LC Section Two 11 2025

Dining Guide

OONA KANNER SHARES HER FAVORITE HOLIDAY WINTER SALAD WITH KALE, POMEGRANATE SEEDS, CRUNCHY WALNUTS, AND MINT. Page 11

Preservation loses a battle—SB79 signed into law—and a star

The signing of Senate Bill 79 (SB79) by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 10 was a bitter defeat to California’s preservation community. Even a strong appeal from Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles legislators was not enough to derail the bill that would allow the construction of multistory high rises in single family and historic districts within proximity to transit stations. Although the governor raised some hopes as he took his time in signing, the outcome was expected. Once the heavily amended bill had limped out of the legislature, the political math was set. Newsom, with his eyes on the White House, was not going to let the nuances of sensible planning and local control prevent him from hoisting the housing abundance standard.

As I said in my previous column, it is my prediction the effects of this bill will be muted in Los Angeles. It will be a few years until L.A. works its way out of the chimera of poor tax policy, sclerotic permitting processes, and back in the good graces of lenders, developers, and institutional investors. That gives the city enough time to come up with an alternate plan, which

On Preservation by Brian Curran

is allowed in the bill, as well as five-year moratoriums for “sensitive areas” near transit identified by the city. Sacramento could also keep tweaking the bill, perhaps with further preservation protections. In the meantime, we will have to wait until the California Association of Governments draws up and releases the official maps of parcels eligible for SB79 to know which landmarks and historic districts are threatened.

So don’t expect a 5-to-7story building to sprout up on your single family or historic district’s street anytime soon.

Farewell Diane Keaton: A preservation star News of the death of Diane Keaton, star of iconic films such as “Annie Hall,” “The Godfather,” and “Reds” was felt particularly hard by the preservation community of Los Angeles, which lost a tireless champion for the preservation and celebration of L.A.’s rich architectural heritage. It is rare for such a high-profile Hollywood actor to provide such support for preservation causes, but

Keaton, a Los Angeles native, was fascinated by and had a connection to the stories, landscapes and sites that give Los Angeles its sense of place. Keaton not only purchased and restored numerous historic homes, including her residence designed by Lloyd Wright, but also catalogued other Spanish Revival-style homes in her book “California Romantica.” Her greatest impact, however, was through her advocacy while serving on

the board of the Los Angeles Conservancy for two decades. It was at the Conservancy that she became passionately involved in the five-year fight to save the Ambassador Hotel.

While this epic battle ended as too many preservation battles do, in defeat, Keaton’s 2006 farewell to the Ambassador is a cris de cœur that so many of us who fight to save our city’s history know.

“Looking at the shadow of our once glorious Ambassa-

dor Hotel, like losing a lover, I felt that familiar pounding heartbeat racing through my body, and I felt the loneliness of her last stand. I heard an echo, an echo, and maybe it was the echo of the Ambassador calling me. It was almost as if she was saying to me, she was saying, ‘goodbye, Diane, keep me in your heart, and next time, try harder.’” Farewell Diane. We will keep you in our hearts and will always “next time, try harder.”

New law was focus at HPHOA meeting

By Nathan Rifkin

Multiple topics were discussed at the Hancock Park Homeowners Association’s (HPHOA) annual meeting last month, with SB 79 the focus of much conversation and concern. The senate bill allows construction of multistory high-rises in single family and historic districts near transit stations.

HPHOA President Cindy Chvatal listed three options to respond to the state bill: 1) Do nothing, 2) Pause the inevitable, or 3) Develop an alternate plan to be submitted by March.

California State Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur called SB 79 a “one-size-fits-

all” bill, voted in by rural districts that are exempt to its effects.

Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky and five members of her team are scrambling to fight the housing regulation, which goes into effect July 1.

“I took over Jan. 7…it’s been a wild, awful ride,” Yaroslavsky said. “I ask that you bear with us as we bear this… challenge for the city.”

LAPD Senior Lead Officer Tyler Shuck announced burglaries are down 28% and overall crime is down 33% for the year. Shuck said he is optimistic moving forward. Prison sentences deter, he said, and criminals are being held accountable, especially

with the city’s new district attorney, Nathan Hochman. Shuck stressed citizens need to file trespass orders and encouraged neighbors to take pictures, and continue to reach out. Email him at 40740@lapd.com, or call, 213-793-0650.

Don Kossman, chair of the Streetlight Committee for the HPHOA, reported a high number of unresolved streetlight outages due to theft and vandalism. New data is available at data.lacity.org; outages can be reported to don.kossman@hear2talk.com.

“When streetlights are out, sidewalks broken, people are less safe,” Yaroslavsky said.

By Nona Sue Friedman

The Boulevard clock is finally working again. Last month, the Chronicle reported that it had been a year since the clock stopped, along with the irrigation in the planters around it. Private electricians and numerous City technicians had attempted to fix the problem to no avail.

Thank Larchmont property

owner Ron Simms

Heather Duffy Boylston, executive director of the Larchmont Village Business Improvement District, was talking to Ron Simms last month and mentioned the problem. Simms owns the Rite Aid building and numerous other real estate throughout the city.

According to Boylston, Simms offered to send his staff of electricians to assess and hopefully fix the problem. Two days later, the clock was ticking.

“It was complicated,” said Boylston. “The City had cut the power line [when installing new parking meters] and the electricians had to dig down and repair it. There was also a short. I really appreciate Ron Simms showing up for Larchmont.” According to field deputy Mark Fuentes of Council District 13, “So happy it’s fixed, amazing. We’re all ecstatic. It takes a village. We just need people to get together. A big shout out to Heather.”

The clock automatically resets itself to the proper time. Now, Larchmont Boulevard Association can put new plants in the planters—just in time for the holidays.

‘Great Walk’ on Wilshire Blvd. in its 20th year

The Great Los Angeles Walk returns to its roots—Wilshire Boulevard—on its 20th anniversary Sat., Nov. 22. The walk is set to begin at 9 a.m. Details to come on a starting point. The free event will traverse the legendary Boulevard, past iconic venues including Miracle Mile and the La Brea Tar Pits, on its 15-mile trek from the sea to downtown.

The walk traditionally takes place the Saturday before Thanksgiving as a way to enjoy the city sites and destress before the holidays are in full force.

Participants can walk the entire route or a small piece along the way.

When the walk’s founder, Michael Schneider, started the walk 10 years ago to commemorate his move to L.A. about 40 walkers showed. It has grown to 500 participants and counting. Visit greatlawalk.blogspot.com

Take a break from your Thanksgiving plans, put on your sneakers, spruce up your bike or scooter and head to Melrose Avenue for a car-free day of fun with CicLAvia on Sun., Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The four-mile route connects many neighborhoods including Fairfax, Larchmont, Melrose Hill, and East Hollywood. It runs both ways from Fairfax and Normandie avenues. Hubs at Fairfax and Ver-

Mayor, City Attorney to be at WSA Town Hall

By Chronicle Staff

The Windsor Square Association (WSA) was founded in 1925 and advocates for the residents between Arden Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue, from Wilshire to Beverly boulevards. The association’s annual Town Hall will take place on Mon., Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. at The Ebell, 743 S. Lucerne Blvd. Because of the

expected large attendance for both Windsor Square neighbor and Mayor Karen Bass, and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, reservations are recommended at: windsorsquare.org/2025-rsvp.

