According to a report from the National Restaurant Association, 42% of restaurants surveyed nationwide said they were not profitable last year.
With Americans watching their wallets, restaurants are feeling the pinch.
In its State of the Industry report for 2026, the main trade group for the nation’s restaurants and eateries is projecting sales will only grow moderately this year, rising 1.3%.
“It’s been a pretty challenging year for restaurants,” said Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Restaurant Association. “We’ve seen costs rise pretty significantly for food, for labor costs, just a whole host of costs across the board.”
According to the report, 42% of restaurants surveyed nationwide said they were not profitable last year.
“Here in the D.C. area, obviously, we’ve had a lot of uncertainty with DOGE and government shutdowns and a lot of other kind of headwinds that have really hit the sector hard,” Moutray said.
Consumers are also thinking twice about eating out, as they face higher prices.
“At the same time, affordability is a big issue right now, and you have a situation where a lot of consumers are pushing back against price increases and really struggling to make ends meet,” Moutray said.
He said Americans are searching for comfort foods right now, like smashed burgers and protein.
“I think in times of uncertainty, people gravitate to soups and stews and burgers and meatloaf. I know I love those things,” Moutray said.
And with the popularity of weight loss drugs, he said Americans are seeking out healthier food options and cleaner recipes, and restaurants are learning to adapt.
“I think you are certainly seeing some restaurants that are leaning into protein, maybe leaning into smaller portion sizes, or appetizers and things along those lines,” Moutray said.
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Phillip Frankland Lee and Neen Williams. Jake Ostrowski
Chef Phillip Frankland Lee moved from Los Angeles to Austin during the Covid-19 pandemic, but there was not a damn chance that he was abandoning California.
Lee, who grew up in Los Angeles, has continued to operate Sushi by Scratch Restaurants. The Montecito outpost earned a 2021 Michelin star, and Sushi by Scratch is also going strong at its locations in Encino and the SLS Beverly Hills. Lee keeps pushing harder at Encino’s Pasta | Bar, which has had a Michelin Star for five consecutive years and was featured in Apple TV’s Knife Edge series last year. (In 2025, Lee and his brother, Lennon, made history by becoming the first siblings to earn a Michelin star at different U.S. restaurants in the same year.)
And now he’s back in L.A. to remind his hometown that he’s also an ace at creating casual food. On Friday, Feb. 27, Lee and pro skateboarder Neen Williams will open NADC Burger’s first Los Angeles location in Westwood, near the UCLA campus.
NADC, which is short for Not a Damn Chance, is a wagyu burger spot that Lee and Williams already operate in Austin, New York, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Denver, Charlotte and Nashville. The menu is straightforward and habit-forming, with double wagyu cheeseburgers and beef tallow fries.
The menu is composed of double wagyu cheeseburgers and beef tallow fries. Jake Ostrowski
NADC has become a viral, celebrity-friendly sensation, with clientele including David Beckham and Zedd. Jelly Roll, who has declared that NADC’s burger is the best he’s ever had, loves it so much that he serves the burger at his Goodnight Nashville honky-tonk. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck recently popped by NADC in Austin and also headed next door to Lee’s new Shokunin sushi restaurant.
“I think what sets us apart at NADC is that I run it like I run the line at Pasta or Sushi,” Lee tells Observer. “I put as much attention into every spec when we’re building the burger.”
There’s American cheese, secret sauce (a ketchup and mayonnaise base enhanced with Tabasco and some “little secret notes to make it extra umami”), onions, a generous amount of pickles and “slightly tamed” jalapeños that are boiled before they’re pickled. The beef is American wagyu with Japanese genetics. And when each 3-ounce patty comes off the griddle, it goes onto a resting rack with a 90-second timer so that the juices settle and excess grease drips off. This is precision-focused cooking that grew out of Lee’s backyard hangs with Williams.
Lee applied the same principles from his other restaurants to making the burgers at NADC. Jake Ostrowski
Like Jelly Roll, Zedd and Joe Rogan (who collaborated with NADC on a limited-edition burger in Austin last year), Williams was a guest at the counter of Sushi by Scratch when he met Lee.
“I was already a fan of his because I grew up skateboarding,” Lee says. “He was solo, and I always talk to everybody. He’s like, ‘Yeah, I like to cook.’ I’m like, ‘OK, cute.’ And then he shows me a picture of his backyard where he has a 12-foot masonry hearth that he built himself. I’m like, ‘Oh, you really cook.’”
Lee and Williams started hanging out a lot, skateboarding together, getting their wives together and cooking together.
“We did whole pigs and a lot of steaks over the fire,” Lee says. “And one thing we were doing often was burgers.”
Lee had recently returned from Bangkok, where he had been working on a sushi restaurant and a burger spot that never opened due to the pandemic. So he was in the mood to make burgers, and he and Williams started giving away burgers at Austin skateparks and comedy shows. That led to a 2022 pop-up and then, in 2023, NADC’s first brick-and-mortar location.
Jelly Roll, a huge fan of the NADC burger, was a guest on Lee and Williams’ ‘Not A Damn Chance!’ podcast. YMH Studios
The success of NADC has spawned the Not A Damn Chance! podcast, with Lee and Williams talking to guests like Jelly Roll, Zedd, Bert Kreischer, Tom Segura, Mel Robbins, Aaron Franklin and poker pro Doug Polk. Lee is an avid poker player who’s done well in tournaments. And to use a gambling term, he’s been on some kind of rush, opening restaurant after restaurant.
Lee didn’t have any intention of moving to Austin when he went there in 2020 for a sushi pop-up. But after he saw that pop-up sell out with a 25,000-person waiting list, he kept it going month to month. After five months in Austin, Lee looked at his wife, pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee, and said, “I think we live in Austin now.”
Lee has built a new life in Texas, where he’s now working to create his most over-the-top project yet. He’s found four acres in Hill Country, about half an hour from Austin, where he plans to have a farm, inn and restaurant with aspirations at three-Michelin-star status and World’s 50 Best recognition.
“We will grow or harvest most of the menu and hunt the rest of the menu,” Lee says. “We’ll milk cows in the morning to get the cream to make butter. We’ll get dairy cows from a local farm and finish them on the grain of the local brewery and the mash of the local olive oil mill.”
Lee is nothing if not ambitious. In 2017, when he was 30 years old, he told me he wanted to have “100 world-class restaurants” by the time he was 50. The pandemic slowed him down a bit, but the L.A. location of NADC Burger puts him at 30 restaurants, and he still thinks he’ll hit his lofty goal.
“I’m the same age Thomas Keller was when he took over The French Laundry, and you could argue that was the beginning of his career,” Lee says. “I’m going to be 39 on March 9, so I’m still young. I think I’ll probably surpass 100 restaurants by the time I’m 50. But I don’t think I’m doing it for the same reasons that made me want to do it before.”
All the success he’s had has motivated him in a more meaningful way.
“I’ve now gotten the stars and the TV and the accolades and the personal freedom to feel like I’ve ‘done it,’” Lee says. “But I think I now get off on different things. It used to be more ego-driven. Now I look around and see someone who comes on as a prep cook, moves all the way into executive chef in our company, has a child and gets a fully paid paternity or maternity leave. They’re getting a 401(k). I have cooks and bartenders buying houses. The more I grow, the more we grow.”
NADC Burger, located at 1091 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024, will be open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
A half-century after its debut as a local alternative to fast-food chains, the Burger Box restaurants are still full of surprises.
The most stunning surprise is at the cash register. You get a large cheeseburger combo with crinkle fries or tots and a drink for about $10, fresh-made and cheaper than at Whataburger.
But the first surprise at the 48-year-old local hamburger chain is that it’s not like a chain at all. Each of the nine locations is different.
Some Box locations serve a full selection of 16 flavors of Blue Bell Ice Cream. Some don’t.
Some locations serve beer and a $4-$7 happy-hour menu weekday afternoons. Some don’t.
The cheeseburger with fresh vegetables, one of 10 burger varieties up to triple meat and cheese, served here with tater tots at the Burger Box in Richland Hills, Texas, as seen Feb. 6, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
Some locations offer soft-serve cones. Some don’t.
