Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

On a hot October day, lots of delicious Los Angeles Eastside food was to be had. Restaurants that were all part of this new creative force that belongs to the Eastside food scene in Los Angeles. Lots of tasty fare, thirst quenching cocktails and very friendly people.

What I like the most about this festival is that it is small and you really get to know the vendors. The studio itself is compact, there is an outside courtyard filled with vendors and an inside area as well. Living in Los Angeles we are known for our very wonderful ethnic cuisine, but there is no festival that features this kind of food. All walks of life and all ethnicities are required for a day of fun and merriment.

Here’s are the participants:

Button Mash, 
Cafe Birdie, 
Cosa Buona, 
El Cochinito, 
Fat Dragon, Frankie Lucy Bake Shop, Go Get Em, Tiger Guayaki, Hey Hey, Home State, Hot Hot Food, Jeff the 420 Chef, Jeni’s Ice Creams, Kettle Black Kevita, 
La Hoja, 
Little Beast, Melody, 
Mixed Company, Momed, Ohana Poke Company, Our/Los Angeles Vodka, RBTA, 
Red Herring
Sawyer, Starry Kitchen, Sweetfin, 
Tabula Rasa Bar, The Black Cat, Trois Familia, Ventura, We Have Noodles, Winsome, 
Wood, Gget, Amaro Angeleno Spirits, 
Angel City Brewing Co, Bar Angeles, and Lord Jones.

Some of my memorable food item were the delicious Green Noodle with Kale Broccoli, and fried shallots. Chili garlic Noodle with sous vide chicken, from We Have Noodle, Rice balls from Button Mash, Momeds Greek Meat Balls, with lamp & beef, spicy chermoula, toasted pine nuts, fresh pomegranate, feta, and soft herbs. Delicious Spicy Tuna, and Spicy Yuzu Salmon Poke from Sweet Fin, Frankie Lucy Bake Shop, pudding and cookies, Fat dragon, spicy dumplings, Trois Familia, Carrot Enchilada, Anchovy toast from Birdy, Little Beast, pork and bacon terrine corn bread with caramelized pineapple. Most of what I tasted was delicious, but some flavors just linger in your mouth for a very long time.

Events:

Exclusive VIP Wine Tasting with Eric Wareheim: 
Master of None actor Eric Wareheim brings Las Jaras Wines to the VIP hour 3pm-4pm. Snacky Tunes: 
Live podcast on the subject of siblings in the food and music industry feat. music from Tangerine and interview w/ HomeState. Cannabis Cooking 101 food demo: 
Learn the basics of cooking with Cannabis infusions, live! Alta California: Writer Bill Esparza hosts a panel talking to local Mexican Chefs on the modern Mexican cuisine movement ‘Alta California’. VIP Exclusives:
 VIP Early Happy Hour 3-4, VIP Tequila Lounge, Eric Wareheim Wine tasting, VIP Gift Bags.

Schedule: 
Woodshop Stage (in Mack Sennett Vendor Hall) 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Eric Wareheim offers tastes of his all new Las Jaras Wines
4:15pm – 5:00pm: Smart Mouth Podcast Q&A with LA Weekly Food Editor Katherine Spiers and a local chef
5:15pm – 6:00pm: Dope & Dank, a conversation with local brewers about bridging the diversity, dope culture and the dank world of craft beer. 
6:15pm – 6:45: Starry Kitchen Chef Q&A and Book Signing. Main Stage: Food Demos, Discussion Panels and Podcast Recordings – 4:00pm – 4:45pm: Alta California – A discussion with local Mexican chefs exploring the trend of the modern Mexican-Inspired California cuisine movement emerging from Los Angeles dubbed ‘Alta California’ cuisine
5:00pm – 5:45pm: Snacky Tunes: Live podcast recording featuring live music from Tangerine and an interview with the sisters behind HomeState Restaurant. 6:00pm – 6:45pm: Cannabis Cooking 101: will educate guests on ways to make a simple cannabis infused meal with quality culinary cannabis products.

