Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

Dinner at Hot Box Grill – March 30, 2012 – Sonoma, CA.

This is one heck of a find in Sonoma County. The food is very creative and makes a great impression with it’s entire farm to table goodness. All the dishes were so tasty; it’s hard to single out my favorites. Chef Norman Owens really knows how to make things interesting, he gets it! This is upscale casual dining at its best.

Hot Box Grill has some pretty great accolades; 3.5 out of 4 stars – Press Democrat, 4.5 out of 5 stars – Yelp, #1 restaurant in Sonoma – Trip Advisor, 4.5 out of 5 stars – Open Table, Best Chef in Sonoma (2010) – Sonoma Sun, Runner-up Best Chef (2011) – Sonoma Sun, and Winner “Man ‘n Cheese Cook-off” – 2012 Artisan Cheese Fair.

Here’s what I had:

Fried Green Tomato Salad with crispy – coated tomatoes. This salad is very Southern, and is packed with great flavor.
Minestrone Soup with nice fresh pasta and chicken meatballs, which makes this soup very comforting.

Fried Pork Rolls with spicy soy and sriracha dipping sauce. These are very Filipino with good crunch, and great taste.

Kalbi Short Rib Lettuce Wraps with rice noodles, mint, chilies, peanuts, and nuoc cham. These wraps are nice and light, perfect to get your appetite on board.

Speck Wrapped Duck Fries with 2 bundles with smoked proscuitto, truffle aioli, grana padano cheese. This dish is so decadent, the truffle flavor is enough to celebrate. May I say that it is very filling, so watch out!

Grilled Asparagus Remoulade, smoked paprika oil, crispy shallots, a wonderful side dish.

Dungeness Crab Salad with Meyer lemon and crème fraiche dressing, butter lettuce, grapefruit, curried papadum. There is so much sweet fresh crab in this salad, it’s a lot of bang for your buck.

Spicy Ahi Tuna with Timbale Ponzu, cucumbers, chili-infused sesame oil, avocado mousse, and crispy wontons. The tuna tastes like the sea, and the chili infused sesame oil adds a nice kick.

Marinated and Grilled Hanger Steak with sauce béarnaise; duck fat French fries, local seasonal vegetables. The steak is cooked medium rare and has a nice crust, jam packed with all the essential flavors.

Petrale Sole, the fish is moist and tender, the presentation is gorgeous, a feast for your eyes!

Roasted cauliflower, caramelized shallots, and
chickpeas with dukkah. This is so great for vegetarians, and can actually be eaten as a meal on it’s own.

Brussels, pancetta, garlic, and chili flakes. This dish will make anyone be a brussel sprout lover for good.

For Desert:

Boston Crème Pie, a fantastic way to end a glorious meal.

My wonderful server Gregg also paired these wines, all of them were fantastic, and were great with the food.

J Cuvee Brut, NV Russian River Valley, great bubbles, paired with the Crab Salad.

Spann Vineyards, Chardonnay Viogner ‘09, Sonoma Valley. This wine matched the subtle flavors of the Petrale Sole.

Nicholson Ranch, “Estate” Pinot Noir ‘08, Sonoma Valley. Great with the lettuce wraps and the speck French fries.

Stone Edge Vineyards, Cabernet/Merlot Blend ‘05, Sonoma Valley. Of course this one was splendid with the hanger steak.

They have such great local sources in Sonoma County and beyond; here are some of the local sources where they gather their ingredients. Oak Hill Farm provides the most delectable fruits and vegetables, the freshest flowers possible, all grown using methods that promote healthy soil, supporting a vibrant environment and community. http://oakhillfarm.sonoma-sky.com/. Their duck meat is from the heart of the Perigord region in Southwest France.
http://www.artisanfoiegras.com/
The milk used is from Clover Stornetta, which is a family-owned and operated dairy processor that distributes a wide range of high quality dairy products throughout California, Arizona and Nevada. http://www.cloverstornetta.com/.
The seafood is from Royal Hawaiian Seafood and has one of the most extensive lines of quality seafood products in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. They continually strive to deliver the best in quality, service & value. http://www.royalhawaiianseafood.com/

This place rocks! So much terrific fare, in the glorious Sonoma Valley. After a long hard day of wine tasting, bring your amped-up taste buds to little jewel, and experience casual dining like never before.

HOT BOX GRILL
18350 Sonoma Highway
Sonoma, CA, 95476
www.hotboxgrill.com
707-939-8383

Coming Home – The Bay Area 20 Years Later:
I wanted to come back to The Bay Area and reminisce about my glorious youth and my time here. See the new and remember the old, but keep an open heart and a cleansed palate, and enjoy all things here in The San Francisco Bay and beyond.

Dinner at Saddles – March 29, 2012 – Sonoma, CA.
Saddles is the restaurant at MacArthur Place, an upscale hotel in the town of Sonoma. I did not have the opportunity to stay there, but saw the beautiful grounds. The gardens are lush, and exotic, with some interesting sculptures. The property and buildings; which comprise 29 E. MacArthur Street have a long and distinguished place in local history. Located in the middle of Sonoma, the former Burris-Good estate is comprised of fantastic gardens, majestic old trees, and historic architecture. The two-story Victorian house, which dominates the property, was built in the 1850s and is reported to be one of the oldest Victorian homes in Sonoma.

The restaurant is fun and engaging. But what can you say about a saddle and a horse? Makes you feel like you’re a cowgirl with a mission. My mission, if I choose to except it, is to eat a big ole piece of gloriously cooked steak in a fun upscale restaurant, that oozes all things western, including it’s vast array of cowboy boots that line that stair case when you first walk in. There’s an awful lot of horsing around going on here!

