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Ramen, pho, soups.....there are oodles of noodle dishes to make you feel cozy and happy on these cold nights. This past weekend, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the First Annual Noodle Bowl Festival took place at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica. From traditional noodle houses to others who put their spin on noodles, seven restaurants from around Los Angeles served warm bowls of noodles to a full crowd. While slurping and filling our bellies, proceeds were raised for My Friend’s Place, a Hollywood-based charity dedicated to assisting and inspiring homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives. Noodle Bowl Fest 2013 100_2390
12 February, 2013
A brand new Mexican restaurant opened a few months ago on 4th St. and the Santa Monica dining scene is heating up.  Named Mercado in homage to the fresh ingredients regularly ordered from the Farmer’s Market, the food and drinks are fresh takes on authentic Mexican cuisine. Owner Jesse Gomez grew up in the restaurant business. Almost 50 years ago his grandparents opened El Arco Iris Mexican restaurant in Highland Park in 1964. Jesse began working in the family restaurant and was responsible for modernizing El Arco Iris  and reintroducing the restaurant to the neighborhood. In 2009 he opened his own restaurant Yxta Cocina Mexicana in downtown LA.  Now Mercado is his third venture with partner Chef Jose Acevedo.
23 July, 2012
Since opening 2 months ago, Tar & Roses has been filling the dining room, which seats about 45 in the main dining room, eight at the bar, and 20 on the patio, every night.  Finally, with a little advance planning, I was able to coordinate my dining partners and get a reservation. Tar & Roses offers a "modern and rustic" menu with small and large plates.
28 March, 2012
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