Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

This event is dedicated to Natalie Dubois brother, Fabrice Dubois, who was murdered in Paris at the Bataclan on November 13, as part of all of the terrorist attacks that went on in Paris that horrible evening. Fabrice was an award-winning copywriter in Paris for Publicis Conseil and had received the Gold Epica Award a few days after his death for a Renault ad. Fabrice is survived by his wife and children.

I feel so bad for Natalie and her family, but as they say the show must go on, and it did. This was a heartfelt show for everyone that attended. There was lots to be thankful for. There were some amazing human-interest stories with many of the vendors. Everyone was excited about The Golden Globes, but it was like a guardian angel was watching over all of us as we enjoyed all of the lovely gifts that were offered.

Here are the vendors that attended:

Stephanie Kantis, Quantum Functional Medicine, Malaysian Omorose Cosmetics, Bushearts Scarves, Hair Evolution, Barebumz, Sai Suman, Marchon Eyewear, M Andrews Sartorial Luxury Collection, Demure 31, Box Water, The Wolf Collection, Michique Handbags, Truth in Hand, Miriam Reikerstorfer, Sunny Blue, Kneady Bakery, Cape Breton Fudge Company, Amara Coffee, Elina Fuhrman, Soupelina’s Soup Cleanse, Natura Bisse and trips to Le Taha’s Private Island Resort, Cape Breton Island, and Spa.

Caroline Neron, has an amazing story, she told me about how she was making jewelry with 2 broken arms. She is an actress singer hailing from Quebec. She turned her small jewelry business into a 10 million dollar company very quickly. She gifted me a lovely bracelet that I am now wearing everyday. As sweet as she is beautiful, you can understand why her designs have become so successful.

Stephanie Kantis gave me a gorgeous pair of gold lightweight earrings that I have already worn 5 times since the suite. They have beautiful jewelry; every piece is dramatic and very wearable.

At Arido jewelry I tried on a 17 Million very rare Star Safire ring, I’m surprised they let me try it on, but it was so much fun having that kind of ring on my finger for a minute.

I love the Omusubi at Sunny Blue, especially the miso beef with caramelized onions and miso sauce. It’s a nice compact lunch that is close to sushi, but not quite the same. They have a restaurant in Santa Monica, go try it you will love it!

And…there are always A – list celebrity nominees attending. Here are some past attendees: Queen Latifah, May J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Stephen Moyer, Angela Bassett, Rachel Bilson, Eva Longoria, Morgan Freeman, Terrance Howard, Spike Lee, Kate Walsh, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Hudson, Colin Firth, Felicity Huffman, Adrian Brody, and many others.

I always have a lovely time at The DPA Gift Suite, it is elegant and each year it just gets better. I am so happy to be included in all of the gift suites that DPA does year round.

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Woody Allen is one prolific dude, I am sure he would take offense to me calling him a dude, but it’s with love and respect that I give him that title. I grew up with Woody Allen movies and being a nice Jewish girl it was sort of a gauge with a new boy if he liked Woody Allen he was in, if not, no dates for him with me. You just have to get Woody’s humor, and if you don’t, Jewish or not, your not going to rate high in my world. If you happen to be Jewish like Woody and Mel Brooks then there will always be some dialog in Yiddish that you just get. With that being said Woody Allen was a natural for Broadway, especially this show.

On screen sometimes you miss the little nuances that you would catch from a live show. The facial expressions, the jokes, the small but fantastic punch lines are much more apparent when its being acted out right in front of you.

Woody Allen has written a movie, a year for the last 50 years, really doesn’t he ever get tired? Quentin Taratino has only written 8 movies his whole career.Woody was born in Brooklyn NY in 1935, his real name is Allan Stewart Konigsberg, very appropriate for the guy who never sleeps. He loves everything New York and most of his films depict that and Bullets Over Broadway is no exception. Instead of stories about people’s lives and neurotic behavior, he has taken a time period about Broadway and made it his own fantastical story.

Bullets over Broadway is written in Woody Allen fashion. You got dames, some smart some not so much, gangsters, writers, starlets each entwined with their own witty repartee, and delicious spiraling out of control stories. Bullets over Broadway was originally a movie based in 1994, but smartly reinvented into a Broadway musical with the screenplay written by Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath. It was Allen’s sister, Letty Aronson, who urged the filmmaker to adapt it for the stage.

Brilliant choreography by Susan Stroman, (the dazzling talent behind the Broadway blitz “The Producers”), the dancing was one of the highlights of the show. Jeff Whiting and Clare Cook have taken over the direction and choreography, respectively. The original productions premiered on Broadway last season at The St. James on April 10, 2014. The production received 6 Tony Award nominations, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Choreography.

The score is a collection of popular songs from around the 1920s, when the story is set. A few are well known standards; “Let’s Misbehave”, “I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle”, others not too recognizable. Glen Kelly is credited with the arrangements as well as the clever additional lyrics that patch over narrative gaps. For me bringing back those old standards are nice but I would rather focus on the charms of this high energy, well-executed touring show, the choreography, the costumes and the performances, really got my attention.