Here’s what I had:
Stuffed Mushrooms with house made Italian sausage. Great fennel flavor in the sausage, and the mushrooms are moist and fluffy.

Fried Calamari & Rock Shrimp with a Meyer lemon aioli and a spicy cocktail sauce. Good crispy batter, and very fresh calamari and shrimp.

Cornmeal Dusted Haystack Onion Rings with blue cheese aioli. If you’re a true onion ring aficionado, you will dig into these bits of heaven.

Steamed Mussels and Clams, with champagne, shallots and pancetta. Great flavor, with more fresh shellfish.

Beef Carpaccio with mustard aioli and scallion oil. Very light, a nice way to get your taste buds ready for the serious meat.

Soup of the Day: Red Bell Pepper Bisque. Smooth, with a lot of pepper pleasure in my palate.

Classic Caesar Salad with house made asiago croutons. This salad is crispy, crunchy, and with a good dressing too.

Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms and Cabernet demi glace. All of the steaks are aged a minimum of 21 days and are completely hormone and antibiotic free. Yes, I was right and can gladly now except my mission. What a stellar steak!!

Pan Seared Halibut with spring vegetables, asparagus puree and beurre blanc. The fish melts in your mouth, and the sauce equally is astounding.

Creamed Corn, this is by far the best creamed corn ever.

Deserts:
Chocolate Cake, with great chocolate consistency, not too sweet, just perfect.
Strawberry Cheesecake, with a handsome presentation, very good as well.

Here are the fantastic wines that I tried:
Walter Hansel, Sauvignon Blanc ‘01, Russian River Valley. This wine is very drinkable, and was terrific with the seafood.
Benzinger, Chardonnay ‘09, Carneros, Sonoma. Also a great wine, and stood up to the Caesar salad.
Athair, Chardonnay ‘09, Russian River Valley. Very creamy, with hints of caramel and vanilla. Good with the halibut.
Sharp Cellars, Pinot Noir ‘07, “Keenan’s Cove”, Sonoma Coast. This wine paired well with the stuffed mushrooms.
Green and Red, Zinfandel ‘09, “Chiles Canyon” Napa Valley. This wine went well with the beef Carpaccio, didn’t over power this dish.
St. Francis, Merlot ‘07, Sonoma County. This wine was terrific with the steak.
Enkidu “E”, Cabernet Sauvignon 09, Sonoma Valley. Very yummy with the steak.

Saddles might be so far the best Steak house in the Sonoma Valley. You have got to be ready for a really good steak. As much as I loved all the rest of the menu items, next time I would cut to the chase and just order the steak with all it’s fixings. Of course the steak would be nothing without the great wine selections, so make sure you pair it with the glorious nectar, and above all enjoy.
Saddles
29 East MacArthur Street
Sonoma, CA
(707) 933-3191

Dinner at Pig ‘N Whistle March 5, 2012

Imagine a place where you stay the same and never grow old, and are constantly playing hide and seek with the staff that can see you, wearing the same white dress that you wore in the 1920’s. This is a famous place, a sort of haunt for many old Hollywood types. It has great food, fun libations, and serious atmosphere, in the heart of Hollywood. The people that work there say they have seen a lot of folks from the very distant past, but these are not ordinary patrons, these are folks that spook some of this establishments workers. Why you ask? What comes along with the Hollywood history are the playful ghosts, in the form of a little girl, a talking painting, and a swinging light fixture. Like something out of a scary Hollywood movie, so many stories so little time, so many ghosts and so little time.

Enrique is part of the wait staff, and he does his inventory every Monday night in the basement of the Pig ‘N Whistle. He says, “the first time I saw her she was playing hide and seek, peeking her head around the corner and laughing, she had dark hair and lots of soot on her face, but she was playful and did not scare me, and my manager did not believe my story.” Enrique heard that the other cooks saw her too; they call her the little girl in the white dress. Enrique has to do inventory alone every Monday after midnight, and that’s when he says he hears strange noises from the inventory room, where he has sightings of the little girl. There have been some stories by customers as well. A young girl said that she heard the lady in the painting talking in the bathroom downstairs, and a recently a man felt a slap on his back in the men’s lavatory.  Then there’s the unknown reasons why one of the chandeliers swings back and forth on it’s own.

My first visit, I was told to use the main bathroom on the bar level, their have been customer incidences with other worldly creatures in the basement bathrooms. So when I went to use the main bathroom and it was locked, I waited tapped on the door again, had one of the workers knock and try to open the door to no avail. Then after waiting for about 5 minutes I pushed on the door one last time and it miraculously opened. When I went back to the bar there was a tapping of my foot while sitting at the bar, when I looked down there was no one there. Then when I came for my tasting, I took a tour with Chris, the handsome manager, and Enrique. With them once again, I experienced the poltergeist first hand as a door that led to the common bathroom area locked after Enrique said that he unlocked it ten minutes earlier. This was not just one isolated incident, it seems that there have been many mysterious door locking and unlocking events that the staff can tell you about. I also had a swipe of an invisible hand that I could feel when I walked through the hallway in the basement.

The story goes that in between the early years of the restaurant being open and then closing, there was a fire at that time for school for deaf children; supposedly the little girl in the white dress, who appears to the wait staff, perished in the flames.  Another coincidence about the Pig ‘N Whistle is the unsuccessful Hollywood actress Peg Entwisted, who jumped off the Hollywood sign on September 16, 1932, maybe lurking around this establishment, uncanny how this name is so close to hers.

