Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

I originally went for a tasting at Nonna’s of Italy back in December of 2011. Oscar was kind enough and invited me back to see what‘s new at Nonna’s. I tried a lot of new things and was completely happy.

This time I got to meet and talk to Lillian Kacky, the owner of Zacky Farms, with her late husband Bob Zacky. She got married in 1956 and was with Robert Zacky for 60 years. We shared some very similar stories in our life growing up here in Los Angeles. She married into the chicken business, while I was born with it in my blood. My grandparents in England, Rachel and Israel had a very successful chicken farm. Robert owned a market in Monterey Park before entering his family’s business. Everything at Nonna’s is a family affair; even their grandson Leo has pasta named after him.

My wonderful host Oscar makes you feel like you’re in someone’s home. He is so kind and he caters to your every wish. He met Lillian’s son Scott when he was working at Spago’s on Canon. Scott loved the way he took care of his customers so much so that when Scott decided to try his new venture, he asked Oscar to be at the helm and the success story known as Nonna’a of Italy was born. It has been open for six years, and the Zacky family only owns this restaurant.

Here’s what I tried:

Wine:

Sauvignon Blanc – Tangent Edna Valley 2012. This is a very light and effervescent wine, it paired great with the Cozze e Vongole.

Chardonnay – William Hill Central Coast 2012. This is a great buttery wine, my favorite characteristic when it comes to wine. I would drink this one with Spaghetti Aragosta.

“The Whip” – White wine Livermore Valley 2013 *Interesting American Wine. It was described as being sweet since it has so many different wines blended into one. I would drink this lovely wine with the Sseafood risotto.

Pinot Noir – Melville Santa Rita Hills 2012. You can drink this wine pretty much with anything, but I especially like it with the Carpaccio e Rucola, and the distinct parmesan adds another element.

Claret – Francis Coppola Black Label 2011. The perfect wine with the Bistecca New York al Forno in all it’s very rich glory.

Merlot – Provenance Napa 2011. A terrific pairing with the Spaghetti ala Bolognese. The rich meaty sauce brings out all the finest degrees of fruit.

Super Tuscan – Poggio al Tempio 2008. This wine is a fine match with this dish, Vitello al Vino Rosso, and its wine sauce.

Zuppe:

Corn Puree Soup, beautifully blended with rich sweet corn flavor.

Antipasti:

Calamari Fritti with Crispy Calamari, saffron aioli, marinara. This calamari has a wonderful flavor and is so fresh and light.

Cozze e Vongole with Spanish black mussels, manila clams, spicy tomato broth, garlic, parsley, extra virgin olive oil. The sauce is more like a soup and the fragrances that come out of this nice cast iron pot are filled with garlic and tomatoes.

Carpaccio e Rucola, Raw beef filet, thinly sliced with shaved parmesan, baby arugula, and extra virgin olive oil. Very simple but delectable, with the great fresh parmesan on top.

Insalate:

Preferita della Nonna, Wild baby arugula, radicchio, candied pecans, shaved parmesan, and balsamic vinaigrette. The pecans add a hint of caramel and sweetness that make this salad great.

Pizze:

Funghi e Salsiccia, Tomato, mozzarella, champignon mushrooms, and Italian sausage. This pizza has a perfect thin crust, with Nonna’s authentic pizza oven. It is just the best pizza in Los Angeles.

Pasta:

Spaghetti ala Bolognese, Spaghetti with a meat and tomato sauce. They substituted my spaghetti for fettuccine. This sauce is rich with meaty goodness.

Leo’s Pasta, Linguini pasta in a white wine tomato sauce, with roasted red and yellow peppers, white mushrooms, onions, and chicken breast. The peppers really add a zip to this substantial pasta dish.

Spaghetti Aragosta, Spaghetti, half Maine lobster, arrabiata or pomodoro sauce. How could you go wrong? Half of a lobster. Wow, what an accomplishment.

Risotto Funghi, Arborio rice, porcini mushroom, Parmesan. There is something so fantastic about porcini mushrooms; they just add the best woodsy flavor to this Arborio rice.

Risotto Di Mare, Arborio rice, mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and saffron sauce. There is lots of garlic flavor mixed in with truly the best saffron around.

Secondi:

Pollo Parmigiana, Chicken breast, pounded, breaded, Mozarella, Parmesan, and tomato sauce. The chicken is very tasty. It’s cooked with sauce and cheese and pounded flat for utmost tenderness.

Vitello al Vino Rosso, Roasted Veal Chop, garlic and herbs, with Nebbiolo sauce. I have never had a veal chop like this. I would say it is my go to dish from now on!

Bistecca New York al Forno, 14oz Prime New York steak from the wood oven. Good grilled steak with enjoyable flavors.

Dessert:

Apple Tarte Tatin vanilla gelato with warm caramel sauce. The caramel sauce is the gift that just keeps on giving. It’s so rich and moth watering.

Nonna’s of Italy is a natural wonder here on Sunset Blvd. Fantastic food with a fun home style vibe. It just is the best Italian restaurant in this area, and like I said during my first review in 2011, a true sleeper. Wake up and smell the pizza and run to Nonna’s of Italy!

My re-visit was a very positive experience. I got to taste their new menu and dishes that were completely new to me. The thing that sets Nonna of Italy apart from all the hundreds of Italian restaurants in the area is the way the staff makes you feel like you’re part of their extended family. They greet you so graciously when you arrive and kiss you on the check when you leave.

Next time you have a large family dinner and you have run out of ideas as to where to have it, I would go try Nonna’s of Italy. You will be guaranteed a delicious no non-sense experience. Regional Italian food made with the finest ingredients and lots of love. That’s a recipe for satisfaction every time.

Nonna of Italy
9255 W Sunset Blvd,
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 270-4455
nonnaofitaly.com

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I went to their grand opening 4 years ago, but would never have thought that this charming restaurant would have evolved into a serious culinary competitor. From the Bols winning cucumber martini to their outstanding ravioli appetizer, this place will tickle your taste buds.

