Author Archive

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE / 12 memorable meals from the year gone by

By Larry Levine – “You’re lucky, eating so many great meals in great restaurants.” I hear statements like that frequently from people who assume I created a restaurant web site (atLarrys.com) and this online food magazine as an excuse to eat great meals in great restaurants. They have it backwards; the great meals in great [...]
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ON THE GO / SACRAMENTO – a wonderful destination for a celebration, some great restaurants and outstanding sightseeing

By Larry Levine – It was a perfect celebration for a food lover – four days in Sacramento commemorating two significant events and eating at four memorable restaurants. The original purpose of the trip was to celebrate Jennifer’s birthday with our son Lloyd, his wife Edie and their daughter Alise. We arrived in town a [...]
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LOUVAR – a fish you may never taste, or even see

By Larry Levine – “Perhaps one of the most prized and sought after fish on the West Coast, a fish shrouded in much mystery …” “… the best fish I ever tasted.” “Buttery, but not rich … A slight crunch like halibut fin … Smooth texture, no gristle …” These quotes rained down on my inbox [...]
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THE YEAR IN REVIEW / What were the most popular articles of 2011 & what lies ahead

By Larry Levine – First, a great big “thank you” to everyone who has become part of our Table Talk family and clicked in to read the sometimes serious, sometimes humorous and hopefully informative articles we published in 2011. It boggles my mind to realize this magazine has been read in 1,944 cities in 104 [...]
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SUMMER BARBECUE FLAVORS TO LAST THROUGH THE CHILL OF WINTER / recipes to tide you over to spring

By Larry Levine – Summer is long gone – a faded rose, as the song says – and now autumn is behind us, too. Even in sunny southern California we face the chills of winter and the early sunsets. Outdoor grills and barbecues are put away, while we wait for spring, when the days will [...]
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FEAST OF THE 7 FISHES / In memory of Jim Tabilio

(We first published this article in January 2011 – a bit late for the 2010 holiday season but we found it warm and tender. Marika Tabilio is the daughter of the late Jim Tabilio, who was one of the original co-hosts at the restaurant recommendation web site atLarrys.com. Some six weeks after we published this [...]
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BUT I STILL LOVE TO EAT / the journey back from the operating table to the dinner table / Chapter 11 / THE HANGMAN SENDS HIS EVIL TWIN

(This book and the commitment to healthful eating are works in progress. This is the final chapter of the first draft of the book.) By Larry Levine – For 23 months after the hangman visited and told me of the dangerous situation regarding my coronary arteries, I was good – very, very good. I worked [...]
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37 QUINTESSENTIAL RESTAURANTS FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

By Larry Levine - What is the quintessential restaurant in San Francisco? How about Los Angeles? Sacramento? San Diego? New York? Chicago? Boston? We put those questions to the co-hosts of our sister web site – www.atLarrys.com, where we do restaurant recommendations – and quickly learned the answers get more complicated the more you think [...]
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IRKS, PEEVES AND IRRITANTS FROM THE WORLD OF RESTAURANT DINING / what really bothers you?

By Larry Levine – At the risk of sounding like an old curmudgeon, I want to devote a few paragraphs to a discussion of some of the things that can and do go wrong in a restaurant and things that become either pet peeves, major irritants, or just downright unacceptable. Call it an invitation to [...]
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IT’S TURKEY TIME OF YEAR / our annual guide to a great roast turkey dinner

By Larry Levine - I love the taste of a good roasted turkey. I like it unadorned – no smoking, brining or other gimmicks. If you buy a really great bird you don’t need all the rest. If you’re going to pick up a 99-cent-a-pound frozen bird at the local big box store, then reach [...]
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