Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

Toma is pretty new to the Santa Barbara culinary scene. It’s got all the bells and whistles of a promised staple in this great dining area. Savor these exquisite Italian and Mediterranean dishes from Santa Barbara’s seasonal bounty. With its nice wharf views and romantic atmosphere; it is a real treat for your senses.

Toma Restaurant and Bar is the new waterfront bistro in the former location of Emilio’s, located along Santa Barbara’s picturesque Cabrillo Blvd. There is something special about this place you can’t put your finger on. It’s something remarkable yet innocent. The flavors, the attention to detail, the fine locally sourced ingredients all make you feel like you have experienced something truly remarkable.

There is great art on every wall by master painter America Martin from Los Angeles that compliments this bright interior. The light fixtures are Art Nouveau style, and the tables are lined with formal white tablecloths. The space is filled with a sense of romance, perfect for a special date night.

Here’s what I tried:

Appetizers
Grilled Octopus- Romanesco, Fregola, Smoked Tomato, Salmon Roe. The Octopus was very tender and huge. It was very good.

Steamed Clams- Chorizo, butter beans, sofrito, black kale, Harissa Aioli and crostini. Kind of a Portuguese dish, but with a Mediterranean kick.

Squash Blossoms- Goat Cheese, Preserved lemon, and pine nut stuffed, citronette and peas. This is absolutely a cut above similar squash blossom dishes. It’s not deep-fried and it has so much more flavor this way.

Flat Bread
House Smoked Guanciale – Burrata, Balsamic caramelized onion, soft egg, arugula and olive oil. Smoldering hints of pork, guanciale is after all cured pigs jowl. The melting of all these glorious elements and the egg on top is very non-traditional for flat bread but it really works.

Pasta
Gnocchi- Rock Shrimp, dried tomato fava bean, roasted garlic, black truffle butter. I always want to try Gnocchi when I do these tastings and this one did not disappoint.

Lasagne- Braised beef and pork ragu, spinach fresh ricotta and mozzarella, Parmesan. It’s so much more then your typical lasagna. There are so many layers and it is piled very high. This is definitely a true keeper.

Capellini- Garlic grilled white prawns “Scampi Style” Heirloom tomato, basil, Olive oil. This is another one of my favorites. These are huge prawns, and they are introduced with the capellini in a very special way.

Entrees
Cioppino- Fresh Fish, crab, prawns, scallop, Calamari, mussels, clams, saffron, tomato broth. This is a great rendition of an Italian staple. The fish is right off the boat and the sauce is yummy.

Braised Short Rib- Whipped potato, red onion confit, natural jus, and arugula and lemon oil. This is the best dish that I tasted. It is so rich and heavy, but the short rib just falls right off the bone.

Lobster Roe Ricotta Dumplings- Rock shrimp, garlic, basil, ramps, and tendrils. This is a very different dish. Not what you’d expect. There is no lobster to see, but instead the roe is mixed in with the dumpling batter making this a very good dish. Nice gentle textures will swim in your palate and make you feel something you never felt in your mouth before.

Duck- Pan roasted spiced breast, pea tendril, black lentils, light jus raspberry puree. It’s kind of sweet; the duck was cooked with the utmost care and is truly a different take on traditional duck.

Drinks
Specialty Cocktails

Toma Martini- Tito’s American vodka, classic style served with a toma cheese stuffed olive. This is a great rendition of my all time stand by.

Tuscan Pear- Grey Goose La Poire, Ventura limoncello king’s ginger liqueur, orange juice and mint. Refreshing, but bold. It’s pinched with an elegant touch, with all of these great ingredients in one drink.

The Local- Square One Cucumber Vodka, strawberries, basil leaves, agave nectar, drizzle balsamic reduction. They serve this in a proper martini glass and the balsamic looks like coral you would find in the ocean, It’s an art piece in itself.

White Wines
Sauvignon Blanc – Brander, “Mesa Verde Vineyard”, Santa Ynez Valley 2012. This is a very fruity and light Sauvignon Blanc. It went well with the Burrata.

Chardonnay – Sanford “Flor De Campo”, Santa Barbara County 2010. I like this wine with the meaty Octopus; it has just enough floral flavors to match well with this dish.

Chardonnay – Lafond, Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County 2012. I would drink this wine with the Cioppino and the great seafood in it.

Chardonnay – River Bench Estate, Santa Maria Valley, 2012, smooth with a nice buttery taste. I would pair this one with the Cappellini and prawns.

Toscana – Antinori, Le Maestrelle Italy 2012. I liked this wine with the Portuguese and clams, just the right amount of zest to match this lovely dish.

Pinot Noir – Babcock, Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County 2012

Pinot Noir – Cargasacchi, Jalama Estate Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, 2011. I would try this one with
Pinot Noir; it just blended the nice rich characteristics of the wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Justin, Paso Robles. No questions asked, just order this one with the Short Rib. You will thank me!

Syrah – Jaffurs, Santa Barbara County 2011. Do this one with the duck, it’s bold and has great cherry taste, the duck is sweet, and the one goes perfectly with the sweet nuances.