The interior is kind of Greenwich Village meets San Francisco Tavern, with the amazing art of Stephanie Tracktenberg adorning all of the walls. The outside patio has movies al fresco that rage from Sunset Blvd. to Star Wars. There is a huge window on the common kitchen wall that shows lots of mason jars with pantry like ingredients. One of the bartenders created the fun and upbeat playlist.

The real star here is the food!

Here’s what I tried:

Appetizers:

Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Roasted garlic-veal veloute, micro basil, truffle and local goat cheese. This extra large ravioli is packed with great truffle flavors. There is a light sauce on top that is just so complex. I need to eat this dish once a week.

Ahi Tuna Crispy Tacos with plantain shell, rice cracker, citrus-chipotle vinaigrette, and jicama-cucumber salsa. This is a stand by dish that has not changed for the last 4 years. Its got a sweet tangy flavor, with nice little sesame seeds on the top.

Flatbread with house made fennel & lamb sausage, caramelized pears, redwood hill farms goat cheese, basil, mint and crushed chili. There are so many different things going on with this flatbread, but they are all great!

Plates:

Blackened Salmon with Israeli couscous “risotto,” tomato, piquillo, sweet yellow corn, and guajillo sauce. This dish is very international with a little being Latin and some being Middle Eastern. Whatever the countries represented, it is marvelous.

Salad & Soup:

The Wedge with Baby iceberg, fresh peaches, bacon, triple cream blue cheese, and sweet corn-buttermilk dressing. What a novel idea – peaches on a wedge, but it works.

Roasted Corn Soup with black bean falafel & sumac oil. It is very sweet with great extra exotic nuances.

Veggies:

Summer pea & grilled peach curry with black rice & baby mint. It’s just like a matar paneer that you would order in an Indian restaurant and is equally as good.

Roasted sweet corn with avocado butter, cotija cheese & smoked paprika. The corn kind of reminds you of the corn on the Cobb with all of the fixings that you would find in a neighborhood cart.

Dessert:

Key Lime Pie, I have had lots of nice key lime pie lately. This pie was up there with the best!

Bread Pudding, this pudding is so lush. It had some really nice caramel flavors.

The Wines I tasted:

Viognier Blend – The Finder, Adelaida, Paso Robles, Californnia, 2012 grapefruit, winter melon with a lingering pineapple finish. This wine enhanced the sweetness of the puree corn soup.

Chardonnay – Primaterra, Delle Venezie, Italy, 2010 Pear & apple, medium bodied with a creamy finish. I would drink this one with the Ahi tacos; it is just the perfect balance with the buttery wine.

Sauvignon Blanc – Twomey Napa/Sonoma County California, 2013 crispy with perfect acid balance and a long finish of tropical fruit.

Chardonnay Gibbs, Napa Valley, California 2012 melon, honeysuckle and toast vanilla with buttery finish. I liked this one with the salmon entrée. It just hit all of the right notes.

Pinot Noir – Orogeny, Russian River Valley, California, 2012 red & blue fruit wrapped by rhubarb, cedar, earth, & pepper. I’m a sucker for a good Pinot and would try this one with the salmon as well, or it adds some strength to the ravioli dish.

Zinfandel – Wild Thing, C.Shelton, Mendocino County, California, 2011 vanilla-oak loveliness and creamy with a lush jammy finish. This wine went great with the sausage flat bread.

Petite Sirah/Zinfandel – The Imposter, California, 2012 jammy and layered with flavors of raspberry and toasty vanilla. I would pair this with the ravioli. The cherry flavors worked well with the mushrooms in the ravioli.

Malbec Gran Reserva – Alegoria, Mendoza, Argentina, 2009 plums, blackberries and figs with notes of cinnamon and cloves. I liked this with the side dish of peas. It is exotic and fruity and it works nicely with this dish.

Signature Cocktails

Picante Margarita – Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila, fresh Jalapeno’s, combined with out house sour mix for a twist on this cocktail. A little biting with it’s huge spice, but it hits the spot anyway.

Cucumber Martini – Finlandia Vodka or Bombay gin, cucumber & mint, cucumber garnish – award winning cocktail by Lucas Bols. You can totally see why this cocktail won such high honors. It is so smooth with a great blending, you really don’t taste the vodka.

Honey Rye with Old Overholt Rye, Barenjager honey liquer, orange bitters; serve on the rock with an orange peel garnish. For the Rye drinker this cocktail will be your best bet.

Ginger Cosmo with Vodka, Elixir G, limejuice & cranberry juice with a ginger candy garnish. This is another lovely drink with all these refreshing ingredients.

Chef Nick Shipp is eager to accommodate. He was raised in Forth Worth, Texas. The “Funkytown” native began his cooking career at the early age of 15 and later attended the Culinary Institute of Dallas. Moving west to SoCal, he became immersed in the Wolfgang Puck franchise. Shipp’s culinary peers have chosen him to be in the inaugural edition of the Best Chefs of America 2013. His regional cuisine at Upper West is creative and inspiring. Some menu items have been on since the beginning, and some others are a work in progress. Your taste buds will enjoy Chef Nicks Shipps blending and subtle nuances with every bite.

So when you add everything up that Upper West has to offer, it’s a great way to spend a nice evening, from tasting terrific cocktails with very sensible complex food choices to a nice wine menu. This location is technically Santa Monica, but it’s not all the way to the west so it can be convenient for West Siders.

Upper West

3321 Pico Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

310-586.1111

www.theupperwest.com

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I went to this last year and it was very hot and humid. This year it was still hot but not as bad as last year. With that being said it would still be a much better event if they had either a cooling tent or a fully air-conditioned space. It is just very hard to totally enjoy all of the bounty when your body temperature is going through the non-existent roof.

There was just so much to choose from, so I just tried to taste a little bit of everything and picked my top 5 from the 4 events that I went to.

Field to Fork – August 30 – Day:

Hosted by Russ Parsons & Nancy Silverton. The city’s best eats are in season; indulge in the bounty of an afternoon inspired by locally sourced ingredients and the pleasures of seasonal cooking. Leading L.A. chefs specialized in their fresh-focused dishes while sharing their techniques and offered tastes.

