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Los Angeles Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. is a capital of Catholicism. It has direct and indirect ties to the new pope
Good morning. Here's what you need to know to start your day. I'm Gustavo Arellano, Times metro columnist and proud Catholic, writing from Orange County. One way or another, billowing white smoke was destined to be on my agenda yesterday. I assumed I would only see it at Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano, the James Beard-nominated spot where brisket is gospel and banana pudding is a sacrament. But just as I was getting on the 5 South, news broke that white smoke had also emerged from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel — the traditional sign that the College of Cardinals had selected a new pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. Man, God just won't let me have a day off! Two days ago, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost headed the Dicastery for Bishops, the arm of the Vatican charged with selecting bishops. History will now remember him as Pope Leo XIV, the first-ever American-born pontifex maximus. Although Pope Leo is a Chicago native, his selection resonated across Los Angeles. L.A. is one of the capitals of Catholicism in the United States and a place with direct and indirect ties to him. St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ojai and Our Mother of Good Counsel in Los Feliz are run by the Augustinians, a religious order Pope Leo XIV once headed. His decades of ministry in Peru — first as an Augustinian missionary, then as bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo — hits home for the tens of thousands of Peruvians who live in Southern California, especially those who hold an annual Catholic commemoration in Orange County for a sacred Peruvian painting of Jesus known as El Señor de los Milagros. In his first speech, Pope Leo praised his predecessor, Pope Francis, for his 'brave' voice and reassured the crowd before him that 'without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward' in a rapidly changing world where 'evil will not prevail.' The new pontifex maximus has much work ahead of him to wrangle the faithful into unity. A well-funded conservative movement with ties to Southern California has labored to sunset the Church's decades-long commitment to social justice. More progressive members will continue to push the Vatican on the ordination of women and gay marriage, the latter which Pope Leo has spoken out against in the past. Meanwhile, the shadow of the clerical sex-abuse scandal, which has led to billions of dollars in payouts in the United States alone, continues to hang over the Vatican like a millstone around its neck. I could've talked to visitors at Mission San Juan Capistrano, which is across the street from Heritage, about their thoughts on the new pope. But I had a longstanding, long-canceled lunch date with Anthony Rendon, the longtime speaker of the Assembly who's now a lecturer at the Jesuit-run Loyola Marymount — and God wasn't going to get in the way of that. I asked Rendon what he thought about Leo XIV. 'Not sure if it's the right time for an American to bring people together,' he cracked, before thinking about it more. 'My sister just sent me something that says he's said good things about social justice, poverty and climate — that seems to be promising.' I asked Rendon — whose home parish growing up was St. Bruno's in Whittier — what he would tell the new pope, American to American. 'It's great to have a leader from something more meaningful than a nation,' Rendon responded. 'Your constituency is international, but people will see you as an American, something that people neither need nor want. He's distinguished himself from Trump already, and that's good. The potential beauty of the church is in its scope and reach, and [Pope Leo] needs to embrace that.' We packed up our leftovers. Walking past the mission on the way to my car, I saw a massive tour bus. Etched in chrome on the back was its brand: Prevost. God, forever reminding that there's always work to be done. More on the new pope It's going to get hot! Project 2025 The newest election integrity poll L.A.'s budget crisis A new page for L.A. community college What else is going on Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. 22 Angelenos share the moment they knew they had become an L.A. 'local.' From experiencing their first earthquake to mastering L.A.'s complex freeway system, 22 Angelenos share when they felt like a true local. How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in So many of you emailed the best career advice you've ever gotten! Thank you. Here are some more great responses. Felicia says: 'The most important part of every meeting is the preparation for it.'Sue-Ann says: 'Not all your coworkers have your best interests at heart.' Who hurt you, Sue-Ann?Gloria says: 'Always greet people with a smile, including and especially your co-workers, no matter how you feel.' Stay tuned for a new question next week. (Feel free to suggest a question for readers by sending an email to essentialcalifornia@ Today's great photo is from the Los Angeles Conservancy, of buildings along Tuna Street on Terminal Island. These buildings have just been placed on a list of the 11 most endangered historic places. Have a great day, from the Essential California team Gustavo Arellano, California columnistKarim Doumar, head of newsletters Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Los Angeles Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Huntington Beach concession Sea Salt goes country for the summer
