Eating the Big Apple

Last year I visited a friend in New York for a few days. A couple weeks prior to the trip, he texted me to ask what I wanted to do while I was there. I sent him back a long list of eateries I wanted to check out. His response – “So I get that…

What Happens in Vegas

Well in my case, what happens in Vegas is something I am posting for the whole world to read about. Vegas has become a city not just of absurdly decadent buffets and outsized eating experiences often attached to celebrity chefs, but a true food destination with stellar eating experiences on and off the strip. Those…

May the 4th Be With You

I was looking through some old pictures, and in honor of Star Wars Day (May the 4th Be With You!) I decided to share the fun themed food we had at a work potluck when Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out. Star Wars S’mores I made Tie Fighters, using hexagonal biscuits, Nutella, and mini…

Pizza Party

What’s a great way to close out the week? With an impromptu pizza party! And I’m not talking about greasy cardboard boxes delivered to the door. When Colin texted to say he and Anthony had each prepared homemade dough and homemade sauces, of course I was in. The rest of us brought abundant toppings, which…

Nickel Diner Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #33 Nickel Diner is a regular on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. While you can’t actually get anything for a nickel, the food is more affordable than many of its pricier downtown neighbors. It has a great old-school feel, with red leather booths and vintage wall paintings of menu prices from back in the…

Salt’s Cure Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #26 Salt’s Cure is a Hollywood spot on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. While some of the places on his list are street trucks or hole-in-the-wall (dare I say “dives”), this is more of a date night restaurant. Dimly lit (thus the grainy pics), bar, patio seating, and prices to match. If you’re…

Animal Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #21 Animal is another of several restaurants by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo that make appearances on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. In addition to Animal, Jon and Vinny have Son of a Gun, Jon & Vinny’s, Petit Trois, and Trois Mec – all within about a 3-mile radius in the Fairfax area. So far I’ve only been…

Fig Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #14 Fig is the bistro in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica. It’s one of the only hotel restaurants on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. Fig is an adorable place to go for brunch, which is what we did. It’s also a good excuse to wander through the enchanting Fairmont grounds even if…

Tar and Roses Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #12 Tar and Roses is one of the few westside establishments on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. It has Santa Monica prices to go along with its Santa Monica location, but it’s worth it when you have an occasion to splurge on a nice night out. The restaurant is a long narrow rectangle with…

City of Gold

City of Gold is a documentary in which Jonathan Gold explores the food culture of LA. Given my little side project of working my way through Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list, seeing this movie was a must for me. I was so excited to hear that they would be doing a City of Gold event at…

Tasting Kitchen Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #7 Tasting Kitchen is one of the few restaurants on the westside that appears on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. In his words, it is “not cheap”. None of his westside picks seem to be. Nonetheless, the wait for this place is long. We decided to go without a reservation, and were told they…

Sqirl Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #6 Sqirl is a tiny minimalist space. A few white counters and blackboard menus on white tile walls. There’s also a small patio seating area, but it wasn’t open when we went. Everything in the place looks clean and fresh. Owner Jessica Koslow is one of the biggest names on the LA food…