Restaurants: 9021PHO, Ammo Café, Akasha, Blvd 16, Boa Steakhouse, Canelé, Chicken Itza Restaurant, Chipotle, Choctal, Coni’Seafood, Diablo Taco, Dog Haus, Ensaymada Project, Eveleigh, Firefly, Fred 62, Girasol, Lemonade, Loteria Grill, Lum-Ka-Naad Thai Restaurant, Mayura Indian Cuisine, Mi Piace, Michael’s On, Naples, Napa Valley Grille, Pedalers Fork, Pine & Crane, Pono Burger, Robert’s, Catering Service, Tender Greens, The Culver Hotel, Umami Burger Truck, Venice Whaler, Wood & Vine, Others: BluePrint Cleanse, Buick, Citi, Freshology, Icelandic, Whole Foods Market.

Wines, Beers & Spirits: Ascendant Spirits, Avion Tequila, Bernardus Winery, BlackMask Spiced Pacific Rum, Castoro Cellars, Château D’Esclans, Chloe Wine, Columbia Crest, Cupcake Vineyards, Don Julio Tequila, Eppa Sangria, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery, Feudi di San Gregorio, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale, Goose Island IPA , Goose Island Sofie, Henry Fessy, Herzog Wine Cellars, Hoegaarden, Hornitos Tequila, Jean-Luc Colombo, Johnny Appleseed Cider, Kirin Ichiban, Kooksoondang Brewery: Bekseju USA Inc., Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, Leffe Blonde, Leffe Brune, Louis Latour, Matua, Mazzei, Mercer Estates Winery, Pinnacle Cinnabon Vodka, Planeta, Rocca delle Macie, Roscato, SakeOne, Shock Top Apple Wheat, Shock Top Belgian White, Stella Artois, Stella Artois Cidre, Stoli Premium, Tenuta Polvaro, Thatchers Organic Artisan Liqueurs, TY KU Sake and Spirits, Villa Maria, Vranken Pommery, ZYR Vodka.

These were my favorites:

Canele – gazpacho, very light chalk full of sweet tomatoes.

Mayura – curry combo, beautiful basmati rice with the best curry ever. I did a review last year on Mayura.
9021PHO Chef Kimmy Tang – charbroiled pork over rice, I did a review and love Kimmy and I love her food. Anything she makes is a winner.

Coni Seafood – BBQ shrimp, spicy deep flavors made this a memorable dish.

Pono Burger – what a hearty well seasoned burger.

BOA Steakhouse – tenderloin, so tender, fantastic, this was my real favorite of the day.

These were the demo’s etc: Pop-Up Bar Presented by Stoli featuring Damian Windsor (Powerhouse), Pop-Up Bar Presented by BlackMask Rum featuring Rosemarie Ruiz (Harlowe), The Taste Bar Stage: The Undiscovered Jewels of France, featuring Ira Norof, CWE and Stewart Prato, CWE, presented by Southern Wine and Spirits. Buick Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Bruce Kalman (Union), Citi Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by C.J. Jacobson (Girasol) The Taste Bar Stage: So Fresh & So Clean: Cooking with Your Farmers Market Finds, featuring Russ Parsons (moderator), Josiah Citrin (Mélisse), Roxana Jullapat (Cooks County), Jessica Koslow (Sqirl), and Vincenzo Marianella (Copa d’Oro), Buick Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Tal Ronnen (Crossroads), Citi Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Nancy Silverton (Osteria Mozza/Pizzeria Mozza/Chi Spacca), The Taste Bar Stage: The Sweet Story of Success: Sweet Wines from Sauternes to Seven Sisters, featuring Carole Solomon

Dinner With a Twist – August 30 – Evening

Hosted by Jonathan Gold, Betty Hallock, John Sedlar & Julian Cox, Discover plates and pours from L.A.’s dining scene. What’s more L.A. than a swanky cocktail party on a Hollywood backlot? That’s exactly what this past Saturday evening event was. You’ll enjoy drinks that have brought Southern California’s cutting-edge cocktail culture into golden age and unique dishes from the city’s hottest chefs.

Favorites:

Churchill – Harissa Seared Scallops with pancetta, smoked almonds, pickled frisee, and hollandaise. Wow, these scallops were so big and meaty. It was the best dish of the night.

Craigs – Corn Smoked Flan with salmon caviar. Craigs does not need any more publicity. They are golden. This dish sealed the deal for me.

Tipple & Brine – delicious fried oyster with creamed corn and bacon chili jam. I tired this dish when I did a tasting a few months back. It is very hard to recreate a dish like this at a festival. You have to produce thousands, and they did a stellar job!

Rivabella – Corn ravioli with black truffles. Tried this at last weeks Food and Wine Festival, just could not get enough of this culinary master piece.

Montage Beverly Hills – Pork head croquette. Just talking to the chef about how they executed this dish was amazing! And the flavors were spectacular.

Asian Box- Lamb Meatballs, a new place to Southern California. These meatballs rocked my world!

These were the demo’s etc: Pop-Up Bar: Presented by BlackMask Rum featuring Rosemarie Ruiz (Harlowe), Pop-Up Bar Presented by VeeV featuring James Bowers (Soho House), Buick Culinary Stage;Cooking & Mixology Demonstration presented by Daniel Joly (Owner/Executive Chef Mirabelle at Beaver Creek) sponsored by Stella Artois, The Taste Bar Stage Salts and Sugars: A Look at Alternate Products and Applications, featuring Tricia Carr, presented by Southern Wine and Spirits. Citi Culinary Stage; Cooking & Mixology Demonstration presented by Ricardo Zarate & Deysi Alvarez (Mo-chica/Picca/Paiche), Buick Culinary Stage: Cooking & Mixology Demonstration presented by Michael Hung & Michael Lay (Faith & Flower), The Taste Bar Stage; Mixology Demonstration featuring Alex Day & Devon Tarby (Honeycut/Proprieters, LLC), Max Seaman & Mikki Kristola (The Varnish), and Naomi Schimek (The Spare Room) hosted by Betty Hallock & Jonathan Gold, Citi Culinary StageCooking & Mixology Demonstration presented by John Sedlar and Julian Cox (Rivera).

