Grub Street Los Angeles

Scott Disick Plans to Punish L.A. With a Restaurant Project

Hadley Tomicki — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:05:00 GMT

Save us!]]> Scott Disick, that American Psycho-lookalike from E!'s Kardashian sideshow, recently opened a new Japanese restaurant in New York City called Ryu, (and no, we actually wouldn't put it past him to name an Asian establishment after the hero of Street Fighter), where he's all about the "spicy tuna" and "shrimp chips" that he can probably find easily enough at Katsuya. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean we're rid of him in L.A., as the reality star tells US Weekly that he's possibly setting his sights on the West Coast to open another venture. Disick alerts the magazine, "I can see opening up an L.A. restaurant in about six to eight months." Wow, look out Morihiro Onodera!! Anyway, we're sorry to say there's really not much anybody can do about this, but can we at least agree to call the place "Lemon Basket 2" in a futile attempt to make the news go down a little easier?

Scott Disick's New NYC Japanese Restaurant RYU: All the Details [US Magazine]

Earlier: Fatty Crew Joining Forces With Kardashian Kast Member on Meatpacking Restaurant [GS]

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: empire building, coming soon, japanese, kim kardashian, ryu, scott disick

Ludo Speaks on His Foie Gras Swan Song With Jon and Vinny at Son of a Gun

Hadley Tomicki — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Ludo's last stand?]]> Ludo Lefebvre continues his romance with Animal chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo with two final nights of foie-feasts at the chefs' Son of a Gun this Sunday, May 20 and Monday, May 21. Shook sets the table for what just might be a swan song in terms of the chefs cooking with foie together in L.A. for a while to come, telling Grub Street, "This my last foie dinner and we have saved the best for last: Seafood and foie!" Preparing for the $175 six-course feast, at which Ludo will cook three dishes, the Burgundy-bred chef expresses disbelief and frustration that one of his most cherished ingredients may soon be snatched away. "I am French. Foie gras is a God given right, so I will fight for my right to foie. I love partnering with Jon and Vinny on my last group foie fight as they have same beliefs as I do and they are just really great people." As you can imagine, the chef has completely different words for the protestors who continue to push buttons in their local fight to eliminate the delicacy.

]]> "As we get closer to the ban, the actions and the tactics being used by anti-foie individuals is just appalling," Lefebvre notes of protests like the one that disturbed diners at Melisse on Monday night. "The actions are a clear sign that they are uncomfortable with how the law was passed and it's ability to remain in force."

Foie terrine at AnimalShayla Deluy

The chef feels the foie gras issue comes down to one of choice and thumbs his nose at the intervention of authority, explaining, "There are so many important issues our government should be focusing on, but this is just part of a bigger problem and has to be addressed, we can't have a few ignorant radical people influencing our government and telling us what we can and can't eat."

Ludo's last stand for foie will find him cooking three dishes: Crab with foie gras chantilly, radish gelee, and Tabasco mayo, along with a poached and roasted foie with tuna, strawberries, and rhubarb, and a dessert of foie gras panna cotta, caviar, and caramel. Then sadly, the inventor of the foie gras croque and the foie quesadilla will have to either turn his inspirations towards another ingredient or another state.

Vinny DotoloShayla Deluy

Currently, a few reservations are still available for Sunday and Monday's six-course seafood-and-foie smackdown at Son of a Gun and can be made at 323-782-9033 and over email. A portion of the nights' proceeds is going to C.H.E.F.S.

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: let them eat foie, animal, c.h.e.f.s., fever for lefebvre, jon shook, ludo lefebvre, son of a gun, vinny dotolo

Jeff Goldblum Plays Lexington Social House Tonight

Hadley Tomicki — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:50:00 GMT

Goldblum]]> Jeff Goldblum, everyone's favorite dusky Ichabod Crane-doppleganger from Jurassic Park and The Fly, also has his very own jazz band called "The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra." Who knew?! Starting tonight and scheduled for every Wednesday thereafter, Goldblum's group will take over the stage at Lexington Social House for two sets, featuring the thespian on ivory-tickling duties. Dinner will be served during the two shows, scheduled for 9:00 and 10:30 P.M., with the full menu visible here, and reservations will be taken at 323-461-1700. As a preview/warning, this just might be what you're in for more or less, and sorry, no refunds if he doesn't play "Transylvania 6-5000."

