Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

There is a real upsurge in the west side of Culver City. I have done some delectable tastings in the quaint neighborhood and The Corner Door is right up there with the best of them!

The Corner Door has been open for three years now, but it was viewed more as a bar than restaurant. However, thanks to the new chef, Ali Kaji, a foodies delight is discovered!

Chef Ali Kaji is quite diverse—Indian by blood but a surfer by nature. He brings so much joy and passion to his work. His flavors really do reflect his curious nature, he uses many combinations that you would not ordinarily think to use. Ali feels that growing up in Los Angeles gave him access to the best food of all, with every ethnicity represented gastronomically. Before The Corner Door, Ali worked at Palihouse and neighboring restaurant, Water Lou City, which has since closed it doors.

Chef Ali’s parents are Indian but not from India; they were born in East Africa, via Uganda and Tanzania. When they moved to America, they vowed to learn all things American; including what their children were exposed to. Ali was introduced to many different cultures and foods; both of which he infuses into The Corner Door’s diverse menu. Ali was only 10 months old when he first started watching and learning about cooking. Ali says that his grandmother, Aurabai, taught him everything he knows about cooking. He still doesn’t know how old his grandmother is, but claims, “she is somewhere between 89 and 96,” but is still alive and cooking! The other cook in Ali’s family, surprisingly, was his father and not his mother. Ali got real serious about cooking when he was in high school and remembers cooking in the kitchen at his prom, not out dancing and partying with his fellow peers.

The west side of Culver City was always filled with Japanese restaurants; Chef Ali doesn’t adhere to only Japanese recipes. His food is global. He believes his food is simple, honest, and good tasting. At his young age of 32, he is quite serious about his work. Ali drinks very minimally and only when he is away from work. While Ali is an extremely hard worker, he doesn’t want to be a celebrity chef. With handsome Ali, what you see is what you get!

Here’s What I Tried:

Snacks:

Oysters, market selection, mignonette, Grass Bar, crystal coves. Delicious, fresh taste with nice mellow flavor, sure to be a nice starter!

Malaysian Cauliflower with coconut, cashews, golden currants. What a fantastic, flavorful dish! You never even think about missing meat with this dish.

Hamachi Tartare with olive oil, lime, papaya, serrano peppers. The Yellowtail is cubed with the utmost divine freshness.

Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousse with sweet potato marmalade, pickles, and bread on the side. Just try this, I dare you, it is an absolute show stopper!

French Fries “Carbonade” with beer braised beef, slow roast garlic aioli, and farmhouse cheese. This is so rich, you will need to eat it with 10 people!

Plates:

Corn Gnocchi with brown butter, porcini mushrooms, smoked almond and heirloom tomatoes. It’s kind of like tamale meets pasta, quite interesting and delicious.

Lobster and Shrimp Bolognese with squid ink capellini and San Marzano tomatoes. The squid ink pasta is plump, cooked al dente, and the seafood adds just the right amount of richness. This dish is a huge success!

Sweets:

Pineapple Vacherin with rye whiskey, vanilla, cinnamon, Greek yogurt and black sesame. Very good choice if you want something light and sweet to finish off your remarkable dinner.

Cocktails:

Topless Mermaid, (Shaken) Vodka, pineapple, banana, rose, blue curacao, lime. This cocktail is light, juicy, and tropical, and goes down very easy.

Jesse Pink Gin—Gin, angostura bitters, coconut liqueur, orgeat, lime. Tart, aromatic tiki notes, I am not a big gin drinker but this cocktail hit the spot.

Mezcallin—Mescal, lemon, ginger, pineapple gomme. Smoky, tart, ginger spice, but honestly this drink was not for me.

Wine:

Rioja Blanco, Solar De Estraunza, 2013, Roja, Spain. Sparkly, fresh, a great wine to go with the oysters.

Blanc Josh Cellars, 2012, Sonoma County, California. This wine has peach nuances and is very light and fluffy, went great with the Hamachi.

Chardonnay, Heron, 2012, California. Very buttery, went great with the chicken liver and foie gras mousse.

Pinot Noir, Martin Ray Russian River, 2013, Sonoma, California. I really liked this wine with the Lobster and Shrimp Bolognese; it works very well with the tomato sauce.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Smith, 2012, Columbia Valley, WA. I would do this wine with the French Fries “Carbonade”; it hits all the right notes.

The Corner Door has an industrial sort of warehouse feel with a huge brick walls and big, smoky light fixtures, yet it has a lovely, inviting atmosphere. You could be somewhere in SoHo, Manhattan instead of Culver City. There is fantastic food to go with it all, what I call a great find!

The Corner Door is a neighborhood spot, but strangely enough people are flocking from all over, especially Hollywood! The night I was there, girls were having a night out, dates were taking place, and locals enjoying their evening with great wine and good company. They played ambient music, with an emphasis on dance, pop, and electronic, quite eclectic, just like the menu! Culver City’s neighborhoods are so hot right now; everyone in Los Angeles is getting in their cars and taking these new restaurants for a spin!

The Corner Door only seats 60, even with its patio, so intimate dining has just reached a new level. Don’t tell Chef Ali it’s a fine dining restaurant, he just wants it to be a casual spot with delicious, consistent grub.

The Corner Door
12477 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA. 90066
310-313-5810
www.thecornerdoorla.com

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My first year going to LA Wine Fest was a real eye opening experience. Most So Cal patrons have proven to have the attention span of gnats. However, the LA Wine Fest demonstrated both endurance and stamina when they were able to get thousands of the people within the city of Los Angeles to commit to a new experience.