The other big-time attraction is manager/actor Chris Caldovino. He has played such parts as Billy Leotardo in The Sopranos, and will have a new reoccurring role on Boardwalk Empire, starting to film this month.  Every now and then he gets recognized, when the tour buses come by. They tell the tourists about the famous TV star that moonlights as a manager, or manager that moonlights as a famous TV star. He is Italian, and can weave some marvelous stories about his roots, his Momma Violet, Grandma Maria, and his love of Violet’s lasagna. Chris however, can’t wrap his head around the paranormal activity, and thinks that his staff is just fooling around with him for laughs. But either way he is another one of the many reasons to visit this remarkable pub.

The Pig ‘N Whistle opened its doors originally July 22, 1927, with it’s Mayan Egyptian Architecture, it is all part of The Egyptian Theater complex. It boosts gorgeous hand carved ceilings and all of its original dynamic design elements. There are 8 big screen TV’s and an old style jukebox, which was playing the sounds of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Stars such as: Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, and Loretta Young, used to be regulars.

Restaurateurs Chris Breed, Alan Hajjar, Eric James and George Nahas, make up the Sunset Entertainment Group, which was founded in 1990. They previously owned The Roxbury, The Sunset Room and The Cabana Club. (This spring a new club called LURE will open at the old Cabana Club location.) An amazing 1.5 million renovation was completed in 1999 and the Pig ‘N Whistle reopened. They have some notable names as part of the stars on The Hollywood Walk of Fame right outside their door: Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, soon to be Malcolm Mc Dowell. As well as hosting the Iron Man 2 premiere party.

If all of this wasn’t enough for you to saunter down to this bright Hollywood star then just try the fantastic food!

This is what I had:

Ahi Tuna Tartare  – chopped pineapple, glazed cucumbers, white and black sesame seeds and avocado – nicely presently in a round mold with layers of pineapple, avocado and aha tuna, with 2 gorgeous sesame wontons and a nicely drizzled sesame oil and wasabi.

Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad – romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, red cabbage, carrots, cilantro, jack cheese, tortilla strips, fresh BBQ chicken breast, tossed in ranch dressing – great flavor, perfectly cubed cheese and same size bbq chicken, nice ranch dressing, liked this salad alot.

California Cobb Salad – Mixed greens tossed with grilled chicken, bacon, avocado, blue cheese and hard-boiled egg. Not your usual Cobb salad. All the ingredients are separated, this salad everything is tossed together with fresh farm greens.

Homemade Chicken Soup with Rice Spiced with Nutmeg and Cinnamon – nice slices of tender white meat chicken, sliced onions, with a glorious dash of nutmeg and cinnamon, almost tastes like a Armenian chicken pastry, very delicious.

Yukon Gold Potato and Leek Soup – rich creamy, comfort soup.

Crispy Calamari served with Spicy Marinara Sauce – this dish was excellent, it was so crispy and not greasy that it got gobbled up.

Pepperoni Pizza served thin and crispy, traditional New York style pizza, very crisp and tasty.

Classic Fettuccini Alfredo – Creamy cheese and shallots alfredo sauce with shrimp. Very rich, need to share this dish with someone, but nice garlic flavor, and the shrimp’s pop in your mouth.

Rustic Shepherds Pie – Casserole of beef slow cooked in brown gravy with peas, carrots. Topped with creamy mashed potatoes and jack cheese. I grew up with this dish, which both my cousin Lydia and my Dad used to make. This pie is a new take on an old traditional dish, but works perfectly. This is one of Pig ‘N Whistles signature dishes and I know why, it’s GOOD!!!

Chicken Pot Pie – Oven roasted chicken breast and market fresh vegetables, Béchamel sauce topped with puff pastry – not your usual pot pie with pie crust, this is so much more delicate, if I was a skinny girl I would eat this luscious dish everyday, worth the calories.

Pig ‘N Whistle Burger – Juicy grilled ground chuck, greens, tomato and sautéed onions with French fries. By far the best fries in Los Angeles, and the burger is so juicy, ripe with flavor, a very great taste treat.

Peppercorn Sautéed 10 oz. New York Steak – garlic mashed potatoes and grain mustard reductions sauce. The meat is sliced and served over these luscious garlic mashed, with a super creamy reduction sauce, this dish screams of old style steak house.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon – Basil potatoes, fresh green peas, cherry tomatoes, sautéed spinach and beurre blanc sauce. The salmon is served with a basil-mashed potatoes, something I have never tried. It has great flavor and a nice green color; with the sweet peas it becomes a whole new experience. The salmon on top adds to the overall presentation and gives the fish a totally new taste sensation.

Pecan Pie with vanilla ice cream – a perfect ending to a great dinner, and oh so Southern don’t you know.

New York Cheesecake with strawberries – Great creamy texture with just the right amount of sweetness.

The Wines and Cocktails that I enjoyed:

Cherry McGuire – Sky Cherry Vodka, Lemonade and Grenadine, so sweet, but very thirst quenching.

Greg Norman Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2009 – just the right amount of fruit and oak to enhance the Aha Tartare and nice salads.

Justin Chardonnay – Paso Robles – a great accompaniment with the Calamari and the Fettuccine with Shrimp. It has a nice creamy vanilla flavor that works great with any of the fish dishes, including the Salmon.

1805 Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2010 – Really good with The Chicken Pot pie, subtle fruit forward tones that don’t muddle any of the rich chicken flavors.