Owners Tom and Vicki have created a friendly, fun, mouth-watering experience that will surprise almost all local Santa Barbara foodies. Vicky came from the hotel industry working at The Four Seasons as a food and beverage manager, while Tom worked at Emilio’s. A lot of the employees came from the previous long standing restaurant Emilio’s that was housed in the same space. You can tell that everyone down to the bus boys are eager to please and have lots of past restaurant experience. I felt coddled and in the lap of all the luxury that Toma has offered me.

Their clientele is very interesting. In the summer they have sixty percent tourists, and in the winter they have sixty percent locals. Lots of couples, dates, and families were enjoying their great meals.

Chef Nat Ely, from the Seattle area worked at Emilio’s in the early 90s. He also worked at The Los Olivos Café during the “Sideways” movie explosion, as well as some jobs for Wolfgang Puck. His genius is in every little detail and melding of all of the lovely ingredients.

My fantastic waiter David started as a busser so he is so knowledgeable about the wine list and the preparation of all of the menu items. He told me I had to try a half bottle of the most amazing Pinot Noir on the planet, a 5 generation Colama Carcasacchi Pinot Noir, which totally stole the wine tasting show. It worked with every dish and was amazing! My Pinot Noir taste buds will never be the same!!

All of the food was outstanding! There was not one thing that I did not like and I would highly recommend this sparkling gem up there with all of the romantic standards in the Santa Barbara region.

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Toma Restaurant & Bar
324 West Cabrillo Blvd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-962-0777
Tomarestuarant.com

The party did not do a good job of representing this new venture. The place was packed and there was hardly any food to be had. I was told all food was being tray passed, and it took a very long time to get a drink at the bar. It seemed like everyone was buying food, which was good for management. But as a new customer to be able to try some food items, there was none to be had. The party otherwise was fantastic, all of these very cool folks all gathered in one great location.

Large and spacious Madera Kitchen has covered all of its bases. Located in the ultra hip section of Cahuenga Blvd. with all the other great new finds, Madera Kitchen promises to be one of your must see fun spots in Los Angeles.

I also had the opportunity to go the restaurant for a private proper tasting on April 25, 2014. The staff was so helpful and was filled with a lot of experience. Milton the owner, pretty much let me order whatever I wanted and then asked me to give him a detailed review of my experience.

Madera Kitchen is a farm to table seasonal restaurant in Hollywood, which serves new American cuisine. Always inventive, 25 year old chef Kirk Plummer’s changing menu is inspired by a wealth of American culinary traditions.

Mike Wood is the bartender and picks out the wine for the bar. He is a true New Yorker and has worked at a few well-known big apple steakhouses. It was his decision to have Malbec come out of a barrel. Demetri created the vast cocktail list with its mixology reputation in Hollywood, and did a marvelous job.

Here’s what I liked:

Sheep’s Ricotta Ravioli with English Pea, fava bean, and bacon jus. Very large raviolis with a wonderful sauce, my kind of ravioli dish.

Skirt Steak, roasted sun choke, revise, spring onion picada. The steak is tender and medium rare, which made this dish a standout with strong flavors. I really like this one.

Slow Roasted Pork, brussel sprouts, dates, oregano, cider vinegar. This one is very popular, and I can understand why. It is very complex; the pork is fork tender, truly a great accomplishment.

Flatbread with wild mushroom, hum bolt fog, cavalo nero, and thyme. This dish was sweet but earthy with a great burst of flavors all combined in your mouth.

These are the wines I tried:

Sauvignon Blanc, Provenance, Napa Valley 2012. You can pair this one with the ravioli, it hits all the right notes.

Chardonnay, Chalone Estate, Central Coast, CA 2011. This one worked nicely with the flatbread, you could also do this with the ravioli.

Termes, Numanthia, Toro, ES, 2010. This one warrants the steak as its pair. The wine is very sturdy and lends itself to protecting the steak integrity.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Anciebnt Peaks, Paso Robles, CA. 2011. The deep dark nuances of this Cabernet is remarkable with the Pork, both very complex and both delicious.

Cocktails I tried:

Green Dolphin, Clean and refreshing, Grey Goose, Hendricks, lemon, basil and cucumber. It’s a great cocktail for a good start to what promises to be a great dinner.

Word Up with Don Julio blanco, lime, jalapeno, and Green Chartreuses. Kind of a new take on an old idea. It’s spicy enough to blow your hair back and will make you remember why you drink margaritas in the first place.

Discernment Blue with Chivas Regal, agave. Lime, pineapple, mint and a hint of saffron. You can barely taste the Chivas part of this drink, it’s disguised well, and the rest of the drink will smolder graciously in your mouth.

The interior has a very New York vibe, industrial, yet rustic. The interior is very inviting, open, with old world flair. The walls have some nice ornamental artwork, musical instruments, and sketches. There are 2 very user-friendly patios, with ample seating.

They have some eclectic piped in music, ranging from French, to instrumental, all adding to the mystique of this establishment.

Although Madera Kitchen needs more work, it has the potential for being the next big thing in Hollywood. They need to batten down their hatches and see what develops. I would gladly like to be invited for round two.

Madera Kitchen
1835 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles
(213) 261-3687
maderakitchen.com

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Santa Barbara is not aware of what a wonderful culinary addition they have in Blue Tavern, modern Peruvian cuisine. This restaurant is new to Santa Barbara with three sister restaurants in Los Angeles. This is by far the best new dining experience that Santa Barbara has seen in a very long time. Lots of restaurants in this area come and go, but Blue Tavern is here to stay.

