Jonathan Gold on Union; B-Rod on Tipple & Brine

When was the last time Jonathan Gold reviewed a restaurant in Pasadena (the last time was Racion in 2012)? This week he hits Bruce Kalman's diminutive Cali-Italian, Union, where he lauds the pastas and pickles:

So when you get past the salads of roasted figs with ricotta, and of beets with buratta and of peaches with radicchio, there is the spaghetti alla chitarra — arranged into a tight cylinder, topped with a roasted hot chile, ready for its Instagram close-up but still very much spaghetti in tomato sauce, firm yet supple, and nearly as charismatic as its $24 equivalent at Scarpetta in Beverly Hills.

The garganelli, floppy deconstructed penne dyed black with squid ink, are served with lobster meat, lemon zest and a random jolt of black truffle. Tagliatelle is sauced with long-braised pork, gelatinous bits from the head joining stringier shoulder.

Besha Rodell at LA Weekly finds a few things to like and awards two stars to Sherman Oaks' newish Tipple & Brine, a seafood and cocktail spot in a part of town that's just begging for more great concepts:

Stylish but rugged, the place might be the swank/rustic galley of a yuppie pirate ship...Williams has a way of taking overplayed dishes and making them vibrant again. It's a smart move, allowing customers the comfort of familiarity along with the thrill of newness. I've had just about as many bowls of roasted, oily Brussels sprouts in recent months as a girl can handle, but Williams' version was so bold and puckery, with sweet chili vinegar, peanuts and mint, that I'd happily eat it again and again. [LAW]

The Elsewhere: FoodGPS likes the lollipop kale with fried pig ears at ink, Darin Dines tries Bachi Burger in Vegas, Eating LA thinks Trencher was promising, Brigham Yen enjoys Beelman's Pub, and LA Weekly tries Yoma Myanmar in SGV.
· All Week in Reviews Coverage [~ELA~]