The husband and wife team behind Piccolo Ritrovo find strength in family and food By Jessica Koslow It’s easy to forget, as you bite into a delicious piece of pizza margherita or a tasty bite of gnocchi al pesto, that every restaurant has a story. Many are tales of triumph, starring real people powered by […]

5 kids meal hacks to make breakfast, lunch and dinner a breeze at Runway Story by Gabrielle D’Addario | Photo by Maria Martin With restaurants like Hal’s, Hopdoddy and ROC at Runway, there’s always something healthy and delicious to eat. But what about our tiny picky eaters who won’t go near a soup dumpling? We […]

Stacy’s Cookie Lounge is taking edible artwork to a whole new level By Jessica Koslow Imagine walking through the doors of Stacy’s Cookie Lounge at happy hour. There are drinks being poured (lots of tea) and cookies all around: Super Snickerdoodle, El Gringo Picante and gluten-free chocolate chip, just to name a few. You melt […]

The smoky, sexy and sophisticated tequila alternative is finally getting its moment By Andy Vasoyan For those above a certain age, the word “tequila” can provoke a powerful emotional response. Some react with strong negatives born from unpleasant memories, others a manic grin and a willingness to call in sick the next day. Like the […]

Hash is Playa Vista’s version of a friendly neighborhood diner, and word is spreading fast By Jessica Koslow Hash. It’s a breezy word, with a few different meanings. Merriam-Webster lists it as “chopped meat mixed with potatoes and browned.” Or, “a confused muddle.” Apparently, it’s also Irish slang, used to refer to mixing things up […]

Mootral holds a climate-smart beef tasting at the Playa Jefferson campus By Shanee Edwards Who doesn’t love a juicy, tender filet mignon grilled medium-rare? Or a Double-Double animal style from In-N-Out? Well, vegetarians to start. And environmentalists. According to a 2013 report from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, animals raised for consumption are […]

Big Mango Café sends a message that tasty food can be healthy and fast By Jessica Koslow Without many words, Jonathan Weiss communicates volumes through his cooking. He’s in the kitchen every day at 2:30 a.m., preparing 1,000 catered meals for the surrounding business community. He greets and often hugs his customers at Big Mango […]

Tocaya Organica upgrades the Hercules Campus dining scene with healthy and stylish Mexican food By Shanee Edwards “We’re saving the world one taco at a time,” says Tosh Berman, co-owner of the entirely organic Mexican fast-casual restaurant Tocaya Organica. A rapidly growing franchise, Tocaya Organica celebrated its Playa Vista opening on July 7 with a […]

The line was out the door on Friday, July 7, when Blue Bottle Coffee brewed up free specialty coffee for locals at The Brickyard. The occasion wasn’t just to celebrate its new Playa Vista location, but also to raise money for Safe Place for Youth. All sales of Blue Bottle Pastries that day went to […]