The San Fernando Valley is one of the largest regions in L.A. County. So naturally, it deserves an epic dining guide to breakfast. If you have a morning meet-up in the Valley, the age-old question is “where should we meet”? Well, look no further. From classic diners to modern eateries, here are 46 restaurants serving the most important meal of the day!

Read More →

Ventura Boulevard from Studio City to Woodland Hills runs about 13 miles—and in that space sits hundreds of restaurants—among them mom n’ pops, a plethora of ethnic cuisines, casual and fast food chains, gastropubs, and finer dining restaurants. The rundown here is by no means exhaustive, but rather a hit list of some of the best, and historically significant, on the boulevard for any dining occasion.

Read More →

Middle Eastern cuisine has recently expanded from "mom and pops" and into James Beard Award-winning mainstream restaurants. Hummus and pita were the first crossovers to appear on menus at large chains; kabobs and falafels are becoming as familiar as spaghetti and meatballs; and a popular Middle Eastern breakfast dish, shakshuka - eggs baked in a spicy tomato/pepper sauce - now appears on menus alongside pancakes and French toast.

Spices such as sumac, za’atar, dukkah and harissa are now listed in menus. Other notable ingredients include freekah, an ancient whole-wheat grain poised to be the new quinoa; labneh (yogurt cheese) is featured as a topping, creamy mix-in, or dessert base; and pomegranates are used for its seeds and molasses.

Middle Eastern restaurants have been part of the Los Angeles dining scene for decades. Some of the best eateries in L.A. are located in mini malls and owned by families from Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Armenia, Morocco, Greece, Iran and other countries in the eastern Mediterranean. Meet the chefs and learn about the restaurants at the forefront of the new wave of modern Middle Eastern cuisine in Los Angeles.

Read More →

Founded by Chef Pascal Dropsy in 1994, Corn Maiden serves and sells nearly 30 varieties of lard-free, handmade tamales with no preservatives at farmers markets across L.A. County—from Pacific Palisades to Pasadena. Traditional ingredients combine with the more exotic, such as smoked Gouda, wild mushrooms, spaghetti squash, and red port wine. Dessert tamales include one with Belgian chocolate, raspberries and caramelized walnuts. Tamales wrapped in cornhusks are available in two sizes, run $19 to $28.50 a dozen, and can be kept for six months in the freezer.

For a list of products and farmers market locations, visit cornmaidenfoods.com. Call Alex at 310-560-0949 to order tamales for pick up at your local market.

Read More →