Now Serving Favorite Picks: The Very Best Recs from LA’s Favorite Cookbook Store
Now Serving is one of those deeply cool places that could only happen in LA. Ken Concepcion, once the chef de cuisine at Wolfgang Puck’s CUT, and Michelle Mungcal, his partner in business and life, opened a bolthole in a shopping strip in Chinatown, and crammed it with vintage and modern cookbooks, chefs’ tools, ceramics, and foodie zines. They’ve had book signings and events and, most recently, have joined with Somekind Press to launch Take Away Los Angeles, a series of micro-cookbooks supporting restaurants and chefs. So far they’ve done Bub & Gramma’s Bread, Holbox, Hop Woo, and porridge + puffs. Definitely hop on the site and order some of those. You’ll not only get to cook with diversity and LA inspiration, but you’ll also feel good that you’re helping out the struggling restaurant biz. Speaking of which, we’re so proud to announce that Now Serving will highlight one of their favorite cookbooks each month, along with a recipe for you to make at home. The books mentioned here are super easy to order direct from their site. Here’s their very first choice:
Ken Concepcion: We’d love to select Julia Turshen's Simply Julia and her recipe for one of our favorite dishes, khao man gai. It's a tribute to Nong's Khao Man Gai in Portland. It's wonderful to eat all year long, but great when there's still a chill in the air and you need a little soulful lift. It’s also is a great reminder to continue to support your favorite restaurants when you can as they have been hit so hard this last year. Sidenote - Michelle and I got engaged in PDX. We absolutely love Simply Julia as it's perfect for everyday weekday cooking, no matter how busy you are you can find a recipe that will nourish you and your loved ones.
