New York Times’ Critic Smiles Wide at the Queso-Fueled Food of Amacita

Lots to love

The New York Times critic Tejal Rao took to Culver City this week to shine some light on Amacita, Josef Centeno’s casual Tex-Mex paradise. Rao loves Centeno’s honor of the cuisine’s “most persistent clichés,” including a happy hour with lots of queso, shredded iceberg lettuce, and of course guacamole. From a constantly-rotating seasonal menu to a surprising grilled hamachi collar, Amacita really is doing great work right now.

A new look

Mister Parker’s restaurant inside the Parker Palm Springs has a whole new look and perspective. The sit-down dinner spot now does a three-course $75 tasting menu experience loaded with more luxury ingredients and an artistic flair, in what should be one of the more interesting new dining experiences for Palm Springs.

Helping hands

Orange County’s Irenia restaurant is popping up at Lasa in Chinatown on Thursday night, showcasing a number of the Santa Ana restaurant’s favorite Filipino dishes. Reservations and walk-ins are welcome.

Usable information

The Los Angeles Beat has a handy list out of the oldest surviving Mexican restaurants across Southern California, from Tito’s Tacos and El Coyote to Mitla Cafe and beyond.

Gone for good

Longtime Eagle Rock restaurant the Capri has closed for good. The decades-old Italian restaurant garnered a bit of local fame a few years back after appearing on an episode of the Gordon Ramsay show Kitchen Nightmares, says the Eastsider.

What a world

A hard seltzer festival is coming to Los Angeles soon, because of course. The November 16 event goes down in two afternoon/evening sessions at City Market South, with tickets running around $50 to start.

Coffee, coffee, everywhere

Go Get Em Tiger is continuing to expand at a massive rate. The LA Times, in a new story all about the background of the company (and its delicious burger served at the Row), says that GGET will open at the Cinerama Dome at ArcLight in Hollywood soon, and there’s a “coming soon” notification for the coffee company at a ninth outlet in Culver City, too.

Toddrickallen