Food

As dining out becomes a daily occurrence, what draws a customer to one restaurant over another? Is it the food, the décor, or the service? Perhaps it’s the overall experience which is then reported back to friends. With the influence of social media, diners love to share what they are experiencing on Instagram, Facebook, Periscope, Twitter, and Snapchat. Usually the photos of a beautifully plated dish will represent the experience. However, some restaurants are taking the dining experience to a more experiential level and incorporating theatrical elements. No longer is dining out simply sitting at a table with your friends and having a conversation. Theatrical dining is not a new concept. Italian pizza restaurant Miceli’s has the singing waiters and The Magic Castle offers roaming magicians and magic shows. There is also Medieval Times where men, dressed as knights, joust and brandish weapons as diners eat and cheer on the knights. But food is not the primary focus when a diner goes to one of these venues. They go for the entertainment and for the overall experience. Yet, there are experiential dining experiences in Los Angeles that are raising the bar and going beyond performance dining. Theatrical elements are brought into the modern dining environment to enhance, not overshadow, the food. 
28 March, 2016
Guest Post By Grazia Caroselli The ultimate meal that foodies the world over have been waiting years for is finally here! Not to a restaurant near you, but to a neighborhood movie theater near you. city of gold poster CITY OF GOLD is a tasty documentary on Jonathon Gold, the first food critic ever to win a Pulitzer Prize. It satisfies cravings on all five senses. Laura Gabbert’s feature-length film expertly succeeds in sharing Gold’s favorite hard-to-find, tiny mom-and-pop restaurants in L.A.’s deepest ethnic neighborhoods. She mixes cinematic tools like a chef mixes fine ingredients to create a perfect dish. Close-ups of succulent food combinations sizzle and take us into the heat. Sounds of the street pop and mingle under lively sequences of the city in action underscored by a diverse original score by Bobby Johnson. The camera rides right alongside Jonathon in his green pick-up truck as he traverses scrappy roads to get us to his favorite far-flung discoveries. Slo-mo aerials glide over snarled L.A. freeway traffic lanes at twilight, turning rear lights into mesmerizing red rivers below.  We get a peek into the authentic Los Angeles that has taken him years to lovingly, painstakingly uncover with his passionate palate.
21 March, 2016

I was introduced to Thrive Algae Oil by my friend, Chef Marisa Churchill, author of the cookbook “Sweet & Skinny” and a former Top Chef...

18 March, 2016
Most of the time that I am in downtown Santa Barbara, it is on a stop on the way up to wine country or on the way back home. I have spent afternoons wandering around the Funk Zone in downtown Santa Barbara. While tasting rooms are open during the day in that area, some of the restaurants only open at night. One of those is The Lark. And unfortunately, I have never been there late enough to stay for dinner. But on a recent overnight in Santa Barbara, it was finally my chance to eat at The Lark. The Lark opened in 2013 and has been a Santa Barbara favorite ever since. An urban eatery, it is warm and casual with the re-purposed dark wood materials. Serving locally sourced and responsibly grown seasonal ingredients culled from what is available on the Central Coast, the food is served family style - my favorite! As soon as we sat down, we were served the Lark Popcorn, made with red wine salt, duck fat, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and lemon zest. Savory with a hint of citrus, it is amazing how fast that basket gets emptied. The Lark Popcorn
14 March, 2016
We approached Osawa just before they opened at 5pm and there was already a line at the door. Despite the rain, these people wanted to be the first in the door. Osawa Osawa is a Japanese restaurant located in Old Town Pasadena. Owned by Sayuri Tachibe and her husband Chef Shigefumi Tachibe (former corporate executive chef of the Chaya Restaurant Group), Osawa offers something for everyone. There is sushi, shabu shabu, sakana (or otsumami), udon and sukiyaki. Owners Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe and Sayuri Techie You can sit at tables, at the sushi bar or at the shabu shabu bar. Of course you can order anything from the menu from any seat, except shabu shabu. If that is what you want, you will want to be sure to sit in the section with the heated plates.
07 March, 2016
19Weekend Brunch is the perfect leisurely meal where you do not have have to rush off to work or to an appointment. And that is how we enjoyed our brunch at Sangers and Joe. Sangers & Joe "Sanger" is Australian lingo for sandwiches and "Joe" is a cup of coffee. Located in Old Town Pasadena, Sangers and Joe is a modern, market-style cafe open for breakfast and lunch daily and brunch on the weekends. Sangers & Joe
26 February, 2016

Going to Leona is like going to a friend's house for dinner. The Venice Beach restaurant by Chef Nyesha Arrington is warm and inviting and feels like home.

Leona

Located on Washington Boulevard, the space is high-ceilinged with long leather banquettes. There is a long bar with stools that face the open kitchen. And the patio, which is along Washington Boulevard, is cosy and intimate.

Leona Leona

From the moment we walked up to the hostess stand, I felt welcome. The hosts greet everyone with smiles and there is a sense of familiarity between them and the guests. We took our seat on the patio and started to review the menu. Serving progressive California cuisine, we were intrigued by the menu. Utilizing Central Valley produce and coastal seafood, there are international influences ranging from Asian to Mediterranean. Luckily I was with another "foodie" friend which means that we have a tendency to over-order, and over-eat. But that is why we have so much fun.

22 February, 2016
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