Food

As dietary restrictions become more and more mainstream, new restaurants have been opening to cater to these groups. In Los Angeles, vegan restaurants that serve contemporary cuisine and appeal even to meat eaters have been opening right and left (Crossroads, Gracias Madre, Sun Organic Cafe, The Gardarene Swine). So it only makes sense that Kosher restaurants would do the same. Ditmas "For those who want to keep kosher and teach their children to be kosher, they can't go to Marstro's or Bestia," Chef Alex Reznik explained. With a need for something contemporary in the kosher community, Chef Reznik opened Ditmas Kitchen & Cocktail on Pico Blvd, near Robertson Blvd, in the heart of the Orthodox community and kosher restaurants. Chef Alex Reznik, Pastry Chef Jeannine Nava, Chef du Cuisine John Villalba Chef Reznik named the restaurant Ditmas after the street that his grandma lived on in Brooklyn, NY. At Ditmas, he has created a restaurant that appeals to families and friends alike with a casual as well as a more formal side. When you walk into the restaurant, to the left is the casual bar area with warm wood tables, a bar, tv screens and a long communal table running down the center. To the right of the room is a more formal dining area with white linen tablecloths.
31 December, 2014
We can find pizza almost anywhere we go and there are lots of styles of pizza - thin crust, thick crust, NY style, Chicago deep dish. But, my favorite of all is Italian style pizza. From the crust that is just crispy enough to the appropriate balance of tomato sauce and cheese, Italian pizza is perfection. Top it off with the individual size of an Italian pizza, it's a meal. But finding a proper Italian pizza in the US is not as easy as it sounds. There are lots of good pizza places out there but so many times the crust droops when you pick up the slice or the cheese and tomato sauce are just too much or too little. But, at Desano Pizzeria and Bakery, they are doing it just right. DeSano Pizza There are three locations in the US - Los Angeles, Charleston and Nashville. The Los Angeles location is in "East Hollywood" on Santa Monica Blvd just east of the 101 Fwy. If you live in LA, you might be thinking that there isn't much just east of the 101. True. It's a lot of warehouses but inside on of those warehouses is where Desano is located.
29 December, 2014
With so many new restaurants opening up in Los Angeles at record speed, it's hard to keep up. While the list of new restaurants to try gets longer and longer, it's also good to remember restaurants that have stood the test of time and have been open for more than 3, 4 or 5 years. One of these restaurants is Bombay Cafe in West Los Angeles which is celebrating it's 25th anniversary. Bombay Cafe Bombay Cafe, owned by Kamal Git Singh, has been serving traditional Indian cuisine for more than two decades. Perhaps it is because Indian food is very natural, using spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom, tumeric and saffron to add color and flavor to the food.  And, with most food cooked in the tandoor oven where fats cook off naturally, the meats are lean and healthy. Some highlights on the menu are: Aloo-Ki-Tikki - Indian potato pancakes, topped with chopped onions and tamarind chutney.
27 December, 2014
I went to S.Y. Kitchen for my first time last summer and loved it.  So, when I drove up to Santa Barbara wine country for the weekend recently, I knew I wanted to go back. I remembered that the chef and sous chef are Italian brothers Luca and Francesco Crestinelli and I have actually known Luca from when he lived in Los Angeles and worked at Vincenti and then Bar Toscana. Luca hadn't been there the last time I was in so this time we got a chance to catch up. But, suddenly, I realized that I was surrounded by Italians - the chefs, the bar manager Alberto Battaglini and many of the waiters. The wine director Emily Johnston is American but, like me, an Italo-phile. I almost felt as if I was in Italy. Luca and Francesco Crestanelli I took a seat at the bar and started with cocktails (and wine). SY Kitchen is one of the only places in Santa Barbara wine country to get well-made cocktails. And, truth be told, after a day of wine tasting, a cocktail is what is needed. Bar Manager Alberto Battaglini focuses on fresh ingredients and makes all of his own garnishes. There is a wall of jars with candied citrus, herbs and other housemade garnishes. Alberto has created a good menu but really likes to hear what guests want and he has trained his staff to do the same.
22 December, 2014
As a foodie, I try to seek out the best places to eat when I am traveling. So, when I had one night in Jerusalem, the quest was on. Through research and word-of-mouth, the restaurant that was the "must go-to" was Machneyuda. When we arrived in Jerusalem and checked into the hotel, I asked the front desk to check on a reservation that I had tried to make online before we left. Although the restaurant is five years old, they were quick to tell me that if I didn't have a reservation, I wasn't going to get one. But, I asked them to call anyway and we were able to get a table for two (after all, it was a Tuesday night). Machneyuda is just outside the Machane Yehuda market. We arrived to the restaurant that was already bustling. The restaurant has a Mediterranean charm with wooden crates filled with colorful fruits and vegetables and wine bottles, Italian tomato cans, olive oil and other ingredients line the walls. Most of the tables were full, music was playing and the restaurant was full of energy. We were taken upstairs to the second floor where we had two counter seats along the railing overlooking the restaurant.
19 December, 2014
Growing up in Los Angeles, Dar Maghreb was LA's premier Moroccan restaurant. I remember my parents going there on special occasions. I even remember going with them once when I was a tween and being mesmerized by the decor, the belly dancers, sitting on pillows and eating with my hands. But after 40 years, the restaurant closed and a new restaurant opened in its place last year - Acabar. Acabar Over the past year, I have seen Acabar at various events around Los Angeles, including LA Food and Wine and LA Times Taste. At these events, Chef de Cuisine Kevin Luzande was behind the table serving up the amazingly delicious crispy lamb buns. Every time I tried one of these, I told myself that I needed to go to Acabar.
15 December, 2014
It's been a few years since I was last in Miami and the last time I was there, I wasn't blown away by the food scene. South Beach seemed more preoccupied with the perception of a foodie scene, rather than the substance of it. But, on a recent trip to Miami for work, I went outside South Beach where I found delicious cuisine at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, located in the Design District in Miami, is owned by James Beard Award-winning chef/owner Michael Schwartz. The casual bistro focuses on fresh, local ingredients. The cocktails and wine program are fresh and creative. After a delicious Hemmingway Daiquiri, I was impressed by the eclectic wine list that included Greek wines like the Assyrtiko that we started with and the Arbois Trousseau that we finished with. Hemmingway Daiquiri
08 December, 2014
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