Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

After having a delicious dinner at Wood & Vine, Chef Marc Johnson invited me back to try brunch. Well I was not disappointed, lots of great menu items. There are so many choices and not enough time, or room in my stomach. On this occasion I sat upstairs. It was one of those very tropical humid summer Los Angeles days, where you just can’t get cool. Even the refreshing cocktails could not cool my jets but the meal was outstanding!

Here’s what I had:

Cocktails:

Accomplice, organic vodka, lemon, strawberry, and champagne. This is the perfect brunch cocktail.

French 77, Aviation gin, St. Germaine, lemon, champagne, twist. If you’re a gin drinker you will be primed for this one.

House Bloody Mary, barkeeper’s mix, vodka, pickled veggies, spiced salt. I am a true aficionado of a good bloody Mary, and this one is fit for a queen.

Rise and Shine Blanco tequila, giffard vanilla, anchor eyes, agave nectar, intelligentsia coffee, cream. A fine take on a Mexican coffee, served hot, and will give you a great big wake up call.

Snacks:

Truffle Chips. These are potato chip with great truffle essence, very addicting.

Chef’s 3-Choice Cheese Bread. There were 3 lovely cheeses; blue cheese, carmody, and chevre Bermuda triangle, all with great strong flavors. The bread was a very nice baguette, simply toasted, and served with honey.

Shared Plates:

Yogurt Parfait, house-made granola, seasonal berries, lemon. I loved this soothing breakfast item, with the hand made granola and crunchy nutty bites, its really terrific.

Belgian Waffle, strawberry, syrup, vanilla cream. The waffle is huge and the vanilla cream is just so decadent.

Breakfast Wrap, egg, beacon, cheddar, potato, and salsa. Very hearty, you could share this with a friend, and it’s very satisfying.

Gazpacho, corn, avocado, sunflower seeds, and cilantro. A very nice light rendition of this favorite item, and it’s also got to be low in calories.

W&V Burger, pickles, lettuce, cheddar, aioli. They serve this burger for dinner as well, it is plump, the meat is medium rare and its delicious.

Tri Tip Sandwich, shishito pepper, horseradish, Swiss, and jus. A very different take on this popular sandwich, have an open mind and you too will enjoy this nice experience.

My brunch experience was really wonderful; it’s not that often that you can find really terrific food in Hollywood. The menu items were well rounded, and each has a unique flavor with lots of attention to details. I would highly once again recommend this fun hot brunch spot. Brunch is kind of a lost art in Los Angeles, unlike San Francisco, Santa Barbara and San Diego. Here you really have to be inventive in selecting a good place for Brunch in the Land of the Angels. People are just not that into it here. But now with Wood & Vine there are no excuses. Call your friends and relax in the glory of Sunday fun day at Wood & Vine, it will put a smile on your face for the rest of the day.

[Show as slideshow]

Wood and Vine
6280 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hollywood
(323) 334-3360
www.woodandvine.com

I worked in The Taft Building for over 10 years off and on. When they were building The W and the surrounding structures I watched the beautiful view disappear from my 11th floor office. I worked for a PR Firm and loved both my job, and this very historic building. One of our clients was Aaliyah, at the time of her death we had not been doing her publicity for about a month, but some how I spoke with her manager Gina about business the day before she perished in the same plane with Aaliyah. It was August 25, 2001, when Aaliyah and eight others were killed in a plane crash in The Bahamas after filming the music video for the single “Rock the Boat”. It was a horrible time, we even got calls to comment on her death from Miami newspapers. What are the chances, the evening of my tasting my server ‘s name is Alia, but pronounced the same. It was more then a coincidence it was a message, a reminder of the past, and how you can’t get stuck there. Wood and Vine offers a fresh new experience for this area and the Taft Building. Finally a hip spot to imbibe, with great cocktails and fantastic food. Kind of a New York experience in the heart of Hollywood, with a server who reminded me of how important life is and not to waste time on the small stuff. If only Wood and Vine would have existed during my 10 year at The famous Taft building.

Chef Marc Johnson’s philosophy is to keep it simple and serve really good food that puts a smile on his customer’s faces. Mixologist Justin Stidman made amazingly exotic cocktails, each one with a different twist. You know what they say, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, not true! Justin taught me a new word, “Butter Bomb”, referring to what I like in a good Chardonnay. The theme here is Gastropub meets wine bar, with a very young fashionable hipster crowd.

Here’s What I tried:

Magnolia – Rain vodka, cucumber, lime, and ginger honey. Nice and sweet but with a great refreshing cucumber flavor.

Thai Town – Aviation gin, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, vanilla, honey, mint leaf. It really makes you feel like your drinking a Thai meal, with their nice herb nuances, in an old fashioned gimlet glass.

