Evan Kleiman

Phuong's in Little Saigon, Mother-in-Law Kimchi from Little Seoul Get the Good Food Treatment

Yesterday, our new art director asked me about the hu tieu place I had just plugged on Good Food with Evan Kleiman on KCRW-FM 89.9. "Hu tieu? I don't like hu tieu," I replied. "No, you specifically mentioned them!" he said. I thought about it for a bit. "Phuong's?" I shot back. I had reviewed the ... More >>

This Week In Food: Creamistry, Free New York Times Articles, and Proper Enchiladas

Welcome to March ladies and gentleman! Let's ease into your weekend with a little food news... This week Edwin went to Xa Sweet and Savory Café in Orange and reported that it just keeps getting better. Then he announced the opening of a new ice cream shop in Irvine called Creamistry. He shared the ... More >>

[UPDATED: NEXT WEEK!] Next OC Weekly-KCRW Good Food Happy Hour February 7 at the Bruery in Placentia!

Updated, with new info on the bottom...ORIGINAL POST, JAN. 8, 8 A.M.: All right, gentle readers: it's time for our next Happy Hour in conjunction with KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman, and we're going to do something different for the next one, which is February 7. Instead of flooding an a ... More >>

KCRW's Cottage Food Act Panel Discussion: What We Learned

Have you ever thought of making a business out your homemade muffins, granola, or bitters? California's Homemade Food Act took effect January 1, which allows cottage food producers a legal pathway to sell certain foods produced in a home kitchen. Until this law passed, it was illegal to sell your br ... More >>

KCRW to Hold Panel on California's New Cottage Food Law THIS SUNDAY in Santa Ana!

Here at SaFII, we have many friends of the show who are ecstatic about California's new cottage law, the bill that allows people to sell homemade food products without fearing the health inspector will shut them down at a moment's notice. That said, there are still certain regulations that people mu ... More >>

Tortilla Tuesday: Evan Kleiman on El Toro Meat Market!

Southern California food goddess and host of KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food Evan Kleiman rarely ventures into Orange County, but when she does, she's usually hanging out with my chica. One time for a segment, Evan went to El Toro Meat Market in SanTana, and has never fallen out of love with it, especially ... More >>

KCRW's Good Food Devotes Cinco de Mayo Show to History of Mexican Food in Southern California, With Gustavo as Co-Host!

Nearly a year ago, I pitched the KCRW-FM 89.9 brass with a bold idea: give me an hour to turn my then-rough Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, into a one-hour special about the history of Mexican food in the United States. They not only liked the idea, they one-upped me: they allowed me t ... More >>

OC's Best Bartenders, Together for Next KCRW Good Food-OC Weekly Happy Hour on March 13!

​UPDATE, FEB. 29, 1:30 P.M. No real update to report this week, other than it's ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. GO GO GO!UPDATE, FEB. 21, 2:30 P.M.: Just got word that Ricky Yarnall, the magus of Manhattans who shuttles between Broadway by Amar Santana and Memphis at the Santora, will be joining the rest of t ... More >>

This Week In Food: Best Burgers In OC, No More 'Pink Slime' at McDonald's and Chanel's Winery

A happy hour, indeed!Chris Victorio/OC Weekly​This week in Stick A Fork In It was exciting as always, but we're most excited by the announcement of our next Happy Hour with 89.9 FM KCRW at Memphis at the Santora! This will be our third event with "food goddess" Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW's "Good F ... More >>

Craftcation Time!

[Trendzilla] Do it yourself with everyone else in this out-of-county conference

Support KCRW and Evan Kleiman's Good Food!!

​I think I speak for all of us here on Stick A Fork In It when I say I'm a huge fan of KCRW's weekly Good Food radio show and the work of host Evan Kleiman, producer Harriet Ells, their reporters and engineers. We're such big fans that OC Weekly brought Evan down to Orange County for two Happy Hou ... More >>

This Week In Food: Gratuitous Use of the Fuck Word, Beer is the Fountain of Youth!

