the BEAT of the week: LA Weekly's Gold Standard.

Well, the rumors are true: LA Weekly's beloved food critic/expert Jonathan Gold will soon be leaving the publication for the L.A. Times.

So this is your very last chance to enjoy such a major foodie paradise -- otherwise known as the Gold Standard -- in this incarnation, at least. And it'll surely be a blowout of a last event. Gold's invited his favorite foodmakers from all over the city to this event, where you can finally get a taste of all of the action. Animal, Mozza, Short Order, ink., Street, Jitlada and so many more will all be in attendance, as well as a long list of wine and beer and spirit providers. For $75 general admission, for all-you-can-eat of L.A.'s best (you have four hours of pure eating!), you really can't beat it.

Happy eating!

The 4th Annual Gold Standard takes place Sunday, March 5 from 1pm-5pm at the Petersen Auto Museum, located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. in Mid-City.

-- Chau Tu

Eat In. The Mozza Cookbook.

Mozza is easily one of L.A.'s most quintessential restaurants: you can't sit a table without being able to reach out and touch any one of Hollywood's major leaguers (but please don't, because that would be weird), and the delicious cuisine there is the work of superstar restauranteurs Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich.

As such, it's not always easy to book a table at the establishment, and it probably isn't always easy on your wallet. But now you can bring Mozza right into your home. Silverton's own The Mozza Cookbook: Recipes from Los Angeles's Favorite Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria was just released yesterday, and features many of Mozza's most beloved dishes, from the fried squash blossoms with ricotta to fresh ricotta and egg ravioli with brown butter to fennel sausage, panna, and scallion pizza.

I'm salivating just thinking about it! So if you happen to master some of these amazing dishes, you know who to invite over (hint: me!). Happy cooking!

-- Chau Tu