NYC’s James Beard Foundation Launches LA Dinner Series With Local Focus

James Beard comes to town

Though the James Beard Foundation seems to have a love-hate relationship with the booming Los Angeles restaurant scene, there’s no denying the New York City-based organization does like coming to town to throw parties. Case in point: the JBF team is starting a partnership with Feastly to have great local chefs cook one-night dinners for fans as a sort of early, localized ramp-up to the annual awards gala. The first is a $100 Downtown dinner with 2015 Rising Star Chef winner Jessica Largey that will also promote her upcoming restaurant Simone, with a follow-up event on November 6 with Josef Centeno. After that, the JBF moves the show to Feastly facilities up in San Francisco.

Big ups for Beeps

Van Nuys diner Beeps gets some love from the Los Angeles Daily News, who praise the place for its throwback appeal. The restaurant opened in 1956 and feels very much of that era still, making it “a true classic” for not just the Valley, but all of Los Angeles.

Good living at The Garland

North Hollywood hotel The Garland (and it’s attached restaurant The Front Yard) is doing a big day of burgers and martinis next week. The $19 package is to celebrate the life of the late actress Beverly Garland, as the pairing of hamburgers and martinis was apparently her favorite. Expect film screenings and shopping more on for the Tuesday event as well.

Bibibop on the move

The forgotten ShopHouse in Santa Monica has new life thanks to Bibibop, the casual Asian bowl concept that agreed to purchase all of the defunct restaurant chain’s locations last year. As Toddrickallen notes the vibe is still rather similar both in aesthetic and menu choices, though.

Zhoug’s moment

As The LA Times explores, the simple Middle Eastern sauce zhoug is “having a moment” in restaurants all over the city. Thanks to the proliferation of modern Israeli and pan-Middle Eastern restaurants from Downtown’s Exchange to Mh Zh to Jessica Koslow’s upcoming Tel, the garlicky, herb-heavy, spicy sauce is seemingly here to make a name for itself.

A Daily Bruin diss

Apparently UCLA newspaper The Daily Bruin is none too impressed with Sawtelle staple Nong La Cafe. The restaurant is certainly Instagram-friendly, writer Andrew Warner posits, but it doesn’t actually deliver on quality food like all those photos would have you believe. Of course the restaurant must be doing something right, considering they expanded over to La Brea back in 2015.

Forage for brunch

Co-chefs Ria Barbosa and Mel Canlas have officially launched brunch at Forage in Silver Lake. The pair started cooking up a ton of great stuff for the longtime Silver Lake eatery last week, from fried chicken sandwiches on down. The opening brunch menu is below.