In addition to presentation from the Mayor and City Attorney, the meeting will review Association activities, including public safety

and addressing local crime, block captain activity, land use (including the proposal to eliminate the Larchmont surface parking lot to replace it with permanent retail buildings), emergency preparedness, and other community concerns. There will be an election for WSA directors for 2026, and the Squeaky Wheel award will be presented to a neighbor whose efforts

HPHOA

(Continued from Page 2)

Streetlight repairs can take 6 to 18 months, a state of affairs that is “unacceptable.”

A city bill is in the works to bring streetlight repair response time down to a week, which Yaroslavsky urged residents to vote for, and added to report outages to her field deputy Michelle Flores, michelle.flores@lacity.com.

Block Captain Jennifer Devore emphasized the need for more block captains as they are “critical to our community.” Interested residents can email her, jendevore@gmail. com.

Hancock Park has a new 501(c)(3) to which donors can make a tax-deductible donation. The fund will be used for reforestation of parkways. A donation link will soon be available on the HOA website.

Zbur celebrated the many bills he authored that Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into legislature.

These include AB 648, which combats homelessness at community colleges, and AB 715, which addresses antisemitism in K-12 schools.

mont avenues serve as meeting points offering free water, restrooms, bike repair, first aid, and family-friendly activities.

Any form of people-powered transport is welcome at this 64th pop-up park for the event which began in Los Angeles County in 2010.

Melrose will be closed from Ogden Drive to Vermont Avenue as early as 6 a.m.

For more information visit ciclavia.org.

have improved the quality of life in Windsor Square.

According to WSA President Larry Guzin, “Our annual meeting is an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual concern with Association directors, block captains, and other Windsor Square residents. It also is a time to meet with police officers, civic officials, private security companies, and others who provide services to our neighborhood.”

LUNA to debut in-person meeting Nov. 6

The newest neighborhood group in the area, Larchmont United Neighborhood Association (LUNA), is having its first in-person meeting Thu., Nov. 6 at Van Ness Elementary, 501 N. Van Ness Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will commence at 7 p.m. LUNA’s boundaries are Arden Boulevard to Wilton Place and Melrose Avenue to Beverly Boulevard, but all neighbors are welcome to attend.

LUNA has procured a lengthy line-up including Council District 13 Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez, Senior Lead Officers Tyler Shuck, of Wilshire Division, and Daniel Chavez ,of Olympic Division; field representative Joshua Marin-Mora from Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur’s office, and co-founder of Livable Communities Initiative Lindsay Sturman. Free parking is on-site entering the lot from Norton Avenue. The first 60 attendees will receive a treat from Jeni’s Ice Creams.

By Chase Campen

The Wilshire Rotary Club honored some of the very best in our community at their Wilshire Rotary Heroes Gala at the Wilshire Country Club Oct. 24. A packed house celebrated the accomplishments of Rotary on an international basis, as well as the Wilshire club’s impact locally, with a significant part of that impact coming from their annual Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Tree Lot on Larchmont.

The night’s main event came when it was time to recognize Wilshire Rotary’s heroes for their impact on the community. First, past Rotary District Gov. Scot Clifford and his wife, Wendy, honored Karla and Bill Ahmanson, for their decades of philanthropic contributions in our community and throughout Los Angeles. Rotary’s previous

President Josh Rudoy honored Jane Gilman, who founded the Larchmont Chronicle 62 years ago! It was a star-studded night honoring some of the best among us.

Gilman “was instrumental in getting our club to serve the homeless and hungry through our support of Hope Net,” Past President Elsa

Gillham told us. “She encouraged us to serve the youth by partnering with the YMCA. Throughout the years she has promoted the Wilshire Rotary in the Chronicle. She is a quiet hero and a dedicated Rotarian at heart.” The Ahmansons were honored for their efforts with the Wilshire Rotary’s pumpkin patch and holiday tree lot. “Through their support, our club was able to raise funds, which are used 100% for projects in our community and the world.”

Housing advocate Jill Bauman unveiled a new online tool to help California families facing poverty and homelessness navigate a disconnected system of federal, state and local benefit providers Oct. 24 at The Ebell of Los Angeles.

Bauman was joined by AI experts and members of agencies involved in the program, including Home Boy Industries, First 5 Riverside, The Salvation Army, Children’s Law Center and Housing Works. The pilot program of the new Benefit Navigator brought participating families an average of $10,000 in additional benefits.

Condominiums

At the launch, Bauman, who heads the nonprofit Imagine LA, also explained how the promise of this new tool will transform Imagine LA into a new tech company, Amplifi.

2025 DINING GUIDE

Chefs talk about seasonal cooking for the holiday months

By Helene Seifer

Apart from harvesting one’s own produce, seasonal fruits and vegetables from a farmers market is the healthiest way to shop and cook. Not only is the produce at peak flavor, but their nutritional value is also highest when they haven’t been stored or shipped for long distances. By the cooler holiday months of November and December, the pleasure of raw fresh-picked tomatoes and ripe juicy peaches go by the wayside, and squash, pears, and apples take center stage.

How do local restaurants adjust their menus to the season? And how can the home cook incorporate the best of California’s fall and winter bounty?

Let the farmers market drive your menu

Chef Walter Manzke of République stressed that he doesn’t go to the farmers market with an exact list in hand. “I go to the market twice a week and whatever excites me, I bring to the restaurant.”

Those ingredients find their way into cocktails, savory dishes, and desserts.

Seasonal shifts in the République menu include their hamachi and kampachi crudo preparations. Summer melon and sungold tomato are replaced with persimmon and passionfruit, then tossed with the Vietnamese flavors of lime, chili, and fish sauce. Winter squash appears as a roasted pumpkin filling in agnolotti, a type of pasta. White truffles enhance risotto or

soft scrambled eggs. Roasted quince and beets accompany duck in blackberry and peppercorn sauce. Apples star in James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef 2023 winner Margarita Manzke’s apple tart with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce.

People tend to eat potatoes all year round, but Chef Manzke said they are best in winter. This season they star as a plate-sized potato pancake with smoked salmon, soft poached eggs, hollandaise, dill, and salmon roe with the option to add Kaluga caviar, a sustainable hybrid of sturgeon.

