Casita Del Campo Archives - Local Food Eater

Five Ethnic Secret Garden Restaurant Surprises for Summer

August 6, 2021 Comments Off

(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 east. On the list: Tiato Kitchen + Venue (Santa Monica); newly realized back patios of Marino Ristorante (East Hollywood)and Casita Del Campo (Silverlake); and the classic The Raymond 1886 Restaurant.

(1) Back to the Beach, Santa Monica

A place that reminds you of why you live in LA just minutes down the Pacific Coast Highway off the 10 freeway. Coming out of the tunnel and seeing the ocean is one of my favorites views in town. Owner Fred Deni is on hand, with decades of ownership behind him. He oversees a seamless operation of a staff happy to be there, too.

People watching, ocean watching and eating at **Back On The Beach** **Cafe**

Owner Fred Deni of **Back On The Beach** **Cafe** with Cynthia Mamukari, owner of Taste Catering Company who both do party food for the Annenberg Center

Plant your feet on a solid floor or at a table on the beach. The simple menu of favorites, salads & sandwiches, is capped by the best baker in town’s desserts (including my favorite lemon hazelnut torte). You just want lunch to last and last, and stay all day – and we always do.

Burger or Cheeseburger with yam fries or regular at Back to the Beach

THE Lemon Hazelnut Torte at **Back On The Beach** **Cafe**

Plant your fat in the sand (the best!) or inside on the floor at **Back On The Beach** **Cafe**

Back On The Beach Cafe, 445 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402, (310O 393.8282. www.backonthe beach cafe.com

(2) Tiato Kitchen + Venue, literally tucked into a tree-filled Santa Monica neighborhood so that it is hidden from street view, has no rival as the prettiest, most lush indoor-outdoor garden eatery, let alone the city’s biggest outside dining space. Indoors, the soaring ceilings and polished concrete floors, reclaimed wood furniture and eco-friendly materials lend an organic sensibility and a contemporary sense of grandeur at the same time.

It is fitting that Tiato is named after the “tia to” Vietnamese perilla plant, which has a fresh flavor similar to the Japanese herb shiso. It is one of Catherine’s favorite. The fragrant leaf also symbolizes the cooking style of Executive Chef and family matriarch Helene An (Crustacean Restaurant). For the story, please see: //localfoodeater.com/titan-brings-california-inspired-vietnamese-vietnames-inspired-california-cusine/

img_2305-1 — Catherine An of **Tiato Kitchen + Venue**

The Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free and Gluten-free menu is dotted with ingredients like kale, blueberries veggie smoothies and antioxidant-rich ingredients. Health conscious dishes even include a Kale Caesar Salad. An described the food as “California-inspired Vietnamese and Asian-inspired California cuisine.’

Fresh Pressed Juices can turn out to be a welcome meal in itself. We love the name and ingredients of the rich Royal detox (beet, carrot and green apple) and the Green Goddess (broccoli, celery, green apple, honeydew and spinach). The cafe also offers draft and bottled beers, organic wines and a sake bar.

Fresh pressed juices at **Tiato Kitchen + Venue**

Fresh herbs abound in the outdoor garden and are used in the kitchen whenever possible. Meyer lemons, kaffir limes, blood oranges, mulberries and bushels of herbs grow seasonally. What makes the original east-west fusion Chicken Banh Mi Burger ($12), special, along with the house-made potato chips, pillowy brioche bun and spicy mayo is that the veggie slaw is pickled and dotted with cilantro grown in the garden.

Espressos and warm over-sized chocolate cookies are favorite customer picks. The Tiato muffin is usually sold out by the afternoon.

Engaging proprietor, Catherine An heads up Tiato + Venue, initially created as the family restaurant’s catering division with the garden as an event space. Read about mom, Helene An, (Crustaean in Beverly Hills) and sister Hannah’s District in West Hollywood. (www.anfamily.com).