Some locations serve a spicy burger with grilled jalapeños and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce named the “Devil’s Burger,” or a 12-topping mushroom bacon cheeseburger with special sauce named the “12 Burger.” Some don’t.
Some locations serve fried burritos. Some don’t.
Some locations serve breakfast. Some don’t.
Some locations also offer turkey, black bean or veggie burgers. Some don’t.
See what I mean?
The Burger Box in Richland Hills, Texas, seen Feb. 6, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
From west Fort Worth to Euless, the Burger Box restaurants deliver an inexpensive alternative to national burger chains, with a variety of options at each location.
Burger Box has been an Arlington phenomenon since 1978, when founder Steve Box converted a former Dairy Queen on East Abram Street with the goal of starting a family restaurant chain.
Today, there are four locations across Northeast Tarrant County, plus two in south and west Fort Worth and single locations in Arlington, Kennedale and Pantego.
The Burger Box at 7700 Glenview Drive in Richland Hills has the best online reviews, and I see why.
The Burger Box location in Euless, Texas, serves beer and has happy hour food and drink specials, seen Feb. 6, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
It opens at 10 a.m. The giant grill menu offers more than 70 items, from the specialty burgers mentioned above to chili dogs, fried mushrooms, chicken sandwiches, cherry limeades and banana splits,
A simple cheeseburger ($4.89!) was carefully constructed with fresh vegetables and served on a gently toasted 5-inch bun with tater tots (choices include crinkle fries or curly fries).
It was like back when Dairy Queens were consistent. Except a Burger Box has more choices.
A Burger Box in Bedford at 1011 N. Industrial Blvd. offers Dos Equis drafts and weekday happy hour hot dog or chicken-basket specials along with burgers and ice cream.
The Burger Box location in Euless, Texas, has a full selection of Texas-based Blue Bell Ice Cream, seen Feb. 6, 2026. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com
The west Fort Worth location at 4466 Southwest Blvd. is one of several also offering turkey or black bean burgers. They’re lower in fat for the same low price with the same wide choice of toppings, and they come off the same well-seasoned grill.
In a tough gourmet burger market with Fred’s Texas Cafe, Fuego Burger, Tommy’s Burgers and JD’s all nearby, that Burger Box location holds its own by offering old-school value.
Every Burger Box is different because founder Steve Box brought in a partner and franchised other stores. The restaurants have changed hands and now seem only loosely connected, but all have the original bright orange color scheme and old=fashioned burger-and-soda-shop appeal.
The locations even have different websites. Try the Box near you, or the next one down the road.
Burger Box locations:
● 2501 S. Cooper St., Arlington.
● 1011 N. Industrial Blvd., Bedford.
● 1101 Raider Drive, Euless.
● 5609 Crowley Road, Fort Worth.
● 4466 Southwest Blvd., Fort Worth.
● 3996 Denton Highway, Haltom City.
● 201 Kennedale Parkway, Kennedale.
● 2520 W. Park Row Drive, Pantego.
● 7700 Glenview Drive, Richland Hills.
This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 4:21 AM.
Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the “Eats Beat” dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 — that’s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat. Support my work with a digital subscription
A man went to La Perla, a rooftop bar located at the Plaza Hotel in El Paso, Texas. Then the waitress treated him and his wife with hostility, which he concluded was racial profiling.
United States veteran Isaac Castillo (@steo619) and his wife first noticed that they were being treated differently when a waitress at the hotel ignored them repeatedly. They went to the hotel’s restaurant to celebrate their anniversary and his birthday, making it a special occasion for the couple. But, they ended up waiting 20-30 minutes just to get noticed by the staff there.
Castillo and his wife concluded that they may have been racially profiled, with Castillo telling his audience about the encounter in a video with over 70,000 views. While the hotel offered complimentary items to the couple, they refused to take them, instead opting to warn others about their experience.
A dinner gone wrong
Castillo and his wife chose to spend a night at the Plaza Hotel, a popular location in El Paso, Texas, because of its amenities and offerings. The rooftop bar, which is located on the 17th story of the hotel, offers views for miles in El Paso. So, they opted to go there and have some drinks to celebrate an anniversary and birthday at the same time.
But, when they got there, they noticed that they were the only Hispanic couple there. At first, Castillo didn’t think anything of it. Then, the waitress took over 20 minutes to serve their table.
“ I’m like, well, maybe she’s busy,” Castillo explained. “She just keeps passing us up and passing us up and passing us up. So I’m like, what the [expletive]? I walk [into] the bar myself and I’m like, ‘Hey, could I order a drink?’ And he goes, ‘No, you have to wait till the waitress [comes].’ And I say, ‘Well, the waitress isn’t coming towards us.’”
Castillo noticed that people on the left and right of him were getting served, but the waitress was still ignoring him and his wife. Eventually, Castillo was able to get the bartender to make a drink for him, but it was only after pressing him and telling him the waitress in that section of the hotel wasn’t being attentive.
The waitress drops by—and rudely places their menus on the table
It seemed like Castillo was able to get the server’s attention because he ordered a drink. When she finally dropped by his table, he said she rudely placed menus on the table for him and his wife.
Castillo’s wife noticed this and mentioned it to him. So, he went and talked to a host about the issue. The restaurant offered the couple one free drink for the difficulty, but Castillo refused the accommodation, ordering another drink without requesting any special treatment.
Castillo and his wife finished up at the table, but then they noticed another couple enjoying a coffee. Castillo’s wife is on a strict diet, which means that she’s not drinking alcohol at the moment. So, he figured he would order a coffee for her before they left the table.
But, when Castillo requested a coffee, the waitress let him know that they couldn’t give him one. It apparently wasn’t on the menu. Castillo and his wife thought this was incredibly strange, especially considering the fact that they could see other white guests drinking coffee directly next to them.
The encounter made them uncomfortable, so they decided to leave the hotel.
Leaving the hotel and overhearing something pointed
When Castillo and his wife got up to leave, they decided to take one small detour. They wanted a few pictures on the balcony to capture the night. That’s where they overheard something strange and pointed.
“ I looked through the window and they’re talking and the lady says, ‘Oh my God, did they leave yet? Did they leave?’ I’m like, ‘what the [expletive]’? … We didn’t do anything wrong. You know, the only thing we did wrong is be Mexican and be there,” Castillo said.
The couple reported the situation to the front desk staff the next morning. Castillo emphasized that he wasn’t trying to get anyone fired, but that he wanted the hotel to take accountability and act differently toward Hispanic couples who stay there in the future.
Castillo’s experience with racial profiling
Castillo concluded that the situation was racial profiling based on a number of factors. Earlier in his stay, he was approached by a white gentleman who asked him which way Mexico was at the time. According to Castillo, the gentleman and his guests were the ones who had ordered the coffee next to them in the restaurant. He didn’t think about it at the time, but the question, alongside their treatment by staff members there, had a racist undertone.
“ This dude was saying, where’s Mexico to, I guess for me to go to Mexico,” Castillo explained.
That, on top of recent ICE raids and treatment of Mexican Americans across the country, set the tone for Castillo and his wife. He mentioned that it wasn’t a Democrat or Republican issue. Instead, it was a human issue related to his skin color and the treatment he received.
Castillo ended his video by saying, “ You’re just Mexican to them and they’re gonna treat you differently. And it’s sad ’cause I never, I never had that situation before. But yeah, I just wanted to add that little part.”
Other commenters shared similar experiences with other El Paso hotels, venues, and restaurants, with the Plaza Hotel being a hotspot for similar incidents.
One viewer even had a remarkably similar experience to Castillo and his wife. She went to the Ambar, another bar and restaurant located inside the Plaza Hotel. But she was denied entry, even after her white husband got inside the lobby and sat down at the bar.
“The same thing happened to me at Ambar on Feb 8,” one woman claimed. “My husband and I agreed to meet at the bar of Ambar. He went to [the] car to drop off my purse. I walked up to the front to ask if I could be seated at the bar and they told me no, only hotel members are able to sit at the bar. Told me it would take [two] hours for me to even get a table and get my drinks out to me.”