Ravenswood Zinfandel – really terrific with all of the meat dishes – The Pig ‘N Whistle Burger, The Shepherds Pie, The New York Steak and The Pizza. Just the right amount of cherry, and vanilla flavors to not over power the meat dishes, with great natural balance.

The icing on the cake, I spoke to a priest who had been dining, and said he loved the food, and knew nothing about the friendly ghosts, he said next time would bring some holy water. One would think that this would creep out the workers of the Pig ‘N Whistle, but in reality, it adds to the history and fantastic hipster Hollywood atmosphere of this famous Landmark. Run don’t walk to the Pig ‘N Whistle; you might be a little spooked, but will absolutely be pleasantly surprised.

http://www.pignwhistlehollywood.com/

Pig ‘N Whistle is located at 6714 Hollywood Blvd

(Besides the restaurant they also have a back room where they do music, and comedy, check out their website for more details.)

Open 7 Days a week -2 Happy Hours Daily, 4pm-7pm and 10pm-12am.

This photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Kitchen Hours: Sun-Thu 12pm-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-11:30pm.

Bar Hours: Sun-Tue, 12pm-12am, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat, 12pm-2am.

Hollywood has always been very chic but of late, not so user friendly, with horrible parking and the bridge and tunnel crowd coming in for the weekends. The club scene has never been so happening in the heart of Hollywood, which leads to even more congestion. Just when you thought of staying home, here comes this gem of a restaurant, with marvelous food, and even better prices. Sadie has all of their best attributes covered. It has the prime location, just down the street from the world famous Grumman’s Chinese Theater, but its sneaky location is not directly on the beaten path. When you are inside you feel like you could be in some far away resort, even with the parking lot being right outside the door. But here lies a mystery, how can they serve up such farm to table goodness at such small prices, with a very upscale atmosphere. All the food tasted was complex, often surprising and always delicious.

Executive Chef David Schmit is soft-spoken and very insightful, offering up his fondness of farmers markets in the Southland. But underneath his quiet charm lies a bigger then life talent, pleasing any experienced palate. Chef Schmit feels privileged to share his passion for creating what he calls “honest, new American fare”; using the finest ingredients he can source. Since he can remember, he was drawn to the action in the kitchen, where he spent quality time with his mom, grandmother and aunts while learning how to prepare meals, using food grown on his family’s nearby farm. Spending time honing his culinary talents he landed at The Buffalo Club. It was during his tenure there that he was approached by Buffalo Club colleague, Patrick Doherty. Patrick is now Sadie’s general manager, and adds a familiar face to this new establishment. It was Patrick that asked David to come to work at a new concept that was being developed in Hollywood.

Sadie has some deep history, the name Sadie finds its root in the matriarch of the beloved Simon family. Coming from Calexico, California Sadie and her husband Faris Simon moved to Hollywood in the 1930’s and had a renowned Hollywood Business, Simon Candy & Nut Shop on Hollywood Boulevard in 1935. After the depression, and the attack on Pearl Harbor business declined, so Sadie closed her beloved jewel. But in 1946 they rebuilt their treasured business by opening Jeanie’s Candy & Nut shop, which was a Hollywood staple for many years to come. When Sadie’s sons returned home from the service they purchased the parking lot just south of where the restaurant sits today, and the Simon family began to build their empire.

The design is split up into 3 separate areas, the front bar, the dining room, and the outside patio. Each has elements that have been reworked since it’s past Le Deux Restaurant, especially the climate-controlled roof over the outside patio. A completely different vibe that is elegant yet unpretentious, and offers 3 different dining experiences, all designed by Ralph Gentile Architects.

The drinks are reminiscent of the early glamorous Hollywood era, all very precise, and mixed by Giovanni Martinez, director of spirits. This unique spirits menu is meant to celebrate Hollywood during Prohibition. In every part of modern day cuisine we are enjoying mixologists everywhere, but few have the blend of artistic vision and unbridled skill that drives Giovanni. Chris, working under Giovanni’s tutelage made me a proper vodka martini in a gimlet glass, nicely shaken and icy cold. All of the other fabulous drinks on the menu looked like a lot of thought and work went into each one.

Jason our server is like an encyclopedia, all knowing, and all saying, with a stellar attitude. He knows so much about all the products used in this culinary treasure, including the wines and pairing. His choices for my dining experience were impeccable.

Here is what I tried:

For The Table – American Charcuterie with chicken pâté, la quercia prosciutto, fra’mani sopressata, pickled vegetables, grain mustard, and grilled ciabatta. A great array of fine products, but the prize here to keep your eye on is the sherry filled chicken pate, with lots of sweet lavish flavors. Margherita Flatbread with mozzarella, crushed tomato, basil, like a margherita pizza but with more crunches. Duck Confit Flatbread with arugula pesto, caramelized onions, greens. Sweet and savory, the duck is smoky and tender, perfection on a flatbread. Whole Leaf Caesar Salad with baby romaine, shaved egg, parmesan croutons, simple, yet direct, one of my all time favorite caesar salads. Duck Confit Salad, with frisée, pistachios, and blackberry gastric. You will never need to order any kind of duck dish for a main entree. This salad fills the bill, with its crispy outside skin, and fragrant berry sauce, it will blow your hair back.

Plates – Fresh Spinach Pasta with mushroom ragout, tomato, parmesan. What they don’t tell you about this dish is the fantastic truffle overtones, a yummy take on an old favorite. Pan Roasted Idaho Trout with olive oil crushed potatoes, capers, kalamata, tomato, and lemon. Very fresh fish, with a nice buttery flavor, a must have at this fun hangout. Grilled Prime Pork Chop with kale, roasted apples, parsnip puree and sherry. Such great melt in your mouth goodness, this dish took my breath away. So tender and the apples add just the right amount of tangy sweetness, really terrific.

