SoCal Restaurant Show

On a lighter note this week (Fire Relief is still front-and-center) we’re continuing the conversation talking about crave-worthy fast food menu items. Chefs, on occasion, do enjoy their favorite fast-food menu items as guilty pleasures. Last week we discussed Chef Faves for French Fries. Before moving on we’ll discuss the one fast-food fry from a beloved burger joint that most chefs agree needs im...

“The award-winning Los Angeles based chef, Wes Avila, known for his blend of regional California and Mexican cuisine, has returned to his roots with MXO, a contemporary Mexican Steakhouse centered around wood-fire cooking located in the heart of the emerging culinary epicenter of West Hollywood. Chef Avila was particularly inspired by his most recent travels to Monterrey, Mexico where the bustling...

“Bar Etoile in the Melrose Hill area of Los Angeles is a natural wine focused restaurant with a full bar featuring Executive Chef Travis Hayden’s farmers market driven, seasonal cuisine with a French lean. Bar Etoile has everything you’d expect from a Paris neighborhood bistro combined with the trappings of a perfect Los Angeles restaurant. Think trout rillettes studded with biquinho peppers and h...

“The award-winning Los Angeles based chef, Wes Avila, known for his blend of regional California and Mexican cuisine, has returned to his roots with MXO, a contemporary Mexican Steakhouse centered around wood-fire cooking located in the heart of the new culinary epicenter of West Hollywood.” “MXO, means “Mexican Origins.” We’re big fans of Chef Wes’ going back to his very personal Angry Egret Dine...

“The award-winning Los Angeles based chef, Wes Avila, known for his blend of regional California and Mexican cuisine, has returned to his roots with MXO, a contemporary Mexican Steakhouse centered around wood-fire cooking located in the heart of the emerging culinary epicenter of West Hollywood. Chef Avila was particularly inspired by his most recent travels to Monterrey, Mexico where the bustling...

“The award-winning Los Angeles based chef, Wes Avila, known for his blend of regional California and Mexican cuisine, has returned to his roots with MXO, a contemporary Mexican Steakhouse centered around wood-fire cooking located in the heart of the new culinary epicenter of West Hollywood.” “MXO, means “Mexican Origins.” We’re big fans of Chef Wes’ going back to his very personal Angry Egret Dine...

“Bar Etoile in the Melrose Hill area of Los Angeles is a natural wine focused restaurant with a full bar featuring Executive Chef Travis Hayden’s farmers market driven, seasonal cuisine with a French lean.” “Bar Etoile has everything you’d expect from a Paris neighborhood bistro combined with the trappings of a perfect Los Angeles restaurant. Think trout rillettes studded with biquinho peppers and...

“Bar Etoile in the Melrose Hill area of Los Angeles is a natural wine focused restaurant with a full bar featuring Executive Chef Travis Hayden’s farmers market driven, seasonal cuisine with a French lean.” “Bar Etoile has everything you’d expect from a Paris neighborhood bistro combined with the trappings of a perfect Los Angeles restaurant. Think trout rillettes studded with biquinho peppers and...

“Bar Becky, which quietly opened in 2024 at Long Beach Exchange (LBX) after a series of pop-ups, is an Italian American kitchen by Chef Johnathan Benvenuti, a Southern California native and Hell’s Kitchen Finalist from last season, and partner Jason Scarborough, a Michelin-star restaurant industry veteran and sommelier.”  “Bar Becky is Chef Johnathan Benvenuti's tribute to his mother, Becky....

“Bar Becky, which quietly opened in 2024 at Long Beach Exchange (LBX) after a series of pop-ups, is an Italian American kitchen by Chef Johnathan Benvenuti, a Southern California native and Hell’s Kitchen Finalist from last season, and partner Jason Scarborough, a Michelin-star restaurant industry veteran and sommelier.”  “Bar Becky is Chef Johnathan Benvenuti's tribute to his mother, Becky....

On a lighter note this week (Fire Relief is still a top priority) we’re talking about crave-worthy fast food menu items. Chefs, on occasion, do enjoy their favorite guilty-pleasure, fast food menu items. Chef Andrew sheepishly shares his top picks. First on the menu is a discussion of the tastiest in fast-food French Fries.

“Tiki bar fans, rejoice — and grab a place at Strong Water Anaheim. It’s a creatively reimagined classic of the genre, with its curio-shop-in-a-shipwreck atmosphere, its supercharged bar-food menu, its encyclopedic list of classic and creative tropical libations (zero proof options included), and its treasure chest of rare artisanal rums worth drinking straight.” Strong Water’s latest national rec...

