An appreciation for one of the dining world’s great curmudgeons. Also, two reasons to head to L.A.’s Fairfax neighborhood: love and plantains as well as a don’t-miss art show, and two Route 66 destinations to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road. Plus more food stories worth a read. I’m Laurie Ochoa, general manager of L.A. Times Food, with a special edition of Tasting Notes. The dining world’s everyman Ruth Reichl and Michael Singer at L.A.’s Yuchan, the Koreatown restaurant known for its cold noodles naengmyun. (Laurie Ochoa / Los Angeles Times) When you went out to eat with the Reluctant Gourmet, as journalist Michael Singer was known to readers of restaurant critic Ruth Reichl‘s reviews when she worked at this paper, you were never sure if he would still be at the table by the time dessert arrived. If a meal was too long, too stuffy, too trendy, or if he just wanted to get home to catch the end of a football game, he was out. A check of The Times’ archives …