Tiato Market Garden Café, 2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 190, Santa Monica, CA, 310.866.5228 to leave a message. For hours and more information, please see, www.tiato.co

(3) Marino Ristaurante

Friend and second generation proprietor, Mario Marino, and I daydreamed about the day when the family could create backyard al fresco dining area under an old olive tree in the back of the restaurant. And the pandemic made it happen, with the feeling of some good out of the overall. It had the the same immaculate service and authentic Neapolitan cuisine. Chef Sal heads the kitchen and Mario is “front of the house” as always. Consistent classic southern Italian cuisine in a white tablecloth setting – whole branzino offered three ways; roman bread; ricotta cheesecake; the best anti pasti in the world. Legendary Dad Ciro Marino started 50 years ago and would be proud.

And summer is tomato season. It was Marino Ristorante Chef, Sal Marino, put one on a plate, insisting on dotting it with salt, and I fell in love. But until now it was farmers market, Melissa’s Produce when available or nothing.

**Marino Ristorante** Chef Sal Marino with brother Mario and a tomato supper menu

**Marino Ristorante**‘s patio- the olive tree is opposite the building

Dad Ciro Marino’s signature ricotta cheesecake, a must-have, at **Marino Ristorante**

Marino Ristorante, 6001 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, Ca 90038, (323) 466-8812, www.marinorestaurant.com

(4) Casita del Campo

A historic, neighborhood place for all ages with delicious, carefully made Mexican food — founded by one of the dancers in West Side Story for his entertainment friends! Patio, dining room, private room seating makes any lunch or party special. Excellent, friendly service and parking lot out back!

The Casita de Campo patio carved out of the back parking lot behind the restaurant is new. It is relaxing and lively with beautiful plants and fountain. After an inconsistent winter-spring season, the patio is once again open for dining with protocols in place. And the same attentive staff is there.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_6007.jpg — **Casita del Campo’**s relaxing fountain in its new back patio

**Casita del Campo’**s leisurely patio with lively food and service

The original recipes and cooking practices have stayed the same since the day the restaurant opened 57 years ago. Every morning, fresh vegetables are chopped for the tasty salsa, the guacamole and chips all made fresh daily as evident in the enormous amount of food carried out from the kitchen. The new vegan menu items such as the tacos and fajitas, already popular with customers, reflect the current health-conscious times and neighborhood’s gentrification.

This image has an empty alt attribute — Casita del Campo’s classic menu with new vegetarian options

Casita Del Campo, 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027. is open for take out and delivery. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255.

(5) The Raymond 1886

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_1078.jpg — The Raymond 1886 veranda you never want to leave

The Pasadena’s Craftsman cottage on South Fair Oaks Avenue with its high-ceiling, captivating veranda is another nostalgic nod to the past. The Grand Raymond Hotel at one time fronted this South Pasadena estate and its spirit lives on.

It’s always fun to people watch and just relax after pulling into the shady glen of patio, a sharp turn off the road just northwest of the Arroyo Freeway, and out of the blazing sun outside.

A sample of the meals at The Raymond 1886 with brilliant pastry chef Roberto Morales’ desserts

The Raymond 1886 open for Lunch Tuesday – Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; Dinner every Tuesday – Sunday from 5:30 to 10:00 pm and Brunch Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm.
For information or reservations, please visit www.theraymond.com or phone 626.441.3136. Week-end Brunch from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, and for Dinner from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm; 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue; Pasadena, CA 91105; 626.441.3136; www.TheRaymond.com

Casita del Campo to Show Off LA

January 26, 2021 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Where to take a visiting Covid nurse to eat authentic, historic food and show off LA at the same time? Casita de Campo and favorite area sites was a natural choice. The patio was relaxing and lively at the same time because of attentive to-go staff and the beautiful plants and fountain. The patio is once again open for dining with protocols in place.

Following a filling, fantastic lunch of Mexican dishes, came a tour of the Silverlake Reservoir and the Griffith Park Observatory before a ride cross town home. I found the “steepest street” off Glendale Boulevard to the reservoir and it is a breathtaking view from the top — nurse Ashley was not impressed! I was happy to walk off lunch with a mile and a half walk!