Ongoing Events
VIP Lounge Exclusive: Topo Chico and Dulce Vida Tequila Tasting Raffle benefiting Path organization
CBD Massages in Cannabis Corner, Compliments of Loki Lotions.
Supportive Partners: Acme Real Estate, Mack Sennett Studios, Path, Making it Home Our/Los Angeles, Tabula Rasa, Bar Prismatics, Ventura Spirits, Dublab,
Angel City Brewery, Uber Eats, Topo Chico, and Dulce Vida Amaro Angeleno. Media Partners, Prohbtd RN
LA Weekly Do LA, Salt Wind Flood Magazine.

Benefiting: Path Organization.

A great event with everything you would want from a food festival. The perfect libation, with the most delicious exotic cuisine, what more could you ask for.

http://eastsidefoodfest.com
Mack Sennett Studios
1215 Bates Ave.
LA, CA 90029

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October has some really hot days and this was one of them. It’s quite a long walk from the parking lot to the field and then once you’re there, if you’re not wearing a hat you will sizzle. But for all of the effort the delicacies of food and drink are worth it.

This is a fun event at the races. Wether you play the ponies or don’t you will find all of the necessities of a great brunch right here at the track.

Who All Was There:

Hornitos, La Huesuda Tacos, Sanctuary Coffee, Petit Pot, Du-par’s, Barbara Jean, Health–Ade Kombucha, Food Forward, Fred 62, Angel City Brewery, Myke’s Café, Red Herring, Little Dom’s, Bru’s Wiffle, AR Cucina, Backyard Mary, Cacique, Poppy + Rose, Todo Verde, Otus, Mascarpone Cheesecake, Sweet & Savory, Monkey Bar, The Dudes’ Brewing Company, Momed, Tacos Sin Karma, Kobawoo House, Bai, Pez Cantina, Waffling Around, Napa Valley Grille, Cindy’s Eagle Rock Restaurant, Hubert’s, Mc Connell’s, Jones Coffee Roasters, Effen Vodka, Makers Mark.

My favorite dishes were, (some of the restaurants I did not catch their names) a lovely fish with a nice chili sauce on top, great croissant with a quail egg of top, biscuits and sausage gravy, Myke’s lemon curd pancakes, Du-Pars pancakes, Kobawoo House’s Belgium endive with white rice and marinated beef, Pez Cantina’s Pozole soup, which is a perfect way to enjoy pork. It is simmered with hominy in a broth seasoned with chiles, cumin, oregano and garlic, like chicken soup but Latin style. Momed’s hangover meatballs, with sweet dates in the sauce, super yummy.

The Bloody Mary’s that Effen Vodka was making in the VIP area were spicy, but fantastic. There was so much activity in that area, fun merriment, and people being happy drunks.

The majority of women were decked out wearing their Sundays finest to check out the races, kind of like you were watching Kentucky Derby. The hats were glorious, many colors with glamorous headpieces or fascinator. Some men were dressed to the nine as well, wearing colorful suits. It just seems like everyone was having a ball.

I ventured into the betting area and picked a few horses in the 4th race, no winners, but the best $12.00 I have ever spent! Exciting stuff.

https://brunchattheraces.laweekly.com/

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This is a very ambitious project, one that will truly shine a light into a time that was holds very sad memories for those who remember where they were when JFK was shot. I was in kindergarten and home sick from school when my Mom came in the room and announced that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. This film for me brings back all of those raw emotions. Unlike many other films that have documented this horrific time in our countries history, I felt all of those raw emotions came back, and cried my eyes out.

About the Film, the cast, directors, producers, and some of the back story:

As LBJ reveals, Lyndon Johnson was a masterful behind-the-scenes negotiator who lacked the leading- man looks and charisma of his presidential predecessor. “Hopefully, this movie will enable people to see LBJ in a more human light,” Reiner says. As co-founder of numerous political action groups including American Foundation for Equal Rights, which sponsored the successful constitutional challenge to California’s gay-marriage ban, Reiner envisions LBJ as an opportunity to re-assess Johnson’s pragmatism while in office. “Now that I’m older, having spent a lot of time in politics, I’ve come to understand more about what it takes to get things done,” he says. “I now admire LBJ a lot more than I used to.”

