Restaurant Review #152: Rosalind's, Little Ethiopia

Rosalind's interior

Rosalind's is unquestionably my favorite restaurant in Little Ethiopia, the stretch of Fairfax between Olympic and Pico that's home to around ten Ethiopian restaurants (along with a couple of wedding cake stores, furniture stores, and a grungy 7-Eleven). Though I have a compulsive need to try new restaurants, I go back to Rosalind's over and over.

The $12 vegetarian

Farms, Farming, and Farmers' Markets

Gorgeous heirloom tomatoes from the Santa Monica Farmers' MarketThis year marks the 25th anniversary of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, and to celebrate, the beautiful new Santa Monica Public Library is hosting a three part discussion series called Farms, Farming, and Farmers' Markets.This week's discussion addressed the question, "what is the future of California's small farms and how can

San Francisco Restaurant Reviews

Burma SuperStarRainbow Salad at Burma SuperStarHaving never eaten Burmese food before, I was determined to brave Burma SuperStar's long lines for a taste of an unfamiliar cuisine. Despite its popularity, my friends and I agreed that the food was underwhelming. We expected a cuisine influenced by its Chinese, Thai, and Indian neighbors to be flavorful and spicy. Though nothing was bad, it wasn't

Restaurant Review #151: Senor Fred, Sherman Oaks

Cheese enchilada plate

Should you be afraid to eat Mexican food at a Zagat-rated place named Senor Fred? It depends on what you're looking for. In some ways, Senor Fred exceeds expectations: the margaritas are strong, the chips are thick, the salsa is spicy, and the atmosphere is a pleasant departure from the usual cheesy Mexican theme.

On the other hand, with the more upscale setting, the

Restaurant Review #150: El Taco Llama, Van Nuys

Al pastor (foreground) and asada (background)

I haven't eaten a taco in eight years. I'm not kidding. On the plus side, the last taco I ate was actually in Mexico. I was skeptical of that taco--I didn't eat much meat back then, so the idea of eating meat that was roasting out in the open didn't seem very appetizing or very sanitary. And the taco was so covered in onions and cilantro that I

Restaurant Review #149: Tender Greens, Culver City

Grilled flatiron steak sandwich

Tender Greens takes the fast-casual concept to a new level. Fast casual is a concept embodied by restaurants like Panera Bread that are a step above fast food in terms of quality, but still get you full for under $10. But Panera has its shortcomings--it has a chainy feel (no matter how hard it tries not to), terrible elevator jazz music, and it gets its food