The cast: Rachel Bahler – Eden, Michael Corvino – Nick Valenti, Jeffrey Brooks – Cheech, Hannah Rose Deflumeri – Ellen, Rick Grossman – Julian Marx, Jemma Jane – Olive Neal, Emma Stratton – Helen Sinclair, Michael Williams – David Shayne, Bradley Allan Zarr – Warner Purcell, Dance Captain.The ensemble did their part and were equally amazing. My favorite performances were by Michael Williams and Jeffrey Brooks. Michael Williams is a very physical actor with great comedic timing and Jeffrey Brooks turned his character into a mysterious sexy villain, which everyone wanted to get to know more about. The other cast members were terrific as well, but to me those two stole the show.

I just love the Pantages Theater, with its ornate interior; it is all about old Hollywood. I am always amazed when I look at the brilliant details of the auditorium. This landmark theater is celebrating 85 years of History in Hollywood.

Run don’t walk to see this spectacular romp into mobsters and showgirls, at The Pantages Theater, it ends on Jan. 24, 2016.

The Pantages Theater
6233 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
http://bulletsoverbroadway.com/

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What used to be Roche Winery has blossomed into a new concept that is sure to spread like wildfire through this wine area. Tasting great paired food with excellent wines will surely make you rethink any traditional wine tasting experience you have ever had, it takes the art of wine tasting to a whole new level.

I met Adam Betts at Pinot Days in Los Angeles in late November of 2015. We talked about my coming to Ram’s Gate and possible using these glorious wines for my cooking segments. What he did not tell me was that this tasting would be a game changer for my worldly wine experiences and me.

Ram’s Gate is so elegant, you really should get dressed up to wine taste, but on the other hand, it is a casual vibe with many upscale wine aficionados imbibing. They know what they are in for. There is no typical tasting bar, you sit down at a table like civilized people and all is served to you like a restaurant. At my tasting I had a private room with a view of the wetlands and was in such great hands with Zack Melendrez, lead sommelier. Zack is a storyteller and brought such great dimension to an all out stupendous day, cheers to you.

I had the “Palate Play”, which is the art of wine and food pairing for 2-6 guests. “It begins with the wine.” So states our Executive Chef Taylr Behnam, whose pairings are each crafted to bring out the best in its corresponding Ram’s Gate wine. This wine-focused design applies to every part of Ram’s Gate Winery. It is $90 per person but would be waived upon joining membership or with six-bottle purchase; the whole experience is around 90-120 minutes.

Here’s what I tried:

2013 Pinot Blanc, Ram’s Gate Estate Carneros – Asian pear salad, endive, tarragon, pickled quince, date, cider vinaigrette, sourdough. I just love anything Carneros, having lived up here for many years; I really appreciate this region for their outstanding grapes. This wine went perfect with the sweet pear and the tangy vinaigrette, what a great combo.

2012 Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard Reserve Selection, Carneros, with seared scallop, cashew cream, citrus, crispy golden beet, smoked sea salt. This was my favorite pairing; the scallops were just perfect with the creamy buttery Chardonnay, what more could you ask for.

2012 Pinot Noir, Ram’s Gate Estate, with black truffle and mushroom arancini, black garlic aioli. There are very subtle nuances in this wine that add delightful notes to this succulent dish.

2012 Syrah, Durell Vineyard Sonoma Coast, with grilled short rib, Japanese sweet potato frites, pomegranate, bacon, za’atar aioli, parsley. This jammy big wine worked so brilliantly with the shortribs, truly genius at work.

“The best things in life don’t happen by accident. They require passion, attention and above all time. We’re crafting a winery of exception. One bottle at a time”, says, Jeff O’Neill Ram’s Gate Co-Owner.

Next time your doing some wine tasting in Sonoma Valley, Ram’s Gate is really a must do. It is so upscale but not snobby, and will show how things have changed, in a good way, in the art of tasting wine. I highly recommend this fantastic experience.

Ram’s Gate Winery
28700 Arnold Dr. Sonoma, CA. 95476
707-721-8700
Ramsgatewinery.com

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Well to start off this review I have to say that Richard Park co-owner of Cathead’s BBQ is born on the same Birthday as me, January 10th. I don’t know the year, but the same day will do just fine. What does this tell me? Well it tells me that he is a really nice guy, smart, creative and an excellent businessman? With a shared Birthday, in my eyes he can do no wrong. And Cathead’s BBQ is real proof of that. It is just the most unique, best tasting BBQ you will ever have.

Richards’s roots are planted deep in Tennessee and with every bite you can almost feel the cool breezes back home in the flavors from his neck of the woods. They serve good country cooking and BBQ and use fresh ingredients from family recipes with love sprinkled into the mix. It’s an unbeatable combination with his wife as the pit master and all recipes made from scratch. I’m talking old generational recipes handed down; in my book nothing is better than that!

Richard calls his wife his blonde haired beauty, but Pam is much more then that. She is quiet, but you can tell that she rules the roost both at home and Cathead’s BBQ. The couple met in culinary school, and both came from rural backgrounds where the whole garden to table style of eating played a big part in their lives.

Cathead’s BBQ was formed in 2008 and their vision for the restaurant is to keep those deep-rooted traditions, recipes, and ideas from their childhood alive but with a fresh twist. That was so successful that by 2012 Pam and Richard took over a San Francisco BBQ landmark, Big Nate’s and if that wasn’t enough, they got married later that year to.