Restaurants: 9021PHO, Asian Box, Barbershop Ristorante, BierBeisl, BierBeisl Imbiss, BLVD 16, Bulgarini Gelato, Chaya Restaurants, Chipotle, Coni’Seafood, Craig’s Restaurant, Ditmas Kitchen & Cocktails, Dog Haus, Ensaymada Project, Faith & Flower, Firefly, Fred 62, Fundamental LA, Grilled Cheese Truck, Grub, Hamasaku, Lemonade, McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream, Michael’s On Naples, Montage Beverly Hills, Pedalers Fork, Pinches Taco, Public School 818, RivaBella, Rocio’s Mole de Los Dioses, Sotto, Sprinkles Cupcakes, The BLVD- Beverly Wilshire Hotel, The Church Key, The Churchill, The Counter Burger,The Misfit Restaurant + Bar, The Must, The Raymond 1886, The Village Idiot, Tipple & Brine. Others: 626 Night Market, Buick, Citi, Diabolo Beverages, Freshology, Icelandic, Lounge Attire Premium Cocktail Cranberries, San Luis Sourdough.

Wines, Beers & Spirits: Ascendant Spirits, Avion Tequila, Beam Family, Bernardus Winery, Black Magic, Black Spiced Rum, Black Mask Spiced Pacific Rum, Caliche Rum, Château D’Esclans, Deaths Door Spirits, Distillery No. 209, Don Julio Tequila, Don Q Rum, Double Decker Wines, entwine wines, Feudi di San Gregorio, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Gloria Ferrer, Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale, Goose Island IPA, Goose Island Sofie, Herzog Wine Cellars, Hoegaarden, Hornitos Tequila, Jean-Luc Colombo, Johnny Appleseed Cider, Josh Cellars, Kirin Ichiban, KOOKSOONDANG BREWERY: BEKSEJU USA, INC, Koval Distillery, Leffe Blonde, Leffe Brune, Matua, Mazzei, Mercer Estates Winery, Mia Wines, Mionetto, Planeta, Rocca delle Macie, Roscato, Russell’s Reserve, SakeOne, Scharffenberger Cellars, Segura Viudas, Seven Daughters, Shock Top Apple Wheat, Shock Top Belgian White, Sobieski Vodka, Stella Artois, Stella Artois Cidre, Toasted Head, VeeV.

Sunday Brunch Day – August 31

Hosted by Noelle Carter & Thomas Keller, relax and let L.A.’s best chefs do the cooking. Spend your Sunday enjoying the warm SoCal sun and some of the most over-the-top breakfast and lunch tastes L.A. has to offer.

My favorites:

Areal – Chicken and Waffles. There were so many different samplings of this dish from other restaurants, but Areal really nailed it. Just the right amount of crispy fried chicken and the waffles were very fluffy.

Ramen Burger – I have never tried one of these lovely concoctions. I have to say I was really surprised. You would not think that ramen with a burger would be that good but it just is.

Firefly – Lobster Bloody Mary, the lobster was so plump and rich. It was truly my favorite dish of the day.
Asian Box – Chicken porridge tasted like something your Grandmother would make. The warm homey flavors were very comforting.

These were the demo’s etc: Pop-Up Bar: Presented by Basil Hayden’s Bourbon featuring Nathan Oliver (Butchers & Bakers), The Taste Bar Stage: California Wines: Women Winemakers and the Changing Wine Industry, featuring Margaux Kugelman, Advanced Sommelier & CSW, presented by Southern Wine and Spirits. Buick Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Noelle Carter (Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen Director) Citi Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Casey Lane (The Tasting Kitchen) The Taste Bar Stage: 20 Years of The French Laundry featuring Russ Parsons (moderator), Thomas Keller (Chef/Proprieter Thomas Keller Restaurant Group), Jeff Cerciello (Farmshop), David Breeden (The French Laundry), and Timothy Hollingsworth (Broad Museum Restaurant).Buick Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Karen Hatfield (Sycamore Kitchen/Hatfield’s Restaurant). Citi Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Melisa Nicola (Nic’s Beverly Hills) and students from C.A.K.E. (Culinary Arts Kids Eat): Tony Salas, Dulce Brito and Olympia Aguillon, hosted by Steve Lopez. The Taste Bar Stage: Learn About and Taste through Rioja – Spain’s Greatest and Most Impressive Wine Region, featuring Nina Sventitsky, presented by Southern Wine and Spirits.

Restaurants: 9021PHO, Angeleni Osteria, Areal Restaurant, Art of Tea, Artesana Popsicles, Asian Box, Choctal, Chomp Eatery & Juice Station, Coni’Seafood, Día de Campo Doma Kitchen, Farmshop, Firefly, Fluff Ice, Fred 62. Grilled Cheese Truck. Groundwork Coffee Company, La Brea Bakery, Locali Conscious Convenience , Loteria Grill, McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream, Muddy Leek, My Two Cents, Pinches Taco, Ramen Burger, Robert’s Catering Service, Silverback Coffee of Rwanda, Wilshire Restaurant, Zinc at Shade Hotel. Others: BluePrint Cleanse, Buick, Citi, Icelandic.

Wines, Beers & Spirits: Ascendant Spirits, Avion Tequila, Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, Bernardus Winery, Brancott Estate Wines, BuzzBallz, C. Mondavi and Family, Château D’Esclans, Cherry Tart Wines, Chloe Wine, Cupcake Vineyards, Distillery No. 209, Don Julio Tequila, Epica Wines, Eppa Sangria, Excelsior Wines, Feudi di San Gregorio, Geyser Peak, Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale, Goose Island IPA , Goose Island Sofie, Herzog Wine Cellars, Hoegaarden, Hornitos Tequila, Jean-Luc Colombo, Johnny Appleseed Cider, Josh Cellars, Kirin Ichiban, Knob Creek Rye, La Nina del Mezcal, Layer Cake, Leffe Blonde, Leffe Brune, Luna Vineyards, LVP Sangria, Mark West Wines, Matua, Mazzei, Mionetto, Pavan Liqueur de France, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Pinnacle Cinnabon Vodka, Planeta, Purity Vodka, Rocca delle Macie, Roscato, Sammys Beach Bar Rum, Santa Margherita Sparkling Wines, Shock Top Apple Wheat, Shock Top Belgian White, Stella Artois, Stella Artois Cidre, Thatchers Organic Artisan Liqueurs, Vranken Pommery.