5 years ago, I came across the creator of the 2-day Disneyland for adults, Dr. Joel Fisher. Joel was a very witty and smart man who has been in charge of the 2-day event for the past 10 years. His knowledge of both local and international wines is endless; he is literally a walking wine encyclopedia. With each New Year more followers are born and more glorious wineries are participating. Don’t get me wrong things can get a little bit rowdy by the end of the day, but most times people are acting with a so much dignity as you can after spending 6 hours imbibing in the hot sun.

This year was an added blessing, even though Joel was recently recovering from pneumonia, this did not stop him from talking to all of his followers, and party goers in his designated golf cart. Besides being a wealth of knowledge about wine, Joel Fisher is a trouper with a capital T. He has taught me so much about wine and laughter that I am just going to raise up my glass right now and say this one is for you Joel!!

You can rest assure that you will always find a new wine to taste, and most often would not be what you suspected. Joel and his staff are always researching and seeking out new and exciting wines for the public to try. In the event that the wine taster is trade and not public, be prepared for the winery owner to roll out the red carpet in the form of a luscious new reserve.

The LA Wine Fest has it all, great wines, food trucks, fun shopping, and lots of characters. Located at Raleigh studios, (which I hear might be it’s last year there,) it truly is the perfect location. Raleigh has lots of it own history, but to be able to drink fine wines there is an honor in itself.

Raleigh Studios is the longest continuously operating studio in the (country. In 1915, the studio was called the Famous Players Fiction Studios, with a Mary Pickford production as one of the first features to be filmed on this historic Hollywood lot. An early owner had the vision to build one of the world’s first sound stages – complete with a glass top so light could enter without disrupting sound recording. This kind of innovation has marked Raleigh Studios throughout its history. Some of the industry’s most influential leaders have called the lot home, including Douglas Fairbanks, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Walt Disney, Bette Davis (the cult classic Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? was filmed at the lot) and Jim Henson and the Henson Companies. Over its long history, some of televisions’ most famous early shows and pilots were filmed at the studio, including Superman, Gunsmoke and Perry Mason.

Spending the entire day at this historic lot and seeing all of its notable sites is truly life altering. At the Fest you can start by winding around the studio, finding things to taste along the route. Then the VIP area really will make your head spin. The VIP area included all of the great new wineries and wine makers enclosed in one nice little patio; this is my favorite part. The food trucks are also the perfect accompaniment to the wine, on top of the dj/live music in one of the many sections. The crowd is a cross section of hipster, and serious wine connoisseurs, but everyone has the same thing in mind, to let go and have some fun. There is nothing too serious here.

Here are some of the wineries represented:

Borg Realer, Italy, Dalton Winery, Israel, Ascension Cellars, Blair Estate, Bottle wood Ventures Inc., Bottle Rock Wines, Cello Estate Wines, 
The Drama Wine Collection, Napa AVA, Bulgarian Vitigno, Byron Winery, Caduceus Cellars, Cambria Estate Winery, Clayhouse Wines, Cloak & Dagger Wines , Cuatro Dias Wines, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Fathers & Daughters Cellars, Fetzer Vineyards, Frey Vineyards, Guarachi Wine Partners, Herzog Wine Cellars, La Playa Vineyards, Lucky Dogg Winery , McPherson Cellars, Navarro Vineyards, Ojai Alisal Vineyard, Old Oak Winery, Overland Wines, Panthea Winery & Vineyard, Plan B Wine Cellars, Powell Mountain Cellars, Quigley Fine Wines, Rebel Coast Winery, Riboli Family Wine Estates, Rosenthal – The Malibu Estate, Roxo Port Cellars, South Coast Winery, Strey Cellars, Sunland Vintage Winery, Barbera Bianca, Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, Baily Vineyard & Winery, Europa Village, Falkner Winery, Foot Path Winery, Hart Winery, Lorimar Vineyards & Winery, Oak Mountain Winery, Robert Renzoni Vineyards, Wiens Family Cellars,The Other Guys, Tolosa Winery and Vineyards, Vina Sympatica Sparkling Wines, VinVillage, Trump Wines, Loscano Wines, Argentina, Vinemark Cellars, *Vino Noceto Wines, Wedell Cellars, Wilson Creek Winery, Zuri Wine Tasting.

There are also many fun food products and food trucks presented at the Fest:
Food Trucks/Restaurants: Cousins Maine Lobster, Crepe de Ville, Fair Game GFT, Jenis Splendid Ice Creams, Kogi BBQ, LA Brea Bakery, Piazza Pie, Raleigh Studios Cafe, Slammin’ Sliders, Sunset Catering, Tainamite, The Grilled Cheese Truck.
General Exhibitors: A Total Diva Designs, Ama Waterways, Ameriprise Financial, Bazaar Boutique, Bev Wizard Co., Bistro Blends, Bond Bar, Bright Current Choctal, CUTCO Cutlery, Da’ African Village, DelGrosso Foods, Drizly, Fancifull Fine Foods & Gift Baskets, Farm Fresh To You, Garlic Expressions, GlamSquad, Glitz N’ Glamour, Go Vertical, Gourmet Blends, Gourmet Lips, Homejoy, Jax Coco,King Barrel, Kissy’s Creations, Laguna Salt Company, Los Angeles Times, Malibu Discovery Wine Tours, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Olimila Gourmet Emporium, Origami Owl & Laga BagsQuini, Sideways Series – Rex Pickett, TOSSWARE, Vagabond Cheese, Wine Treasures – Unique Finds for Lovers of Wine, Zagat.

