Karin E. Baker

I'm a Los Angeles-based food and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in Huffington Post, Flavorpill, Flavorwire, Racked, The Rundown, Clothes on Film, LA I'm Yours, Pop Curious and more.

Sublime Steakhouses are Plush Spots to Gather a Group | California

Trends may come and go, but the appeal of a perfectly cooked steak endures. These eight steakhouses all offer beautiful, spacious dining rooms perfect for sharing a timeless porterhouse or filet mignon with a group of friends or colleagues. And those who aren’t meat lovers will find options aplenty at each of these spots. Adam Perry Lang’s APL Restaurant has redefined the rules of a steak joint. Lang’s reinterpretation offers sustainably sourced seafood from Dock to Dish LA while paying homage
JetSet Extra •

A Food Lover’s Guide to Mazatlán, Mexico - Jetset Extra

While there are many reasons to visit the coastal city of Mazatlán, the food is a major enticement, particularly if you’re a lover of fish and other seafood. Located next to the Sea of Cortez in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Mazatlán is a true shrimp mecca. Aguachiles and ceviches, along with other shrimp and scallop dishes, are omnipresent, as are lobster, baked oysters, smoked marlin, and calamari. A recent trip to the city known as the “Pearl of the Pacific” made it clear that another of Maz
JetSet Extra •

There’s Something About San Juan: Visiting Puerto Rico’s Capital - Jetset Extra

San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, has a lot going for it: gorgeous beaches with clear azure-blue water, lively food and art scenes, proximity to beautiful rainforests, and a sense of history (old San Juan has more than 400 restored buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries). And once you find out that Old San Juan’s housing is not expensive—that particular area, though beautiful, is not regarded as fashionable by the locals—you might ponder buying a colonial-era apartment there to
The Huffington Post •

The Lusty Vegan : A New Cookbook for Vegans & the People Who Date Them

The Lusty Vegan is a new book aiming to bridge the gustatory and sexual divides between vegans and omnivores. Billing itself not just as a cookbook but also "a relationship manifesto for vegans and the people who love them," The Lusty Vegan was authored by Ayinde Howell, a lifelong vegan and executive chef, and Zoe Eisenberg, a longtime vegan and writer who declares that her favorite topics are "food and sex." It's as much an advice book as it is a cookbook; as neither Howell nor Eisenberg have
flavorpill •

The Del Monte Speakeasy at Townhouse

“Townhouse is one of Los Angeles' oldest operating bars. Opened in 1915 as Menotti's, the bar transformed into a grocery store during Prohibition while operating an illegal speakeasy in its basement. That basement speakeasy has a rich history: Charlie Chaplin used to drink here, and underground tunnels leading from the Abbot Kinney Pier were used to transport illegal hooch. After decades of non-use, the basement has just reopened, giving Townhouse a second full bar, now called the Del Monte Spea
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Workshop Kitchen + Bar, Palm Springs

“Workshop Kitchen + Bar is an über-stylish new restaurant in Palm Springs, with a breathtaking design that bridges both modernity and classic architecture. Housed in a Palm Springs landmark, a Spanish-style structure built in 1926, its interior has been adaptively reused from its previous retail usage. This beautifully designed space features 27-foot cathedral ceiling trusses, concrete booths that soar to the ceiling, and chic, sleek light fixtures created by Beirut-based PS Lab. Workshop is abo
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dineLA Restaurant Week

dineLA Restaurant Week returns, offering Angelenos and visitors alike numerous opportunities over 12 days to enjoy special multi-course meals at excellent price points at some of LA's best restaurants. This edition of dineLA offers prix fixe lunch menus at $15, 20, and $25, and dinner menus at $25, $35, and $45 at nearly 300 restaurants, amongst them favorites including littlefork, Cafe del Rey, Napa Valley Grille, Fig & Olive, 3Twenty Wine Lounge, Badmaash, BALEENKitchen, BOA Steakhouse, Boucho
The Huffington Post •

Major Renovations at LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal: 'We Want to Bring Back the Romance of Travel'

Angelenos, prepare to celebrate changes at LAX harkening back to the days when international travel was an elegant affair. After too many years with an outdated, substandard international terminal, LAX is about to enjoy a chic, über-modern international terminal that recalls times past, when departing on a journey was truly glamorous and not just a depressing means to an end. LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal has undergone a major renovation, which includes both an improved passenger exp
The Huffington Post •

The Champagne Cocktail They'll Be Drinking at The Golden Globes

The Golden Globes are always fun to watch (and attend, no doubt), due in no small part to the relaxed nature of the presentation: unlike the formality of the Academy Awards, attendees of the Golden Globes relax at dining tables at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, jawing with their neighbors and enjoying the cuisine and the open bar. This year's ceremony looks to be even more festive with the introduction of the first official Golden Globes cocktail, as I found out firsthand when I attended the food and
The Huffington Post •

5 Very Stylish Reasons to Visit Beverly Hills in 2014

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Beverly Hills in high style with five brand-new hotel experiences available only through the end of 2014. In honor of the centenary of one of the world's most glamorous cities, five luxurious Beverly Hills hotels have each created a unique new suite designed to transport visitors back in time to different decades in Bev Hills history. Referred to as "Suite 100," this collaborative effort between the Beverly Hilton, the Beverly Hills Hotel, L'Ermitage Beverly Hi
Flavorwire •

Your LA Food & Drink Events Roundup – Flavorwire

One of the best things about living in LA is the never-ending stream of new restaurants to check out. But with a plethora of options, it can be difficult to pin down the next place you should go. To help narrow down where you should eat and drink, Karin E. Baker, Deputy Editor of Flavorpill Los Angeles, suggests some one-off or infrequent food events to indulge in. Read on for her top picks for the next week. Tres Sietes Tequila Tasting Get schooled in all things tequila at Tortilla Republic.
Flavorwire •

Fascinating Images of America’s Finest Mid-Century Restaurants – Flavorwire

Historian and author Peter Moruzzi is an expert on mid-century architecture, nightlife, and classic dining. For decades, this resident of Los Angeles and Palm Springs has collected the postcards and paper ephemera that helped form the basis of his books Palm Springs Holiday (a romp through Palm Springs from the early 20th century to the 1960s) and Havana Before Castro: When Cuba was a Tropical Playground. Now, thanks to the images and essays in his brand-new cultural history, Classic Dining: Dis
flavorpill •

The Thirsty Crow

“The Thirsty Crow is a Silver Lake watering hole with an emphasis on small-batch bourbons. This whiskey bar has a classic, throwback feel and ambience, with décor influenced by the early 20th century and an old-school menu featuring libationary eternals like the Old-fashioned, Sazeracs, and Manhattans. Audio nerds geek out to the 1935 Art Deco wooden jukebox that plays 78 rpm vinyl records. Most importantly, behind the beautiful marble-topped bar, the mixologists craft top-quality superior cockt