It’s word of mouth as far as people finding out about Cathead’s, which is good cause it keeps getting busier every year. They had 6 staff when they stared, now they have 18. Their customers are neighborhood folks and tech people, with a Zinga is opening up right down the street. Adding to this down home vibe they play old trucker type country western music…perfect!

Their BBQ pits were grandfathered in, and would be very hard to build now. They were installed right after the 1989 earthquake and would be impossible to move to another place. For you animal lovers not to worry, there are no cat’s involved here, the name Cathead’s comes from a cathead’s biscuit, which is a buttermilk biscuit as big as a cat’s head, it’s a Southern thing Yall!

Here’s what I tried:

They only serve house wines red & white but have a nice craft beer list, and the great sweet tea is something you have to try.

Mains:

Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder, delicious flavors in this dish, a real winner.

Sweet Tea Chicken, probably one of my favorite BBQ chicken dishes ever. The sauce is also to die for.

Coca-Cola Smoked Brisket, nice bark and great smoked flavor.

St Louis Cut Ribs, these ribs are what you for sure want to order, in all of their meaty goodness, they are the most tender ribs ever.

Sides:

Scalloped Sweet Potato’s, these potatoes are something else; it is really a game changer. Sweet potatoes are not usually an ingredient here with a scalloped potato dish, but this really works.

BBQ Baked Beans, what you would expect but just with a little more love added in.

Collard Greens, very southern and cooked the with nice seasonings.

Mustard Slaw, kind of tangy but really fantastic.

Mini Cathead Biscuits. Just dip these little wonders’ in all of the sauces.

Chef Richard Park:

Richard was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, into a family that is deeply rooted in southern traditions, one of those being food. He has many memories of his mamaw making biscuits and gravy after church on Sundays, or going to the many BBQ’s and potlucks at his Aunt and Uncles. These are the foundations on which he has based his passion for food. In December of 1995 Richard moved from Cleveland to the Bay Area to explore life away from the South. He bought his first BBQ smoker in 2002 with dreams of owning his own business. After practicing for months and months, Richard decided to take his passion to the next level and enrolled in culinary school. He yearned for the education that would ready him for his dream. Upon graduating, Richard worked doing catering and in various fine dining, casual restaurants. He participated in the Food Network’s show “Chopped”, his episode was called “Grilltastic”.

Chef Pamela Schafer:

Pam was born and raised in rural Michigan. Year after year she helped her family plant gardens with many fruits and vegetables that they preserved for the winters. They also raised animals, including cattle, pigs, and chickens. This lifestyle inspired her to pursue her dream of becoming a chef. In 2004, after working in state government for ten years, Pam moved to San Francisco and entered a culinary arts program. She began working as a prep cook at Ella’s restaurant. She was excited to work in energetic, creative kitchens where she could share her passion for food with others and learn more about organic foods and seasonal ingredients. Pam later continued her work at San Francisco restaurants, including Acquerello, Incanto, Ducca, and Cane Rosso. At each restaurant she had the opportunity to learn and grow from some of the most prestigious chefs in the city.

I just loved their food and their concept of giving the customer “a lot of bang for your buck”. It is just great over the top BBQ, with all the bells and whistles. Look out San Francisco, Cathead’s BBQ is here to stay!

Cathead’s BBQ
1665 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA
Phone: (415) 861-4242
http://catheadsbbq.com/

*note: some content taken directly from restaurant website.

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In San Francisco, the Marina is my old stomping ground. A place where people meet to eat and drink in a quaint little local neighborhood. Not much has changed; there are many many bars per block, each with their own crazies and each with everyday locals. Scotland Yard provides a new take on the concept; drink till you drop. This British Inspired bar and restaurant is both a drinking spot and a new fabulous place to eat. They offer a cozy, fresh new take on the ever-popular watering hole that the Marina has always been known for.

Chef Jason Raffin is a smart hip, who really knows his business. At 25 he is a wealth of culinary knowledge beyond his years and will delight you with his fun repartee. He has a lot of stories to share about his take on gastro pub food as well as his own personal life, all of which are equally entertaining. Chef Raffin acknowledges his prior positions with some famous chefs along the way, but now wants to deliver food that is fresh and has never been done before. For that I commend him, he is very young but has so many aspirations, it is just worth the trip to get to speak with him about all of his passions.

Scotland Yard has been opened for 5 months, and was previously called Bin 38 where Jason was the executive chef. Most of the press said Scotland Yard was highly anticipated. There is a sister restaurant called Noir Lounge, but Jason’s food is not a part of that establishment. Did I mention that Jason is also really funny, he said about Scotland Yard that he wants to do slutty food. What that means I could never really figure out but it sent my imagination into a tail spin. Customers are mostly locals, but some are coming from other part of the Bay Area. There has been a lot of buzz about their burger, which I totally understand. They also do events and catering, and prefix menu nights.

Here is what I tried:

Pickled Vegetables with herbed goat cheese, I really like the way this dish is done and it made me like beets for the first time.

Cool Ranch Fries Herb Aioli, and house ketchup. This is a fun rendition of a popular staple.