For family-style cooking, Manzke recommended roasting and cutting pumpkin into chunks and mixing it with cooked dried Italian-made spaghetti (even he uses dried pasta at home), great olive oil, hazelnuts, and parmesan. For a salad, combine farmers market arugula with sliced raw pears or apples and toss with an olive oil and Meyer lemon juice vinaigrette sprinkled

with parmesan cheese. Tweak staple dishes with seasonal ingredients

Evan Algorri, chef and co-owner of the two-year-old Italian restaurant Ètra, stated that seasonality is a priority. “I use the farmers market extensively twice a week,” he confirmed. “I go to both the Santa Monica and Hollywood markets.” He often keeps popular dishes on the menu over multiple seasons by tweaking the recipes with the freshest ingredients. The holiday sea-

son version of their country pork chop grilled over binchotan (Japanese) charcoal is slathered with a seasonal persimmon, sherry vinegar, honey, white pepper, and coriander lacquer while cooking. A mountain of chicory salad blanketed by grated parmesan switches to crispy pale green, purple-spotted radicchio called Castelfranco when in season. Brined and house made hot-sauced roast chicken forgoes the accompa-

2025 DINING GUIDE

Chef’s talk

(Continued from Page 6)

niment of a summery tomato and bread panzanella for sautéed chanterelle or hen of the woods mushrooms in the fall and winter.

Winter vegetables deserve their own showcase, such as varieties of winter squashes.

Chef Algorri favors the diminutive honey nut squash, bred from butternut squash to be sweeter, with a more delicate, edible skin. It’s roasted and splashed with a caramelized onion, honey, and red wine vinaigrette.

Ètra co-owner and general

POTATO PANCAKE, smoked salmon, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, roe and caviar from République.

manager Andrew Lawson emphasized, “Seasonality is a big part of what we do. We use the beauty of California produce.”

His blueprint for a seasonal salad for the home cook is to shop the farmers market for whatever mushroom varietal and green is in season and toss them with roast squash and a simple vinaigrette with hard cheese shaved into the dressing.

Chef Algorri suggested an easy pasta. He is partial to dry pasta from Rustichella D’Abruzzo and recommended adding roasted root vegetables and kale for a quick, seasonal, and healthy meal.

République, 624 S. La Brea Ave., 310-362-6115, republiquela.com.

Ètra, 737 N. Western Ave., Ste. B, 323-672-8606, etra.la.

Squash transforms into a delicious soup

By Lisa Mcree Granger

This is a soup we make as soon as fall arrives!

Adapted from Thomas Keller’s “Bouchon” cookbook, it has fewer steps for the home cook and allows you to customize it to make it sweeter or more savory, thicker or thinner.

Preheat your oven to 400. Ingredients

One 3 to 3 ½ lb. unpeeled butternut squash

2 Tbs. canola oil

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. butter  salt and pepper

1 cup sliced leeks, white and light green parts only

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup shredded carrots

2 Tbs. minced garlic

6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or a combination of both

One bouquet garni of a few fresh thyme, sage, parsley sprigs, and 2 dried bay leaves wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with kitchen twine

Cut squash lengthwise, remove seeds, slather the flesh with canola oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn flesh side down on a baking

sheet covered with parchment paper or foil, tucking fresh sage into cavity. Bake 1 hour and squeeze to check softness. If still too firm, leave in the oven and check every 10 minutes until it’s soft. Let cool.

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large soup pot and add leeks, onions, and shredded carrots. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 8 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the first 6 cups of broth to pot along with the bouquet garni and let simmer for 15 minutes to infuse

the broth with the herbs. Remove and discard garni. Scoop out the flesh of the squash from the skin, making sure to get any dark bits that are sticking to the foil or parchment paper, and add it to the pot. Cook for 20 minutes to let flavors meld. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend it all really, really well. If it’s too thick, return it to the heat and add more broth, a half cup at a time, and blend again.

Taste. If it’s too sweet, add a tablespoon of soy sauce. If it’s not sweet enough, add a tablespoon or two of honey. Add salt and pepper as needed. To serve: top with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream, chopped chives, a few croutons or nuts, like pepitas or chopped pecans.  Happy Thanksgiving!

2025 DINING GUIDE

Restaurants

The following list contains local restaurants to explore. It starts with those on the Boulevard and then expands throughout the area. The Original Farmers Market is located at 6333 W. Third St. The Grove is next door at 189 The Grove Dr.

If a favorite eatery of yours has been overlooked, please let us know at info@larchmontchronicle.com.

On the Boulevard

ASTROBURGER

5601 Melrose Ave.

323-469-1924

astroburger.com

Mon. to Sat. 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

BACIO DI LATTE

141 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd.

323-380-5503

baciodilatte.us

Daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

BOBA THE GREAT

142 N. Larchmont Blvd.

323-645-7086

Mon. to Thu. noon to 8 p.m.; Fri. noon to 9 p.m.; Sat. 10:30

a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

BRICKS AND SCONES

403 N. Larchmont Blvd.

323-463-0811

bricksandscones.menufy.com

Mon. to Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.;

Sun. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

BURGER LOUNGE

217 N. Larchmont Blvd.

323-462-2310 burgerlounge.com

Sun. to Thu. 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

CAFÉ GRATITUDE

639 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-580-6383 cafegratitude.com

Mon. to Fri. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat, Sun. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CHIPOTLE

301 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-978-2047 chipotle.com

Daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CLARK STREET

139 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-498-0103 clarkstreetbakery.com

Daily 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

COOKBOOK MARKET & CAFE

310 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-686-9009 cookbookla.com

Cafe: Daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Market: Daily 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

ERIN MCKENNA’S BAKERY LA

236 N. Larchmont Blvd. 855-462-2292 erinmckennasbakery.com

Sun. to Tue. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wed. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

GO GET EM TIGER

230 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-543-4321 gget.com

Mon. to Fri. 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

GREAT WHITE

244 N. Larchmont Blvd.

323-745-5059 greatwhite.cafe

Daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. GROUNDWORK

150 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-843-4920 groundworkcoffee.com

Daily 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

HOLEY GRAIL DONUTS

148 N. Larchmont Blvd. 213-598-9774 holeygraildonuts.com

Mon. to Wed. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thu. to Sun. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

JENI’S ICE CREAMS 123 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-745-0407 jenis.com

Sun. to Thu. noon to 11 p.m.; Fri., Sat. noon to midnight.

KALI RESTAURANT 5722 Melrose Ave. 323-871-4160 kalirestaurant.com

Mon. to Fri. 6 to 9:30 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 5 to 9:30 p.m. KIKU

246 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-464-1323

Daily 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. KREATION JUICE

121 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-848-4714 kreationjuice.com

Daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. LA BETTOLA DI TERRONI

225 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-990-0042 terroni.com

Mon. to Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

LARCHMONT VILLAGE WINE, SPIRITS & CHEESE

223 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-856-8699

larchmontvillagewine.com

Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 113 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-461-7701 lepainquotidien.com

Daily 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

LEVAIN BAKERY

227 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-576-5895 levainbakery.com

Daily 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

LOUISE’S TRATTORIA

232 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-962-9510 louises.com

Sun. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri, Sat. 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

MAX & HELEN’S 127 N. Larchmont Blvd. maxandhelens.com

Coming soon.