The woman walked across the street to another one of the Plaza Hotel’s bars, Anson Eleven, and called her husband to let him know she couldn’t get into Ambar. Viewers shared that it might have been classism, not racism, that informed the hotel staff to ignore Castillo and his wife, with other commenters adding that they were ignored for over an hour while waiting for a table at the Plaza Hotel’s other restaurants. But, many others concluded that the hotel may ignore Hispanic guests frequently.
“I’ve never heard anything so embarrassing in all my [expletive] life that chefs are now getting organized with smaller tasting menus to support the weight-loss jab. I’ve never heard anything so stupid in all my life.”
Ramsay said dining out is meant to be “a celebration.”
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay recently said GLP-1-inspired restaurant menus are “stupid.”(Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images)
“It’s a reconnection. It’s a moment of no politics. It’s a moment of neutral ground, having fun, catching up and enjoying,” Ramsay added.
“To supplement those menus with tasting menus that are Mounjaro kitted out for small portions, I find it embarrassing.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association for comment.
Recent research suggests that when GLP-1 users go out to eat, they aren’t abandoning restaurants altogether — they’re ordering differently.
A January study from Chicago-based research company Circana found that GLP-1 users decreased the average number of items ordered per visit by just 1%, while favoring main dishes over sides.
Some restaurants and fast-food chains are catering to GLP-1 users with menus offering smaller portions.(iStock)
The research also showed growing demand for vegetables, fruit and nutrient-dense foods.
That’s prompted many restaurants and fast-food chains to adapt, offering smaller portions targeting the GLP-1 consumer.
Minnesota-based chef Andrew Zimmern told Fox News Digital last year that restaurants should be offering “more affordable menus with smaller portions of meat or animal protein as the centerpiece of the plate, so that more people can engage in restaurant culture.”
Ramsay also railed on some other recent restaurant trends, including smashed avocado.
“Foams … look like your cat’s puked up on it.”
“Do you have any idea how many ways you can make a delicious avocado?” Ramsay told Tasting Table.
“I had an avocado soup in Oaxaca a couple of months back, a beautiful chilled avocado soup with queso fresco and finished with a beautiful little pickled habanero, and it was exceptional. But if I still see this word ‘smashed avocado,’ honestly, it frustrates the hell out of me.”
Ramsay also revealed some of his other restaurant pet peeves.(Michael Yarish/WBTV via Getty Images)
With the snowpocalypse safely in our rearview mirror, it now seems that any temperatures hovering above freezing feel positively balmy. And just as more of us are venturing outside without fear of cheek frostbite, so it seems New York’s restaurant scene is emerging from hibernation as well. While the first month of the year welcomed only a few new additions to the city’s dining scene, in February, we had quite the challenge of narrowing down contenders for the buzziest openings.
Some, like Ambassadors Clubhouse, we’ve been tracking for the better part of a year (and we expect the frenzy for reservations to reflect that we weren’t alone in the sentiment). Others, like Confidant, are proven concepts that are simply moving to better digs, albeit with intriguing and tasty additions to the menu. And finally, there are more casual concepts, like Piadi La Piadineria, a behemoth in its native Italy, which opens its first U.S. location this month.
As to which one is right for your next meal out? Well, that’s one decision we can’t make for you, but we can assure you all of the options are delicious. Read on for the 11 best new restaurants to check out this February in New York City.
For Ramadan, the monthlong Muslim holiday of fasting which begins this year on Tuesday evening, Feb. 17, families and friends gather for festive dinners to break the fast.
Tahini, sesame seed paste, is a nutritional powerhouse that’s well suited for Ramadan dishes. Popular in Middle Eastern cooking, its flavor profile — nutty, slightly bitter and creamy —makes it versatile in the kitchen. Most tahini dishes are savory appetizers but tahini is also used in sweet specialties like halva. Thus it is useful for iftar, the sunset meal, and for suhoor, the pre-dawn meal eaten before the day’s fasting.
While meat is a traditional staple for iftar, appetizers are often plant-based. Made with vegetables and grains, their fiber promotes satiety, enabling people to eat less meat. Because tahini is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and protein, it provides an energy boost and helps people feel full for longer.
Basic tahini sauce, made of tahini paste mixed with lemon juice, garlic and water, is a luscious-textured sauce often served with grilled vegetables, salads, fish and falafel, and can replace cream in dressings and dips. Like natural peanut butter, tahini should be stirred before being used.
Tahini’s bitterness balances the intense sweetness of dates, the traditional Ramadan break-the-fast food; stuffing dates with tahini is a Ramadan treat. A popular breakfast spread is tahini mixed with date molasses; in Istanbul, some call such a spread “Turkish Nutella” or “liquid halva”.
Quinoa patties are served with chanterelles and topped with tahini sauce. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Quinoa Patties with Chanterelles and Tahini Sauce
Quinoa patties become an elegant dish when dressed up with tahini sauce and exotic mushrooms. You can substitute shiitakes or oyster mushrooms for the chanterelles.
Yield: 3 or 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Tahini sauce:
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons tahini paste, stirred before measuring
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
Salt to taste
Quinoa patties and chanterelles:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One 1.1-pound (500-gram) roll of cooked quinoa, cut in 6 to 8 slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound fresh chanterelles
1 garlic clove, minced
Red pepper flakes to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Tahini sauce: In a mini food processor blend garlic, tahini paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water and salt. Add more lemon juice or water to adjust consistency and taste.
2. Quinoa patties: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Season quinoa slices with salt and pepper; add to pan. Sear quinoa slices on both sides until golden brown. Remove from pan.
3. Chanterelles: Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook for 8 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, salt, pepper and pepper flakes and cook about 1 minute.
4. Serve quinoa patties with chanterelles and tahini sauce.
A platter of roasted vegetable is served with Pepper-Swirled Tahini. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Pepper-Swirled Tahini with Roasted Vegetables
Greek yogurt makes tahini creamier and a good counterpoint for the pepper sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Tahini yogurt sauce:
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons tahini paste, stirred before measuring
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Salt to taste
2 pounds vegetables, such as whole Anaheim or jalapeño peppers, medium-wide strips of sweet peppers, sliced Chinese eggplants, sliced zucchini, half slices sweet onions, halved cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
Salt, freshly ground pepper and Aleppo or other semi-hot red pepper to taste
1/2 cup thick salsa such as taqueria-style salsa
DIRECTIONS
1. Tahini yogurt sauce: In a mini food processor blend garlic, tahini paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water and salt. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in yogurt. Add more lemon juice or water to adjust consistency and taste.
2. Heat oven or air fryer toaster oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl toss vegetables with enough olive oil to moisten them. Sprinkle with salt, black and red pepper; toss to combine.
3. Spread vegetables on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or foil if desired). Roast for 10 minutes. Turn over; drizzle with more olive oil if needed. Roast for 10 to 15 more minutes or until tender. (They roast faster in an air fryer toaster oven or convection oven than in a standard oven.)
4. Put whole peppers in a bowl, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Peel when cool enough to handle. Remove caps; scrape out pepper seeds.
5. Arrange vegetables on a plate. Set a bowl of salsa in center of plate. Spoon tahini yogurt sauce onto salsa’s center. With a knife, swirl tahini sauce gently into salsa.
Red Pepper Baba Ghanoush is made with roasted Chinese eggplant, tahini sauce, roasted peppers and labneh. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Red Pepper Baba Ghanoush
Chinese eggplants roast quickly and are easy to turn into a creamy red pepper dip. Just add tahini sauce, roasted peppers from a jar, and labneh — strained yogurt that is almost as thick as cheese.
Yield: 3 or 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds Chinese eggplants
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons tahini paste (stirred before measuring)
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
2 fire-roasted peppers (from a jar)
2 to 4 tablespoons labneh (or Greek yogurt)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
2 teaspoons chopped Italian parsley (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat broiler or Roast function of air fryer toaster oven (convection oven). Prick each eggplant 3 or 4 times with a sharp knife.
2. Broil or roast eggplants, turning a few times, until very tender when pressed on neck end, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove eggplants; let stand until cool enough to handle.
3. Cut off eggplant caps. Halve eggplants lengthwise. Scoop out eggplant pulp. Chop pulp with a knife.
4. Make red pepper tahini sauce by blending minced garlic, tahini paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor. Add roasted peppers and blend until smooth.
