It took the “California Roll” with a familiar name to entice Americans to try eating of Japanese sushi back in the day. So it took Taku H. Maeda winning a green tea ice cream manufacturing challenge to eventually launch an Americanized version of Matcha tea products and menu at SHUHARI Matcha Café. As the succ...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) New Santa Monica resident, Bareburger on Main Street a couple of blocks from the beach turned out to be much more than their big, fat, juicy burgers with a huge list of sandwiches, salads, fries and drinks. The DRINK MENU includes current specialty seasonal items, along with a long list of draft bee...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) A “variety of proteins and buns” and “Certified Organic ingredients” head up the aggressive marketing hype at new Santa Monica resident, Bareburger, the upstart, Greek-owned New York outfit that triumphed from the start in a down-economy. Can its most recent outpost replace the ...
The first and only authentic Japanese green tea café, SHUHARI Matcha Café comes to the heart of Venice backed by Maeda-en USA, a green tea distributor founded by green tea aficionado Taku H. Maeda in 1984, as well as the Cool Japan Fund, a public-private fund that supports the development of overseas demand for Japanese [&hell...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Actor Lesley Nicol, who became the most beloved character, as Mrs. Patmore the cook, on the Downton Abbey television series, alone proved more than enough reason to accept an invitation to a preview tasting for the 10th Anniversary, week-long BRIT WEEK extravaganza of cultural events all over Los Angeles ...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Ambitious fundraiser, Cochon 555 (“5 chefs, 5 pigs, 5 winemakers”), trumpets itself as a national ten-city tour as “North America’s most talked about culinary competition.” The one-of-a-kind stand-up tasting reception features five local celebrity chefs cooking five heritage b...
SUCRE Sweets Parisian Ice Cream & Bakeshop with its treasures of Syrian-influenced pastries sits demurely through the archway from Souk Shawarma, it’s savory “big brother” next door. And well it should — owner-pastry chef, Lauren is the younger sister of chef-owner, Andrew Faour, who partners with...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) The best indication of SOL COCINA’s personality was already seen on opening nights when the restaurant pulled out all the stops — like offering a tray of tequila drinks as a guests greeting even before they stepped in the door. The third location of this Arizona based co...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) All the fun – and the theatrics– of a sensual and rich ancient Thai heritage founded in a country of abundant natural resources shine and contrast in Katy Noochlaor’s Tuk Tuk Thai Restaurant. The feeling is substantial and lush, yet the whimsy that runs through all Thai life (everyone, but eve...
(Gerry Furth-Sides) Ask almost any Greek where to find the Greek cuisine, and they will almost invariable answer, “at home.” Carlos Tomazos is no exception although he prefers to share what he – or his mother when he was growing up on the island of Cyprus – prepared at home in his new contemporary, c...
Gerry Furth-Sides 
Barbara Hansen 
Chef-owner Alain Cohen 
Roberta Deen 
Jose Martinez 
Nivedita Basu 