SoCal Restaurant Show

“Broken Spanish Comedor is a new concept from acclaimed Chef Ray Garcia (Esquire's Chef of the Year 2015), serving as the neighborhood friendly offshoot of his award-winning DTLA restaurant Broken Spanish. Rooted in bold Mexican flavors and Chef Garcia’s signature creativity, Broken Spanish Comedor offers a relaxed, community-centric dining experience while maintaining the same commitment to quality and innovation.”

“The menu delights long-time followers with approachable modern Mexican American fare. It is a neighborhood offshoot of Broken Spanish with the same quality, same passion, but with a community-centric approach in terms of food and drinks.”

Look for house specialties including Albondigas (Duck Meatballs with bacon, chipotle and nopales), Enchiladas (from his Mom’s recipe with chicken, leek, feta, tomatillo salsa and homemade crema) and the Torta del Chocolate with a nixtamalized corn crust and Mexican chocolate. The fresh corn tortillas are hand pressed and baked right there throughout the evening.

“The menu delights long-time followers with approachable modern Mexican American fare. It is a neighborhood offshoot of Broken Spanish with the same quality, same passion, but with a community-centric approach in terms of food and drinks".

The creative cocktails are Tequila and Mezcal based. Also on the menu are an intriguing selection of premium Mexican wines available by the glass. Not neglected are the Zero Proof libations including a house made Orange Fanta.

“Chef Ray Garcia (ex-FIG Restaurant at the Fairmont Santa Monica), a trailblazing Los Angeles native, is redefining modern Mexican cuisine with inspired creativity. Known as a pioneer of Alta California cuisine, Garcia blends Mexican roots with the spirit of Los Angeles to create soulful, modern dishes that honor his heritage.”

Chef Ray escapes his busy kitchen to join us.

“Broken Spanish Comedor is a new concept from acclaimed Chef Ray Garcia (Esquire's Chef of the Year 2015), serving as the neighborhood friendly offshoot of his award-winning DTLA restaurant Broken Spanish. Rooted in bold Mexican flavors and Chef Garcia’s signature creativity, Broken Spanish Comedor offers a relaxed, community-centric dining experience while maintaining the same commitment to quality and innovation.”

“The menu delights long-time followers with approachable modern Mexican American fare. It is a neighborhood offshoot of Broken Spanish with the same quality, same passion, but with a community-centric approach in terms of food and drinks".

Look for house specialties including Albondigas (Duck Meatballs with bacon, chipotle and nopales), Enchiladas (from his Mom’s recipe with chicken, leek, feta, tomatillo salsa and homemade crema) and the Torta del Chocolate with a nixtamalized corn crust and Mexican chocolate. The fresh corn tortillas are hand pressed and baked right there throughout the evening. You can see the process with a view from the bar.

The creative cocktails are Tequila and Mezcal based. Also on the menu are an intriguing selection of premium Mexican wines available by the glass. Not neglected are the Zero Proof libations including a house made Orange Fanta.

Chef Ray escapes his busy kitchen once more to stay with us.

“Our guest, Mike Fruge, and his brother Mark continue a proud Louisiana farming legacy that spans more than a century. The brothers were featured on the national television show Farms of America, which highlighted their innovative approach to rice and crawfish farming in South Louisiana.”

“Born and raised in Branch, Louisiana, Mike is a fourth-generation rice and crawfish farmer who has dedicated his career to preserving and modernizing his family’s agricultural heritage. Mike and Mark work together operating Frugé Farms, a 4,000-acre rice and crawfish operation that continues their great-great-uncle John “JT” Meleck’s legacy of innovation. Mike also founded Frugé Seafood Company, a Dallas-based distributor supplying premium seafood to chefs and restaurants across Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.”

“In 2017, Mike launched his own venture—JT Meleck Distillers—named after his great-great-uncle John “JT” Meleck, who began growing rice in Acadia Parish in 1896. What started as an idea to turn Louisiana rice into something truly unique has grown into a celebrated craft distillery producing award-winning rice vodka and whiskey. From grain to glass, every bottle begins with rice grown on the family farm and is distilled, aged, and bottled in Louisiana—sharing the story of Mike’s roots, one sip at a time.”

“A graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in photography. He has been married to his wife, Courtney, for 37 years, and together they have three children and one granddaughter. When he’s not working, Mike enjoys hunting, flying, and spending time outdoors—staying grounded in the land and lifestyle that have shaped his life.”

“Our continuing guest, Mike Fruge, and his brother Mark continue a proud Louisiana farming legacy that spans more than a century. The brothers were recently featured on the national television show Farms of America, which highlighted their innovative approach to rice and crawfish farming in South Louisiana.”