More on Dr. Joel M. Fisher – He is the proud Founder & CEO of LAWineFest. He has written for the Culinary Connection of the Chefs de Cuisine Association of California, for the Beverly Hills Courier, and since 2010 for the Underground Wine Letter. Students were so fortunate to have studied under his tutelage From 2007-2009 when he taught at Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. He also taught at the Culinary Arts Department of the Art Institute of California, and is a founding partner of the educational Wine Vine and Dine. Net. Amongst his other lofty endeavors, he is A Sommelier for the Escoffier Association of Southern California, and a member of The Tasting Panel (formerly the Bon Appetit Tasting Panel) and is a Wine Host for CRN’s What’s Cooking Show.

Currently a member of the Society of Wine Educators, The Circle of Wine Writers (UK), and the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Writers. He was awarded a Wine Enthusiast Media Scholarship for 2005 at the Culinary Institute of America, and is the author of the Wine Work Book, now in its 6th edition. In 2005, Joel co-led chefs and culinary students to the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany and to wineries in Burgundy and Champagne in 2005. In 2006 he led a program, “Wine and Cuisine of Iberia,” to Spain and Portugal.

This year is very special with a few new programs created by Dr. Joel Fisher; LAWineFest popular choice awards, which the attendee’s decide which wines get the top honors. This program is being powered by Quini, a new wine tasting app created by Roger Noujeim. The second is a sales program with LAWineFest strategic partner Drizly, Inc. that will deliver favorite wines to the attendee’s doors.

With Dr. Joel M. Fisher leading the way, how could you go wrong? Great wine, good conversation right in your own back yard here in sunny gorgeous Los Angeles, what more could you want. So get out your phone and get an easy Uber pick-up, drink as much as you like, and bask in the glory that every May in Southern California there is one of the best premier wine tastings ever.
http://www.lawinefest.com/

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Spice Affair had it’s soft opening last year in November, then in mid January this year they had their grand opening, I missed both! Well I may have missed both of those openings, but I certainly didn’t miss the stellar experience I had during my personal tasting at Spice Affair. This restaurant will outlive any of its competition in Los Angeles, with its fine ingredients and blending of exotic spices; it truly is a spice affair!

General Manager Anupam treated me like royalty, and indulged my senses with every part of this wonderful cuisine. I just can’t say enough about my experience, just delicious with a capital D!

Here’s what I tried:

Cocktails:

Indian Ocean, Grey Goose Citron with lychee and fresh coconut water. Very refreshing and light, but it packs a punch so watch out.

Cardamom Martini, Grey Goose with bold flavors of Cointreau, Cardamom and honey. I would order this martini every time, its just that good.

Angelica, refreshing Vodka Martini a hint of raspberry, served in a martini glass done with utmost attention to detail, it will not disappoint.

Salads and Soups:

Seared Tuna Salad, with mango chutney rub, arugula, Namak, para crisp, green apple and apple vinaigrette. For the heath conscience this is a wonderful salad.

Mushroom Cappuccino delicious soup of pureed wild mushrooms, served as a cappuccino. Really the best mushroom soup I ever tasting with just a hint of Indian spice, truly a big winner.

Appetizers:

Spinach Veiled Pine nut and Fresh Cheese, a nice first course with elegant presentation.

Artichokes Hearst from Tandoor, artichokes hearts, tantalizing marinated, and tandoor grilled. This is a very interesting dish, full of flavor and very low in calories.

The Chickpea and crackling caramelized walnut Kebab, famous kebabs from the flat grill with hand pounded chickpeas and caramelized walnuts. Meaty little gems with a great burst of flavor.

Deep Deviled Scallops, cooked with mango cream and char finished. Well of course this would be one of my favorites, the scallops are plump and just pop in your mouth.

Black Pepper Shrimp, shrimp covered in velvety coconut and pepper sauce. These are huge shrimp and the taste is off the hook, as well as the presentation.

The Kababari / BBQ:

Jhumke BBQ Prawn Crowns, crunchy jumbo prawns delicately marinated with lemon, garlic, and fine herbs, spit roasted with saffron. Everything here is fantastic, including these big huge prawns.

Flash Grilled Sea Bass, sea bass marinated with fresh herbs and turmeric. Nicely prepared, fresh and flaky.

The Tandoori Chicken, an all time favorite from Punjab. What a fantastic job they did on this chicken. It is falls of the bone tender with very rich aromatic flavors, another huge hit!

Curry and Masala:

Butter Chicken loaded with love, cream, butter and tomatoes. One of Spice Affairs most popular dishes and you can totally understand why. It has huge buttery consistency with rounded tomato flavors, wow.

A Punjab Connection, chunky chicken cubes slow cooked in aromatic spices. A true traditional menu item, and very delicious.

The Northie Lamb Bliss, tender lamb cooked to perfection as in homes of Northern India. Only do this one if your want a lot of heat, with the tender lamb being a big plus as well.

Shrimp and Scallop Moilee, Kerela style coconut, curry leaf, and mustard sauce. Another one of my favorite, with its rich yellow curry sauce, very mild but amazingly subtle. I loved this dish.

Vegetables:

Just the Saag, a traditional creamed spinach, fenugreek, and seasonal leafy veggies. Great spinach flavor with just a hint of cream.

Paneer Butter Masala famously loved velvety tomato and Paneer and cream. I love matar paneer, which is a cousin to this dish, instead they use masala sauce and it adds so much more to this very sexy dish.