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: celebrity settings, hollywood, jeff goldblum, lexington social house

If Chefs Were Really Rock Stars, Who Would They Be?

Hadley Tomicki — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:50:00 GMT

The Kings, obviously.]]> The audible buzz these days is that food and music are one in the same. Today, the New York Times notes the evolution of the gourmet experience at U.S. music festivals; over in the U.K., Fergus Henderson plans to crash a music fest with his own side-tent feast; our own New York Magazine recently highlighted indie kids who spend more on menus than on rock shows; and on the West Coast, where former music critic Jonathan Gold recently compared Cochon to Lollapalooza, Food Is The New Rock is confirming many suspicions that celebrity chefs really just want to be rock stars. Which got Grub Street thinking: What if chefs really were rockers? Which ones would they be?

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: slideshow, anthony bourdain, barbara lynch, dan barber, daniel humm, david chang, dominique crenn, emeril legasse, ferran adria, funnies, gabrielle hamilton, graham elliott, hubert keller, jacques pepin, jamie oliver, jasper white, jonathan waxman, mario batali, mary sue milliken, rick bayless, rockstars, roy choi, susan feniger, thomas keller, tom colicchio, wylie dufresne

Cosentino Debuts "Pigg Penn" Family Dinner This Thursday at Umamicatessen

Hadley Tomicki — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:20:00 GMT

Cosentino making a sandwich with his pork roast]]> Chris Cosentino is offering a family-style dinner to tables of six or more with orders taken in advance at Pigg in Umamicatessen. The meal typically involves some of the chef's standards (pigs ear fries with brain-aise, "Around the World in 8 Hams"), with a pork roast centerpiece served in a Mauviel roasting pan, surrounded by additional dishes and sides. This Thursday night, Pigg is offering the dinner to any configuration of people who want to come in and try it, saving just 22 seats for guests paying $65 per-person to get their hands on the chef's varied spread of hams, pigs ear salad, and confit fried shoulder, with lard-fried pig-shaped doughnuts for dessert, and that pig tail Texas toast we told you about last week. Called the "Pigg Pen" dinner, reservations can still be made at 213-413-8626 and the full menu for Thursday's feast can be found below.

]]> Course 1
Cracklings Cones & Fried Pig's Ears
Around the world in 8 hams

Course 2
Pigs ear salad
Nduja vinaigrette and little gem salad

Course 3
Confit fried pork shoulder, herb salad
Arugula, chive batons, parsley, & mint
BBQ pigs tails on toast
Pickled cabbage, watercress, bias cut scallions
Served in a mauviel roasting pan

Course 4
Pig doughnuts, fried in lard in a pig shape served with maple bacon caramel.

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: foodievents, chris cosentino, menus, pigg, umamicatessen

Grey’s Anatomy Actor Jesse Williams Has a Great Caterer on the Set of His New Movie

Lesley Balla — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:35:00 GMT

Jesse Williams digs in]]> On Grey's Anatomy, which wraps its eighth season tomorrow, Jesse Williams's character is probably most famous for deflowering a virginal resident. In real life, though, Williams spends his time seeking out the most soulful food wherever he is, which means tacos on the streets of L.A., grilled oysters in Northern California, or pasta in Rome. The guy is so into it that he even posts photos about his finds online. "I have an iron stomach," the actor says. "I'm not sensationalist about it, but I eat what the people eat wherever I am ... You have to know the rules to break the rules." In between filming two movies around town — the drag racing biopic Snake & Mongoose, which he's also co-producing; and a Western, They Die by Dawn — Williams fuels up on his favorite carnitas, Chicago-style pizza, and pumpkin pie. We'll have what he's having in today's L.A. Diet.