Filming on LBJ began in September 2015 in New Orleans and moved quickly under Reiner’s famously fast-paced directing style. “Rob’s incredible,” says Harrelson. “You come in thinking you’ve got a full day of work ahead of you, and you’re out by lunch.” Harrelson praises director of photography Barry Markowitz for keeping up with the no-nonsense director. “Barry is the fastest lighter I’ve ever worked with,” says the actor. “He uses mostly natural light and he’s brilliant.”

On the eve of the 1960 presidential primaries, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson (Woody Harrelson), the most powerful Democrat in Washington, underestimates the political skill of Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy (Jeffrey Donovan) and his shrewd campaign manager Bobby Kennedy (Michael Stahl- David). After losing the nomination to the telegenic junior senator, Johnson agrees to be Kennedy’s running mate, optimistic he can transform the vice presidency into a vital office. But when JFK wins the election, he and Bobby, the newly appointed attorney general, dismiss Johnson’s efforts to broker a compromise between Southern Democrat segregationists and the Administration over a groundbreaking Civil Rights Bill. Effectively sidelined and frustrated by his figurehead status, Johnson tells his closest advisors “My future is behind me.”

But everything changes on November 22, 1963, when Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas thrusts Johnson into the most powerful office in the world. While the nation mourns, President Johnson, with his devoted wife Lady Bird (Jennifer Jason Leigh) by his side, moves into the White House, re-igniting tensions with a grieving Bobby.

As Johnson tries to win over his predecessor’s formidable team of advisors, the first Southern President in a century faces a deeply divided country, torn between North and South, Democrat and Republican, black and white. With a lifetime of legislative experience and the future of his political life hanging in the balance, Johnson defies his longtime mentor, Georgia Senator Richard Russell (Richard Jenkins), and teams with Texas Senator Ralph Yarborough (Bill Pullman) to honor JFK’s legacy by championing passage of the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964.

LBJ is directed by Oscar® nominee Rob Reiner (A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally) and written by Joey Hartstone (Shock and Awe). The movie stars Emmy® winner and Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson (The People vs. Larry Flynt, “True Detective”), Michael Stahl-David (Cloverfield), Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Oscar nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Jeffrey Donovan (“Fargo,” “Burn Notice”), Bill Pullman (The Killer Inside Me, Independence Day) and Kim Allen (“Army Wives”).

In Theaters Nationwide – November 3, 2017

* Note some content was taken off of website.

The venue for this event was the Hotel Indigo in Downtown LA. I had never been to this hotel before but it’s very conveniently located. It’s only 2 blocks away from the Staples Center. The inside décor of the hotel was absolutely stunning with a modern chic and hip vibe. The event was held on the 18th floor. Once you stepped out of the elevator, after checking your ID with the security guard, you are welcomed by a stunning 360-degree-view of Downtown LA and the multiple freeways. The timing was perfect to witness the beautiful sunset.

The whole room was beautifully decked out with paintings of renowned music artists and athletes. There was a beautiful fireplace with super comfy couches and seats overlooking the spectacular views of the city. On top of that, a very nice bartender checked in with the attendees to make sure they were properly served.

At the other end of the room, there was the purple carpet area where interviews and photo ops were being held as the attendees arrived and checked in with the host. By the end of the night, the room was full of people dancing to the music of the DJ.

Overall, the venue location was a smart pick. By the time I left everyone seemed to be enjoying their Friday night out.

http://www.maxwelldickson.com
Contributing Columnist – Mariana Muela

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This year Charmaine Blake’s gift suite was another fabulous success. There were many celebrity sighting’s, and wonderful fashion, food, and libations. The location was another thing to be marveled at, up in the very ritzy part of Beverly Hills in a mansion, poolside.

