My latest for LA.com is a write-up of a new eatery over on Main Street in Santa Monica, La Grande Orange. It’s a fun place, even if it’s a little pricey. Here’s an excerpt:

Along Main Street in Santa Monica, La Grande Orange is enjoying a promising start as a new dining destination. The multi-faceted space is bucking to become a local favorite among the lunch, brunch and dinner crowds, even offering options for early morning breakfast types, if you’re into that the type of thing. Weirdo.

Read the rest here.

In my latest review for LA.com, I tackle Salute Wine Bar, a nice little place in Santa Monica, with one horrible secret: it employs CYBERDYNE instead of bartenders! Here’s an excerpt:

Of course, Saluté’s best feature is a key-card system for self-pour (2 oz) wine tasting. Trade your VISA for a white swipe-card, and take a gander at the bank of electronically distributed wine. You’ll never need a living, breathing bartender again as you sample the red, white and rose selection, from nice Italian reds and Malbecs to good California Zins.

Read the rest of it right here.

My latest for LA.com on the Annenberg Space for Photography, the new photogs-only gallery in Century City. Here’s an excerpt:

The most surprising work comes from Lauren Greenfield, whose disturbing shots reveal the ill effects of young girls growing up in the shadow of Hollywood. Chilling stuff, all playfully delivered. But Carolyn Cole’s work on international war zones feels out of place in this LA-centric exhibit. Thouhg, the three LA Times photojournalists and brilliant conceptual artist/photographer John Baldessari feel shortchanged (or unnecessary) here.

Read the rest here.

My latest for LA.com is a review of the interesting new high-end burger joint on LaBrea, near Wilshire, called Umami Burger. They specialize in what they call “the fifth taste.” Here’s an excerpt:

See, there are four basic tastes to a food–sweet, sour, salty, and bitter–but the mysterious umami is crashing the party. In the early 20th century, Dr. Kikunae Ikeda discovered the true nature of “deliciousness” (no small task) and the result was the savory umami, the fifth and most essential taste in determining true flavor. It all sounds like a lot of hooey but rest assured, the burgers at Umami are fantastic.

Read the rest of it here.

After seeing Rian Johnson’s exemplary Brick a few years ago, I was convinced I had just experienced the birth of a singular talent. It was such a distinctive movie, where the language, the writing, the acting, the music – they were all completely in sync with a individual, bizarre vision. Whether that vision worked for you is a separate question, but there was no doubt in my mind Johnson knew what he was doing.
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My latest article has gone up on LA.com, a review of the new pizza place Two Boots in Echo Park. Here’s an excerpt:

Outside, a recessed patio draws you in, like the entrance to a cave with bright lights and a carnival-like color-scheme. Go inside this tiny hole-in-the-wall, and the painted murals, stained-glass windows, and delightful smells can’t help but put you in a good mood. Check out the Katrina tributes (FEMA sucks) and the occasionally free (and occasionally working) jukebox with a variety of jazz and rock tunes. This is all ambiance, and it all makes you smile.

Read the rest right here.

This isn’t quite a review, but more of a happy response. I went to dinner at Canele with a friend, Whitney of The Kernel, and had a really wonderful time. The place is very small, very intimate, but never stuffy. The kitchen is open for all to see, behind a short bar, and the tables are less than ten feet away from the simmering pots and pans. It feels almost like a friend’s kitchen. The food was excellent across the board and the staff was so friendly, one even shared tidbits off the shoulder of the lamb he was eating at the bar. It’s a story, I’ll tell it sometime.

I just published my first story on LA.com, a review on the rather promising new 1739 Public House in Los Feliz. Here’s an excerpt:

Not dingy enough for hipsters, nor hip enough for Hollywood types, and certainly not Hollywood enough for out-of-towners, Public House feels local. The bartenders are friendly, the service is usually quick, and the crowd is pretty mellow, except on crazy quiz nights (Wednesday) when the place is packed.

Read the rest here.