NYT savages Spago. Plus, Next Gen Chef hot takes and recent meals at Republique, OyBar and Ototo.

Did the New York Times just cross the line with its brutal review of an LA dining icon? 🍽️ This week on The LA Food Podcast, we unpack Tejal Rao’s headline-grabbing critique of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, the Beverly Hills institution she labeled merely “Satisfactory.” On our segment Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, we debate: was this fair criticism, coastal bias, or just plain nonsense?

Plus, we’re diving into:

• 🍔 Bold new California legislation that could transform how restaurants operate
  

• 💸 Our insider tips for eating three meals in LA for under $25 a day, inspired by The LA Times article on doing the same
  

• 🏛️ The heartbreaking, food-related fallout of the ongoing government shutdown
  

• 📺 Father Sal’s sharp-tongued review of Netflix’s Next Gen Chef — did the LeBron James-produced show cook up something special or flop like a soggy soufflé?

And don’t miss our 150th-episode announcement — we’re hosting our first-ever listener Q&A! Send your questions via DM to @TheLACountdown or @ItsAcquiredTaste.

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