Flavors of LA – Sunday Aug 31 – Evening

Hosted by Jonathan Gold & Michael Cimarusti where you could find great eating around every corner. Let our hosts take you on a guided tour of the culinary melting pot that is L.A. You’ll explore an eclectic collection of the city’s best restaurants and see many of its most talked-about chefs — all without ever having to leave the Paramount lot.

Favorites:

The Gorbals – mussels with coconut green curry, green chorizo, Asian pear & cilantro. There was something about these mussels that you could not put your finger on. Spicy yet sweet, and so fresh and light. What a great accomplishment from Chef Peter Haller.

Mr. Chows – Shanghai short rib 5 spice & tofu salad. This dish was so marvelous; it just had so much compact flavor and hit all the right notes.

Manhattan Beach Post Fishing and Dynamite – Shrimp Grits poached egg and gumbo sauce. Not being a girl from the South I can’t ever wrap my head around this kind of dish but somehow I managed this time. This dish was a true symphony of great flavors.

Firefly – Beef Tenderloin with truffle butter. Hands down the greatest dish of the night –  so tender. People were eating this next to me at a stand up table and we all said wow at the same time!

Rocksugar – Asian Style Meatballs. This was a great accomplishment, the meatballs had mushrooms and other delicacies stuffed into them, with a very perfect sauce.

These were the demo’s etc: Pop-Up Bar: Presented by Basil Hayden’s Bourbon featuring Christiaan Rollich (AOC/Lucques),Pop-Up Bar Presented by VeeV featuring James Bowers (Soho House). Buick Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Jimmy Shaw (Loteria Grill). The Taste Bar Stage: Fun with Crushed Cocktails, featuring Tricia Carr, presented by Southern Wine and Spirits. Citi Culinary Stage: Cooking Demonstration presented by Evan Kleiman (Host of KCRW’s Good Food). Buick Culinary Stage: Butchering Demonstration presented by Amelia Posada (Lindy & Grundy). The Taste Bar Stage: Backyard Bounty: Foraging & the Found Food Movement featuring Jonathan Gold (moderator), Ari Taymor (Alma), Pascal Baudar (Urban Outdoor Skills) and Wes Avila (Guerilla Tacos).Citi Culinary Stage: Fish Fight! A Sardine Cook-off between Michael Cimarusti (Providence/Connie & Ted’s) & Russ Parsons (L.A. Times Food Editor), judged by Jonathan Gold (L.A. Times Food Critic).

Restaurants: Jitlada Thai Cuisine, RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen, The Blvd Restaurant, The Counter Burger, Restaurants, Acabar, Ayara Thai Cuisine, B Sweet, Bar Pintxo, Bibigo Food Truck, Border Grill Restaurants, Bowery Bungalow, Bulgarini Gelato, chi Spacca, Cliff’s Edge, Coni’Seafood, Connie & Ted’s, Doma Kitchen, Faith & Flower, Firefly, Fishing with Dynamite, Horse Thief BBQ, Jitlada Thai Cuisine, Joe’s Restaurant, Little Sister, Lum-Ka-Naad Thai Restaurant, Manhattan Beach Post, McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream, Meals by Genet, Mexikosher, Mr. Chow, Beverly Hills & Malibu, Mud Hen Tavern, Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen, smoke.oil.salt, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Stella Bara, Pizzeria, The Black Cat, The Counter Burger, The Gorbals, The Larchmont, Urban Garden, Worldwide Tacos. Others: Buick, Citi, Icelandic, Mallow Mallow, San Luis Sourdough, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Twice the Vice Spirited Chocolates, Vital Juice, Whole Foods Market

Wines, Beers & Spirits: Ascendant Spirits, Avion Tequila, Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, Beam Family, Bolla Sparkling Rose, BuzzBallz, Castoro Cellars, Château D’Esclans, Cherry Tart Wines, Cyrus Noble Bourbon, Don Julio Tequila, Feudi di San Gregorio, Fifty Shades of Grey Wine, Gloria Ferrer, Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale, Goose Island IPA, Goose Island Sofie, Gruppo Mezzacorona, Henry Fessy, Herzog Wine Cellars, Hoegaarden, Hornitos Tequila, Jean-Luc Colombo, Johnny Appleseed Cider, Kirin Ichiban, Knob Creek Rye, La Nina del Mezcal, Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, Layer Cake, Leblon Cachaca, Leffe Blonde, Leffe Brune, Louis Latour, Luna Vineyards, Matua, Mazzei, Meiomi Wines,Mia Wines, Min, a Real Mezcal, Placido Chianti II, Planeta, Red Diamond, Robert Mondavi Winery, Rocca delle Macie, Roscato, Russell’s Reserve, SakeOne, Segura Viudas, Shock Top Apple Wheat, Shock Top Belgian White, Stella Artois, Stella Artois Cidre, Sukkah Hill Spirits, VeeV, Wines from Rioja, Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards.

This year had some added extras that I really enjoyed such as the seminars, the cooking demos, and newly added restaurants. To me all of the hype is worth going to taste many exquisite dishes from chefs in the culinary world.

I have to admit I am very spoiled doing this job for a few years now. I have tasted some bombs and then some food that I can’t even write about how good it was. I try to remain open and innocent when it comes to my taste buds, and I’m always hopeful for new surprises. All in all the Taste of LA did not disappoint, so many restaurants so little time.

http://events.latimes.com/taste/

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How can you just not love going to an event where the best chefs in Los Angeles and beyond are there to tantalize your every sense? Glorious bounties made my taste buds sing with happiness. What more could you want!! The Lexus Grand Tasting at Los Angeles Food & Wine is the most spectacular opportunity to enjoy over 300 wines from some of the world’s most prestigious wineries. 25 Celebrity Chefs showcase their culinary skills and provide delicious, decadent tasting samples of their cuisine. There are lots of photo opps with the celebrity chefs, so get your camera phones ready and come to this very special event.

