gas•tron•o•my

Lunching on My Maine Squeeze

Gastronomer — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:01:40 +0000

Superba Snack Bar – Los Angeles (Venice)

Gastronomer — Tue, 29 May 2012 07:01:26 +0000

Restaurateur Paul Hibler and Chef Jason Neroni hosted a sneak peak of their forthcoming collaboration Superba Snack Bar at Pitfire Pizza in West Hollywood last week. The restaurant, which is expected to debut this summer in Venice, offers their “post modern” take on an Italian pastaria serving handmade pastas, charcuterie, and plenty of local produce. [...]

Whole Wheat Strawberry Cake

Gastronomer — Fri, 25 May 2012 07:42:00 +0000

“The best thing about a whole wheat cake is that you can eat it for breakfast,” The Astronomer announced the other morning as he cut himself a hefty slice for the most important meal of the day. While I didn’t set out to bake a “breakfast cake” with this whole wheat and strawberry number, I [...]

The Oinkster – Los Angeles (Eagle Rock)

Gastronomer — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:02:29 +0000

Eagle Rock was the place to be last Friday night for track and field lovers and their pastrami-craving spouses. While The Astronomer was stoked to see some of the nation’s best distance runners competing at Occidental College, I was excited for dinner beforehand at Chef Andre Guerrero’s The Oinkster. It was truly a win-win situation [...]

Bắp Xào Tôm Bơ – Vietnamese Sauteed Corn with Dried Shrimp, Scallions, and Butter

Gastronomer — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:02:44 +0000

When the sun sets in Saigon, the street food vendors specializing in lunchtime rice plates and noodle bowls make way for evening offerings like roasted quail, grilled cuttlefish, and my personal favorite, sauteed corn. It’s impossible to resist the funky, savory, and buttery allure of bắp xào tôm bơ, especially when its enticing aroma cuts [...]

Drago Centro – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Gastronomer — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:05:42 +0000

Drago Centro has been my go-to destination for post-work cocktails, wine, and bar bites ever since I started working downtown last year. On my latest visit to the restaurant, I managed to pull myself away from their unbeatable all-night happy hour for a proper dinner in the main dining room. Instead of my usual $5 white [...]

Vietnamese Coffee Crack Pie

Gastronomer — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:45:08 +0000

I refused to try Momofuku Milk Bar‘s famous Crack Pie for the longest time because I absolutely loath the trend of likening delicious foods to drug addiction. Illegal substances are serious. Dessert is not. I guess you could say I cracked a few years ago when Renee Lynch of the Los Angeles Times prepared two [...]

Water Grill – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Gastronomer — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:04:28 +0000

I never had any desire to dine at downtown’s Water Grill until recently, when the restaurant underwent a massive renovation and thoughtful rebranding. Fine dining can be a lovely sport, but here in Los Angeles I tend to gravitate toward inexpensive ethnic food, with a sprinkling of trendy hot spots, rather than white table clothed [...]

Ruth Reichl’s Old Fashioned Lemon Pudding Cake

Gastronomer — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:07:39 +0000

When Ruth Reichl tells you to bake a Lemon Pudding Cake, the only proper response is, “I’ll preheat the oven!” Even though I had never before tasted an old fashioned pudding cake, I immediately bookmarked this recipe when it was featured on her blog back in March. Ms. Reichl has a lovely way with words, [...]

Hae Jang Chon – Los Angeles (Koreatown)

Gastronomer — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:38:12 +0000

For the nominal price of $17.99 per person, Hae Jang Chon provided my cousins, The Astronomer, and me with an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue feast that was so stupendous that it left our clothes and pores imbued with smoke and meat for days. What set this barbecue emporium apart from others that I have visited in [...]