Sides – Kale, what a fun garlicky, citrus accompaniment to this amazing experience, and so healthy. Polenta, with parmesan, warm and inviting, comfort food to die for.

Desert – Apple Berry Cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream, and Orchard Lime Tart. Loved the Lime tart, nicely appointed, very creamy, and tantalizing.

These are the wines that Jason kindly suggested with my meal:
Sauvignon Blanc – Domain Laporte Loire, France 2010. This wine paired well with the American Charcuterie, it enhanced all the components in this dish, without overwhelming the flavors.
Pino Grigio Blend – Palmina, Santa Barbara, California 2010, went good with the flatbread margarita. Chardonnay – Patz & Hall, Sonoma Coast, California 2009. I basically drank this wine throughout my wonderful dining experience. For me it worked well with all the lighter fare. Syrah Trenza – “Tinto”, San Luis Obispo, California 2008, great with the Pork Chop, with all its heavy berry taste. Malbec – Urraca Agrelo Vineyard, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina 2009, I especially liked this wine with the desert, but it was also great with the duck dishes and the pork chop.

Having been to the grand opening a few weeks back, and getting the opportunity to taste a few more of the menu items, I can tell you that this new restaurant will makes its mark on Hollywood, and the dining scene in Los Angeles. It’s got all the right moves, great food, fun people, excellent service, hip atmosphere, great location, and surprisingly low prices. Sadie is a winner!

1638 North Las Palmas Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323.467.0200
http://www.sadiela.com

La Siene – Dinner January 29, 2012

Imagine a perfect place to enjoy kosher food on the famous Restaurant Row in Beverly Hills, with all the bells and whistles of great creative gastronomic cuisine. Well you don’t have to dream anymore. La Siene is the perfect place for a romantic, cozy and comfortable experience… and if you happen to be Kosher, even better!

Chef Alex Reznik, who was on Top Chef, Washington DC, season 7 created a menu that is both fun and spirited. He said when owner Laurent Masliah approached him it felt like maybe this was the right move, as he would be going back to his Jewish roots, even though he does not keep Kosher at home. A great deal of the guests that come to La Siene have been eating nothing but kosher food their whole life so for them this is truly a home cooked meal.

Other kosher restaurants remain stagnated to menus written fifteen years ago, Alex’ philosophy is that every day there will be a new idea, a new special, a new concept while still adhering to Kosher laws. However, he emphasizes that the dietary guidelines do not dictate the quality and taste of the cuisine at his restaurant. “La Seine is designed not as a kosher restaurant, but as a great restaurant that just happens to be kosher,” he notes. “I simply wanted to create the kind of restaurant where I, personally, would enjoy eating.”

I have fond memories of this location as a kid, growing up near La Cienega and Olympic, Tiny Naylor’s was a past haunt for me. It’s had a few other incarnations, and the famous diagonal roof still reminds me of my childhood. The interior has a traditional steakhouse feel, lots of wood, 2 fireplaces, beautiful hardwood floors, and nice large banquets. Being raised Jewish, but not Kosher I did not feel like anything was taken away from me during my experience at La Siene. Kosher foods are those that conform to the regulations of the Jewish Halakhic law framework, kosher meaning fit or allowed to be eaten. You absolutely can’t have pork or shellfish on a kosher menu, but the sushi items and the salmon were very satisfying. The rest of the menu is so tantalizing, you really have no idea that it is a strictly kosher establishment. All the ingredients are fresh and everything is made from scratch.

I started out with two signature cocktails that were both fantastic. Mixologist JP recommended drinks that had a little bite; he also suggested the sushi tasted below: Real Dirty Martini with haute vodka, olive juice, black olive dust, salty but thirst quenching, the perfect blending, at the right temperature. Paramus with vodka, fresh lemon, pomegranate, jalapeño, very exhilarating, the floating jalapeno peppers added some heat packed in at the end. The Tuna and Salmon Sushi were about the freshest sushi I ever experienced. The Rising Sun Roll Spicy Tuna, with tempura salmon, and spicy sauce was very fresh and colorful, with lots of wonderful sauces. The Goodwin Yellowtail, with spicy big eye tuna, avocado, and tempura. Deep-fried, but very light, the sauces are hot and sweet, and the fish is super fresh like it was just caught today. The spectacular presentation makes for mouth-watering anticipation.