]]> Wednesday, May 9
I usually wake up pretty early, whether I'm going to box or go straight to work. Most mornings I grab a Fage yogurt and some fruit out of the fridge, or a juice from Beverly Hills Juice. I rarely deviate because it's on the run and I like to start the day kind of light.

I went to the set, today was They Die by Dawn, which was being filmed in Newhall Ranch. For lunch we had a great caterer who served fresh veggies, chicken, and salmon during our short break.

After I was done shooting, I met up with some buddies who were over by Alegria on Sunset, one of my favorite Mexican spots in L.A. I had a mean carnitas plate with fresh corn tortillas, beans, guac and crema, hot sauce, of course, and an agua fresca de fresa. I usually get the carnitas plate there. Alegria usually has the mother or grandmother in the kitchen. She's a big fan of the show [Grey's Anatomy], so I'll sit and talk with her a bit. If I don't see her in the kitchen, I don't go in. I like my chefs to be over 50 when it comes to family-style, traditional, cultural food.

Thursday, May 10
I started with a "Banana Manna" — almond milk with apple, lemon, and triple ginger juice, from Beverly Hills Juice. It's their signature thing, it's pretty great. Then I headed back to set for They Die by Dawn. We were spoiled for lunch with lobster tail and steak on the grill, avocado salad, and watermelon for dessert. This awesome chef, I forget his name, he baked fresh cookies on his truck. Having lobster tail on the set is very rare and surprising. A couple hundred people dressed in western garb, and getting to know each other over lobster. It was nice.

For dinner, I threw some pork chops on the grill at home. I made a green salad with lemon-and-red-wine vinaigrette, some Persian cucumbers, and red peppers, and red wine to drink. I'm into these Persian cucumbers right now. Sometimes we get them at the farmers' market, or maybe Trader Joe's. Sometimes I just cut them up and eat them for a snack.

Friday, May 11
I flew up to Northern California for my brother-in-law's birthday, to the Tomales Bay Oyster Farm. We had a great group of family and friends, a cooler stocked with wine and sausage and salad. We had our limes and various hot sauces lined up; we kind of have a competition with the hot sauces. Get our shucking gloves, and get it going.

The place is pretty amazing, it's an oyster farm with grills and picnic tables right on the water. You order bags of oysters fresh, directly out of the water, and throw 'em immediately on the grill. Now I will say, the experience is under threat of being ruined now that everyone knows about it, and fools come in by the busload, but it's absolutely worth checking out. It's like a battlefield. You have to get there early to claim your ground. We were there all day, grilling oysters, clams, sausages. Went back to S.F. and then flew back down.

Saturday, May 12
Woke up, went to the Beverly Hills Juice Club. Just apple, lemon, triple ginger juice this time. Headed to work, a different movie, a comedy called Rich Girl Problems, with Ellie Kemper from The Office. We were at this beautiful mansion off of Mulholland. For lunch, I had some lentils, Moroccan chicken, and broccolini with vinegar and chile flakes. That's something I could eat all day, broccolini with chile flakes. For a snack later, I had some dried, un-sulfured, un-sugared mangoes. I always have those on hand. I had to go at them that day. It was a long first half of the day.

Later, we had dinner at True Food Kitchen in Santa Monica. Yellow penang curry with chicken, and kale salad with lemon vinaigrette. The kale salad was great; a little heavy on the parmesan.

Sunday, May 13
Back at the Beverly Hills Juice Club, I had the Banana Manna shake. The place is all of seven-square-feet standing. You'd never see it if you drove by.

Lunch was on set of Snake & Mongoose, this time we were filming in Tujunga. I had linguine with cherry tomatoes and olive oil, some blueberry pie, and five oatmeal cookies. Yeah, sometimes you have to make a statement.

