noodles” of his youth. This was only a part of the larger quest to document the culinary [...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Chef Jazz Singsanong (Jitlada) joined a star line-up of celebrity chefs with special Jitlada-inspired dishes to honor her beloved late Chef Tui Sungkamee. The best of such fundraisers turn into chatty social evenings. This one, infused with such heartfelt feelings, turned into a gala that still felt like...
Chef Jazz Singsanong (Jitlada) is joined by a star line up of celebrity chefs at the tribute night to celebrate the life of her beloved late Chef Tui Sungkamee (Jitlada). The evening at the Line Hotel, May 8 will feature tastings, food stations and live entertainment by DJ Chris Holmes and DJ Zo. Jazz will […]...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Flavorful, colorful, almost sculpted dishes are so meticulously researched and prepared that Lum-Ka-Naad deserves a “destination restaurant” designation for its own menu of regional dishes. As one means of introducing Thai food to new people, Alex Amsombolee, the activist owner of Lum-Ka-Naad R...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Crispy Morning Glory Salad – Deep fried morning glory topped with fresh shrimp and Jitlada’s spicy house dressing (above) may be Jitlada Retaurant’s famous signature, and their reputation of offering such “extra spicy cuisine” they made it into both Jonathan Gold’s “...
Gerry Furth-Sides 
Barbara Hansen 
Chef-owner Alain Cohen 
Roberta Deen 
Jose Martinez 
Nivedita Basu 