Items by Gastronomer

• The Yard - Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 3
  “Always fun to see which chefs actually show up at SaMo Farmers’ Market! Animal, La Cachette, Melisse, and The Yard were first in line,” tweeted @DanCoxPR early Wednesday morning. With plans to attend a media dinner at The Yard later that evening, I was stoked to hear that Chef Chris [...]
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  Posted: December 18, 2009, 10:08pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Porto’s Bakery - Los Angeles (Glendale)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Strolling around Porto’s Bakery on a bustling Saturday afternoon, it’s hard to imagine that the shop began over 35 years ago as a home-based business in Cuba. Since its humble beginnings, Porto’s Bakery has garnered a devoted following, outgrowing several locations and eventually settling into a 20,000 square foot building [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2009, 3:29am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Good Girl Dinette - Los Angeles (Highland Park)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  As a Vietnamese gal who grew up eating her grandmother’s cooking, knows her way around the Vietnamese kitchen, and even called the motherland home for a year, I could easily dismiss Vietnamese fusion efforts as watered-down versions of the real deal, but truth be told, I’m a big fan. My [...]
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  Posted: December 14, 2009, 11:53pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  My wonderful friend Esme (why yes, she was named after a J.D. Salinger character) threw her annual holiday party this weekend, and I volunteered to bring dessert. The Martha Stewart Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting that I brought last year were a big hit, so I wanted to follow [...]
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  Posted: December 12, 2009, 8:15pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Canelé - Los Angeles (Atwater Village)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Whereas the majority of the restaurant write ups featured on this site are based on one lone visit, with Canelé, I decided to shake things up a bit. Inspired by professional restaurant reviewers across the land and one of my favorite Los Angeles-based food blogs, Exile Kiss, I decided to [...]
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  Posted: December 11, 2009, 3:34pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Sam Woo Barbecue Shop - Monterey Park

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Not last night but the night before, a group of friends and I dined at Newport Tan Cang Seafood Restaurant, a fancy pants Chinese banquet hall in the city of San Gabriel. Aware of Newport’s reputation for stellar seafood preparations, our party of twelve indulged in a prix fixe menu [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Eat My Blog: Doing Good Never Tasted So Delicious

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  I am thrilled to report that the first ever Eat My Blog charity bake sale was a tremendous success! The event was scheduled from 10 AM to 4 PM, but due to the wonderful turnout, we were largely sold out by 1 PM. When all was said and done, the [...]
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  Posted: December 06, 2009, 10:38pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Ludo Bites at Royal/T - Los Angeles (Culver City)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  He’s baaaack! And dare I say, even better than before. After a three-month hiatus, Chef Ludo Lefebvre has returned with the third installment of Ludo Bites, his highly-anticipated guerrilla-style pop-up restaurant. [Read about the second installment here.] This time around, Chef Ludo has teamed up with Culver City’s Royal/T—the city’s [...]
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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 6:50pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Zeke’s Smokehouse - Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  I swung by Zeke’s Smokehouse in West Hollywood last week to scope out the space for this Saturday’s Eat My Blog charity bake sale. I was planning on staying only a short while to take care of logistics and details, but the wondrous smells of slow roasting meats lured me [...]
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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Rio Brazil Cafe - Los Angeles (Palms)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Every food lover should have a friend like Bill Esparza. There are many reasons to adore the author of Street Gourmet LA, but it’s his intense passion for sharing hidden food finds and his tremendous knowledge of Latin cuisines that I find endlessly appealing. Were it not for Bill’s generous [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Marked5 - Los Angeles

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 7
  With our bellies stuffed UN-style with Peruvian-Japanese, Chinese-Mexican, and straight-up Indian street food, The Astronomer and I probably should have thrown in the towel and called it a night. However, dwelling on the East Side, we had no idea when another opportunity would arise for us to come face-to-face with [...]
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  Posted: November 28, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• America’s Test Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Due to unavoidable circumstances (ahem, The Man), my cousin Danny will be unable to join our family in San Diego for Thanksgiving dinner. In an effort to put a little smile on his face as he works this holiday, I baked him a batch of chocolate chip cookies, one of [...]
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  Posted: November 26, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Eat My Blog: Sweet Menu, Sweeter Cause