Ginger Okra Flock and Fire, stir fried ladyfingers with an herbal infusion of ginger. You have to be a fan of okra and not very many people are. Okra gets a bad rap, but if you try this spicy dish you will forever be a fan.

Tangy Stuffed Eggplant, stuffed baby eggplant caramelized onion, almonds, tamarind & tomato. These are very small eggplants stuffed to perfection.

Bread and Rice:

Dum Chicken Biryani with magical whiffs and broiled saffron strands. They cook this like a pie; complete with a bread topping and crust, the layered flavors are astounding.

Raita, cucumber fresh mint and roasted cumin powder. Always meant to cool off your palate and this raita doesn’t disappoint.

Naan, butter Naan, with olive, thyme, garlic and chives. This bread is very flavorful, just the perfect addition, and to be able to soak up all of these glorious sauces is stupendous.

Kulcha with Onion and Gorgonzola, another wonderful menu item, with the cheese not being a typical Indian ingredient in breads.

Wines:

Viognier, Cambria, Santa Maria Valley, CA 2013. This wine has a sort of floral effervescent quality that lends itself perfectly to the light vegetable appetizers.

Sauvignon Blanc, Tiki, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2012. Most of this type of wine from New Zealand has a sort of grapefruit finish, and this one is right up there with the best.

Chardonnay, Mount Eden, Edna Valley, CA., 2012. Wines from this region are elegant and bright; this should be paired with any of the shrimp or scallop dishes.

Zinfandel, Renwood, Amador County, CA., 2011. This is a very hearty wine that should proudly be consumed with any of the meat curries.

Malbec, Pascual Toso, Mendoza, Argentina. For me this wine worked nicely with the butter chicken curry, it just hits all the right notes.

Dessert:

Chintu Ki Rasmali, pistachio with saffron, cottage cheese, condense milk, honey crumbles. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and the consistency is like tapioca pudding but far more exotic.

Raspberry Pencotta, hazelnut cake, hazel nut crumbles. This was a very special house made dessert that they do not have on the menu. It was smooth and silky and the crust or cake was simply divine.

Mango Moose, served in individual plastic square containers, that was just heaven in a cup.

The décor is very festive with it’s multi colored fountain and it modern inspired interiors. There are many different rooms for events. There is a huge banquet facility in the back, as well as a separate private dining room. The bar can also be used as an event space, each having screens for a viewing area. No matter where you eat or where you have your event you will feel at home and well taken care of.

Owner Dr. Puneet Chandak, who owns the Indian Restaurant named Broadway Masala in Redwood City, wanted to open an upscale Indian restaurant in Los Angeles, he felt that Beverly Hills would be perfect. Spice Affair was opened to meet the desires of high-end celebrities and business executives. Broadway Masala just got its Michelin star recommendation, and has only been opened for 14 months.

There are lots of Indian restaurants in Los Angeles, but none with this kind of amazing food and flavors. Everything I tasted was on point, each with such individual perfection. Really if you want the best Indian food in Southern California try Spice Affair, do it now before you have to wait a long time for a reservation, this place is hot!!

They also have a fantastic Happy Hour with food and cocktails from 3-7 pm daily.

Spice Affair

50 N. La Cienaga Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA. 90211

310-400-6800

www.spice-affair.com

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This is a mostly residential neighborhood, but in the last few years there has really been a big nightlife boom. There are a lot of new restaurants coming in and this is still considered Culver City even though it is not in the main hub and is closer to the beach. But what a great opportunity to get in your car and check out this new neighborhood scene in Culver City.

It has a very urban city vibe to it, with its rich décor, and cool sleek interior. FIN’s designer Laura Irvin captured a minimalist chic atmosphere, making Fin a comfortable modern lounge. Laura wanted to create an upscale casual dining room that would not detract any focus from the food, and let every guest have a great overall experience. Some of the design elements feature: industrial bar lights, 3 black framed mirrors, banquets all the way across the dining room, beautiful wooden bar stools, and nicely painted muted colored walls.

Even though this place is off the beaten path the food alone is worth the trip. It is sort of Latin, sort of Japanese, but really fantastic. FIN, which was once a Mexican restaurant for the past 20 years, has completely transformed the neighborhood. My dinner selections were mostly Asian, but that’s just my taste.

Managing partners: Gerardo Reyes, Michael Flanagan and Kenneth Whang each add their own vast experiences and expertise to this combined ownership. FIN has been opened for a year and a half; its 3 partners have worked together in the past. “Myself, Gerardo and Ken are complete opposites,” says Flanagan. “Even though we are very different, we all have a common goal and work very well together.” Gerardo Reyes, has had his hand in several successful restaurant ventures, including Blue Velvet and Westwood’s Tengu Sushi. Managing partner and beverage director, Kenneth Wang, says, “I strive for a good balance between bartending and mixology. Creative, yet simple, I use farm fresh ingredients and try to really showcase the flavors from each component used to prepare each cocktail.”

Here’s what I tried:

Cocktails:

Shiso Rockin with Rock Sake, Vodka, Lime Juice, Muddle Cucumber & Shiso Leaf. It’s got a very Asian feel, but is just deliciously refreshing all the same.

Hello Kitty with Ketel One Vodka, Pom Juice, Lemon, Agave, Muddled Berries. The cocktails here all are very creative, and from what I could taste really inventive.

Salad:

Seaweed Trio Salad, such a lovely presentation with cucumbers, carrots, and a nice sweet dressing. Subtle great flavors, a tantalizing way to start off my meal.