The amazing Chefs: Philip Pretty – Fundamental LA, Los Angeles, John Sedlar – Rivera, Los Angeles, Nick Shipp – Upper West, Santa Monica, Ben Spungin – CLM Corporate Pastry, Monterey, CA, Michael Stern – Michael’s, Santa Monica, Casey Thompson – Aveline and The European, San Francisco, Laura Werlin – Author & Cheese Expert, San Francisco, William Werner – Craftsman & Wolves, Mette Williams – Culina, Modern Italian, Los Angeles, Robbie Wilson – Mattei’s Tavern, Los Olivos, André Bienvenu – Joe’s Stone Crab Miami Beach, Alvin Cailan – Eggslut, Los Angeles, Anthony Carron -Top Round Roast Beef, Ben Cohn – Westside Tavern, Los Angeles, John Cox – Sierra Mar at Post Ranch, Big Sur, Fernando Darin – Patina Restaurant Group, Hollywood, Luigi Fineo – Riva Bella, Los Angeles, Evan Funke – Bucato, Los Angeles, Michael Ginor – Lola, New York, Brian Huskey – Formosa Café, West Hollywood, Chris “C.J.” Jacobson – Girasol, Studio City, Kevin Luzande – Acabar, Los Angeles, Masaharu Morimoto – Morimoto Napa, Christian Page – Willy B.’s, Los Angeles.

Wines, Champaign & Spirits Poured: Ahnfeldt Wines Napa Valley, Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County, Baker & Brain Central Coast, Bernardus Winery Monterey County, Blackbird Vineyards Napa Valley, Brewer-Clifton Sta. Rita Hills, Calista Sonoma County, Champagne Gosset France, Champagne Henriot France, Champagne Lanson France, Champagne Michel Gonet France, Champagne Perrier-Jouët France, Champagne Philippe Gonet France, Château d’Esclans France, Château Lagrezette France, Corsa Italy, Cultivate Wines Santa Barbara County, Etude Wines Napa Valley, Evening Land Vineyards Oregon, Fantinel Italy, Faust Napa Valley, Ferguson Crest Santa Ynez, Fess Parker Santa Barbara County, Flowers Vineyard & Winery Sonoma County, G.H.Mumm France, Giacomo Borgogno Italy, Goose Island Chicago, Gundlach Bundschu Winery Sonoma County, Heitz Wine Cellars Napa Valley Hoegaarden Belgium, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Paso Robles, Kistler Vineyards Sonoma County, Kracher Austria, Kunin Wines Central Coast, Ladera Vineyards Napa Valley, Landmark Sonoma County, Leffe Belgium, Leviathan Wine Napa Valley, Luna Vineyards Napa Valley, Marqués de Murrieta Spain, Mayacamas Vineyards Napa Valley, Melville Sta. Rita Hills, Miner Family Winery Napa Valley, Miraval France, Movia Slovenia, Mulderbosch South Africa, Nellcôte Napa Valley, Notre Vin California, Primus Chile, Quintessa Napa Valley, Qupé Winery Santa Maria Valley, Raeburn Russian River Valley, Recuerdo Wines Argentina, Red Car Wine Sonoma Coast, Ritual Chile, Rombauer Vineyard Napa Valley, Sandhi Wines Santa Barbara County, Scharffenberger Cellars Anderson Valley, Signorello Estate Napa Valley, Skipstone Alexander Valley, Skylark Wine Company Mendocino County, Sohm & Kracher Austria, Somerston Wine Co Napa Valley, Stags’ Leap Winery Napa Valley, Stella Artois Belgium, Stella Artois Cidre Belgium, Tablas Creek Vineyard Paso Robles, Testarossa California, Trinchero Napa Valley, Uproot Wines Napa Valley, Westerly Estate Wines Santa Barbara County, Wind Gap Wines Russian River Valley, Wines of Rioja Spain.

Early Sunday morning there was a 6.0 earthquake in Napa Valley. There were so many Napa Valley Vintners, and the underlying conversation was about what kinds of damage the area had sustained. There were many winery workers and owners that got temporary workers to work their booths due to having to get back to salvage their wineries and homes. You felt very bad for this horrible wrath of Mother Nature, especially because downtown Los Angeles is so far from Napa and we were able to enjoy their harvest. I later found out from the pourers at Ahnfeldt Wines that they’re beautiful Bed and Breakfast, McClelland Priest B&B Inn where I stayed back in February had structural damage when their roof caved in. There were some heart-felt stories going around amongst the winery workers.

My spirits might have been dampened, but my taste buds were all a buzz. Such wonderful food and drink from all of the participants. All of the wines were a perfect selection, to be pared with all of the glorious food choices. There were a few favorite dishes though: indescribable ravioli with very expensive black truffles from Chef Luigi Fineo of Riva Bella in Los Angeles. I would say this is the best dish offered up here. I also loved the little eggs and potatoes in a jar offered up by Alvin Cailan of Eggslut in Los Angeles The lovely pork wrap by Chef Brian Huskey, from Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood also got my attention as well as the BBQ shrimp by Chef Nick Shipp of Upper West in Santa Monica was very unique as well. The Lobster Cone by André Bienvenu of Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach was nice and light, loaded with fresh lobster. There were lots of Chefs trying to out do each other. Many were doing pork belly dishes, it was hard to get the real stand outs from those Chefs. But overall everything I tasted was outstanding. There were lots of different styles and ingredients. I am telling you, buy your tickets now for this event every year! A lot of them are sellouts.

There were 2 tents and they both were kept very cool and comfortable. The Nicest portable bathrooms I have ever experienced. There is nothing worse than it being too hot to enjoy the food and wine. The Food and Wine Festival lasts for 4 days and has numerous locations. Los Angeles is where the best of the best come and this event was no different. There is a concentration of amazing talent here. This is the only event where they treat food like a celebrity. Every part of this experience was elegant and special.

All I can say is that this is by far the best food event in Los Angeles. There is just so much culinary stimuli to take in. Come with an empty stomach and a clean palate. You will truly enjoy yourself!
www.lafw.com

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Here in Los Angeles we are so lucky we can go relax, take a walk on the sand, with the beach being in all of our backyards. When we get hungry we can step into the fun zone at Venice Beach. Venice Whaler to be exact, is fully equipped with great cocktails and lovely eats. It will cater to your every whim when it comes to great creative food and lively bar drinks. Right at the edge of the world, otherwise known as Venice Beach, sits this historic landmark restaurant. Started in 1944, Venice Whaler has it all!