​So it looks like the Dec. 16 edition of This Week in Food offended a reader. I regurgitated a post Michelle did about a nifty little website called "Where the Fuck to Drink." Because the work fuck and alcohol always catches eyes, mine included, I included it in the headline as a featured story. D ... More >>

Evan Kleiman, SoCal Food Goddess and Amiga of OC Weekly, to Close Iconic Angeli Caffe :-(

Photo by Christopher VictorioKleiman (at right) with some random weirdo...​Evan Kleiman needs no introduction to these pages, but here's a brief one for new readers: a Southern California food icon whose Angeli Caffee was one of many iconic restaurants that brought sophisticated cuisine to the reg ... More >>

Testing The Waters At 2 (Two) Fishermen Grill & Rolls

​While my SAFII co-horts were entertaining Evan Kleiman at our most recent Happy Hour event, I manned the bar, making friends with raffle winners and even my bartender's significant other. It was he (the boyfriend, not the bartender) who suggested a seafood joint just a hop, skip, and jump from h ... More >>

Evan Kleiman Releases "Easy As Pie" App for iPhone, iPad

Photo by Christopher VictorioEvan with some random weirdo...​At last week's KCRW-SaFII Happy Hour at Memphis, Good Food host Evan Kleiman gave everyone an exclusive announcement: she was about to release her own app for the iPhone/iPad universe.Called "Easy as Pie," the app would feature videos an ... More >>

Good Times Had by 150-Plus at KCRW/OC Weekly Happy Hour at Mesa!

The Seabirds Truck's Raya Belna with her prize--Avanti Cafe hot sauces!Photo by Ed Carrasco​Were you there with me, Dave, Anne Marie and KCRW-FM 89.9 Good Food host Evan Kleiman at our happy hour last Thursday at Mesa in Costa Mesa? No? What's wrong with you? You missed out on Mesa's hip vibe, a g ... More >>

[UPDATE: TODAY!] Announcing the Second KCRW Good Food/OC Weekly Happy Hour! For Nov. 10!

​In about a month Next week This Thursday TONIGHT, we Weeklings will team up with food goddess Evan Kleiman for Good Food's second happy hour. All the pertinent info is above (save for Mesa's phone number, which is 714-557-6700 ), but click after the jump for the specials the restaurant will of ... More >>

El Borrego Sagrado Gets the Good Food Treatment

Don't forget: This Thursday is our second Good Food Happy Hour alongside KCRW-FM 89.9's Evan Kleiman. Starts at 7 p.m. in Mesa in Costa Mesa! Another reminder tomorrow!And there was also a reminder at the end of my conversation with Evan this past Saturday about El Borrego Sagrado in big, bad SanTan ... More >>

Pizza D'Oro Is the Golden Pizza

[Hole In the Wall] Classic Italian-American cuisine and a really, really big slice o' pie

Who Wants to Give Us Their Food Goodies to Give Out as Raffle Prizes for the Nov. 10 KCRW Good Food Happy Hour?

​A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by a hot dog vendor who was wondering if we would accept his donation of a $50 gift certificate for his service to give out as a raffle prize for Nov. 10, when we team up with KCRW-FM 89.9's Evan Kleiman for another Good Food happy hour in OC ( this one at ... More >>

KCRW Good Food/OC Weekly Happy Hour at Mesa Nov. 10: The Flier and the Specials!

​Reposting just for the hell of it--cool news to come soon!In about a month, we Weeklings will team up with food goddess Evan Kleiman for Good Food's second-ever happy hour. All the pertinent info is above (save for Mesa's phone number, which is 714-557-6700 ), but click after the jump for the ... More >>

Announcing the Second KCRW Good Food/OC Weekly Happy Hour! Nov. 10!

Photo by Christopher VictorioEdwin and Kleiman, outside the Crosby during the last Happy Hour...​The first question everyone had after KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food host Evan Kleiman came down with her Happy Hour caravan to the Crosby earlier this year to crowds of hundreds: When's the next one?That wa ... More >>

This Week in Food: Taco Gorging by Kobayashi, Beerfest and Junk Food!

​This edition of our weekly food roundup should be called "This Week in Junk" considering all of the stories related to Taco Bell, competitive eating and beer. We've got lots of other junk food stories, as well as some healthier ones, for you right after the jump!

