Show 687, July 11, 2026: Unique Eats and Eateries of Los Angeles with Journalist Danny Jensen

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Adam Bell

“Where can you enjoy an enormous, loaded potato and live jazz? Where can you find LA’s only floating restaurant for a bowl of chowder? Where can you eat in a historic, fully restored streetcar where Hollywood legends and mobsters once dined? Unique Eats and Eateries of Los Angeles: The People and Stories Behind the Food by journalist Danny Jensen answers these questions and more.”

“Whether you’re just visiting or have lived in Los Angeles your entire life, in Unique Eats and Eateries of Los Angeles you’ll learn the surprising stories and fascinating people behind these and many more one-of-a-kind eateries. From historic delis, diners, and food halls to experimental innovators, multigenerational immigrant-founded businesses, and mission-driven restaurants helping to improve people’s lives, this book dives deep into the places that make Los Angeles special.”

Danny Jensen joins us sharing his many discoveries of L.A.’s unique eats including Cielito Lindo on the historic Olvera Street in DTLA, The Baked Potato in Studio City for Jazz and 16 ounce, loaded baked potatoes, plus The Formosa Café in West Hollywood and Flavors from Afar in East Hollywood.

Show 269, April 14, 2018: Alejandra Padilla, Executive Chef, Five Crowns and SideDoor, Corona del Mar

Posted on April 16, 2018 by Adam Bell

Lawry’s Restaurants Inc. announced the appointment of Alejandra Padilla as Executive Chef of Five Crowns and SideDoor in Corona del Mar back in January. Chef Padilla recently introduced her new Spring menu. Chef Padilla joins us.

Featuring the season’s freshest flavors to compliment the restaurant’s classic dishes, the colorful Spring menu welcomes several new small plates such as the Smoked Octopus with meyer lemon yogurt, spring peas and pickled red onions, main dishes like the Coffee Rubbed Short Rib with broccolini, tomato petals, grilled leeks, horseradish gremolata and bordelaise and desserts including the Cheesecake with carrot cake crumbles, walnut ice cream and carrot chips.

Chef Padilla comes to Five Crowns and SideDoor from Hillstone Restaurant Group, where she served as Culinary Manager since 2015. Prior to joining Hillstone, Padilla moved up the ranks at Patina Restaurant Group where she started in 2010 as Sous Chef at La Fonda Del Sol in New York before moving to Los Angeles to take a position as Sous Chef at Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse. She was quickly promoted to Executive Chef, a position she served at two different Market Café locations in Los Angeles.

Chef Alejandra appeared on Cooking Channel’s Unique Eats in 2010 and was also the winner of the Season 6 premier episode of Food Network’s, Chopped in 2011.

Show 177, June 25, 2016: Steve Dolinsky, ABC 7’s (Chicago) “The Hungry Hound” Part Two

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Adam Bell

Food journalist Steve Dolinsky is ABC 7 TV’s (Chicago) “The Hungry Hound. He continues…

Steve provides his Chicagoland recommendations for upscale steakhouse, Italian Beef sandwich, Chicago Dog, Deep Dish Pizza and more…

“In 2014, Chicago chef/restaurateur Rick Bayless and I launched The Feed Podcast, covering the world of food from our professional perspectives. Every show is full of different segments, some from Chicago and others from far-flung places around the world we both travel to. In its first year, the show won a Beard Award for Best Podcast (that’s #13 if you’re keeping score).”

“More recently, I’ve begun curating and leading highly specialized culinary experiences, including international tours, and am also now consulting on the food and beverage program for The Hotel San Felipe in Panama City, Panama.”

“I show up as an occasional judge or contributor on “Iron Chef America” (now out of production) and “Unique Eats,” and serve as one of the 27 Regional Academy Chairs for “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” I even do some media training outside of Chicago for chefs, sommeliers and mixologists. Best part of the job? Getting paid to eat. Toughest part? Keeping it off. See you at the gym.”