Seemi Fashion brought with them their stylish line; guests were excited to view their line as it always brings wearable fabric, in such unique styles. No one left hungry with Pizza Crek featured its very yummy pizza creations. Ron gave me a gorgeous pair of sunglasses from Eye Dope that I simply adore. They are so big that they will black all of the sun out, and if I am in the mood for not putting make-up on they can hide my tired eyes with style. Some of our featured vendors were cosmetics Laser works, Tall Order Socks, Doms Distributions, Sexy Kitchen and Rockoco Films.

The Charmaine Blake event is never short to introduce a new product line to the guests. I am certainly looking forward to another Charmaine Blake’s Annual Ultra Gold Celebrity and Media Gifting Suites, event. They are always held two days prior to all Hollywood awards show. Everyone is so friendly and accommodating including the ever fun and glamorous Charmaine Blake, what an amazing event. Thanks Charmaine!!!

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Housed in a fairly simple building in the trendy neighborhood of Melrose, is perhaps the best Ramen you will ever happen to stumble on. There are so many Ramen restaurants now in Los Angeles; it has become a real foodie phenomenon. What E.A.K. has that no other Ramen restaurant has, is truly delightful food, with many menu items and very friendly staff.

Info about Ramen and E.A.K. Style Ramen:

What is IEKEI?

IKEI is a style of Ramen that is marriage between Tonkotsu style from the West (Kyushu) and Shoyu style from the East (Tokyo). It is a very distinct thick broth, which is a mixture of chicken and pork, topping of spinach instead of green onions; with chashu, a large piece of nori, aji-tama egg, and the noodles are thick, bold and straight.

The Story

E.A.K. Ramen was born from their philosophy of wanting to spread IEKEI style of ramen to the world. In Japan, they are known as Machida Shoten as well as many other names within the IEKEI style of ramen world. They have direct outlets as well as franchises that cover a large part of Japan that add up to roughly 400 stores. Internationally, they have presences in Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Italy, China and Thailand.

However, after capturing a major portion of the Japanese IEKEI market, they decided that it was about time to cross the ocean and make their mark in the US market. Up until now, the US has been introduced to a limited amount of Ramen styles and some stores did try to make an IEKEI style but fell short. They saw an opportunity to spread the wonderful IEKEI style of Ramen and branded their style as E-A-K for the phonetic pronunciation of IEKEI style.

In their broth they use only natural chicken and pork bones and they take 18 hours of love and care to prep, boil, cook, stir, and perfect the broth. Their noodles are custom made for E.A.K., using their distinct formula that no one else uses. It is thick, bold and straight. Their tare recipe is known only by the owner himself; and is a close kept secret to keep their flavor from changing.

Here is what I tried:

Appetizers:

Garlic Edamame, with garlic aioli sauce and anchovies. These are perfect, they melt in your mouth, with a nice fragrance of garlic aioli sauce.

Takoyaki, savory round octopus pancake with a sweet and spicy sauce. These are something you just can’t describe, they are crispy on the outside and soft melty on the inside, just remarkable.

Karaage fried chicken, with lightly salted crispy fried chicken thighs served with sauce of your choice: ponzu sauce, sweet chili, curry, honey mustard, spicy garlic, and homemade tartar. You can try these with their dipping sauces but the seasoning is so great, I loved these little nuggets just on their own with no sauce.

Homemade Cucumber Kimchi, spicy pickled cucumber kimchi. Truly delicious but get ready for the kick, because these are very spicy.

DIY spicy salmon & avocado hand rolls, wrap your own, great for sharing with side of nori and lettuce. This is quite the creative idea and it really works. You get to do all of the work yourself and the payoff is fantastic.

Homemade ginger gyoza, with homemade grilled dumplings filled with seasoned pork, chives and ginger. They flip over these pot stickers in the pan, so you’re left with a yummy film that is the pan sauce, sweet and delectable!

Salads:

Superfood salad, with baby kale, spinach, seaweed, hijiki, cucumber, and shoyu based onion dressing. This is my kind of salad, it’s super fresh and healthy, the dressing is just fantastic. The little bits of seaweed on top are my highlight. This is the kind of salad you can order and eat every day and feel great about this healthy choice.

