By Brianna Chu Tacocita’s bright teal umbrellas and gorgeous succulent graffiti art brought an eye-catching new feature to the corner of Rosemead and Del Mar in East Pasadena when they opened early this October. The colorful aesthetic and playlist build a fun and playful hangout spot for a younger crowd, with picnic tables spread out…
By Brianna Chu This phenomenal ice cream shop began…as a New Year’s Resolution. Back in 2015, Adrienne Borlongan and partner Jon-Patrick (JP) Lopez made a resolution, at the behest of his parents, to start their own business. Borlongan had always known she would run her own food concept one day, but hadn’t particularly known what…
By Brianna Chu Magnolia House has been inviting Pasadenans into its homey, chic space since 2014. The interior embraces the hundred-year-old Craftsman house from which the space has been built, creating a modern yet cozy atmosphere. The front of the house is a large garage-door window that opens out to let the summer breeze flow…
By Brianna Chu Fumi and Sayuri Tachibe opened their first restaurant together on April 18, 2013. Osawa is a passion project for the Tachibes, one that had been on their minds for a while. After about 30 years of Fumi having working at Chaya, he transitioned from working as a chef at a large, corporate…
By Brianna Chu Shawna Dawson got the idea for “LA’s original tasting event” while she was the Director of Marketing for Yelp. Having grown up in Eagle Rock and Highland Park, she has a great appreciation for all the amazing local cuisine. Inspired, she envisioned an event that showcased not only some of the best…
By Brianna Chu When I approached the Pasadena Playhouse early Monday evening, the air was abuzz with conversation and laughter; graduands’ family and friends were standing as close to the front doors of Playhouse as they could, arms full of flowers and balloons, waiting to celebrate their graduands. The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) welcomed…
By Brianna Chu November 19, 2019 will mark Mi Piace’s 30th anniversary; when they opened in 1989, Old Town Pasadena didn’t even have Cheesecake Factory yet. Mi Piace is one of the few restaurants that were open in 1989 still left. Armen Shirvanian opened Mi Piace with his mom, and partner and pastry chef Takis Markoutsis….
By Brianna Chu Greg Lukasiewicz is no restaurant industry rookie. Lukasiewicz’s career has taken him from the highly Zagat-rated French-Japanese restaurant, Shiro, to opening two high-end restaurants named after his daughters – first Devon, and then Halie – to starting a “recession gourmet” taco chain, Bull Taco, on the beach when he was supposed to…