NOAH’S BAGELS

250 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-466-2924 noahs.com

Daily 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

OAKBERRY AÇAI

122 N. Larchmont Blvd. 213-248-8418

oakberry.com

Daily 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

OSTERIA MAMMA

5732 Melrose Ave. 323-284-7060 osteriamamma.com

Mon. to Thu. 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Fri. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sun. 4:30 to 10 p.m.

PEET’S COFFEE

124 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-978-1003 peets.com

Mon. to Fri. 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Sat, Sun. 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

PHO LA VACHE

125 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-366-2941

Daily 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

PRESSED JUICERY

201 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-464-5800 pressed.com

Daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SALT & STRAW

240 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-466-0485 saltandstraw.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

SAM’S BAGELS

154 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-469-1249

Mon. to Sat. 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sun. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

STARBUCKS

206 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-469-1081 starbucks.com

Daily 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SUÁ

144 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-498-0044 suasuperette.com

Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

SWEET LADY JANE

203 N. Larchmont Blvd. 424-457-0016 sweetladyjane.com

Sun. to Wed. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thu. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SWEETFIN

135 N. Larchmont Blvd. 888-820-3885 sweetfin.com

Mon. to Fri. 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

TONCHIN LA 5665 Melrose Ave. 323-380-6072 tonchinus.com

Mon. to Fri. 5:30 to 9:45 p.m.; Sat. noon to 9:45 p.m.; Sun. noon to 8:45 p.m.

TU MADRE

660 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-676-0024 tumadre.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

VILLAGE PIZZERIA

131 N. Larchmont Blvd. 323-465-5566 villagepizzala.com Tue. to Sun. noon to 9 p.m. The Original Farmers Market

ALL‘ANTICO VINAIO 323-800-0029 allanticovinaiousa.com Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.;

Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. BHC CHICKEN

323-424-3733 bhcchickenusa.com

Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. CHARLIE’S COFFEE SHOP

323-933-0616

Mon. to Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. CHIPOTLE 323-857-0608 chipotle.com

Daily 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. DU-PAR’S 323-933-8446 dupars.net

Sun. to Thu. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 6 a.m. to midnight. EL GRANJERO CANTINA 323-879-9324 cantinala.com

Mon. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 9.p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. ETTORE VINO E CUCINA 323-386-1222

Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. THE FRENCH CREPES 323-272-4055 thefrenchcrepes.com

Mon. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tue. to Thu. 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun. 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. FRIENDS AND FAMILY PIZZA CO. 323-879-9366 ffpizzaco.com

Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. FRITZI COOP 323-936-9436

Mon. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. GUMBO POT 323-933-0358 thegumbopotsla.com

Mon. to Thu. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. HOKI SUSHI 323-879-9515 hokisushila.com

Mon. to Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. MAGEE’S KITCHEN 323-938-4127 mageeskitchen.com

Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. MARKET CHICKEN ROTISSERIE 323-917-5081 marketchicken.com

Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. MARMALADE CAFE 323-954-0088 marmaladecafe.com

Sun. to Thu. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. MOISHE’S RESTAURANT 323-936-4998

Mon. to Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

MONSIEUR MARCEL

323-605-9020 mrmarcel.com

Mon. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. NOODLE ART 323-433-4777 noodleartfarmersmarket.com

Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. OH MY DUMPLING 323-933-9211

Coming soon. PAMPAS GRILL 323-931-1928 pampas-grill.com

Mon. to Sat. 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. PASTA CORNER

323-787-4444 pastacorner.com Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. PATSY D’AMORE’S PIZZA 323-938-4938 patsydamore.com

Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

PHIL’S DELI & GRILL

323-936-3704 philsdeliandgrill.com

Mon. to Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ROXY & JO’S SEAFOOD GRILL & OYSTER BAR 323-919-5228 mrmarcel.com

Mon. to Sat. 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. THE SALAD BAR 323-933-3204

Mon. to Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. SAVTA 323-287-5555 savtarestaurant.com

Mon. to Fri. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SINGAPORE’S BANANA LEAF 323-287-5555 singaporesbananaleaf.com

Mon. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. SORA TEMAKI BAR 323-933-4627 sorarestaurant.com Sun. to Thu. 12 to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 12 to 10 p.m. STARA PIEROGI AND SAUSAGE 323-388-6959 stararestaurant.com Daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. TREJO’S TACOS 323-452-9008 trejostacos.com

Mon. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Grove ALMA 323-879-9596 alma.mx

Sun. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

AMERICAN BEAUTY

323-955-0650 americanbeauty.la

Mon. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m BAR VERDE

323-930-2230 nordstrom.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. BLUE RIBBON SUSHI BAR & GRILL

323-352-9300 brsushigrove.com

Mon. to Thu. noon to 9 p.m.; Fri. noon to 10 p.m.; Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

323-634-0511 thecheesecakefactory.com

Mon. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m

CHILL SINCE ‘93

323-433-7635 chillsince93.com

Sun. to Thu. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

LA LA LAND KIND CAFE

323-879-9132 lalalandkindcafe.com

Daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. LA PIAZZA

323-933-5050 lapiazzathegrove.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. SOGNO TOSCANO

323-879-9443 sognotoscano.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Beyond the Boulevard ALFALFA 5570 Melrose Ave. 323-450-9250 eatalfalfa.com

Mon. to Thu. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri. to Sun. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ALL ABOUT THE BREAD 7119 Melrose Ave. 323-930-8989 allaboutthebread.com

Mon. to Fri. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ANARKALI INDIAN RESTAURANT 7013 Melrose Ave. 323-934-6488

anarkaliindianrestaurant.com

Sun. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

ANDRE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

5400 Wilshire Blvd. 323-935-1246 andresitalian.com

Tue. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Fri. to Sun. 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

ANGELINI OSTERIA ALIMENTARI

7313 - 7321 Beverly Blvd.

323-297-0070

angelinirestaurantgroup.com

Daily 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m, 5 to 10 p.m.

ANTICO NUOVO

4653 Beverly Blvd.

2025 DINING GUIDE

323-510-3093 anticonuovo-la.com

Nightly 5:30 to 10 p.m.

APOLLONIA’S PIZZERIA

5176 Wilshire Blvd.

323-937-2823 apolloniaspizzeria.com

Wed. to Sun. noon to 2:30 p.m, 5 to 8 p.m.

BADMAASH

418 N. Fairfax Ave. 213-281-5185 badmaashla.com

Mon. to Wed. 5 to 10 p.m.; Thu. 5 to 11 p.m.; Fri. noon to 11 p.m.; Sat. noon to 11 p.m.; Sun. noon to 10 p.m.

BAGEL BROKER

7825 Beverly Blvd. 323-931-1258 bagelbroker.com

Mon. to Sat. 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sun. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

BLUDSO’S BBQ

609 N. La Brea Ave. 323-931-2583 bludsosbbq.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

CANTER’S DELI

419 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-651-2030 cantersdeli.com

Mon. to Thu. 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Open Fri. 6 a.m. to Sun. 11:30 p.m.