Summer Libations:

Separator – Tapatio blanco tequila, Giffard Vanille, Ancho Reyes, watermelon, fresh lime, agave. It’s got s margarita vibe but with more lively ingredients. It is like a slushy but with a kick.

Street Spirit – Buffalo Trace bourbon, fresh lemon juice, strawberry balsamic shrub, sherry, ginger beer, lemon peel. This one is for the bourbon drinker, with a hint of sweet fruit.

Snacks:

French Fries: Truffle, with just the right amount of truffle flavor this dish will knock you out!

Shared Plates:

Watermelon Salad: beets, pistachio, balsamic, Humboldt fog. The very sweet watermelon compliments the sharp cheese, and the sweet balsamic with the crunchy nuts; really makes this an outstanding dish.

Burrata & Peaches: prosciutto crisp, basil. This is quite a different take on a popular dish. The peaches were not that sweet so it was a great balance.

Basil Capellini: charred cherry tomatoes prosciutto, preserved lemon, yolk, green pasta, small tomatoes, charred, spicy. They make their own pasta, and the lemon really adds a wonderful fresh twist, but with a lot of heat.

Scallops: nectarines, leeks, corn emulsion, popcorn shoots, tarragon. This scallop dish was so pretty, the popcorn shoots added a very artsy presentation, and the hint of corn flavor was truly wonderful as well.

Pork Chop: stone fruit, spaeztel. The pork chop is cooked to perfection and the sweet stone fruit adds to this well designed dish.

Desserts:

Butterscotch Pot De Créme, nice and salty, went great with Pinot Noir, I loved this dessert.

Chocolate Mousse: banana cream, almonds. The almonds are crisp and perfect; cream in the middle is so luscious.

Red Wines:

Bokisch, Tempranillo; 2008, Jahant, Lodi, CA. This wine has a beautiful color, and is up there with the best Tempranillo’s. It was great with the pork chop.

Owen Roe, “Sharecroppers” Cabernet; 2011, Columbia Valley, WA. There were so many lovely red wines and all paired great with the pork chop.

Cole Bailey, Sesquipedalion Cabernet; 2006, Santa Rosa, CA. Hands down got to go with the pork chop again, it had a hint of tobacco and fresh maple in it’s bouquet.

Möbius, Zinfandel; 2010, Alexander Valley, CA. You could do this dish with the capellini or the or the pork chop, either way it will work brilliantly. Also I can’t forget to mention this wine with the desserts, the chocolate and the caramel in each one enhances this exciting Zinfandel.

White Wines:

Margerum “Klicktitat” Pinot Gris; 2011, Klicitat Valley, WA. I would go with the peach and burrata with this wine, its crisp and lends itself to the sweet and pungent flavors.

Quivira, Sauvignon Blanc; 2012, Dry Creek Valley, CA. This is a fruity, peachy wine; I would pair this with both the burrata peaches, and the watermelon salad.

La Follette, Chardonnay; 2011 North Coast, CA. You can enjoy this buttery wine with either the scallops or the capelinni.

Cordon, Chardonnay; 2012 Santa Barbara, CA. This wine is great with the salads and the scallops, with it’s hint of butterscotch and lemon rind.

A quick note about their wine list: I have never tasted many of these labels. It’s astonishing that in all of my food and wine travels that I have never tasted any of these wines on this list, wow!

The back patio is very industrial, but intimate. It had a lot of young spirited people, some having birthdays, some for a night out on the town. All with the same thing in mind, having a fun classy slice of life in Hollywood. There is nice instrumental jazz as a cool backdrop and they have movies every Wednesday night in the outside patio on the wall. Tuesdays are comedy night, and on Thursday they have live music. They serve brunch from 11-2 on Sundays.

I am now a huge fan and will make it a habit every time I come to Hollywood to stop in for some libation, a snack, or dinner. I can’t wait until this opportunity presents itself again soon.

[Show as slideshow]

Wood and Vine

6280 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90028

Hollywood

(323) 334-3360

www.woodandvine.com

There are so many restaurant choices in Los Angeles, and carnivore or not, this place is special. No meat yet you would never know it. You are so satisfied by all the vegan bounty, that you will leave full and never want for anything else. The concept is 98 percent organic, with no meat or dairy, food eaten this way is in its freshest and most natural state. The funny thing is, most of the customers were dragged here kicking and screaming by their vegan friend for their first visit, but leave very happy.

Owner Ron knows his way around the vegetarian world having been one for 27 years. To him life without meat should be flavorful, and filling. There are no trappings here of a strict vegan experience. Instead you get the same vibe of a bar and grill, without out all of the unhealthy choices. You can eat to your hearts content and never feel one ounce of guilt.