We had dinner at home, delivery from Hollywood Pies, Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. We order the "Bugsy," pepperoni and sausage. Now this place is special, but originally it was referred to as "the shady pizza situation." You order it online or call it in, and then drive to a parking lot on La Cienega between a strip club and a motel. You pull over on the side of the road, and a guy in an apron strolls out with your fresh pie, knocks on your car window, and the transaction happens. He swipes your card with an iPad app and you're golden. It's damn good!

Monday, May 12
I grabbed some Fage yogurt for breakfast before heading out to the set. Today was my healthy day, until we got creative with the photos for this article! We were filming Snake & Mongoose on location right next to a great old diner, so I went in for a classic American lunch: cheeseburger, fries, a cigarette, and a Coke. I don't really smoke, but I stayed in character.

Dinner was catered by Heirloom L.A. That food truck is spectacular! Great, clean, fresh food made by an interesting, diverse set of culinary artists. I discovered them at Silverlake Wine.

Came home to a nice slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream from Urth Caffe. I don't care about the hyped-up, fashionable, I-saw-it-on-TV restaurants, especially in L.A., but this pie is damn good.

]]> Read more posts by Lesley Balla

Filed Under: l.a. diet, alegria, beverly hills juice, grey's anatomy, heirloom la, hollywood pies, jesse williams, tomales bay oyster farm, true food kitchen, urth caffe

Who's Cooking at Taste of the Nation L.A., June 10 at The Lot

Hadley Tomicki — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Share Our Strength]]> Taste of the Nation, the annual chef-crammed fundraiser for Share Our Strength's efforts to end childhood hunger in the U.S., returns on June 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. at West Hollywood's The Lot. The event is guaranteed to be packed with chef-power, as the cause is close to the hearts of many industry power-players. come take a look at this year's lineup.

]]> The lineup this year is particularly attractive, with new-comers like Pigg, Cooks County, Blue Cow, ink.sack, Short Cake, Areal, Cliff's Edge, Night + Market, and The Charleston joining crucial established talents from Fig, Waterloo and City, Street, BLD, Lazy Ox, Mo-Chica and Picca, Lukshon, Scoops, Lucques, Ray's, Tres, and Umami Burger, among the over 40 restaurants participating. In addition, restaurants will be teaming with breweries in a craft beer tent for collaborations such as Beer Belly with The Bruery, Maximiliano with Craftsman, and Ommegang with Golden State, while spirit makers will also join the fun in partnerships like La Descarga and Appleton Rum and Pernod with The Varnish.

Additionally, guests paying the $110 general admission ticket price ($25 for kids, $160 for VIP) will have on-site games, plus live and silent auctions to keep everyone busy. See the full lineup of restaurant below and find tickets online.

Restaurants

AKASHA

Areal

Black Market

BLD

Blue Cow Kitchen & Bar

Border Grill Restaurants and Truck

Campanile

CHAYA Restaurant Group

Church & State

Cliff’s Edge

Comme Ça

Cooks County

Culina

Farmshop

Fig Restaurant

(fonuts) (VIP ONLY)

Global Cuisine by Gary Arabia

Haven Gastropub +Brewery

ink.sack

Joe’s Restaurant/Bar Pintxo

Lazy Ox Canteen

Lexington Social House

Loteria! Grill

Lucques/AOC/Tavern

Lukshon

Michael’s

Mo-Chica and Picca

Night + Market

Pazzo Gelato

PIGG (VIP ONLY)

Public Kitchen & Bar

Ray’s & Stark Bar

Sadie

Scoops/Scoops Westside

Short Cake

Simon LA

Susan Feniger’s STREET

The Charleston

Tres by Jose Andres

Umami Burger

Valerie Confections

Waterloo & City

Whist at Viceroy Santa Monica

Wilshire

Craft Beer Tent

Eagle Rock Brewery + The Surly Goat

The Bruery + Beer Belly

El Segundo Brewing + Library Alehouse

Beachwood BBQ and Brewing

Brewery Ommegang + The Golden State

Craftsman Brewing Co. + Maximiliano

Stone Brewing Co.