THE CAT & FIDDLE PUB AND RESTAURANT

742 N. Highland Ave. 323-468-3800 thecatandfiddle.com

Mon. to Fri. noon to 10 p.m.; Sat, Sun. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

THE COUNTER

5779 Wilshire Blvd. 323-932-8900 thecounterburger.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

CHI SPACCA

6610 Melrose Ave. 323-297-1133 chispacca.com

Mon. to Thu. 6 to 9:30 p.m.; Fri. to Sat. 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Sun. 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

DESCANSO 5773 Wilshire Blvd. 213-672-2444 descansorestaurant.com

Mon. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

DR. SANDWICH 7475 Beverly Blvd. 424-501-0099 drsandwich.com

Sun. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

THE EDMON 5168 Melrose Ave. 323-645-5225 theedmon.com

Mon. to Thu. 4 p.m. to midnight; Fri., Sat. 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

EL CHOLO 1121 S. Western Ave. 323-734-2773 elcholo.com

Daily 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. EL COYOTE CAFÉ 7312 Beverly Blvd. 323-939-2255 elcoyotecafe.com

Wed., Thu., Sun. noon to 9 p.m.; Fri, Sat. noon to 10 p.m.

ESCO’S PIZZA

4972 W. Pico Blvd. 424-428-2826

escospizzala.com

Daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

ESCUELA TAQUERIA

7450 Beverly Blvd. 323-932-6178

escuelataqueriala.com

Sun. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

FANNY’S

6067 Wilshire Blvd. 323-930-3080 fannysla.com

Wed. to Mon. 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

HMS BOUNTY

3357 Wilshire Blvd. 213-385-7275 thehmsbounty.com

Mon. to Thu. noon to midnight; Fri. to Sun. noon to 1 a.m.

HOT WINGS CAFÉ

7011 Melrose Ave. 323-930-1233 hotwingscafe.net

Mon. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Fri, Sat. 11 a.m. to midnight; Sun. noon to 11 p.m.

INDIA’S TANDOORI

5468 Wilshire Blvd. 323-936-2050 indiastandoori.net

Daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

JINKY’S CAFE

7233 Beverly Blvd.

323-433-7573 jinkys.com

Mon. to Thu. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Fri. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

JON & VINNY’S

412 N. Fairfax Ave. 323-334-3369 jonandvinnys.com

Daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB

100 N. La Cienega Blvd. 310-652-2827 lawrysonline.com

Mon. to Thu. 5 to 9 p.m.; Fri. 5 to 10 p.m.; Sat. 4 to 10 p.m.; Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m, 4 to 9:30 p.m.

LITTLE BAR

757 S. La Brea Ave. 323-433-4044 littlebarlounge.com

Tue. to Fri. 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat. 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sun. 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.

M CAFE

148 S. La Brea Ave. 310-295-2859 mcafedechaya.com Daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

MARINO RISTORANTE

6001 Melrose Ave.

323-466-8812

marinorestaurant.com

Mon. to Fri. noon to 2 p.m., 5 to 10 p.m.; Sat. 5 to 10 p.m.

MARIO’S PERUVIAN 5786 Melrose Ave. 323-466-4181

mariosperuvianseafood.com

Sun. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri, Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

MEYER’S MANX CAFE

6060 Wilshire Blvd. 323-999-3242 meyersmanxcafe.com

Daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MET HER AT A BAR

759 S. La Brea Ave. 323-847-5013 metheratabar.com

Mon. to Fri. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sat, Sun. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MET HIM AT A BAR 801 S. La Brea Ave. 323-852-3321 methimatabar.com

Mon. to Thu. 4 to 10 p.m.; Fri. 4 to 11 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

MUSSO AND FRANK GRILL

6667 Hollywood Blvd. 323-467-7788 mussoandfrank.com

Tue. to Sat. 5 to 11 p.m.; Sun. 4 to 10 p.m.

OPEN SESAME

7458 Beverly Blvd. 323-525-1698 opensesamegrill.com

Mon. to Thu. 3 to 10 p.m; Fri. 3 to 11 p.m.; Sat. noon to 11 p.m.; Sun. noon to 10 p.m.

OSTERIA LA BUCA 5210 Melrose Ave. 323-462-1900 osterialabuca.com

Sun. to Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Nightly 5 to 10 p.m.

OSTERIA MOZZA

6602 Melrose Ave. 323-297-0100 osteriamozza.com

Mon. to Thu. 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Fri. 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Sat. 5 to 10 p.m.; Sun. 5 to 9 p.m.

PINK’S HOT DOGS

709 N. La Brea Ave. 323-931-4223 pinkshollywood.com

Sun. to Thu. 9:30 a.m. to midnight.; Fri., Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.

PIZZERIA MOZZA 641 N. Highland Ave. 323-297-0101 la.pizzeriamozza.com

Mon. to Thu. 5 to 9 p.m.; Fri. 5 to 10 p.m.; Sat. noon to 10 p.m.; Sun. noon to 9 p.m. PLANT POWER 776 Vine St. 323-471-1550 plantpowerfastfood.com

Sun. to Thu. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. PROVIDENCE 5955 Melrose Ave. 323-460-4170 providencela.com

Tue. to Fri. 5:45 to 9:15 p.m.; Sat. 5:30 to 9:15 p.m.

RAMEN MELROSE 5784 Melrose Ave. 323-645-7766 ramenmelrose.com Daily 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. RÉPUBLIQUE 624 S. La Brea Ave. 310-362-6115 republiquela.com

Café: Daily 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Restaurant: Tue. to Fri. 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Sat. 5 to 10 p.m. ROCCO’S PIZZA

6335 Wilshire Blvd. 323-655-0058 roccospizza.la

Daily noon to 9 p.m.

SAKE HOUSE MIRO

809 S. La Brea Ave. 323-939-7075 sakehousemiro.com

Nightly 5 p.m. to midnight. STAR OF INDIA 730 Vine St. 323-939-6815 starofindiala.com

Mon. to Fri. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m, 5 to 10:30 p.m.; Sat. noon to 10:30 p.m.; Sun. noon to 10 p.m.

SYCAMORE KITCHEN 143 S. La Brea Ave. 323-957-4682 thesycamorekitchen.com

Mon. to Fri. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sat., Sun. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. TAMALES VERCRUZ Y MAS

5200 Melrose Ave. 323-645-7362

tamalesveracruzymas.com

Daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

TATSU RAMEN 7111 Melrose Ave. 323-879-9332

tatsuramen.com

Sun. to Thu. 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Fri., Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. TAYLOR’S STEAKHOUSE

3361 W. Eighth St. 213-382-8449

taylorssteakhouse.com Tue. to Sun. 4 to 10 p.m.

