Torrance's Ramen Hayatemaru opened a spin-off recently in the old Waraya space on West Olympic Boulevard, a move bound to make the ramen competition in Little Osaka a bit steamier, PeterCC reports on Chowhound. READ MORE
Los Angeles Area 
Restaurant recommendations, new openings, and highlights from the LA Chowhound community.
Daw Yee Cooks Real-Deal Burmese in Monterey Park
Burmese food shows the influence of its neighbors, Thailand, China, and India. Local Chowhound revets2 is familiar with food on the ground in Burma (also known as Myanmar), and reports that the cooking at Daw Yee Myanmar Café in Monterey Park is the real thing. READ MORE
Early Report: WildCraft Sourdough Pizza in Culver City
At Culver City’s month-old WildCraft Sourdough Pizza, the Neapolitan pies are cooked in a brick oven made by a third-generation builder from Naples, but there's a California twist: a slow-rising sourdough crust. It's thicker than a traditional Neapolitan pizza, a fact that Neopolitan purists might take issue with. But there's too much to like about WildCraft to quibble, Chowhound Dommy says. READ MORE
Top Eats at LA Farmers’ Markets
There are enough southland farmers’ markets to visit a different one every day of the week. And on Chowhound recently, selfportrait93 pointed out that the lines at markets' prepared-food stalls are often just as long as the ones to buy produce from the most popular farms. That doesn't prevent Chowhounds from patiently queuing up for these prime eats: READ MORE
Chowhound Find: The SGV’s Banana Leaf, an Indonesian Gem
Like Arcadia, Monterey Park, and Rosemead, Temple City usually draws Angelenos to the SGV for Chinese food. But one Chowhound recently discovered another reason to visit: Banana Leaf, a simple Indonesian café with a not-so-simple menu. READ MORE
Early Report on Sirena, Making Waves on Beverly Boulevard
When 20-year-old Pane e Vino shuttered over a year ago, locals mourned the loss. They also wondered what would happen to the trattoria's lush outdoor patio, widely regarded as one of the best open-air dining spaces in LA. The answer came in January, when Sirena Restaurant opened in the space, with an updated patio that operates as a handsome extension of the dining room. Nice as it is, Sirena's food just might upstage the space. READ MORE
Early Report on Café de Mexico: Good Tacos in Sherman Oaks
Café de Mexico fired up the grill in Sherman Oaks at the beginning of the year, replacing a dessert-forward café concept here, on a busy stretch of Riverside Drive. Hypnotic23 dropped in and reports on Chowhound that Café de Mexico is a taco slinger to be reckoned with. Prices are higher than average (tacos start at $2.75 each), but the tacos are tasty enough to rival the best in the Valley. READ MORE
Early Report on Peasant, a Tarzana Wine Bistro That Does It Right
Peasant Wine Bistro has been open less than a month, but Chowhounds CynGriff and spoggly have already declared it a fine addition to Tarzana. Despite its strip-mall location, Peasant impressed CynGriff with the cool décor, killer service, and great food: “It’s not your usual Valley spot." Maybe that's to be expected, since the guys behind Peasant are Greg Woodbury and Marcel Vinson, both from Bleecker Street Restaurant (Woodbury as GM, Vinson as chef). READ MORE
Nory: Amazing Turkish Delight (Locum) in the Valley
Turkish delight (also known as locum) is a gelée candy dusted with powdered sugar. It’s usually flavored with rose water or fruit essence—premium versions feature pistachios, walnuts, or other nuts embedded in the gel. Locum is an ancient confection common all over the Middle East and Europe, but good versions are hard to find in the United States. Lucky for Angelenos, wonderful handmade locum is as close as the San Fernando Valley, via Nory Candy and Pastry in Winnetka. READ MORE