Cold Dishes:

Citrus Salmon Sashimi Truffle, you can see the black flecks of truffle and the salmon is very fresh. The marriage of these two flavors is just the best thing in the world. One of my favorite dishes at FIN.

Hot Dishes from the sea:

Miso Glazed Black Cod, this fish is marinated for 60 hours, and from every bite you can tell how much time was put into perfecting this dish.

Seared Kiwi Scallops, each scallops is done separately with a bed of kiwi and then crispy fried lotus root on top. You just pop the whole thing in your mouth and the world becomes a better place.

Hot Dishes from the land:

Red chili ichmi glazed lamb chops, they are little chops but they will dazzle you with their deep flavors.

Rolls:

Fin Roll, has so much going one, but is one fantastic sushi roll, I would order this every time.

Side Dishes:

Sweet and salty glazed green beans, they pack a punch with lots of loaded salty crunch, but a nice change from other side dishes.

White Wine:

Chardonnay, Summerland, Santa Barbara CA., 2013. This wine will enhance any of the seafood dishes you can try here; it has a nice clean finish, with some great citrus notes.

Red wine:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Simi, Alexander Valley, California 2012. I used to be a wine club member at Simi and really enjoy most of their wines. This wine was a great addition to both the filet and the lamb, what more could you ask for.

Dessert:

Brownie with black sesame ice cream, and peanut butter brownie. The sesame ice cream was a bit of a surprise, I just could not figure out what type of ice cream it was until I read the desert menu. It works really well with the chocolate and the peanut butter brownies.

My waiter Mando, which means “World” in Spanish, was as handsome as he was charming; he really made my whole experience very enjoyable.

My brother used to live down the street, so I know this neighborhood very well. There used to be old school type of establishments, with a few Japanese and diner type restaurants, so all of this new blood is really terrific. There is some competition in the neighborhood with new restaurants mainly Japanese, but really FIN is it’s own unique type of place.

If all of this was not enough around the corner in the back of the building near the parking lot there is a speak easy called Alley Bar. It is so fun inside, and you really feel like you are in some hidden gem right in the heart of New York City. One of the drinks that I tried was fruit infused vodka that was so subtle, but packed with so much ample flavor.

So if you put the two names together of FIN and Alley Bar you get Finale, and that is exactly what you need to do, march your self over to the Alley Bar and have a night cap after enjoying a scrumptious dinner at FIN.

Happy Hour Everyday from 5-7pm late night 10-11pm Monday – Saturday.

FIN

12223 West Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90066

T: 310.398.8611

www.finculvercity.com

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Dinner at Lago Di Como- April 8, 2015

When you walk in, its kind of diner interior is a little off putting. There are no real authentic Italian design elements, except for the stone tiles and green walls…but don’t let that fool you. What Lago Di Como lacks in its design choices, it makes up for with its outstanding food.

Lago Di Como took over the previous restaurant, Nuevo Southwestern. It is just like you’re in Italy, with its namesake, otherwise known as George Clooney land. So instead of going to Italy, stay in Santa Cruz and spend a delicious evening at Lago Di Como.

Here’s what I tried:

Starters:

Carpaccio di Manzo – with thinly sliced raw beef sirloin, lightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and served with fresh arugula topped with our lemon dressing. The meat is cut very thin and the delicate dressing is just fantastic.

Polenta Uncia – a traditional northern Italian dish featuring soft polenta tossed with mancego cheese, butter, garlic and sage. So very simple but the combination of these fresh ingredients makes for a nice appetizer.

Salads:

Insalata Cesare – crisp romaine lettuce salad with croutons, shaved Parmesan cheese, & homemade Caesar dressing. I try Caesar salads pretty much at every tasting, and this salad was up there with a lot of them. I really enjoyed this one.

First Course:

Mezze Lune ai Carciofi e Fontina – half moon ravioli stuffed with artichoke & fontina cheese tossed in a butter, garlic, & sage sauce. Nice little ravioli’s stuffed with tasty fixings.

Linguine al’ Nero di Seppie – fresh homemade squid ink linguini sautéed with mussels, clams, olive oil, garlic, white wine, & chili flakes. What makes this dish so great is the texture of the ink linguini, and of course the shellfish.

Penne alla Mamma Gianna – imported penne paste sautéed with Italian ham, green peas, and a touch of cream. Topped with Parmesan cheese & baked in the oven. This pasta is creamy and rich, and the touch of peas and ham make for a real treat.

Second Course:

Scaloppine di Vitello al Limone with Fungi Porcini – Veal scaloppini with a choice of a lemon sauce or porcini mushroom glaze. Served with a side of roasted potatoes & vegetable of the day. The veal is cooked tender and the mushrooms add a well-rounded smoky flavor that is just scrumptious.

Costata di Manzo Grigliata – 14oz. Rib eye steak lightly marinated and grilled. Served with a side of the Chef’s choice. They gave the perfect cut of meat with lots of fat, but cooked close to raw; it was just heavenly.

Gamba d’Agnello dei Pulenton- slow braised lamb shank with router of vegetable in a white wine and tomato sauce. Served over soft polenta with a side of vegetables of the day. Another stellar dish, fall off the bone goodness.

Pizza:

Pizza al Lago di Como – Pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, porcini mushrooms, bresaola, truffle oil, and kalamata olives. Anything with truffle oil makes me crazy, good crazy. This pizza was amazing.