At the helm of new eating-place Blue Tavern is renowned Chef Ricardo Zarate. Chef Zarate also owns Picca, Mo-Chica, Picca, and now Blue Tavern. Chef Ricardo Zarate serves as an ambassador of Peruvian cuisine in the U.S. and has earned praise from critics across the country for his inventive dishes that highlight the country’s multicultural influences, such as their signature Japanese flavors. The 2011 Food & Wine magazine called chef Zarate “Best New Chef.” “I feel privileged that I’ve been able to introduce Americans to Peruvian food,” he says. “I’ve found what excites guests the most about my food are the flavor profiles: spicy and sour, savory and sweet, new and familiar—all at the same time.”

As one of 13 siblings, he first started cooking at his childhood home in Lima, Peru where he learned cooking techniques from his mother and grandmother. He went on to attend his hometown’s top culinary school, Instituto de las Américas, after which he headed to London to practice his craft. Zarate worked in London for 12 years with various positions at top restaurants and hotels, including One Aldwych, Gordon Ramsey Pengelly’s, and noted Japanese restaurant Zuma. It was at the latter that Zarate perfected his style of integrating French and Japanese techniques and products with the flavors from his native country.

In 2009 Zarate opened Mo-Chica in Downtown Los Angeles at Mercado la Paloma. A year later, he launched his pop-up restaurant, Test Kitchen. In 2011, Zarate introduced the Peruvian-Japanese restaurant Picca, which got recognized as one of GQ’s “Best New Restaurants” and a Condé Nast Traveler “Hot Table,” all within its first year of operation. In 2012 he moved Mo-chica to its current location in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. In spring 2013, Zarate opened his third restaurant Paiche in Marina del Rey. Then in 2013 Zarate branched outside of Los Angeles for the first time, where he opened his fourth restaurant Blue Tavern, a Cali-Peruvian style cuisine that blends traditional Peruvian ingredients with California based dishes located right in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. Chef Ricardo Zarate is also a Three-Time James Beard Nominee.

The interior is reminiscent of a New England chowder bar, and it’s close proximity to the beach serves as the perfect backdrop to the restaurant. The Blue Tavern is sprinkled with very clean linen with blue accents featuring Latin inspired music that helps create a casual fun atmosphere.

Here’s what I tried:

Seared Albacore, Rocoto Leche De Tigre, Ponzu, Sesame Oil, Crispy Quinoa. What a wonderful way to get your taste buds engaged, this will make all of your senses pop.

Yellowtail Tiradito, Aji Amarillo Soy Dressing, Sesame Sauce, Sweet Potato. You would never think of this combination working, but miraculously it does, especially the sweet potatoes.

Diver Scallop Salad, Aioli, Wasabi Peas, Wild Arugula, Granny Smith Apples, Walnuts. Well what can I say; scallops all gussied up with all these creative ingredients, oh my goodness! It’s all of my favorite ingredients in one dish. The Scallop Salad scallops are plump yet tender and the apples just makes the dish all the more special. What an accomplishment.

Seafood Risotto, Tomato Aji Panca, Carnaroli Rice, Cilantro. The risotto is very fragrant, and the seafood is so fresh and perfect, a great example of how good risotto can be.

Grilled Half Mary’s Chicken with French fries, iceberg lettuce salad. The chicken has the most amazing seasoning, very Latin but would work great for anyone.

Grilled Rib Eye Steak, anticucho marinated, potato tarte tatin, iceberg lettuce. The marinade is so special; the steak served is another fantastic choice. For the vegetarian this would become that special craving that you will want again and again.

The Dessert I tried:

Chocolate Molten Cake oozes with a fruit filling along side their divine homemade ice cream is so good you’ll want to cry.

Here are the drinks that I tried:

Pisco Sour, this drink is very popular now, it goes great with the Peruvian experience.

Palma Fizz is nice and fizzy and very light, a great way to get the party going.

Chardonnay – Summerland, Select Vintners, Santa Maria, California 2012. The sweet potatoes with the yellow tail are the way to go with this light, bright Chardonnay.

Chardonnay – Solomon Hills, Santa Maria Valley, California 2011. I would try this wine with scallops; it’s a real treat.

Syrah – Qupe, Central Coast, California 2011. No questions asked pair this one with the rib eye.

Malbec – Catena, Mendoza, Argentina 2011. I just love a good Malbec, and this is right up there. Try this with the rib eye as well.

Pinot Noir – Extraction, Santa Barbara County, California, 2012. This is the perfect wine with the Mary’s chicken; it lends itself to the bright flavors and pert seasonings.

Pinot Noir – Summerland, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley. This wine went well with grilled rib eye as well as the chicken.

Manager Eric Terry is from Leon France and is only 25 years young. For his tender age he has had lots of culinary experience. His career began at 14 in Leon France as a dishwasher at one of Leon’s famous restaurants. He has been at Blue Tavern for the past 5 months and says he misses Los Angeles a lot. Eric started at Paiche and worked from the bottom up. When he came to the Blue Tavern he did a reorganization of the staff and cleaned up what was someone else’s mess before him. He made a 360 degree turn around for the restaurant, and is now promising to be one of Santa Barbara newest hot spots. Eric and Chef Zarates relationship is flourishing. Eric says that Chef Zarate has commented on how great of a manager he is and how much he trusts him. He is also responsible for the great wine list here at Blue Tavern.

