Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

Dinner at Absinthe – April 6, 2012 – San Francisco, CA.

This brasserie has been around for 14 years, but who knew that it would pack such a punch. With it’s superb food and fun atmosphere it really needs to be taste tested again. It has recently won some note worthy awards: San Francisco Chronicle, April, 2012 – Absinthe named one of the top 100 restaurants in the Bay Area, Absinthe featured on SFGate.com. Eater SF, April, 2012 – Absinthe named one of the 38 Essential San Francisco Restaurants, Absinthe featured on Eater.com.

The first time I ever went to a Brasserie was in Paris with my father. He loved Parisian food, especially Onion Soup Grantinee. He took me to a place called Aux Trois Petits Couchon, 3 little pigs. The onion soup was out of this world. When I visited him in San Francisco years later he took me to Perry’s on Union Street, and it was just as good, if not better then Aux Trois Petits Couchons. (You can see a photo of my Dad and I at Perry’s below.) Absinthe will give both of these places a run for their money. By far the best onion soup I have had since I was a kid. This review is dedicated to my dear father Philip Henry Jackson, if not for him, I would have never been exposed to such an eclectic variety of foods at such an early age.

Brendan, my server, really made my night complete. With his slick demeanor he managed to compliment me in ways I never knew were possible. He said “You’re the best customer ever, and you can’t do anything wrong in my eyes.” He added just the right amount of charm to my already fun-filled experience.

Here’s what I tasted:

Marinated Mixed Olives with herbes de Provence, Meyer lemon. Salty, fresh and lovely, perfect start to a great meal.

Soft Garlic Pretzels with Vermont cheddar Mornay sauce. This sauce oozes with cheese and adds a great creamy texture to these nice soft mini pretzels.

Hearts of Romaine with garlic croutons parmesan, Caesar dressing. The croutons are so crunchy and filled with lots of garlic flavor.

French Onion Soup Gratinee – they caramelize their onions all day, and add a bit of sherry to the mix. It doesn’t have a lot of melted cheese on the top, but is still so rich. The best I have ever had!

Oysters, Beau Soleil, New Brunswick. They gave me 2 little oysters that were fresher then fresh, fantastic.

Hawaiian Hamachi Sashimi with salmon roe, pixie mandarin, Easter egg radish, and spicy-lemongrass ponzu, basil. The yellow tail was so shiny, and the salmon roe added that extra zing.

Atkins Ranch Lamb Sugo with pappardelle paste, pancetta, peas and fava, mint, crumbled-herb croutons, and fruity olive oil. Wow, what an amazing pasta dish, I am at a loss for words.

Potato-Crusted Arctic Char with little gem lettuce,
Yellow wax beans, red radish, and niçoise olives. This is a feast for your eyes as well as your stomach. Artfully presented, with rows of thinly sliced crusty potatoes, a must have menu item.

Absinthe Hamburger with Storm Hill Angus beef,
aioli, baby lettuces, red onion, smoked gouda, gruyère, gorgonzola, sautéed mushrooms, house-made pickles, and French fries. A crazy good hamburger, with all the fixings and then some.

For Desert:

Meyer Lemon Tart with basil meringue, Meyer lemon curd, candied Buddha’s hand.

Parsnip Cake with iced buttermilk, cocoa nib, mild jam, and oxalis. The pastry chef is from Michael Mina’s restaurant. Both of these deserts were works of art…very delicious.

The wines I tried:
Mungeard-Mugneret Bourgogne Pinot Noir ’09, France. It paired so perfectly with the French Onion Soup and the olives.

Luc Lapayre, “L’Amourier,” Minervois, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre,’09, Languedoc-Roussillon France. A perfect accompaniment to the lamb pasta.

Copain “Tous Ensemble,” Syrah ’10, Mendocino County, CA. This wine is so perfect with the hamburger.

Ojai, Biennacido, Chardonnay ’08, Santa Maria Valley, CA. ’08. The wine went great with the 2 deserts.

Chef Adam Keough, who worked for Michael Mina in Southern California, has completely revamped this 14-year-old spot. I met him at Best Chefs last year in Union Square in SF, and he kindly invited me to try his culinary expertise. Add to that the always great cocktails and the bustle of pre-and post-performance revelers and you have an enticing package in the heart of the Hayes Valley.

I can honestly say that my father would have been proud, and put his seal of approval on everything that Adam presented to me. When in Rome, do as Romans, but when in San Francisco come to this wonderful newly charged brasserie.

http://www.absinthe.com
Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
398 Hayes Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 551-1590

Dinner at Pasion – April 4, 2012 – San Francisco, CA.