The previous Italian restaurant Zachs Café was not doing well; Ron contacted them every 6 months and told the owner he would be interested in taking this location over when he was ready. In Dec. 2013 he got the ok on the new location. He has recently been offered some franchises but is not quite ready to make any more moves. Ron says their busiest day of the year is Jan 2, when everyone is making News Years Resolutions.

My server Nevin Kumar was very knowledgeable. He was able to describe all of the dishes with their ingredients to a T from memory and answer all questions, very impressive. Nevin also created the very best wine list, of which I tried many and loved each one.

Here’s everything I tried:

Blended to Order:

Cacao Superfood Shake – raw cacao, goji, cashew, agave, raw. So much sweet goodness in one glass, it makes you proud to be healthy.

Orange Creamsicle Shake – fresh orange, pineapple, agave, raw. Really just like a creamsicle, delicious.

Starters:

Soups – Tomato, so much raw flavor packed into one bowl, and I must say that I love tomatoes, so this made me very happy.

Lettuce Leaf Tacos – SunChorizo, cashew cheese, pico de gallo, avocado & basil ranch, raw. You are getting a huge burst of flavors in your mouth, makes you forget that this is healthy and good for you.

Sun Nachos – SunChorizo, nacho cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, jalapeno, green onion, cashew sour cream with choice of raw thin-sliced jicama “chips” or baked blue corn chips, available raw. Nice and spicy, lots of different elements to this very powerful dish.

Pizza:

Farmer’s Market – fresh figs, white sauce, tempeh bacon, arugula, Meyer lemon vin, balsamic reduction. This pizza is savory and sweet; you would never miss a meat pizza eating this luscious gem.

SunCafe Favorites:

Sun Pad Thai – golden beet noodles, sunflower sprouts, basil, cilantro, tossed with a zesty tahini sauce topped with crushed pistachios, raw (add garlic cilantro agave tofu). I am not a big fan of beets, this dish you can’t really call out the beet flavor. It’s just that good.

Dinner:

Mushroom & Spinach Quinoa Risotto – crimini mushroom, shallot, garlic, baby spinach, this is such a creamy flavorful dish, you. The house made balsamic vinegar was the icing on the cake…wow what a perfect dish. This dish is very rich and creamy, but without using any cream. Oh the wonders of the Sun Café, another huge hit.

Roasted Vegetable Curry – potato, carrot, bell pepper, spinach, onion, tomato, mild yellow curry, with fluffy quinoa. It has a warming color like the sun, and with just the right amount of curry it is sure to be a customer favorite.

Wines:

All of the wines are very well chosen, their wine list does not disappoint. I was very happy with these amazing wines, each one with their own special characteristic, what a great accomplishment.

Reds:

Chacewater Merlot – Sierra Foothills, 2010

Alta Pinot Noir, Napa, 2012

Sanity – Malibu Pinot Noir – 2012

Whites:

Trefethen Chardonnay, Napa, 2012

Arrogant Frog Chardonnay, France, 2012

Girasol Rosa Pinot Gris, Santa Barbara, 2012

Schetter Malibu Vineyard “Malibu Sanity” Pinot Noir Malibu, 2012

Beer:

Not a big fan of beer, but my guest loved all of the flights, each one was greatly chosen and had all of the great nuances of what you would expect from a craft beer experience.

Allagash White – A traditional Belgian wheat beer, spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel.

Smog City Ground Work Coffee Porter – Classic American porter infused with locally roasted coffee.

Groundwork’s Fair Trade Organic – Chocolate covered espresso beans with vanilla notes.

Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge – flanders red ale / flemish sour, 5.5% ABV. The beer Cuvée des Jacobins is unblended old lambic, aged for at least 18 months in (French) oak barrels from the cognac region. It has a robust character but is beautiful and sophisticated with a full body and overtones of vanilla, dried cherry, stone fruit and cocoa. It is a complex, beautiful sour beer.

St. Bernardus ABT – The flagship beer for one of the world’s greatest breweries. It’s dark with a full ivory head and aromas of raisin, dark cherry, apple, molasses and sweet caramel.

Uinta Baba Black Organic Lager – Schwarzbier is simply German for black beer. Robust and smooth; this full flavored lager is exceptionally drinkable and pitch black in color.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen – This golden wheat beer, with its fine poured white foam, smells of cloves and impresses consumers with its refreshing banana flavor. This is the oldest brewery in the world, over a thousand years old. This beer is rated one of the, if not THE, hefeweizen.

Zurra Blanca Sangria – Coriander, pinot grigio, peach, orange, lemon, cinnamon.