A reminder of the artist Jose Hernandez who built Casita del Campo

Visiting Covid Nurse Ashley from Saginaw, Michigan at the Observatory

The gSilverlake Reservoir — especially dramatic when approached by way of steep Baxter Street from the east

The menu remains the same at Casita del Campo with new vegetarian options available

This Silverlake neighborhood has always been the ideal location for Casita Del Campo. it was true when the sleepy, artistic area housed Disney staffers and when it became the culturally diverse bohemian equivalent of Greenwich Village in New York and Hyde Park in Chicago. Locals, such as six of us neighbors, frequented the place at least one weekly. It was one of our favorite Newsweek staff hangouts, and I remember even to this day trying to nonchalantly “walk” to the door after two margaritas. These days,

These days, sports is as much a theme as the arts at Casita del Campo

Nina’s son, Robert Martin Del Campo, is the current proud owner along with his wife, Gina Martin Del Campo. Gina, an artist who studied at UCLA, created all the stunning stained-glass patio tables.

Some of the frequent customers even refer to the tables they want to sit at as the name of the picture when the restaurant was open.

We miss the colorful, warm art indoors, and look forward to having it back. she recreated on them, including Frida Kahlo, well known Diego Rivera paintings and portraits from the famed Mexican bingo game, Loteria. These creations bring life to the outdoor patios, a vibe that has truly remained the same as the day it opened.

The Del Campo family would like to continue to sustain this “landmark” for “100 more years” and keep it in their family forever to continue to serve this loving community and family they have created here in Silverlake. We toast to that.

Casita Del Campo is open for take out and delivery. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255. The address is 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

Casita del Campo Turns the Tables on Covid with 58th Birthday Breakfast Burrito, Outdoor Dining

September 4, 2020 Comments Off

The family feeling, artwork and leafy canopy still spirit Casita del Campo after 58 years, along with an evolving menu and restrooms.

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Casita Del Campo may be celebrating their 58th birthday this month but the team at the historic “to-go” eatery, headed by family member Robert Del Campo, is also constantly working to keep dine-in and take-out options. These days “dine-in” mostly refers to the private, spacious open patio tucked away off busy Hyperion in the back.

Casita del Campo’s sunny backyard lot has been transformed into a beautiful dining area

Right this way to the patio and pick up at Casita del Campo!

Casita del Campo’s “dine-in” mostly refers to the private, spacious open patio out back

The genuinely friendly, professional service is the same outdoors as always was inside Casita del Campo after 58 years

Knowing that Angelenos love a good burrito, especially a hearty breakfast burrito, the restaurant team decided to create the Silverlake Breakfast Burrito, Casita Del Campo’s take on a popular item with a little added “fuego”or heat.

The Silverlake Breakfast Burrito is prepared with Huevos a la Mexicana, scrambled eggs with tomato, cilantro and onion, Chorizo, Potatoes, Refried Beans and Avocado, served in a large Flour Tortilla with a side of the tangy and fiery homemade Habanero Sauce. The Silverlake Breakfast Burrito will be added to the regular menu offered all day every day. It is also designed as a special addition to the popular mainstays.

For the restaurant’s classics, in fact, the original recipes and cooking practices have stayed the same since the day the restaurant opened close to 60 years ago. Every morning, fresh vegetables are chopped for the tasty salsa, the guacamole and chips all made fresh daily as evident in the enormous amount of food carried out from the kitchen. The new vegan menu items such as the vegan tacos and fajitas, already popular with customers, reflect the current health-conscious times and neighborhood’s gentrification.

The classics stay on the menu at Casita del Campo along with new vegetarian and breakfast options

For owner and founding family member, Robert Del Campo, is no stranger to rapid changes, having grown up in the restaurant industry, creating a beautiful outdoor patio in the large parking lot was a natural progression when distancing became a necessity. Surrounded by plants, trees, the famous Casita fountain, and Gina Del Campo’s incredible mosaic tables, the “vibe” transports diners to a time past right in the wonderful neighborhood with Griffith Park and the Silverlake Reservoir not far away that is reason enough for Casita del Campo to be called a “Silverlake Oasis.”

It naturally follows that Rudy Martin Del Campo, a dancer from West Side Story, opened sunny, welcoming Casita Del Campo as a gathering place for his industry friends. The unique venue that used to be a house would continue to feel like a home to him many years later. Although Rudy passed away several years ago, his legacy has lived on in the West Side Story pictures throughout the restaurant and the original art pieces. This gem has also been maintained through his family’s love for the continuously growing loyal customers.

