IVDB Dining

Congregation Ale House in a brew of its own in Azusa

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 17:35:24 +0000

Sunlight steams in through the large door leading to the patio gently lighting Caleb McLaughlin's face and giving a glow to the beer in the glass he's holding. The reverence he has for the golden suds is appropriate, as he is the brewmaster at Congregation Ale House in Azusa. You may not find monks working here, but the passion the employees have for beer and its history is, well, devout.

REVIEW: Whittier's Bambooze Sushi & Brew House is insanely entertaining

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 01:30:10 +0000

Walking into Bambooze Sushi & Brew House, which sits on the more sedate, western edge of Uptown Whittier, I thought husky-voiced singer Bonnie Tyler was in the back room, belting out a lusty version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart." It sure sounded like her. But it turned out to be a heavily inked young lady, showing off her lungs on the karaoke side of this insanely entertaining Japanese restaurant.

REVIEW: Eat, drink and make merry at the Back Abbey in Claremont

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 01:19:08 +0000

The Back Abbey is a classic gastropub where the food plays as prominent a role as the wide assortment of beers. Located in the former Union Ice House building, The Back Abbey offers hearty pub fare. From the appetizer section, you can opt for the soft Bavarian pretzel accompanied by Belgian Augustijn aioli, which adds a beer flavor to the dipping sauce.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Intensely hot, tasty food of Myanmar offers dishes of India and Thai

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 19:07:30 +0000

It seems easy, maybe even lazy, to describe Burmese cooking as a combination of Indian and Thai, with some Chinese tossed in for good measure. The thing is, it's also true. But this is also a cuisine that follows its own rules and uses its own ingredients in its own way.

Restaurant Review: Elegant restaurant at Pasadena's Langham Huntington has successfully gone to steaks and chops

Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:30:41 +0000

That The Royce is now a steakhouse would seem to speak volumes about our subliminal needs as Americans in general, and Southern Californians in particular. In the past, this elegant space at the bespoke Langham Huntington hotel was a hotbed of Modernist Cuisine prepared by Young Turks like Michael Voltaggio and David Feau. Now, the restaurant at The Langham is a steakhouse -- and an exceptional one at that -- under the impressive hand of Chef de Cuisine Anthony Zappola.

Westside Pit BBQ in Rialto 'cues up the good times for meat lovers

Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:22:49 +0000

Any barbecue aficionado who lived in the San Bernardino area from the mid '60s through the millennium has fond memories of "Spanky's," officially known as Westside Pit BBQ on Highland Avenue.The restaurant closed a little more than a decade ago, but in 2012 Ken Calvin (Spanky's son), his wife Kimberly and their two daughters found a location west of Lilac Avenue in Rialto and Westside Pit BBQ was reborn.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Bottle Room serves up craft beer and some of the best gastropub chow around

Wed, 17 Jul 2013 21:58:02 +0000

The Bottle Room, situated between Whittier Coins and a fudge and candy shop in a vaguely Art Deco building, is easy to miss. But this hot spot is like a Downtown L.A.-type joint meandered into Uptown Whittier. It's an easy spot to love.

Restaurant Review: Prepare to be amazed by great food, unique cocktails at The Proper in La Canada Flintridge

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 21:07:31 +0000

The Proper is a properly good restaurant in an improperly unexpected location. Or perhaps it shouldn't be unexpected. For here in Southern California, restaurants are never quite where you expect them to be.

Lunch with Lainey: Grab a friend and head to the Sidekick Cafe in San Dimas

Wed, 03 Jul 2013 19:34:20 +0000

I started writing "Lunch with Lainey" in 2008 with the mission of finding nice, budget-conscious places to share with my readers. This week I ventured to San Dimas for the first time and found a place that fits the mission perfectly. It's the Sidekick Cafe, located in San Dimas Business Center on Allen Avenue.

Restaurant review: Freshened up Bistro 45 sets the bar high

Thu, 27 Jun 2013 17:52:15 +0000

AKA and Bar 45 in Old Pasadena bring a born-again, duel-personality version of the city's old favorite, Bistro 45.