Oscar Blues Old Chubs Scotch Ale “Nitro Can” – Brewed with bodacious amounts of malted barley and specialty grains, and a dash of beechwood-smoked malt. Old Chub features semi-sweet flavors of cocoa and coffee, and a wee-bit of smoke.

The interior is modern but casual, very homey. There is a 7 seat cozy bar area, only serving beer and wine. There are nice hard wood distressed floors, with octagon tiles, nice high banquets and a common table. The music is a great array, from 50’s malt shop to 60’s and 70’s. The patio is just the perfect place to dine. Even though the valley is pretty hot in the summer, this locale is very close to the hills and stays cooler then the rest of the Valley. There was a nice cool breeze that came blowing through at 9pm.

This new location only opened 1 week before my tasting, their other restaurant on Cahuenga was much smaller and was open for many years. Their customers come from all over the place, there is a couple that frequents SunCafé from Newport Beach. The celebrity factor is off the hook, many celebrities come to SunCafé. Some of them vegan some of them not; Ann Hathaway, Mila Kunis, Olivia Wild, George Clooney, Megan Fox, Amy Adams, and Anthony Hopkins all have tried this amazing food.

So if your lifestyle is all about health, well-being, vegan, raw, non-gluten food then the SunCafé has a little bit of everything for you. The best part of this establishment is that all that you taste is enormously flavorful, and you would never miss not eating meat. They really do cover all of the bases.

[Show as slideshow]

SunCafé
(818) 308-7420
10820 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
www.suncafe.com

The weather may have been wet, sticky but the music was definitely bright and lively. There was a crowd of 80,000 who enjoyed the musical styling’s of Elton John, Janelle Monae, Kanye West, Jack White, Ice Cube, Wiz Khalifa and Skrillex to name a few.  The stand out performances of the festival were Elton John who performed a myriad of his hit songs and Ben Folds Five even joined him on stage for a nice surprise.  Jack White played to the crowd gave the people what they wanted and that was a one-hour encore.  Jack White sang every one of his hit songs including material from the White Stripes.  Jack started off with material from his new album.  The crowd really enjoyed his musical genius and all 80,000 people sang along to every song.  Kanye West came out to his breakout hit “Black Skin Head” and had all 80,000 people excited.  Kanye wore a bedazzled jeweled mask for most of his performance.  Kanye stopped many times during his set to talk to the crowd and Kanye got a few boo’s from the audience.  Kanye continued to run through his hits and for all the negative energy he got from the crowd he got even more positive energy.  He was definitely a person that everyone loves to hate.  The crowd of 80,000 people sang every word to every Kanye song.  To catch Ice Cube’s performance you had to run from Kanye West’s performance to the stage called “That Stage”.  Ice Cube had the crowd rocking, he has been in the rap game for twenty years but he was a gangster rapper that night.  Ice Cube had his partner in crime DUB C with him and they went through all of his hits.  Ice Cube had a really touching peace that paid respect to deceased Nate Dogg.  Ice Cube closed off his set with his classic song “Today Was A Good Day”.  Janelle Monae really knows how to electrify the crowd; she came to the stage in grand fashion being wheeled out in a stray jacket by an orderly.  Janelle Monae started the one-hour set with “Suite IV Electric Overture and that had the crowd going insane. Her band all had on the same colors black and white.  Janelle came out in a white and black outfit with black racecar driver gloves on.  She was in rare form; the entire crowd of about 40,000 people were rocking with her from beginning to end.  Janelle sung titles from her entire collection of music from “Sincerely Jane”, “Primetime”, “Queen” and she finished her one hour set with “Come Alive” (The War Of Roses).  Janelle Monae is truly an “Electric Lady”, she had the place on fire with all of her energy and excitement.    Incredibly she moonwalked across the entire stage and the audience went wild. The band was incredible and her guitar player Kellindo Parker had a small but awesome solo. Janelle definitely left the crowd wanting more.

[Show as slideshow]

*Written By Guest Columnist

Alex Boyd

Tucked away in South Pasadena is a gem of a restaurant, so hidden and quaint. The only way to find it is to drive by, or word of mouth, but anyway you can happen on this ideal place, please stop and try it out.

The interior is woodsy and dark, but there are many patios if you want an outside feel in the day or night. In the evening the patios have heat lamps, each one has such a homey cozy feel, you will be happy you choose this casual outdoor seating. One of the patios has a rock fireplace. There is also elegant wisteria in bloom in the patios during certain times of year. They play great classic rock, and old school, which really sets the tone.

Their small staff feels like family, working in a house type environment helps. Grace, our lovely server was so sweet and upbeat. I was trying to figure out who she reminded me of and asked her what celebrities others have said she looked like. Days after my tasting I figured it out, her intonations were a dead ringer for Lisa Ling; she did a great job of pronouncing the entire menu in a very intelligent manner. Grace grew up on the East coast; her sister went to Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School and got her interested in food.