5. Add labneh and pulse until blended. Add chopped eggplant pulp; pulse just until mixture is blended. Gradually add more water or lemon juice if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Spread on a serving plate or on bread. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with parsley.
Persimmon Cake is topped with a halva glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice as well as chopped pistachios. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Persimmon Cake with Halva Glaze
In this cake’s glaze a touch of tahini balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar. Use soft persimmons for the puree; slice firm persimmons for garnish.
Yield: 2 small cakes (32 small portions)
INGREDIENTS
Persimmon cake:
2 cups all purpose flour (260 grams)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces or 110 grams), room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (240 grams)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups persimmon puree (4 or 5 persimmons)
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup red walnuts, chopped
Persimmon halva glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons persimmon puree
2 teaspoons tahini paste (stirred before measuring), or to taste
Garnish:
About 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
Slices of small firm persimmons
DIRECTIONS
1. Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 7 1/2-inch square pans with foil. Butter foil.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
3. With a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth; add sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat until well blended. Add vanilla; beat until blended.
4. Add half of dry ingredient mixture to butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in persimmon puree, followed by remaining dry ingredient mixture. Stir until blended. Stir in dried cranberries and walnuts.
5. Spoon batter into pans. Smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
6. Cool cake in pans on racks for 10 minutes. Turn out onto cake racks. Let cool completely.
7. Glaze: Whisk half of powdered sugar with the lemon juice until blended. Whisk in remaining powdered sugar. Add persimmon puree and whisk until blended. Whisk in tahini.
8. Spread glaze in thin layer over cakes. Sprinkle with pistachios. Let stand several hours or refrigerate overnight until glaze sets.
9. Cut cake in pieces and put on a serving plate. Surround with persimmon slices.
This Mushroom Tahini Toast is inspired by a recipe in Dr. Michael Crupain’s latest book, “The Power Five: Essential Foods for Optimum Health.” (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Mushroom Tahini Toast
For this appetizer inspired by a recipe from Dr. Michael Crupain’s latest book, “The Power Five: Essential Foods for Optimum Health,” you spread toast with pure tahini paste, then top it with sauteed mushrooms.
Yield: 4 or 5 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound exotic mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster or maitake
1/2 teaspoon Turkish pepper flakes, Aleppo pepper or other pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tahini paste
4 or 5 slices whole wheat or sourdough bread, toasted and rubbed with a raw garlic clove
DIRECTIONS
1. Coarsely chop mushrooms; add to a bowl with pepper flakes and oil. Toss to coat mushrooms.
2. Cook mushrooms in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, shallot, thyme and salt. Sauté for 4 minutes or until shallot is soft. Stir in wine; cook until evaporated. If mixture is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
3. Spread tahini on toast. Spoon mushrooms over toast, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
Roasted Eggplant Salad with Tangerine Tahini balances sweet tangerine juice with lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and red pepper powder. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Roasted Eggplant Salad with Tangerine Tahini
Adding sweet tangerine juice to tahini sauce might seem surprising but tahini eggplant drizzled with silan (date syrup) is popular in Israeli restaurants. Our dish isn’t sweet. Tangerine zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and red pepper powder balance the flavor.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings
INGREDIENTS
Tangerine tahini sauce:
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons tangerine juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tahini, stirred before measuring
Pinch of salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon cold water (optional), more if needed
1/2 teaspoon grated tangerine zest, or more to taste
Roasted Eggplant and Salad:
1 Chinese eggplant (about 9-10 ounces), sliced diagonally 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper and hot red pepper powder to taste
5 romaine or other lettuce leaves, cut in bite size pieces
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tangerine, cut in rounds, then in half slices
Walnuts, preferably red (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. Tangerine tahini sauce: In a medium bowl mix garlic, lemon juice and tangerine juice. Stir in tahini paste. Keep stirring until sauce is smooth and thick but still pourable. Add more tangerine juice or water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to adjust consistency and taste. Stir in tangerine zest. (You will have extra sauce to enjoy for 2 days.)
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you like, line a roasting pan with foil. Set eggplant slices in pan. Brush them with about 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and black and red pepper. Turn them over; repeat brushing with olive oil and sprinkling seasonings. Roast for 17 to 25 minutes (or 15 minutes using the Roast function of an air fryer toaster oven), turning them once, or until tender to your taste.
3. Make a bed of chopped lettuce; drizzle with light dressing made by whisking 1 teaspoon olive oil with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Set eggplant slices on lettuce and spoon tangerine tahini sauce over them. Garnish with tangerine pieces and walnuts.
Faye Levy is the author of “Feast from the Mideast.”
For Ramadan, the monthlong Muslim holiday of fasting which begins this year on Tuesday evening, Feb. 17, families and friends gather for festive dinners to break the fast.
Tahini, sesame seed paste, is a nutritional powerhouse that’s well suited for Ramadan dishes. Popular in Middle Eastern cooking, its flavor profile — nutty, slightly bitter and creamy —makes it versatile in the kitchen. Most tahini dishes are savory appetizers but tahini is also used in sweet specialties like halva. Thus it is useful for iftar, the sunset meal, and for suhoor, the pre-dawn meal eaten before the day’s fasting.
While meat is a traditional staple for iftar, appetizers are often plant-based. Made with vegetables and grains, their fiber promotes satiety, enabling people to eat less meat. Because tahini is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and protein, it provides an energy boost and helps people feel full for longer.
Basic tahini sauce, made of tahini paste mixed with lemon juice, garlic and water, is a luscious-textured sauce often served with grilled vegetables, salads, fish and falafel, and can replace cream in dressings and dips. Like natural peanut butter, tahini should be stirred before being used.
Tahini’s bitterness balances the intense sweetness of dates, the traditional Ramadan break-the-fast food; stuffing dates with tahini is a Ramadan treat. A popular breakfast spread is tahini mixed with date molasses; in Istanbul, some call such a spread “Turkish Nutella” or “liquid halva”.
Quinoa patties are served with chanterelles and topped with tahini sauce. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Quinoa Patties with Chanterelles and Tahini Sauce
Quinoa patties become an elegant dish when dressed up with tahini sauce and exotic mushrooms. You can substitute shiitakes or oyster mushrooms for the chanterelles.
Yield: 3 or 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Tahini sauce:
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons tahini paste, stirred before measuring
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
Salt to taste
Quinoa patties and chanterelles:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One 1.1-pound (500-gram) roll of cooked quinoa, cut in 6 to 8 slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound fresh chanterelles
1 garlic clove, minced
Red pepper flakes to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Tahini sauce: In a mini food processor blend garlic, tahini paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water and salt. Add more lemon juice or water to adjust consistency and taste.
2. Quinoa patties: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Season quinoa slices with salt and pepper; add to pan. Sear quinoa slices on both sides until golden brown. Remove from pan.
3. Chanterelles: Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook for 8 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, salt, pepper and pepper flakes and cook about 1 minute.
4. Serve quinoa patties with chanterelles and tahini sauce.
A platter of roasted vegetable is served with Pepper-Swirled Tahini. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Pepper-Swirled Tahini with Roasted Vegetables
Greek yogurt makes tahini creamier and a good counterpoint for the pepper sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Tahini yogurt sauce:
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons tahini paste, stirred before measuring
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Salt to taste
2 pounds vegetables, such as whole Anaheim or jalapeño peppers, medium-wide strips of sweet peppers, sliced Chinese eggplants, sliced zucchini, half slices sweet onions, halved cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
Salt, freshly ground pepper and Aleppo or other semi-hot red pepper to taste
1/2 cup thick salsa such as taqueria-style salsa
DIRECTIONS
1. Tahini yogurt sauce: In a mini food processor blend garlic, tahini paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water and salt. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in yogurt. Add more lemon juice or water to adjust consistency and taste.
2. Heat oven or air fryer toaster oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl toss vegetables with enough olive oil to moisten them. Sprinkle with salt, black and red pepper; toss to combine.
3. Spread vegetables on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or foil if desired). Roast for 10 minutes. Turn over; drizzle with more olive oil if needed. Roast for 10 to 15 more minutes or until tender. (They roast faster in an air fryer toaster oven or convection oven than in a standard oven.)