Sirloin Tartare with remoulade, champagne mustard, quail egg, and BG Worcestershire. Every dish that Chef Raffin prepares is complicated, but that complication does not take away his achieving amazing food, this dish is just that. He sat with me to discuss all of his ingredients and with this dish he just could not hold himself back, he dove right in with me tasting his fine accomplishment.

Crispy Tuna Ceviche Tacos with strawberries, watermelon radish, & avocado cream. These are mini tacos served in a fancy wooden dish, which keeps them upright and in full view. The presentation is astounding and the flavors are hard to beat as well.

Pan-Seared Seafood Dumplings with golden pea sprouts and kaeshi sauce. You don’t get big hints of seafood with this dish, but the overall flavors are delicious.

The Yard Burger with bone marrow aioli, aged cheddar, and cornichon remoulade. This burger is simple and to the point, you really get what all the fuss is about. The bone marrow aioli takes it to another level.

Coca-Cola Spareribs with toasted almonds and cilantro. Now this, my friend is what creativity is all about. These ribs are almost candied and the meat just falls right off the bone, probably my favorite ribs ever!!

Clam Chowder Puff Pie, with charred corn, poached potatoes. The presentation of this soup is the best part; I have never seen such a brilliant execution of a puff pastry ever. When you pop the pastry the soup is steaming hot and might I add very very wonderful!

Vadouvan Market Vegetables, butternut squash, golden raisins and toasted pistachios. This is a lovely version of a butternut squash medley. It is flavorful, with a balance of sweet and savory.

Pork Belly Wontons, thousand island, red shiso leaves, and Serrano sriracha. A little spicy and little meaty, but really fantastic.

Here are the wines I tried:

Domaine Carneros, Brut, Tattinger, Napa 2011, a little sip of this and your world becomes all happy and bubbly. It did not disappoint with the Crispy Tuna Ceviche Tacos, in all its glory.

Rose of Pinot Noir, Acrobat, Oregon, 2014. It is pink but don’t let that fool you, a really nice light blend that worked great with the Pan-Seared Seafood Dumplings.

Fruilano, Villa Locatelli, Friuli, 2013. This wine worked well with the Vadouvan Market Vegetables, just the right amount of acidity and sweetness to go with it perfectly.

Chardonnay, Cambria, Santa Barbara, 2013. This is more of a fruity Chardonnay and I liked it with the Clam Chowder Puff Pie, especially with the cream in the soup.

Zinfandel Angel’s Vineyard, Seghesio, Sonoma County 2012. You just can’t go wrong pairing this wine with the Coca-Cola Spareribs, with all of its berry nuances.

Tempranillo, Duende, Alexander Valley, 2012. Save the best for last, pair this wine with their very famous The Yard Burger; it will make you very happy.

With indoor and outdoor dining available, Scotland Yard blends Victorian style dark and rich interiors, with San Francisco flair giving the space a feeling that exudes both class and comfort. Scotland Yard has an old-school vibe serving mid-priced Californian fare plus local and small-production beer and wine. Casual and classy, the space is decked out in hanging chandeliers, heavy beams, dark wood, vintage wallpaper and metal accents along with bar, banquette and table seating. It’s a fun ambiance that will inspire good food accompanied by good beer and wine.

Jason Raffin Graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. He gained valuable experience working and interning for premier restaurants such as Morimotos and Scala’s Bistro. With over 10 years of experience, Jason, the former executive chef of BIN 38, sheds light on a brand new foodie experience that will become a hit up North.

Having lived in San Francisco for 10 or so years I know this neighborhood very well, and I can honestly say that Scotland Yard is a very welcomed addition!

Scotland Yard
3232 Scott Street
San Francisco, CA. 94123
415-872-6852
http://www.scotlandyardsf.com

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Seafood is to Italians what Yorkshire pudding is to Brits, its just something you can’t live without. Some prepare it and the result is like an out of body experience, you just have to pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming and that this food is real. This is what will happen to you when you try owner Rich Azzolino unique and wonderful fare. A staple for most in North Beach, but this So Cal Gal never ever had seafood this good. Italian or not this restaurant really hit all the high notes.

Christmas time at Sotto Mare is a big event. There are stockings on the wall for each employee and every customer that comes in wishes Rich a Merry Christmas. He has Christmas at his aunts every year with 35 family members and everyone doing their special dish. Rich calls his aunt Ha Ha because he couldn’t pronounce her name as a kid. He also told me that he really looks forward to spending time with is family.

Here’s what I tried:

Oyster on half shell; West Coast and East Coast, both wonderful little delicacy’s that melt I your mouth.

Cracked Crab, there is a problem with Bay Area crab, dangerous toxin closed California crab season. California health officials finding high levels of Domoic acid in crab meat; because Pacific Ocean waters are staying warm, crab remains poisonous, so Washington State crab was served, but nonetheless it was amazing!

Benita’s Baccala, this is a must have appetizer in Italy as well as the world. They reconstitute dehydrated Baccala fish frozen in Italy and add some great sweet tomatoes and other ingredients and make a remarkable dish.

Our Best Chowder, with bacon, really delicious, rich and creamy and chalk full of fresh whole clams. Each soup is cooked to order and the clams are fantastic.

Mussel/Clam Steamers, there is a very nice lemon garlic sauce and the shell fish is so fresh you feel like it came out of the water that day.