Coffee

Intelligentsia

Cocktails & Spirits

St Germain + Infinium Spirits + *Appleton Rum + La Descarga

Miracle Mile Bitters + St. George Spirits + Harvard & Stone

Pernod Ricard USA + The Varnish

Earlier: What Goin, Feniger, Milliken, Richmond, and Lucas Cooked for Share Our Strength Last Saturday [GS]
What You Missed at Taste of the Nation [GS]

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: foodies with benefits, beer me, foodievents, share our strength, taste of the nation

The Hudson Starts Weekday Brunch and Reprises Its Block Party

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:05:00 GMT

The Hudson]]> Next Monday, West Hollywood's The Hudson plans a new brunch service that will be available every week day from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.** The new selection features both breakfast dishes including chicken and waffles, crepes, and breakfast burritos as well as lunchables like a Philly cheese steak with rib-eye, brioche grilled cheese, and options for fried or grilled fish tacos. There will also be bottomless mimosas and "beermosas" for fifteen dollars to start (and possibly end) the day. The Hudson's full brunch menu is below.

]]> And speaking of sweet, sweet booze, the restaurant reprises its block party fundraiser for SOVA Community Food and Resource Program this Sunday, May 20, from 11:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M., featuring 25 bands and DJs (one group is named "Skeet Skeet"), 30 vendors, food, and four bars, with tickets $10 before Sunday, $15 at the door, and full details on Facebook.

MENU

HUDSON CREPES $8
With caramelized bananas & nutella

FRENCH TOAST $10
Mixed berries & cream or caramelized bananas & pecans

BACON EGG & CHEESE $9
House smoked bacon, egg any style, cheddar, house-made english muffin, hash browns

CHICKEN & WAFFLES $13
Southern fried chicken, fried egg, homemade waffles, maple syrup

GREEN EGGS & HAM $12
Pesto omelet with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, hash browns

BISCUITS & GRAVY $8
Fresh baked biscuits & sausage gravy

HUEVOS RANCHEROS $12
Eggs any style, pico de gallo, ham hoc beans, avocado, sour cream & cheddar, salsa verde

COUNTRY BREAKFAST $13
Two eggs any style, biscuit & gravy, hash browns & choice of sausage or bacon

BREAKFAST BURRITO $12
Handmade tortilla, scrambled eggs, bacon & sausage, pico de gallo, sour cream & avocado, hash browns

PROSCIUTTO BENEDICT $13
Prosciutto, basil hollandaise & poached eggs over focaccia, market greens, hash browns

CRAB CAKE BENEDICT $15
Red rock crab, poached eggs, béarnaise over focaccia, market greens, hash browns

STEAK & EGGS $16
7oz. meyer ranch hanger steak, eggs any style, hash browns

SIDES $3
Two farm eggs, biscuit, house bacon, house sausage, hash browns, spicy charred green beans, focaccia

HUDSON BURGER $11
Aged cheddar, sliced heirloom tomato, roasted garlic aioli*

CHICKEN SANDWICH $12
Blackened chicken breast, brie, bosc pear, aioli

HANGOVER BURGER $14
Bacon, avocado, charred jalapeno cheese sauce, over medium fried egg*

CLASSIC PHILLY $12
Shaved rib eye , grilled onions & cheddar.
- Add wild mushrooms, roasted jalapeño or sautéed bell peppers $1 ea.

BRIOCHE GRILLED CHEESE $12
3 cheese w/ roasted tomato soup, fries or field greens
- Add short rib $3 add sweet potato fries $2

WINGS $10
Buffalo or chipotle, bleu cheese or ranch

FISH TACOS $12
Fried or grilled, slaw, chipotle crema, salsa verde

HUDSON COBB SALAD $14
Wood grilled chicken, roasted corn, avocado, house bacon, egg, tomato, sherry vinaigrette

HOUSE SALAD $12
Field greens, tomato, asparagus, parmesan, lemon vinaigrette
Add chicken +$4 / Add Salmon +$6

DRINK SPECIALS

BLOODY MARY
$5
SVEDKA INFUSION
$6
BELVEDERE BLOODY
$8
BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS
$15
BOTTOMLESS BEERMOSAS
$15

**This post has been updated to show the correct end time of the weekday brunch, earlier written as 2:00 P.M. based on information from the restaurant.