Wine:

Chardonnay, 37th Parellel Winery, 2012, Calaveras County – This is a fruit forward Chardonnay and would be great with any of the creamy pastas.

Chardonnay, San Francisco Wine Press, 2012, Mendocino – I would pair this wine with the Squid Ink pasta; it also works great with the Clams and Muscles.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, “Pan,” Bosco Nestore, 2009, Abruzzo – You can’t beat an Italian wine from this region, and it will make your steak all the more delicious.

Petite Syrah, 37th Parallel Winery, 2012, Santa Cruz Mountains – This wine I would pair with the Veal; it perfectly complimented the mushrooms in this dish.

Zinfandel, Old Vine, Villa Toscano, 2011, Shenandoah Valley – I would do this one with the Lamb Shank; it is just the best pairing.

Lago Di Como opened in 2012 by Giovanni Spanu and wife Mary Ellen Salciccia-Spanu at the helm. Since opening, the most ordered dishes are their Penne Bolognese, as well as the Veal, Calamari, and Burrata. The majority of their customers are local people and regulars. They play crooner music; Frank Sinatra was highlighted during my dinner.

The night I was there, it was packed. Lucky for me, I could see The Dodgers opening game from my seat, which was playing on a flat screen at the bar. It is just amazing Italian food with the perfect ingredients.

Lago Di Como Ristorante Pizzeria
21490 East Cliff Dr.
Santa Cruz, CA. 95062
www.lagodicomoristorante.com
(831) 454-8257
For Dinner: Monday– Thursday 5pm – 9:30pm
Friday – Saturday 5pm – 10pm, and Sunday 5pm – 9:30pm
Lunch on Friday 11:30am – 2pm

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Before I start, I gave the hotel owner the option of coming back and doing a review when they have ironed out some of their kinks. I hope to go back and stay there again, so I am going to make this very short, but not so sweet.

When I saw Rio Vista Suites on the Internet, I was very excited for my stay. It is an old Victorian that has been renovated into a nice hotel. It is by far the best hotel in the neighborhood. This is where the Santa Cruz Boardwalk is, so some of this area can be a little seedy.

The hotel is beautiful on the inside and out; they did a nice job of transitioning the property from being a Historical Victorian to a modern hotel. They spent a lot of time and money trying to get it right. But lets face it, sometimes when there are so many complex details, the practicality of the hotel gets lost in translation.

My room was at the very top, with lots of eaves, and a weirdly constructed interior. If you’re tall like me, then this is not the room for you. You will hit your head getting out of the bed and on your way to the bathroom. They do have a construction sign on the wall telling you to watch your head, but to me, that was really tacky. Then, the 4-poster bed also could make you hit your head on the slanted eave wall. Plus the four-poster bed is in the way of seeing the flat screen TV while you’re in bed. The rooms are very noisy; you can hear the front door opening and any of the activity in the common areas, including the lobby. You also have to climb 3 flights of stairs to get up to this room. There are 2 things about this room that I liked: the shower head and the view out of one of the very small windows. I never got to see any of the other rooms to compare, but my room was very awkward. If all of this was not enough to say take a pass, at 2:00 am the very loud fire alarm came on and scared the crap out of me. When I asked the owner about that, he said: “Yes we have a problem with the alarm and we have to fix it.” My stay was very stressful and not relaxing.

They have a continental breakfast in the morning. There is also lemoned water and tea in the lobby all of the time with a cappuccino/espresso and juice center.

Don’t get me wrong, the Rio Vista Suite has lots of potential; they just really need to tweak some of the problems and they will be well on their way. From what I can see on the Internet, some of the rooms do look very well put together and not weird like mine was. I really want to come back for another stay when they are better equipped for me.

Rio Vista Luxury Suites
611 Third Street
Santa Cruz, California, 95060.
Phone: (831) 621-2929
http://www.riovistasuites.com/

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There is something about Phil’s Fish Market that just makes you want to come back for more. If I lived close by, I would make Phil’s a staple in my weekly food routine. Phil’s Fish Market is an institution.

When you first walk in, there is a line that goes out the door. After ordering your food at the counter and finding your table, you will be amazed with what happens next. The fish is so fresh; it is as if it comes straight from the ocean and right onto your plate. Every dish that I tried was astounding, I just can’t say enough about Phil’s Fish Market. This tasting is by far my favorite that I have had in a while. And by the way, the line was out the door for the whole 2 hours that I dined.

Here’s what I tried:

Appetizers:

Steamed Clams & Garlic Bread- Steamed with Tomatoes, Green Onions, Garlic, Thyme, White Wine, and Butter. These clams are not small, and the broth alone is worth ordering these delicious gems.

Miyagi-oysters raw- these oysters are so big, but packed with freshness; I loved these oysters.

Sautéed Champagne Oysters- 4 Pacific Oysters sautéed in Butter & Champagne with Shallots. I prefer raw over these cooked ones.

Artichoke- Grilled with aioli sauce. This is a very simple preparation, but really delicious.

Clam Chowder- New England White and Manhattan Red. The New England white was my favorite: a nice buttery and creamy soup with lots of clams.

House Specials:

Blackened Sea Scallops- With Lemon Butter, topped with Capers. The scallops are small but they serve a lot in one bowl. The blackened part of this dish is very yummy.

Cioppino- Served in a bowl with Green Salad and Garlic Bread. This is what they are famous for. I loved the crab in the cioppino; you can taste how fresh it is.

Halibut- Breaded and grilled served with green salad, garlic bread, and your choice of fries or rice. The fresh halibut is the perfect fish, and the accompaniments are also terrific.