“Born and raised in Branch, Louisiana, Mike is a fourth-generation rice and crawfish farmer who has dedicated his career to preserving and modernizing his family’s agricultural heritage. He and Mark work together operating Frugé Farms, a 4,000-acre rice and crawfish operation that continues their great-great-uncle John “JT” Meleck’s legacy of innovation. Mike also founded Frugé Seafood Company, a Dallas-based distributor supplying premium seafood to chefs and restaurants across Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.”

“In 2017, Mike launched his own venture—JT Meleck Distillers—named after his great-great-uncle John “JT” Meleck, who began growing rice in Acadia Parish in 1896. What started as an idea to turn Louisiana rice into something truly unique has grown into a celebrated craft distillery producing award-winning rice vodka and whiskey. From grain to glass, every bottle begins with rice grown on the family farm and is distilled, aged, and bottled in Louisiana—sharing the story of Mike’s roots, one sip at a time.”

Last week we discussed that Social Media can have an enormous impact on restaurants both on the upside as well as the unfortunate negative. We first focused on the upside. Chef Andrew is skilled at managing and utilizing Social Media (for the good) to build his brand. We’ll continue that spirited conversation with a Social Media horror story involving a popular restaurant as the object of ire.

“Budonoki, located on the corner of Virgil and Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles is a friendly neighborhood izakaya offering drinking snacks and sushi alongside ice-cold beer, sake and serious cocktails.” “The creative pan-Asian izakaya comes from college friends and hospitality veterans Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley. It started out as a roving pop-up in 2021 after the duo met chef Dan Rabilwongse (an alum of Tsubaki and Hayato) via a mutual friend. Rabilwongse, who grew up in nearby Historic Filipinotown, put together the cuisine-melding menu, filled with signature dishes like pressed sushi, naem (a funky Thai fermented pork sausage), “budo-gnocchi” (Korean rice cakes with mushroom and black truffle), and charred Japanese sweet potatoes with miso butter.” Founders Eric Bedroussian and Josh Harley join us to unwrap all that is Budonoki.

Landry Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the rolling hills of West Monroe, Louisiana. Landry Vineyards produces 20 different wines including cultural fruit forward semi-sweet wines, clean crisp dry white wines, dry barrel aged wines and port style wines. Visitors can sample these wines, while enjoying the picturesque views from the beautiful tasting room. Founder and Winemaker Jeff Landry is our guest to uncork all that is Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards.

Landry Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the rolling hills of West Monroe, Louisiana. Landry Vineyards produces 20 different wines including cultural fruit forward semi-sweet wines, clean crisp dry white wines, dry barrel aged wines and port style wines. Visitors can sample these wines, while enjoying the picturesque views from the beautiful tasting room. Founder and Winemaker Jeff Landry is our guest to uncork all that is Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards.

The 2nd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine festival in Manhattan Village took place on Friday, September 12th, 2025, and Saturday, September 13th, 2025. Both nights were sold out. Over the two-nights 46 All-Star Chefs prepared world-class cuisine served along with premier wines, top spirits, handcrafted cocktails, and craft beer pairing seamlessly with pulse-raising beats. Guests discovered a dynamic flow of music and flavor, spotlighting the unmistakable spirit of the South Bay. Lawrence Moore of Lawrence Moore and Associates joins us to provide a postscript on Manhattan Beach Food & Wine 2025 and looking ahead to 2026. She served as the very busy restaurant coordinator and public relations representative for MBF&W.

Sommelier Kelsey Kramer, the Director of Education for the Hill Country Wine Academy near Fredericksburg, Texas, is a theater major turned wine professional and educator, currently navigating the WSET Diploma program with 13+ years of hospitality, restaurant, and wine experience under her belt. Kelsey earned her CMS Sommelier certification in 2017, and at the same time began teaching about wine at High Street Wine Co. in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. She began class programming and beverage selection for various wine education programs before shifting to virtual education program models in the COVID-19 shutdown. In 2019 she started her journey with William Chris Vineyards interactive virtual education program, and wine education became her full-time pursuit at the Texas Hill Country-based William Chris Wine Co. With a colorful background, Kelsey's educational style is performative, engaging and positive. Kelsey's classes typically focus on hospitality, tasting technique, and looking at Texas wine through an international wine industry lens. Kelsey Kramer is our guest pulling the cork on all that is the Hill Country Wine Academy

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.

Social Media can have an enormous impact on restaurants both on the upside as well as the unfortunate negative. Chef Andrew is skilled at managing and utilizing Social Media (for the good) to build his brand. He shares his informed insights.