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: let's do brunch, menus, the hudson, west hollywood

Animal Rights Group Won't Allow L.A. To Enjoy Foie Gras Quietly While It Lasts

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:36:00 GMT

"The great thing about America is we have freedom of choice."]]> The battle rages on between foie gras prohibitionists and the fatty liver liberation movement as a protest was staged last night by the Animal Protection and Rescue League against Melisse, which took part in one of the foie-centric dinners planned simultaneously on Monday by a super-group of 23 California chefs at four different L.A. restaurants to raise funds for C.H.E.F.S. (Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards) through a fixed menu of dishes like pistachio-crusted foie gras and Maine lobster with foie.

]]> Recalling the sparse showing of similar protests at Providence and LudoBites, last night's rally at Melisse was only about fifteen-strong, ABC reports, with counter-protestors confronting the group and police in the middle. But the anti-foie force does have some out-of-state help from protestors like Amber Coon, a New York-based gumshoe with the organization's intelligence arm who will be in L.A. for the next month showing you photos of ducks being force-fed every time you seek to bid foie gras a fond farewell. Here we thought they'd won, only to see a statewide ban is still not good enough.

Coon argues, "There's still animals getting rigid metal tubes down their throats three times a day. Their livers are swelling to 10 to 12 times their normal size, they're panting, they just can't breathe with these enormous livers." The news channel's photos of giant fowl livers next to normal size organs back her claims.

On the other side, Melisse will be serving the ingredient on a changing foie tasting menu all month, a move that's brought the restaurant undesirable attention from the league in the first place. Chef Citrin tells the news cameras, "The great thing about America is we have freedom of choice."

In other news sure to drive foie opponents nuts, Wilshire is announcing a foie gras dinner on Sunday, June 3, that finds its chef Nyesha Arrington preparing supper in a benefit for C.H.E.F.S. alongside a few of our own favorite L.A. chefs, including Fig's Ray Garcia, Ray's Kris Morningstar, Mezze's Micah Wexler, Jordan Kahn of Red Medicine, and Vartan Abgaryan of Public Kitchen. The $110 patio feast starts with a reception at 6:30 P.M. and includes an open gin bar from No. 3 London Gin. Reservations can be made with GM Nick Fielding at 310-586-1707 or via email.

Foie gras battle: restaurateurs vs. activists [ABC]

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: let them eat foie, amber coon, animal protection and animal league, c.h.e.f.s., foodies with benefits, jordan kahn, josiah citrin, kris morningstar, melisse, micah wexler, nyesha arrington, ray garcia, wilshire

Has L.A. Weekly's New Critic Been Exposed and Does It Really Matter?

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:25:00 GMT

]]> Following 2010's ungracious unmasking of critic S. Irene Virbila and the frequent public appearances of Jonathan Gold at panel discussions, cooking competitions, and his own name-branded food events, we were actually looking forward to having an anonymous restaurant critic in L.A. again after learning that Australian-born ninja Besha Rodell was recently named Gold's successor as the restaurant critic at L.A. Weekly. Unfortunately for anyone who feels the same way, Eater claims to have let the Besha out of the burka before the Atlanta-based scribe officially starts the job. The blog makes no bones about exposing the unseen critic's face and even asks readers to send along a better picture. That being said, one of the nicer commentators on the site is claiming the photo is not of Rodell, so we thought we'd ask L.A. Weekly's food editor, Amy Scattergood, to shine some light on the subject.