Executive Chef Alex Carrasco is 28 years young and has a beautiful 9 month old baby that I got to meet. He has only been in Santa Barbra for 9 months, and also worked at Paiche in Marina Del Rey. Before that he had some pretty high profile jobs one of which was at Bouchon with Thomas Keller. He says that no one has been doing the California-Peruvian style cooking. He says that they are not here to compete with other Santa Barbara restaurants; they want to be a part of the Santa Barbara culinary experience.

All of this lovely inspiration makes me want to get in my car and drive there for dinner right now. You will be hooked. What else can I say? Try Blue Tavern on your next visit to the lovely beach side paradise.

Blue Tavern
119 State Street,
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(T) 805 845 0989.
bluetavernsb.com

Dinner at Picca – May 22, 2014

So after dining at Blue Tavern I called Picca, and marketing director Rachel gladly invited me to doing another tasting at their sister restaurant. Although it’s the same chef, Picca has more of a Japanese slant on the food. You could tell by the unique presentation that everything had an Asian twist to it.

Here’s what I tried:

Causa Bar:
Snow Crab: Huancaina sauce, avocado moussa. This is Peruvian sushi, with a potato mound replacing the rice, all I can say is WOW!

Crispy Ceviche Causa: sea bass, rocoto leche de tigre, Japanese cucumbers. So with this menu item the potato is deep fried, you get this great crispy texture and the cold raw sea bass, what a great combination.

Street:
Anticucho Corazon: Beef heart, rocoto-walnut pesto. Not for the faint of heart, but it’s pretty delicious all the same.

Proper:
Costillitas, baby back ribs, rocoto-chancaca BBQ, and coleslaw rustic. It was such a unique take on a very popular dish. The ribs were so soft they melted in your mouth and came right off the bone.

Uni Scallop Tiradito: diver scallop, sea urchin leche de tigre. The scallops pop in your mouth with just the right amount of everything, perfectly balanced.

Salmon Tiradito: rocoto ponzu, spicy orange miso, crispy quinoa, Japanese cucumbers. The salmon is fresh from the ocean, and the sauce is a little on the sweet side, one of my favorites.

Anticucho Black Cod: Miso anitchucho, crispy sweet potato. This was served on a stick with a nice tangy twist and had really great consistent flavor throughout.

Play:

Oysters a La Chalaca: pan-fried oysters, salso criolla, rocoto leche de tigre. The presentation is enough to make you cry tears of joy, and the there is a nice freshness to the oysters.

Family:
Arroz Con Erizo: Peruvian paella, seafood medley, sea urchin sauce. The overall flavor is fishy, but once you find out that it’s a sea urchin sauce you are awestruck. This is a creative and brilliant showstopper.

Sweets:
Vanilla Bean Pisco Flan, creamy, luscious, a great way to end my glorious meal.

Churros, probably the best Churros you’ll ever eat.

Here are the wines and cocktails that I liked:

Fillaboa, Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain 2012. Light and sort of sparkly, it paired great with any of the raw fish dishes.

Siete Fincas, Sauvignon Blanc, Mendoza, Argentina 2013. This wine went great with the oysters; it enhanced the sweet and sour flavors.

Errazuirz, Chardonnay “wild ferment,” Casablance Valley, Chile 2011. I liked this Chardonnay style wine with the paella, it went great with all of the fish driven flavors.

Ritual: Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, Chile 2012. This wine complimented the sweetness in the Salmon.

Lo Nuevo: Tempranillo, Castilla y Leon, Spain 2010. This is a bazaar combination, but I would do it with the Cod.

A.R. Guentota: Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2010. Hands down the beef hearts worked the best with this glorious nectar.

Capcanes “Vall Del Calas”: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot, Montsant, Spain 2009. Another weird choice but I liked this wine with the scallops, what can I say to each his own.

Enrique Foster: Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2008. Not a hard choice, again with the beef heart.

Here are the Cocktails that I tried:

Beets by J: citrus, beets, agave, tequila, and smoked salt. Not what you would expect, for me. I don’t particularly like beets, but this cocktail took my breath away. Sweet with a hint of beet flavor, I could drink this everyday.

Mr. Green (In the Garden with the Wrench): lemon, simple celery, grape spirit, and salt air. A little too herbal for my tastes, someone may like this.

Boots With the Fur: Oro Italia, Apple Jack, apple juice, Falernum, ginger, lemon, orgeat. This is a very fun drink with a great premise.

The Zarate Kid Part II (Curse of the Cobra Kai): egg white, lemon, blackbeery-serrano demi, Rum JM Blanc, yellow chartreuse, angostura. Light and lively, a good start to what promises to be an outstanding evening.

The Avocado Project with Banks 5 Island Rum, lime, agave, vitamin C, avocado. Very thick and heavy, with a hint of banana flavor even though it’s not part of the ingredient list.

Pisco Sour: Macchu Pisco, citrus, cane sugar, egg white, Angostura. I liked this cocktail the best. It is presented with a stamp of a big P in the surface, the logo for the restaurant and is very drinkable.

