Don't Underestimate 7-Eleven
Plus the restaurant concept I want to see more of, Erewhon's giant mistake, and more
Los Angeles is still fighting the wild fires and recovery is going to be a long road. I highly encourage those who can afford to, to donate directly to the GoFundMe campaigns of people and families who have been displaced by the fires.
Also I did a fun interview with the team over at One Potato a few months ago about my cookbook and my favorite cooking tips and it is now live.
It is not lost on me that I started out this year with the intention to cook much more often and severely limit my restaurant going. Alas, restaurants are also one of my favorite forms of escape, and given that this year is already off to a ferocious and trying start, I find myself seeking refuge in the dining rooms of the great Los Angeles area.
On Sunday, I grabbed a friend and made the 40 minute drive south to Long Beach on the hunt for both kitschy-and-joy-inducing doughnuts and a meal at Ammatoli, the beloved Levatine restaurant that manages to command a wait list and a line out the door even at 2:30 pm on a quiet Sunday. It felt nice to go on this little mission, to have this afternoon of levity with a dear friend, to laugh and catch up and plot over a platter of insanely creamy hummus, puffy-and-hot pita, a wonderfully cheesy and za’aatar laced manoushe, and life-changing spinach kibbeh. We headed back towards our corner of Los Angeles with meticulously wrapped leftovers and gooey cookies (mine: tahini and chocolate swirl) that had been pulled from the oven just 20 minutes before.
A lot of people have messaged me as to how they can best support LA restaurants that are struggling due to the wild fires and while I have a whole guide in here, NYT writer and all-around wonderful human Tejal Rao posted this and it’s a beautiful guideline for supporting restaurants where ever you live:
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Today I am diving into:
Erewhon’s giant mistake
Why you shouldn’t underestimate 7-Eleven
The surprising future of coffee
My thoughts on Starbucks newest drink and policy shift
The restaurant concept I love from afar and hope to see more of
Is Progresso okay?
The biggest move in the n/a space