The “Best Damn Crab Cioppino” with seafood ~ enough for two! They have a greet reputation and mostly because of this dish. Rich’s grandmother taught him how to make this in 3 different tries, each time with new things to add. When he asked his Nona why she did not give him the full recipe the first time she said he would have never remembered it. (Recipe is included in the review.)

Sea Scallop Sautè, wild caught. The scallops are cooked with lots of full good flavor, but it’s really the sauce that kept me coming back for more.

Grilled Sand Dabs, fillets. These little flats gems are perfectly grilled; there are no microwaves at this fine establishment. A true keeper.

Risotto with seafood, chef’s choice. This is a very delicate dish, with very small pieces of seafood and a light sauce. I would definitely order this next time.

Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon with white sauce. This is the surprise dish of the night. The salmon is smoked and you just don’t expect that from a fettuccine dish. I loved this dish with a capitol L.

Here are the wines I tried:

House vino – Bianco and Rosso, both house wines were very drinkable, and went well with all the fish dishes served.

Chardonnay, Santa Barbara. This is a fruit forward buttery Chardonnay that went great with the Cracked Crab and the oysters.

Montepulciano, Italy. Like any good Italian red wine you want to enjoy with meat or red sauces full of tomatoes. This wine was delightful with the Cioppino.

Zinfandel, Sonoma. I liked this great full-bodied wine with the Sand Dabs and the Bacalla, each with it’s own unique flavors that worked well with this one of my favorite wines.

They don’t serve dessert; they claim that they don’t want to give you diabetes or other diseases that you can get from dessert. Instead they want you to enjoy their fish and that’s all. They even give you a note telling you where to go to get dessert if you would like it.

Owner Rich Azzolino can tell so many fun stories, each with its own punch line. Born and raised in North Beach, he says he is the only family restaurant owner born and raised in North Beach, continuing the tradition of home cooking. Sotto Mare opened in 2003. Rich says he enjoys running a restaurant too much to stop, he says, “Sotto Mare is always loud, and there are always celebratory diners, if I stop having a good time you won’t find me here.” He only serves food that is in season, that’s his motto, he doesn’t worry about the rest. Some of the fresh fish is caught by the Farallon Islands and their pasta and olive oil are imported from Italy.

The décor is fun and frivolous, there is so much to look at. A lot of the wall decorations are sent to him from his repeat customers from all over the world. Lots of very big catches are also adorning their walls.

It’s a Family affair at Sotto Mare, his wife Laura and daughter Ria work at the restaurant as well, except for his son who has his own vocation and stayed out of his Dad’s business. Laura is the hostess, he says, “best hostess I ever had”. Married for 40 years, he says, “She is a really good person.” Sunday is their feet up night and Tuesday is their date night. Giving back is also part of Rich’s philosophy, Jan. 9th he has a crab event, feeding 600 to 700 people.

A little history about Sotto Mare: Dante Benedetti was a patriarch of North Beach. Throughout the years and up until his death in 2005, Mr. Benedetti was very well known for helping those in need. He took care of old folks, baseball teams and anyone else that needed his help. Gigi Fiorucci, Sotti Mare previous owner, knew Mr. Benedetti from his childhood and throughout his life. The building that Soto Mare now occupies was once owned by Mr. Benedetti and is currently a low income housing on it’s upper levels, The “Pensione Dante Benedetti Hotel’. Gigi Fiorucci was described by The Chronicle’s Herb Caen as a “veteran restaurateur” … roughly 30 years ago.
Sotto Mare was Fiorucci’s 13th San Francisco restaurant, and he said it will be his last. Oddly enough, the location was also home to his first restaurant — he opened the Montclair at that very same North Beach address decades ago. Since then, he has maintained a pattern of operating a restaurant for five years or so, then closing it to travel for two years, and then doing it all again in a new spot. “Once it’s in your blood every day it never leaves. It’s so much fun to be with the people that to me, it is the best job in the world,” he says. “It makes you feel good just to say hello to people, be nice to them and make them happy — it’s what it’s all about.” Rich keeps all of this wonderful tradition very much alive at Sotto Mare. This is the kind of restaurant that will have you coming back for more every time you’re in San Francisco, trust me I know!!

Sotto Mare Ciopinno Recipe
serves 4-6
Ingredients
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups fish stock
1 1⁄2 cups whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed
10 leaves basil
1 lb. cod, cut into 2″ chunks
1 lb. cleaned calamari, bodies cut into 1⁄2″-wide rings
12 oz. medium shrimp, deveined
12 oz. bay scallops
16 clams, cleaned
16 mussels, cleaned
2 (2-lb.) Dungeness crabs or snow crab legs, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat oil in an 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chile flakes and garlic; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes, and basil; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add cod, calamari, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and crabs, cover with lid, and cook until seafood is cooked through, about 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Sotto Mare Oysteria and Seafood
552 Green Street
San Francisco, CA.
http://www.sottomaresf.com

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I had their delicious dinner here back on December 2, 2015 and was told to come back for their great brunch and I was very happy I did!! I was doing a stay cation story for these few days before Christmas in Los Angeles, and just had to do this brunch as part of my story!

Chef Pena made sure that everything was delectable, fresh and memorable. This very happy place was filled with Sunday brunchers, drinking their excellent libations. I am not the biggest brunch person but because I came at 3:00 pm this was by choice my only meal of the day.