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 9
  The Eat My Blog charity bake sale will be taking over the patio of Zeke’s Smokehouse in West Hollywood on Saturday, December 5th from 10 AM to 4 PM. All proceeds from this tasty event will be donated to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. Here’s a sampling of the awesome sweets [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Don Chow Tacos - Los Angeles

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  After filling up on Japanese-Peruvian fare at Lomo Arigato and digging into Indian street food at India Jones Chow Truck, The Astronomer and I dashed over to Don Chow Tacos for a taste of Chinese-Mexican fusion. Dominic Lau and Lawrence Lie launched Don Chow earlier this year following the tremendous success [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• India Jones Chow Truck - Los Angeles

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 7
  Since I’m only able to satisfy my curiosity and appetite for gourmet meals-on-wheels once a month at Art Walk, I must make a conscious effort not to go overboard at any one truck. After finishing off the lomo saltado at Lomo Arigato, The Astronomer and I sought out Indian street [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Lomo Arigato - Los Angeles

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  I love the Los Angeles mobile food scene. Sure, the food can be hit or miss and the lines can be alarming, but I’m a sucker for entrepreneurial ventures, especially of the edible variety. The only beef I have with the  movement is its extreme bias toward The Westside of [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 3:44pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• XT Patisserie

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  XT Patiserrie’s eye-poppingly beautiful chocolates and macarons first caught my eye back in October at the Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon. I was casually roasting some marshmallows at the Plush Puffs booth when I glanced over to my right and spied the most gorgeous array of sweets. I was instantly [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Mario’s De La Mesa - San Diego (La Mesa)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  If it’s wrong to take one’s current flame to an eatery that was introduced by an ex, then I just don’t want to be right. I believe that good food is meant to be shared under all circumstances, even somewhat awkward ones. Plus, they don’t call it the past for [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 6:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Chinese Kitchen/Chi Tu Thanh Nha Hang - San Diego

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  If your family is anything like mine, then you’ve probably been dining in the same handful of restaurants for several decades. For as long as I can remember, Pho Hoa has been our go-to joint for Vietnamese beef noodle soup, Minh Ky has been our standby Chinese noodle spot, Lee’s [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 2:16pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Cooking with Coolio: Strawberry Hills Banana Muffins Forever

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  After reading Eat Me Daily’s Fall 2009 Cookbook preview, I felt compelled to Tweet my excitement. “Magazines may be dead, but thank goodness cookbooks are alive and well. Fall line up looks tasty. I want Momo & Ad Hoc.” My first 140 character statement was immediately followed by, “I want [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 4:32pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Mo-Chica - Los Angeles

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 9
  Mo-Chica is a temple of contemporary Peruvian cuisine housed in the Mercado La Paloma, a former warehouse converted into a vibrant marketplace and community center.  Of the 100+ restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of dining in during my first year living in Los Angeles, it’s Mo-Chica that surprised and impressed [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 3:54pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q - Birmingham

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 8
  Before departing home to Los Angeles, The Astronomer and I once again consulted the Barbecue Bible for noteworthy lunch options. “Miss Myra’s does many things well, but it’s the mayonnaise and vinegar-based white sauce that keep people talking,” touted the guide. The idea of a white barbecue sauce definitely piqued [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 3:26am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Edgar’s Old Style Bakery - Birmingham

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 8
  Lately, I’ve been spoiling my appetite by consuming rich desserts moments before sitting down to dinner. I don’t mean to disrupt the natural order of things, it’s just that bakeries tend to close up early, and keeping my hands off freshly purchased sweets is nearly impossible. Gluttony and lack of [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 1:20am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Outstanding in the Field - San Francisco

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Over two hundred food bloggers descended upon San Francisco this past weekend for the first ever Foodbuzz Blogger Festival. For two days straight, The Astronomer and I ate, drank, and socialized our little hearts out along with featured publishers from across the globe. Aside from the wonderful bloggers that we [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 11:54pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Old Fashioned Cornbread