]]> Scattergood, who was yet to see the post until we started bugging her, tells us in an official statement via email that it doesn't matter either way. She explains:

The anonymous critic is a conceit these days anyway. A restaurant critic's anonymity is more metaphorical than anything else: the goal is aesthetic objectivity rather than being invisible, or wearing a wig and funny glasses like Peter Sellers dressed in drag as Ruth Reichl. Whether chefs recognize Besha seems less important than her recognizing the importance of their food, which is actually easier to do without a fake mustache. So is the woman in that terrible photo her? I think so. It's kind of hard to tell.

As the esteemed editor points out, the rather rough quality of Eater's Flickr photo makes it a little difficult to distinguish much detail, meaning if Rodell is indeed the person in the picture and still values her anonymity, a few tweaks should be able to keep her identity under wraps. But what a way to roll out the welcome mat, eh? At least now Rodell can plainly see just what kind of adversary she's dealing with as she sets up shop in L.A.

New Incognito LAW Resto Critic Besha Rodell Unmasked [Eater]

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: unwanted exposure, amy scattergood, besha rodell, eater, l.a. weekly, the other critics

Rocket Launcher Exchanged For Coupons at Ralph's

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:45:00 GMT

Paper, plastic, or explosive?]]> During yesterday's LAPD gun buy-back, in which people typically trade their handguns, rifles, and occasionally more sinister weapons in for less deadly items like food vouchers, a 16mm military-grade anti-tank rocket launcher was exchanged in return for hundreds of dollars in food coupons at Ralph's. "You're not hunting ducks with this stuff," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told CBS. [CBS]

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: grocery wars, ralph's

How Bad Can Eating at Your Desk Really Be?

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Not actually lethal.]]> Have you heard? If you eat at your desk, something you might be doing right this very moment, you could be doubling your risk of developing fatal blood clots. So says a new study, maybe, possibly. But we've been hearing for years about how bad eating at your desk is, and yet Americans, including us, continue to do it with alarming frequency, yet here we are. Alive and free of blood clots. So we're calling bullshit.

]]> Researchers with the U.K.'s ComRes recently conducted a study that discovered 73 percent of the 1000 Britons with desk jobs they sampled were simply not moving enough throughout the day, a part of which was in choosing to skip lunch breaks to eat at their desks. The media has seemingly paired these findings with an earlier study by the New Zealand Medical Research Institute's Dr. Richard Beasley to frighten the crap out of everyone by suggesting that eating at your desk directly doubles the risk of life-threatening blood clots.

Beasley is the same doctor who previously may have scared you away from pot smoking. He's the real deal as far as we can tell, publishing comprehensive research on the effects of flying and sitting at work on venous thromboembolism, or as they're known on the street, blood clots. He and his colleagues conducted numerous studies on blood clots, among other subjects, with the conclusion that sitting around for more than 180 minutes at a time can double your risk.

But one thing we've been unable to find is the specific study that says eating at your desk doubles the number of rare blood clots that lead to potentially deadly pulmonary embolisms. For sure, it's scary stuff, with Beasly indicating that for every extra hour one remains seated without moving after 90 minutes, the risk of getting blood clots, most of which are not lethal, goes up 10 percent.

However, none of today's stories screaming out easily digestible headlines like "Eating lunch at your desk may up risk of blood clots by 2-fold" have an actual link or reference to any study that would indicate that it's eating, any more than just sitting, that is responsible for the increased health risk.

Somehow, it appears ComRes's study that finds workers not taking a lunch break has just been glued to the widely known fact that any prolonged sitting increases your risk, leading to a paranoia-spreading hypothesis that snacking at your desk is twice as likely to kill you as starving yourself while sitting.

Lunchtime health risk: How that quick sandwich at your desk can double your risk of DVT [Daily Mail UK]

]]> Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: health concerns, comres, dr. richard beasely

Screw Super-Sizing, FukuBurger Lets You "SumoSize" It

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:35:00 GMT

A "Sumo Size" Fuku burger next to a normal sized-Fuku burger]]> Normally, we abhor the gross deposits of food waste and health issues set off by restaurants looking to expand their profits by making disgustingly giant products and challenging you to finish it, but this is still something to behold. To celebrate what is apparently "National Hamburger Month," Hollywood's FukuBurger is offering a $40, two-and-a-half pound version of any of its burgers through the month of May to anyone asking their server to "Sumo size it." Why, oh why, would you ever want to to do this?