With its great view of the beach, large screens for ball games and Industrial interior, you will feel right at home. It’s got kind of a Cape Cod vibe, with an upbeat twist. There are some short tables and bar stools, and high tables with high bar stools. The interior is very beachy, and some of the flat screens have old TCM playing. The design of the Crab Shell Bar (and of the renewed Venice Whaler as a whole) was a collaboration between designer Kellie Patry, who has designed on Top L.A. bars such as downtown’s Honeycut to Seven Grand San Diego, and Architect Rudy Alegre. The décor highlights local talent, with buckets for silverware and napkins painted by area artists on each table and a bathroom wall painting by Venice muralist Jonas Never. The music they play is a bit of everything, from, the Beach Boys, classic rock, and pop. The outside wrap around deck, keeps you within earshot of the rolling waves and the upstairs bar has a very loud party atmosphere, people are having a blast up here!

My server Jordan Toppin could not have been more accommodating. She’s a veteran in the industry and works at Michael’s as well as special events manager. She’s young with lots and lots of energy. And then there is this new fantastic addition, executive chef Nick Liberato. New Executive Chef Liberato recently rolled out a fabulous list of “upscale bar food” that’s served both upstairs and downstairs. Nick has been cooking professionally for 16 years. Besides his famed TV appearances on “Bar Recue” on Spike TV, he has also been a private chef to some pretty famous people: Barbra Streisand, Pink, Anthony Kiedus, Ray Ramano, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Maria Shriver. He has opened and worked at quite a few top restaurants: Luigi’s Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia, Chef Joachim Splichal’s Patina, David Myers Sona and Comme CA , Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa. Nick is currently running his own catering business (Calidelpia) in Los Angeles and when he is not working he’s traveling the world cooking, surfing and snowboarding.

I went to this event “The Venice Whaler Introduces New Craft Cocktail Bar: The Crab Shell Bar Officially Debuts Below Deck!” the week before and then got invited back to try everything else I did not try at the party.

Here is what I tried:

Cocktails:

Mai Tai – Atlantico Reserve, Orange Curacao, Orgeat, and Lime (Original Mai Tai Recipe).

Whaler Margarita – 100% Blue Agave Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, and Agave.

Pina Colada – Appleton Rum, Toasted Coconut, and Fresh Pineapple.

Bubble Butt – Svedka Vodka, Boysenberry Shrub, Lemon, Prosecco Flat, and a Blow Pop.

The Skinny Beach – VeeV Açai Spirit, fresh raspberries and a house-made lemonade sweetened with agave instead of refined sugar.

Havana Mojito – Atlantico Reserve, Mint, Lime, Soda Water, and Bitters (As Made in Cuba).

The Cadillac – Casamigos Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Agave, and Gran Chevalia Float (So Good, Clooney Drinks it).

“Crab Shell” Bloody Mary – An Ode to the 1944 History of This Building (Crab Claw Included).

All of the new cocktails are mind blowing; my favorite was the Crab Shell Bloody Mary, complete with a crab claw on the rim, yum!! I would also highly recommend the Pina Colada; it’s like a coconut milk shake.

Wines:

Stone Cellar Cabernet, I loved this wine with the margherita pizza.

Hidden Crush Cabernet, of course do this one with the burger.

Stone Cellar Chardonnay, really great chardonnay to eat with the shrimp roll.

Milestone Chardonnay, I liked this wine with the chowder.

Homemade Clam & Corn Chowder, with bacon, and grilled bread. This is a really terrific clam chowder, it hits the spot. I look for lots of clam pieces in my clam chowder and there were plenty to be had.

Margherita Pizza with grana padano, mozzarella, fontina, and basil. Very oozy cheese, a really nice pizza.

The “Calidelphia” Pizza with chopped clam, Serrano Chile, tomato, mozzarella, and oregano. I loved the crust on this pizza.

Calamari, with roasted bell peppers, and balsamic glaze. The perfect perfect calamari.

Taco Bar, Homemade flour tortillas, with chipotle crema, cucumber slaw and grilled cod. Good plump cod with nice tortillas, a true winner.

Beach Mussels with fennel pollen, kaffir lime cream, and grilled sour dough. These mussels are so good; the kaffir cream sauce is the extra bonus.

Shrimp Roll with brioche roll, cumin, and tarragon. Kind of like a lobster roll with shrimp, a welcomed change.

Whaler Burger with brioche bun chuck/brisket blend, cheddar, and slaw. There was something about the slaw and the sauce that brought me back to one of my favorite burgers as a kid.

Spicy Street Dog with chili, bacon wrap, and Jalapeño. This one blew my hair back. Like the little street carts hot dogs you see around town, but so much better!

Short Rib Banh Mi with brioche bun, pickled carrots, cilantro and chili aioli. If you’re looking for something a little bit different then this is the dish for you.

Grilled Husk Corn On Cob, with cotija cheese, lime, and sesame seed butter. This corn is sweet and crunchy; the condiments are off the hook.

Desserts:

Key Lime Pie, house made pie, and whip cream. This pie is so earth shattering, quite possibly the best ever.

Chocolate Cake, with blackberries, and pistachios. There is so much chocolate in this cake and the added blackberries, frosting, and nuts make this cake delectable.

Banana Bread Pudding with vanilla bean ice cream, and chocolate sauce. Nice classy robust pudding with a warm twist.

The Crab Shell Bar originated in 1944, later named the Venice Whaler. It was a favorite watering hole for locals, tourists, celebs, who wanted good straightforward cocktails with an ocean front view. Now in 2014 The Crab Shell bar has been revamped, with a new owner, new mixoligist, and new Executive chef. To bring it full circle the downstairs bar has taken its original namesake, and just like the Crab Shell Bar is back in all its glory. Bar Director Anthony Settecase, a veteran of an array of top spots on both coasts, including Pravda, Balthazar, East Side Company and the Soho Grand Hotel in New York, and Cole’s, Las Perlas, Bar Chloe and Dia de Campo in Los Angeles. He wanted his new bar menu to be “beach fresh and as house-made as possible.” The new drink menu is fun, spirited, with a new tap system offering a classic Manhattan, Old Fashioned and Negroni on draft. Settecase plans to change his cocktails seasonally, so you can expect a new set of fall drinks come October.

