Jonathan Gold’s Cocktail party to Benefit Zócalo

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino
Zócalo‘s Gregory Rodriguez: Founder/Executive Director/Executive Editor, Swati Pandey: Managing Editor, Laura Villalpando: Media & Field Producer, Dulce Vasquez: Program Director with Zócalo supporter/award-winning author/bon vivant Jonathan Gold

      

Zócalo Public Square is a Los Angeles-based idea-wrangler. Their popular lectures and panels often focus on politics, food, and the politics of food. But it would be unfair to pigeon-hole them, as their mission is about offering a forum for the entire spectrum, bringing together disparate fields and giving a voice to the unheard since 2003.        

Zócalo also offers screenings, conferences, and produces a web-based magazine. Focusing on community, they They reach out to “…a new, young, and diverse generation…Zócalo Public Square connects people to ideas and to each other in an open, accessible, non-partisan and broad-minded spirit.”      

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The Elusive Midnight Buffet

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

I grew up hearing my parents’ stories about cruises they had taken with fabulous midnight all-you-can-eat shrimp buffets. Their descriptions bordered on the Bacchanalian. As I prepared for my most recent cruise, people commented, “Lucky you! You get the midnight all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet!”

I retorted, “I don’t believe there is such a thing as a midnight all-you-can eat shrimp buffet! It’s an urban legend. I have been on TWO cruises and there was no midnight buffet in sight.”

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I love it when we’re cruisin’ together

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

So…by now you are probably all wondering how the food was on the ship. There was a choice between a buffet and a sit-down dinner. There was also a little burger stand out by the pool. I didn’t make it to the two restaurants where you pay to dine. The buffet was the usual thing, not always my favorite. But they did have some wonderful international food, including a spectacular Indonesian chicken curry.

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The Pig Hands of Puerto Vallarta

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

I had an afternoon to myself to wander the streets of Puerto Vallarta. Why would they ban corgies? Those dogs never hurt anybody, and have no political leanings of which I am aware.

I asked the taxi drivers where they go to eat and they all said they only eat at home. Finally I said I wanted to go somewhere where a grandmother was cooking and they understood. I was delivered with haste to the door of Cenaduria Dona Raquel.

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One Bitchin’ Boat

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

I recently went on a cruise to Mexico. The ship was gorgeous. Upon first embarking, we were greeting by huge glass sculptures reminiscent of Chihuly.

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Blogger Prom 2010 at Yamashiro

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

Faithful readers may be wondering where Kiki Maraschino has been lately. Just the usual really, living a life of glamour and intrigue. Last night we attended the Blogger Prom soiree at Yamashiro above the glittering lights of Hollywood. Yamashiro, set on the hill above The Magic Castle is so glam The L Word used it for Jenny’s movie premiere, and we all know what a diva she was.

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Cacao: Are You Game?

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

With beloved eateries like Casa Bianca Pizzaria and Oinkster, Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock is quickly becoming “home to all things delicious.” One restaurant at East LA Meets Napa had served wild boar tacos — and I missed it. So it was like instant karma when I met a friend for lunch at CaCao in Eagle Rock. What was that on the menu? Wild boar! This was the place. Colorado Boulevard scores again.

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Chicken in a Can

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

We eat chicken in a can, just like tuna, but for some reason I found this can really disturbing. ONE WHOLE chicken. Do you open it up and pull out a whole chicken? If it said entire chicken it would have a different meaning. This implies you get beak, feet and all. Well, except for the giblets.

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Oreo Pancakes!!!

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino
Burbank is rife with coffee shops, yet somehow good food manages to elude them. At least Frank’s makes real milkshakes from real ice cream, but I’m still pissed off that the attached motel tore down the zigzag Googie roof. And don’t even get me started on the Coral Cafe and Lancers, where the customers all look like Ralph Steadman drawings.
Then Bea Bea’s opened this year to save our mornings. There is no other place to hit for breakfast brunch, or even lunch anymore. Sure, we still go to Porto’s for takeout, but for a delicious and comfortable sit-down breakfast, Bea Bea’s has stolen our hearts away.
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Spam Spam Spam Spam

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

Tired of your Spam not falling into into lovely, even slices like you see in the ads? Sick of the hassle of pushing around that rusty old Spam knife? Well, have we got an answer for you! Worry no more! Call now to take advantage of this one-time offer!!!

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Cake Divas Sugar Coats Rachel Rosenthal’s Birthday

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

At performance art legend Rachel Rosenthal’s birthday, Cake Divas set up a sugar-coated wonderland of candy and miniature goodies.

