This 2023 roundup is about five months late because I went an entire year without blogging. Skimming back through old posts while approving comments left by readers during my absence, it’s easy to remember why I love this medium so much and continue to go by @GastronomyBlog even though I’m barely blogging these days.
For 18 years and counting, this weblog has preserved so many memories through a food-centered lens. Having a digital space that’s mine — all mine — in this world wide web has shaped my life in a way that I could have never imagined when I first pressed publish from my Philadelphia office in 2006.
While I miss adding new content here, it continues to be a thrill contributing to Eater LA. Here are my favorite pieces that I wrote last year.
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A First Look Inside the Incredible Super Mario Brothers-Themed Restaurant in Los Angeles
When Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Hollywood next month, amusement parkgoers will be treated to a highly immersive themed land straight out of the iconic Super Mario Brothers video games. The lineup of new attractions includes the Mario Kart-inspired ride Bowser’s Challenge, a merch shop called 1-Up Factory, and the Mushroom Kingdom’s signature restaurant, Toadstool Cafe.
January 9, 2023
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This Is LA’s Ultimate Chocolate Croissant
Haris Car’s quest to develop the ultimate chocolate croissant began a year ago. Previously, he focused on crafting bean-to-bar chocolates using ethically-sourced, single-origin cacao at his namesake cafe/manufactory in Pasadena. Since opening in 2021 on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Catalina Avenue, the cafe has served croissants that were made by Joseph Abrakjian at nearby Seed Bakery using Car’s chocolate batons. Car hadn’t considered taking up viennoiserie — the technically difficult and notoriously finicky pursuit required to make butter-rich and flaky pastries like Danishes and kouign amann — but after a year of proofing and baking the pastries each morning, and picking Abrakjian’s brain along the way, he grew increasingly compelled by the idea.
February 1, 2023
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Highly Opinionated: An Editor’s Favorite Vietnamese Sandwich in Los Angeles
For true Vietnamese sandwich aficionados, it’s all about the bánh mì đặc biệt. While grilled lemongrass pork (bánh mì thịt nướng) has its merits, as do runny-yolked eggs seasoned with Maggi (bánh mì trứng ốp la), the bánh mì đặc biệt, often simply translated as the “house special,” is the classic upon which to judge the quality and commitment of an establishment.
March 8, 2023
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Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka Braves LA Traffic for the Choicest Morsels in Little Tokyo
It’s impossible not to smile around Atsuko Okatsuka. With her charming bowl haircut, eye-catching outfits, and disarming candor, the stand-up comedian, actor, and writer is fast becoming a household name following the smashing success of her debut stand-up special The Intruder, which premiered on HBO in December. Before lighting up the stage for millions of streamers with her unique brand of humor, Okatsuka was winning TikTok with the #DropChallenge, which she created with her grandmother last year.
March 20, 2023
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In Car-Obsessed LA, This Mega Dealership Secretly Doubles as a Restaurant Group
Buying a car isn’t for the faint of heart: the haggling, the time suck, the wool pulled over one’s eyes. Even with the process largely moved online, it’s hard to shake the ghosts of fast-talking dealers from the past. One car dealership in the San Fernando Valley is turning this entrenched reputation on its head by providing food in addition to automobiles. While initially just a three-car, six-acre Ford showroom opened in San Fernando in 1946, Galpin Motors now spans seven brands and 60 acres on Roscoe Boulevard in North Hills, with satellite locations dotted throughout the Southland. During its nearly 80-year history, restaurants have played a pivotal role in the dealership’s success and continued dominance. By fostering a sense of hospitality and care, Galpin has grown to be one of the largest car dealerships in Los Angeles, with sales volumes that leave competitors in the dust.
May 3, 2023
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Three Years and $11 Million Later, the Huntington Tea Room Is Finally Reopening
is in full bloom at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Garden after one of the wettest winters in recent memory. As if timed to coincide perfectly with the warmer weather and springtime splendor, the Rose Garden Tea Room resumes afternoon tea service on Wednesday, May 24. The reopening follows a three-year closure and an extensive 18-month-long, $11.2 million restoration and renovation of the century-old building. The latest additions will propel the historic venue well into the future.
May 18, 2023
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Taste the Pow! Bang! Zap! of Lao Cooking at This Hidden Spot in LA’s Chinatown
Hidden away in a shared community kitchen in Chinatown, Yum Sະlut (pronounced “yum slut”) is an exploration of “authentic Lao refugee cuisine” that Soulisak opened with his associates Alex Hoang and Daniel Hammonds this past March. From an 8-by-8-foot kitchen equipped with just a single stove, two deep fryers, and a standard refrigerator, the 38-year-old chef, who has an easy smile and curly mop of hair, prepares a tight menu of Lao culinary hits while shining a light on the vibrancy of its culture. “Opening the restaurant, aside from a business venture, is also an advocacy project,” he says. “I would just love for the world to know Lao food, Lao culture, and that Lao people are here.”
July 11, 2023
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A First Look at TikTok Star Tway Da Bae’s Vibrant Saigon-Inspired LA Restaurant
In the five years since departing from Spago, Nguyễn has blazed a culinary trail all her own. With social media as her medium and Vietnamese food as her message, Nguyễn, better known by her online moniker, Tway Da Bae, has garnered a fanbase of more than 1 million across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and inspired countless cooks with her approachable recipes and effervescent personality. Now she’s opening her first restaurant in partnership with the H.Wood Group. Đi Đi, which debuts on Thursday, July 20 in West Hollywood, promises to be a love letter to Vietnam and its dynamic metropolises, foodways, culture, and citizens. “You’re going to be able to get bò kho in WeHo,” says Nguyễn, her voice fluttering. “That’s crazy!”
July 17, 2023
The Coolest Place in LA Is the 50-Year-Old Thrifty Ice Cream Factory
Tucked in an industrial pocket between the 10 Freeway and Rosemead Boulevard, the Thrifty Ice Cream plant has been churning out millions of gallons of the frozen treat since 1976. Eating ice cream is a year-round pastime for Southern Californians, and the affordability and convenience of Thrifty have made it a local favorite for more than 80 years. Only a short drive — often timed with a necessary drugstore visit — and a few bucks stand between Angelenos and an amply satisfying cone. A single scoop is priced at just $2.49 and served in a cup or atop a paper-wrapped Joy cake cone or sugar cone. Crushed nuts, rainbow sprinkles, and sugary drizzles are neither available nor needed.
October 17, 2023