Beer Belly’s chef Wes Lieberher talks about his menu, foie gras, and winning a Korean BBQ cook-off
The man behind the belly
Beer Belly in Los Angeles’ Koreatown may be best known for serving up craft beers curated by owner Jimmy Han, but the man behind the food has also been winning accolades and recommendations from patrons and food critics alike. Chef Wes Lieberher, hailing from Philadelphia, became an essential part of Beer Belly just a week before it opened. “I came in here during his [Jimmy Han] soft opening and he was in the kitchen rolling meat balls. I asked him what he’s doing rolling meat balls and he told me one of his cooks didn’t show up. I told him I’ll write him a menu, and if you like it I’ll come work for you,” Wes tells us. And the rest is history. Read More
Lexington Social House in Hollywood welcomes their new chef, Jared Simons, to the team as well as his new spring menu. Joining Lexington Social House from Violet and Bardot, Chef Simons brings his classic American fare with a subtle twist focusing on the usage of products from small farms, minimally processed, and union/American made. Read More
According to a recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health, the ingestion of red meat can cause a 13% greater chance of premature death. Now with that in mind, consumers may feel at ease shifting their meat focus to seafoods like salmon, which can be one of the healthiest types of fish for consumption. But not all salmon are created equal. Yes, created (housed in controlled farms across the country). Majority of the salmon Americans consume are farm raised, grown in pens near the ocean. Public attention has focused on aquacultural operations that are environmentally inefficient, but there is a new salmon farm that is seeking more sustainable ways to raise their salmon. It is endorsed by L.A. chefs like Mezze’s Micah Wexler, Little Dom’s and Dominick’s Brandon Boudet, and Drago Centro‘s Ian Gresik. Skuna Bay was launched in Los Angeles this past November. It is available through Santa Monica Seafood, their distributor. We sat down with chef Ian Gresik where he answered our questions about Skuna Bay. Read More
From Japan to Los Angeles, Hiroshi Shima has been making sushi for a long time. For nearly 15 years he’s held the position at the Innovative Dining Group as the Executive Sushi Chef commanding all five Sushi Roku restaurants. Hiroshi was also a guest judge in 2006 on Bravo’s Top Chef where contestants had to make sushi. So who better to talk about sushi than this veteran chef. We connected with Hiroshi where he gave us some tips on what makes good sushi. Read More
Inside look at Mixology 101 at Planet Dailies + Salvatore Calabrese shows us how to make the Breakfast Martini
Cocktail Jedi
If you’ve ever stumbled into a 24 hour eatery at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas after a night of drinking, then you might know about Planet Dailies – unless of course you passed out on the table (the best ones do). The second location for this growing brand shares the idea of the original spot, but unlike the original – this one includes a cocktail bar. Mixology 101 at Planet Dailies opens on March 12 at The Original Farmers Market in L.A. Here is an inside look at the bar/lounge and a brief introduction of London-based bartender Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese (pictured on the left) and his apprentice Joseph Brooke (pictured on the right). Read More
From line cook to ramen chef, talking to chef Jonathan Shin of Sai Sai Noodle Bar
Sometimes all you need is a chance, and ramen
Jonathan Shin dreamt of playing professional golf and even considered getting into art, a dream he’s closing in on as he now practices the art of ramen. At the tender age of 26, Jonathan is currently the Chef de Cuisine of Sai Sai Noodle Bar inside the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, under the guidance of Executive Chef Thomas Ryan. Once a sushi restaurant, Chef Jonathan has created dishes for this fast casual Asian-influenced noodle bar. We sat down with chef Jonathan Shin and chatted about all things hot and soupy. Read More
After landing a spot in the top three during season two of Top Chef: Just Desserts, pastry chef Sally Camacho of WP24 is a recognizable figure in both the culinary world and to foodies alike. But chef Sally’s accolades extend much farther than that as she placed third representing the United States at the 2012 Valrhona C3 World Competition in Madrid, a coveted international restaurant dessert competition. Additionally, Sally has competed and placed in other notable pastry competitions such as the National Pastry Team Championship and the Culinary Olympics. But what do we really know about Chef Sally? Read More
Seven L.A. chefs combine forces to protest foie gras ban lead by Executive Chef Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub
A controversial and prized delicacy
