Apr 29th 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

peppercorn facts

Did you know that there are three types of peppercorns? The black peppercorns come from the Tellicherry, Sarawak, Malabar and Vietnamese plants and vary in degrees of heat and flavor intensity. White peppercorns originate from the same plants as the black variety but are vine ripened longer and the black shell is removed before drying.  Green peppercorns are young berries and are not as sharp and complex... read more

Apr 20th 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

planning for summer

About this time of year, I hop on the internet and make a list of all the fun things I could do with my kids over the summer. There are so many free or low cost places to go when you live in Los Angeles. Over the next few weeks, I will post many ideas for fun this summer and year around. If you want to add to my list, just post a comment and I will either add to the list or send out your information in the... read more

Apr 6th 10 Posted by Marlene Bernstein

calories count

Coming soon to a menu near YOU!   They’ve been popping up all over the place: in NYC, in California… And now they’re going nationwide:  Calorie Counts!  Buried deep in the health care legislation that President Obama signed on Tuesday is a new requirement that will affect any American who walks into a McDonald’s, Starbucks or Burger King. Every big restaurant chain in the nation... read more

Mar 23rd 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

the lazy dog cafe: yum

We didn’t want to try Lazy Dog because we were under the false impression that it was owned by Mimi’s Cafe – and you know my feelings about chain restaurants!  It is actually owned by the son of the guy who used to own Mimi’s but sold it to another chain.  The Lazy Dog Cafe has six locations throughout Southern California and we have been to two of those locations the past week... read more

Mar 16th 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

what the pho?

Another favorite meal of mine is Pho (pronounced “FA”). Wikipedia: Phở is served in a bowl with white rice noodles (called bánh phở’) in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket). Variations feature tendon, tripe, meatballs, chicken leg, chicken breast, or other chicken organs. The broth is generally made by simmering beef (and sometimes... read more

Mar 9th 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

changing family eating habits

Since Dawn is out of town at a catering convention this week, I thought I would re-run an article that Dawn wrote several months ago. Dawn wears many hats: to some, she is Dawn Walker a wife, mother, daughter, Maj Jongg player and friend. To others, she is Chef Dawn, an entrepreneur.  And to the Scene readers, I hope she has become more than a friendly author, chef and restaurant reviewer, but someone... read more

Mar 2nd 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

stop saying yuck!

I can’t remember which magazine this article was from but it was so interesting that I think you should read it. It was written by Jennifer Chen: We all have foods we can’t stomach. To help ourselves get over them, we asked molecular biologist and nutitional scientist Eric Nowicki for a one-way ticket out of Gagsville. About one in four people actually tastes vegetables like brussel sprouts... read more

Feb 23rd 10 Posted by Dawn Walker

restaurant review: fish tail and vino 100

I heard about Fish Tail at 28104 Newhall Ranch Road, between Vino 100 and Chipotle, from  editor and owner of SceneInSCV, Marlene Bernstein. She mentioned that if you buy a bottle of wine from Vino 100, you could enjoy the wine at Fish Tail with no corkage fee and a free appetizer. I had to go!!! Read Marlene’s article this week for a full review on Vino 100 on Wednesday CLICK HERE ON WED. Like... read more