The Stagecoach Festival may be done, but Orange County country music lovers can now celebrate all summer long in a venue that's considerably closer to home. Sea Salt Honky Tonk at the Beach, a re-imagined beach concession, opens Saturday at Bolsa Chica State Beach for those who may find their toes in the sand but their hearts in Texas. Saloon doors will welcome visitors at the main entrance, with a giant horseshoe near the multi-use beach trail on the venue's west side denoting that Sea Salt is the world's only honky tonk at the beach. Country music lyrics adorn the walls, along with large murals that say 'Orange Country' and 'Wild Wild West.' 'What I'm doing at all the concessions is I'm trying to make great art installations that become photo moments like Tulum does,' said Alicia Cox, a Huntington Beach resident who's the founder and chief executive of Prjkt Restaurant Group. 'I go and visit all these beach cities everywhere, and try to bring back cool things I find from them into our community.' Cox, who is contracted through the California State Park system to operate several concessions at Bolsa Chica and Huntington state beaches, is excited to get the re-imagined Sea Salt launched. It will feature live country music from up-and-coming and established artists all summer long. There will be a bluegrass brunch with bottomless pancakes and mimosas from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, with line dancing lessons to follow. Food at Sea Salt Honky Tonk at the Beach will be handled by Heritage Barbecue, a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner based in San Juan Capistrano. Heritage co-founder Daniel Castillo said his team will be serving up tri-tip, chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork, more California barbecue than Texas barbecue. A giant wood-burning rotisserie smoker, offset smoker and Santa Maria barbecue grill can handle copious amounts of meat. 'When we first got started, I was kind of against anything like this,' Castillo said of the rotisserie smoker, adding that it can 100 chickens at a time. 'But in this particular setting and the type of service that we're doing, we need to ramp it up.' Cox said a mutual friend and local, Riip Beer Co. co-owner Ryan Rasmussen, connected her and Castillo. 'We're the entertainment and drinks, and they're the kitchen operations,' she said. 'Hopefully it'll be every summer. It's a really cool dining offering on the beach, and another enhancement to how we're recreating recreation on state beaches, by inviting this higher-echelon culinary partner to be a part of this.' Additional touches include a Sunday residency by Redneck Rodeo, and Western Family Nights every other Friday by Raul Esperanza. Promotions at Sea Salt Honky Tonk at the Beach are curated in partnership with country artist J.T. Harker. For more information, follow on Instagram at @seasaltatthebeach. Cox said that PCH Tacos, which will open in three weeks at Pacific Kitchen south of Sea Salt, will try to create a Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas experience at Bolsa Chica State Beach. 'The plan is, with the partnership with California State Parks, that we're creating a cultural epicenter out here that is diverse and unique and defines who we are as Southern Californians,' she said. 'Something for everybody, as you go up and down the coast.'
Los Angeles Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Acclaimed Heritage Barbecue chef takes on classic diner food in vintage Quonset hut
What happens when one of the country's rising-star barbecue chefs launches a diner? At Santa Ana's new Le Hut Dinette, the latest project from San Juan Capistrano's Heritage Barbecue, seven-day pastrami slides into gooey melty sandwiches and brisket goes into piles of chili cheese fries. 'I've always been a really big fan of the diners, and they're kind of dying off,' says Heritage's pitmaster and co-owner Daniel Castillo. 'You're starting to see a resurgence, but we lose more than we gain right now.' Castillo, who is a nominee for best chef: California in this year's James Beard Foundation Awards, operates his restaurants with his wife, Brenda. When approached about opening their own diner inside a vintage Quonset hut, they jumped at the opportunity and tapped Taco María alum Ryan Garlitos as the executive chef. They've devised a sunny, rotating menu that includes pastrami sandwiches, smoked-turkey clubs and a Cubano made with coppa ham, which, like the pastrami, is cured and smoked at Heritage. Chickens also smoked in San Juan Capistrano get shredded and added to Le Hut's Caesar salads, which are spiked with an anchovy crumble and slices of bright cara cara oranges. For a caffeine fix — a necessity at any diner — there are mugs of $1 Cafe du Monde chicory coffee. On weekend evenings, the menu flips to a more elevated diner that pays homage to the past with more modern techniques. You might find steak Diane with mushroom cream dripping over a 10-ounce New York strip, or a hearty smoked beef rib with a mushroom demi-glace, oregano rice and binchotan-grilled vegetables. Garlitos weaves his Filipino heritage into this menu, as well as other culinary influences such as Japanese or Mexican, a nod to his time at Taco María. Weekend brunch will kick off on Mother's Day weekend. The menu is evolving, but will likely include pancakes and brisket with eggs. While Heritage Barbecue focuses on craft beer, Le Hut Dinette spotlights wine, especially natural wine, with most pours produced in California and Texas. There are also ciders and co-ferments; beer options include the standards one might find at a diner, like Miller Lite. In contrast to what the Castillos describe as the no-frills masculine setting at Heritage Barbecue, the couple wanted to create a more fun, feminine space for the diner: pink terrazzo floors and what Daniel Castillo calls a Wes Anderson color palette. They salvaged booths, formica tables and chairs from shuttered diners in the region and sourced mismatched plates from thrift stores. They scoured eBay for vintage napkin holders. They wanted a cozy and authentic, lived-in feel to their restaurant. 