The LA Food Podcast

We’re joined today by Farley Elliott. One of Los Angeles’ preeminent voices in food media, Farley’s been bringing us mouth-watering stories for more than a decade via the likes of LAist, LA Weekly and, more recently, in his capacity as Senior Editor of Eater LA. Farley recently announced that he’d be leaving Eater for a new adventure as the So Cal Bureau Chief of SF Gate, where he’s already gotten off to a fast start, covering interesting topics ranging from In N Out Burger’s reclusive founder to the LA dude who went viral for ordering a scooped, gluten-free bagel at a New York City bagel shop. Farley tells us the story of how we went from eating poutine and Thousand Island dressing on his family’s dairy farm in upstate New York, to traversing the South Land for the tastiest bites and stories our region has to offer. It’s a conversation full of delicious anecdotes, lessons learned and thoughtful reflections on what it means to report on food and restaurants in a city like Los Angeles, and what he hopes to accomplish in his new role with SF Gate. And oh yeah, there’s even a bit about  a viral video featuring tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos. Don’t say I never gave you anything, dear listener.  Helpful links: Farley's page at SF Gate https://www.sfgate.com/author/farley-elliott/ Farley on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overoverunder/?hl=en Farley's book on street food https://www.amazon.com/Los-Angeles-Street-Food-Tamaleros/dp/1626199914 Tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOCtdw9FG-s

We’re joined today by the indomitable Bricia Lopez, a widely respected entrepreneur and author whose family restaurant, Guelaguetza, has been enchanting the palates of Angelenos with Oaxacan delicacies for nearly three decades. Bricia joins me to discuss the restaurant’s origin story, how she and her siblings helped save it from bankruptcy 10 years ago, and what it means to uphold Guelaguetza’s legacy while working to keep things fresh and exciting. We get into the ins and outs of mole and why you should never even THINK about calling it a chocolate sauce, and Bricia even gives us a run-down of how to spend the ideal weekend getaway to Oaxaca. It’s a treat of a conversation and I can’t wait for you to listen to it, dear listener.  Father Sal also swings by to chop up some of the biggest headlines in the food world. We talk about a couple of fascinating new developments coming to a sleepy corner of Chinatown, a troubling new twist in California’s service fee saga, and the first signs of a potential Mario Batali comeback (please hold while I vomit). Most importantly, though, I get to vent about an LAist article that felt a bit like a personal insult, and if you think that sounds dramatic, just you wait, dear listener. Helpful links: Guelaguetza website https://www.ilovemole.com/ Mole and More by Bricia Lopez website https://moleandmore.com/bio Asada Cookbook https://store.ilovemole.com/collections/home-and-kitchen/products/asada-the-art-of-mexican-style-grilling-signed-copy Bricia Lopez on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bricialopez/?hl=en Mario Batali comeback? https://www.eater.com/23929016/mario-batali-teases-comeback-instagram-virtual-events Service fees in trouble https://sf.eater.com/2023/10/18/23922950/california-restaurant-service-fee-ban-junk-fee-law-confusion-rob-bonta?_gl=1*lb21tw* Victor Heights LA Times article https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-10-24/victor-heights-alpine-street-perilla-chinatown-gentrification LAist article in question https://laist.com/news/food/this-guy-ate-100-la-burgers-over-8-years-in-a-quest-for-the-best

Our guest today is Paul Feinstein, the author of the upcoming book Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia. Paul is a renowned food and travel writer with bylines in publications ranging from BBC to La Cucina Italiana. He spent months singularly focused on compiling the best recipes and stories associated with Italian cocktails. The end product is a gorgeous book that I’m predicting will be one of this holiday season’s hottest culinary gifts. In my mind, Paul is kind of like the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World of food and travel writers, so we also talk about how he found his way into this globe-trotting line of work. We talk about which travel experiences most deeply impacted him, which types of stories he most enjoys writing, and how one particular food writing assignment almost brought him face to face with his maker. So head to your bar cart, dear listener, fix yourself a stiff drink and prepare for a doozy.  Helpful links: Pre-order the book! https://amzn.to/46PJeJD Paul's website https://www.mrpaulfeinstein.com/ Paul's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mrpaulfeinstein/