The staff is very friendly and you can tell they all love their jobs. The crowd features families, people on dates, and business colleagues. It was an attractive clean-cut city crowd, dressing up for their night out. There is an upstairs dining area, with an open kitchen. The chalkboard overhead gives you the specials as well as little correlated drawings. It is woodsy and rustic, but has an industrial urban vibe, with vintage light fixtures from the 60s.

At 7:30 the place was packed. The music is very ambient, highlighted with guitar instrumental, as well as Peruvian modern styles.

My Waitress Stephanie worked at Pink Taco and The Smith House. She has an infectious smile that lights up the whole room. Stephanie is an actress and has a Microsoft commercial running as we speak.

Whether you’re going to try Blue Tavern or stay close to home, try Picca. You will be in for an exciting new food experience. Go in with an open mind and try all of Picca’s beautiful bounty!

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Picca
9575 W Pico Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA, US, 90035
(310) 277-0133
Piccaperu.com

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Santa Barbara is the quintessential California paradise. It can be compared to the French Riviera; it has so much to offer in so many different ways. It has mountains and beaches, great food and wine, and some of the most romantic bed and breakfast’s in all of California. The Cheshire Cat is another reason to high tail it to Santa Barbara for a weekend getaway.

Innkeeper Suzanne greeted me with a warm smile upon my arrival and showed me to my lovely room, The Cheshire Cat was so charming and conveniently located right along side the dining area. I was there to escape the heat in LA but it turned out to be a hot week in Santa Barbara as well.

The room was a little stuffy so Suzanne showed me the thermostat. To my surprise there was no individual air-conditioning in that room, just a fan to keep you cool. When I called up to ask about the air conditioning Suzanne said she could move me to another room that had air conditioning. She very graciously gave me a huge upgrade to the Prestbury Cottage. Wow! So many amenities, I truly got spoiled. This adorable cottage has 2 bedrooms, a fireplace, full big kitchen, stove, full bath and shower, and a private Jacuzzi in a private back patio. Pretty much everything your heart would desire for a very posh elegant stay. I was jumping for joy!!

The theme for the inn is taken from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland; all the room names are the characters in the story. There are also lots and lots of cats trinkets all around the inn.

The Cheshire Cat is an elegant Victorian Inn with old oak trees, fountains and flower filled gardens. It has 18 guest rooms, suites and cottages, some having in-room Jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, private decks and outdoor hot tubs. There are 3 separate houses with rooms as well as 4 different cottages. The Main House is a Queen Anne Victorian as well as The Eberle House. The Coach house, which has 2 honeymoon suites, was built in 1991, these suites are in the back overlooking the lovely English Gardens. There is a fountain with an old oak tree that houses a built in beehive. As long as you stay clear of the beehive you’ll be relaxing in this luxurious back garden.

Across the street from the Inn are 4 cottages the Bramhall, Mobberly, Prestbury & Woodford; I stayed in the Prestbury. Dating back to the 1940’s, these early California Craftsman Cottages have been upgraded and enhanced to include living rooms, private decks, fireplaces, full kitchens and dining nooks.

They do a very gracious happy hour with nice local Santa Barbara wine and delightful hors d’oeuvre; curried deviled eggs, homemade vegetarian wraps, warm stuffed mushroom caps, crudités and dip, British farm cheese and traditional crackers.

Their breakfast consist of a delicious buffet continental breakfast served either on their flower filled brick patio (weather permitting) or in the Main House. An array of choices greet you consisting of homemade granola, assorted breakfast cereals, fresh fruit salad, yoghurt, cinnamon bread, English muffins, homemade scones and lemon curd, hard boiled eggs, fresh juices and of course our delicious local Santa Barbara Roasting Company coffee and assorted teas.

A daily addition of alternating dishes is also served, including cream cheese stuffed Danish Ebelskivers, homemade flaky pastry vegetarian quiche or bagels with cream cheese and Scottish smoked salmon.

They serve Bedtime treats of home made chocolate chip cookies and brownies as well as Keurig coffee, hot chocolate and sleepy teas at our 24-hour refreshment center located in the Eberle House.

The Cheshire Cat Inn is truly the perfect getaway destination, and only 94 miles from Los Angeles! Santa Barbara provides such a great mini vacation why would anyone spend any serious money on traveling anywhere when we have a charming town in our own back yard.

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Cheshire Cat Inn
36 W. Valerio St,
Santa Barbara, CA.
(805) 569-1610
cheshirecat.com

I am always looking for great pizza with a good family style menu; If your like me then Palermo is you’re no nonsense neighborhood pizza joint and a lot more.

It’s got a fun Italian vibe, fully equipt with red and white table clothes and Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling. There are so many autographed headshots in the lobby entranceway that looking at all of them will make you dizzy. There is also a lot of police presence in the form of badges hanging from the walls from all of the various charity events, and customers.

They have lovely faux painted walls, with a bubbly enclosed patio, enjoyable skylights, decorated arches, and blue icicles on the walls.

My dining guide Bruce Hedgeman sings his way to and from your table. His solid baritone voice can be heard weekly on Sunday service at his local church and here, he added excitement and fun to my culinary adventure. When dining at Palermo I would seek Bruce out to add that special ingredient to your dining experience.