This Silverlake neighborhood landmark has always been the ideal location for Casita Del Campo. This was true when the sleepy, artistic area housed Disney staffers and when it became the culturally diverse bohemian equivalent of Greenwich Village in New York and Hyde Park in Chicago. Locals, such as six of us neighbors, frequented the place at least one weekly. It was one of our favorite Newsweek magazine hangouts, and I remember even to this day trying to nonchalantly “walk” to the door after two margaritas!

Neighborhood and destination dining favorite, Casita del Campo, has been the place to celebrate a meal or a birthday of many years for 58 years

Casita Del Campo restaurant hours for dining, delivery and takeout: Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255.

Keeping up with the times after 58 years at Casita del Campo in Silverlake

Casita Del Campo is partnered with Postmates, Grubhub, and Caviar for delivery or can be picked up directly by calling the restaurant at 323-662-4255.

A Happy Revisit to a Silverlake Classic: Casita del Campo

August 26, 2019 Comments Off

Colorful casita del Campo AND its ample parking lot beckons diners on busy Hyperion Street.

Casita Del Campo welcomes every guest from the minute you walk into the front or back door

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Happy memories flood back of wonderful times at Casita Del Campo so it was no surprise that a party from a long-time neighborhood resident took center stage the day we spontaneously popped in for lunch this summer (and I was in an instagram of the party!). The ambiance, the food, the service all added to the celebration, making this recent visit to the historic Silverlake landmark into a new, lasting memory.

Casita del Campo is filled with dappled sun from the skylight

But first, the food, with a mezcal to begin. Soup or a light garden salad come with each entree. Today’s soup was Albondigas, vegetable soup with meatballs. My all-time standard, Machaca con Huevos (shredded beef and eggs), arrives balanced and beautiful with Spanish rice and refried beans. Luscious sweet corn tamales, a Casita del Campo signature dish Sweet corn tamales with raisins are moist and perfectly seasoned.

A shot of the house El Silencio mezcal with a garnish of orange!

Albondigas, vegetable soup with meatballs.

Luscious sweet corn tamales

A corn tamale the next day with a salad at home is just as light and moist

Machaca con huevos, my all-time standard

The Casita del Campo original recipes and cooking practices have stayed the same since the day the restaurant opened 57 years ago. You can actually take a peek into the kitchen where fresh vegetables are chopped for the tasty salsa and the guacamole each morning. Chips are all made fresh daily as is evident in the enormous amount of food carried out from the kitchen. New vegan menu items, like the popular tacos and fajitas, reflect the current health-conscious times and the neighborhood’s gentrification, along with the all-gender restroom – adjacent to a little private dining room that was probably there from the beginning.

Want to have all your dishes on the side? Not a problem!

We were happy to be talked into a dense, rich flan for dessert!

The eatery was conceived as a second home for diners, late owner Nina Martin Del Campo would tell everyone, not just a restaurant to come and eat. It is a family gathering venue, a welcoming and artistic melting pot hosting a theater downstairs, and is an oasis that transports guests to the more leisurely lifestyle of Mexico.

Casita del Campo the historic with an old-time cash register and large mural of Frieda Kahlo at the door, and a homey private back room. Sun floods though the main room skylight and out of the way is the “new” All Gender rest room

I wind up in a Casita del Campo instagram post in a photo celebrating a 90th birthday!

Rudy Martin Del Campo, a dancer from West Side Story, opened sunny, welcoming Casita Del Campo as a gathering place for his industry friends as a gathering place, much like the Marilyn and Harry Lewis created their Hamburger Hamlet for their actor pals. The warm, show biz feeling was always there whether you knew about the reason to not. No,this Machaca is it is not a gourmet version such as in Tucson’s French-Mexican El Charro Café where it is air-dried outdoors. But it does not matter.

Rudy’s legacy lives on in the warm hospitality of everyone who served us. My guest need to have every side dish separated from her main one, and the gracious servers made it seem as though it was an easy everyday request. Rudy is also remembered in the West Side Story pictures throughout the restaurant and in the original art pieces, and the family carries on the hospitality that is so appreciated by loyal customers.

