Coastal Italian Seafood Is Apparently the Next Big Thing in West Hollywood
Casey Lane’s upcoming Viale dei Romani plays a familiar tune Things are heating up at Viale dei Romani, the new Italian restaurant by chef Casey Lane inside the La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood. And, at least according to one Craigslist post, the restaurant is going to be in very good company. Viale dei Romani is being billed in the ad — which, inci...
Tony Gemignani’s New Retail Store Has Fresh Pasta, Focaccia, and Detroit Pizza Pans
Fans of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana can now have chef Tony Gemignani’s fresh Italian food at home, and not just by ordering takeout. His retail store, Giovanni Italian Specialties, in North Beach now sells fresh pasta, sauces, focaccia, and specialty cooking implements. The store, named for the chef’s three-year-old son, recently celebrated its grand o...
The joy of autumnal ice cream, in Italy and in Los Angeles
When I first traveled to Italy in the 1970s, everything was seasonal — it wasn’t a choice, it’s just how it was. Supermarkets didn’t exist, grocery stores were tiny, and although there were the beginnings of industrialized food, the old ways were still part of daily life. Ice cream was so seasonal that many gelaterie just closed down after the hord...
Brooklyn's own Roberta's pizza is popping back up in L.A. next week
How does L.A.’s pizza scene stack up to New York’s? Put on pants with some give and get ready to tackle the age-old question, because next week you can stop by a pop-up from one of Brooklyn’s most beloved pie spots and decide for yourself. Acclaimed and worth-the-waits Brooklyn restaurant Roberta’s is bringing blistered-crust beauties to Hayden Win...
Downtown L.A. Is Now a Hub for Hyper-Specific Italian Street Food
As the lunchtime rush at the Factory Kitchen is petering out, executive chef Angelo Auriana orders to our table his traditional focaccina calda di Recco al formaggio. It’s not the spongy focaccia bread that we normally associate with the similar-sounding Italian word. Instead, it’s two layers of paper-thin and crispy unleavened dough sandwiched aro...
Viva Toscana! Wine Tours through the Tuscan Hills
When: Monday, December 04, 2017 From 6:30 pm To 9:30 pm - Where: IIC New York - Space is limited, RSVP required* Fee: $55.00 (IIC members)/$60.00 (non-members) *To register please call (310) 824-7408 Wine in contemporary Italy: Exploring the unique wines of each region. There are around 350 common wine grape varieties in Italy, so there is so much...
Following a chef in Wine Country from Ciccio to the CIA
I’m always fascinated by the movement of chefs from one kitchen to another, and how they adapt to new environments. Sometimes they soar — and in other cases, they fall flat. Recently I’ve been following the career of Polly Lappetito, who came to prominence at Ciccio in Yountville and earned a place in the Top 100.
Chris Cosentino Is More Than Just the Chef Who Cooks the Nasty Bits
Delicate as lace, chambered as white coral—the cover photograph on Chris Cosentino’s recent cookbook is compellingly beautiful. It is also an ultra-closeup of a piece of tripe, and the book, Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart, with Guts, is the chef’s unflinching opus on the art of preparing off cuts. Cosentino rose to fame with dishes like spaghet...
Adam Sobel’s Cal Mare Brings the Amalfi Coast to L.A.
Many American cities have a surplus of good Italian restaurants, but what’s largely been missing are grand-scale Italian seafood restaurants. There was, of course, Paul Bartolotta’s Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare, which left an Adriatic Sea-sized hole in the Las Vegas dining scene when it closed in 2015 after a remarkable ten-year run. There is Mich...
'Giovanni Italian Specialities' Now Open In North Beach
A new Italian general store by Tony Gemignani—12-time world pizza champion and owner of Tony's Pizza Napoletana—is now open in North Beach at 629 Union St. between Columbus and Stockton. Giovanni Italian Specialties carries handmade pasta, fresh foccacia, meat, cheese, imported goods from Italy, and other items. The store is named after his son, Gi...
Business Recognition Series Hails Lido's Italian Foods
The Lemon Grove Historical Society and the City of Lemon Grove will continue the Business Recognition Series by honoring Lido's Italian Foods on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. at the city council meeting in the Community Center, 3140 School Lane, when Mayor Raquel Vasquez will present the restaurant's owners with a city proclamation, Miss Lemon Grove will presen...
Solare chef wins World Pasta Championship
Accursio Lota came to the United States with the American dream in mind. He played the drums, and was drawn to California because of his love for American rock music. However, his passion for music was outweighed by one thing – his passion for cuisine. Originally, Lota comes from the small coastal town of Menfi, Sicily. Growing up in Italy, he was...