Rice:

E.A.K. fried rice, with pork-fried rice served table side in a piping hot iron skillet. This is such an interesting presentation. They use an iron pan which they serve the rice in the middle, done table side, then they pour an egg on the outskirts and scramble it right on front of you. It makes for one wonderful fried rice dish.

Oyako Mini Bowl, with chicken and egg marinated in soy sauce, mirin and dashi with radish sprouts on rice. This bowl is very tasty and the price is incredible.

Ramen:

The Original The E.A.K. shoyu, with Pork and chicken broth, pork chashu, seasoned egg, spinach, nori. You can see why E.A.K. is so special, this Ramen is super rich with great meaty flavors, and it really hits the spot.

Seasonal Specials:

Tan Tan Men, spicy yet refreshing. This Ramen is served cold and is vegetarian. Once again, this is a dish that you could eat every day and not have one ounce of guilt from the simple pleasure of good smart eating.

Drinks:

Beer:

Kirin – pale – Japan, super refreshing and very light, perfect with the Ramen.

Sapporo – pale – Japan, wonderful and very drinkable, it works perfectly with anything that has a little kick.

Cocktails:

Very Berry Soju with strawberry ice and strawberry puree, soda, and soju. This drink is more like a smoothie but with a nice Soju kick, it is super fun and delicious.

Green Apple Pen with green apple, soda, soju, and lime. It is very reminiscent of an apple martini, but done with Soju. I would highly recommend this over-the-top cocktail.

Sake:

Makiri sake (Premium), Takenotsuyu, Kurosawa nigori, Un-filtered, Semi-Dry, Mio Sparkling Sake.

Each Sake was recommended to me by the lovely Meadow, she selected each and every one of them, she did a great job. They were all different, each with a complete great characteristic. My favorite was the Makiri, it went down super easy and has some nice floral nuances.

This is Ramen at its best and all of the other menu items will make you never go anywhere else for your weekly Ramen fix. There are other Ramen places that have great accolades but E.A.K. is just the best of the best. Their prices are extremely affordable, and there are so many menu options. From big huge Ramen bowls to tapas style smaller dishes that will leave you completely satisfied. My vote, next time you’re in the mood for Ramen try E.A.K.

E.A.K. Ramen
7455 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
http://eakramen.com/

* Note some content was taken from their website.

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When you walk in the door you are taken back to a speakeasy type of environment. There is the lounge and then the showroom; where they have shows nightly. I did not see a show so I can’t comment on that event, but what I can talk about is the food. This is truly great Thai food at its beat.

The building itself was a very hot spot in the 50’s and 60’s, with, lots of young actors and Hollywood types. In the 1994 earthquake the building sustained a lot of damage an it was retrofitted a few years after that.

My lovely bartender Sandra is very talented, she handles the cocktail shakers like she is doing a juggling act. She is also a yoga instructor, so no acting for her, which is what you would think everyone here is doing as well as working at this very hipster establishment. She said that everyone has seen signs of ghosts here, Sandra saw glasses flying off of their shelves in the bar area once or twice. She said she had also heard of a couple of murders that happened in the building and that Marilyn Monroe once lived there. In any event Black Rabbit Rose is a very colorful place.

Here’s What I Tried:

Cocktails:

The Freddy Naf Rye Whiskey, with tamarino, Angsitura bitters, and flamed lemon peel.

Dove Tail Irish whiskey, with scotch, cassis, lemon, and egg white.

Dark Arts, with lemongrass vodka, lime, aloe, and activated charcoal.

Zig Zag Lady, with house-blended rum, black currant juice, lime, ginger and mango candy.

Each drink that I tried was hand crafted and made to perfection. The bar is truly a fun scene and the bartender Sandra made all of her magic creations look so easy.

Food:

Wok Tasted Nuts, with cashews, peanuts, sea salt, green onion, Serrano peppers, and bell pepper. A great way to munch your way to the appetizers that will be coming out.

