Trattoria Neapolis: The south of Italy on South Lake in Pasadena
A so-called destination restaurant is an unfamiliar concept to those of us living in the culinary districts of Los Angeles. The thought of vehicular travel to some distant locale for dinner is a foreign notion, something reserved for chain restaurant-dining suburbanites. But the fact of the matter is that we all journey to other parts of town to v...
Tri-Valley Cuisine Scene: Danville's Lotsa Pasta serves up Italian fare, homestyle charm
By Beth Jensen A meal at downtown Danville's Lotsa Pasta is less like dinner out than a home-cooked meal at a good friend's house, and that's the way owner Tom Lembo likes it. "I used to have big dinners put on at my house," recalled Lembo. "Then we opened this small little place .... Sometimes when I'm down here it's like people are coming t...
Eating the Italian Way
by Lianna Nakashima Most people go to Italian food for their carbohydrate-heavy dishes like pasta, pizza and paninis. However, many do not know the true tastes of authentic Italian cuisine from the Americanized versions they are so often exposed to. While some restaurants strive to emulate the iconic tastes of the boot-shaped coun...
Italy Named Partner Country of Winter Fancy Food Show
The Specialty Food Association is pleased to announce that Italy has signed on as the partner country for the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Under the banner "The Extraordinary Italian Taste," food companies from nearly all regions of Italy will present the best in pasta, cheese, olive oil, salumi and more to buyers from top names in...
The Godmother of Pinot Noir
by Ray Isle Helen Bacigalupi has overseen one of Sonoma's defining vineyards for 50 years. Here, she talks to F&W's Ray Isle about the old days of prune farms and dollar-a-gallon zin, and her family's thrilling new winemaking project. What was the Russian River like back in 1956, when you and your husband first moved here?Everything was prune...
Jason Neroni Swaps Lobster Rolls For Eggplant Parm in Marina del Rey
by Lesley Balla Short-lived but not necessarily unliked, chef Jason Neroni and the Sprout restaurant group have closed Catch & Release, his West Coast take on an East Coast seafood "shack" in Marina del Rey. But they're not done with that space yet. Doing what he does best—pizzas, handmade pastas and other rustic Italian-Ameri...
Italian specialties are a culinary delight at Mama Terano Cafe in Palos Verdes Estates
By Merrill Shindler If you've followed chef Robert Bell over the years — and who in the South Bay hasn't? — you know him as a visionary chef who moved the beach cities from the land of surf 'n' turf and the chili size to a culinary destination with a string of iconic restaurants. The most iconic of which is Chez Melange. The Chez abides,...
Il Fornaio Announces New Restaurant Opening in Santa Clara, CA
Il Fornaio, the celebrated Italian restaurant company with locations throughout the US, is shaking things up a bit as it unveils its 23rd restaurant at Santa Clara Square this fall. With a rustic design and a more casual vibe, the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and will feature classic Il Fornaio favorites as well as some mor...
Bulgarini: the traditional Italian art of gelato making
It seems such a long time since when we tasted a real Italian gelato. Or perhaps we just miss it too much, as only ten days passed from the "L'Italo-Americano" Ferragosto party at Casa Barbera. One of the sponsors of that delightful event was Bulgarini Gelato, and almost all guests queued - in some cases even more than once - to get a scoop of it....
World Class Southern Italian Cooking is Right Here in the Bay
DISCLAIMER: If you have an empty belly, it may be downright dangerous to read this delicious post!I had the distinct pleasure recently of partaking an ambrosial feast prepared by the inestimable Rosetta Costantino, who lives in the Bay and specializes in Calabrian cooking of Southern Italy. In this vein of Italian cooking you will find bol...
Con Italcheck le eccellenze alimentari italiane alla conquista degli USA
Italcheck, la start-up nata in Italia (a Torino) nel 2014 che permette ad aziende e consumatori di tracciare la filiera del Made in Italy e di certificare i prodotti realmente realizzati in Italia, sarà protagonista, insieme ad Agroqualità e alle aziende italiane certificate, di un tour americano lungo la West Coast. L'obiettivo è fare conoscere e...
The Gossiping Gourmet: After three months, Filomena's feels like family
By Terry MarkowitzFinding Filomena's Italian Kitchen was like finding an old friend. This neighborhood restaurant in Costa Mesa brought back memories of the small, family-owned Italian places in New York's Little Italy. The cozy, welcoming atmosphere, the warm, friendly staff and the classic Italian food all added up to a very pleasant eve...