Downey Drive-In Matriarch Minnie Ortner Dies at Age 97

IN THE NEWS: The LA Times’s Dennis McLellan reports on the recent death of Minnie Ortner, who with her husband, Harvey, founded Harvey’s Broiler, the landmark 1950s Downey drive-in restaurant and coffee shop that became a Southern California car-culture magnet and later was renamed Johnie’s Broiler. She was 97. … Critic S. Irene Virbila gives [...]

‘Gourmet’ Lauds Farm-to-Table Literati II, Rustic Canyon

Gourmet magazine’s October 2007 issue features a guide to “America’s Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants.” gourmet.com:
RESTAURANTS WITH FARM CONNECTIONS: 2nd Street Bistro, Livingston, MT; Amherst Chinese Food, Amherst, MA; Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN; Crook’s Corner, Chapel Hill, NC; Eve, Alexandria, VA; La Provence, Lacombe, LA; Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC; Pacific’O and I’o, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii; Tree House [...]

‘Bon Appetit’ Honors Homeboy’s Boyle

IN THE NEWS: In its October 2007 issue, the 10th Annual “Bon Appetit” Awards include David Chang (New York City’s Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssam Bar) as Chef of the Year, Dan Barber (New York’s Blue Hill) as Chef of Merit, Kamel Guechida (Joel Robuchon’s restaurants at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas) as [...]

Joan’s Reopens; Cooks Ditches Dinner

IN THE NEWS: The Los Angeles Times’ S. Irene Virbila gives a half-star to the reopened Ca’ Brea (346 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; 323-938-2863; www.cabrearestaurant.com). … The Times reports the reopening of Joan’s on Third after a remodel and expansion, and it now serves breakfast (8350 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles; 323-655-2285; www.joansonthird.com), [...]

Harbor House, Edie’s Diner Shutter Doors

IN THE NEWS: The Daily Breeze reports the abrupt closing of two longtime Marina del Rey waterside restaurants, much to the surprise of Los Angeles County officials who say they expect the eateries to remain open until a disputed development plan is finalized. The co-owned restaurants, Harbor House and Edie’s Diner, in the same building [...]

Mag’s Ten Top Tables Includes Foundry, Jar

IN THE NEWS: Conde Nast Traveler’s September 2007 issue spotlights Los Angeles magazine critic Patric Kuh’s Ten Top Tables in Los Angeles, including Foundry on Melrose (7465 Melrose Ave., 323-651-0915), Musso & Frank Grill (6667 Hollywood Blvd., 323-467-7788), Hungry Cat (1535 N. Vine St., 323-462-2155), El Tepeyac Cafe (812 N. Evergreen Ave., 323-267-8668), Angelini Osteria [...]

Pizzeria Mozza, Cut Are Mag’s Runners-Up

Brooklyn’s Peter Luger Steak House and New Orleans’ Willie Mae’s Scotch House were among the winners in Bon Appetit magazine’s recent Food Network special. Winning restaurants were selected from each of three semifinalists for the best versions of six quintessential American classics: pizza, steak, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, and ribs. The winners were announced on [...]

Cut Steak House Grabs NYT’s Attention

IN THE NEWS: The New York Times‘ dining critic Frank Bruni weighs in on Wolfgang Puck’s Cut steak house in Beverly Hills. nytimes.com … Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s August 2007 issue spotlights Culver City and mentions restaurants La Dijonaise (8703 Washington Blvd), Ford’s Filling Station (9531 Culver Blvd.) and the gastropub Wilson (8631 Washington Blvd.). [...]

Pizzeria Mozza, Cut Make National Finals

Bon Appetit magazine’s September 2007 Restaurant issue features three finalists in a list of quintessential versions of six American classics: pizza, steak, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, and ribs. Winner will be announced on the Food Network on Aug. 18 (Good Eats with Alton Brown, 6 and 10 pm CDT). The finalists:
PIZZA: Pizzeria [...]

Groundwork Coffee Loses Ground Locally

IN THE NEWS: The Los Angeles Times‘ S. Irene Virbila gives two and a half stars to The Foundry (7465 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; www.thefoundryonmelrose.com), while Susan LaTempa discovers Santa Maria BBQ (9552 Washington Blvd., Culver City, santamariabbq.com). … Amy Scattergood blogs, “Something’s brewing in the local coffee world. Groundwork Coffee operating chief Ric Rhinehart [...]