The wines paired by colorful sommelier Adnen Marouani: Chateau Bonfils, sauvignon blanc, entre deux mers, this light and fruity wine went great with both soups, and the sushi. Caves & Domaines, Chardonnay, Lazio, Italy, 2009, this lovely balanced Chardonnay went great with the salmon and the pasta. Weinstock, cabernet sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2008 paired great with the rib eye, bold and strong, but not interfering with the rich meat flavors. Hunter Valley Shiraz, Australia, great with the lamb, nice tones with ripen fruit adds lovely nuances to the sauce and the meat. Florenza, proseco, Florence, Italy, NV, a great bubbling accompaniment with the delectable desert items.
A little unsure what to order, our gracious host and general manager Natanel Marciano offered up these following menu items: Applewood smoked tomato soup with garlic, crustini, pea tendril, it has a delicious smoky bbq flavor, rich and smooth. Jerusalem Artichoke / Sun choke Soup there are so many killer flavors, served up in a nice oval white bowl, very homey. Veal Sweetbread Nuggets with banana, ketchup, fennel, mint, and cilantro. All the flavors are nicely well rounded, not your typical sweetbread dish, where the sweetbread are not minced but cooked whole, this will be a disguise for people that are skeptical of this dish. I happen to love whole sautéed sweetbreads. Copper River Salmon with Israeli couscous, tomato water and pine nuts. The Salmon is tender with a nice tomato crust and the Israeli Couscous adds an exotic texture in your mouth. Hand Torn Pasta, chicken, nanban, pesto, blistered tomato, so wonderful, the pasta melts in your mouth, and homemade. All the ingredients go together like a fine symphony, with none of them out doing each other. Absolutely a highlight in my meal. Boneless Rib Eye with béarnaise chimichur and ginger soy sauce served with pommes frites. The meat is cooked perfectly with a nice flavorful crust. The potatoes are cooked with sage leaves that are fried and adds another dimension to these amazing potatoes. A must have for me from now on. Lamb Chops, confit fingerling potato scapes, thyme jus; this dish has little bites of heaven. All the components makes for a hearty surprise in every mouthful, very satisfying.

Deserts were amazing:
Lemon Tart Soufflé and Flourless Chocolate Soufflé, served with Coconut Ice Cream, both were flawless, done with beauty and precision.

I really can’t say enough about this place! The food was remarkable, so many choices and all prepared fresh, producing one of a kind flavors. The service was fantastic; you never had to ask for anything, it was all served with big smiles. The location doesn’t get any better then this, and La Siene has adhered to the standard of excellence that Restaurant Row is known for. An exciting experience, and highly recommended.
www.laseinebg.com
14 N. La Cienega, BH 90211
310-358-0922
(Make sure you call and check their hours on any given day, they are closed for any Jewish Holiday and on the Shabbath.)

The Hill Bar and Grill is located in the same building as The Saban Theater, which is an art deco gem in Beverly Hills. This theater originally opened its door in 1930 as The Fox Wilshire Theater and was designed by renowned theater architect  Charles S. Lee, who also designed The Los Angeles Theater and The Tower Theater, both in downtown Los Angeles. The Hill Bar and Grill is right next door from the theater and has all the same art décor adornments. The interior has been newly redesigned by tattoo artist Zoey Gingles. It still has it’s original tin ceiling, but everything else takes on a new modern flair. Near the bar are these very cool photos of women that are inspired from all things tango. The music is also very cool, Classic Rock all the way, Led Zeppelin, Jim Morrison, and Neal Young played in my very attentive ears. For a small space it appears to be very expansive.
Job, (pronounced Hope) Servin, is the Chef and proprietor. He is very hand’s on in the kitchen, creating hearty great neighborhood food. His friend and mentor Wolfgang Puck paid him the greatest compliment, when Wolfgang visited him at The Red Rock restaurant on Sunset back in 2005. Job did not know who he was, and after eating Job’s Chicken Ravioli, Wolfgang popped his head into the kitchen and told Job he liked what he was doing. He came back the next day and brought Job a signed copy of one of his many cookbooks. Job was completely surprised when he saw who the author was. Job claims that Wolfgang’s recipes are pretty basic, but he has learned a lot from him, and considers him a fantastic mentor.
Job’s parents hail from Acapulco, also where Job was born, and Zihuatanejo. Before opening The Hill Job was the King of Sunset Blvd, where he worked at Thunder Road House, Red Rock, Le Petit Four, and Carney’s. He wanted to open his own restaurant that would be a fun happy neighborhood place.

