I’m not a real restaurant reviewer, even though I take pictures of meals when they’re placed before me. Perhaps it is my delight in being served that pulls the camera out to immortalize succulent beads of jus and steam, artful morsels and a vivid season of colors. Yet here I am without a memory card, […]
Vic Ciulla and John Weithas, two genial longtime Pasadenans who used to run Twin Palms, own this white-tiled, high-ceilinged Italian deli, which has successfully filled Pasadena’s considerable need for upscale Italian takeout and café food with easy parking. Order your custom salad or superb panini or sub-style sandwich and snag a tall table inside or […]
The corner of Mission and Meridian in South Pasadena may seem ideal for a restaurant, given the Gold Line station, the abundance of popular cafés and boutiques, and the increasing street life, but this spot has seen several failures. Radhika seems to be the tenant that will stick. A new incarnation of the restaurant that […]
Chez Panisse in Glendale? Before you laugh, get over to Octavio Becerra’s place and prepare to get caught up in his joy in robust, simple, reasonably priced (very) small plates served with exuberant wines. Everything either comes from a local farmers’ market (or someone’s garden), a small-scale craftsman (as with the cheeses) or is made […]
Owned by the folks at El Portal and named for their mother, Yahaira’s is like that Yucatan restaurant’s little sister: smaller, lighter, quicker on her feet —and not allowed to drink yet. A great bet for light Mexican-inspired fare (the shrimp salads, tostadas, tortas and wraps are superb), Yahaira’s is cheerful, friendly, sunny and often […]
A partnership between chefs Leonard Cohen (Maple Drive, 72 Market St.) and Michael Rosen (Reign) along with the Gelsinger family (Gelsinger’s Meats) opened Zeke’s in 2002. It’s become a Montrose mainstay for its top-quality regional American barbecue and smokehouse cooking, as well as its bright, retro-style interior. We’re regulars for the Memphis-style baby-back ribs, Texas beef […]
The L.A.-area destination for fish tacos and all manner of Mexican seafood, Senor Fish is justly famed for its cooking, from the homemade salsas to the savory beans to the scallop enchiladas. We’re partial to the seafood quesadilla, a diet-busting dream of tortillas, cheese, shrimp and scallops. The Eagle Rock branch, in an old bungalow […]
Three things make King Taco notable. First, the incredible juiciness of the meats in its tacos and burritos. Second, the late hours. Finally, it’s in Old Pasadena, so you can stop by after shopping, movie-going or bar-hopping. Oh, and we forgot to mention that it’s cheap. 45 N. Arroyo Parkway, Old Pasadena, 626.792-0405, kingtaco.com, Mexican. […]
Vast and glossy, this reliable Cantonese restaurant is chaotic for dim sum and a bit more refined at dinner; we’ve had several memorable dinner parties in one of its private rooms. The dim sum, served in the usual way on rolling carts, is fresh and varied, and the seafood is consistently excellent; don’t miss the […]
Same space, same owners, wildly different vibe: The former deli/shop/wasteland of Goudas & Vines has been transformed into the lively tapas restaurant 3 Drunken Goats. Within days of opening it developed a following for its a huge menu of delicious, light small bites (bacon-wrapped dates, croquettes and mushrooms of many kinds, grilled octopus, steamed clams, […]