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  The first time I ate cornbread down South, I was convinced that someone in the kitchen hadn’t performed their job properly. The texture was coarse and crumbly, while the taste was plain and bland. Up until that point in my life, I had only consumed sweetened Yankee cornbread and was [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 5:00am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Highlands Bar & Grill - Birmingham

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 8
  Whenever I tell someone that I’m visiting Birmingham, I’m usually on the receiving end of a sympathetic smile and a less than enthusiastic, “Well, have fun down there.” Alabama’s bad reputation among liberal-leaning city dwellers is quite unfortunate because culinarily speaking, the state’s got it going on. In addition to [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 3:38am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Eat My Blog: A Charity Bake Sale

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 8
  Angelenos with a penchant for gourmet sweets are invited to attend the first ever “Eat My Blog” bake sale on Saturday, December 5th from 10 AM to 4 PM at Zeke’s Smokehouse in West Hollywood. “Eat My Blog” will feature over 800 baked goods, including classic whoopie pies, pumpkin swirl brownies, [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 12:13am EST
  by Gastronomer

• Full Moon Bar-B-Que - Birmingham

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 8
  The Astronomer and I officially declared this past September Family Appreciation Month. Following a fantastic week in New York City with my brother, we jetted off to Birmingham to spend some quality time with The Astronomer’s family. With cooler temps, minimal humidity, and juicy muscadines in bloom, fall is the [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 11:41pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Hite Kwang-Jang - Los Angeles (Koreatown)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Ever since my first taste of Korean fried chicken (yangnyeom dak) a year ago at KyoChon, I’ve been seeking out these snappy-skinned specimens whenever I’m in the vicinity of Koreatown. While chicken normally doesn’t excite me, the Korean treatment—double frying and potent marinades—seems to bring out the very best in [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 1:16pm EST
  by Gastronomer

• Maple Bacon Biscuits

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Is it just me or has bacon’s popularity gone viral over the past few years? Fat-streaked slices of cured pork have always been a morning mainstay, but these days, bacon has expanded well beyond the breakfast table. I’ve encountered bacon-kissed lip balms, bacon desserts, bacon-infused vodka, and even bacon lingerie! [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 4:13pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Don Dae Gam - Los Angeles (Koreatown)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  The evening following the blogger feast at Gyenari in Culver City, The Astronomer and I met up with Miss Eat.Sip.Chew and Misters SinoSoul and Infinite Fress in Koreatown for one of the most interesting Korean barbecue experiences of my eating career. Instead of the usual spread of sweetly marinaded galbi [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Gyenari - Los Angeles (Culver City)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Without cable in my home, I was sadly unable to catch the latest season of The Next Food Network Star. But thanks to the hilarious re-caps featured on B-Side’s blog, I didn’t miss a beat. From the get go, I had my money on Ms. Debbie Lee because her culinary [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Xie Xie - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  New York City is currently experiencing an exciting banh mi renaissance. Chefs of Vietnamese decent, as well as those who are inspired by Vietnam’s culinary traditions, are taking the humble banh mi and giving it a shiny makeover. In place of the usual mix of cold cuts and head cheeses [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Baked - Brooklyn

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 5
  I’ve been a huge fan of Baked ever since I picked up their cookbook [Baked: New Frontiers in Baking] last year while perusing the clearance rack at Urban Outfitters. I usually don’t purchase cookbooks on a whim, and certainly not at Urban Outfitters, but the good vibes emanating from the [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Big Gay Ice Cream Truck - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 9
  What brings a small, straight gal to the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck? Curiosity, a love of frozen treats, and an immense appreciation for bold statements. Launched by Doug Quint this past June, the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck takes soft serve to places Mr. Softee wouldn’t dream of. There [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2009, 3:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Ippudo - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Ippudo, the first American outpost of a Japanese chain of more than fifty restaurants, is arguably the best ramenya in all of New York City. The noodles here are so delicious that Manhattanites, a self-selected group of extremely busy and rarely patient people, wait around for over an hour to [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 4:01pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Sugar Sweet Sunshine - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Being so vocal about my adoration of cupcakes has resulted in a slew of cupcakery recommendations from coast to coast. Next month while I’m in The Bay, I’ll be making my way to Kara’s Cupcakes thanks to a tip from my cousin Megan. And whenever I find myself in the [...]
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  Posted: October 21, 2009, 7:31pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Roasted Beets