Appetizers:
Combo Platter – Green bean zucchini, cream cheese peppers and mozzarella sticks. Not good for a waste line, but delicious non the less, just save room for your other dishes.

Salad:
Caesar Salad, this is a good go to Caesar salad.

Seafood:
Linguini with Clams, with tender Succulent baby clams cooked with green onion to absolute perfection in a special white sauce and served over linguini. Nice and light, no heavy white sauce, and you can still taste the clams.

Scampi Alla Becky with Tender imported shrimps sautéed in garlic and butter served over fettuccini in white cream sauce and peas. This is my favorite dish, and you really do not want to do any of this without the other. Each part of this dish works in perfect harmony.

Pizza:
Peperoni and Sausage, this is their specialty, and it should be, it was really terrific.

Specialties:
Lasagna Alla Bolognese with layer upon layer of extra large noodles, meat, ricotta cheese, Parmigiano cheese Romano cheese mozzarella cheese served in delicious meat sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This is wonderful lasagna, with all its bounty. It had just the right amount of layers and does not overwhelm you with too much of anything.

Veal:
Palermo Scaloppini with tender breaded whole veal cutlet served with fresh mushrooms in a white cream sauce. This is a very rich scaloppini, so beware, but it still is one of my favorites.

Pasta:
Tortellini, with spinach, ricotta and cheese filling. They serve you so much; you will have lots to take home. It is very tasty and fills the void of an average tortellini.

I paired all of dished with their house wines, which are reasonably prices and just the perfect combination.

Tony and his lovely family run Palermo. Tony originally from Sicily is a very funny guy, he also claims to be the Head Chef at Palermo’s, and with all of his duties I just don’t understand how he can be so charming and jovial. He clearly has his hands full, but in a good way, this restaurant is always packed. The crowd is very lively, but reminds me of some of the great pizzerias in New York. Palermo also offers culinary classes and wine tasting.

My stay-cation at Los Feliz Lodge was very close by car, so Palermo is a great choice for your Italian comfort food craving. It definitely is a local neighborhood hotspot, and continues to offer great food at low prices.

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Palermo Ristorante Italiano
1858 N. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90027 (Los Feliz)
http://palermorestaurant.net

This is quite the find, a nice convenient location in the hub of what I would call the new “artsy Los Angeles”. Nestled in the Franklin Hills lies a small paradise, not what you would expect from this tiny microcosm really know as Los Feliz.

The Los Feliz Lodge provides a home away from home with a modern 1970’s vibe. These Spanish Courtyard-Style buildings were originally built in the 1920s to house the Hollywood film elite. You could be on the set of Madmen, only here in L.A.

The decor is part lodge, part groovy 70’s furnishings, a lot of which I remember growing up. Can you imagine all of these great retro-things only fully modern. The kitchen has everything you would need to make a nice dinner or throw a cocktail party. There is a washer dryer, a back porch, and a nice sitting area in the front as well as on the balcony. They have not missed anything in this modern day hotel.

There are so many throw back elements to this great Lodge. I stayed in one of the larger Villa’s, with its own entrance and security code to get in. So there is no front desk check in, they simply supply you with the gate and door codes and your good to go.

The mini deer antler plaque when you first walk into to the villa, the avocado and sunflower interior colors are reminiscent of the late 60’s early 70’s. Also, there were a lot of owl themed accessories scattered around the place. Wood den chairs and a newly upholstered modern sofa, accented the living room where even the burl redwood coffee table brought back lots of childhood memories. But everything is done with taste and is nicely appointed.

This is really a little compound; there are quite a few buildings, which make up this enjoyable property. There is a small courtyard in the middle of complex, complete with a Tee Pee tucked away in the corner.

At night you can see the twinkling Los Angeles stars, as well as the Franklin Hills lights, and it gets surprisingly quiet in this active community. You kind of feel like you could be somewhere in the Bay Area, or even Pasadena, but nowhere in Los Angeles is quite like this.

Owner Jacob Jurado and his siblings, Candace and Joseph were born and raised in Lomita in the South Bay Area, they are all equal partners in this endeavor and some of them live on the property.

I was just thrilled with my over all experience, not only did I get some much needed relaxation, but was also feeling like a hipster in this exciting neighborhood. I would highly recommend The Los Feliz lodge and would stay there again.

Los Feliz Lodge
1501 N. Hoover St. (Corner Hoover and Sunset Drive.)
Los Angeles, CA. 90027
323-552-3139
www.losfelizlodge.com

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9021Pho – Lunch April 26, 2014

Wow, wow, wow, Kimmy Tang has managed to make Pho not only a great eating experience, but she’s added so many delicious nuances you would not consider this place your average Pho restaurant. Next time you’re in the mood think outside the box, because 9021Pho has done that and more.

The interior with its bright, effervescent and sunny spaces match perfectly with the all of its colorful food. So sit back and enjoy the ride, you’re in for a real treat!!!

Here’s what I could never live without, (pretty much everything I tried):

Salads:

Seared Steak Salad- Sliced Filet Mignon, baby greens, cucumbers, mint, tomatoes, onions, basil, and ponzu dressing. For the low carb folks this one will still get you full, and give you lots of protein with great Asian flavors.