TEHRANRO GRILL 414 S. Western Ave. 213-529-4111 tehranro.com

Tue. to Sun. 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. TERE’S MEXICAN GRILL 5870 Melrose Ave. 323-468-9345 teresmexicangrill.com Mon. to Sat. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. TERRONI 7605 Beverly Blvd. 323-954-0300 terroni.com

Mon. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4 to 11 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4 to 10 p.m.

TSURI SUSHI 7015 Melrose Ave. 323-935-1517 tsurionmelrose.com

Mon. to Thu. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 5:30 to 11 p.m.; Sat. 4 to 11 p.m.; Sun. 4 to 10 p.m.

WIRTSHAUS

345 N. La Brea Ave. 323-931-9291 wirtshausla.com

Mon. to Wed. 4 to 10:30 p.m.; Thu. 4 to 11 p.m.; Fri., Sat. 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

YUKO KITCHEN

5484 Wilshire Blvd. 323-933-4020 yukokitchen.com

Mon. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

DINING GUIDE

Vegan dish warms the holiday menu

By Barbara Sueko McGuire

I have yet to meet a cruciferous vegetable I don’t like, and for the most part, I’m happy roasting them with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. I’m certainly saucy, but not when it comes to food—I don’t need ketchup or ranch (and let’s not even talk about mayonnaise) to make things yummy. That being said, my current and possibly all-time favorite roasted veggie recipe is a vegan twist on Caesar dressing poured over roasted Brussels sprouts.

It’s a “don’t judge a book by its cover” type recipe, with a wow factor and flavor profile that stands in delightful contrast to its humble appearance. It tastes like it took hours, but I can attest it’s totally manageable—even with a kiddo asking you to take breaks to play Old Maid. I eyeball most of the measurements apart from the cumin and tahini, but here’s the nitty-gritty:

Ingredients

About 2 pounds Brussels sprouts (I mean, who’s really weighing their veggies?)

Heat oven to 425°F. Toss Brussels sprouts, cumin, garlic, red pepper, salt, pepper, and enough olive oil to coat everything nicely.

Roast for around 12 to 24 minutes, until sprouts are fork-tender and browned. (If using an air fryer, times vary, but about 15 minutes does it—shake the basket a couple times while cooking.)

Canadian Thanksgiving calls for banana bread

By Adrien Grey

Our family recipe is a true Canadian classic. It’s a crowd pleaser that’s easy to make and almost always shows up around the holidays (Canadian Thanksgiving comes early).

Trim the bottoms and halve or quarter depending on size—the smaller the better so the sauce can get into all the nooks and crannies. We get ours from David’s Farm, at the Larchmont Farmers’ Market on Sundays.

Olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper

3 Tbsp. lemon juice (approx. 1 large lemon)

2 Tbsp. tahini

Garlic—follow your heart’s desire, I use an absurd amount cause, hello, flavor!

¼ cup grated Parmesan

Thai Consulate hosts rooftop ‘Speakeasy’

By Mara Fisher

While that’s cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, tahini, and Parmesan with 2 Tbs. each of water and olive oil.

When the Brussels are done, transfer to a serving bowl and pour the dressing on top, giving the mixture a few good stirs to make sure every sprout gets covered. Finish with a few grinds of pepper.

It’s light, and not too sweet which makes it fair game for breakfast. Any family member can be convinced to have a slice with their morning coffee.

Ingredients

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cups mashed bananas

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ cup chocolate chips

In a bowl beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, add vanilla and mashed bananas.

Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to banana mixture alternating with sour cream.

A crowd washed in lilac, emulating ube—a uniquely Filipino purple yam—gathered at Suá, 144 N. Larchmont Blvd., to celebrate the launch of a new drink flavor by the brand Narra—a vanilla flavored oat milk latte in a can with a hint of ube. The event kicked off Filipino American Heritage Month.

A warm September evening set the stage for Speakeasy @ 611, hosted by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles. Attendees made their way to the rooftop of the consulate at 611 N. Larchmont Blvd. Backdropped by sweeping sunset views of the Hollywood Hills, Consul-General Tor Saralamba welcomed guests as they sipped on signature Thai craft cocktails and enjoyed bites including lemongrass noodles, Crying Tiger beef, and Thai iced tea pudding. A live band and a raffle provided entertainment for the night, along with a game of trivia that tested players’ knowledge of both Thailand and Southern California. Lucky winners were awarded a grab bag of prizes, including gift cards to local Thai eateries.

Spoon ½ the batter into greased baking pan (13 by 9 inch). Combine cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle half over the batter in the pan. Top with half the choco-

DINING GUIDE

Almond cake for breakfast, lunch, or dinner

By Erica Wilhite

Once you taste it, you’ll know why it’s a favorite.

Ingredients

4 ounces almond paste

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

Topping:

½ cup sliced almonds

1-2 Tbs. granulated sugar

optional toppings (to serve): powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh berries

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the pan.

Crumble almond paste into food processor bowl. Add granulated sugar and pulse until almond paste is finely ground. Add butter and process until smooth (it will turn into a ball—just keep processing until it smooths out).

MOIST AND DELICATE, this

cake with a cup of tea welcomes visitors into your home.

Add eggs and almond extract and process until combined, occasionally stopping the processor and scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Sprinkle in flour, baking powder, and salt, and process until blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles. Top the cake batter with sliced almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (I like to add half the almonds, sprinkle over half the sugar, then repeat with remaining almonds and sugar).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack. Cool for 30 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and place the cake back on the rack to cool. If a few almonds fall off the top you can just press them back on. If desired, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar or serve with the berry topping mentioned.

A favorite winter salad to mix in your holiday menu

By Oona Kanner

I love this salad next to the heavy foods of a Thankgiving meal.

Ingredients 1 cup pomegranate seeds

¾ cup red onion chopped 1 orange 1 cup Persian cucumber chopped finely ½ cup feta 1/3 cup walnuts chopped finely handful of Tuscan kale 1 bunch of mint vinaigrette

Assemble in your salad bowl the pomegranate seeds and finely chopped red onion.

Carefully peel the orange, and remove the exterior skins of the segments, then chop into bite size pieces. Add the Persian cucumber, and bite size pieces of walnuts all in the bowl.

Crumble the feta, adding to the mix.

The kale and mint need to be folded and cut (as to not bruise the leaves), or rolled and cut with kitchen scissors.

Choose a vinaigrette that suits the flavors of the rest of

the meal. I like a dressing with the ratio of 2/3 parts olive oil, 1/3 part apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon, 1 Tbs. honey, salt and pepper to taste, and shake well.