'All this stuff is true to it,' Castillo says. They hope to use the space to host collaborative dinners with other chefs, and already offer items from their next-door neighbor, 61 Hundred Bread (see below). Next year, they plan to expand Le Hut Dinette with an adjacent deli and bodega, selling sandwiches as well as smoked meats by the pound. It's been a busy time for Castillo. In addition to being in the running for the James Beard Foundation Award, earlier this year he quietly exited his business partnership in Oceanside brewhouse Heritage Beer Co., which recently closed and will reopen under a new name sans the Castillos. On May 3, the husband-and-wife duo will launch yet another concept: a casual restaurant at Bolsa Chica State Beach. SeaSalt Smokehouse will offer handheld items such as tri-tip sandwiches and nachos. It is, he admits, a lot happening at once. 'I feel like I'm in the right mind to be able to accomplish these things now, and my wife, of course, is amazing,' says Castillo, who struggled last year with depression and anxiety. 'If it wasn't for her I would not be able to do this, 100%.' Under the pressure to maintain a successful restaurant that garnered national praise, Castillo sought help from his family and took steps that included therapy and quitting drinking. 'I know there are a lot of chefs out there that know exactly what that feels like,' he says. Castillo hopes to use more of his time — and his new diner — to help chefs who might also be struggling with mental health issues. He's hoping to platform and host organizations, such as the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides resources for members of the restaurant community in need. He's also made mentoring his own chefs more of a priority. 'These guys are the future,' he says. 'I want them to know what I went through and that we should be able to talk about these things.' SeaSalt Smokehouse by Heritage Barbecue at Bolsa Chica State Beach, 18751 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, opens May 3. Le Hut Dinette is open Sunday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. 730 N. Poinsettia St., Santa Ana, The pastries and loaves of bread are some of the Southland's most creative, with ube cream and blue corn masa peeking through laminated croissant dough and crusty loaves of sourdough. 61 Hundred Bread's chef-founder Karlo Evaristo was raised in the Philippines and named his business in honor of his old zip code. He weaves his heritage through the Santa Ana bakery's offerings with ube cruffins and fresh, fluffy pan de sal. But he also riffs on other cultures' touchstones with large loaves of panettone; pillowy sourdough shokupan; croissants filled with Oaxacan cheese, chile and garlic; sourdough chocolate babka; and Evaristo's signature item, the viral blue corn masa sourdough loaf. Evaristo says he 'went a little crazy during the pandemic' in his obsession with sourdough, and it's what launched 61 Hundred Bread as a cottage business. That quickly ballooned into one of Orange County's most popular pastry go-tos. (Prior to that, he cooked at Studio in Laguna Beach and cropped up in L.A. as one half of pop-up Adia.) In November he opened his first bricks-and-mortar, which draws lines out the door for fresh pastries and ube cream-top lattes. 61 Hundred Bread is open Thursday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until it sells out. 728 N. Poinsettia St., Santa Ana, (714) 884-4323, One of the South Bay's most famous chefs — whose restaurants include Fishing with Dynamite, Manhattan Beach Post, the Arthur J and RYLA — recently debuted a long-awaited restaurant in Hermosa Beach. David LeFevre tapped Fishing with Dynamite chef Alice Mai to collaborate on AttaGirl, a Mediterranean-leaning restaurant and bar with live-fire cooking and fresh pastas. The chef-partners serve a menu that connects the similar climates of Los Angeles and the Mediterranean Coast. There's fresh pizza with a range of mezze, house-extruded pastas (with clams and anchovy breadcrumbs, or lamb bolognese), farmers market vegetables, show-stopping plates of skewers, and large-format dishes such as chicken tagine and a spiral of spinach feta pie that receives a tableside pour of lemon béchamel. The wines are sourced primarily from the Mediterranean and California, echoing the dinner menu, while cocktails feature ingredients such as limoncello, saffron, hazelnut orgeat and clarified pineapple. AttaGirl is open Sunday to Wednesday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Thursday to Saturday from 5 to 10:30 p.m., with brunch service planned for the future. 