Assistant manager Robert Arevalo was so nice. Grace said to me a few times that he was the first person she met when she got hired, and she loved him. He has worked at The Raymond off and on for 17 years. Owners Rob and Leslie Libby bought the restaurant 10 years ago from Michael Burlingham. Having fantastic Chef Tim Guiltiner really sealed the deal. Chef Guiltners mentor was his Grandfather Donald, who taught him how to make the best chili with a six-pack of bear. The icing on the very sweet cake was watching bartender Pete hand chip ice cubs from a huge block of ice with his very own special knife.

Here’s what I tried:

Cocktails:

Pimms #6: Russian Standard Vodka Pimms, Mint, Cucumber, Citrus, Carbonates Lemonade. This is an effervescent blend of drinkable mixology. Very thirst quenching and nicely combined, I would say try this one as a starter.

Medicina: Tequila, Ginger-Honey Syrup, Lime, and Mezcal Mist. On the same line as a margarita, but with a little more action, the Mezcal will blow your hair back.

Wines By The Glass:

Sauvignon Blanc: Atalon, Napa, CA. This wine went great with the scallops and the shrimp dishes, it is fruity, but fresh and crisp, the perfect combination.

Chardonnay, Ramey, Sonoma Coast, CA. I loved this wine with Alaskan king crab salad; it had just the right amount of oak and butter to stand up to the sweet crab.

Pinot Noir: À Côté, Central Coast, CA. Perfect with the mussels and the chorizo. I also liked this with the Louisiana bourbon butter cake; it had all the proper characteristics to not overpower the bourbon.

Cabernet: Crossbarn, Paul Hobbs, Napa, CA. This is a bold, wine with tobacco leather flavors; it was a winner with the pork belly or the rib eye.

Blend: Divergence, Paso Robles, CA. This wine had lots of full-bodied berry flavors, and nicely balanced. I would have to say hands down try this with the rib eye, you will very happy.

Menu Items:

Hand Cut Smoked Onion Rings, malt vinegar aioli. They marinate the onions before they cook them so your getting double the flavor, part of the marinade is liquid smoke. I would consider myself an onion ring aficionado, these were the bomb.

Alaskan King Crab Salads, with dill cucumber and tomato. This salad is very petite but it packs a delicious punch. The crab is so fresh, with large leg pieces that just make this dish a great palate enhancer.

Salmon Creek Pork Belly Confit, house kimchi and grilled peaches. I am not the biggest fan of pork belly and there are so many restaurants that are doing this dish. This one is served with the just the right amount of sweet accompaniments which off set the smoky pork flavor.

Gambas y Papas Bravas, wild shrimp, fried potato, spicy tomato sauce, garlic aioli. The color of this dish is so vibrant; it’s tapas but is still very filling. The combined ingredients are just spectacular. Grace said this was popular item, and I can understand why.

Steamed Blue Mussels, angry lady sauce, Chinese sausage, Thai chili. They serve this with a great tasty crusty piece of large sourdough. You can dip to your hearts content. The mussels are small, but packed a lot of flavor, and very fresh.

Hand Harvested Scallops, lobster corn bisque, succotash. I am the ultimate scallop connoisseur, as we know. I pretty much always order scallops at these tastings, and love to see each time what an establishment comes up with. These scallops did not disappoint. Theses were large hearty plump darlings, with the best condiments possible.

Dry Aged Prime Bone-in Rib Eye – for two, elephant garlic, family style vegetables, What can I say, this mammoth piece of meat in all its glory, with the elephant garlic, it’s just utter bliss. You pop the garlic out of its skin, which happens very easy after its baked, and then spread it on each and every prime rib bite, it really will make your taste buds sing. The asparagus is also done to perfection, every inch of the plate are gorgeous and amazing, wow!

Hand Crafted Desserts:

Louisiana Bourbon Butter Cake: Dark Chocolate Ganache Sorbet, Candied Pecans, and Bourbon Caramel. Bread Pudding, like no other bread pudding I have ever tasted. The candied pecans made such a huge statement, covered in powdered sugar. The best part of this dessert is refrigerated and letting all the syrups caramelize, it pretty much turned into candy the next day.

Classic Crème Brulee: Vanilla, Burnt Sugar and Berries. Crème Brulee, very light and airy, but with all of it’s rich vanilla wonderment, a fantastic end to a very delightful evening.