Hot Sandwiches:

Lobster Roll- Lobster meat sautéed in Garlic Butter, served on a New England Hot Dog Bun with Fries & Coleslaw. They put so much lobster in this sandwich. I saved this sandwich and ate it at the airport the next day; I felt so privileged to be eating a lobster sandwich at the San Jose airport.

Wine:

Hahn Chardonnay – Nicky Hahn – Monterey Chardonnay 2013. Everything went great with this wine; it is simple and easy to drink.

They also sent me home with some nice smoked salmon, which I took home on the plane with me and enjoyed it for days to come.

The staff was very eager to tend to my every need, and there were plenty of them. I would venture to say that the turn over is minimal, because all of the servers and counter workers have smiles on their faces. They are just so busy that I can’t imagine these workers not earning a nice living at Phil’s Fish House.

Part of your trip to Moss Landing has to include a stop to Phil’s Fish Market. If it’s not part of your itinerary, you’re missing out.

Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery
7600 Sandholdt Rd.
Moss Landing, CA 95039
(831) 633-2152
www.philsfishmarket.com

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Out of my many experiences, The Captain’s Inn is one of the most charming Bed and Breakfasts I have ever stayed in. There is a theme running through the Inn, it is all Maritime with a bit of whimsy and fun.

Most of the rooms have waterfront views with lots of wildlife watching including birds, seals and glorious sunsets.  Each unique bed is crafted from a boat with a theme. My room was the Pelican Beach, and my bed was a catamaran. They have fireplaces, nautical décor, antiques, plush beds, robes, feather pillows, chandeliers, soaking tubs, and private bathrooms. Their special home cooked breakfast served every morning is to die for.

The Captain’s Inn is within walking distance to many attractions here in Moss Landing. It sits right on Elkhorn Slough and there are beaches close by as well as dining, and the harbor. There are 10 guestrooms with private baths and individual décor.  The Captain’s Inn is located in a quaint, historic fishing village in Central Monterey Bay just off scenic Coast Highway One.

History of the Building:

The Pacific Coast Steamship Company building was built in 1906 following the San Francisco earthquake. This property has many well-known names associated with it. The Castro family received the property in a land grant. Later in 1868, the property was owned by Charles Moss, the town’s namesake, and Donald Beadle (both in shipping). The Pacific Coast Steamship Company purchased the property in 1881 and the PCSC owned the property when the current two-story building was built. The Pacific Coast Steamship Company was sold in 1917 to the Pacific Steamship Company run by John Scudder. The Capurro Family owned the property in the mid 1900s and used it as a family residence. The York family established the Moss Landing Harbor Chapel here and regularly held church services in the building. In more recent years, the building has been home to countless Moss Landing Marine Laboratories students.

This building was originally built as an office building with 6 individual offices and a parlor. In later years one office became a kitchen, a dining/laundry nook was added, and a narrow bathroom fit in. The simple colonial revival style is in vernacular pyramid cottage form used just after the turn of the century mostly in “company towns”. The porch front is simple Tuscan order. The two downstairs front windows are Queen Anne cottage style. The simple fireplaces include bricks salvaged from damaged buildings in the 1906 earthquake made by the Sante Fe masonry.

This building has been fully renovated and recently opened as a bed and breakfast in by Captain Yohn and Melanie Gideon. The effort to save this building has been awarded a historic preservation award from the Moss Landing Chamber of Commerce.

In the back, a boathouse with guestrooms has been added. This building takes advantage of views of wildlife and the marshlands.

There are lots of Boats in the Shipyard; The White Little Dipper, a section located in the back shipyard, was a fishing troller.  The upright wood boat against the Boat House was a fishing Dory, once used by whaling harpooners. The white bow of the boat in the backyard belongs to a fishing skiff. The grey blue boat located against the fence in the backyard is a liberty skiff.  The white and red Sailing Dory, located in the driveway against the house, was used as a leisure boat.  The blue Thistle class sailing boat from 1945, located in the driveway by the fence, is a very sea worthy sailboat. Last but not least, the yellow and red boat that is part of the deck is a purseiner skiff.

I really loved my stay here; everything here is so creative, down to the last detail. It is whimsical and restful at the same time. Looking out of the windows from my room amazed at how close the wildlife is, I can’t help but feel as though I am almost out there camping with the animals. I would definitely make a special visit to come back for an extended stay. Overall, I really enjoyed everything about this experience.

Captain’s Inn at Moss Landing

A California Bed & Breakfast

8122 Moss Landing Rd.

Moss Landing, CA. 95039

(831) 633-5550

captainsinn.com

* some content was taken from the Inn’s brochure.

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Pacific Grove is one of the most charming cities in California, and Favaloro’s Big Night Bistro, has just as much charm as the whole city. In fact, it is the only Mom and Pop restaurant in Pacific Grove. It is also a family affair, all being Italian. This is the only restaurant in this area that Italians come to eat, old school style of course. Owners Marie and Nino (he is from Sicily Palermo) like to keep things very authentic. Stepson, John who handles all the day-to-day business including being a server, loves his job. He can tell you about all of the history of the restaurant as well as the Italian immigrants here in Pacific Grove. Nino was a fisherman for 30 years in Monterey County, which is still rich with lots of seafood. Marie stays in the kitchen and cooks all of the wonderful food.

The interior is cozy and warm, with Italian Rock music playing in the background. Adorned with a faux fireplace, long hanging Tiffany style lamps, and fresh olive green faux walls.

