First stop

Grand Central Oyster Bar

sorry, Katz

I have often read about, heard about, but never actually eaten at LA landmark Langer’s Deli near MacArthur Park. I knew it was an institution, serving up hearty breakfasts and old school deli sandwiches since 1947. I even lived a few blocks away for a few years but have never taken a gander inside. But […]

how is it possible…

…I think, to have a dining experience that’s been so highly anticipated, and ends up exceeding every gastronomic level, that I have absolutely no defining words to describe the pathos of that evening. After our dinner at Blue Hill a few weeks ago, I sat down and chronicled the night.  I wrote pages and pages […]

the garden state

“What are my chances of going to White Castle this weekend?” “Not good. Not unless we’re wasted.” “Please?” I begged. Silence. Enter puppy dog face. And so the next day, after convincing Jim to take away my White Castle virginity (which wasn’t all that hard to do…hey, I’m easy when it comes to food), we […]

west coast east

On my way to the airport yesterday, Bruce and I had a heated discussion about bagels, pizza and burritos.  Like a typical New Yorker (which I am not), I exclaimed that I couldn’t get a decent bagel in San Francisco.  The same with pizza.  Bruce argued there are places that have bagels in San Francisco […]

yodel-off

“Do you want me to bring you back anything from New York?” I rhetorically asked Howard. “Bring me back a box of Yodels!” as if asking me to bring him the head of Alfredo Garcia. So I did.  The yodels, that is.  And here’s what he did with said box: “Well, we had the great […]

Les toilettes avec les tampons

I don’t remember visiting the restrooms when we went to Le Bernardin last October. But then again, ironically, there are several things I don’t recall from that memorable night. So when we went back for lunch last month, I was sure to partake. The Good: A clean, serenely lit place to contemplate with soothing music […]

trifecta

Katz’s pastrami, fries, and pickles. How long can I go without eating a Katz’s pastrami sandwich?  Not fur-long! The minute I step into Katz’s, the scents, the sights, the people envelope me and the food swallows me whole.  Whenever I step away for a few months, I come back and it happens to me all […]

a gray’s papaya virgin no more

I’ve been saving myself for the past three years for that one auspicious moment, that one moment in time when I just know it’s time. When I know it’s Gray’s Papaya time and no other. And that time came last night. Jim and I were on the upper Westside to catch a showing of “Frost/Nixon” […]

bucket list

Not in any particular order, here’s my list of restaurants I want to hit before I kick the bucket: 1. Per Se (NY) 2. French Laundry (Napa) 3. Jean Georges (NY) 4. El Bulli (Spain) this will have to wait until at least 2010. They’re booked up in 2009. 5. Lolita (Cleveland) 6. Alinea (Chicago) […]