Pola’s Egg Rolls, with ground pork, bean sprouts, shitake, cilantro, carrots, bamboo shots, and glass noodles. These are wonderful eggrolls, crispy and perfect.

Papaya Salad, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, garlic, tamarind, lime, peanut, shrimp. This is a big refreshing version of this Thai staple.

Lettuce Cups, with grilled shitake, fried tofu, water chestnuts, eggplant, onion, edamame, carrot, topped with crispy noodles. I just loved these cups, they have everything you would expect and want.

Shui Mai Dumplings, ground chicken, water chestnuts, onion, shitake, garlic, white pepper, cilantro, egg, served with house made soy sauce. The outside is soft and silky and the inside is packed with flavor.

Salt & Pepper Popcorn Shrimp, with fresh black pepper, white pepper, Serrano peppers, chopped cilantro, served with spicy seafood aioli. This dish is one of their many showstoppers, just fantastic.

Tamarind Orange Chicken, with karake chicken glazed with spicy tangy tamarino, cilantro and dried chili. You must order this amazing dish when you come to Black Rabbit Rose.

Drunken Noodles, Flat noodle, red bell peppers, onions, garlic, Thai chili, tomato, sweet basil, mushroom, with beef. This is a great version of this always-delicious dish.

Tiger Fried Rice, with crabmeat, Chinese sausage, egg, edamame, onion, green onion, and cilantro. The crabmeat and sausage is what makes this rice so special.

Pad Thai, with thin rice noodles, chicken, tofu, bean sprouts, green onion, tamarind sauce, lime, crushed peanuts, with chicken. This Pad Thai has just the right amount of flavors to make it spectacular.

The interior is very Victorian, with original brick walls exposed, old time double fans that are attached together by one cord. There are old scratched mirrors with very authentic banquets, a bar that seats 7, with lots of regulars and show goers. You will marvel at the interior, and they will tell you about the haunted myths, but really come here for the food, you will not be disappointed.

I met Nathan sitting next to me at the bar; he was the manager at Butchers and Barbers, so he knows a lot about the past history of Black Rabbit Rose.

My lovely host Fern Kaewtathip Chef and owner, was so gracious to invite me for this amazing foodies dream, everything I tried was just spectacular, and the vibe is just so fun, a true find in this hipster neighborhood.

Black Rabbit Rose/Crying Tiger
1721 N. Hudson Ave.
Los Angeles, CA. 90028
www.blackrabbitrose.com

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Sunday Oct. 15, 2017 be ready for one of the most fun days of your life.

Brunch at The Races has ever thing you would ever want from a Sunday afternoon in Southern California.

Enjoy samples of over 30 of the best brunch spots in Los Angeles.

You can buy tickets the day of or go to their website and buy online.

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Santa Anita Park

https://brunchattheraces.laweekly.com/

I will see you there!

On a balmy Sunday summers night I made it to this lovely part of Pasadena, Lake Street which has many great eating establishments. Del Frisco Grille offers an elegant but casual dining experience.

There are 3 Del Frisco Grille locations in Southern California, Santa Monica, Irvine and Pasadena. They have many other locations in these areas: Atlanta, GA , Brentwood, TN, Brookfield Place, NY, Burlington, MA , Cherry Creek, CO Chestnut Hill, MA , Dallas, TX , Fort Worth, TX , Hoboken, NJ , Houston, TX , Huntington, NY, Little Rock, AR , Nashville, TN – Now Open , New York, NY , North Bethesda, MD Pasadena, CA, Plano, TX , Southlake, TX Stamford, CT , and Tampa, FL. Company Del Frisco also owns Sullivan’s and Double Eagle, two great steak houses as well.

Here’s What I Tried:

Cocktails:

Martini, a very proper martini, just what I love to drink to start my meal.

The VIP Sweet Hawaiian Pineapple-infused Svedka Clementine vodka. This drink is so refreshing, very light and tropical.

Cosmopolitan, vodka, cranberry juice. A very light cocktail with a nice amount of ingredients.

