Pasta with mushroom sauce usually means cream. That's pretty rich and kinda boring, so I decided I would try to make something that was more like the Italian version. 2 tablespoons of porcini mushroom olive oil 3 or 4 leaves of fresh basil, or 2 pinches of dried 1 clove of garlic, minced About a quarter of a white or yellow onion, minced 5 or six crimini mushroom caps, finely chopped 1 cup of white......

We don't get much autumn in LA. Mostly, things get hot and then the Halloween stuff comes out. Everyone gets a little worn out on the notion of endless summer. But there are delights to be had. More apples appear on the scene (and in desserts), there's the county fair, and some of the better Italian restaurants start serving truffles. Granted, it's not cheap, but shared with the table, one dish can be a delectable......

Vitello's in Studio City has been a Valley classic for years, serving up simple but extremely tasty Italian food. Despite some of its popular culture references (notably the Robert Blake murder case and when the image of Jesus was found in some Manicotti), the restaurant is a neighborhood icon and consistently a community partner. Today, they opened their second space at the corner Woodman and Ventura. Vitello's Express has some of the Studio City menu......

It seems every where you look in local food blogging or restaurant reviewing, the buzz word of the moment is Terroni, a Canadian import that just opened up an outpost in West Hollywood serving up affordable Southern Italian fare. Natalie Houghton of the Daily News (via LA.com) sums it up on both sides of the scale: "At its best: Prices are reasonable, sharing is not a problem here, and sampling a variety of Italian......

Among the chaotic jubilance that is Melrose, All’Angelo unassuming. I usually tell people it’s near Azami Sushi Café (also a great place to eat) but it’s still easy to miss. When you get inside, it’s not flashy like Geisha House or Table 8 or a lot of super hip places. No, at All’ Angelo, they save the flash for the food. One of their stars is hard to see – in a small stretch......

Sometimes, when the world seems harsh and cold, I long for the comfort foods that my Italian mamma used to make me. I crave a hot bowl of her minestrone soup, and a plate rigatoni Bolognese smothered in Parmigiano-Reggiano and made with so much love you can taste it. Ah, yes the comfort foods of my childhood. Only one thing—I didn’t have an Italian mamma. I had a Jewish American Princess mamma, and literally......

Sexy Pasta. Can I make a confession? I've kinda got a soft spot for Rachael Ray's recipes. Not the woman herself - while I don't detest her enough to join a hate club or anything, I don't find her particularly witty or interesting or original. Now, Tony Bourdain - THAT'S my idea of a chef-slash-television-personality! And the fact that he'd probably cut me for calling him a television personality makes me love him even......

Across from the Sony lot, on West Washington Blvd, lies the unassuming little hole-in-the-wall that is Victor Jr.’s. It is easy to miss, but I urge you not to because it is home to some of the best pizza and Italian subs I have had in Los Angeles. It’s not a secret either--between twelve and two on weekdays the place is packed with busy Hollywood types from Sony who are just dying for a treat.......

Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. Bread is back, we know (Bread Bar anyone? How about Le Pain Quotidien?). So don't worry, the farinaceous wonder hits out stomach's everyday. Yet still, we need to watch the consumption levels sometimes, especially when training for a race. So what to do when the pasta cravings hit hard and deep? The low to no carb pasta options are slim or just weird: Shirataki This is the weird one. These......