SoCal Restaurant Show

“The newly opened Bacari Long Beach is a Venetian-inspired small plates restaurant featuring Mediterranean-influenced dishes created by Chef Lior Hillel. It’s the 10th restaurant of Bacari Restaurants / Kronfli Brothers, a family-owned, growing group of restaurants in Southern California. Alongside inspired small plates, Bacari offer a rotating curation of small-production wines and eclectic beers, unique craft cocktails & mocktails, and are also known for their one-of-a-kind 90-minute open bar special. The Bacari Long Beach team provides warm hospitality in a comfortable, indoor dining room marked with rustic mediterranean decor.” Guests will feel like home when dining at the new Bacari Long Beach. They welcome but do not require reservations. Unusually (for a busy restaurant) they gladly accommodate walk-ins and large parties, even on busy nights. Co-founder Robert Kronfli joins us.

“Now in its eleventh year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine promises exceptional dining for visitors to the iconic venue. Goin and Styne’s culinary history has defined Los Angeles tastes since 1998 when they opened Lucques, their legendary first restaurant. At the Hollywood Bowl, California-inspired offerings are available at three full-service restaurants and three marketplaces as well as the Terrace and Garden Boxes, which can be ordered a day in advance. Four-time James Beard Foundation award-winner Goin’s vibrant new summer dishes pair beautifully with the exceptional wine and beer programs curated by Caroline Styne, also a Beard Foundation winner for Outstanding Restaurateur. Overseeing the broad range of dining options serving Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s thousands of nightly guests

“The newly opened Bacari Long Beach is a Venetian-inspired small plates restaurant featuring Mediterranean-influenced dishes created by Chef Lior Hillel. It’s the 10th restaurant of Bacari Restaurants / Kronfli Brothers, a family-owned, growing group of restaurants in Southern California. Alongside inspired small plates, Bacari offer a rotating curation of small-production wines and eclectic beers, unique craft cocktails & mocktails, and are also known for their one-of-a-kind 90-minute open bar special. The Bacari Long Beach team provides warm hospitality in a comfortable, indoor dining room marked with rustic mediterranean decor.” Guests will feel like home when dining at the new Bacari Long Beach. They welcome but do not require reservations. Unusually (for a busy restaurant) they gladly accommodate walk-ins and large parties, even on busy nights. Co-founder Robert Kronfli joins us.

“Now in its eleventh year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine promises exceptional dining for visitors to the iconic venue. Goin and Styne’s culinary history has defined Los Angeles tastes since 1998 when they opened Lucques, their legendary first restaurant. At the Hollywood Bowl, California-inspired offerings are available at three full-service restaurants and three marketplaces as well as the Terrace and Garden Boxes, which can be ordered a day in advance. Four-time James Beard Foundation award-winner Goin’s vibrant new summer dishes pair beautifully with the exceptional wine and beer programs curated by Caroline Styne, also a Beard Foundation winner for Outstanding Restaurateur. Overseeing the broad range of dining options serving Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s thousands of nightly guests is Executive Chef Erik Lopez.” Award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne joins us to uncork all that is Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine.

“Chef Chris Yang (2024 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: California) of Yang's Kitchen launched a tea and kombucha brand called Joimo late last year. Joimo was born from a simple observation: Better tea makes better kombucha. Built on Taiwanese tea traditions, it starts with the finest single-origin oolong tea, handpicked from the high mountains of Taiwan. Chris didn't start out as a tea lover and was experimenting with making kombucha using a SCOBY bought on Amazon years ago while opening Yang's Kitchen. Unbeknownst to him, the gifted tea leaves he was experimenting with were expensive and intended primarily for a traditional tea ceremony. But the kombucha was delicious, and Joimo was born.” Co-Founder Rinna Lee joins us with a refreshing Joimo Original Strawberry Kombucha in hand.

“Celebrity Chef Katie Chin is an award-winning cookbook author, spokesperson, food blogger and the Culinary Ambassador to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. She joins us to talk about her uplifting one-woman show, “Holy Shitake.” Katie’s acclaimed one-woman show, “Holy Shiitake! A Wok Star is Born,” is back locally for a one-night encore at Pico House in DTLA on Thursday, July 16th as a benefit for the Chinese American Museum. Reception to follow with libations and Dim Sum provided by Chef Katie’s Wok Star Catering team. Get ready to be blown away by the talents of Chef Katie Chin.  Filled with pathos and humor, “Holy Shitake! A Wok Star is Born” written by Katie and produced by Paul Hemstreet, chronicles Chef Katie Chin’s journey as a Chinese American girl growing up in Minneapolis in the 1970s where she was raised by her remarkable mother, seamstress turned restaurateur, Leeann Chin.”


Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) now joins us with his timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. Beef prices are on the rise yet again. Chef Andrew shares his insights for lesser known cuts of beef that represent great value. Also, what’s the best value in seafood right now? We’ll, of course, “Ask the Chef.”

“The newly opened Bacari Long Beach is a Venetian-inspired small plates restaurant featuring Mediterranean-influenced dishes created by Chef Lior Hillel. It’s the 10th restaurant of Bacari Restaurants / Kronfli Brothers, a family-owned, growing group of restaurants in Southern California.”

“Alongside delicious small plates crafted by Executive Chef & Partner Lior Hillel, Bacari offer a rotating curation of small-production wines and eclectic beers, unique craft cocktails & mocktails, and are also known for their one-of-a-kind 90-minute open bar special.”

“The Bacari team provides warm hospitality in a comfortable, indoor dining room marked with rustic mediterranean decor. Guests will feel like home when dining at Bacari Long Beach. They welcome but do not require reservations. Unusually (for a busy restaurant) they gladly accommodate walk-ins and large parties, even on busy nights.”

The Kronfli Brothers restaurants were originally inspired by a popular underground supper club, Paladar, that Robert Kronfli operated with his apartment roommate while an enterprising student at the University of Southern California. A fellow USC cinema student followed this for a year and the result was the well-received Paladar documentary film.

Special offer: Robert extends a generous offer to show listeners. Dine at any of the Bacari restaurants by July 20th and when you’re ready for dessert mention you heard Robert on the “SoCal Restaurant Show.” You’ll then be rewarded with a complimentary dessert. One hosted dessert per table. Enjoy! No strings…

Co-founder Robert Kronfli joins us.

“The newly opened Bacari Long Beach is a Venetian-inspired small plates restaurant featuring Mediterranean-influenced dishes created by Chef Lior Hillel. It’s the 10th restaurant of Bacari Restaurants / Kronfli Brothers, a family-owned, growing group of restaurants in Southern California.”

“Alongside delicious small plates, Bacari offer a rotating curation of small-production wines and eclectic beers, unique craft cocktails & mocktails, and are also known for their one-of-a-kind 90-minute open bar special.”

“The Bacari team provides warm hospitality in a comfortable, indoor dining room marked with rustic mediterranean decor. Guests will feel like home when dining at Bacari Long Beach. They welcome but do not require reservations. Unusually (for a busy restaurant) they gladly accommodate walk-ins and large parties, even on busy nights.”

Co-founder Robert Kronfli continues with us.

“Now in its eleventh year with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine promises exceptional dining for visitors to the iconic venue. Goin and Styne’s culinary history has defined Los Angeles tastes since 1998 when they opened Lucques, their legendary first restaurant. At the Hollywood Bowl, California-inspired offerings are available at three full-service restaurants and three marketplaces as well as the Terrace and Garden Boxes, which can be ordered a day in advance. Four-time James Beard Foundation award-winner Goin’s vibrant new summer dishes pair beautifully with the exceptional wine and beer programs curated by Caroline Styne, also a Beard Foundation winner for Outstanding Restaurateur. Overseeing the broad range of dining options serving Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s thousands of nightly guests is Executive Chef Erik Lopez.”

“Caroline Styne has curated a diverse retail wine selection in the three marketplaces this season, offering a broad selection of varieties and options for wine lovers visiting the Bowl. The markets feature a number of canned wines as well as a wide selection of organic, biodynamic and non-alcoholic bottles made by celebrated artisanal winemakers like Melville, Cafe Society, Weingut Leitz and The Wonderland Project, as well as an array of wines from the Bowl’s new sponsor Grapevine Wines in partnership with Beckmen Winery, Hitching Post Winery and Lola Wines.”

“Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine’s many dining options include three sit-down restaurants with seasonally changing menus, street-food kiosks, pre-ordered picnic boxes and a full-service dinner delivered to your box seat. For private events, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine provides catering at several locations for groups both large and small.”

Restaurateur Caroline Styne joins us to uncork all that is Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine for 2026.

“Chef Chris Yang (2024 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: California) of Yang's Kitchen  launched a tea and kombucha brand called Joimo late last year.”