Rudy Martin Del Campo

Casita Del Campo hours: Monday-Thursday from 11am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 12am. Sunday hours: 11am -11pm. Special week-day lunch menus and a week-end brunch menu that includes a cocktail are offered. Rooms are available for parties and celebrations. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255, 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

Silverlake Treasure Casita Del Campo Celebrates 57 Years

May 14, 2019 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides, all photos except of this author courtesy of Casita del Campo) Casita Del Campo celebrates 57 years in the same location this month. The restaurant will begin Anniversary celebrations on Wednesday, May 15^th, 2019 with music, specials and a few surprises.

Cheers with the margaritas, always a highlight on Gina Martin del Campo’s stained glass table.

There is good reason for the cheer. The original recipes and cooking practices have stayed the same since the day the restaurant opened 57 years ago. Every morning, fresh vegetables are chopped for the tasty salsa, the guacamole and chips all made fresh daily as evident in the enormous amount of food carried out from the kitchen. The new vegan menu items such as the tacos and fajitas, already popular with customers, reflect the current health-conscious times and neighborhood’s gentrification.

The menu remains the same at Casita del Campo with new vegetarian options available

This Silverlake neighborhood has always been the ideal location for Casita Del Campo. it was true when the sleepy, artistic area housed Disney staffers and when it became the culturally diverse bohemian equivalent of Greenwich Village in New York and Hyde Park in Chicago. Locals, such as six of us neighbors, frequented the place at least one weekly. It was one of our favorite Newsweek magazine hangouts, and I remember even to this day trying to nonchalantly “walk” to the door after two margaritas!

Me at my Casita del Campo birthday party – after one margarita. “One was not enough and two were one too many!”

Rudy Martin Del Campo

Rudy and Nina’s son, Robert Martin Del Campo, is the current proud owner and can be seen strolling through the restaurant on a daily basis, welcoming the customers and making sure everything is on point. As Robert puts it “this place was made with love and that is the most important ingredient of how it still runs to this day.” His creative passion for the arts is evident in all the pieces you see in each room and his wife, Gina Martin Del Campo, an artist who studied at UCLA is the incredible mastermind behind all the stained-glass patio tables that are unique and stunning.

Some of the frequent customers even refer to the tables they want to sit at as the name of the picture she recreated on them, including Frida Kahlo, well known Diego Rivera paintings and portraits from the famed Mexican bingo game, Loteria. These creations bring life to the outdoor patios that are perfect for an afternoon cocktail and of course have become popular for that Instagram photo. The sound system, new art pieces and menu improvements may be new but the staff and the vibe has truly remained the same as the day it opened.

Not just a restaurant to come and eat; this is a second home for some or a “first home” as late owner Nina Martin Del Campo would tell anyone, a family gathering venue, a welcoming and artistic melting pot hosting a theatre downstairs and an oasis that transports guests to the more leisurely lifestyle of Mexico.

According to a family member, the fitting motto at Casita Del Campo that is probably said more than a few times a day, “VIVA LA VIDA” connotes a well lived life, celebrating life and loving life. The Del Campo family would like to continue to sustain this “landmark” for “100 more years” and keep it in their family forever to continue to serve this loving community and family they have created here in Silverlake.

Casita Del Campo is open every Monday through Thursday from 11am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 12am. Sunday hours are 11am to 11pm. A special lunch menu is offered in the afternoon on weekdays, and a week-end brunch menu that includes a cocktail. Rooms are available for parties and celebrations. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255. The address is 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

Top Ethnic 2019 Super Bowl Parties in LA

January 23, 2019 Comments Off

Super Bowl Margaritas (Photos Courtesy of Casita Del Campo)

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Festive Casita del Campo in Silverlake offers game viewing on a large projector screen with surround sound, right next to the bar. Enjoy delectably authentic Mexican cuisine, handcrafted margaritas and ice-cold beer as you cheer on your favorite team. Casita recently introduced Draft Beer selections by the glass or pitcher: Negra Modelo, Cerveceria Manos De Calaca, Stella Artois, Firestone Walker 805 and Lagunitas IPA. Casita Del Campo Margaritas feature the Classic, Strawberry, and Pomegranate. Food for the table includes the Casita’s Special prepared with six delicious crispy mini tortillas topped with chicken, beef, jack cheese, sour cream and fresh guacamole, the popular Queso Fundidos, Taquitos or Homemade Guacamole.

