JONATHAN GOLD’S 2017 BEST 101 RESTAURANTS — NO, I AM NEVER EATING AT VESPERTINE — REMINDED ME THAT I HAVEN’T AMENDED MY OWN BEST-IN-L.A. LIST IN QUITE SOME TIME. WE STILL HAVE OUR OLD FAVORITES, PLACES WE RETURN TO FREQUENTLY, BUT SO MANY WONDERFUL NEW SPOTS HAVE OPENED UP THAT IT WOULD BE CRIMINAL NOT […]

THERE AREN’T MANY RESTAURANTS WHERE I WOULD EAT TWO DAYS IN A ROW, BUT THE FIRST LUNCH AT LE COUCOU DEMANDED I RETURN TO SAMPLE MORE DISHES ON THE MENU. THIS WAS PARTIALLY MY OWN FAULT SINCE I BROKE MY OWN RULE OF NEVER ORDERING THE SAME THING AS ANYONE ELSE. BUT WHEN PETE WELLS […]

AT A RECENT DINNER PARTY I MET A FRENCH COUPLE WHO’D RECENTLY MOVED FROM PARIS TO BEVERLY HILLS, A CULINARY WASTELAND.  OUT OF A COMBINATION OF PITY AND PRIDE, I COMPILED A LIST OF FAVORITES, FOCUSSING PRIMARILY ON RESTAURANTS EAST OF THE 405. I THOUGHT I’D SHARE IT WITH YOU, DEAR EATERS.

MILAN TO BOLOGNA AND THE MEALS IN BETWEEN 3/21-31, 2016 Monday, March 21, 2016 BOLOGNA is a city of arches, of loggias. They shelter pedestrians from rain and shine. Bearing the weight of two-story structures in a maze of narrow streets, the loggias are both oppressive and comforting. Bologna has changed hands so many times […]

BECAUSE WE INVESTED IN MOST OF JOSEF CENTENO’S RESTAURANTS, I HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO GIVE BÄCO MERCAT, BAR AMÁ AND ORSA & WINSTON THE PRAISE THEY GARNERED FROM JONATHAN GOLD AND PATRICK KUH.  AMONG OTHERS. BUT OUR MOST RECENT DINNER AT ORSA & WINSTON COMPELS ME TO BREAK RADIO SILENCE. JOSEF’S CURRENT FALL/WINTER TASTING MENU […]

It isn’t often I eat at a restaurant, consume nine dishes and love every one of them.  Nor enjoy eating them in an airy architectural space with high ceilings and poured cement floors with practical yet comfortable seating, where the music is a mere presence which doesn’t overpower conversation, attended by a cheerful but knowlegible […]

THE BIRTH OF CHARLIE SANTO PLESHETTE BROUGHT US TO THE CITY FOR THREE WEEKS IN JULY.  WE WERE STAYING IN OUR FRIEND LIZ’S FABULOUS APARTMENT ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND 73RD, A COOK’S PARADISE WITHIN SPITTING DISTANCE OF FAIRWAY AND CITARELLA.  BUT THE HOT WEATHER KEPT ME AWAY FROM THE STOVE, SO WE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY […]

BRUSSELS ANTWERP HAS ITS DRAMATIC PORT AND A HIP, COSMOPOLITAN VIBE. BRUGES, THE PRESERVED MEDIEVAL TOWN OF STONE BRIDGES AND COBBLED STREETS, EXISTS FOR TOURISTS BUT IS SAVED BY ITS EXTRAORDINARY RESTAURANTS (SECOND ONLY TO PARIS IN MICHELIN STARS) AND FLEMISH ART. BRUSSELS IS AN AMALGAM OF BOTH, THE COMMERCIAL AND BANKING CENTER OF EUROPE, […]

KEITH McNALLY IS SURELY NEW YORK’S MOST SUCCESSFUL OFF BROADWAY PRODUCER.  BALTHAZAAR, WHICH OPENED ON SPRING STREET IN 1997, HAS BEEN PLAYING TO PACKED HOUSES EVER SINCE.  THE LONDON PRODUCTION IS CURRENTLY SELLING OUT IN THE WEST END.  BEFORE BALTHAZAAR WAS ODEON (1980), CAFE LUXEMBOURG (1986 AND STILL GOING STRONG), LUCKY STRIKE (1989), AND PRAVDA […]

THOUGH 20 YEARS HAVE PASSED, THE ONLY DISH I CAN STILL SAVOR FROM 20 YEARS PAST IS THE SMOKED EEL IN THE OYSTER BAR.  BUT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN AMSTERDAM AS IT HAS IN LONDON, BERLIN, AND L.A.   STILL, UNTIL MY SISTER ANNIE HOOKS US UP WITH PETER VAN DUINEN, IT IS TOUGH FINDING A […]