Summer time means flip-flops, but at Venice Whalers flip-flops are in fashion all year round. Settle into the glorious ocean view and sip on a brand new cocktail and lively food, what more could you ask for? The new Crab Shell Bar downstairs at the Venice Whaler will be open from 11:00 am to 2:00 am daily. The Crab Shell Bar will also host live music six nights per week.

Venice Whaler
10 West Washington Boulevard
Venice, CA 90292
T: 310.821.8737
www.venicewhaler.com

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It is so hard to find a good East Coast seafood restaurant in Los Angeles! Sure there are the usual suspects but really, an East Coast seafood restaurant is a rare commodity. There’s one in my neighborhood that I tried and it was really greasy and bad. Funny thing is, it’s packed all the time…go figure! I’m not going to mention any names here but it rhymes with Lonnie and Fred’s.

Then there is Blue Plate Oysterette. They offer great seafood items that are delicious and reasonably priced. They also have nicely appointed interiors with…here it is, the absolute best seafood anywhere in Los Angeles! That’s right, the best!!!

The interior is clean, white and bright. Little silver swimming fish adorn the walls, and industrial light fixtures warm up the environment. The always-changing chalk boards add a casual feel, and lets you know what the fresh fish and specials are. The blue stripes and white tile add to the squeaky clean feel. There is a small outdoor patio that sits right on 3rd street and makes for good people watching spot. It’s got a very modern feel, with a Cape Cod seaside vibe.

Their staff is so fun and friendly, guaranteed to show you a good time no matter what. Jonathan and Brain were the shining stars, both so funny and warm. All of the wait staff will put a smile on your face. They are so attentive and have your best dining interest at heart.

Here’s what I tried:

Sparkling:

Marc Plonzeau Perles

Louis de Grenelle

Domaine Carneros

Each one of these sparkling wines/Champaign worked fantastically with the raw oysters. There’s nothing better then Champaign and oysters.

Wines:

Starmont – Chardonnay Napa Valley. This wine has a lot of oak, backed with a rich vanilla, caramel flavor. I would drink this one with the lobster roll.

Napa Cellars – Chardonnay Napa. This is a buttery wine that paired nicely with the scallop’s crudo; it added just the right amount of oak in your palate.

Baladina – Albarino Spain. It’s got a grassy feel, with some light pineapple nuances. It is very fragrant and would work well with all the different ocean goodness of the oysters.

Justin – Sauvignon Blanc California. This wine has no bitter grapefruit tones; instead it is very well rounded and was great with the light shrimp Cobb salad.

Itsas Mendi – Taxacoli Spain. I liked this wine with the lobster mac and cheese and the clam chowder.

Red:

Leyda – Pinot Noir Chile. This worked well with the fried oysters in the Banh Mi sandwich.

La Posta – Malbec Mendoza. A very deep rich wine with lots of berry flavor, this is a go to wine with red meat, so I would pair this one with the burger as well.

Lesson Plan – Syrah Grenache Russian River. I would drink this wine with the burger as well, got to go with the smoky grilled red meat flavor.

E.Guigal – Cotes du Rhone France. This is a spicy wine with great straightforward earth driven notes. It went best with the burger.

Raw Bar:

Oysters On The Half – homemade cocktail sauce, MV pickled shallot mignonette. Each and every oyster is like it just came out of the ocean, it’s that fresh!

Crudo – Chef’s daily preparation – Scallops. What a lovely way of eating raw scallops.

Soup/Salad:

New England Clam Chowder – cherrystone clams, light cream broth, bacon. There are lots and lots of clams and you pretty much know that they are fresh.

Shrimp Cobb Salad – beets, avocado, beacon, bleu cheese, cherry tomato, egg, and dill dressing. The shrimp are big prawns that they cut up into smaller pieces, so it’s not your typical bay shrimp salad. This will give all of my other Cobb salad favorites a run for their money.

BPO Summer Specials:

Fried Oyster Banh Mi – pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, spicy aoli on a brioche roll. This is a great oyster sandwich, with a Vietnamese twist, very yummy.

Small Plates:

Fish Tacos – grilled white fish, cabbage, cilantro aioli. Delicious and cooked to perfection, a great fish lovers menu item.

Lobster Mac & Cheese – Maine Lobster, parmesan, herbs, and truffle oil. So vevelty rich, and the lobster once again are huge big pieces, this one will make you cry.

Large Plates:

Lobster Roll – dressed or undressed Maine Lobster, brioche roll. This was by far the best lobster roll ever on the planet. They put so much of it in each roll, including the claws and it’s so fresh. It will make you very happy! I have to go back every week just for this delicious roil!

Blue Plate Burger – Angus beef, Tillamook cheddar, Old Bay fries. This is a very meaty burger with all the trimmings. For the burger lover this is a must have, for me however I am just too stuck on all the fresh seafood.

Sides:

Coconut Brown Rice. What a delight, the coconut dances in your mouth, and the rice is sweet, but perky. A great side dish!

Slaw. Nice flavor, with a dash of cumin, great accompaniment.

Sweets:

Key Lime Pie – fresh key limes, whipped cream. This has got to be the best key lime pie your ever going to eat.

There are four restaurants in all in the Blue Plate Company, two Blue Plate Oysterette’s; one in Santa Monica and one on 3rd Street. Then there’s Blue Plate Taco and Blue Plate, if these two are as good as Blue Plate Oysterette, I will have to try those as well.

I am told that this wonderful cuisine is very popular in New England, Cape Cod, and Montauk. Having never been I can only say this delicious food is my new favorite Los Angeles restaurant. Whether it’s West Coast or East Coast in my book its every coast. Next time your near one of it’s two locations pop in for a glorious lobster roll, it will keep you coming back for more.

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Blue Plate Oysterette
8048 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Mon – Sat 11:30 – 11, Sunday 11:30 – 10
(323) 656-5474
http://blueplatesantamonica.com/

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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*Written By Guest Columnist

Alex Boyd