THE ITALIANS
WHEN WE MOVED HERE FROM NEW YORK IN 1975 THERE WAS ONLY ONE DECENT ITALIAN RESTAURANT, VALENTINOS, PIERO SELVAGGIO’S TEMPLE OF NORTHERN ITALIAN DINING. IT WAS ELEGANT AND [Read More]
L.A. RESTAURANTS 2017
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 [Read More]
LE COUCOU
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 [Read More]
L.A. RESTAURANTS 2016
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 [Read More]
BOLOGNA TO MILAN AND THE MEALS IN BETWEEN
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 [Read More]
ORSA&WINSTON
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 [Read More]
NEW YORK 7/5-7/26/2015
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 [Read More]
BRUSSELS AND BERLIN 1/26 TO 2/5/2015
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 [Read More]
CHERCHE MIDI
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 [Read More]
AMSTERDAM 3/21-3/25/2014
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 [Read More]