An Arizona-based food, beverage and travel writer since , I launched this website in to document my culinary adventures, beverage escapades, gardening endeavors, and travel in the Phoenix area and beyond.
Also find a comprehensive calendar of Phoenix-area food and drink-related events on my Events page. My travels have always revolved around where to eat.
Of course, in Paris we wandered The Louvre, and in Athens toured the Acropolis, but leisurely lunches, beverage stops, and dinner reservations are always researched diligently. Thus, when I was tasked to partner with Discover Torrance to seek out culinary gems in a new-to-me California city, I couldn't wait to embark on a road trip from Phoenix, Arizona to explore. Torrance is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles and is a hidden food mecca, with more than dining establishments and 10 craft breweries within its city limits.
Situated 20 miles southwest of downtown LA, this coastal community includes Torrance Beach, is home to the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the area, and boasts some of the best Japanese restaurants in the country, thanks in part to Toyota moving their headquarters there in , with other companies such as Honda following suit.
I wasn't able to visit all the restaurants I had on my list - that's for my next trip! Our spacious penthouse suite featured the top two floors of a townhouse with a loft, two bedrooms and bathrooms, a full kitchen, and amenities including complimentary breakfast, free wi-fi, pool, outdoor grills, and a fitness room. Serendipitously, we checked in on a Food Truck night which takes place on alternate Wednesdays with pop-up restaurants and rotating food trucks.