4. Put whole peppers in a bowl, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Peel when cool enough to handle. Remove caps; scrape out pepper seeds.
5. Arrange vegetables on a plate. Set a bowl of salsa in center of plate. Spoon tahini yogurt sauce onto salsa’s center. With a knife, swirl tahini sauce gently into salsa.
Red Pepper Baba Ghanoush is made with roasted Chinese eggplant, tahini sauce, roasted peppers and labneh. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Red Pepper Baba Ghanoush
Chinese eggplants roast quickly and are easy to turn into a creamy red pepper dip. Just add tahini sauce, roasted peppers from a jar, and labneh — strained yogurt that is almost as thick as cheese.
Yield: 3 or 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds Chinese eggplants
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons tahini paste (stirred before measuring)
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water
2 fire-roasted peppers (from a jar)
2 to 4 tablespoons labneh (or Greek yogurt)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
2 teaspoons chopped Italian parsley (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat broiler or Roast function of air fryer toaster oven (convection oven). Prick each eggplant 3 or 4 times with a sharp knife.
2. Broil or roast eggplants, turning a few times, until very tender when pressed on neck end, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove eggplants; let stand until cool enough to handle.
3. Cut off eggplant caps. Halve eggplants lengthwise. Scoop out eggplant pulp. Chop pulp with a knife.
4. Make red pepper tahini sauce by blending minced garlic, tahini paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor. Add roasted peppers and blend until smooth.
5. Add labneh and pulse until blended. Add chopped eggplant pulp; pulse just until mixture is blended. Gradually add more water or lemon juice if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Spread on a serving plate or on bread. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with parsley.
Persimmon Cake is topped with a halva glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice as well as chopped pistachios. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Persimmon Cake with Halva Glaze
In this cake’s glaze a touch of tahini balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar. Use soft persimmons for the puree; slice firm persimmons for garnish.
Yield: 2 small cakes (32 small portions)
INGREDIENTS
Persimmon cake:
2 cups all purpose flour (260 grams)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces or 110 grams), room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (240 grams)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups persimmon puree (4 or 5 persimmons)
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup red walnuts, chopped
Persimmon halva glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons persimmon puree
2 teaspoons tahini paste (stirred before measuring), or to taste
Garnish:
About 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
Slices of small firm persimmons
DIRECTIONS
1. Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 7 1/2-inch square pans with foil. Butter foil.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
3. With a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth; add sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat until well blended. Add vanilla; beat until blended.
4. Add half of dry ingredient mixture to butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in persimmon puree, followed by remaining dry ingredient mixture. Stir until blended. Stir in dried cranberries and walnuts.
5. Spoon batter into pans. Smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
6. Cool cake in pans on racks for 10 minutes. Turn out onto cake racks. Let cool completely.
7. Glaze: Whisk half of powdered sugar with the lemon juice until blended. Whisk in remaining powdered sugar. Add persimmon puree and whisk until blended. Whisk in tahini.
8. Spread glaze in thin layer over cakes. Sprinkle with pistachios. Let stand several hours or refrigerate overnight until glaze sets.
9. Cut cake in pieces and put on a serving plate. Surround with persimmon slices.
This Mushroom Tahini Toast is inspired by a recipe in Dr. Michael Crupain’s latest book, “The Power Five: Essential Foods for Optimum Health.” (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Mushroom Tahini Toast
For this appetizer inspired by a recipe from Dr. Michael Crupain’s latest book, “The Power Five: Essential Foods for Optimum Health,” you spread toast with pure tahini paste, then top it with sauteed mushrooms.
Yield: 4 or 5 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound exotic mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster or maitake
1/2 teaspoon Turkish pepper flakes, Aleppo pepper or other pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tahini paste
4 or 5 slices whole wheat or sourdough bread, toasted and rubbed with a raw garlic clove
DIRECTIONS
1. Coarsely chop mushrooms; add to a bowl with pepper flakes and oil. Toss to coat mushrooms.
2. Cook mushrooms in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, shallot, thyme and salt. Sauté for 4 minutes or until shallot is soft. Stir in wine; cook until evaporated. If mixture is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
3. Spread tahini on toast. Spoon mushrooms over toast, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
Roasted Eggplant Salad with Tangerine Tahini balances sweet tangerine juice with lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and red pepper powder. (Photo by Yakir Levy)
Roasted Eggplant Salad with Tangerine Tahini
Adding sweet tangerine juice to tahini sauce might seem surprising but tahini eggplant drizzled with silan (date syrup) is popular in Israeli restaurants. Our dish isn’t sweet. Tangerine zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and red pepper powder balance the flavor.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings
INGREDIENTS
Tangerine tahini sauce:
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons tangerine juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tahini, stirred before measuring
Pinch of salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon cold water (optional), more if needed
1/2 teaspoon grated tangerine zest, or more to taste
Roasted Eggplant and Salad:
1 Chinese eggplant (about 9-10 ounces), sliced diagonally 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper and hot red pepper powder to taste
5 romaine or other lettuce leaves, cut in bite size pieces
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tangerine, cut in rounds, then in half slices
Walnuts, preferably red (garnish)
DIRECTIONS
1. Tangerine tahini sauce: In a medium bowl mix garlic, lemon juice and tangerine juice. Stir in tahini paste. Keep stirring until sauce is smooth and thick but still pourable. Add more tangerine juice or water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to adjust consistency and taste. Stir in tangerine zest. (You will have extra sauce to enjoy for 2 days.)
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you like, line a roasting pan with foil. Set eggplant slices in pan. Brush them with about 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and black and red pepper. Turn them over; repeat brushing with olive oil and sprinkling seasonings. Roast for 17 to 25 minutes (or 15 minutes using the Roast function of an air fryer toaster oven), turning them once, or until tender to your taste.
3. Make a bed of chopped lettuce; drizzle with light dressing made by whisking 1 teaspoon olive oil with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Set eggplant slices on lettuce and spoon tangerine tahini sauce over them. Garnish with tangerine pieces and walnuts.
Faye Levy is the author of “Feast from the Mideast.”
Less than two months into 2026, the Los Angeles dining scene has already set an exemplary tone for the year ahead. At the end of January, highly anticipated Lapaba launched its soft opening in Koreatown, while Mexico City’s iconic churrería El Moro landed in Echo Park. The recently rebranded Cameo Beverly Hills debuted a new Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant, Zampo, and the 90210 welcomed a brand-new omakase experience called Miura.
As the city continues to ride its culinary high, amplified by Bad Bunny’s Villas Tacos feature at the Super Bowl, let’s take a look at what’s to come this February. Sushi Samba and Lucky’s DTLA, which were both set to open this month, have pushed back their launch dates, but locals still have plenty to look forward to.
Two luxury hotels are redefining their dining options: the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is introducing Tuscan steakhouse Baldi, and the historic Hotel Figueroa is debuting Florence by the Water. Chef Marcus Jernmark is also revealing the fine-dining concept Lielle in Beverlywood, while iconic music venue, Hollywood Palladium, is getting a hi-fi-inspired lounge for hungry concert-goers. Keep reading for the most L.A.’s most exciting restaurant openings of February.
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If you love restaurant favorites but don’t always love the price tag or the effort, copycat recipes are the answer. These homemade versions capture the flavors you crave using simple ingredients you can find at the grocery store.
This roundup features our 10 most popular recipe copycats, from fast food classics to restaurant staples readers make again and again. Every recipe is tested, approachable, and designed to help you recreate your favorites right at home.
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
Tender shredded pork with that signature sweet flavor everyone loves—perfect for burritos, bowls, and salads.
These are some of our favorite copycat restaurant recipes from other bloggers…
These homemade copycat recipes prove that you don’t have to eat out to enjoy your favorite restaurant recipes. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, each recipe in this roundup is designed to help you bring those familiar favorites straight to your own kitchen anytime the craving hits.
Every NFL season, the Levi’s Stadium chefs try to take their menu to a new level of creativity. But when the Super Bowl comes to town, and fans are paying thousands of dollars to attend, the expectations soar.
So to impress the crowd on Sunday, the culinary team headed by Jon Severson, Levy regional chef, and Alvin Kabiling, executive chef for Levy at Levi’s Stadium, has created a “best of the bay” menu.
