Smashburger Opens First LA Store

Exciting news in the world of burgers: Smashburger has finally arrived in Los Angeles. The chain, which has been growing steadily since opening its first outpost in Denver several years ago, is known for its patties, which are actually smashed from meatballs. The resulting burger is thus juicier and more evenly cooked, according to Tom …

Le Ka Serves Up Le Tasty Food

There’s a bit of confusion about the relatively new downtown eatery Le Ka. Some people think it’s called Leka, others Ka Le, and perhaps a few truly misguided souls believe it’s something named Kale. Let the record show that the restaurant is named Le Ka. The story — as I remember it after a few …

Osteria Drago Serves Up Hearty Fall Fare

It may be shocking to believe, but there are seasons in Los Angeles, and even though the temperatures still linger in the high 60s, restaurants have filled their menus with braises and root vegetables and all that hearty fare we expect at this time of the year. One such spot is Osteria Drago, which has …

Elevated Pub Fare at Tom Bergin’s

Founded in 1936, Tom Bergin’s remains one of the few classic (as opposed to “gastro”) Irish pubs east of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, and come St. Patrick’s Day, it’s ground zero for beer swilling celebrations in Los Angeles. There’s more than just Guinness and Bass bubbling out of the taps though. Tom Bergin’s …

Border Grill + Tequila Revolucion = Good Times

The Border Grill has become something of a Los Angeles institution, a crown jewel in the burgeoning empire of celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. It’s been around for over ten years and spawned two other locations, not to mention a food truck too. Aside from serving up tasty Mexican fare, the restaurant …

Poutine In My Mouth, My Mother ‘Effin Mouth

A few weeks ago, after I had been invited to a media-comped meal of various Quebecois treats at P’tit Soleil in Westwood, I knew I just had to make some sort of crazy poutine pun in my headline. It took me a while, but I’m thankful for the musical genius of Akinyele for the assist …

Berry Breakthroughs on Drago Centro’s Summer Cocktail Menu

A few months ago, I raved about the totally awesome spring cocktails at Drago Centro, the esteemed Italian eatery in Downtown Los Angeles. Well, the seasons have changed, and so have the libations. Gone are mixologist Jaymee Mandeville’s fanciful uses of dill and honeycomb and kumquat. In their place are a new slate of drinks, …

DINING IN LA: Meatless Mondays at Street, and Then Some

A few years ago, celebrity (and celebrated) chef Susan Feniger opened up Street in Hollywood, a restaurant that bills itself as a home for global street food. For some strange reason, I had never set foot in the establishment until a few weeks ago when I was invited to enjoy a media-comped dinner there, and …

Burger Lounge Brings LA’s Burger Craze to Sunset

In case you hadn’t heard, burger-mania has struck Los Angeles — specifically, fancy gourmet burgers. It started years ago with The Father’s Office. Then came The Counter and 8 oz. Burger (RIP) and Umami. Now the city is littered with gussied up, high quality concepts. From Stout to 25 Degrees, these burger joints are everywhere, …