Food to Fight Over:

Cheesesteak Eggrolls, sweet & spicy chili sauce, and honey mustard. This is an interesting take on an egg roll, with Philly cheese steaks inside, go figure.

Ahi Tacos, tuna tartare, avocado, spicy citrus mayo. These are super fresh Ahi Tuna tacos with a nice spicy citrus mayo.

Deviled Eggs, truffle-chive vinaigrette. I have never tasted anything like this, really great flavors in these little devils.

Fire Roasted Artichoke Meyer lemon vinaigrette, parmesan-black pepper aioli. The artichoke is smoky and warm while the sauce is cheesy and spicy, all together a great appetizer.

Wild Mushroom Flatbread with fontina cheese, caramelized onions, baby arugula, and white truffle oil. This flatbread is outstanding. There is so much great mushroom flavor and the caramelized onions really are sweet and delectable.

Soup & Greens:

Sweet Corn Bisque with tortilla, and crema. This is a very sweet creamy soup with a nice soothing texture.

Iceberg Lettuce Wedge with bacon, tomato, and blue cheese dressing. A nice healthy helping, with a huge quartered iceberg lettuce. The dressing is very subtle, but the bacon makes all of the difference.

Mains:

Oscar – Prime Rib Eye 16 oz. with jumbo lump crab cake, cajun lobster sauce, roasted asparagus, and jalapeño bacon mashed potatoes. What a great astounding dish, so many great flavors and the combinations are just off the charts.

Sides:

Truffled Mac & Cheese, another amazing menu item, wow! The truffle comes out in every bite.

Desserts:

Salted Caramel Pudding Jar and whipped cream. This pudding is just so luscious with its great salted caramel flavors; it is a wonderful dessert item.

Coconut Cream Pie and white chocolate shavings. This pie is so decadent. It is their signature dessert and after trying it you will know why.

Wine:

Chardonnay, The Seeker, 2013, Central Coast, CA. A nice fragrant wine that went great with the wedge salad.

Chardonnay, Au Contraire, 2013, Russian River, CA. This is my kind of wine with its great buttery, caramel flavors; it worked great with the crab cake.

Red Blend, Black Ink, 2014, CA, Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec. This is a very cherry type wine with so many complicated flavors, but it was so perfect with the rib eye.

Red Blend, Del Frisco’s Grille 2013, CA, Cabernet, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel, by Robert Foley. A nice well rounded blend with more spicy nuances. It went great with the wild mushroom flatbread.

Del Frisco’s planted its roots in Dallas more than 20 years ago. They embody the rich tradition of fine American steakhouses, amazing guests through their impeccable chef-driven cuisine, extensive award-winning wine list and unparalleled hospitality. They offer their guests an unforgettable experience in a stunning, energetic atmosphere, perfect for special occasions, business affairs or a grand night on the town. Del Frisco is modern, stylish and fun, taking the classic bar and grill to new heights. Del Frisco’s Grille draws inspiration from bold flavors and market-fresh ingredients. Their menu is a tempting mix of prime steaks, fresh seafood and twists on American comfort cuisine. The energetic bar, a destination in itself, creates a buzz throughout the restaurant and sets the stage and tone for an amazing dining experience.

Del Frisco’s Grille Awards; Wine Spectator – 2014, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, Jezebel – 2014, Top Restaurants in Atlanta. Buckhead Business Association – 2013, Best New Business, New York, Wine Spectator – 2012-2013, Award of Excellence, Concierge Choice Award – 2012, Best Casual Restaurant NYC, Wine Spectator – 2013, Award of Excellence, Little Rock, Wine Spectator – 2016, Award of Excellence, Dallas, Open Table – 06-2013, Top 100 Hottest Bars in the US, Open Table – 06-2012, Top 100 Hottest Bars in the US, Wine Spectator – 2012-2013, Award of Excellence, Washington, Wine Spectator – 2013, Award of Excellence, Nation’s Restaurant News – 2012, Hot Concepts Award, Houston, Open Table – 2013, Diners’ Choice Award, Open Table – 2013, Top 100 Hottest Bars in the US, Stamford, Open Table – 2015, Diners’ Choice Winner, Hoboken, Open Table – 2015.