They’re showcasing signature ingredients from Marin County (oysters) to San Francisco/Half Moon Bay (crab) to the South Bay (garlic) along with locally sourced meat, cheese and produce.
According to the Levy company, which is the stadium food partner, 90 percent of the purveyors are based in California.
Pulling together a fan feast like this requires a sizeable staff. On game day, 2,000 Levy culinary, bar and serving team members will be working with 40 executive chefs behind the scenes. (Keep that in mind when you grouse about the prices.)
Here are some highlights:
Gilroy Garlic Steak Frites: A seared, sliced California hanger steak will be served au poivre atop hand-cut fries with crispy Gilroy garlic and pink peppercorns. Where: Sections 109 and 315, and in the East Field Club.
Dungeness Crab “Potachos”: Hand-cut Kennebec potato chips are layered with local crab — thankfully, the Bay Area’s beloved Dungeness season started in time — and then covered in a Petaluma white cheddar fondue sauce. Where: Sections 104, 124 and 306, and in the East Field Club.
“Super Shucker” Hog Island Oyster Sampler: This platter will feature a half-dozen oysters sourced from Hog Island’s Marin County farm in Marshall, and served with Hogwash mignonette, lemon and hot sauce. Where: Bud Light Club.
A dozen more special menu items will be available, along with the favorites — many from local restaurants — that the 49er faithful have been served all season.
The cocktail menu is wildly creative too. To commemorate the trip to the Bay Area for out-of-towners, there’s the “Karl the Fog” Misty Spritz. Because fans may not have seen much of Karl in S.F. during this sunny week, this misty mixture of Tanqueray Gin. elderflower liqueur, club soda and fresh lemon juice may have to suffice. Where: 400 East Club.
On the bright side is the Santa Clara Sunrise, which is Astral Blanco tequila with fresh orange juice and cherry juice. Where: East Field Club, Bud Light Club and 400 East Club.
If you wake up early enough, visit the beautiful Cathedral Church of Christ in the Lagos Island neighborhood for the early morning service. Ambitious, perhaps, after a big night out, but you won’t be alone: A fact of Lagos life is that both its dance floors and churches are full, and with many of the same people. The trip is worth it alone to see the cathedral’s grand exterior up close, right in the heart of Lagos Island’s bustling business district, which features some of the city’s Afro-Brazilian architecture. As a prominent church, it’s used to welcoming guests, but only go if you’re planning to stay for the whole service, usually about two hours.
12 p.m.Unwind by the sea
Recover from your night out with a day at the beach. Before you go, grab a local favorite snack: a subtly seasoned meat pie with fried minced beef or chicken, potatoes and vegetables, encased in flaky, buttery pastry. Head to your nearest Milk and Honey cafe (there is one in Lekki and one in Ikoyi) and fill a bag with meat or chicken pies (3,520 naira), sausage rolls (2,530 naira), and little doughnut-style bites known as puff puff (1,430 naira). With your goodies, head to Tarkwa Bay Beach, accessible via a 15-minute boat ride (9,000 naira) from a number of jetty locations in Victoria Island and Ikoyi. Stretch out, catch the sun and read the book you bought at Jazzhole while enjoying the vast Lagos coastline.
Four pasta-heavy, Italian-inspired restaurants have opened across the Mile High City in the last three months. Call it a trend, or call it amore. But all four are very different, and diners will be hard-pressed to find two plates that taste the same.
The first was Boombots Pasta Shop, which opened in the Sunnyside neighborhood in November. That was followed in December by the Florence Supper Club and Johnny Bechamel’s, both landing in the neighborhoods west of Washington Park; and, most recently, Dear Emilia, which debuted in the River North Art District on January 29.
While all of these restaurants draw influence from Italy, they speak completely different languages.
“People crave pasta,” said Heather Morrison, co-owner of Dear Emilia and its sister spot, Restaurant Olivia, which just earned a James Beard nomination for Outstanding Hospitality. “There are a million different ways to do [pasta] and do it well; and I think the Denver scene is a really good example of that.
“There’s so much room in the market for every version of Italian,” she added. “Nobody’s holding each other back. Nobody’s judging each other for what they’re doing. We’re just a bunch of people who love restaurants, love pasta, and love Italian food.”
At Dear Emilia, the menu is a tribute to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, filtered through Colorado sensibilities, and the kitchen offers dishes like anolini, a coin-shaped pasta filled with beef cheek and tossed in a Parmigiano crema and balsamic essence. There’s also a classic lasagna verde layered with Bolognese sauce and bechamel, and cappellacci, a type of tortellini filled with butternut squash and dressed in a squash miso jus.
The Dirty Martini Bucatini is on the menu at Boombots Pasta Shop, which opened in Nov. 2025 in Denver. (Provided by Boombots Pasta Shop)
A few years ago, Morrison and co-owners Austin Carson and Ty Leon visited Emilia-Romagna and were impressed by how deeply local everything felt, with neighbors sourcing from one another and communities eating directly from the land, she said. “We were so taken by the ingredients, hospitality, and warmth of every place we went.”
Where Dear Emilia’s mission is to stay true to the culinary traditions of northern Italy, Boombots’ is to completely push the boundaries of what pasta can be.
That’s why you’ll find dishes like smoked duck and green chile lumache made with semolina pasta, everything-seasoned cavatelli stroganoff with porcini pasta, and samosa agnolotti made with curry-flavored pasta.
“The whole idea is to look at pasta through a different lens and make it really fun and creative, ” said founder Cliff Blauvelt, who also owns Odie B’s sandwich shop with his wife, Cara. “Everybody knows what a samosa is, but being able to stuff it in something different is really cool. And when you eat it all together, it really tastes like a samosa, it’s pretty wild.”
Perfecting the shop’s eclectic flavor combinations took a lot of trial and error, he added. For the dirty martini bucatini, for instance, which is made with an olive pasta, the team spent significant time dialing in the right olive flavor, experimenting with everything from olive leaf (which proved too bitter) to dehydrating Castelvetrano olives to turn them into a powder.
The ricotta ravioli at Johnny Bechamel’s, an unusual Italian restaurant that opened in late 2025. (Provided by Johnny Bechamel’s)
“That’s the cool thing, you can really manipulate the pasta [doughs] into different things. It takes time and practice, but you can get there,” he shared.
While northwest Denver was once known as the heart of the city’s Italian restaurant scene, the neighborhoods around Washington Park are now making their own case.
The longstanding Carmine’s at 92 S. Pennsylvania St. – which has been serving comfort dishes like bolognese, carbonara, shrimp scampi, ravioli and lasagna since 1994 – now has a bit of competition with the recent openings of Johnny Bechamel’s right across the street at 81 S. Pennsylvania St., and Florence Supper Club a few blocks away at 375 S. Pearl St.
“I think we are different than Florence or Carmines,” said chef Spencer White, who owns Johnny Bechamel’s along with Dio Mio, Redeemer Pizza and Little Johnny B’s with business partner Alex Figura. “Alex and I start cooking and think we’re going to make an Italian-American restaurant, but they distinctly always become our own with our little touches on everything.”
The restaurant features playful twists on classic offerings like deliciously sacrilegious matzo meatballs, made with ground pork and chicken rather than matzo meal, and sitting in chicken broth and dill oil; and lasagnette, which features mushrooms and leeks stuffed between only two sheets of lasagna and smothered in bechamel sauce.
The menu also features “doughnuts” as an appetizer (fried dough filled with Parmesan cream and topped with prosciutto). Clearly a nod to gnocco fritto, which can also be found on Dear Emilia’s menu, their version is meant to be torn open and stuffed with the domestic prosciutto and pear mostarda it’s served with.
The linguine vongole at Florence Supper Club, which opened in Denver at the end of 2025. (Sara Rosenthal/Special to The Denver Post)
“It’s definitely more Jersey Italian,” White added. “But it’s definitely not true Italian-American.”
Florence Supper Club also claims East Coast roots, but favors tradition over reinterpretation. Where Johnny Bechamel’s riffs and remixes, Florence delivers on the straightforward classics like meatballs in red sauce made with Jersey tomatoes, lasagna Bolognese, chicken parmesan, and spicy rigatoni that feels lifted directly from the tri-state area.