Traditional Vietnamese Bun Salad:

Combination – 9021Pho Crunchy rolls (2pc), Charbroiled marinated pork, mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, mint, bean, sprouts, peanuts, shallots, Vietnamese and vinaigrette. The noodles are so firm; I have never tasted noodles at a Pho restaurant this good.

Appetizers:

Fresh Rolls – Rice Wrap, Jicama, Cucumbers, Shredded Carrots, mint, green Lettuce, and Shrimp. The dipping sauces are so amazing, and the roll are very fresh.

9021Pho crunchy rolls- Rice paper, real crabmeat, shrimp, chicken, taro, shallots tree ear mushrooms. I have never had a roll like this anywhere, what an accomplishment.

Honey Walnut Prawns- Prawns, Sweet Mayonnaise Sauce, and crispy honey roasted walnuts. By far my favorite appetizer, so crispy, and fresh, with a dollop of this nice sauce on top.

Lunch Specials:

Rodeo Drive – Panko – Fried filet of White Fish, Chef Kimmy’s Original French Spicy Aioli. This lovely dish comes in a bento box and has a lot of fun extras, all very delicious.

House Specialties:

Star anise salmon – Pan – seared Salmon, Star Anise Lemongrass, honey, and lime juice. Served with steamed vegetables. The presentation alone with get you salivating.

Pho:

Pho CA (Sole)- Filet of Sole, Onions and Cilantro, in Savory vegetable broth. What a wonderful rendition of the Vietnamese staple. The fish is fresh and flavorful, and the noodles stand up to the hot broth and are slightly Al dente.

Pho Chicken Curry- Chicken Breast, Onions, Cilantro, yams, in Savory chicken curry broth. To do a Pho soup with curry is amazing in itself, and so many glorious flavors.

Noodles & Rice:

Rainbow Fried Rice- Tomatoes, peas, celery, mushrooms, onions, eggs and baby corn. This rice has a really terrific flavor; I would order this one every time.

Entrees:

Curry Chicken – Snow Peas, onions, sweet yams, mushrooms, baby corn, and tofu served with Vietnamese curry. The chicken is tender and melts in your mouth, while the curry is very subtle but packs a punch, one of the best curries I’ve ever had.

From The Grill:

Grilled Chicken, chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, shallots, peanuts and scallions. This is served over rice with lovely fresh veggies, a great combination.

Desserts:

Exotic Bomba – White chocolate-coated mango, passion fruit and raspberry sorbet drizzled with chocolate. It is a hard outside chocolate shell with lovely fragrant sorbet on the inside. The gorgeous array of drizzled sauces make this very colorful.

Crème Brulee – A French staple. Creamy custard topped with caramelized sugar. Once again Chef Kimmy Tang has out done her self with this illustrious dessert.

Drinks:

Beer:

Vietnam 33 – Distinct, smoky smell with a fruity, caramel- like flavor that is slightly bitter and finishes with a short, thin taste.

Japan Asahi- Known for being refreshing and cool on the palate it is fast becoming one of the most popular beers in the world.

Sapporo – Traditional brewing with a careful selection of hops produces a light taste and fantastically smooth beer.

I am not really the expert on beer, but I did try all of them, for me with this kind of food it really works. Every beer is very drinkable. Some stronger then others, but each one a special thirst quencher in its own way. It also calms down the heat in all the spicy combinations

White Wines:

Sauvignon Blanc – Geyser peak, Sonoma, California. Fruit forward, but it has some hints of grapefruit, it was a delight with the fresh roils. You can also count on this wine choice to add something special to any of the curry dishes.

Chardonnay, Snap Dragon, California, I have never heard or tried this wine, so I was very surprised. It has a great fruit quality, no overblown oak; it’s just the perfect match with all of these fish inspired Vietnamese dishes.

Beringer, Napa valley, California. Another fine Chardonnay, standing up to the crispy fish in the lunch special.

Pinot Noir A by Acacia, Napa valley, California. I would try this wine with the bbq pork in the combination; it has the right amount of berry goodness to round out the smoky bbq seasonings.

Zinfandel, Ravenswood, lodie, California. A great pair with the steak salad, with its cherry, vanilla flavors.

Kimmy Tang was born in Saigon, her culinary career started in her family’s kitchen. She moved to California and opened her first restaurant, Michelia Asian Bistro in Los Angeles, where she combined French techniques with dishes inspired by her background in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking.
After selling that restaurant and embarking on a world culinary tour that included Spain, Germany and a trip back to Vietnam, Tang opened the first 9021Pho in Beverly Hills in 2009. She hasn’t slowed down since. There are currently four 9021Pho locations in Southern California, with 3 more opening soon in Koreatown, Westwood and Thousand Oaks.

What sets this Pho restaurant apart from other, is their incredible variety, not like other Pho joints this one has so many choices you are able to try all kinds of Vietnamese inspired foods.

Chef Kimmy Tang has been called by the LA Times “Chef of the moment.” There have been some other long standing eating establishments in this Beverly Hills location, Jacopo’s being one of them, but I believe that 9021Pho with be at this location for a very long time and that Chef Kimmy Tang will turn her moments into a culinary empire.

9021PHO
490 N. Beverly Drive,
Beverly Hills, (310) 275-5277
9021pho.com.

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This is a cooking segment I did a while back at Epicurean’s kitchen facility. Enjoy and there are more to come!