“Budonoki, located on the corner of Virgil and Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles is a friendly neighborhood izakaya offering drinking snacks and sushi alongside ice-cold beer, sake and serious cocktails.” “The creative pan-Asian izakaya comes from college friends and hospitality veterans Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley. It started out as a roving pop-up in 2021 after the duo met chef Dan Rabilwongse (an alum of Tsubaki and Hayato) via a mutual friend. Rabilwongse, who grew up in nearby Historic Filipinotown, put together the cuisine-melding menu, filled with signature dishes like pressed sushi, naem (a funky Thai fermented pork sausage), “budo-gnocchi” (Korean rice cakes with mushroom and black truffle), and charred Japanese sweet potatoes with miso butter.” Founders Eric Bedroussian and Josh Harley join us to unwrap all that is Budonoki.

Landry Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the rolling hills of West Monroe, Louisiana. Landry Vineyards produces 20 different wines including cultural fruit forward semi-sweet wines, clean crisp dry white wines, dry barrel aged wines and port style wines. Visitors can sample these wines, while enjoying the picturesque views from the beautiful tasting room. Founder and Winemaker Jeff Landry is our guest to uncork all that is Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards.

The 2nd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine festival in Manhattan Village took place on Friday, September 12th, 2025, and Saturday, September 13th, 2025. Both nights were sold out. Over the two-nights 46 All-Star Chefs prepared world-class cuisine served along with premier wines, top spirits, handcrafted cocktails, and craft beer pairing seamlessly with pulse-raising beats. Guests discovered a dynamic flow of music and flavor, spotlighting the unmistakable spirit of the South Bay. Lawrence Moore of Lawrence Moore and Associates joins us to provide a postscript on Manhattan Beach Food & Wine 2025 and looking ahead to 2026. She served as the very busy restaurant coordinator and public relations representative for MBF&W.

Sommelier Kelsey Kramer, the Director of Education for the Hill Country Wine Academy near Fredericksburg, Texas, is a theater major turned wine professional and educator, currently navigating the WSET Diploma program with 13+ years of hospitality, restaurant, and wine experience under her belt. Kelsey earned her CMS Sommelier certification in 2017, and at the same time began teaching about wine at High Street Wine Co. in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. She began class programming and beverage selection for various wine education programs before shifting to virtual education program models in the COVID-19 shutdown. In 2019 she started her journey with William Chris Vineyards interactive virtual education program, and wine education became her full-time pursuit at the Texas Hill Country-based William Chris Wine Co. With a colorful background, Kelsey's educational style is performative, engaging and positive. Kelsey's classes typically focus on hospitality, tasting technique, and looking at Texas wine through an international wine industry lens. Kelsey Kramer is our guest pulling the cork on all that is the Hill Country Wine Academy

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (located in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.

Social Media can have an enormous impact on restaurants both on the upside as well as the unfortunate negative. Chef Andrew is skilled at managing and utilizing Social Media (for the good) to build his brand. He shares his informed insights.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

“Budonoki, located on the corner of Virgil and Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles is a friendly neighborhood izakaya offering drinking snacks and sushi alongside ice-cold beer, sake and serious cocktails.”

“The creative pan-Asian izakaya comes from college friends and hospitality veterans Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley. It started out as a roving pop-up in 2021 after the duo met chef Dan Rabilwongse (an alum of Tsubaki and Hayato) via a mutual friend. Rabilwongse, who grew up in nearby Historic Filipinotown, put together the cuisine-melding menu, filled with signature dishes like pressed sushi, naem (a funky Thai fermented pork sausage), “budo-gnocchi” (Korean rice cakes with mushroom and black truffle), and charred Japanese sweet potatoes with miso butter.”

“The richly hued walnut interiors, accented by dark blue and burnt orange, create a cozy ambiance, transporting diners to a bustling izaksaya in Japan or Bangkok.

Be sure to take a look at the artist series ceramic mug (an original) the Joshikai libation is served in.

Founders Eric Bedroussian and Josh Harley join us to unwrap all that is Budonoki.

“Budonoki, located on the corner of Virgil and Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles is a friendly neighborhood izakaya offering drinking snacks and sushi alongside ice-cold beer, sake and serious cocktails.”

“The creative pan-Asian izakaya comes from college friends and hospitality veterans Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley. It started out as a roving pop-up in 2021 after the duo met chef Dan Rabilwongse (an alum of Tsubaki and Hayato) via a mutual friend. Rabilwongse, who grew up in nearby Historic Filipinotown, put together the cuisine-melding menu, filled with signature dishes like pressed sushi, naem (a funky Thai fermented pork sausage), “budo-gnocchi” (Korean rice cakes with mushroom and black truffle), and charred Japanese sweet potatoes with miso butter.”

“The richly hued walnut interiors, accented by dark blue and burnt orange, create a cozy ambiance, transporting diners to a bustling izaksaya in Japan or Bangkok.

Be sure to take a look at the artist series ceramic mug (an original) the Joshikai libation is served in.

Founders Eric Bedroussian and Josh Harley stay with us unwrapping all that is Budonoki.