With lockdown precluding our usual dining activities, we decided to turn our focus inward for a Proustian survey of long-ago restaurant visits, newly written but based on notes taken at the time. Originally posted in monthly batches, this page gathers all 100 reviews together in chronological order for the first time. Angina!
💥 = Chef's special recommendations
👨🏽🍳 Philippe The Original ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (January 2009)
👨🏽🍳 Tub's Fine Chili ~ Culver City, CA, USA (June 2009)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Govinda's ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (June 2009) 💥
👨🏽🍳 El Indio ~ San Diego, CA, USA (June 2009)
👨🏽🍳 Jet Rock Bar & Grill ~ Philadelphia, PA, USA (September 2009)
👨🏽🍳 Da Maat ~ Torrance, CA, USA (November 2010)
👨🏽🍳 All Indian Sweets & Snacks ~ Torrance, CA, USA (January 2011)
👨🏽🍳 Golden Camel Mongolian Bar-B-Q ~ Torrance, CA, USA (January 2011)
👨🏽🍳 The Stinking Rose ~ Beverly Hills, CA, USA (February 2011)
👨🏽🍳 El Paso Cantina ~ Torrance, CA, USA (March 2011)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Captain Kidd's ~ Redondo Beach, CA, USA (March 2011) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Oki Dog ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (June 2011)
👨🏽🍳 Café Gratitude ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (November 2011)
👨🏽🍳 Wurstküche ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (December 2011)
👨🏽🍳 Hurry Curry Of Tokyo ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (March 2012)
👨🏽🍳 El Compadre ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (April 2012)
👨🏽🍳 Da Pasquale ~ Beverly Hills, CA, USA (May 2012)
👨🏽🍳 Don Rogelio's Restaurant ~ Old Towne Lennox, CA, USA (July 2012)
👨🏽🍳 Cole's ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (September 2012)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Zam-Zam Market ~ Culver City, CA, USA (October 2012) 💥
👨🏽🍳 The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. ~ Beverly Hills, CA, USA (October 2012)
👨🏽🍳 Musso & Frank Grill ~ Hollywood, CA, USA (November 2012)
👨🏽🍳 Merkato ~ Las Vegas, NV, USA (December 2012)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Saigon Shack ~ New York, NY, USA (March 2013) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Top Round Roast Beef ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (June 2013)
👨🏽🍳 Howard's Famous Bacon & Avocado Burgers ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (September 2013)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Al & Bea's Mexican Food ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 2013) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Langer's Delicatessen ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 2013)
👨🏽🍳 Tsujita L.A. Artisan Noodle Annex ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 2013)
👨🏽🍳 Sugarfish By Sushi Nozawa ~ Beverly Hills, CA, USA (October 2013)
👨🏽🍳 Wienerschnitzel #65 ~ Santa Monica, CA, USA (November 2013)
👨🏽🍳 Echigo ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (February 2014)
👨🏽🍳 The Apple Pan ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (February 2014)
👨🏽🍳 CoCo Ichibanya ~ Brentwood, CA, USA (March 2014)
👨🏽🍳 A Cut Above Butcher Shop ~ Santa Monica, CA, USA (May 2014)
👨🏽🍳 Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (May 2014)
👨🏽🍳 Komol Restaurant ~ Las Vegas, NV, USA (June 2014)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Kualapu'u Cookhouse ~ Kualapu'u, HI, USA (October 2014) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Seoul House Of Tofu ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (December 2014)
👨🏽🍳 Connie & Ted's ~ West Hollywood, CA, USA (December 2014)
👨🏽🍳 Bagel Nosh ~ Santa Monica, CA, USA (January 2015)
👨🏽🍳 Kotoya Ramen ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (May 2015)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Seumas' Bar ~ Sligachan, Scotland, UK (July 2015) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Aussie Pie Kitchen ~ Santa Monica, CA, USA (October 2015)
👨🏽🍳 Kye's ~ Santa Monica, CA, USA (October 2015)
👨🏽🍳 Hollywood Pies ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (November 2015)
👨🏽🍳 Tito's Tacos ~ Culver City, CA, USA (June 2016)
👨🏽🍳 El Tepeyac Café ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 2016)
👨🏽🍳 Tentenyu Ramen ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 2016)
👨🏽🍳 Paul's Kitchen ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 2016)
👨🏽🍳 Venice Ramen ~ Marina Del Rey, CA, USA (November 2016)
👨🏽🍳 Five & Dime General Store ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Santa Fe Bite ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Atrisco Cafe & Bar ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
👨🏽🍳 La Choza ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
👨🏽🍳 El Chile Toreado ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Chicago Dog Express ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Horseman's Haven ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Blake's Lotaburger ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (March 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Naugles ~ Fountain Valley, CA, USA (June 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Lee's Sandwiches ~ Westminster, CA, USA (June 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Just Hot Dogs ~ Westminster, CA, USA (June 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery ~ Santa Monica, CA, USA (July 2017)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Santouka ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (August 2017) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Jim Dandy Fried Chicken ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (September 2017)
👨🏽🍳 505 Food Truck LA ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (December 2017)
👨🏽🍳 Lupe's No. 2 ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (February 2018)
💥 👨🏽🍳 The Hat ~ Monterey Park, CA, USA (April 2018) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Coni'Seafood ~ Inglewood, CA, USA (April 2018)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Smoke's Poutinerie ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (April 2018) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Soom Soom ~ Beverly Hills, CA, USA (April 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Mandarin Beauty ~ Holbrook, AZ, USA (May 2018)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Second Street Brewery ~ Santa Fe, NM, USA (May 2018) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Coney I-Lander ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (May 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Allen's Coney Island ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (May 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Jim's Coney Island ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (May 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Taco Bueno ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (June 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Claud's Hamburgers ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (June 2018)
👨🏽🍳 New Hong Kong ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (July 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Bill & Ruth's ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (July 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Calaveras Mexican Grill ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (July 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Mexican Corner ~ Tulsa, OK, USA (August 2018)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Taco Bell ~ Rolla, MO, USA (October 2018) 💥
👨🏽🍳 New York Bagel & Bialy ~ Lincolnwood, IL, USA (October 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Herm's Palace ~ Skokie, IL, USA (October 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Poochie's ~ Skokie, IL, USA (October 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Wolfy's ~ Chicago, IL, USA (October 2018)
👨🏽🍳 Duke Of Perth ~ Chicago, IL, USA (January 2019)
👨🏽🍳 Portillo's ~ Skokie, IL, USA (June 2019)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Badou Senegalese Cuisine ~ Chicago, IL, USA (March 2019) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Chicago Diner ~ Chicago, IL, USA (April 2019)
👨🏽🍳 The Wiener's Circle ~ Chicago, IL, USA (August 2019)
👨🏽🍳 Pequod Pizzeria ~ Morton Grove, IL, USA (September 2019)
👨🏽🍳 Santouka ~ Arlington Heights, IL, USA (September 2019)
👨🏽🍳 Cozy Corner ~ Chicago, IL, USA (September 2019)
👨🏽🍳 The Carving Board ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (September 2019)
💥 👨🏽🍳 Leo's Tacos ~ Los Angeles, CA, USA (September 2019) 💥
👨🏽🍳 Bob's Burgers ~ Albuquerque, NM, USA (September 2019)
👨🏽🍳 Imo's Pizza ~ Sullivan, MO, USA (October 2019)
👨🏽🍳 Ghareeb Nawaz ~ Chicago, IL, USA (October 2019)