We’re joined today by Aaron Melendrez, the chef and owner behind one of Southern California’s most exciting sandwich shops, Uptown Provisions in Whittier. From an Asian-inspired egg salad that’ll change your life, to a pastrami sandwich that could go toe to toe with the best of ‘em, Uptown Provisions is the LA sandwich scene’s best kept secret. It’s no surprise that behind such an interesting operation is a dude with a super interesting story. Aaron walks us through how he went from living in South Korea doing intelligence for the Air Force, to helming some of LA’s most forward-thinking beverage programs, and eventually going out on his own to start a baller sandwich shop that draws on his techniques as a mixologist to make some of the most interesting sandwiches this town has ever seen.  Personally, I was super inspired by Aaron’s story. It’s very much one of learning as you go, drawing inspiration from the unlikeliest of situations, and regularly checking in with yourself to determine whether the path you’re on is actually making you happy. Helpful links: Uptown Provisions https://www.uptownwhittierprovisions.com/ Uptown Provisions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/uptown_provisions/?hl=en

We’re joined today by Hannah Wilen, the co-founder of Kavahana, Los Angeles’ first-ever kava bar. Kava is a drink that’s traditional to the Pacific Islands. It’s been consumed and celebrated for more than 3,000 years, and is known for making you relaxed and happy without any ABV to speak of. Kavahana is looking to bring the kava experience to Los Angeles, and today’s conversation is a fascinating journey into the drink’s history and its many health and wellness benefits. We also get into the topic of what it’s like to have an idea for a business and transform that idea into a reality. We talk about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, and Hannah shares some pretty inspiring wisdom for anyone looking to start a business of their own.  Also on this pod... It's the end of the legislative session in California, and there are several new laws on Governor Newsom’s desk that stand to impact the restaurant industry in big ways. Being the helpful podcast that we are, we’re going to give you a quick run-down of what those laws are, and offer our takes on how they could potentially help or hurt our beloved local businesses.  Helpful links: Kavahana https://www.kavahana.com/ Kavahana on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kavahanabar/ Kavahana on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@kavahana Eater round-up of the new laws hitting California's food and bev industry https://la.eater.com/2023/10/3/23872067/california-legislation-session-governor-gavin-newsom-lawmakers-los-angeles-san-francisco LAist article on the new law allowing cannabis stores to serve food https://laist.com/news/food/cannabis-lounges-could-soon-serve-food

The New York Times dropped a list of “The 25 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles Right Now.” Coming on the heels of the paper’s 2023 Restaurant List a few weeks ago, critic at large Tejal Rao describes the new list as her “current favorites in one of the greatest food cities in the world.” Father Sal joins me to comb through the selected restaurants, opine on the quality of the list as a whole, and share a couple of Rao’s choices that left us scratching our respective heads. We also ask ourselves the questions who is this list really for, what’s the point of having so many similar lists floating around in the ether, and what would be an even better way to do this whole listicle journalism thing? But first, Father Sal and I round up the headlines to sift through what matters and what doesn’t. There’s a waste controversy at Erewhon, another round of harassment allegations at Nobu Malibu, and a sad landlord story affecting one of LA’s most beloved Japanese cafes. We also talk robot food delivery, coffee omakase, and my new favorite topic, dining in the nude. We finish the episode off with a brand new segment called “Bad Yelp Review,” where we each share a moment from the past week in which the people in our lives would have been justified in leaving us a shitty Yelp review as humans. Podcasting was gonna be fun, they said.

We’re headed to Los Angeles’ temple of soccer, BMO Stadium, home of Los Angeles FC, to break down how to achieve the best day of eating in and around the stadium. Friend of the pod Daniel Wargo, who you might know as Forking Around on social media, joined me this past Saturday for a day of food, fun, and futbol, as we attended the white hot rivalry match between LAFC and the LA Galaxy. The game was beyond intense, but so was our commitment to finding the best way to make your day at the stadium an unforgettable eating experience as well.  We break down the best places to eat before the game, what to nosh on when you’re inside the stadium, and where to head for a late night feast once the game’s all said and done. We also tell you about our experience at the game itself, so get ready for stirring tales on-field heroics, and a recounting of a pretty hairy but also wildly hilarious altercation Daniel and I had with a half-naked LA Galaxy supporter.  Whether or not you’re a soccer fan, I think this episode is a great reminder of what makes Los Angeles such a fun and exciting place to live. And it all culminates with a round of our trademark game The Perfect Rec - I challenge Daniel to offer the perfect recommendation for where to eat around all of LA’s greatest sports venues. How does he fare? Listen to find out.

