Here’s the Problem With Calling Food Cheap, Instead of Inexpensive

How cheap is cheap

There’s no longer any way to avoid knowing what goes in your food, or the process behind it. Today’s modern consumer is well-versed in the nuance of GMOs, organic produce, farmers markets, humanely raised animals, commodity farming, climate change, and the growing costs of labor and healthcare — all of which, in one way or another, affects what ends up on the plate.

All of the above lead Diep Tran of Good Girl Dinette to pen a piece for NPR on the true cost of “cheap eats,” from the food to the workers on down. It’s a scathing look at the honest cost of American entrepreneurship and ingenuity in the restaurant industry, and speaks volumes about immigration issues along the way. Go give it a read.

Behold the budino

Saveur tackles the sweet topic of dessert with a dissertation on perhaps LA’s most iconic dinnertime finisher: the budino. From Angelini Osteria to the famed iteration at Mozza, this chocolate, butterscotch, and slightly salted pudding option is just about everywhere.

Another craft beer option in Glendale

Don’t look now, but even more craft beer is coming to Glendale. This time it’s Monrovia’s Pacific Plate Brewing, opening a small taproom and patio space on Brand Boulevard. If all goes well, the place should be operational by the end of the month.

Facebook

Say hello to the Chicken Factory

There’s a new hot chicken operator in town, this time down by USC. Called the Chicken Factory, the standalone spot along Figueroa Street does regular and hot styles, plus fried chicken sandwiches, wings, and more. 3844 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles.

One Newport Beach icon relocates

Longtime lunch option Il Barone is relocating in Newport Beach, giving up their MacArthur Square address and moving nearby to an already-bustling strip mall. OC Register talks to the owners about the move and the new location, which came about after the landlord of their long-running location decided to opt for redevelopment.

Galco’s gets it right

Have you taken the time to stop by Galco’s lately? The Eastside soda pop and throwback candy shop lands in the pages of the Daily Mail, complete with a video showing off the wares of the place, from cucumber sodas to the DIY machine in the back.

The best part of the whole thing, though, is John Nese. As the affable owner of Galco’s, he’s a walking encyclopedia of rare, outdated, and hard-to-source sodas and candies — including plenty of bottles you likely won’t be able to find anywhere else, period. Add to that his endless smile, and Nese is a hard man not to love, particularly for his peculiar obsession that has a found a familiar home right in the heart of Los Angeles.

Salt & Straw for West Hollywood

There’s a new Salt & Straw ice cream shop coming to West Hollywood, officially opening Friday at 8949 Santa Monica Boulevard. The space features a similar vibe to their other locations across the city, and adds to the larger ice cream renaissance currently gripping Los Angeles.

Wonho Frank Lee