Here’s what I tried:

This tasting, the majority of the specials were not on the menu.

Starters:

Calamari Fritti- Monterey Bay calamari lightly breaded and deep-fried, served with a lemon basil tartar sauce. The batter is heavy, but the calamari is tender and good.

Specials:

Special Salad with beets, avocado, prosciutto, and feta cheese served with mango balsamic vinaigrette. I am not the biggest fan of beets but I am learning to like them. This salad was super healthy and the crispy prosciutto was an added bonus.

Gnocchi with tomato cream sauce, and cremini mushrooms.
Nino makes these by hand, and the sauce is just fantastic.

Velasco Salmon- cooked in Salmon parchment paper, with bread crumbs, baby boc choy, steamed vegetables, and
Couscous/rice. This is by far the best salmon on the planet.

Wine:

Chardonnay, Edna Valley, Paragon Vineyard- I would pair this one with the Calamari. It is a fruity, no nonsense chardonnay that lends itself to the buttery goodness of the calamari.

Chardonnay, MacMurray, Russian River. The mango balsamic vinaigrette mimics the same acidity in this wine and works great.

Pinot Noir, Underwood, Oregon. What a great wine, with its light subtle textures. It managed to go perfect with the Gnocchi, tomato cream sauce, and cremini mushrooms. Just the little hint of tomatoes in the sauce matched the rich flavors.

Zinfandel, Maggio, CA. A nice jammy Zinfandel goes with any meat dish, but for me, I love this wine with the Salmon.

Dessert:

Mini Chocolate Pistachio Cannoli- little rolls with pistachio cream in the middle, very light and fluffy.

Mascarpone Custard with fresh berries and light as a feather-angel pudding.

They use all organic product, and sustainable seafood. John says his staff has to eat the food as well, “We are not going to feed the public something that we would not eat.”

The table that I sat at is reserved for only friends and family, so right away I felt so much at home! Sometimes their customers get to go to Papa Nino’s house for dinner, if they are lucky. Hopefully I will be invited next time I come to this marvelous town and restaurant, but for now I am happy with just eating the spectacular food at Favaloros Big Night Bistro.

Favaloros Big Night Bistro
545 Lighthouse Ave,
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 373-8523
favalorosbignightbistro.com

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This is what I call a family affair. Both owners Bill and Sue Karaki have their own love story, and you can feel it in every bite. They both came from Beirut, Lebanon and are now raising their 4 kids here in Pacific Grove.

The majority of Taste Café’s customers are regulars who either have Pebble Beach summer homes or are locals from Monterey, Carmel and Pebble Beach. Some of their other regulars visit from Texas 3 to 4 times a year. But everyone says the same thing, great local neighborhood food! They have won numerous awards which you can see in the hallway, and all very well deserved.

Here’s what I tried:

Artichoke soup Puree, completely vegan and very tasty.

Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon. This is all about the dressing, and when I asked about the recipe they said it’s a family recipe that they don’t share.

Chicken Apple Sausages with grilled, braised red cabbage, au gratin potatoes and red onion marmalade. This dish is something you would find in Vienna or Hungary. It is very Eastern European, and the fact that you can get this here in Pacific Grove is very remarkable. The potato is enough on its own, but then you get these sausages, oh my.

Grilled Eggplant Napoleon grilled eggplant topped with roasted red pepper & fresh mozzarella cheese on a large brioche crouton, caramelized red onion, pesto, and balsamic vinaigrette. This is a nice hearty salad that you could order as your lunch entree. It has amazing Italian flavors and is excellent.

Mediterranean Crab Cake with roasted red pepper aioli, frisee and caramelized onions. The big lump crab is delicious. This is what I am talking about!

Mushroom Bourguignonne baked in garlic herb butter and pine nuts. Think escargot without the snails, instead lovely flavorful mushroom and garlic. All of this is served in a baked escargot dish.

Dessert:

Butterscotch pudding with cream, the best pudding ever, so rich and smooth and the flavor will make you very happy.

Wines:

Chardonnay – Raywood, CA. Drink this wine with the Caesar and salmon salad. It paired great with the robust dressing and the elegant salmon seasonings.

Chardonnay – Silvestri – Carmel Valley. Nice local wine with a very buttery taste. I would do this with the crab cakes.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Raywood, CA. I would drink this wine with the Mushroom Bourguignonne, it just works well with the mushroom flavors.

Malbec Santa Julia – Mendoza. Rich in its berry color, a little dryer then most, but worked great with the sausages.

Interior has a very bistro feel, with paver tiles and faux painted walls. There are cloths hanging over the light fixtures to give it a café feel. The green banquets with the baskets on top of the windows make for a casual design element. The lion fountain gives you a peaceful sound with the water cascading in its small container.

All food is 100 percent sustainable and produce is all-organic from their local farmers market. You can taste their commitment to freshness in every bite.

Sue cooks at home and spends time with their kids when they’re off on Sundays and Mondays. Bill says: “I promoted Sue to be 100 percent boss and that took care of everything.” The family takes a vacation once a year, and closes shop in June to go back to their homeland. This is really the only vacation they have all year since they man this ship all by themselves. Taste Café has been in business for 18 years, and it was just a small cafe small, then they expanded in 1998.

Great food at a great price in a local neighborhood, this is the kind of spot I could get very used to.

Taste Café & Bistro
1199 Forest Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA. 93950
(831) 655-0324
www.tastecafebistro.com
Open: Tuesday-Saturday
Lunch 11:30-2:30
Dinner 5:00-close

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