This restaurant is steeped in rich history, located in South Pasadena was the first major resort hotel of the San Gabriel Valley served as a winter residence for wealthy easterners. Mr. Walter Raymond of Raymond & Whitcomb Travel Agency of Boston built it, Mass. The hotel was built atop Bacon Hill which lies between Pasadena and South Pasadena and was renamed Raymond Hill with the opening of the hotel in 1886. The first and original hotel the original hotel, burned to the ground in 1895. A second building was erected in 1901 and equally replaced the older in grandeur. The hotel was foreclosed following the Great Depression and was razed for commercial development. The Raymond Restaurant is housed in what was a guesthouse bungalow, in all of its original craftsman architecture.

It’s a destination spot for anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, and special occasions. There is a couple that comes every Saturday night, for their date night.

Go and experience the splendor of The Raymond 1886 Bar, it’s a great find in the Los Angeles area.

The Raymond 1886 Bar

1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue

Pasadena. CA 91105

http://ncubator.com/supercms/_properties/the_raymond_1886/map.php

[Show as slideshow]

My brother Lee used to live 3 blocks away, so I am very familiar with this up and coming area. Technically it’s Culver City but it’s blocks away from the entire new sheik dining establishments. This area is basically a residential neighborhood. Waterloo and City did a review on this on November 3, 2013 and is down the street, so any new food businesses are very welcomed.

This used to be a TV repair shop, but these days no one repairs their TV’s anymore, they just toss them curbside and buy a new flat screen. It is the perfect space, with great light, and the perfect display case to show off its amazing collection of rare cheeses. What a truly great array of cheese and cured meats. Each cheese had its spectacular nuances. Wheelhouse has some cheeses that you can’t find anywhere else in Southern California. They are focusing on working with the most exclusive cheese makers. They had some very good samples, and everything is very clearly marked so you’re able to taste exactly what you want and know what it is.

There are lots of fromage afficianodos, and I’m sure once they discover this new store they will be happy cheese consumers. After all there are a lot of folks who are making a cheese course part of their daily meal, and drinking good wine will make you a believer in cheese as well.

Wheelhouse’s cheese selection is very ambitious, more than 100 selections representing at least a dozen countries, plus 15 to 20 fine cured meats and charcuterie items, and more than 100 gourmet accompaniments ranging from jams and spreads to crackers and pickles. Wheel House is currently applying for a liquor license, so you will be able to choose your exotics wines and craft beers all under one roof.

Owner Alex Josef grew up in Los Angeles. He has promoted major video games as a PR and marketing executive. He also owns Dogromat, the oldest grooming and self-wash pet establishment in Venice. But Josef’s real passion is food. “I’ve always been into food my whole life. I’ve been into eating, cooking, and restaurants,” he says. “As soon as I could afford to go out to good restaurants, that’s where all my money went.” Well I’m here to say that his cheese empire will be growing into his main stay business. Wheelhouses official opening was June 6, 2014. It’s a concept that is long overdue for this little sleepy neighborhood.

Wheel House Cheese Shop

12954 West Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90066

T: 424.289.9167

http://wheelhousecheese.com

[Show as slideshow]

Don’t mess with a good thing, my sentiments exactly about The Federal. My first review was on Feb. 1, 2013, and at that time there were no real kinks to work out, the atmosphere was great and the food even better. My tasting consisted of many menu items and everything was stellar.

The Federal was one of the first gastropubs in in the heart of the fantastic Arts Noho District, The Federal promised to be a lighthearted excursion into a little Los Angeles unknown hot spot.

We had our own private room upstairs in what’s called The Library Room, followed by dessert and drinks downstairs in the main room with the Randy Emata band entertaining us all.

My dear, hilarious friend Henry Eshelman knows how to throw a party; he arranged my first tasting and my re-visit.

Executive Chef Shad Davis and Chef de Cuisine James Markham showcased both new and familiar creations, all with the utmost attention to detail.

Here’s what I tried:

Fresh baked Pretzel – Served with a beer and Gruyere fondue. The beer is really all the taste in the sauce, which is a good thing, and they make their own pretzels in house. For a pretzel aficionado this would have to be a must once a week.

Disco Poutine – Fries topped with their braised short rib, Gruyere cheese & sunny side egg. Honestly this was not one of my favorites, but it everyone else went crazy so I tasted it. It is interesting, but for me not worth the calories, and there are a lot.

Mini Stuffed Blue Cheese Burgers – Grain mustard, crispy onion, brioche. Just the right amount of burger with this great brioche, a hefty slider with a lot of bang for your buck.

Lamb Chops – Spicy chimichurri on a bed of arugula. Outstanding presentation, with the tenderest lamb chops ever. Even though this is technically an appetizer, I would order this as an entrée on my next visit.

Ahi Tuna Crudo – Cilantro, blackened onion, pickled Serrano, cilantro aioli crostini. They use the best tuna and with it seared edges it makes you realize that tuna need never be cooked all the way through. The accompaniments were also wonderful.