Maydan Market has many sumptuous food hall options

Forget everything you thought you knew about food halls. The new Maydan Market by Michelin-starred chef Rose Previte in West Adams, is a sumptuous feast for the senses. Like all food halls, there’s a selection of different food options, but that’s where the similarities end. Within the distressed brick walls of this city block-sized renovated former textile factory, Previte has gathered gourmet food options from other lauded chefs and restaurants: Yhing Yhang offers Thai barbeque from the folks behind Holy Basil; Lugya’h brings Oaxacan cooking from Poncho’s Tlayudas’ chefs; Malena’s coastal Afro-Mexican dishes are from the chefs behind Tamales Elena; and Club 104 has a rotating array of pop-ups. Pre-

by Helene Seifer

vite helms two food options at the Market, both originated in Washington, D.C.: Compass Rose Café and Bar, and Maydan, a Middle Eastern sit-down restaurant. There is also the Sook where spices and packaged foods are available to grab and go. What ties the disparate global cuisines together is live fire cooking— and the heart of the Market is the huge copper hearth all the eateries share.

When I first walked into Maydan Market, it was impossible not to smile. The space is cavernous with a soaring ceiling yet feels surprisingly intimate and warm. There’s a pleasant, energetic hubbub, and the wooden floors, hanging plants and multi-colored pendant lamps give the space a homey feel. A phone app provides ordering options from all the food places besides those Previte runs—Compass Rose is its own semiautonomous indoor-outdoor area, and Maydan is the more traditional restaurant, tucked into its own space, yet contiguous with the rest of the Market. We ate at Maydan.

Middle Eastern flavors touch even the cocktails at Maydan: za’atar and sumac, cumin liqueur and saffron are featured in martinis and highballs. My husband was happy with his labneh-washed mezcal cocktail and I enjoyed my red Lebanese wine.

Maydan has two food options: the “Tawle,” from the

Arabic word for “table,” is a prix fixe multi-plate menu for the whole table which includes spreads, various fire-grilled items, sauces, choice of one main course, unlimited freshly hearth-baked bread, and dessert. We opted for à la carte and loved everything we ordered.

I’ve eaten a fair amount of Middle Eastern food recently, but Maydan’s live-fire cooking brought out the soul in the dishes. We started with wonderful flat bread and muhammara, a roasted red pepper and walnut dip sweetened with pomegranate molasses. It was earthy, unctuous and satisfying. Baby eggplants with tahini and pickled golden raisins were perfectly roasted and loaded with flavor. My husband, who is not normally an eggplant fan, loved these. I almost always order sweet potatoes when I see them on a menu because they are leagues more interesting than most other starchy vegetables. Fire-cooking amplified their innate sweetness, urfa pepper and Aleppo pepper honey added some zing, and brown butter gilded the lily in a good way.

For our main we shared a chicken shish taouk, a meaty, well-seasoned kebab. Grilled with garlic, the Middle Eastern spice fenugreek, which

tastes like a nutty, mild maple syrup, and basted with pomegranate molasses, the generous portion of chicken was moist and flavorful.

We shared a coconut date cake for dessert—how could we resist? And it was perfectly sweet and moist—not cloying or gooey. Next time we’ll add an after-dinner amaro or indulge in an arak, a powerful grape-based drink usually served half-and-half with water, which clouds the liquid and cuts the alcohol. It’s said to facilitate conversation. Judging from the number of tables around us with lingering couples chatting away while munching on crumbs, it must work.

Maydan Restaurant (in Maydan Market), 4301 W. Jefferson Blvd., maydanmarket. com.

Big plans for Big Sunday: wellness sessions, expanding space

By Helene Seifer

The Big Sunday campus was buzzing on a recent Wednesday morning. The nonprofit organization, whose motto is “We connect people through helping,” moved a scant yearand-a-half ago into a large, airy facility with welcome outdoor space in Hollywood. On this day the front courtyard was stacked with boxes filled with donated books ready for delivery to schools, shelters, and other organizations that requested them. In the activity room, Founder and Executive Director David Levinson checked in with staff members and volunteers who sorted and packed the books before they were carted outside. The fruits of the largest book drive in Big Sunday’s history.

Nearly every day is busy at Big Sunday headquarters.

Big Sunday was established by Levinson in 1999 as Mitzvah Day, a once-a-year charitable endeavor under the auspices of Temple Israel of Hollywood (TIOH). “Mitzvah” in Hebrew means commandment, the “dos” and “don’ts” of behavior, but

DAVID LEVINSON, founder and executive director of Big Sunday.

doing good deeds is its common translation. By the time it was incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3) in 2008, the name had changed to Big Sunday to reflect its growing inclusivity and broadened reach as a year-round ongoing concern, helping those in need in Los Angeles and beyond.

Accessible Wednesdays

This—and every Wednesday—is Accessible Wednesday. Those with special needs volunteer to help others and gain the satisfaction of accomplishing something worthwhile. As Levinson believes, “Whoev-

L.A. fire victims, even accepting the donations other sites turned down. Levinson stated, “As of March 2024, Big Sunday helped in nearly 400 towns from Huntsville, Ala. to Adelaide, Australia.”

er you are, whatever you do, there’s always someone who needs your help.”

There’s Sun Days on Tuesday, when volunteers glue tiny tiles onto large wooden cutout suns designed by local artist Cathy Weiss. The finished mosaics are in demand as cheerful wall décor. A few are sold to help fund the program, but most go to homeless shelters, schools, food banks, and other nonprofits that requested them. Kindness and compassion are hallmarks of what Big Sunday aims to deliver, both for those receiving help and those giving it. Large volunteer events might start with a free breakfast or end with a dance party. Their newest weekly program, Wellness Mondays, is a gift for vol-

unteers and the general community alike. From 10 a.m. to noon by reservation a variety of healing activities are offered. It could be a presentation on nutrition or ways to combat insomnia, or participants might experience a meditative sound bath or relax with goat yoga. Levinson said, “If there was ever a time we could use a little chilling out and a little comfort, it is now.”

Big Sunday helped the Los Angeles Tennis Club collect aid for a hospital in Ukraine in honor of one of their tennis instructors who is from the Eastern European country. It served a meal in New York City, helped a children’s theater in Nashville, Tenn., and organized volunteers in Shanghai to make gifts for patients in the local hospital. It was a collection site for the

Think Tank Big Sunday continues to grow. Its new corporate Think Tank Program is hired by businesses to develop their volunteer endeavors. Levinson also plans to add a fully functioning kitchen and an extra building on the property so they can accomplish even more.

Big Sunday’s next large volunteer opportunity is their 14th annual Thanksgiving Stuffing event, also known as the Festival of Gratitude. The day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. to noon, an expected 2,500 people from all over the city, will descend on Radford Studio Center in Studio City to stuff 4,500 boxes with food to feed 18,000 people at more than 125 nonprofits and schools. Individuals can also help by sponsoring a bag of food for $35; individual event sponsorships start at $500. Corporations are invited to join the likes of Albertsons, Disney, CBS, and Miramax with a corporate sponsorship of $1,000 or more. The morning will start with a big thank you breakfast.

“These are divided and divisive times,” noted Levinson. “Here we celebrate our differences and find common ground.”

For more information about Big Sunday volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, or to sign up for Wellness Mondays, go to bigsunday.org.