Nuoc Mia Gets the Good Food Treatment

The sweltering times are coming in, which means that it's time to drink perhaps the most refreshing drink on Earth: nuoc mia, Vietnamese-style sugarcane juice. I highlighted the best in Orange County for our summer guide, and I concentrated on my two favorite--Hot Vit Lon Long An and New Duc Huong-- ... More >>

[UPDATE: Now, Gringo Bandito to Participate!] Two Cool Gustavo-Involved Panels for this Weekend's Carmageddon Eat Real Festival!

​Update: Amy Scattergood unfortunately had to pull out of the "Future of Food Writing Panel" for Saturday, but we got a great guest for Sunday's panel on the Great Mexican Food Authenticity Debate: Matt McCollum, the main sales guy for Gringo Bandito. It'll be awesome to have Matt--a Dallas native ... More >>

Taquería Don Victor Gets the Good Food Treatment

Usually, any reviews I do for KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman happen a couple of months after I originally wrote them for this infernal rag. But I guess my description of the pancita de borrego at Taqueria Don Victor, which I reviewed only a couple of weeks ago, must've been incredibly co ... More >>

Shuji Appears on Good Food!

Because I'm the only shameless self-promoter 'round here, it's up to me to toot Shuji's horn: He made his first-ever appearance this weekend on KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman! The topic, of course, was barbecueing, and although Shuji didn't recommend anything from his list of non-traditi ... More >>

Colombian Cuisine at Mitzi's Kountry Kitchen Gets the Good Food Treatment

I still cannot get enough of Colombian Cuisine at Mitzi's Kountry Kitchen, the county's first Colombian restaurant after a 20-year absence--this, in a county where Colombians have historically been la naranja's largest South American community. I reviewed it back in January, and I talked about it th ... More >>

KCRW Global Street Food Fest SOLD OUT--But Win a Pair of Tickets NOW

Piaggio on Wheels will be there this Sunday, and so can you!​SOOOOO...remember that panel I'm going be on this Sunday in Santa Monica, alongside KCRW-FM 89.9's Evan Kleiman, celebrity chef Jet Tila, and Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold? If you're interested, tough tamales--event is ... More >>

Talking Cal-Mex Cuisine and Mitla Cafe, the Inland Empire's Oldest Mexican Restaurant, on Good Food

One of Mitla's many gooey treasures...​Last week, I did a two-fer for KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman: I visited Mitla Cafe, the oldest Mexican restaurant in the Inland Empire (since 1937!). What was funniest about visiting with Good Food producer Harriet Ells is our reaction to Mitla's ... More >>

Pho Thanh Lich, Final Pho Get the Good Food Treatment

Pho Thanh Lich continued its victory lap this weekend as the best pho in Orange County. Following its victory in the Final Pho, I also reviewed it for KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman. Look for a review of the place in our dead-tree issue...soon. In the meanwhile, enjoy the clip!Follow Sti ... More >>

Ochoa's Chorizo Gets the Good Food Treatment

I'm a bit late in plugging my appearances on KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman, so this: I interviewed the Ochoas of Ochoa's Chorizo two weekends ago for the show. It was great to talk to not only Sal Jr., but the originator of the chorizo herself: his mom, Aurora, who still gets in to moni ... More >>

Evan Kleiman, Gustavo to Host Discussion on Street Food--With Street Food!

Piaggio on Wheels: bad-ass choripán...​Ustedes know about my skepticism to the luxe-lonchera craze, especially the attempt of some to claim they sell honest-to-goodness street food, then charge you Ritz-Carlton prices for a pinche slider. Is it legit, or just Marie Antoinette dressing as a milkma ... More >>

Santa Ana's Lonchera Lane Gets the Good Food Treatment

In our big push to get ustedes to our first Stick a Fork In It event (held in conjunction with KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food With Evan Kleiman), I neglected to plug my appearance on the show two weekends ago. The subject? Some of the better loncheras on Santa Ana's Main Street, which I deemed Lonchera La ... More >>

Over 200 (At Least) Attend First-Ever OC Weekly/Good Food Happy Hour at Crosby

Christopher Victorio/OC WeeklyThanks to everyone who came out! Click here to see more photos from last night.​It was a hell of an evening last night at the Crosby in Santa Ana, as your favorite food blog and KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman held our first-ever Happy Hour event in la nar ... More >>

Good Food Happy Hour

The Crosby

[UPDATED With Even More Goodies] Giveaways and Food Specials for Next Week's Good Food/Stick a Fork In It Happy Hour at the Crosby!