The interior is very inviting with 3 distinct dining areas and huge oblong bar with leather comfortable seats. There are large glass partitions that separate the 3 dining areas making it earthy, warm and inviting. They have wood tables, hanging lantern type lamps, and an open kitchen for viewing. There is also a draped private dining room and an outside patio with streaming white lights.

My server Danielle Aguado came from McCormick and Schmicks. She was posed and knowledgeable, and made my experience happen flawlessly.

They have a wine flight event, as well as happy hour and brunch. Check out their website for more details.

Del Frisco Grill
55 Lake Street
Pasadena, CA.
delfriscosgrille.com
* Note some content was taken off of their website.

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What a great event with food, fun people and being able to watch the Mayweather vs McGregor fight at the same time.

About Buffalo Wild Wings:

Minority Business Owners, Karim Webb and Edward Barnett, Bring Buffalo Wild Wings to Koreatown. Karim Webb (L), Co-Founder, PCF Restaurant Management, Trevor Ariza (C), Houston Rockets, Edward Barnett (R), Co-Founder, PCF Restaurant Management | Photo Credit: Earl Gibson III. Karim Webb (Co-Founder, PCF Restaurant Management), Edward Barnett (Co-Founder, PCF Restaurant Management), Trevor Ariza (Houston Rockets), Nadine Velazquez (Six), Sebastian Ridley Thomas (Councilman), and over 200 community members, friends and family.

As minority business owners, Webb and Barnett are excited to be expanding their footprint into a new and ethnically diverse area. They pride themselves on being responsive to unique needs of each community their units serve and their ability to engage stakeholders therein.

Over the past 6 weeks, PCF has worked closely with Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD), in partnership with Community Career Development, Inc. (CCD) to fill over 130 job opportunities. Through the API JOBS (Job Opportunities & Business Success) Initiative, PCF was able to do the majority of hiring locally. Currently, there are no other national brands owned by African American’s in Koreatown and PCF is excited to change that.

“It’s about service. Serving our Team Members and our Guests. That’s where success in our business comes from. We’re excited to be a part of the burgeoning Koreatown community.” – Karim Webb, PCF Restaurant Management.

“It was a great turnout, we appreciate everybody from the community coming out to support. Part of our mission is to be a good community partner providing job training and employment opportunities to the young people and we are excited to put to our new BWW in Koreatown.” – Ed Barnett, PCF Restaurant Management.

“Tonight was a special night, a lot of people came out and we had a good time. I think the things going on here are helping people. It made me see that everything is attainable and there are a lot more things we can reach. There is a lot of potential here.” – Trevor Ariza, Houston Rockets.

“We are so pleased to have Buffalo Wild Wings open in Koreatown. Thank you for your commitment to Koreatown.” – Hyepin Im, President, Korean Churches for Community Development.

The fight night event was hosted by Big Pee Wee, 102.3 KJLH and music was provided by DJ Ron C. Roughly 200 friends, family and prominent community leaders were in attendance to support, eat wings and watch the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight. Event sponsors included Effen Vodka & Courvoisier. Proceeds from the evening’s event went to Korean Churches for Community Development and the Brotherhood Crusade. BWW Koreatown opens to the public on Thursday August 31st at 11 am.

They served many of their delicious wings: hot, sweet, and crispy; all amazing. Also, I got to taste some other bites on the menu; ultimate nachos, potato wedges, mac & cheese balls, cheese quesadilla and mini corn dogs. They had some nice cocktails to choose from for the night. The perfect delicious food to go with this wonderful high profile group of people, all watching this very entertainment fight. There were so many flat screen TV’s, big and small, but truly they were everywhere so you couldn’t miss any of the fight.

All in all, I was so happy to have been invited and I had a marvelous time at Buffalo Wild Wings, I can’t wait to come back and taste the rest of their menu.

Buffalo Wild Wings – Koreatown

3150 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 100

Los Angeles, CA 90010

www.lawildwings.com

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