LA Weekly; Producer of Smarth Mouth
Food Editor at LA Weekly. Producer of Smart Mouth. Former food editor at KCET.
PROFILE
Katherine Spiers
Guest
FROM Katherine Spiers
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Chengdu Impression: Bringing pricey Sichuan to the San Gabriel Valley Arcadia is not lacking in restaurants that serve up delicious regional Chinese food. But earlier this year the San Gabriel Valley city scored a major culinary get with the opening of Chengdu Impression. The restaurant is the first U.S. location of a chain based in Chengdu, China, that boasts around 30 restaurants.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Your guide to some of the best pies in LA This saturday, May 13, is National Apple Pie Day. And why limit yourselves to just apple pie when there are so many other delicious varieties, like berry pies, custard pies, and meringue pies?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Heritage grains make a comeback in California Heritage grains are the ancient, unadulterated varieties of crops like wheat, barley and rice. More farms are growing them now because they have stronger flavors and they’re drought tolerant. Many LA restaurants have been eager to incorporate them into some of their dishes.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Music festivals become can't-miss events for foodies Angelenos will be flocking to Coachella this weekend and next. The Arroyo Seco festival isn’t far behind in June, and FYF Fest is in July. While all three festivals boast big names in their music lineups, their food lineups are equally packed with celebrity chefs.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
LA has a new Jewish deli, even as old ones die off “Fleishik’s Sandwiches, Nosh and Whiskey” opened this month in the Fairfax neighborhood to long lines. It has most of the staples you’d expect at a standard kosher deli: pastrami, smoked salmon, brisket. But there’s no rye bread -- a move chef Eric Greenspan says is intentional.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Mall food court goes gourmet When you think of a mall food court, you probably think of greasy pizza and Wetzel’s Pretzels? Well food courts are growing up, and one of the most interesting can be found in Santa Anita.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Where to find traditional Chinese New Year dishes in LA The year of the rooster begins on Saturday. We look at the meaning behind the rooster in the Chinese zodiac, as well as traditional new year dishes like long noodles, mandarin oranges and spring rolls. L.A. Weekly food editor and host of the podcast "Smart Mouth" Katherine Spiers ran down a list of where to find some traditional Chinese New Year foods in LA right now. Here are her suggestions: Mama Lu 's in Monterey Park for stir-fried dumplings Luscious for pot sticker style dumplings Five Star Seafood Restaurant for steamed rock cod Wang Jia in San Gabriel for sweet rice balls; they serve them stuffed with sesame paste and topped with bits of Osmanthus flower. Class 302 for miswa, a dish made with long noodles Sea Harbour for spring rolls Sam Woo Barbecue for pre-roasted whole poultry Lunasia in Alhambra for turnip cakes or for a one-stop shop for a full, traditional Chinese New Year meal.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Spending Christmas at LA’s Chinese restaurants What will you be eating on Christmas? Gingerbread? Mashed potatoes? Or, if you don’t celebrate Christmas, how about sesame noodles and orange chicken? The idea of Jews eating Chinese food on December 25 is so ingrained that it’s become a punchline. But is it a provable phenomenon, and if so, how did the trend start?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Gingerbread, chocolate, sugar: Where to get your fill of holiday cookies Bakeries throughout L.A. are making special seasonal treats. We talk about where to find the best ones, and the history of the holiday cookie.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Grocery stores are the new corner bars Silver Lake has a popular new all-ages hangout: Gelson’s. The supermarket recently opened its own bar, right between the checkout lines and the bakery. It’s part of a growing supermarket trend.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Where to find the best desserts in LA You are not going to lose weight until January. There was Halloween. Thanksgiving is coming up, then the holidays. So just give in: eat dessert. And do it now, because LA is going through a kind of dessert renaissance. Katherine Spiers Katherine Spiers
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Where to get the best Mai Tai in LA Pacific Seas is a Tiki bar at Clifton’s Cafeteria, and it opens this weekend. We look at the history of Tiki in LA and its apparent resurgence.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Where are the best breakfast tacos in LA? The breakfast burrito is a Los Angeles staple. But the breakfast taco is quickly gaining ground. It’s the battle you didn’t know about, between two delicious tortilla-wrapped meals. And LA eaters have surprisingly strong feelings about it.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Western Exterminator wants eating bugs to be mainstream On Saturday, October 8th , a daring new pop-up restaurant hits the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. It’s not put on by Roy Choi or any other chef you might know; it’s a pop-up from Western Exterminator. Yes, the bug killer. And the menu will be built around bugs. The pop-up may or may not sound appetizing, but it is one more sign that the trend of eating insects is going mainstream… maybe.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Which city has the best Chinese food west of the Mississippi? Los Angeles is constantly in competition with New York. Whether we want to be or not, we’re often pitted against the East Coast city in the news and popular culture. But now LA is in a surprising new competition with a city in the West – Vancouver, British Columbia. It’s a battle over which city has the best Chinese food west of the Mississippi.
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