“Joimo was born from a simple observation: Better tea makes better kombucha. Built on Taiwanese tea traditions, it starts with the finest single-origin oolong tea, handpicked from the high mountains of Taiwan. Chris didn't start out as a tea lover and was experimenting with making kombucha using a SCOBY bought on Amazon years ago while opening Yang's Kitchen. Unbeknownst to him, the gifted tea leaves he was experimenting with were expensive and intended primarily for a traditional tea ceremony. But the kombucha was delicious, and Joimo was born.” 

“Labeled as the "champagne of kombucha,” Joimo is crisp, clean, and bright without the bite; it's crafted for taste, not just wellness. Each batch of Joimo kombucha is artisanally crafted in small batches without shortcuts, transforming organic cane sugar through months of careful fermentation with a symbiotic culture of healthy bacteria and yeast. The result is delicate and floral, with airy, slightly earthy notes and a touch of minerality. Bright and lightly dry, with fine, crisp effervescence, it finishes clean and perfectly balanced.” 

Every third Saturday their DTLA Kombucha brewery is open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for tastings and tours.

Co-Founder Rinna Lee joins us with Joimo Original Strawberry Kombucha in hand.

“Chef Chris Yang (2024 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: California) of Yang's Kitchen launched a tea and kombucha brand called Joimo late last year.”

“Joimo was born from a simple observation: Better tea makes better kombucha. Built on Taiwanese tea traditions, it starts with the finest single-origin oolong tea, handpicked from the high mountains of Taiwan. Chris didn't start out as a tea lover and was experimenting with making kombucha using a SCOBY bought on Amazon years ago while opening Yang's Kitchen. Unbeknownst to him, the gifted tea leaves he was experimenting with were expensive and intended primarily for a traditional tea ceremony. But the kombucha was delicious, and Joimo was born.”

“Labeled as the "champagne of kombucha,” Joimo is crisp, clean, and bright without the bite; it's crafted for taste, not just wellness. Each batch of Joimo kombucha is artisanally crafted in small batches without shortcuts, transforming organic cane sugar through months of careful fermentation with a symbiotic culture of healthy bacteria and yeast. The result is delicate and floral, with airy, slightly earthy notes and a touch of minerality. Bright and lightly dry, with fine, crisp effervescence, it finishes clean and perfectly balanced.”

Every third Saturday their DTLA Kombucha brewery is open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for tastings and tours.

Co-Founder Rinna Lee continues with us with a Joimo Mango Mango Kombucha in hand.

“Celebrity Chef Katie Chin is an award-winning cookbook author, spokesperson, food blogger and the Culinary Ambassador to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. She joins us to talk about her uplifting one-woman show, “Holy Shitake.” Katie’s acclaimed one-woman show, “Holy Shiitake! A Wok Star is Born,” is back locally for a one-night encore at Pico House in DTLA on Thursday, July 16th as a benefit for the Chinese American Museum. Reception to follow with libations and Dim Sum provided by Chef Katie’s Wok Star Catering team.”

“Get ready to be blown away by the talents of Chef Katie Chin.  Filled with pathos and humor, “Holy Shitake! A Wok Star is Born” written by Katie and produced by Paul Hemstreet, chronicles Chef Katie Chin’s journey as a Chinese American girl growing up in Minneapolis in the 1970s where she was raised by her remarkable mother, seamstress turned restaurateur, Leeann Chin.”

“You will be captivated by her unique blend of humor, storytelling, and culinary expertise. Prepare to be entertained as she shares her personal journey of becoming a Wok Star and conquering the culinary world.”

Beef prices are on the rise yet again. Chef Andrew shares his insights for lesser known cuts of beef that represent great value. Also, what’s the best value in seafood right now? We’ll, of course, “Ask the Chef.”

“At Bianca Sicilian Trattoria (located in a quieter area of the Arts District of DTLA) , Chef Michele Galifi’s philosophy is rooted in the timeless traditions of Sicily - where food is memory, hospitality is instinct, and every meal is an occasion. They believe true refinement comes not from complexity, but from respect: respect for ingredients, for technique, and for the rhythm of a proper Sicilian table. Chef Michele’s cuisine highlights handmade pastas, pristine seafood, seasonal produce, and the vibrant balance of citrus, herbs, and Mediterranean depth that define Sicilian cooking. Indulge in his hand-crafted unique Sicilian Street Style Appetizers, Sicilian Pastas, Pizza, and Italian Seafood.” Chef Michele takes a brief pause from his busy prep to join us.

A little earlier than usual (10:45 a.m. PT) our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) joins us with another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries. It’s Summer Grilling Season and Chef Andrew resumes his timely and practical series from American Gravy of “Grilling Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Cookout.”