Here’s what I tried:

Mimosa, you have to order a mimosa when your having brunch it is just part of the tradition!

King Crab Legz Crusty Bread Garlic or lemon butter. They give you lots of claws, and legs. They are kind of hard to get into but once you do it is sublime goodness that will make you coming back for more. I asked the kitchen to go ahead an open the more difficult ones, when the large claws came back from the cracking station, they were ready for the taking. They serve the crab in a bucket and at the bottom there is the most delicious lemon garlic butter sauce, a must for dipping.

Bloody Mary Snacks The Surf & Turf with 2 jumbo Shrimp, grilled hanger steak. The presentation of this glorious cocktail will really change your whole outlook on a bloody Mary concept. They have many choices on this menu item but I chose the surf and turf. So they bring you a large high ball bloody and then they have a long skewer coming out of the top with a shrimp a chunk of steak a shrimp and another chunk of steak. Basically it is a kebab in your drink.

Soft Shell Crab Benedict Tomato, sautéed spinach, chive hollandaise sauce, toasted English muffin, and fruit. After eating the crab it is hard to eat a fried soft shell crab and not compare the two. But really these are totally different beasts; this dish is lovely with nice crab flavor. I would order this one again!

The Lobster Pizza, Maine Lobster, sundried tomatoes pesto, hollandaise, idiazabal cheese, arugula, Fresno chili’s, shallots. It’s a good idea, I’m not a big pizza fan so I tried it. Next time I would opt. for another type of pizza.

Lamb Burger Grilled apples, Gorgonzola, honey tzatziki & arugula. Nice ground lamb and these nice additions of the cheese and the apples. The honey tzatziki round out this interesting combination.

Chicken & Waffles sage butter, maple syrup. Well this is just the greatest thing since sliced bread!! No really you got to try this, it is savory and sweet and the sage butter just knocks this one out of the park.

Fudge Bread Pudding with candied bacon and vanilla ice cream. What they don’t tell you is just how darn decadent this dessert is, really candied bacon on the inside and then sprinkled all around it wow!!!

OK so I am smitten, they really covered all of the bases here. Brunch is serious business at Spare Tire, and meant to be celebrated and shared.
Cheers!

Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern
5370 Wilshire Blvd.
323-525-2618
sparetirepub.com
(323)525-2618

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Located in a section of Los Angeles that is mostly commercial buildings near Hollywood, Marino Restaurant makes this neighborhood very classy. Seeing that I was staying near by for my staycation, this was a great choice for a nice dinner. With its upscale Italianate interior, you don’t really know what is in store for you when you walk in the entrance. But the minute your taste buds touch the food you will be happy that you chose to have your dining experience at Marino’s.

I was completely surprised to realize that I have driven by this restaurant many many times, but never knew how spectacular their food is. It really separates the men from the boys. Marino is right up there with the best of the best in Los Angeles, or for that matter, the world!

Sometimes they will serve me the whole plate and sometimes they do a mini tasting of everything, which really helps me in my tasting because I don’t have to pace myself and can really enjoy the full flavors of everything. This was the first time that I didn’t take anything home. My guest and I pretty much ate everything that was served. The only thing I took home was my dessert sampler plate.

Here’s what I tried:

Cocktails:

Martini, served in a very nice traditional Martini glass with 2 olives, a great way to start my dinner.

Cosmopolitan, also served in a very nice glass, lovely berry flavor, very refreshing.
Clams Arreganate, baked little neck clams, stuffed with bread crumbs, lemon, and parsley sauce. These little gems are just the right things to start with; they pretty much pop in your mouth.

Calamari Alla Griglia with grilled calamari, with lemon, garlic dressing on a bed of organic mix green. The calamari was such a beautiful presentation, and so very tender.

Insalata Alla Cesarino with romaine lettuce with house made Caesar dressing. I just loved this salad, very simple but truly wonderful.

Minestrone with Italian Style Vegetable Soup. I can always figure out a restaurant by its soup, and this minestrone had no pasta and the vegetables were cut very large with a very flavorful light broth. This soup was out of this world.

Fettuccine Al Funghi Mist with home made fettuccine, with mixed mushrooms. They make all of their pasta in house and the sauce was filled to the brim with mushrooms. It had a great creamy taste, a true winner.

Pappardelle Alla Bolognese with ribbon pasta, Beef and Veal Bolognese Sauce. Big thick noodle and the Bolognese sauce did not disappoint.

Linguine Alla Vongole with linguine, Manila clams, white sauce. Lot and lots of clams and a nice fragrant light sauce.

Linguine Alla Pescatore with shrimp, calamari, baby clams, black mussels, spicy tomato sauce. Love this pasta with all of its very fresh shellfish, wow.

Gamberi Posillipo, jumbo shrimp sautéed with fresh tomato sauce, sautéed spinach. These shrimps are huge and butterflied just the way I like it, where they curl up. The sauce reminded me of sauce I had as a kid at our families Wednesday night Italian dinner at Scarantino’s. How fun to have really fantastic childhood memories in one of these dishes.

Scaloppini Di Vitella Con Funghi E Vino, veal scaloppini with seasonal mushrooms, white wine, medley of vegetables. The veal is flattened and the nice array of vegetable and mushrooms made this dish one of my favorites.

