June 6, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

A Taste of Jonathan Gold

Remembering beloved L.A. food critic in a Santa Monica mural.

By Sam Catanzaro

Pulitzer-prize winning food-critic Jonathan Gold died on July 21 at the age of 57. Following Gold’s passing, local muralist Jonas Never unveiled a mural at Margo’s in Santa Monica paying tribute to the legendary Jonathan Gold. 

The artist behind the mural is Jonas Never. Never was born and raised in Santa Monica and was a baseball star at Santa Monica High School before he became a prominent muralist. 

The mural of the beloved food critic is located on 16th and Montana and depicts Gold holding a copy of the Los Angeles Times’s Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants. The annual publication featured Gold’s favorite restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area and over the years included many in Santa Monica.

Photo: Courtesy Austin Perry.

At Cassia, the Vietnamese and French-inspired restaurant on 7th Street in downtown Santa Monica, Gold wrote in high praise for chef Bryant Ng’s creative dishes such as egg custard with sea urchin and escargot Vietnamese style: Snails and lemongrass.

“At Cassia, nominally Vietnamese, he is claiming the essence of French cooking as his own,” Gold wrote in his 101 Best Restaurants review for the Los Angeles Times

Escargot with lemongrass and flatbread at Cassia. Photo: Courtesy.

At Rustic Canyon – owned by Josh and Zoe Loeb, the owners of Cassia – Gold took to heart chef Jeremy Fox’s use of seasonal vegetables, often from the Santa Monica Farmer’s market. In addition, Gold made a bold claim about Rustic Canyon by writing in his review the “electric-green shellfish pozole is remarkable, conceivably the single best dish to be found in Santa Monica.”

Gold was known for bringing to light obscure restaurants throughout the city but also loved the classics such as Michael’s, the longtime Santa Monica fixture on Third Street. In his review, Gold gave Michael’s credit for kickstarting the California cuisine movement and took to heart how the restaurant has evolved over the years. 

“Michael’s can credibly claim to be the birthplace of California cuisine, but current chef Miles Thompson takes things in a different direction, punctuated with dusky greens and splashes of citrus, whole grains and fermented things,” Gold wrote in his review for the Los Angeles Times.

Many gave Gold credit for popularizing street tacos in Los Angeles but the critic was also fond of Mélisse, the two-star Michelin hyperformal restaurant on 11th and Wilshire that is the antithesis of street food. In his review, Gold acknowledges that Mélisse fulfills stereotypes and cliches about fancy restaurants and this is exactly what makes the restaurant work.

“You can’t hold ironed tablecloths, romantic mood lighting and lobster Bolognese against a place whose appeal rests on exactly those things,” Gold wrote in his review. “When you’re in the mood to be clobbered with truffles and drink good white Burgundy, Mélisse is an obvious place to go.”

21 Day Aged Liberty Duck, Young Turnips and Sauce a l’Orange at Melisse. Photo: Courtesy.

Gold wrote a glowing review for the pressed duck at Dialogue, Dave Beran’s tasting menu restaurant in Santa Monica, going as far to say that it was one of the best things he has eaten in his entire life.

“Beran presses his ducks behind the counter, capturing the juices that flow from the silvery spout and reducing them with aromatics until they thicken into a suave gravy,” Gold wrote in his Los Angeles Times review.

While many of Gold’s favorite restaurant in Santa Monica were modern and somewhat formal, he also was a fan of the sandwich every person in Santa Monica is a fan of: Bay Cities’ Godmother. In the 2010 LA Weekly article “99 Things to Eat in L.A. Before You Die” Gold pointed out just how popular this sandwich is on the Westside.

“It occasionally feels as if the Westside would stop functioning without the doorstop known as the Godmother, which includes a slice of every Italian cold cut you’ve ever heard of, and a couple that might be new to you,” Gold wrote in the review.

For the complete list and map of Gold’s favorite Los Angeles and Santa Monica restaurants, visiting http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fo-jonathan-gold-101-best-restaurants-2017-map/.

in News
<>Related Posts

THIS WEEKEND: Paliskates’ Fire Relief Jam to Feature Professional Skaters and Competitions

June 6, 2025

June 6, 2025

Prizes will include cash and a week at Skate Camp. Dozens of sponsoring organizations, vendors, and food trucks will be...

Peacock Declares ‘BLSH*T Day’ with Free Burgers Across L.A. to Celebrate “Poker Face” Season 2

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Streaming Platform Partners With 13 Burger Spots for One-Day Giveaway on June 7 To mark the return of its mystery...

Marina del Rey Sportfishing: A Great Day on the Water

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Fishing is a pastime like no other, America’s Most Popular Outdoor Activity for Year in and Year out! You can...

(Video) Highlights from Palisades High School’s Post-Wildfire Commencement

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Actor Billy Crystal and NBA Coach Steve Kerr Were Among Those Who Wished Pali’s Class of 25 Good Luck on...

Santa Monica City Council Votes to Limit Public Comment During Meetings

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

The decision follows months of discussion, beginning with a March 11 meeting where the council explored ways to balance efficiency...

THIS WEEKEND: Animal Shelter to Host Annual Open House Fundraiser 

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

The event invites the community for an afternoon of activities, including shelter tours to meet adoptable animals, many of whom...

Film Review: The Phoenician Scheme

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

FILM REVIEWTHE PHOENICIAN SCHEMERated PG-13101 MinutesReleased June 6th  Wes Anderson movies aren’t for everyone, and they’re not meant to be....

Fogo de Chão Unveils Fiery Off-Menu Cocktail, the Paper Flame

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Tequila-Based Drink Features a Dramatic Tableside Presentation Fogo de Chão has unveiled its first-ever secret cocktail, the Paper Flame, an off-menu specialty...

Palisades Restaurants to be Supported at Westside Benefit This Weekend

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Local vendors, many impacted by the fires, will have booths with all vendor fees waived, and proceeds from on-site sales...

(Video) See How CO2 Laser Treatment Removes Wrinkles and Scars

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

To Book an Appointment, Go to Mirrormirrormedspa.com To Book an Appointment, Go to https://t.co/T2Rxg30Z1N pic.twitter.com/52vzQMmHJZ — Santa Monica Mirror (@SMMirror)...

(Video) Sea Lions Return to Ocean as LA’s Toxic Algae Crisis Ends

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

The crisis led to dead dolphins and sea lions washing ashore in Venice and Santa Monica in recent months The...

Film Review: Dangerous Animals

June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

By Dolores Quintana There’s nothing quite like a good shark horror movie, especially since we are heading into summer. With...

Marelle Launches ‘The Guest List’ With Renowned Chefs and Friends Alan Wong and Raphael Lunetta

June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

Santa Monica’s New Chef Series Debuts With a Culinary Celebration of California and Hawaiian Flavors Marelle, a coastal dining destination...

SMPD Respond to Bomb Threat Hoax at Donald Douglas Loop

June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

No individual matching the caller’s description was found, and a search of the area revealed no suspicious devices Santa Monica...

Tenants Sought for Former Rusty’s Surf Ranch Space on Santa Monica Pier

June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

4,112-Square-Foot Retail Space with Commercial Kitchen and Oceanfront Patios Awaits New Operator A 4,112-square-foot retail space at 256 Santa Monica...