There are truly only a few foods that a cook can change up, a little, with their own spin, and they'll be just as delicious as they are in their standard form. But even fewer dishes are tried, true, and tasty holiday standards.
The latke qualifies on all counts. If you're making a dozen or ten ahead of Hanukkah, or heading out to your must-visit restaurant for a heaping plate, you like what you like, latke-style: caviar or not, apple sauce or not, sour cream or not, green onions or not.
But generally you vote yes times four, right? To all of that goodness? Yes.
The Kosher Palate is set to celebrate the Festival of Light on Sunday, Dec. 1 with a luscious latke feast. Make for the Mar Vista Farmers Market and be prepared to potato pancake it up. And will Klezmer Juice be lending some lively entertainment to the day? You bet.
Got Kosher? Cafe of Pico Boulevard has a "Thanksgiving 2013-5774 Menu" ready for browsing, but the eyes automatically stop at "schmaltz-fried potato and parsnip latkes." Please. There are seven pleasing words in this summary. There's a strong Thanksgiving vibe to the eatly choices, which makes sense, given that many delis and kosher caterers are taking a Thanksgiving-meets-Hanukkah -- Thanksgivukkah, natch -- approach.
Pasadena's Dog Haus is getting some recent buzz for its Thanksgivukkah Dog, a turkey frankfurter topped with a latke. Given sausage-style dishes longtime compatibility with all things potato, this could be a very delicious way to go.
As for a latke on the go? The Reuben Truck has 'em in all of their golden-crispy yumness.