Filetto Alla Sinatra, chunks of filet mignon, peppers, mushrooms, red wine, medley of vegetables. Fantastic!

Dessert:

Profity Rolls, like a cream puff, but with oozing chocolate sauce on the outside.

Tiramisu, great homemade tiramisu is always one of my favorites and this one is right up there.

Cheesecake, this is a fabulous rendition of this dessert staple.

Wines:

Chardonnay, William Hill Aromas ad Flowers of ripe tree fruit and spice with hints of citrus and tropical notes. I liked this wine with the clams; it hits all the right notes.

Insolia, Cusumano-Sicilia light straw yellow color, white flowers and fruits hints of apple, intense fruit finish. Nice mellow flavors this worked with the calamari perfectly.

Lunania la Belle – Abruzzo, biodynamic intense bouquet with floral aromas and tropical fruit. This wine was great with the Caesar salad; it worked nicely with the anchovy’s goodness.

Pinot Grigio Plovaro, Veneto. Light citrus, delicate floral aromas and hints of green apple and pears. I liked this wine with the minestrone soup; it is fruit forward to it just added a nice tone to this remarkable soup.

Chianti Classic Banfi Toscana; well balanced with lots of structure accompanied by pleasing aromas of berry and plum. What can I say; you have to do this one with the Bolognese.

Montelpulciano D’ Abruzzo Costi Di Moro Sicilia with strawberry, black berries, juniper berries, light spice & creaminess on the finish. My heart just flutters when I take myself back to this stellar wine paired with the Steak Sinatra, you just can’t go wrong.

Cabernet, Kenwood, CA. Boysenberry, Cherry mint vanilla, bay leaf, well structures, tannins, good finish. I liked this wine with the Veal Scaloppini

Original owner, chef and proprietor Ciro (Mario to American friends) Marino has been dedicated to the restaurant business for over 50 years. Only now, his son and wife Maria do the day to day operations of the restaurant.

The decor is classic old school. A wall of glass, softened by out of door planters full of fichus, faces famous Melrose Avenue. The soft colored walls; starched white linen cloths, the silver sugar caddy, votive holders and subdued oil paintings all come together to create its appeal. Memorabilia from a 50-year career is scattered all around. Italian light fixtures in gold blown glass. Their music is ambient jazz from Pandora, but sometimes they play Frank Sinatra depending on the types of people dining.

The food is described by many ‘quintessential NY Italian in Los Angeles’. The Marino wine list has been repeatedly an award winner by Wine Spectator. All of the food is fresh; it is sourced from local purveyors and markets. At Marino, you will always find the freshest produce and seafood contained in carefully prepared dishes respecting tradition. All served with a professional manner in a warm welcoming fashion. Guests here are king.

Marino is very romantic, so much so the night I was there a couple got engaged in the next booth, so sweet the future groom got down a one knee. The future bride said yes, and the ring was her grandmothers, very delicate and gorgeous, what a moment to witness, wow!

The lunch crowd is from the studios nearby, Paramount; Capitol Records execs, music execs and film and TV producers. Friday and Saturday are their busiest evenings, but sometimes during the week they can have a big rush, which is totally understandable given the quality of the food.

I have my favorite Italian restaurants in Los Angeles. I also hear people say that there is no good Italian in Los Angeles, and I beg to differ. From now on when someone asks me my favorite Italian restaurants Marino will rank right up there with the best of the best!

Marino Restaurant
6001 Melrose Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90038
(323) 466-8812
www.marinorestaurant.com

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I have lived in the West Hollywood area for over 20 years and have seen lots of changes made to my nice quiet neighborhood. And I must say, the Elan Hotel is a very welcomed addition, especially since it used to be a huge eye soar having been a convalescent home prior. Now it is stylish and convenient to a shopping corridor right across the street, The Beverly Connection and The Beverly Center.

It has a very modern updated profile, and I heard that it will be renovated soon which is even more of a plus. The location is such that you can literally walk a block or so and be in shop till you drop heaven. And seeing that it is a week before Christmas I was so glad that I left the car in the garage and did my last minute stuff by foot, which I highly recommend.

In the evening they have a nice cocktail hour complete with wines, cheese, cured meats, crackers etc. Not so much that it would ruin your appetite for dinner, but just the right amount to start your evening close by.

Their continental breakfast has most of the usual suspects, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, bagel, pastries, all accompanied by Wolfgang Puck marvelous coffee. Perfect, just enough to get your day off to a good start.

The rooms are small but mine had a nice balcony facing the Hollywood Hills and I asked for 2 chair patio, which they brought up with no problem. After I checked in a I went for a walk and was greeted by the very rare Southern California rain. It was so great seeing the clouds come in and the rain start to fall. From my vantage point I could see the weather change with the dark clouds gently rolling in over the Hollywood Hills. A nice change for Los Angeles. It was also a very cold nite, but there heating systems in the room kept me very warm and happy.

So all in all this is a great find, for me. Because I live 2 blocks away it is a good hotel for my out of town guests and I can walk here in 5 minutes, I love that. Plus, there is so much to keep people busy in this neck of the woods so to speak, other wise known as the Beverly La Cienaga area.