The red velvet mini-cupcakes were popular, but the teensy eclairs and chocolate petit-fours were swoon-worthy.

The cake was so perfect at first we thought it was a decoration. It was vegan for animal-lover Rachel.

Candy apples brought a lot of whimsy to the event

No one could keep their fingers out of the goodies
Pink champagne
Sexy cupcakes
Random chef
The birthday girl
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John and Elise’s Wedding

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino
A giant old Craftsman in Echo Park made a beautiful setting for John and Elise’s wedding reception. Her dress was simple and elegant, the weather was beautiful and fun won out over stuffiness.
Inside the dining hall, the linens were gorgeous and reminiscent of New Orleans ironwork, as was the entertainment later in the evening.

A simple salad of mixed greens and edible flowers was topped with deep-fried goat cheese.

Then I stopped photographing food because it was a buffet, which never turns out pretty and I was having too much fun!

The March 4th Marching Band rocked the party

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Chef Marilyn’s Soul Food Express

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

It’s easy to find Chef Marilyn’s Soul Food. Just head south off the 10 at Crenshaw and look for the line that stretches out the door from 10:30am to 9pm. It’s easy to be tempted away by the smoke from Phillips Bar-B-Que, but Chef Marilyn’s has a line for a reason. Advertising “99-cents and up”, the tiny cafeteria-style eatery sells food a la carte (or a la Chinese buffet). The prices range from 99 cents for dishes like lima beans, neck bones and links to $8 for oxtails. There is also a location on Pico.

The menu rotates, with check marks on the chalkboard next to items in that day’s hot buffet. Know what you want and don’t dawdle. Service is friendly, but there are 15 people behind you. You pay the cashier at the end, just like at a cafeteria. The next thing you know, the line moves you right on out the door. This is a place to pick up your plate and go home, or enjoy it on the hood of your car. Remember, there is no shame in eating on your bumper.

Chef Marilyn was brought up in Louisiana on creole and Cajun food. It especially shows in her cornmeal-crusted catfish, perhaps their best dish. With main dishes, you can’t go wrong with anything smothered or fried. Some people go crazy for the meatloaf, but I haven’t tried it myself. I always order the catfish; it’s so good I could eat myself to death like a goldfish and float up to the top of the fishbowl.

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Pizza Fries!!!!

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

Unbeknownst to many Angelenos, the East coast has been holding out on us. Philly, Jersey and New York all enjoy the wonder of Pizza Fries. Why didn’t we think of it? It seems so obvious now. I have hunted for Pizza Fries here in LA to no avail. Philly’s Best just poured Cheese Wiz on the fries, which made me very sad.

South Street on Victory in Burbank (the Westwood location is now closed, though they are sold at Dodger Stadium) doesn’t have Pizza Fries on the menu, but they do have a “top your own fries” option and are willing to go off the list and give you whatever you want. Finally, Pizza Fries are mine!

Local entertainment moguls Mitchell Goldman and Robert “Smitty” Smith used to commiserate over the lack of decent cheesesteaks in LA. They finally decided to stop complaining and open up South Street, which is admittedly authentic. Besides Philly steaks, pizza, and hoagies, they also sell “Water Ice”, a kind of Italian ice slushee, and Tastycakes.

The Amoroso rolls are flash-frozen in Philly and finished in South Street’s oven. They come out soft and a little chewy, just like in Philadelphia. They use rib-eye and chop the meat, two more of my criteria.

The only place they veer off the standard is that they use a blend of white American and Provolone. A strict Wiz vs. Provolone is the usual policy (Wiz is offered for an additional buck). But you can’t really taste the difference in the Provolone mix with the meat, onions and peppers fist-pumping in your mouth.

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My Top Five from LA Food Fest

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Kiki Maraschino

Better late than never…

1. Ta Bom’s croquettes coxinha, filled with chicken and cream cheese

2. Jalisco’s shrimp tacos, a crowd and judge favorite – deep-fried and flavorful. it’s the only thing that made me eat two

3. Crepe’n Around’s short rib crepes

4. The eternal favorite, the grilled cheese truck’s short rib and mac n cheese sandwich
5. Last but not least, the amazing roti with beef randang, which I haven’t had outside of Toronto

6. OK, I had to add one especially for newcomer Rosa’s arancini

Oh, and Manila Machine’s pork belly adobo, and Gastrobus’ fruit salad..and…and
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