April 22, 2014 – Dinner at Tipple & Brine

The urban sprawl of downtown Los Angeles is a location every restaurateur would aspire to be. Well, Tipple & Brine has captured that vibe and more. The more is that they are in Sherman Oaks! With it’s wonderful food, it manages to get the word out there that you really don’t have travel to the Westside, Santa Monica or downtown to find a pearl of a restaurant, its right here on Ventura Blvd.

Inspired cuisine, gracious hospitality and inviting atmosphere is what Tipple & Brine is all about. Owner Richard DiSisto has brought to life his perfect ideas of what all should go into this new venture, and he’s got is all right! The Blvd. has never seen the likes of this; industrial interiors, with ingenious design details, all hand made by Richard. So much thought and detail went into Tipple & Brine, honestly it deserves an interior design award on its own.

The garage style electronic lift contraption used to raise the front windows is a wonder in itself. Most of the upholstery is French grain sacks and Italian military blankets. There is even a manhole cover from Mexico which somehow fits in perfectly with the decor. You got to love the very old 50’s television in the front lounge area along with the exposed ventilation air ducts in the ceiling. The wood used everywhere is 200 years old. Richard says, “Everything here is born out of the dirt.” The chicken feeder light fixtures and chandeliers, as well as the movie hanging table lights made from movie theater speakers are all the brainchild of owner Richards’s marvelous imagination.

Richards’s history dates back to the 80’s when his Italian family owned a business in New Rochelle and was on the forefront of the new wave music scene. His grandfather started this business and came to New York by way of Ellis Island. Richard started working in the business when he was 14, and is now a very young and handsome 50. The music being played was reminiscent of the 80’s.

A lot of the staff came out of the downtown phenomenon called “ The Parish”, including Executive Chef Mike Williams; under his direction the kitchen is run like a finely tuned piano. Manager Emily also came from The Parish, she says about the staff, “This is a ship that was already sailing. Everyone works so well together and gets along great!” You can tell from all of the staff that hospitality is not a lost art, and every customer is made to feel very special.

I digress, lets talk about the main attraction, the food. I was completely blind-sided. When I came to the grand opening they were serving some of there menu items, but when its tray passed in little portions its very hard to discern flavors and textures. This time, with some of the newer menu items in full portions, it’s a real treat for every sense.

Here’s what I tried:
You can’t leave out the Tipple, the cocktails and wines I tried:

Faster Young Fruit with potato vodka, Blanc vermouth, lemon soda, grapefruit twist. This is a very refreshing cocktail, full of vim and vigor.

Mexican Firing Squad with Reposado Tequila, Lime, House-made Grenadine, Bitters. Very reminiscent of a margarita, but with a little more of a kick, hence why they call it Mexican Firing Squad.

Pinot Noir, Municipal Winemaking Santa Barbara, this is a sure bet with the asparagus salad, it hit all of the right notes.

Nebbiolo, Travaglini “Costa della Sesia” Piedmont. This wine was area hit with Lamb shank and the Skirt steak; it had nice cherry overtones that added to the overall meaty goodness of both dishes.

At this tasting I wrote about almost everything, because it was that good!

Fresh Oysters on the half shell, Hood Canal, WA, Marin Gems, CA, Eastern, NJ, each oyster is as fresh as it gets, some are large some are small, but all are incredible, all served with a ginger mignonette.

Asparagus, sherry-maple Vin, crispy egg, manchego. You open the egg and let the yoke drip all over the asparagus, in all its glory. This is a very sexy dish, and it melts in your mouth.

Scallops with parsnip, crispy pancetta, horseradish, oyster mushrooms and arugula. The best part of this dish is the little swirls of pancetta; the whole mix of ingredients is so brilliant, and with the scallops, I died and went to heaven.

Crispy Oysters with creamed nettles and smoked onion jam. This dish really ignited an otherworldly experience for me. The crispy fresh oyster, with the creamed soft nettles. Then you have the smoked onion jam on the top, all I can say is this dish is a knockout.

Lamb Shank with creamy grits and fava bean gremolata. The lamb is rich and buttery, pretty much falls apart when you dive into it. The sauce is dark with such a lovely lamb jus, truly a winner.

Flat Iron Steak with fried artichokes, celery root mash, salsa Verde and horseradish. The steak is cooked so that you can taste the delicious meat; with the sauce it adds a tangy flavor that is both full of vinegar as well as spicey horseradish, quite the combo.

Dessert:

The one to rave about is the 4-layer carrot cake with bourbon butterscotch sauce oozing out of it and the very lovely candied pecans, this is by far the very best of the best carrot cakes I have ever tasted.
Their oyster bar is all gussied up, and ready for your mouth to do a big dance. The brine part of this experience is fantastic. I think the signage that adorns the back wall sums it up with “It was a brave man who first ate an oyster”!

The thing to really talk about here at Tibble and Brine is their outstanding food. I can’t recall a tasting that has lingered so long on my taste buds; I keep comparing my newest tastings to this one, it is my new standard. I will have to come back and try everything else on their astounding menu, I am sure I will be completely blown away again, just like my readers will. So, go for dinner, have a cocktail and try an appetizer, from the first bite you will be hooked, just like me!

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Tipple & Brine
14633 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
tippleandbrine.com

Wine Train cooking with Chef Kelly McDonald!