On Monday, May 6, Dinah’s Family Restaurant, a favorite of locals since 1959 and immortalized by the cult films The Big Lebowski and  Little Miss Sunshine, will move to 4130 S. Sepulveda in Culver City under the new name “Dinah’s Kitchen”. The last day for Dinah’s Family Restaurant at 6521 S. Sepulveda Blvd. will be Tuesday, April 30. Another Googie gone, the family released this statement today: “This move marks the end of an era for us, as well as a push forward into our next chapter. We have been serving our community in the same location since 1959, and we will continue to serve our c ..read more

In 1979, young buck Michael McCarty took over the rowdy Brigadoon in Santa Monica and transformed it into ground zero of the California Cuisine movement. Michael’s Santa Monica launched the careers of culinary giants like Jonathan Waxman and Nancy Silverton and was the incubator for chefs like Brian Boornemann, Miles Thompson and Brooke Williamson.    No less than 17 chefs came together on Sunday to celebrate 45 years of Michael’s Santa Monica at the restaurant that featured many of the celebrated chefs who have cooked there over the years, blazing new paths for the restaurant a ..read more

Four L.A.-based Hispanic restaurants will be featured in Pepsi’s first-ever streaming series, Talking Sabor, a food-focused collaboration with restaurateur and award-winning celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez.  Set to debut on Wednesday, April 24, on Hulu, the series celebrates the cultural, community and economic contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs in the U.S. In two episodes, Sánchez and celebrity guests visit four Hispanic-owned small businesses in L.A. to hear the stories from business owners, many run by multigenerational families, and taste signature dishes.   To celebrate t ..read more

On Wednesday, April 24, at 5:30 p.m., the Fairmont Century Plaza will debut the Havana Nights pop-up experience. The property’s popular winter chalets will be transformed into an outdoor Cuban-inspired cocktail lounge reminiscent of 1950s Havana.  Through a partnership with SelvaRey Rum, the cocktail lounge will serve a curated menu of Mojitos, Cuba Libres, and more, featuring the premium rum brand co-owned by Bruno Mars and the sustainable rum distillery. The dining menu from Executive Chef Ramon Bojorquez will offer a twist on Cuban classics like plantains, croquettes, and Cubano sandwi ..read more

Americans know Korean BBQ and they know Shabu. But not nearly as many know Moo Krata.  Ayara Thai in Westchester brings back the unique Thai dining experience several times each year, in celebration of Songkran, the Thai New Year, which is observed in April.  Following three nights of Moo Krata, Ayara Thai will offer Kancha Boat Noodle,  a hearty and traditionally cannabis-infused soup, on Friday, April 19. One of Thailand’s most famous and labor-intensive soups, Ayara’s Boat Noodle is simmered for 48 hours and has 30 ingredients including pandan leaves, galangal, pickled lime ..read more

Louisville-based chef and James Beard Award-winning author Edward Lee, who routinely appears on Top Chef, Iron Chef and MasterChef, made an appearance at Saltie Girl in West Hollywood this week to introduce his limited edition Messermeister chef’s knife. As part of the women-owned, Ojai-based maker of premium chef knives and culinary tools Forge initiative to “shape the world into a better place,” the signature knife reflects Lee’s style and passion for bourbon, with charred handles reclaimed from Kentucky-based Maker’s Mark Bourbon barrels with 53-layer Black Damascus steel, into a clean Asia ..read more

Michael’s Santa Monica, which opened in 1979 and helped kickstart the California cuisine movement, will celebrate 45 Years with a special anniversary tasting event on Sunday, April 21 benefiting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. The Great Party will take place at the restaurant on April 21 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature many of the celebrated chefs who have cooked at Michael’s over the years. Participating chefs, led by Michael’s current Executive Chef Jōb Carder include  Nancy Silverton of  Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, Chi Spacca, Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto,) Sang ..read more

While the first weekend of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is sold out, tickets are still available for Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21. And although it’s not going to be the usual three-digit scorcher in the desert, it will get hot. Here are some cool ideas to quench your thirst. PATRÓN EL ALTO will again appear at the hottest parties in the Coachella Valley like Neon Carnival and Framework in the Desert. Framework in the Desert returns to the Coachella Valley for its third year, with PATRÓN EL ALTO as the official tequila sponsor throughout the weekend. The Atl ..read more

Following up on last week’s episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and just in time for the new episode on Sunday, April 7 of the show’s final season, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills is bringing the fictional Vonderdonk to life by overwhelming demand, offering customers the real cheese featured in the show, Challerhocker. The delicious and buttery Swiss Alpine marvel is known for its complex flavors of roasted peanuts, melted leeks, brown butter, sweet cream, and caramel.   The  Vonderdonk can be added to any sandwich or salad on the menu and the cheesemongers at the store have a wealth o ..read more

Tickets are available now through Sunday, March 10 for the Netflix immersive experience  Squid Game: The Trials,  a 70-minute competition that also features a Night Market lineup of Korean-inspired food, cocktails and plenty of games. It comes on the heels of other popular streamer immersive experiences like NETFLIX BITES, The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience, Stranger Things: The Experience and Money Heist: The Experience. Courtesy Netflix The event drops fans in the world of Squid Game, where they will compete in a series of games inspired by the show. After completing six d ..read more