In the cold foggy Sunset district of San Francisco lays a culinary paradise, straight from Peru. Owner Jose Calvo Perez has created this Nuevo Latino restaurant. Never have I had so many dishes that were all done to perfection, each one better then the next. With an eye for amazing presentation, and glorious blending of flavors. Passion is truly astonishing and needs to be tried by everyone!
Ceviche Quattro: tasting of four ceviches.
Ceviche De Langosta with Maine lobster, cacao fruit puree, mango, papaya, tarragon, vanilla bean oil, red onion, serrano chilies. The lobster has a floral flavor; it is so fresh with nice bits of mango and papaya that accent the floral fragrances, and the citrus tanginess. Ceviche De Atun with ahi tuna with coconut leche, red jalapeño, ginger, jicama, onion, scallion oil, honey cashews. The coconut is fantastic, and never tasted this kind of combination before. The sweetness and nuttiness of the cashews are really a treat for your palate.
Ceviche De Camarones, Ecuadorian shrimp with tomato gazpacho juice, red onion, chives, roasted garlic, plantai. The shrimp is salty, but not overly, with lots of citrus flavor.
Ceviche Limeno with local halibut, calamari, shrimp, scallop with rocoto, onion, cilantro, sweet potato, Andean corn. Traditional ceviche with very fresh fish, great lime and lemon flavors, guaranteed to perk up your taste buds. The plantain chips have just a hint of garlic and are so perfect with all the different types of ceviche.

Ensalada Verde with mixed greens, avocado tempura, tomato, currants, candied walnuts, manchego cheese, guava vinaigrette. Never had a cooked avocado, but it doesn’t lose any of its texture, and is very exciting.

Albondigas, lamb meatballs, with sherry foie gras cream, manchego cheese, green peas, Fresno chilies, black truffle essence. The lamb is very tender, and the added ingredients are very welcoming.
Conchitas, seared diver scallops with sweet plantain tostone, cilantro mojo, and black quinoa sofrito. This is a lovely savory dish, nicely appointed.

Mejillones, steamed p.e.i. mussels with Spanish chorizo, creamy tomato sofrito, grilled garlic bread. This dish Jackson insisted I try, and boy was he right, another unbelievable item.

Paella with saffron rice, pimentón sofrito, mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, scallops, chicken and chorizo, green peas. I have tried a lot of Paella, but this one is truly remarkable. All the seafood is tender and fresh while the seasonings are blended flawlessly.

Vaca Caballo, grilled estancia farms Uruguayan rib eye steak with plantain chorizo hash, fried egg, chimichurri, cabrales demi. The best part about this Steak is the fried egg on top. The yolk adds a velvety smooth topping, and the steak is medium rare, and filled with goodness.

Arroz Con Pato with roasted maple leaf farms duck breast with duck confit cilantro rice, sweet pea sauce, tomatillo-jalapeño marmalade. The duck is good, rich, and another great achievement.

Hongos, with sautéed mushrooms, herbs, white wine. Very tasty, and a must have.

Esparragos with grilled asparagus with panca vinaigrette, manchego. cheese. The asparagus is still semi-raw, and the vinaigrette adds a unique twist.

Espinacas Catalan with sautéed spinach with garlic, butter, white wine, pine nuts, golden raisins. The spinach is sweet and crunchy, a nice addition.

Platanos with sweet plantains with aji verde aioli, salsa criolla. Very simply done with all the flavors encapsulated.

Desert:
Chocolate Coconut Bread Pudding with passion fruit sabayon, lucuma ice cream. Just what you would expect from this awesome meal, the perfect desert!

Canela Tres Leches with three milk cinnamon cake, chocolate sauce,
Chantilly cream. Rich, smooth, melts in your mouth, really a terrific ending.

Jackson, my very fun server, was really instrumental in my wine selections. The whites went well with all the lighter dishes, and of course the reds were an added bonus to the meatier dishes. I recommend them all, they were outstanding.

The Wines I Tried:
Trajadura, Trajarinho, Alvarinho ‘10, Vinho Verde, Portugal.
Abad Dom Bueno, Godello ‘09, Bodegas Del Abad, Bierzo, Spain.
Viña Alberdi Reserva, Tempranillo ‘05, La Rioja Alta, Spain.
Bodegas Atamisqsue, Malbec, Catalpa ‘09, Mendoza, Argentina.
Robledo, Merlot ‘09, Carneros, Sonoma.
Vineyard Montage, Pinot Noir Crú ‘08, Central Coast.
Dacalier, Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, ‘08, Lake County.
In a city filled with more restaurants on any given block, Pasion is one that needs to be celebrated time and time again. I just can’t say enough about the quality, the creativity, and the service. What a delightful experience.
Pasion
737 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122.
(415) 424-4656
http://www.pasionsf.com

Dinner at Amelie Le Bar a Vin – April 3, 2012 – San Francisco, CA.

Wines bars are sprouting up in all the hippest cities across America. You can get great expensive wines paired with small plates of delicacies. It’s an ever – growing concept that is guaranteed to stick around for a long time. Amelie is in a cool part of San Francisco, on Polk Street. It is very European, and all the staff is from different parts of Europe. My bartender was from France, and then some of the other servers were Italian. The night I went was Tuesday, and it was jam-packed also, the crowd was very elegant and upscale.

This is what I tried:

3 Cheese plate: Cantal, pasteurized cow, France. The smell of earth and pasturelands, and is reminiscent of the rich meadows of Auvergne. Fourme d ambert, pasteurized sheep, France. Blue semi soft, more supple and dense then most blues, The Flavor is savory and nutty. Formaggi zafferano, sheep, Italy. This cheese has a saffron flavor. The presentation was very beautiful, and the cheese was served with apples and pecans, with 3 different dipping sauces.