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Ever since tasting my first beet at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco during the summer of 2005, I’ve ordered them time and again whenever they appeared on a restaurant’s menu. Beets are so naturally sweet and appealing that most places prepare them very simply, with rich crumbles of goat cheese [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Tony Luke’s - Philadelphia

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  After living away from Philadelphia for two long years, pulling into Center City on board the Chinatown bus felt kind of magical. The weather was blustery and the skies were gray, but all that didn’t matter. I was in my old stomping grounds and it felt beyond good to be [...]
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  Posted: October 19, 2009, 8:47pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Rush Street - Los Angeles (Culver City)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Brunch is a meal that I often claim to love, but when it comes to actually getting out to experience it, staying up late the night before and lazing the day away always seems to win out. Not to mention that the brunching options in my neighborhood are mediocre at [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 9:21pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Border Grill - Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  In a city where food bloggers are spoiled with meals out on the town nearly every night of the week, it’s rare that I attend an event so seriously kick ass that I wake up the following day with a goofy grin permanently planted across my face. The morning after, [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 7:32pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Momofuku Milk Bar - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  On my long list of culinary loves, kooky sweets ranks somewhere near the top. While most would flinch at the notion of pairing black olives with beer or rosemary with apricots when it comes to desserts, I gravitate toward these unusual combinations whenever they are presented. Momofuku Milk Bar, the lone [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon: Top 10 Tastes

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Hundreds of choco-fiends gathered at the Pasadena Conference Center this past Sunday for the third annual Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon. I attended the festivities with a press pass in hand and my gal pal Laurie by my side. We arrived an hour after the gates were unlocked and sampled [...]
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  Posted: October 11, 2009, 11:20pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Chả Giò - Vietnamese Egg Rolls

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Whereas the bulk of Vietnamese dishes are more or less standardized, it seems that every Vietnamese family has their own unique recipe for chả giò (Vietnamese egg rolls). What’s interesting to note is that even within the same family, siblings can develop vastly different recipes. While living in Vietnam, I [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2009, 10:41pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Minca Ramen Factory - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 7
  I know this sounds absurd, but flying to New York to eat ramen in the East Village seems almost more convenient than braving L.A. traffic to slurp noodles in the South Bay. My logic is admittedly flawed, but there’s no denying my intense disdain for driving and congestion. Plus, my [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2009, 4:25pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Corton - New York City

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  My brother has averaged a visit a month to Corton since its doors opened last October. With endless dining options at his fingertips, my brother insists on returning here time and again because the food is phenomenal, the menu is constantly evolving, and the value is superb. Plus, being a [...]
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  Posted: October 06, 2009, 7:08pm EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Discarded Dog

  —gas•tron•o•my

  [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2009, 11:55am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Rosemary Apricot Bars

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with a suitable gift for my brother and his girlfriend to thank them for allowing The Astronomer and me to crash at their Lower East Side apartment. Cookbooks and restaurant certificates are usually my go-to [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Syrup Desserts - Los Angeles (Downtown)

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 10
  Remember that little statement I made in my Squid Ink profile about being the type of eater who waited for good reviews to roll in before slapping down my credit card to try a new restaurant? Well, there should have been an asterisk next to it. Positive buzz or not, [...]
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  Posted: September 08, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  by Gastronomer

• Polkatots - Pasadena

  —gas•tron•o•my

  Number of comments: 7
  Whereas most cupcakeries are located in hip neighborhoods with heavy foot traffic, Polkatots is tucked away in a deserted mini-mall across the way from a botánica. In spite of its unlikely location, Polkatots has found an audience and a great deal of success. Most notably, the cupcakery won two first-place [...]
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  Posted: September 06, 2009, 2:21pm EDT
  by Gastronomer