Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

29 Mar 2018

Freedman’s – Los Angeles (Echo Park)

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Jewish delis, both in old and new school varieties, are some of my favorite places to dine. It’s hard to beat bagels, smoked fishes, and hot pastrami when it comes to ultimate comfort food. Given my affections for the genre, I was beyond stoked to hear that a new deli was arriving in Los Angeles in the form of Freedman’s.

Opened late last year by Jonah Freedman, Amanda Freedman, and Nicholas Papadatos, Freedman’s offers a contemporary take on traditional Jewish fare. Behind the stoves is Chef Liz Johnson (formerly of Mimi in New York). Stylistically speaking, Freedman’s has the very best wallpaper in all of Los Angeles.

Sarah and I came in for a weeknight dinner in the middle of February. As we perused and contemplated the menu, I sipped the “Arrival” ($8) made with Lillet Blanc, Buddha’s hand, and ginger.

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Restaurant Review

22 Mar 2018

Bone Kettle – Pasadena

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Opened last year by Chef Erwin Tjahyadi, Bone Kettle serves “original Southeast Asian dishes” in a charming space in Old Pasadena. The Astronomer and I made a last-minute reservation for dinner here on a recent #datenight. It had been a long and exhausting week, and all we desired was a “nice” dinner nearby. Bone Kettle fit the bill just right.

Prior to venturing into the growing-tastier-by-the-day Pasadena dining scene, Chef Tjahyadi launched Komodo (food truck and brick and mortar) and spent time behind the stoves at Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel Air.

As is par for the course when the two of us get together, The Astronomer and I ordered enough food for a party of four. First up were the glistening “Oxtail Tips” ($12), gnaw-worthy morsels dressed with lime, fresh chilis, Thai basil, cilantro, and deep fried yams. The meat’s intrinsic richness was balanced by the plethora of accoutrements.

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Restaurant Review

15 Mar 2018

Everson Royce Bar – Los Angeles

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I haven’t stopped thinking about Everson Royce Bar ever since The Astronomer and I came in for dinner and drinks a few weeks back. I had heard good things about the place since its opening, but our experience exceeded expectations. Those biscuits! That burger! The patio! The list goes on and on…

After showing our IDs to the bouncer stationed outside, The Astronomer and I strolled through the main bar and straight to the back patio, where we were seated at a communal picnic table.

We chatted with random young guns throughout the evening, including a couple about to travel to Sichuan. The patio’s chill and inviting vibes seemed to encourage a certain level of chattiness (or maybe it was the alcohol talking).

I sipped an “Oaxacan Kid Negroni” ($13) made with Legendario Domingo mezcal, Aperol, and Ancho Reyes, a kind of chile liquor. It was fantastically strong and well-balanced.

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