This is what I tasted: Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce,
Beef Skewers with Peanut Sauce, Minestrone Soup, Chicken Vegetable Soup, Cobb Salad, Warm Spinach Salad Hill Burger and Surf and Turf Burger, French Fries, California Pizza, Fish and Chips, Salmon, NY Steak, Philly Cheese Steak, Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli
My favorites were:
The Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce, the chicken is crispy fried and very succulent with great sweet honey mustard sauce. The Chicken Vegetable Soup had great flavor with nice strips of tender chicken, kind of like Jewish penicillin, the way my Grandmother Tillie used to make. The Warm Spinach Salad had warm wilted spinach, with sliced hard-boiled, bacon, and artichoke with a balsamic reduction sauce with bacon. The Surf and Turf Burger had amazing lobster pieces with quickly blanched skinny asparagus spears, meat is cooked medium rare. This burger is very juicy, quite the combo, perfect explosion of flavors in your mouth. This is The Hill’s signature dish and gets a lot of accolades from me. The delicious French Fries reminded me a some secret ingredient when I was in London as a kid and had French fries from a fast food restaurant, and could never figure out what that secret ingredient is that I loved then and still do now. The Fish and Chips, the fish is very moist with a great beer batter, one of there highly talked about dishes. The NY Steak was cooked perfectly with lots of pepper to make a nice crust, great piece of meat, mashed potatoes and gravy is equally yummy.
These are the great wines that I tried:
Red Wine – Siena, Farrari-Carano, 2009, Sonoma County, Sangiovese, with hints of black cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, butterscotch and caramel. This wine is so perfect with the NY Steak, brought out all the fragrant berries, but did not take away from the rich meaty flavor. Napa Cellar Pinot Noir it paired well with the Warm Spinach Salad, with just the right balance and not too much acidity.
White Wine – Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay – Chilean Wine was perfect with the Surf and Turf Burger, as well as the Fish and Chips, this wine had enough buttery flavors that it could stand up to the meat as well as the lobster. Greystone Chardonnay almost had a Sauvignon Blanc taste to it, with a lot of tangy fruit.
The book of Job tells the story of an extremely righteous man named Job, who was very prosperous and had seven sons and three daughters.
The story ends with Job restored to health, with a new family and twice as much livestock. The book of Job tells the story of an extremely righteous man named Job, who was very prosperous and had seven sons and three daughters. Constantly fearing that his sons may have sinned and “cursed God in their hearts”, he habitually offered burnt offerings as a pardon for their sins.[2] The “sons of God” and Satan (literally “the adversary”) present themselves to God, and God asks Satan his opinion on Job. Satan answers that Job is pious only because God has put a “wall around” him and “blessed” his favourite servant with prosperity, but if God were to stretch out his hand and strike everything that Job had, then he would surely curse God. God gives Satan permission to test Job’s righteousness.[3]
All of Job’s possessions are destroyed; the 500 yoke of oxen and 500 donkeys carried off by Sabeans, the 7000 sheep were burned up by ‘The fire of God which fell from the sky,’ the 3000 camels were stolen by the Chaldeans and the house of the firstborn collapsed, due to a mighty wind, killing all of Job’s offspring, but Job does not curse God but instead shaves his head, tears his clothes and says, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return: Lord has given, and Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of Lord.”[4]
As Job endures these calamities without reproaching God, Satan solicits permission to afflict his person as well, and God says, “Behold, he is in your hand, but don’t touch his life.” Satan, therefore, smites him with dreadful boils, and Job, seated in ashes, scrapes his skin with broken pottery. His wife prompts him to “curse God, and die” but Job answers, “You speak as one of the foolish speaks. Moreover, shall we receive good from God and shall not receive evil?”
Three friends of Job, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, come to console him. (A fourth, Elihu the Buzite (Heb: Alieua ben Barakal the Buzite), begins talking in Chapter 32 and plays a significant role in the dialogue, but his arrival is not described). The friends spend seven days sitting on the ground with Job, without saying anything to him because they see that he is suffering and in much pain. Job at last breaks his silence and “curses the day he was born.”
God responds saying that there are so many things Job does not know about how this world was formed or how nature works, that Job should consider God as being greater than the thunderstorm and strong enough to pull in the leviathan with a fishhook. God then rebukes the three friends and says, “I am angry with you….you have not spoken of me what is right.”
The story ends with Job restored to health, with a new family and twice as much livestock.

The Hill is very cozy and has great atmosphere, what was a dream is now a big success. The next time you’re in the Beverly Hills Wilshire area pop in for some fine happy flavors at The Hill Bar and Grill.
www.thehillbarandgrill.com

Forget Tuscany, stay in Los Angeles for the best Pappardelle since the famed restaurant Erasmo in Ponte A Moriano Lucca, Italy. TiroVino is serving up a melt in your mouth, succulent Pappardelle with wild boar ragu that will bring all of those authentic Italian food memories back to life. Really, save your money and fly to Tiro Vino Wine bar in the heart of trendy Melrose Avenue.

The atmosphere is Contempary Italian Chic, sporting 1040’s theatrical lighting fixture over a common table, complete with wing back chairs. Old Hollywood black and white photos of
Robert De Niro, Marcello Mastroianni , Sophia Loren and famous Italian film stars grace the walls. Maricio the owner, loved this book as a child “Opera Medica”, so he tore the pages out and made wallpaper for the photo area and ceiling paper above the bar. The interior is very slick but simply, with lots of Italian accents. There is an Al Fresco patio that has wonderful Old Italian movies playing on the wall. This is a great refuge in a very busy city.

Sevy my very handsome and gracious wine expert, who was 24 hours away from hoping on a plane back to Rome for the Holidays, served me up some great wines paired with some delicious, perfect Italian treats.

Pescatora seafood soup of calamari, clams, shrimp and cod in a garlic tomato wine broth. The seafood is cooked to perfection, with amazing tomatoe flavor. Arancini a traditional crispy rice croquette filled with braised beef, green peas and mozzarella cheese, melts in your mouth. Mele e Finicchi, fennel and apples, greens, mustard wine vinegarette. Fennel salad – very refreshing with its sweet citrus dressing. Fava beans tossed with toasted walnuts and Tuscan Pecorino. Pizza Rustica, tomato, mozzarella, and Italian sausage, mushroom. The crust on these pizza’s are magnicent, light and crispy. Pizza Capricciosa, tomato, mozzerella, articokes, and ham. Pizza With articokes and ham, this pizza is better the next day. Pappardelle, with braised wild boar – so amazing, brings tears to my eyes. Cod very tender and fresh with great capers and thinly sliced seared garlic served on a lovely bed a sautéed spinach.

For desert the Amaretto cookies soaked in espresso coffee covered with mascarpone cream was stupendous. This is a Teramisu without the typical lady fingers which makes this dish so rich and smooth. Just the right amount of everything.

A lot of the wine tastes were really too small to make sense of. In my opinion wine is alive and grows in your glass, in your mouth and when you pair with food. I tried a lot of great wines here but could only make opinions on a few, here’s all the wines tasted:

Cortese, Pio Cesare, Gavi di Gavi 2009.
Sauvignon Blanc, Cantina Cortaccia 2010.
Toscana Chardonnay, Corte alla Flora, Giuggiolo,Bianca Toscano 2009.
Marche Verdicchio, Bucci, Classico, Castello di Jesi 2008.
Chardonnay, Planeta 2007.
Barbera Fontatafredda, Briccotondo Barbera d’ Alba 2010.
Barbera Nebbiolo, Merlot Stefano Farina Le Brune, Langhe Rosso 2006.
Dolcetto, Stefano Farina , Dolcetto di Diano d’ Alba 2009.
Nebbiolo, Oddero, Barolo 2006.
Corvina Blend, Masi, Valpolicella Classico, Bonacosta 2008.
Supertuscan, Sangiovese/Merlot, Castello di Meleto, IGT 2007.
Negroamaro Malvasia Nero Rivera, Salentino 2007.
Calabria Gaglioppo, Statti,  Lamezia Terme, IGT 2009.
Nero d’Avola, Planeta, Santa Cecilia 2006.

