Jeff Gordinier: The Antidote to LA Fatigue

Jordan and Max answer audience questions covering everything from pre-drinking and post-creaming, Fall ingredient depression, bread vs. rice, veganism, Jordo Travolta, RVR is finally opening, and a Diet Coke vessel ranking. Plus, the Langer's closure rumor, LA Times' 37 sandwiches, the best cereals, unicorn wines, no underwear in Japan, restaurant dumpings, the neck beard is cauing a stir, mother sauce talk, Kazunori and Nanban-Kan orders, and more jabbing accustions.

Dominick DiBartolomeo welcomes Jordan and Max into the private dining room of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills to get a taste of the newest sandwich on the menu, a cheesy fried pork masterpiece. The boys give their reviews, then offer Dom ideas for sandwiches they want launched next, and Max talks this recent eating tour of Japan including the best bite, impossible sushi reservations, Tokyo pizza, a hell of a burger and fries, and how Los Angeles' Japanese games compares to it all. Plus, Max may become a fashion influencer, the neck beard, egg on burgers and pizza hate, but egg salad love especially with a cutlet, and of course the BIG question: is Max on Ozempic?

Prime slices have dominated the Los Angeles pie game for a decade thanks to Zak Fishman, who enters the Sherman Oaks Food Building to talk top toppings, busiest days of the year, cornmeal thoughts, Jordan's impossible salad bar and arcade concept, a ricotta debate and best white pies in town, Chicago representation, what exactly grandma and football styles are, we don’t need no stinking calzones, a lack of mom and pop stuffed crust, pizza sandwiches, a crunch pursuit, stank cheese has gotta go, and back in the day LA pizza.

Esquire writer Jeff Gordinier has returned to living in Los Angeles after decades of being a New Yorker to share endless happy dining thoughts on Jordan’s favorite bite, a beautiful Apple Pan vs. Pie ’N Burger take, “the bloated rock operas of the culinary realm,” a plague of under-seasoning, Addison love, eating pain, the perfect LA bang bang, learning about a restaurant through hospitality, this year’s best new restaurant scouting, San Diego's present, New York's past, having too many children, no “bounty” talk, egg goo, 1999 movies, how to be a better man, and who’s more optimized: Jordan or Max?

Jerry G is back to talk it all with the fellas, answering audience questions, and it's all Jordan's horrible advice, where’s the HiHo cheesecake and lemonade, scaling concepts, sushi hand soaps, the one food brand Jerry would love to own, another Saint James pairing, the whole no tipping thing, questioning Uovo’s pasta origins, some of Jerome’s favorite LA bites, KazuNori private parties, Max's restaurant ideas for Jerry to fund, patty melts and yakitori talk, all the rules, will Sugarfish ever take reservations, a new Matū is coming soon, and like the title of this here episode says, cheesesteaks for dessert.    

Jordan & Max review a night out at Pizzeria Sei, where they experienced a rush of emotions while partaking in a farmer's market and luxury ingredient bombardment of a Pico Blvd. Japan meets Italy meets California tasting menu, which was a heated haze of all sorts of dough, tons of cheese, wasabi and caviar dollops, wagyu jus, bottles of sake, pours of champagne, and an emergency Amazon order. Then, Max highlights his upcoming Japan food tour itinerary before Jordan responds to another Los Angeles food podcast host who really wanted some attention.

Jordan and Max talk a recent Summer ingredient fuelled meal at Stella West Hollywood, before returning days later to undertake a meaty marathon of a blind beef tasting. Into the Beverly Blvd. restaurant the boys went to help chef Rob Gentile and team determine the best tasting steak out of eight worthy prime and wagyu opponents. Smacking of lips on mic occured, keto lifestyles were maintained, and a winner was crowned.

Jordan and Max talk the recently announced California Michelin guide, all the stars, and how Los Angeles fared. Plus, Oxalis may not be back, but Max is cooking again, and he shares a few recipes his lucky lady has been enjoying; and where many of the ingredients are coming from, which happens to be a market where Jordan loves the parking, but needs to learn what Tutti Frutti is. Then, it's another trip to the Fontainebleau for grateful Jordan, where the steakhouse almost ruined a night at The Sphere, Bagelmania was experienced, eating regrets were had, and of course the waters were celestial.

The fellas are back with tales of a night together at Baroo and Jordan in San Diego, where he revisited 3 Michelin star temple Addison, and had a first voyage to Callie, where the prawns and chicken were flowing like a Carmel Valley breeze. Plus, they talk all the restaurants they've been needing to visit in Los Angeles, Jordan raps, Max's appearance is changing, and a goodbye eulogy for the Cobras & Matadors Escuela wild one, Steven Arroyo.

Jordan is back from another New York visit where the only real highlight was Katz's Deli, which led to the inevitable comparisons to Langer's, and final judgments are revealed in the long debated battle of the delis. Then, the fellas discuss and rank their favorite Summer fruits and vegetables, and where they've been loving them around town. Plus, the sick truth about the Gjelina six hour brunches, taking the subway vs. Ubering, Benny Blanco and Bubbles at a cheese party, having a family screws things up sometimes, Jordan ate a viral bagel, and the boys crown the absolute best Summer ingredient.