Big Sunday is at 1741 N. Cherokee Ave., bigsunday. org.

Reptiles, dogs, coconuts, and lions inspire faraway islands

On July 5, 1946, French automotive engineer Louis Réard debuted his first clothing design at Piscine Molitor, a public pool in Paris. Made with just four triangles of fabric, the skimpy navel- and bum-baring ensemble scandalized the French capital’s professional models, so he enlisted Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer from the Casino de Paris, to show off the merchandise. In a wry nod to the headlines he correctly presumed this premiere would generate, he designed his new garment in a newspaper-print

Word Café by Mara Fisher

material. And, perhaps for the same reason, he named it “le bikini” after the nuclear tests conducted by the U.S. off the Bikini Atoll, which had taken the world by storm just four days earlier.

The atoll, a ring-shaped chain of 23 islands in the Northwestern Pacific’s Marshall Islands, originates from Marshallese name “Pikinni,” or “coconut place,” from “pik,” meaning “surface,” and

PLOTKE Plumbing Inc.

“ni,” the word for “coconut tree.” When the reef became incorporated in German New Guinea in the late 19th century, its Indigenous name was transliterated to “Bikini.” The term now graces the splashy swimwear style, and not least, the underwater city of Bikini Bottom, the setting of the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, which is fabled to reside on the ocean floor beneath the real-life atoll.

About 2,500 miles east, across the Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands were at one point referred to as the “Sandwich

LIBRARIES

FAIRFAX

161 S. Gardner St. 323-936-6191

JOHN C. FREMONT

6121 Melrose Ave. 323-962-3521

MEMORIAL

4625 W. Olympic Blvd. 323-938-2732

WILSHIRE

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HOURS

Mon. and Wed., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tue. and Thu., noon to 8 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The library will be closed Tue., Nov. 11 for Veterans Day.

Islands,” dubbed by English explorer Captain James Cook in 1778 in honor of his sponsor, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. (The handheld lunchtime staple was also named for the earl, due to his love for snacking on meat wedged between slices of bread.) By the middle of the 18th century, the “Sandwich” appellation had fallen out of favor in the Western world, and instead reverted back

to its Indigenous name, Hawaii, named for Hawaiʻiloa, a mythical fisherman and navigator said to have discovered the Big Island. The folktale tells that Hawaiʻiloa bequeathed two smaller islands in the volcanic chain to his sons. The closest one to the Big Island went to his eldest, Maui, with a smaller one deeded to his younger son, Kauaʻi. The younger son was

ACROSS

1. Period for new relationships, in slang

5. Festive side dish, or what one’s doing to themselves on Thanksgiving

8. _____ sauce

10. Something to jump into 12. Hidden gem

14. Alliterative dessert with 15 down

17. There’s floats in it

19. Tool for making 10 across 20. Common tuber variety

DOWN

1. Horn of plenty

2. It’s on after dinner

3. Skies this time of year, en France

4. “Can I take you out for a coffee?”

6. It’s got a snood

7. There’s boats full of it

9. Annual November event 11. _____ weather

13. Fall apple beverage 15. 14 across 16. Candied ______ 18. What’s falling back in the U.S.A.?

ANSWERS: Please turn to page 15. Answers will also be on our online edition in early November.

Word Cafe

(Continued from Page 14) considered Hawai‘iloa’s favorite, and, as the story goes, he was carried on his father’s shoulders, hence the possible translation of “Kau-’a’i” to “place around the neck.”

Continue another 6,500 miles east to Barbados. This easternmost Caribbean island was originally called “Ichirouganaim” in the Indigenous Arawakan language, possibly translating to “red land

“...We refreshed ourselves with many allagartas and greate turtoises, being very ugly and fearefull beasts to behold, but were made good meate to eate...”

with white teeth,” in reference to the imagery of waves breaking on the reefs of its southern and eastern coasts.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to encounter the island, referring to it as “os barbados,” or “the bearded ones,” from the Latin “barba,” meaning “beard” (also the root of “barber”). Most theories point to the name being assigned for the long, cascading aerial roots of the bearded fig tree native to the island.

Sail 100 miles northwest

and you’ll land on the island of Martinique. While its current name is thought to be a corruption of an Indigenous word meaning “island of flowers” or “island of women,” its original designation, “Jouanacaëra,” arrives from the Indigenous Kalinago language, translating to “island of iguanas,” after one of its resident reptiles.

Across the Caribbean Sea, just south of Cuba, the three islands known as the Caymans were gator country when English explorer Sir Frances Drake landed there in 1586. A journal entry by one of Drake’s officers recounts that on April 20 of that year, Drake’s fleet “...fell with two islands called Caimanes, where we refreshed ourselves with many allagartas and greate turtoises, being very ugly and fearefull beasts to behold, but were made good meate to eate...” The “allagartas,” which, according to naturalists, most likely refers to the Cuban crocodile, are now extinct in the Cayman Islands, surely due in part to gourmands like Drake and his crew. Nevertheless, these reptiles left their mark, as the name of the island originates from the word for “crocodile” in the Indigenous Arawak-Taíno language.

On the sandy shores of

the Galápagos Islands to the southwest, the giant Galápagos tortoise reins supreme. The island was named for the the world’s largest terrestrial cold-blooded animal—its title arriving from the Spanish “galápago,” a word used for several species of turtles.

In the Spanish autonomous community of the Canary Islands, located off the west coast of Northern Africa, a widely circulated theory attributes its title not to the bird of the same name, but to the Latin word “canis,” meaning “dog.” While most linguists have refuted this line of reasoning—instead tracing its name to the Canarii tribe in Morocco—Pliny the Elder

noted the islands’ “vast multitudes of dogs of very large size” in his 77 A.D. “Naturalis historia.” Man’s best friend is canonized in the coat of arms of the archipelago, which depicts a central shield supported by two dogs on their hind legs.

Supporting the shield on the coat of arms of the island city-state of Singapore is a ferocious lion, a symbol of power and protection in Hinduism and Buddhism. The king of the jungle is further immortalized in the name of the country, from the Sanskrit “Siṃhapura,” or “lion city,” combining “siṃha,” meaning “lion,” and “pura,” translating to “city” or “fortress.”

Up before the sun? Grab grub on the Blvd.

Are you an early riser? Enjoy the groggy start of the day on Larchmont Boulevard with some coffee and bagels.

Grab a sandwich at Noah’s Bagels starting at 5 a.m. daily. Need some serious caffeine? Mornings at Peet’s begin at 4:30 a.m. on weekdays and 5:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and Starbucks opens at 4:30 a.m. daily.

An island state of mind Further away from the equator, there’s now a slight chill in the air that signifies winter in L.A. But for those of us who feel as though summer left too soon, crank up the heat, throw on your most outrageous swimwear, cue up “Kokomo,” by the Beach Boys, and get on island time to spite the seasonal bustle. CROSSWORD