LOS ANGELES – Don’t get us wrong.  We love Los Angeles.  However these days, whenever we visit that traffic-clogged, vanity-fueled, sprawling flatness and have a night out it turns out – more often than not – to be a bit more than we expect….and not in good way.  Hollywood seems to be even more touristy (which didn’t seem possible), [...]

By MONICA BYERS LOS ANGELES – I was first introduced to Tommy’s by my ex-husband on the weekend we became engaged (don’t ask).  I must admit that, on that first visit, I didn’t get the appeal.   The restaurant was populated with all sorts of miscreants, and I wasn’t sure the food was worth the weirdness.  The whole thing was a [...]

    LOS ANGELES – According to the dictionary, a foodie is “a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food; a gourmet.” Let me state upfront that this is not me.  I am not a foodie.  Yes, I do enjoy eating out, have done countless boring (and quickly forgotten) business dinners at this or that fancy restaurant, [...]

  TOKYO – Known for ‘great tempura at an affordable price’ or – as some would say- for being ‘good and cheap,’ this original branch of the famous Tsunahachi chain serves up some pretty darn tasty tempura.  The seafood is fresh, the veggies seasonal and the final product, cooked in sesame oil, is crispy and light.  The menu is designed [...]

TOKYO – This kushiyaki-style eatery (meat and veggies skewered on sticks then grilled) next to a cemetery serves up a decadent ‘cheese peep’ (roasted green peppers wrapped in bacon and filled with creamy, melted cheese) and to-die-for ‘shisho tsukune’ (ground chicken seasoned with shiso leaves then grilled).  The rest of the food is quite tasty as well including the wasabi [...]

  TOKYO – Having lived in what many consider to be one of the more expensive cities in the world, I often get asked where one can get decently priced food and drink in Tokyo and my answer is always the same, “just to go to any izakaya.”  Conceived to provide sake drinkers with a place where they could also [...]

  BANGKOK – The locals call it Khao Mang Gai but this Thai version of Singapore’s national chicken rice dish is a must for any Thai visitor.  Here’s what it is:  tender slices of steamed (or boiled) chicken topped with a spicy chili sauce, served with fragrant jasmine rice that’s been cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with bits of fresh [...]