These are ones I really loved and paired nicely the dishes below:
Toscana Chardonnay, Corte alla Flora, Giuggiolo,Bianca Toscano 2009 very smokey, fruity paired great with the salads and the cod.
Supertuscan, Sangiovese/Merlot, Castello di Meleto, IGT 2007 was very rich and full bodied, paired great with the papardelle and wild boar, brought out the wine flavors in the meat. Corvina Blend, Masi, Valpolicella Classico, Bonacosta 2008 is super dry, nice ruby color, has rasberrie and tabacco flavors, paired great with Pizza’s.

This place serves up some traditional Italian fare, with a little modern twist. An absolute find, and a must try in a city filled with lots and lots of great Italian restaurants.
www.tirovinowinebar.com/

When I was in Italy in 2006 I enjoyed so much bounty, but nothing was better then having the great hospitality of my appointed Italian Grandma Nonna. I was with my friend Jeanne and her daughter Elena when they visited their Nonna, Renata Chiavacchi, so by proxy she became my official Nonna while I was visiting Lucca, Italy. Since that time Renata has passed away and I have never had another Italian Grandmother, until now. Look no further Nonna of Italy on Sunset in West Hollywood is the replacement for any of your Grandmothers cooking. With it’s great food and homey atmosphere you are guaranteed fond memorories of your Nonna.
The ambiance is very homy and comfortable. With a brilliant red chandelier, red candles. Very handsome floor to ceiling wine cabinet kept at 65 degrees, for Red wines. The huge windows on Sunset reveal the slick bar and fantastic pizza oven. I was there on a cold and breezy night in Autumn, but you could see a warm balmy nite would be perfect for their outdoor patio.
I was in very good hands with manager Oscar Rios. He was born in Mexico City, coming to Los Angeles he worked for Wolfgang Puck and Michaels Restaurant.

I tried lots of delectable food:
Focacia with Olive oil with basil and sliced garlic. Mushroom Soup – Portabella Crimini Porcini mushrooms, red wine, lots of rich meaty flavor. Warm Shrimp Salad – Special Wild Shrimp salad with Aragua. Pop in your mouth salad. Roasted Capreses Salad with Balsamic basil Oil. Beet Salad. Tartara di Tonno Sashimi grade Hawaiian ahi tuna with avocado, red onion, extra virgin olive oil. Pizza Pera e Prosciutto ,Prosciutto, mozzarella, and Asian pear. Pizza Americana, Tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni. Pasta Rigatoni Napolitana Rigatoni, chicken and shiitake mushroom, herbs de Provence, parmesan, so rich, sage butter sauce. Pasta Ravioli di Riccotta e Spinacci, Spinach and ricotta ravioli, butter, sage, parmesan. Pasta Spaghetti Vongole Saltate, Spaghetti, sautéed manila clams, garlic, chopped cherry tomato, parsley, white wine. Pasta Linguini Scampi, Linguini, Hawaiian prawns, arrabiata or pomodoro sauce. Entrée Branzino alla Griglia, Grilled filet of Mediterranean Sea Bass, roasted potatoes and broccolini, white wine, Meyer lemon sauce. Ossobuco , all day braised Veal Ossobuco, gold whipped potato, roasted beets. Filet Mignon Cozze e Vongole,  Spanish black mussels, manila clams, spicy tomato broth, garlic, parsley, extra virgin oil.
My favorite food items were:
The Warm Shrimp Salad was very garlicky, with the shrimp cooked and served warm on top of the salad. Cozze e Vongole had a great light tomatoe sauce, it had just the right amount of flavor and the seafood was cooked tender and light. Pasta Rigatoni Napolitana very tradional with great shitake mushroom and chicken flavor. Pasta Spaghetti Vongole Saltate had a nice red sauce with great clam flavor. Pasta Linguini Scampi presented with a split very large schrimp on the top and a generous amount of butterflied shrimp in the sauce, a wonderful take on this great staple. Entrée Ossobuco is like mothers milk, a must have, so worth every bite.
When they say “All day” braised, they mean it, it falls of the glorious bone. Entrée Filet Mignon so tender and flavorful, another must have dish.

These are the wines I tried:
Spumanti Prosecco, Chardonnay Chateau St. Michelle Columbia Valley, Sauvignon Blanc Honig Napa 2010, Fruili Latisana , Zellina  Pinot Grigio. Primitivo Del Salento Passion 2006, Chianti Classico Piegaia 2006. The Chardonnay paired great with all of the fish dishes, added just the right amount of acidity that added to the great flavors. The 2 reds paired great with the Filet and The Chocolate Fonant. It added another dimension of flavor, without taking away from the great Filet flavor.

The 2 deserts were extremely yummy and a nice way to end a fantastic meal; Apple Tarte, Chocolate Fonant.
Over all the food is exceptional, this is what I call a sleeper, not a lot of people know about this great food. With all the Italian restaurants in Los Angeles, this one can keep up with the best of the best.
www.nonnaofitaly.com/