--- title: The Indian Food America Was Missing --- LA's last Indian lunch buffets, Lebanese food beyond hummus, and dates at the farmers market.  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­    ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­   | Not rendering correctly? View this email as a web page here. I have a soft spot for French crullers. They are a kind of donut made with an entirely different dough than that used for raised or cake donuts. Raised donuts are made with a yeast dough, which gives them their pillowy loft. Cake donuts use baking powder and/or baking soda for a denser rise. French crullers are made with a pâte à choux, the same dough used for profiteroles and eclairs. They are usually piped into the hot oil using a piping tip with teeth, which gives the crullers their characteristic ridges. The outside is crisp while the inside is open and fluffy-eggy. They are most often served iced. And they're not easy to find. In the past I've gone to Randy's, which is not close to me. It's funny what can motivate a lifelong Angeleno to use the Metro. Last week it was my desire for the French crullers at Nyletta combined with my hatred of the parking at Platform in Culver City. I'm sure many of us have parking lots or even streets that fill us with dread. For me, that parking lot is enough to prevent me from going there. But I really wanted to try the cruller (see below). Then I realized that I could drive from my house in Mid-Wilshire to one of the nearby stations on the E Line (formerly known as the Expo Line). I'm equidistant from the Crenshaw and La Cienega stations, so I drove to the La Cienega station and parked. Got on the train, which was kindly waiting for me, and went one stop to Culver City. It's only a four-minute walk from the station to Platform. Easy peasy, and the walking helped deal with the extra sugar. I know I'm eccentric. If you have kids and wonder about the best way to introduce them to farmers markets without meltdowns, Good Food Supervising Producer and voice of the Market Report, Gillian Ferguson, has some advice for you in this piece she wrote for KCRW's Back Seat Babies. Try to stay cool. Hydrate and search out cold noodles. Good Food, Part 1 (Apple) (Spotify): Chef Meherwan Irani sold cars and imported jewelry before finding his true calling — bringing India's street food to the masses. Khushbu Shah surveys LA's vanishing Indian lunch buffets for her new series, Value Meal. Good Food, Part 2 (Apple) (Spotify): Growing up in wartime Beirut, Jad Youssef's family table was a refuge. In Lebnani, the chef shares the dishes that got his family through. Date farmer Alvaro Bautista explains which of his seven varieties are "juicy juicies" while pastry chef Steph Chen of Sugarbear Bakes adds Medjools to a carrot cake. —Evan THE GOOD FOOD TEAM'S DINING HIGHLIGHTS Evan: As soon as I saw images of French crullers in my Instagram feed, I knew I had to try them. Nyletta is named for Glenn Robinson's grandmother. The crullers come either rolled in cinnamon sugar or dipped into a seasonally flavored icing. The day I went, Glenn was featuring a bright lemon icing finished with cocoa nibs. I asked for light icing on mine. The joy of a French cruller is the interplay of crisp outsides and an eggy, open interior. He nails it. Nyletta is in the courtyard of Platform in Culver City, Wednesday through Saturday. Check IG for other locations and to confirm hours. Gillian: I picked up this container of French feta at Good Food's Stories in Store event at Sabzee Mediterranean Market in Encino, and it has quickly become a hero ingredient in my kitchen. Last night, I made a clean-out-the-fridge grain salad with brown rice, arugula, mint, pomegranates, roasted pistachios, and some of this feta cheese. It was shockingly delicious. Laryl: I don't consider myself a dessert person unless it's the Japanese variety. Ueki is a 14-seat omakase bar tucked at the back of Blue Ribbon Sushi in Palisades Village. Chef Lee San is serving pristine fish, but the highlight came at the end of the meal with the yuzu sorbet, mochi donut, and cube of Shizuoka melon, aka the "Ferrari of melons." In a neighborhood still rebuilding, the subtly sweet bites were a reminder of what made the coastal community special and were a delicious beacon of hope. Elina: Gott's Roadside launched a couple of decades ago as a roadside diner in Northern California wine country. This year, they expanded to LA with an outpost in the Original Farmers Market and, as of last week, one in Santa Monica. I went to the preview and decided my ideal Gott's meal is a chicken schnitzel sandwich (the hit of mustard makes the whole thing pop), a glass of frosé (a rosé slushy that is, blessedly, not too sweet), and a rocky road sundae. Located in a large space at the corner of Wilshire & 4th, it's a great spot for families but nice enough that adults can linger as they sip a glass of beer or wine. WHAT I'M CONSUMING WEEKLY RECIPE: When it's this hot and the appetite is flagging, it's good to take the easy road to dinner. Make this Zaru Soba (aka Cold Soba Noodles with dipping sauce) once, and you'll turn to it over and over. Buy a bottle of Mentsuyu when you stock up on dry soba noodles to keep in the pantry, and it's even easier. Sometimes, chilled, chewy noodles dipped in a flavorful