“These are the dishes I grew up with,” said chef and co-owner Miles Odell, who is originally from New Jersey. He sees Florence, which he runs with business partner and New York native Paul Lysek, as a tribute to how Italian food has evolved on the East Coast.
“Over several generations of Italians immigrating to America, this style of cuisine developed. We’re trying to pay our respects to the food we grew up with and really keep those classic flavors,” he added.
With Super Bowl Sunday approaching, I’m on the lookout for a nosh that is scrumptious and easy to prepare. White cheddar cheese topped with wine-soaked cherries andherbs is the perfect answer.
The dried cherries need to soak in a mixture of wine, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, herbs de Provence and salt for 2 to 7 days in the fridge, so allow time for this little do-aheadchore.
White Cheddar With Wine-Soaked Dried Cherries and Herbs
Yield: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup Merlot, or other dry red wine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup dried cherries, half of amount coarsely chopped
8 ounces medium-sharp white cheddar cheese
For serving: sturdy crackers
DIRECTIONS
1. In medium glass or stain-resistant plastic container, combine the wine, oil, vinegar, herbes de Provence, and salt, whisking to dissolve salt. Add the cherries, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 days or up to 7 days, stirring occasionally. Bring the mixture to room temperature before serving.
2. Place cheese on a plate or small platter. Stir room temperature cherry mixture and spoon over and around the cheese. Serve with crackers on the side. Provide a knife.
Source: Adapted from “100 Perfect Pairings” by Jill Silverman Hough
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.
The chef of the acclaimed Avondale restaurant Warlord has been issued a second order of protection after he was accused of distributing private sexual images of a woman without her consent, Cook County court records show.
Chicago police arrested Trevor Fleming, 41, early on Jan. 17 at his home, according to police records. He was released later that day on electronic monitoring with orders to avoid the woman’s home and workplace, court records show.
The images Fleming is accused of sharing in September 2023 “clearly show” the woman’s face and private areas during a sexual act, according to court records.
On Monday, a Cook County judge issued an interim protective order against Fleming requiring him to avoid the woman’s home and place of work. The woman had been in a romantic relationship with Fleming, according to the order.
Fleming’s attorney Robert Rascia, reached for comment late Monday night, said the charge does not allege violence and that the order was issued over Fleming’s objection.
Cook County records also show that Fleming pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated battery in 2015.
For years, individuals and groups on internet forums like Reddit and TikTok have speculated on Fleming’s actions and broader misconduct at Warlord, but those alleged incidents have been left largely unpublicized.
However, in 2024, the Chicago Hospitality Accountable Actions Database Project, a local organization that advocates for restaurant workers and educates them about workplace rights, started receiving reports of “ongoing traumatic experiences” from employees at Warlord.
“Specifically, there was a report of a sexual assault that happened within the workplace that year,” Raeghn Draper, executive director of CHAAD Project, told the Tribune on Monday. “That opened up to multiple workers reaching out to report egregious claims of not only sexual harassment, but also stalking, bullying, intimidation, withholding wages and just an all-around really toxic and abusive work environment.”
Rascia said there is no law enforcement investigation of Fleming in relation to these allegations.
Draper said that initial report in early 2024 sparked a dozen employees to reach out to CHAAD Project about Fleming and the alleged complicity of Warlord’s other owners, Emily Kraszyk and John Lupton. Warlord’s owners could not be reached for comment.
The allegations coming from staff working the line at Warlord ultimately prompted CHAAD Project to post a public service announcement on Instagram warning Chicago’s hospitality community to “beware of Warlord.” In the comments section of the June 2024 post detailing some of the claims, a few people noted that the reports are unsurprising but a necessary call to action.
Draper said the organization typically doesn’t make public statements about specific restaurants, but these claims merited an exception.
“There was a lot of intimidation going on while we were trying to organize with the employees who reached out, and people got afraid — then also just exhausted,” Draper said. “The Chicago restaurant industry is still a little bit of a boys club, so if you piss off the wrong chef, especially one that’s a big personality, it can mean, sadly, finding your next job is nearly impossible.”
Draper said while women were the primary targets of Fleming’s alleged abuse and slurs, a couple of male employees also reached out to the organization to report harassment and bullying.
Fleming’s attorney did not comment on the reports shared by the CHAAD Project.
Meanwhile, Fleming is also subject to an earlier order of protection against another woman, which court records show is in effect until March 2027. The woman, who is listed as a current or former girlfriend of Fleming’s, first petitioned for a court order against him in January 2025, alleging that Fleming had grabbed her by her scarf and used it to choke her, threatened her for spreading rumors about him and slapped her phone out of her hand as she returned from walking a neighbor’s dog.
“I’m going to beat your (expletive), you think you can go around saying I rape people, who do you think you are,” Fleming allegedly told the woman during the confrontation, which took place near the back exit of Warlord.
The woman also alleged that Fleming threw her phone across the alley, called police to claim that she was stalking him and had threatened her multiple times in the past.
The order shows that Fleming was ordered to avoid the two North Side bars where the woman worked and to pay for damage to her apartment window, which had a rock thrown through it in August 2024. He was also ordered to complete a domestic violence partner abuse program and a mental health evaluation, records show.
Shakespeare District (14th) police previously arrested Fleming in June 2025 for alleged drug possession and driving without valid auto registration or insurance, court records show. He agreed to participate in a deferred prosecution program, records show, and the case was dismissed after he completed that program in September 2025.
Rascia said the 2025 drug charge was an unproven allegation.
According to Draper, employees still in touch with CHAAD Project shared that Fleming returned to work after a two-week suspension following his June 2025 arrest.
Fleming is next set to appear in court Wednesday morning before Judge Sabra Lynn Ebersole.
Warlord opened quietly in 2023 at 3198 N. Milwaukee Ave. without much publicity and few reservations, which is still the case. Instead, diners line up when the restaurant is open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays through Monday. In a 2023 Tribune review, former food critic Nick Kindelsperger noted the restaurant’s chaotic quality: a menu that could change minutes before service, flames jumping off the stove and deafening noise levels. One of the restaurant’s standout items remains the dry-aged burger.
In December, Warlord announced plans to open a second burger restaurant in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, named Lords. Draper, who lives in the neighborhood, said she’s pretty upset about it.
“It’s not that we don’t want a new restaurant and a new burger joint, but we don’t want someone who’s going to be using their position of power to harm not only restaurant workers who we advocate for, but also our neighbors and community members,” she said. “He’s not a safe person. And seeing the hospitality industry continue to invest in him and give him the platform to continue growing is really disturbing.”
Ticket prices are usually around $125 and include a copy of the book, a five-course meal and tax and gratuity for the staff. Additional proceeds are donated to a local charity of the author’s choosing — which have included the William Way LGBT Community Center, Savage Sisters Recovery and Mighty Writers.
For the first time, February’s book dinner will be broadcasted by WURD Radio’s Sara Lomax-Reese, who will be moderating the event. Cook hopes this will give more people the opportunity to be a part of the discussion.
“I’m looking forward to seeing [the discussion] move beyond the four walls and further into the community,” Cook said. “[Reese] is a profound Philly icon and such a powerful human to be in conversation with, especially during this season.”
Proceeds will go toward Cook’s nonprofit organization, Harriet’s BookClub, which funds programs that send local students on educational field trips to Paris.
“With Jeannine, we’re really excited that she’s not only an author but also owns a bookstore in Philly,” Kleppinger said. “With Wilder being an independent restaurant itself, Jeannine was a great collaborator for us and aligned with the values that we also have as a business.”
The next book dinner will be a discussion with Philadelphia-based author M.L Rio about “Hot Wax,” on Tuesday, March 24. While there are no more events on the schedule, Wilder staff says says more are on the way.
“The book dinners … give people a fun event, but it’s also fun for our team to have that creative outlet,” Kleppinger said. “It gets us thinking outside the box. … Everyone who’s involved in it loves doing it.”