“The Lido Theater, Newport Beach’s iconic and recently restored movie landmark, has launched its Café Pop-Up Experience, open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. This exciting new offering, curated by Chef Shelly Register under the direction Hollywood Director and Newport Beach native Joseph ‘McG’ Nichol of River Jetty Restaurant Group, features a variety of freshly prepared menu items alongside an assort...

“Tiki bar fans, rejoice — and grab a place at Strong Water Anaheim. It’s a creatively reimagined classic of the genre, with its curio-shop-in-a-shipwreck atmosphere, its supercharged bar-food menu, its encyclopedic list of classic and creative tropical libations (zero proof options included), and its treasure chest of rare artisanal rums worth drinking straight.” Strong Water’s latest national rec...

“Tiki bar fans, rejoice — and grab a place at Strong Water Anaheim. It’s a creatively reimagined classic of the genre, with its curio-shop-in-a-shipwreck atmosphere, its supercharged bar-food menu, its encyclopedic list of classic and creative tropical libations (zero proof options included), and its treasure chest of rare artisanal rums worth drinking straight.” Strong Water’s latest national rec...

“LA County’s upscale Desi eatery, SHOR Bazaar, is kicking off the New Year with a brand-new mocktail menu to celebrate Dry January. Known for its innovative 100% non-alcoholic bar program, SHOR Bazaar located in Hawaiian Gardens continues to redefine the dining experience for those exploring the sober-curious movement, and the Dry January menu is no exception. Each mocktail on the Dry January...

“The Lido Theater, Newport Beach’s iconic and recently restored movie landmark, has launched its Café Pop-Up Experience, open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. This exciting new offering, curated by Chef Shelly Register under the direction Hollywood Director and Newport Beach native Joseph ‘McG’ Nichol of River Jetty Restaurant Group, features a variety of freshly prepared menu items alongside an assort...

“The Lido Theater, Newport Beach’s iconic and recently restored movie landmark, has launched its Café Pop-Up Experience, open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. This exciting new offering, curated by Chef Shelly Register under the direction Hollywood Director and Newport Beach native Joseph ‘McG’ Nichol of River Jetty Restaurant Group, features a variety of freshly prepared menu items alongside an assort...

“Restaurants Care at the California Restaurant Foundation has opened a $200,000 disaster fund to kick-start direct assistance to food and beverage workers who have lost their homes, jobs, and stability in the L.A. Fires.”  “Grants of up to $1,500 are available to help with critical needs like housing, food, and clothing as workers begin to recover from this crisis. Grants are awarded based on...

Chef Andrew remains tirelessly on the front line of providing disaster relief in his own small way for all the unfortunate victims of the Pacific Palisades and Pasadena / Altadena fires as part of a larger effort by restaurant & hospitality folks. He updates us on what is being done and what listeners can do to help. It’s an ongoing effort for the very long term. Andrew has also teamed up with...

It’s the new year and we’re always trying to creatively add more appealing fruits and vegetables to our daily meals. What are some great specialty produce items to consider for 2025 ? We’re joined by our resident produce authority, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s (also known as the “Prince of Produce” or the “Guru of Produce,”) for a “fresh of the season” overview. “Consider something different in t...

“Two stories unspool in (the book) Sideways Uncorked: the story behind Alexander Payne’s modern movie classic adapted from a most unlikely source—an unpublished novel by a burnt-out ex-filmmaker and wine connoisseur Rex Pickett—and the world of Pinot Noir (and Merlot) winemaking before and after Sideways was released. For as authors Kirk Honeycutt and Mira Advani Honeycutt show, the movie was a po...

Our ongoing heartfelt concerns to all the area residents impacted by the tragic fires in Pacific Palisades and Pasadena/Altadena. In the hospitality community chefs and restaurateurs have lost both homes and their businesses. Recovery is, unfortunately, not a speedy process. “Two stories unspool in (the book) Sideways Uncorked: the story behind Alexander Payne’s modern movie classic adapted from a...

“Descanso Restaurant, a modern taqueria founded in Costa Mesa, California in 2018, celebrates the grand opening of its eagerly anticipated Los Angeles flagship location on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Located on the Miracle Mile at 5773 Wilshire Blvd in the SAG-AFTRA Plaza, the new venture marks a significant milestone as Descanso expands beyond its Orange County roots into the vibrant city of Los...

“Two stories unspool in (the book) Sideways Uncorked: the story behind Alexander Payne’s modern movie classic adapted from a most unlikely source—an unpublished novel by a burnt-out ex-filmmaker and wine connoisseur Rex Pickett—and the world of Pinot Noir (and Merlot) winemaking before and after Sideways was released. For as authors Kirk Honeycutt and Mira Advani Honeycutt show, the movie was a po...