sauce are all you need on a hot day. Photo courtesy of justonecookbook.com. GET THE RECIPE FOOD EVENTS Halloween-themed cocktail pop-up The Haunting happens at Long Beach bar The Ordinarie every day, 11:30 AM–1 AM, through November 2nd. Sip cocktails like Widow's Whisper, Scream-sicle, Poison Apple, Liquid Lobotomy, and Clown Pear-anoia. A year after debuting, build-your-own burger joint Patty Boys, in Hollywood, is throwing a Grand Opening. You could win one of three Golden Tickets, each of which is good for one double burger a month for a full year. Every purchase comes with a free Patty Boys gift. Saturday, October 3rd, 12–7 PM. In Newport Beach, RELISH promises three days of gastronomic delights, October 2nd–4th. The festivities include an Opening Night Cocktail Party, a Burgers+Bubbles Brunch, and a Culinary Icons Dinner. Participating chefs include Geoffrey Zakarian, Scott Conant, Sherry Yard, and Kat Turner, among others. Say cheers to the Blu-ray release of The Donn of Tiki, a documentary about Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt AKA Donn Beach, who opened the first tiki bar, Don the Beachcomber, in Hollywood in 1933. It happens at Frogtown Brewery, which celebrates its 10th anniversary. Sip boozy Don the Beachcomber-inspired slushies and listen to live music by exotica surf duo Surfsplosion. Sunday, October 4th, 12–10 PM. OTOTO, Tsubaki, and Camélia join forces to celebrate World Sake Day on Sunday, October 4th, 1–4 PM. Join an afternoon walk-around tasting with 60+ sakes and bites from Camélia's kitchen. $88 + tax and 10% gratuity. Reservations here. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf celebrates 63 years as a Los Angeles-born brand with a community birthday celebration on Sunday, October 4th, 1–4 PM at the Third Street Promenade location. Expect live entertainment, beverage samples, and giveaways. On Monday, October 5th, restaurateur and Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer visits A.O.C. to promote the publication of his new book, What Could Possibly Go Right? You get a multi-course meal prepared by Suzanne Goin, wine pairings chosen by Caroline Styne, a conversation between Danny and journalist Jeff Gordinier, and a signed copy of the book. $225/person. Reservations here. Tuesday, October 6th is National Taco Day, and Villa's Tacos #3 (at Figueroa and 61st) in Highland Park hosts a Mariscada, 3–9 PM. Pull up for seafood, live music, local vendors, classic cars, giveaways, raffles, and a few surprises. The James Beard Foundation's Taste America returns to Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 6th for an evening hosted by Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle of Little Fish. The event at The LINE Hotel in Koreatown features LA restaurants Linden, Bridgetown Roti, Komal, KI, RasaRumah, Camélia, Maydan LA, Azizam, and Betsy. $175–225. Tickets here. On Saturday, October 10th, chef Andrew Zimmern headlines a star-studded culinary lineup in San Pedro at AltaSea's Blue Hour, an annual event focused on sustainable seafood. You'll get to try kombu-cured Alaskan sablefish, Kona kanpachi crudo, Peruvian scallops, local oysters, and salmon wings with kelp ranch. $150–500. Off The Hook Santa Monica Seafood Festival returns to the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, October 11th. Enjoy seafood tastings, wine tastings, beer gardens, live yacht rock, oyster-shucking and slurping competitions, and games. This year's festival, which raises funds for Heal the Bay, also commemorates the 100th anniversary of Route 66. $123–186. On Sunday, October 11th, the multi-talented Pati Jinich stops by the Skirball to share recipes and stories from her new cookbook, Foods of La Frontera. $10–20. Get your tickets now! On Wednesday, October 14th, Evan Kleiman hosts Simple Too: An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. They'll discuss his latest cookbook, what "simple" means in a world of endless stimulation, and how to find pleasure in cooking when you're tired. $44–140. Tickets here. FOOD NEWS 75 years after Harold Hofman opened a 15-stool, 24-hour counter in Belmont Shore, Hof's Hut is still family-run and still serving Hofburgers and peach pie. Fun Fact: A young Marie Callender was one of its original pie makers. Why does a mocktail cost as much as a Negroni? Alcohol is a cheap, efficient flavor carrier, so taking it out often means more ingredients, more labor, and NA spirits that cost as much as gin. AI agents are coming for your dinner reservations. A New York venture capitalist's bot pinged Resy hundreds of times an hour trying to land a table at 4 Charles Prime Rib, and got his account banned. An LA investor's bot booked a Tokyo restaurant he'd never suggested, sticking him with a $200 cancellation fee. But AI will get better and those who don't jump on the bandwagon will likely get stuck behind a digital velvet rope. AWWW This hungry bear stopped for a snack at a farmers market in Aspen, Colorado. To see more of what I'm consuming, including recipes, events, and other stories, check out my Substack! —Evan KCRW 1900 Pico Blvd.  Santa Monica, CA 90405  You received this email because you are subscribed to Good Food Newsletter from KCRW. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. 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