1238 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, (424) 600-2882, One of the city's top taquerías recently expanded with a new location — and an entirely new menu. Villa's Taco's, one of the 101 best restaurants in L.A., unveiled the third bricks-and-mortar restaurant in its expanding chain, but unlike the other Highland Park outpost and the stall in Grand Central Market, Villa's Tacos #3 is all about seafood. The new Highland Park spot takes over the former La Estrella Tacos stand, adding fresh color to the walk-up taqueria with murals dedicated to the Dodgers and Highland Park. The freshly made blue corn tortillas and maximalist ethos found in the first two Villa's restaurants can also be found at #3, though it diverts from char-grilled meats with a seafood-centric menu. There are beer-battered, rice-bran-coated fried fish and shrimp tacos with mango pico de gallo and cabbage in a nod to Baja's taco style, the main inspiration owner-founder Victor Villa turned to when opening this location. There are plates of shrimp with rice, as well as a few vegetarian options and what Villa calls 'fine dining tacos in the hood, with hood prices': Spanish octopus with potato purée and roasted tomatoes ($6), wild-caught mahi mahi with black beans and salsa macha ($5) and a market-price take on surf-and-turf that sport Japanese Wagyu, mahi mahi, bone marrow butter and carrot purée. The salsas are bold, the fish is fried to order and the lines — like the other Villa's — can wrap around the block but still feels like a party. Villa's #3 is open Thursday to Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. 6103 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, A pint-size panadería is reimagining classic Mexican pastries with new spins and techniques in Highland Park with fresh conchas, cafecito specials and more. Santa Canela is the latest operation from the team behind Loreto and LA Cha Cha Chá, and is fronted by the aforementioned restaurants' pastry chef. Patina vet Ellen Ramos, who was raised in nearby El Sereno, is now piping conchas with burnt-vanilla chantilly cream; frying to-order custardy-centered churros into the shape of 'L.A.'; and filling fluffy doughnuts with strawberry jam laced with morita chiles for a lingering burn that balances the sweetness. Savory items make an appearance too, with a soyrizo-and-potato croissant; a cecina focaccia sandwich with kale chimichurri; and a chicken tinga tart that's inspired by Ramos' mother's home recipe. The pastries rotate at this 720-square-foot bakery, with more specials available on weekends. To drink, look for burnt-cinnamon lattes and cafe de olla. Santa Canela is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 5601 N. Figueroa St., Unit 120, Los Angeles, There's a new hand roll bar in the Arts District, and while Sama specializes in temaki, the robata is constantly firing with kushiyaki: miso cod, skewers of chicken hearts, pork belly with spicy mustard, beef tongue with yuzu kosho and more fly out from the semi-open kitchen. Other hot plates include tempura, unagi curry and lobster dashi pasta, but a large focus from chef-founder and SBE Group alum Lester Lai is sushi. Sama offers a range of classic hand and cut rolls such as blue crab, yellowtail and salmon, as well as a few signatures, including the Sama, which tops toro and truffled uni with shaved, salted egg yolk. Roll add-ons include caviar, uni and tempura flakes, among others, while sashimi features bluefin tuna with ikura and burrata; salmon carpaccio with yuzu vin; and seared toro with cured egg yolk. Sama is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. 897 Traction Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 265-7047,
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Finalists for 2025 James Beard Awards Include 5 L.A. Restaurants and Chefs
The finalists for the annual James Beard Awards were announced April 2. Named after the renowned American chef, James Beard, this foundation has been around since 1990. The James Beard Foundation presents awards annually honoring excellence in culinary arts, hospitality and Beard Awards are the nation's most prestigious food and beverage awards. The Foundation has honored numerous excellent chefs over the years such as Wolfgang Puck, Rick Bayless and many Angeles made a mark on the semifinalist list, released in January. Los Angeles businesses and professionals received nominations in 12 categories. The narrowed down finalists, however, still have significant L.A. representation. Daniel Castillo, Heritage Barbecue, San Juan Capistrano, CaliforniaJon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles, California Gusto Bread, Long Beach, California Strong Water, Anaheim, California Tobin Shea, Redbird, Los Angeles, California L.A. is known for its diverse and eclectic food scene. The city has always been revered as a culinary powerhouse and this year's representation in the list of finalists shows its growing influence on the country's culinary scene. However, the James Beard Foundation has not gone without controversy. In 2020, staff members of the foundation sent a letter requesting better pay and a greater emphasis on diversity and equity within the company and leadership team. The leaked letter, that can be found here, led to the 2020 and 2021 awards being Foundation addressed the issue by conducting an internal review and making the voting process more inclusive and also altering the Best Chef category to operate regionally allowing for a more diverse range of talent to be honored. The awards are introducing a new award this year called the 2025 Impact Award. This award honors organizations dedicated to a 'more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system,' according to the JBF website. The 2025 James Beard Awards will be presented June 16 and held at the Lyric Opera House of Chicago.