Casita Del Campo on Sunday, February 3^rd, 2019 from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm; 1920 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027; 323.662.4255; www.CasitaDelCampo.net

(photo courtesy of Casita del Campo)

Preux & Proper’s Super Bowl Sunday in DTLA provides four TV’s for game watching after Sunday Brunch. Wakey Wakey Bloody Mary prepared with bacon-infused vodka, Smog City Little Bo’ Pils, Blackstrap Worcestershire, hickory-smoked black salt, sharp cheddar, pepperoni, cherry tomato and house-pickled okra is the drink of the day. Or make it a real Southern Sunday Brunch soirée with Bottomless Mimosas ($15 per person) available until 4:00 pm.

Wakey Wakey Bloody Mary (photo by Ziv Sade)

Superstar Executive Chef Sammy Monsour’s sweet and savory Fried Chicken & Waffles brunch special made with Mary’s Free-Range Chicken breast, a buttermilk cornbread waffle, served with honey, pecans, and butter of course (lots of butter) starts the day. Preux & Proper wants the fun to continue “all day long”. Their game day Happy Hour goes from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Barroom and the upstairs Proper Dining Hall. $1 Oysters, $1 Wings and Handcrafted Pitchers of Cocktails ($45 each) are inspired by the two competing Super Bowl 53 teams. The pitchers serve up to four guests. It is impossible to pick between them. Preux & Proper’s tantalizing Dungeness Crab Hushpuppies served with house bourbon barrel-aged green hot sauce, boil spice and charred poblano butter and Deep Dish Biscuit Dough Pizza like the Paulie’s Pomegranate-Habanero B.B.Q. Pork with smoked red onions and Tillamook cheddar are must-haves.

The inimitable team at Preux & Proper – your hosts for a perfect party. Owner-partners Josh and Chef Sammy top left and right.

Chef Sammy Monsour

Preux & Proper open for Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, February 3^rd, 2019 for Sunday Brunch from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, Happy Hour from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and Sunday Supper from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm; 840 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015; 213.896.0090; www.PreuxandProper.com

Preux & Proper “New Orleans” Beignets at to sweeten the Saints fans’ day.

Preux & Proper’s regular menu will be offered. Here the Fried Game Hen that makes you forget fried chicken forever

Visit South City Fried Chicken at DTLA’s Corporation Food Hall and enjoy a Fried Chicken Sandwich, or two, while watching Super Bowl LIII and savoring a Handcrafted Cocktail, sipping a Glass of Wine, Ice Cold Beer or knocking back a stiff Shot at Corporation Food Hall’s new drinking destination, The Fountain. Fans can order a classic South City Fried Chicken Sandwich like the Nashville, made with Nashville Hot, house pickles and cookout slaw, or enjoy the Miami, made with jerk spice, lemongrass remoulade, mint, jalapeño, lime, and shaved gem lettuce. For those looking for more, try one of South City Fried Chicken’s new Fried Chicken Boxes. Choose the Chicken & Waffles Box with four cinnamon sugar spiced chicken tenders, two cornbread waffles, whipped butter and Vermont maple syrup or the Chicken & Biscuit Box served with four seasoned chicken tenders, a buttermilk biscuit, South City fries, avocado ranch & Carolina gold sauces. With each of these amazing options, even if your team loses, you will still be a winner at South City Fried Chicken with a full chicken dinner on Super Bowl Sunday!

Fresh from the kitchen at Preux & Proper!

South City Fried Chicken caters Super Bowl Day

Corporation Food Hall’s South City Fried Chicken prepares the perfect Super Bowl LIII spread for take-out home-viewing. South City Fried Chicken’s Super Bowl LIII Fried Chicken Box ($295.00 per order serving 14 to 16 guests) features favorite Southern fixings in a mix and match feast. Step 1: Pick Your Fried Chicken by deciding between 30 Boneless Breasts, 30 Whole Wings (Drumette, Wingette & Tip), 60 Tenders, or choose two and get a HALF & HALF at no extra cost. Step 2: Style options include the Carolina Picnic served with buttermilk biscuits, Carolina gold, and avocado ranch. The Nashville Hot includes sweet & tangy cookout slaw and zesty house dill pickles. And the Chicken & Waffles comes with cornbread waffles, whipped butter, and Vermont maple syrup. Step 3: Pick Two Sides such as Chicken Bacon Cobb Salad with avocado, heirloom tomato, hard-boiled Chino Valley eggs, house-made hickory-smoked chicken, bacon, queso fresco and avocado ranch; South City Fries; Tangy Cookout Slaw & House Pickles; Pop’s Slaw & House Pickles or Watermelon & Cucumber Salad with Thai basil, mint, lime, cilantro, extra-virgin olive oil and coconut-macadamia crumble.