Although London’s romantic side is often overshadowed by its bistro- and brasserie-filled Parisian neighbor, the British city is full of ways to woo a significant other. A walk along the Thames. Following in Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts’ footsteps in Notting Hill. Recreating the opening of Love, Actually as you land at Heathrow. But the restaurant scene, in particular, is replete with enticing romantic opportunities of all price points and cuisines. Whether you’re looking to wow someone with a Michelin-starred meal or to cuddle up in the corner of a neighborhood spot, London has a culinary offering for every type of date night.
Classics like Clos Maggiore and Andrew Edmunds draw crowds of two for good reason, thanks in part to their amorously inclined atmospheres. New London restaurants, like Noisy Oyster and One Club Row, are more contemporary and hip, but no less suited to a night out with your partner. Some places are best for first or second dates, while others are ideal for long-time lovers. And it doesn’t have to be Valentine’s Day or an anniversary to make these meals worthwhile—many are perfect for any random evening you happen to have free. Wherever you go, be sure to make plans in advance, as Londoners tend to book early and frantically.
New York-based cocktail historian David Wondrich had most recently finished editing an 860-plus-page compendium of knowledge about cocktail history when the opportunity arose to share cocktail history through a different medium: as a graphic nonfiction book.
The author took on the challenge, teaming up with illustrator Dean Kotz to take readers on a journey around the world, following the world’s drinking preferences from Colonial-era punches to Prohibition, from the rise of the 1930s tiki trend to the modern-day craft cocktail movement and beyond — plus much more along the way, including an array of cocktail recipes. We recently caught up with Wondrich to learn more.
“The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On” by David Wondrich, illustrated by Dean Kotz (Ten Speed Graphic, $30) covers the evolution of the cocktail from the rise of distillation to the craft cocktail movement and beyond. (Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Graphic)
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What inspired you to tell the history of cocktails through a comic book?
A: I had thought about doing a cocktail-themed comic book for quite a long time. I was talking to Ten Speed Press a couple years back, and they mentioned their comic book history series and asked if I would be interested in doing that. I said yes.
Q: You cover so much history in the book. How did you go about curating that history and figuring out which stories to include?
A: I was very familiar with the history because I’ve been writing cocktail history for 25 years. For my last book before this one, I was the editor-in-chief and principal writer of the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, a huge reference book that includes histories and biographies of famous bartenders, as well as other related information. So a lot of the information was pretty fresh in my mind. That said, I always research my books anew, and see what else I can find; what other connections I can make. There were some periods in some places that were completely new to me, and that was fun. I tried to tell as many stories as I possibly could. I’ve written at length, for instance, about the history of African American bartenders, which was really deeply buried. I also did a lot of research on Asian and Pacific Islander bartenders in America.
Q: What was it like translating that history into comic book form? How did that process work with the illustrator?
A: It was really hard. I did this not because it was easy, but because I thought it would be easy. But it turned out to be really difficult. My editor insisted that this should be a real history with documentation, so I couldn’t skip over bits or dramatize stuff too much. I had to make sure that it gave you a good, solid, accurate history, while at the same time trying to make it as lively as possible.
Q: And you included a number of recipes — what were some of your favorites?
A: Well, I included a lot of bedrock classics that were emblematic of the age that I was talking about. But I threw in some curveballs, and at the end, included some cocktails that I invented, like the Leaving of Liverpool, which somebody asked me to come up with during the COVID lockdown, when everybody was singing, or watching videos of people singing, sea chanteys. That actually turned out to be quite delicious.
Bartender Ray Sheridan holds a Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai, left, and a Ginger Cooler at Rocker Oysterfeller’s at Lucas Wharf in Bodega Bay on Aug. 23, 2024. (Erik Castro for The Press Democrat)
Q: The Bay Area gets a few shoutouts in the book, too. Tell me more about the Bay Area’s significance in cocktail history.
A: In America, which is the homeland of the cocktail, and almost always its driving force, there are really three major cocktail cities — not to take away from the others — where great drinks have been invented, and where there were always great bars. There were three real style leaders: New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. A great many drinks came out of San Francisco and Oakland. When I first visited San Francisco in the 1980s, I was used to the neighborhood bars in New York, which were all Irish bars. In San Francisco, I think it’s telling that the local neighborhood bars, the old ones, were all tiny little cocktail lounges. So it’s been cocktail country from the very beginning.
Cocktail historian David Wondrich’s new book, “The Comic Book History of the Cocktail” tells many stories behind the evolution of the cocktail over the past five centuries. (Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Graphic)
Q: Tell me more about Irish coffee and its San Francisco connection. National Irish Coffee Day is Sunday, Jan. 25.
A: This guy, Stan Delaplane, was a top travel newspaper columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1950, he went on a press junket to Ireland and was served Irish coffee and was like, “What magical elixir is this?” He brought back some Irish whiskey to the Buena Vista Cafe, and he and the owner sat down and tried to re-create it, and finally they managed to get it exactly right. The bar put it on the menu, in 1953, I believe, and it really took off in 1954. It became the biggest hit of the 1950s, and San Francisco was the catalyst.
Q: There was also Trader Vic’s, which opened in 1934 in Oakland.
A: Trader Vic (Bergeron) didn’t invent the standard tiki bar — Don the Beachcomber (a.k.a. Donn Beach) did that down in L.A., but Trader Vic was his earliest disciple, and a much better businessman than Donn Beach was. He was a very good businessman and a very good mixologist. He came up with the Mai Tai, which is a splendid drink, and things like that. He was the great popularizer, while Donn Beach was more of the philosopher behind the whole thing. But you need both.
In “The Comic Book History of the Cocktail,” author David Wondrich and illustrator Dean Kotz showcase stories like this one about Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, the creator of the mai tai, who started his empire of tiki joints with the first location in Oakland in the 1930s. (Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Graphic)
Q: Did the martini originate in Martinez?
A: That, unfortunately, doesn’t hold water. It’s a nice idea, but the timing doesn’t work out. And there’s no evidence for it whatsoever.
Q: What are you hoping people take away from the book?
A: I’m hoping they get a sense of the people involved. These drinks are things that were made by people, for people. I’m hoping they can see themselves in the book and find what really resonates with them in the tradition of mixing drinks. My main hope is that people find it interesting, that it gives them stuff to talk about, and that they can understand where their favorite drinks came from.
Details: “The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On,” by David Wondrich, illustrated by Dean Kotz (Ten Speed Graphic, $30) is available where books are sold, including at penguinrandomhouse.com.
Two upscale, see-and-be-seen Il Fornaio restaurants are ending their tenure, including the Palo Alto location — a prime spot for years for Silicon Valley power breakfasts and deal-making dinners.
After 36 years, that Cowper Street restaurant will shut its doors Sunday night. The Beverly Hills Il Fornaio closed a week ago after a 43-year run.
“Both locations were fixtures in their communities for the last four decades but unfortunately are closing as their leases conclude,” the company said in an announcement. The news was first reported by Palo Alto Online.
For the Palo Alto restaurant, the era from the 1990s through Dot-com 1.0 was a heady time, with tech titans huddled over tables and whispered talk of deals and the next new thing. David Packard. Steve Jobs (sometimes on in-line skates). John Doerr. Jim Barksdale. John Sculley. David Kelley. Guy Kawasaki.
A 1997 Mercury News squib called Reality Check summed up the scene that played out on early weekday mornings: “Price of buying a venture capitalist a power breakfast of juice, eggs and coffee at Il Fornaio in Palo Alto: $10. (Price does not include tax, tip or the VC gaining control of your company.)”
That Il Fornaio long ago stopped serving breakfast. The restaurant’s final hours of service will be noon to 9 p.m. today and Sunday at 520 Cowper St., Palo Alto.
“We are saddened that we will be saying goodbye to many of our wonderful employees, many of whom have been with us for decades, while some will be moving to our other locations in California,” the company statement read.
Founded as a baking school and retail bakery in Italy in the early 1970s, Il Fornaio launched its dining concept — chef-driven, white-tablecloth restaurants with a regional Italian focus — in the 1980s. The original, which opened in 1986, is still operating in Corte Madera, where the restaurant group is headquartered.
Il Fornaio still owns restaurants in more than a dozen California cities plus Las Vegas. Besides Corte Madera, the company’s other Northern and Central California locations are in San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Burlingame, Walnut Creek, Carmel, Sacramento and Roseville.
