Welcome to my blog; I realize I may only have a few seconds of your attention, so I'll try not to burden you with a long introduction.

What is this?
In the coming months, I'll be using this site to review local eateries and some of the recipes I inflict on my wife, Azu. [Editted 1/30/07: ex-wife - I wish her every happiness in the world]

Why should I read your reviews in lieu of those on some monstrosity site like AOL?
You shouldn't. A wise statistics professor of mine once said something to the extent of, "Say you're about to rate a bowl of chili. You could come up with a score after tasting a single bean, but you're going to get a much better estimate of the bowl's true flavor if you taste a whole spoonful."
That said, in a world of beans I plan to aspire towards pepperhood. In time I hope to prove myself and find my way to your spoon.

So, what cities are you going to eat?
I'm currently living in Downtown Los Angeles, so you can expect reviews of restaurants in local areas like LA, Pasadena, Hollywood, Alhambra, and even as far as Palos Verdes.

So, where do you get the recipes you review?
Though I've been endowed with a sizeable library of cookbooks from well-meaning relatives who know my interest in cooking; I have to admit that I come across the vast majority of my recipes online. Some of the sites I go to regularly include:
http://www.epicurious.com/ (This site has some of the best recipes I've found. They tend to be work and ingredient intensive, however.)
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking (Consitently good... but I substitute the fat back into their recipes... is that wrong?)
http://allrecipes.com/ (The recipes here tend towards the comfort food side of the spectrum, but there are some real gems mixed in the lot. It's also a good resource for planning quick and inexpensive menus)
http://www.foodtv.com/ (Though I watch a good deal of Food Network, I often find their recipes taste better in concept than in application. Still, there have been a few good eats along the way)