​UPDATE, MARCH 8, 2 P.M.: Ehrline Karnaga of Layer Cake and Valhalla Table has donated a box of her macarons to the giveaway. How the hell are we going to give so many goodies to ustedes? See you this Thursday! ORIGINAL POST, MARCH 2: Remember to mark your calendars for next Thursday at 7 p.m ... More >>

The Giveways for Next Week's Good Food/Stick a Fork in It Happy Hour!

​Yes, Virginia: We're going to plug next Thursday's Happy Hour event at the Crosby as much as possible. But there is further incentive to go beyond Aron Habiger's that-night-only special, the opportunity to meet with Evan Kleiman, to talk with fellow Forkers.There's going to be giveways. Good give ... More >>

Taqueria Rigoberto's Is the Loncheros' Lonchera

Eat like a taco-truck employee at this Santa Ana chef favorite

Vientiane, Irvine Farmers' Market Get the Good Food Treatment

I reviewed Vientiane in Garden Grove last year and want more people to go to this Laotian stunner--hence, the plug in this past weekend's edition of Good Food With Evan Kleiman on KCRW-FM 89.9. And while we here know and love the Irvine Farmers' Market, Good Food had amazingly never been to the mark ... More >>

[UPDATED] Pasadena's Dervaes Family Trademarks the Terms 'Urban Homestead' and 'Urban Homesteading,' Now Cracking Down on Bloggers

This guy just gave a talk in Orange County. . . . Better change the title of that book, son!​UPDATED, 10:50 P.M. Those dingbat Dervaeses won't give up. Rather than take their licking and apologize to the authors, bloggers, and libraries who dared use the term "urban homestead" or "urban homeste ... More >>

This Week In Food: Pothead Fantasies, Jerk-Ass Burger Hostesses and Wacky Cranberries!

Flickr user Half Chinese​Just like the headline says--and more!--after the jump!

Good Food with Evan Kleiman to Host First Happy Hour in Orange County! At the Crosby! Alongside OC Weekly!

​For years, I have had Orange County-based fans of KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman bug me about asking the host to have an event in la naranja--you know, like all the events she has up in Los Angeles, best of which is the show's Happy Hour, where Kleiman does nothing more than kick it w ... More >>

The Olive Tree Gets the Good Food Treatment

Whole Lamb. Photo by the Ubergeek​I originally reviewed the Olive Tree in Anaheim back in 2007, when it was already differentiating itself from its Little Arabia competitors by straying from the Lebanese/Armenian cookbook that nearly all the restaurants seemingly employ. I'm happy that it became a ... More >>

Tacos Jerez Gets the Good Food Treatment

​Last week, I appeared on KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman to talk Tacos Jerez, one of the few restaurants in Southern California to specialize in food from my native Mexican state of Zacatecas. For some reason, they decided to publicize the tacos part of it more than the jerezano angle. ... More >>

Athenian Burgers #3, Eddie Lin Gets the Good Food Treatment

I originally reviewed Athenian Burgers #3 in Buena Park nearly two-and-a-half years ago, and its reputation for wrapping the best breakfast burritos in Orange County remains, even continues to grow. May the following conversation I had about it with Evan Kleiman of KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food bring it ... More >>

Alebrije's Grill Gets its Good Food Closeup

I love appearing on KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food not just because it hopefully gets us more readers, but because I get to praise those OC restaurants I already reviewed to a much-larger audience than this humble rag can ever hope to brainwash. This weekend, host Evan Kleiman and I talked about Alebrije' ... More >>

Wadiya Gets its Good Food Close-Up!

I knew people listened to KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food program, but the devotion! I had at least 10 people congratulate me on my recommendation of Wadiya, the county's sole Sri Lankan restaurant I originally reviewed earlier this year, and none of them even knew of my original write-up! And these folks ... More >>

Good Food's Map of Holes-in-the-Wall Includes OC Dives

For local foodies, Good Food needs no intro; for everyone else, it's a long-running show on KCRW-FM 89.9 hosted by famed L.A.-area chef Evan Kleiman on everything food--books, recipes, trends, articles, and holes-in-the-wall. The main voice in the latter field, of course, is LA Weekly's Jonathan Gol ... More >>

This Week in Ice Cream and Other Frozen Delights