]]> As is usually the case with these monstrosities, you'll then be allowed 20 minutes to try and cram the whole thing into your face-hole, all for a chance to win a T-shirt and your money back. And since that's a pretty cruddy consolation prize for whatever kind of colon-damage you'll sustain from eating over two pounds of beef, you'll also be entered to win the last thing someone who just ate a monster Fuku Burger would probably ever want: a lifetime of free Fuku burgers!

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Filed Under: burger time, blehtacular, fukuburger, hollywood

Red O Embraces "Street" Food for Happy Hour

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:05:00 GMT

Sopes at Red O]]> Red O, West Hollywood's high-falutin' Mexican for fresas, doesn't exactly embody L.A. street cred, as we're yet to see a lonchera armed with a clipboard-strapped bouncer as the restaurant had on duty in its opening months (a cook with samurai skills when it comes to spit-roasted pork is a different story). But street food is the go-to ploy these days when you're hoping to entice warm bodies and this Bayless-approved dining room knows that, despite its marked-up sopes and sixteen-dollar aguachile. Starting next Wednesday, May 23, Red O will commit deeper to its "street food social hour" that marked its recent Cinco de Mayo celebration. What will the restaurant's liberal interpretation of street food include?

]]> From 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. every Tuesday through Saturday, the restaurant will serve discounted dishes on its patio and and in its tequila lounge that don't exactly speak to the low, low prices suggested by the term "street," maybe save for the two-dollar oysters served with tomatillo-habanero mioneta and chipotle-garlic salsa. Dishes include a guacamole made with sundried tomato and onion for six bucks, plus a twelve-dollar trio of smoked chicken taquitos, quesadillas, and plantain sopes that is two-thirds the same as "The Old School Frontera Trio" offered at Bayless' Chicago restaurant, but in L.A. is dubbed the "street food trio" sans ceviche, a local street food fundamental.

A twelve-dollar tostada trio, on the other hand, sounds like it more successfully melds a staple of the street with the restaurant's tony take on Mex, with Alaskan salmon sashimi and heirloom tomato escabeche gracing two tostadas plus a Mazatlan blue shrimp on a tiny tortilla made of jicama that we can confirm is really good.

If there's one upside to not adhering to street codes, Red O has booze for a budget. During the new happy hour, margaritas and cocktails will be priced at just eight dollars, with wine costing seven and beer just five. Still, the combined price of a trio at twelve and a drink at five, with tax and tip, puts you at $20, roughly the price to eat two tacos a night at Tacos Leo for the entire work week, sans a buzz. The choice is your's.

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Filed Under: the happiest hours on earth, fronteraland, mexican, red o, rick bayless, tacos leo, west hollywood

Stiffed: Eleven Celebrities Who Are Terrible Tippers

Hadley Tomicki — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:40:00 GMT

Did Rachael Ray spread the gospel of bad tipping?]]> When celebrities hit restaurants, they're marked diners. Servers and other customers will inevitably report on a famous person's dinner out, which is why plenty of celebs know that leaving a big tip can turn into good P.R. Unfortunately, some celebs just haven't gotten the hint. (Even Grub Street, during our table-waiting days, once got stiffed by a Hollywood hot shot.) So we've put together this list of stories about stingy celebs. Think of this as part fun, part public service. When these boldfaced names walk into your restaurants, you'd be better off letting someone else handle the table.

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Filed Under: slideshow, barney greengrass, celebrity settings, jane adams, jeremy piven, just the tip, katie holmes, kirsten dunst, lebron james, madonna, miley cyrus, rachael ray, tiger woods, victoria beckham, xzibit