Bo Smothers serveing up fried chicken

South City Fried Chicken adds a touch of southern hospitality by including House-Fermented Hot Sauce (choice of barrel-aged green hot or Cali-Fresno red), a Half Gallon of both South City Fried Chicken Unsweetened Iced Tea and Lemonade, cups, napkins and plastic cutlery with each order.

Photo courtesy of South City Fried Chicken

South City Fried Chicken will be open for Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, February 3^rd, 2019 from 12:00 Noon to 10:00 pm; 724 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014; 213.278.0008; www.SouthCityFriedChicken.com. For Catering orders visit www.SouthCityFriedChicken.com/catering or call South City Fried Chicken directly at 213.278.0008.

Christmas Eve Dinner & A Drive at LA’s Top Three Ethnic Favorites

December 19, 2018 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides, photos courtesy Casita Del Campo, Celestino, The Raymond 1886). Celebrate the best of California this year with a holiday dinner with a drive or great walk before or after. The food is the best you will find anywhere. The spectacular Silverlake Reservoir is within running distance of Casita Del Campo (I know. I used to do it everyday!) And Pasadena city lights and even the Rose Parade route are but a few minutes away from Celestino or The Raymond 1886 in Pasadena. For holiday hours, please see the restaurant websites. Links to our write-ups of these restaurants are below).

Silverlake: Casita Del Campo celebrates Navidad for the entire month of December with their signature, Chile en Nogada, a traditional Mexican Holiday dish. Fresh poblano green chilis stuffed with ground beef and dressed in Nogada (a walnut cream sauce) are garnished with pomegranate seeds, cranberries, and parsley. Holiday Pomegranate Margarita adds a modern spin on a classic Mexican cocktail. Desserts worth walking off include James’s Buñuelos or Casita Del Campo’s signature Flan.

Casita del Campo Pomegranate Margarita

Chile en Nogada,

Casita del Campo Interior,

Casita Del Campo, 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027; 323.662.4255. For holiday hours and details please see: www.CasitadelCampo.com

Celestino Ristorante: Celestino Ristorante celebrates Christmas Eve with a Four-Course Prix-Fixe Menu ($78.00 per person) created by Owner and Chef Calogero Drago or enjoy any of these Holiday specials à la carte or dine from the regular menu. Traditional holiday dishes include Zuppa di Moscardini con Crostini all’Aglio e Olio Aromatico, baby octopus stew with toasted garlic bread. The Pasta e Risotto course highlights include Marscapone e Caviale, bow tie pasta with smoked salmon, asparagus, Mascarpone cheese and caviar. And traditional holiday favorites stand out with the Baccala all’Acqua Pazza with fresh cod with a lemon caper sauce, olives and potato, the Cioppino Alla Mediterranea, mixed seafood stew in a tomato wine sauce. A dessert worth walking off is the Tartufo di Cedri con Fragole Marinate with lemon truffle sorbet with fresh marinated strawberries.

Celestino Dining Room

Celestino Pasta Variety

Celestino Ristorante 141 South Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91105; 626.795.4006; www.CelestinoPasadena.com

The Raymond 1886: Just being in the airy patio enclosed by tall trees across the way or inside cozy bar restaurant at The Raymond 1886 is holiday festive. This year the historic restaurant offers a Christmas Eve Five-Course Dinner ($120.00 per person). International starter dishes include French Onion Soup with sourdough croutons and Gruyère, and a Smoked Salmon Brioche with lemon-dill crème fraiche. Second course options include scallops, beefsteak or the Artichoke Ravioli with sautéed spinach, spiced butternut squash sauce and preserved lemon. Sweets include the Warm Rice Pudding with apricot biscotti and a jolly Peppermint Marshmallow as the petit four. The Raymond 1886 offers child-friendly dishes as well, such as the a burger or the Cacio e Pepe pasta make the entire family happy.