Quinoa Salad – Roasted pear, grilled grape with lemon thyme dressing. So healthy and light, my go to salad whenever I am here.

Brussels Sprout Salad – Spinach, pear, almonds, blue cheese, apple cider dressing. A great way to get your green on, each bite is packed with vitamins and flavor.

Mac N Cheese – Vintage cheddar, chorizo, broccoli. This is one of my all time favorite Mac N Cheese, crispy on the top and nice meaty pieces of chorizo all the way through.

Crispy Gruyere Chicken – Roasted yams, beer kale. An interesting rendition of what could be a boring dish, but the oozing cheese and the beer nuances in the kale make this a memorable menu item.

Fried Pork belly Sliders – Arugula, citrus gaze. It’s kind of like a square baby back pork rib. The fat become very caramelized, and the flavor is a cross between BBQ and Chinese style red pork. Whatever it’s packed with goodness.

Bone-In Short Rib – Corn mashed potato, braising jus. My waitress
forgot this dish as part of my order, but luckily I tried someone else’s. This would have been my favorite, but honestly the small mini bites just left me wanting more.

Michelada Mussels – Cherry tomato, Serrano, house lager, roasted tomatillo salsa. Great little mussles with a little bit of heat and my kind of luscious broth.

Grilled Artichoke – Cilantro aioli, garlic Parmesan sauce. Petite artichokes packed with garlic flavor makes this dish not just any ordinary artichoke appetizers; it’s a real crowd pleaser.

We graduated to the down stairs area for some fabulous desserts; every one of them was unbelievable, wow. So fun fun in the course of 3 hours, for a Tuesday night it was very crowded. For any of my readers that live near by you must make a habit of going to The Federal at least once a week. Get you drink, food and music on, and in a very smart classy way. THANK YOU HENRY!!!

The Federal Bar
5303 Lankershim Blvd,
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 980-2555
www.the federalbar.com

[Show as slideshow]

Dinner at The Federal Bar – Long Beach – June 10, 2014

The Federal is located in downtown Long Beach on Pine Avenue, which is an up and coming neighborhood. The Metro Blue Line stops very close, so you can get off and see what all downtown has to offer. The building itself is an old bank from the 1920’s, you can feels its historic aura. The ceilings are high and the artwork on the roof of the dining area was exquisite. All of the wait staff were dressed like flappers and greeted every person with a big smile on their face. The open dining area gives the customers lots of options with its high top tables, dining tables, and booths.

The Federal’s bar area is presented in a grand manner. Behind the bar there are very high shelves that are full of different varieties of high-end alcohol, a very magnificent backdrop for people to experience fun and frivolity. The bar lends itself to be the perfect place for a happy hour, every day from 4-7pm.

Henry Eshelman arranged this tasting in the perfect order. We started with cocktail hour and it was very relaxing. There was classical music playing in the background, which added to the historical vibe.

Here are the cocktails that I tried:

Amaro Smash, with Absolut vodka, Averna Amero, lemon juice, orange and agave. This drink was extremely refreshing and is the perfect cocktail for summer. The hint of orange gave the cocktail the kick it needed, with its sweet flavor; it nicely balanced out the vodka.

The Fiddler, which is The Federal’s, take on a Moscow mule, with Jameson Irish Whiskey, Frangelico, Bundaberg ginger beer and lemon. This drink was fantastic; it had the sweet taste of ginger blended with the bitter taste of lemon and whiskey. The whiskey was perfectly rationed, the taste was certainly present, but it did not give too much of a bitter bite.

Pass Arounds:

Dirty Chips with smoked kettle chips, pickled onions, pepper bacon, pickled Serrano, blue cheese crumbles, blue cheese cream sauce, avocado crema and scallions. This dish was incredible, had a combination of flavors that were unexpected. The blue cheese was not too heavy or overpowering and the avocado crema had a very subtle hint of flavor, and really brought this dish to life. There were so many toppings that were piled on top of the chips, but they were not soggy and kept their delicious crunch.

Short Rib Poutine, with house fries, short ribs, gravy, mozzarella, and scallions. This is a traditional French Canadian dish, which is something I grew up appreciating. This dish was absolutely delectable and something that I would go back for time and time again. The thick cut French fries were perfectly seasoned, they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The short ribs were seasoned nicely with a slightly tangy sauce; they were smoky but not overpowering. The cheese was piled high and melted all the way through; it gave a great mozzarella flavor without taking away from the ribs. From a Canadians perspective, growing up eating poutine, this West Coast twist on the dish was impressive.

