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FOOD - DRINK - FUN

Mountain View News Saturday, October 11, 2025


DINING IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH FRIENDS

By Peter Dills, L.A.’s King of Cuisine

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after decades of eating my way through Pasadena and the San Gabriel 
Valley, it’s this: the food may bring you in, but the people you run into make you stay a little longer. 
Restaurants aren’t just about plates and glasses — they’re about conversations, chance meetings, and 
familiar faces that turn a meal into an experience.

Take Plate 38, where you’ll always find great food and even better people. Dennis, the manager, keeps 
the place humming while still making time to chat with regulars. By day, the bar crew — Jose, Manny, 
Ali, and Delacruz — make every guest feel like part of the neighborhood. Whether it’s a crisp beer, a 
dialed-in Old Fashioned, or just a friendly hello, their energy sets the tone for the whole room.

At Mercado on South Lake, Glenn, the general manager, has that rare gift of making every diner feel 
like a VIP. A quick stop for a $4 Tecate turns into a full evening of laughter, stories, and “you’ve-got-
to-try-this” recommendations. Add a plate of carnitas tacos and it starts to feel like you’ve been invited 
into Glenn’s own kitchen.

Over at Panda Inn, bartender Tim has a memory like a jukebox — he’ll cue up your usual before you’ve 
picked a seat. That little moment of recognition turns a cocktail into a reunion.

At Houston’s, general manager Albert Luna runs a tight ship with a warm smile. It’s rare to see a room 
hum that smoothly; Albert deserves the credit for making sure every table feels looked after.

In San Gabriel, The Boat may be a sports bar by reputation, but let’s be honest — the burgers are the 
headline act. Juan, the manager, greets guests like old friends, and those burgers come out juicy, proud, 
and exactly what you wanted.

In Sierra Madre, Casa Del Rey is in good hands with Jamie, who’s taken the lead from her parents, 
Donna and Ed. Whether she’s mixing margaritas or making the rounds in the dining room, Jamie is 
the heartbeat of the place — and her energy is contagious.

Little Provence Café in Arcadia brings a different kind of warmth. Julie is quick with a smile, a coffee 
recommendation, and a story about the morning regulars. Breakfast there feels like a neighborhood 
reunion — even if you’re new to the neighborhood.

At Kabuki on Colorado Boulevard, Cindy is always there with extra napkins, a sake, and that smile that 
says, “I knew you’d be back.” It’s those small gestures that make Happy Hour feel a little happier and 
keep regulars like me coming back time and again.

At Colombo’s in Eagle Rock, Julie Bransky holds court behind the bar. She’s a Dodgers diehard, quick 
with a drink and quicker with baseball banter. Order the linguine Bolognese, settle in, and you’ll feel 
like part of the Colombo’s family before the seventh-inning stretch.

And then there are the happy surprises — like Clyde at John Sparr Tavern in Montrose: an aspiring 
filmmaker who once showed me storyboards while pouring a perfect gin martini. You can’t order 
moments like that off a menu; they just happen.

Food writers love to rate dishes, but here’s my confession: sometimes what elevates a night isn’t the 
gnocchi or the green corn tamale — it’s the people who stop by the table, raise a glass, and remind you 
why you came out in the first place.

IN SUMMARY 
Ever notice how your “best meal” usually has less to do with the sauce and more to do with the folks 
stirring the room? The bartender who remembers your name, the manager who checks in without 
hovering, the nod from the next table — that’s the secret ingredient nobody lists. We chase “the best” 
restaurant like it’s a trophy. Maybe the real prize is the people inside it.

Email me at thechefknows@yahoo.com — and listen to the podcast on your favorite provider.

LOS ANGELES, CA — Prepare to be haunted in a whole new way. This fall, The Heart Tells Tales, a 
gripping, genre-defying adaptation inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart will debut in 
Los Angeles. Set against the eerie silence of pandemic-era Boston, the play dares to look deeper into 
the psychological toll of caregiving, isolation, and suppressed trauma.

Hi Fi Underground is the production company bringing this powerful story to life. showcasing the 
theatrical works of Omen Kaine, a boundary-pushing voice in modern theater. His first theatrical 
production, Masoch and Desade, debuted on Theater Row in Los Angeles (2019) and later played in 
Brooklyn, New York (2022). Now, he returns with his latest and most ambitious work yet: The Heart 
Tells Tales. 

Local resident Fred Thomas will portray the main character in the show which opens in Los Angeles 
October 23–25, 2025 at Skiptown Playhouse (665 Heliotrope Dr, Los An-geles, CA 90004), followed 
by a New York run November 21–23, 2025 at Under St. Marks Theater (94 Saint Marks Place, 
New York, NY 10009).


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