Gustavo Arellano is one of Southern California’s most influential voices in food and culture over the course of the last 25 years. Gustavo is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and he’s also currently the namesake of KCRW and Gustavo’s Great Tortilla Tournament, which culminates this October 8 at Smorgasburg in Downtown LA.  He’s a best-selling author, he was the long-time food critic of the storied OC Weekly, and his TV appearances include the likes of David Chang’s Ugly Delicious, Chelsea Handler’s Chelsea Lately and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. He joins the pod today to tell us about his storied career, from his days at the OC Weekly to his more recent endeavors with the Times and KCRW. His anecdotes are absolutely hilarious, and his takes are hotter than the chili peppers he apparently grows in his front yard. More than anything, I found Gustavo’s whole approach to food wholly refreshing. The joy, curiosity and excitement with which he approaches pretty much any topic is contagious, whether he’s talking about the current state of food journalism or what distinguishes a good tortilla from a crappy one. And by the way, we get into both on this podcast! Helpful links: Gustavo's website https://www.gustavoarellano.org/newsletters/ The tortilla tournament https://www.kcrw.com/events/tortilla-tournament Alta Baja Market https://www.altabajamarket.com/ Taco USA https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Taco-USA/Gustavo-Arellano/9781439148624 Gustavo's LA Times page https://www.latimes.com/people/gustavo-arellano Gustavo on X https://twitter.com/GustavoArellano Gustavo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gustavo_arellano/?hl=en

Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports went viral last week after he posted one of his One Bite Pizza Reviews. He was reviewing Dragon Pizza, a small independent pizza shop in Somerville, Massachusetts. Turns out the owner, Charlie Redd, wasn’t such a fan of Portnoy’s and came out front to give the man a pizza of his mind. See what I did there? Never mind.  This was just the beginning though! Their profanity-laden interaction quickly became the talk of TikTok, Instagram, and the app formerly known as Twitter. Portnoy went on Tucker Carlson to talk about the incident, and Redd did an interview with Bon Appetit to give his side of the story. The situation spiraled out of control with Portnoy’s followers pulling out all of the stops to mess with Dragon Pizza, including tanking their Yelp rating and putting in fake orders at the shop.  It’s a pizza feud that says a lot about the state of food criticism, the power of food influencers, and the insanity of the culture wars. I had to have Father Sal join me to chop up all the hairy details and discuss the questions of do we care, why do we care, and what the heck does this all mean?

Carmen Dianne and Kara Still are the co-founders of Prosperity Market, a farmers market on wheels whose mission is to support local black farmers and food businesses throughout L.A. and create food access in communities where it’s currently lacking. They believe that by focusing on the local food system, they can feed their neighbors, and create a substantial economic impact.  Carmen and Kara join the pod today for a fascinating conversation on how Prosperity Market was born, the systemic challenges facing black farmers and business owners in today’s society, and what we can do as consumers and concerned citizens to create an ecosystem where everyone can thrive. Father Sal also joins us to discuss a week of escape rooms and good eatin’ in our City of Angels. We break down the tasting menu at Holbox, debate the criteria for what makes a good taco crawl, and reminisce on a pretty epic night out at The old Airliner in Lincoln Heights on the heels of the news that it’s now being re-oponed as a fancy pan-Asian restaurant. Helpful links: Prosperity Market https://www.prosperitymarketla.com/ Together We're Greater fundraiser https://www.prosperitymarketla.com/its-bigger-than-us-initiative/ LA Times Prosperity Market article https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-08-18/prosperity-market-helps-black-owned-businesses-stay-open-los-angeles Food insecurity info https://www.prosperitymarketla.com/about/#why Poltergeist article https://la.eater.com/2023/8/30/23851438/poltergeist-restaurant-button-mash-echo-park-los-angeles-service-check Airliner re-opens https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-09-04/century-old-lincoln-heights-bar-the-airliner-reopens Tesar fired https://pagesix.com/2023/09/01/top-chefs-john-tesar-out-at-own-eatery-after-three-months-following-altercation/