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck wrote a letter to restaurant owners convincing them to stop serving foie gras and S.F. restaurants that offered it were met with protesters. However, not everyone is convinced that the ban is justified. TV personality Anthony Bourdain has been adamant about his stance (watch Bourdain’s video) against the ban. With California’s ban beginning on July 1, 2012, a number of L.A. chefs are not ready to give up on the controversial and prized delicacy (goose/duck liver). Animal rights activists who see the force feeding of ducks or geese as inhumane are about to win the war. But for chefs like Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub, who operates both Orange and Pasadena locations, believe that people should learn more about foie gras. “My response to those that are against foie gras is simple. Don’t be blinded by propaganda,” Greg said in an email statement. Read More
Taking on L.A.’s Skid Row with the owners of The Escondite, DTLA’s burger and craft beer hideout
With owners Erin Carnes and Brian Traynam
The Escondite, located in Skid Row adjacent to Little Tokyo in downtown L.A., blocks away from the epicenter of L.A.’s contemporary restaurant and bar culture. Co-owner Erin Carnes describes the area as, “a great location with a lot of history. It’s an old bar stemming way back to the 80′s called Al’s Bar (closed in 2001). People raged here – it was a celebrity hangout.” Her business partner Brian Traynam was emphatic about the location and endeared himself to all of its qualities, “it’s just such an awesome spot. We call it Skidrowkyo.” A nickname Brian gave to the geographical position of the restaurant and bar. Read More
Los Angeles happy hour round up: DTLA, Santa Monica
Taste Terminal's Happy Hour Round Up II
We all work hard for our money (so hard for it honey) and now with the recent spike in gas prices, who can afford to eat? You can, with these discounted dishes from Taste Terminal’s list of local happy hours. Here it is, Happy Hour Round Up Part Two. Read More
Art as an appetizer – secret menu at John Sedlar’s Playa and Rivera
Available now until March 31
From now until March 31, a secret menu will be available at John Sedlar‘s Playa and Rivera in L.A. to guests with proof of admission to any of Pacific Standard Time’s Exhibitions and guests who ask for the “Pacific Standard Time Secret Menu.” Joined by artist and Del Maguay Mescal’s Ron Cooper and mixologist Julian Cox, Chef John Sedlar’s Playa and Rivera will host a menu inspired by select art work from Pacific Standard Time’s collection. Read More
The first time around we gave you plenty of options to please your significant other on Valentine’s Day, but it seems that Los Angeles restaurants have more V-day spirit than we could cover in one guide. Here is part two. Read More
Haven’s Holy Trinity: brewery, craveable cuisine, and groovy gastropub
Plus a video interview with host Jace Milstead, co-owner Wil Dee and brewmaster David Larsen
Haven Gastropub +Brewery may be new to Pasadena, but the second location of this Orange, CA establishment is hardly the new kid on the block. Balancing artfully executed fare with carefully curated craft beer, wine and cocktail selections, Haven exists somewhere between a high-quality, local-centric restaurant and relaxed gastropub. If that wasn’t enough, they will soon brew their own beers right inside the Pasadena premises, due to start serving in late February. Read More
Your guide to Valentine’s Day, drinks and eats in L.A., part one
Paint the town red or ignite the fire within
As the short February days continue to wane away, we start to consider our next big holiday. There is Labor Day, Independence Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day; even St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching. But we feel empty, like maybe we’re missing something. Then it comes like a wave of sickly, syrupy gushiness – days later we find the evidence – an empty wallet, half-burnt rose petals, and three extra pounds of chocolate-weight. Beware of the coming holiday, as it prefers to ambush its practitioners. Here is part one of our Valentine’s Day guide on where to drink and eat in L.A. to get you prepared. Read More
Northern California native brings casual touch to SoCal gastropub
Introducing chef Charlie Parker of Freddy Smalls
Charlie Parker might have worked in some of the best kitchens up in Northern California (consider such places as Manresa, Ubuntu, and Plum), but he brings a decidedly casual affair to the rather sleepy area of West Los Angeles along Pico Boulevard. With David Fleisher (formerly of Seven Grand) taking care of cocktails and front-of-house, they’re pushing the gastropub envelope at Freddy Smalls, the brainchild of The Counter Burger owner Jeff Weinstein.
Jeremy Fox, Parker’s mentor, consulted early on with the menu but Parker is applying the neighborhood aesthetic of Oakland’s Plum restaurant, with a few simple, well-made pub favorites (that eschew the same-old burger/pizza/hot dog variants) in favor of market-fresh vegetables, house-made charcuterie, and dishes like the crispy pig ear open-faced sandwich. Amid the start of dinner service, we sat down with Parker and Fleisher to hear about their start in the restaurant industry. Read More
By invite only, foodies and Buick enthusiasts attended an exclusive culinary event hosted by Buick and Food & Wine magazine on January 21 and 22 at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Guests enjoyed a scheduled program glittered with test driving Buick’s latest vehicles, wine tasting with sommelier Michael Green, and exciting demos and tastings from some of the nations’ most prominent and innovative chefs, headlining with Master Chef Michael Psilakis. Read More