Main Dish:

Roasted Salmon, with wild arugula potato salad, red onion, kalamata olives, roasted tomato vinaigrette, and balsamic drizzle. The salmon laid on top of the arugula salad, which was perfectly roasted to perfection. The salmon was crisp around the edges and soft enough to break with my fork, but very tender inside. The tomatoes that were placed on top of the salmon. The combination of the salad and potatoes was absolutely delectable with the dressing perfectly drizzled through out the salad. The onions and olives were a beautiful touch to this dish and were obviously fresh. This dish was an incredible blend of the salmon flavor, without being too fishy.

Desserts:

Bread pudding, topped with roasted marsh-mellows, fresh strawberries and a hint of whipped cream. This dessert was unlike anything that I had tasted before, bringing the taste of the classic s’more with the sweet taste of bread pudding. The bread pudding itself was not too sweet or heavy, and had a light texture. The marsh-mellow flavor was subtle enough that the chocolate in the dish could be recognized, but it was enough to acknowledge the classic s’more combination.

Elvis Pie, which can only be described as a giant Reese’s peanut butter cup taken to the next level with bananas. The peanut butter flavor was the dominant ingredient in this dish, but the chocolate and banana flavors gave the peanut butter the twist that it needed. The Elvis pie was an instant hit amongst the table.

Red Velvet Cake, topped with a raspberry, a small dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of raspberry and chocolate sauce on the plate. The cake was extremely moist, had the perfect combination of the tart raspberry sauce and the sweet taste of red velvet.

After dinner was complete, we were escorted downstairs to The Federal’s small nightclub and treated to a DJ. It was unlike other restaurants of its kind because upstairs was an amazing and elegant dining area, yet downstairs had the fun and electric nightlife atmosphere. You need to check out their nightly live entertainment, they have a list of events on their website.

The great staff of The Federal was extremely friendly and efficient. All of the staff looked like they were thoroughly enjoying their jobs, making the atmosphere elegant, classy, and very fun. From the moment I walked into the restaurant, I felt as though they were dedicated to making my experience a positive one. One of the guests at our table was a vegetarian, they offered to make her the mac-n-cheese dish with soy, and she loved it.

As a resident of Palos Verdes, I am not too far from downtown Long Beach. Next time I am looking for a place to eat with my friends, I will be heading over to Pine Avenue to enjoy another meal at The Federal.

[Show as slideshow]

Written by Guest Columnist Candice McEachen

The Federal Bar
102 Pine Ave.
Long Beach, CA, US, 90802
(562) 435-2000
www.thefederalbar.com

This was a great idea for commerce on Main Street for those who have never experienced the fun dining and drinking scene in Santa Monica. Whether it was executed in the best light of the ticket buyers is yet to be seen. There were many faux pas I witnessed, but after all this is the first year they did this. With some tweaking and more cooperation on the part of the venues involved, it could be an outstanding event for Santa Monica in the future.

The premise is to visit all of the participants and give them 10 Dollars of Monopoly money and you get a small sample of the restaurants choice. Some of them were stellar; some of them were just ok. My favorites were: Enterprise Fish Company – Ceviche’s, Tsukiji Sushi Sen Sushi – California Roll, Rick’s Bar – Vegetable Sliders, Manchego – Goat Cheese en Pan Tostada, famed M Street Kitchen – Magic Brownies. And Sunny Blue for its Omusubi (also called Onigiri), which are Japanese rice balls with different fillings inside, wrapped with or without nori. Some of the restaurants conveniently ran out of food way to soon, and others said that the event was over 2 hours earlier then what is should have.

These were all the participating restaurants and bars: 3 Twins Ice Cream, Areal, Basement Tavern, Beyond O2, Enterprise Fish Co., Finn McCool’s, Café K, Lula Covina Mexicana, Montego, M Street Kitchen, Panini Garden, Pet’s Coffee & Tea, Pressed Juicer, Revolution, Rick’s Tavern, Stella Barra, Sunny Blue, The Galley, and Tsukiji Sushi Sen.

Other activities included a beer gardens, “Go Directly to Jail” photo booth, and for those who hit all of the locations entered to win a Taste of Main Street prize with gift certificates to participating locations. Funny enough my guest ended up winning the grand prize! She shared some of her winnings with her lucky host, me!!! (I have a friend who will go unnamed, but knows who he is, who got passage to an event from me and won a prize he did not share with me. Instead he chose to taunt me about it for a year about giving it to me as an Xmas present and again as a Birthday present which never came. Talk about disrespectful!!! Of course I dropped this friend like a hot potato!! Shame on him.)

This was a great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon at the beach. Hopefully next year they will iron out their kinks and I will make this an annual fun thing to do!

https://www.facebook.com/mainstreetsm

[Show as slideshow]

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.

[Show as slideshow]

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

[Show as slideshow]