Next time I need a little break and want to feel like I am in vacation in my own little neighborhood I will pop in for a nice evenings stay.

The Elan Hotel
8435 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90048
323-658-6663

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The first time I came here was in Summer in 2014, at that time New Executive Chef Liberato rolled out a fabulous list of “upscale bar food” that’s served both upstairs and downstairs. It is always a lovely trip to walk along Venice beach and then pop in for your favorite cocktail and menu item at Venice Whaler.

The crowd is always boisterous and in party mode, so don’t come here if you want to have nice quiet evening, or a date with conversation, you will not find that here. What you will find is a lively beach café that has some great food with even better seasonal cocktails.

Here’s what I tried:

Cocktails – Crab Shell Creations:

The “Go To” Svedka Vodka, strawberry, cucumber. Yes I agree this would be my “Go To” cocktail as well.

Chamomile Mai Tai Chamomile infused Rum, orgeat, curacao, wray & nephews. This is a very tropical cocktail, but the chamomile makes it more user friendly.

Here’s the Food I tried:

Asian Chicken Skewers Sriracha glaze, dill aioli, cilantro. The chicken is very tender and the aioli sauce just adds that extra little zest that you really don’t expect.

Sweet Potato Fries, cooked to perfection, nice sweet outer crisp and great moist inside texture.

Classic Caesar Salad with bay romaine, croutons, Caesar salad, and grilled shrimp. The shrimp is butterflied and then left to curl on the grill, and they give you lots of them, so for me that is the best part of this salad.

Turkey Burger with caramelized onions, jack cheese, purple slaw. This is a fresh meaty burger and the slaw adds just the right amount and sweet crisp texture to this great menu item.

Beach Mussels with fennel pollen, kaffir lime cream, grilled sour dough. There is something about the preparation of this dish that just sends me into another dimension, it is just that terrific.

Char-Grilled Oysters, ½ dozen Parmesan, garlic parsley, and butter. I really did not know to make head or tails of this dish because having cheese with a grilled oyster is not something I would normally eat together, but some how it worked, well kind of.

Maine Lobster Roll, with poached Maine lobster with lemon aioli on a brioche roll with homemade coleslaw. They chop up the lobster and mix it with some other ingredients. Instead, they should just serve it in big pieces and show its beautiful self to the person eating. So this dish was not one of my favorites.

Crab Cake with lump crabmeat, lemon cream, and arugula salad. This is a good crab cake, for this dish they should do the crab in large pieces so it is not minced and you can get the lump crab texture.

Shrimp Ceviche shrimp, pico de gallo, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, tostada, now with this dish you can see the large shrimp pieces which makes it all more pleasing to the eye which translates to your stomach, I enjoyed this one.

New England Clam Chowder with slab bacon, potato, cream, corn, with grilled sourdough. This is a very hearty clam chowder and extremely filing, but I really loved the large pieces of vegetables, bacon and clams.

Desserts:

Key Lime Pie with fresh whipped cream, lime zest. This is the dessert that you must try; its packed with great key Lime flavors, so it’s sweet and tangy at the same time.

Baked in Venice raspberry coulis, vanilla ice cream, sponge cake, burnt meringue. This dessert is way too sweet, but some one who likes this sort of ice cream cake type dessert then go ahead and try it.

Wines:

Beresford Sauvignon Blanc, try this with the Beach Mussels, it will really blow your hair back.

Milestone Chardonnay, rich fruity aromas with a nice peach finish add to this nice Chardonnay. I like this wine with the oysters; it gives a nice balance to the oysters and the cheese.

Stone Cellars Chardonnay, nice buttery flavors do this one with the Maine Lobster Roll, it will make you very happy.

Unbridled Pinot Noir, there are some strawberry notes coming through with this wine, I would say drink this wine with the chicken skewers, it gives an nice balance on your palate.

Stone Cellars Cabernet, with this very lovely wine go for the Turkey Burger, and make sure you pair this wine with the caramelized onions.

Mc Laren Vale Cabernet, I liked this wine with the mussels, it is bold and big and worked great with the kaffir lime cream.

About Chef Nick Liberato, he has been cooking professionally for 16 years. Besides his famed TV appearances on “Bar Rescue” on Spike TV, he has also been a private chef to some pretty famous people: Barbra Streisand, Pink, Anthony Kiedus, Ray Ramano, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Maria Shriver. He has opened and worked at quite a few top restaurants: Luigi’s Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia, Chef Joachim Splichal’s Patina, David Myers Sona and Comme CA, Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa. Nick is currently running his own catering business (Calidelpia) in Los Angeles and when he is not working he’s traveling the world cooking, surfing and snowboarding.

The Crab Shell Bar originated in 1944, later named the Venice Whaler. It was a favorite watering hole for locals, tourists, celebs, who wanted good straightforward cocktails with an ocean front view. In 2014 The Crab Shell bar got revamped, with a new owner, new mixologist, and new Executive chef. To bring it full circle the downstairs bar has taken its original namesake, and just like the Crab Shell Bar is back in all its glory.

The menu is seasonal and changes often, so it’s good to stop in and see what is new, I did and was nicely surprised!

The Venice Whaler
10 W. Washington
Venice, CA. 90292
www.venicewhaler.com

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