Crab Meat Salad with avocado and mix green. This salad was very fresh, and the crabmeat was nice and sweet.

Oven Grantinee Escargots. It has a luscious, delicate sauce with a slight bit of unknown liquor.

Quiche with crème fraiche, eggs, ham, comte grutere, mozzarella, leeks, and mix greens. This quiche is stacked high, with lots of melty cheese, truly an outstanding quiche.

Smoked Salmon Tartare with green salad, and toasted baguette. The salmon has capers, onions and is very tasty.

Flatbread with portabella mushroom, watercress, grenadine syrup, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes and parmesan. This is a wonderful rendition of this popular dish. Especially the grenadine sauce, adds a certain sweetness that bring this whole dish together, a must have.

Oven Duck leg confit served on top of a bed of arugula, cherry tomatoes, baby carrot, and vinaigrette dressing. They score the top of the duck leg that adds to the crispiness that makes this duck so wonderful. It is crackly and crispy on the skin and tender on the inside.

The Wines I Tried:

Beaucanon Estate, Chardonnay ’09, Napa Valley. This went nice with the crab salad, kept the essence of the crab flavor.

Crèche Louis Latour, Chardonnay ’09, France. It is elegant and ambitious yet easy to drink, a great pair with the smoked salmon.

Etude Estate Grown, Chardonnay ’09, California. This wine has notes of caramel and vanilla, and works well with the variety of cheeses.

Marietta Lot 56, Alexander Valley, Zinfandel. This is the perfect wine to go with the flat bread; it picks up the grenadine sweetness.

Ottimino Little, Zinfandel ’06, Russian River. This wine goes perfect with the duck, just the right amount of fruit.

Justin, Cabernet Sauvignon ’09, Paso Robles. A good pair with the cheese, and the escargot.

I really enjoyed this wine bar. It is very lively and has all the perks you would expect from a new hot spot. I really like how they put the wine bottles right behind the tastes, so you can read the bottle while tasting. Make sure you talk to the bartender about what he recommends. The staff there is very knowledgeable. I would come back here once a week, and continue trying all the great wines they have to offer.

Amelie Le Bar a Vin
www.ameliesf.com
1754 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 292-6916

Dinner at Vin Antico – March 31, 2012 – San Rafael, CA.

San Rafael is the gateway to wine country, and this restaurant can revel in the fact that they have the most astounding wines to pair with their down home food. Chef Ed Vigil’s philosophy is to get the best local farm ingredients and add his own touch to every plate that goes out of his open kitchen.
I tasted a lot but these were the dishes I would recommend:
Flatbread Pizza, they use organic Giusto’s flour,
pancetta, ricotta, roasted garlic, capers, tomato sofrito, and a grated cheese trio. The pizza had a nice crispy crust, and the sausage was delicious.

Asparagus Risotto, the asparagus is cooked al dente, and the Arborio rice is cooked plump, and it pops in your mouth.

Parmesan Fries, the fries had a great truffle flavor with a layer of good parmesan.

Seasonal Vegetable Sauté with sautéed greens, beets, baby carrots,
rapini, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and root vegetables. This dish really spoke to me, with all its farm fresh goodness.

Stemple Creek Steak Tartare with house – made potato chips, fried capers, shallots, smoked sea salt, dijon aioli. Stemple Creek raises organic, all natural, grass-fed beef on beautiful farmland in Marin County near San Francisco, California. The animals eat organic clover, grass and are never subjected to artificial hormones, growth promotants, or antibiotics. They treat their animals with the utmost care, using humane animal welfare practices. The average age of their cattle at harvest time is 18-24 months old. This dish was one of my favorites, with this grass – fed meat, how could you go wrong.

Sausage Pasta, hand made pasta, the sauce had just the right amount of everything, definitely a keeper.

For Desert:
Fruit Crisp, great berry flavor, with a flaky pastry topping.

Churros with mascarpone cheese gelato, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce. The 2 sauces really make this desert a great accomplishment.

These are the wines I tasted:

Weissburgunder, Erste & Neue, Alto-Adige Pinot Blanc ‘10. This wine went well with the asparagus risotto, well balanced, very light.

Sangiovese, Stolpman “La Coppa” ‘09, Santa Ynez Valley. This wine worked great with the pizza and the vegetable sauté.

Old Vines Red Blend, Sean Thackrey “Pleiades XXI”, California. A nice fit with the steak tartare.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Broadside “Margarita Vineyard” ‘10, Paso Robles. A great accompaniment to the sausage pasta.

Chef Ed Vigils saying is “food raised with love tastes better.”
Vin Antico supports all things local, local farms, local winemakers, and even local artists. They feature a new artist every month. As much as the food makes a statement about the restaurant, so does the art. With the same passion Chef Ed Vigil changes the menu to maximize the full potential of his local ingredients. The curator of Vin Antico, Lindsey Scott, selects a local artist each month to keep the dining experience fresh, exciting, and alive. Their current show this April is with artist Stacey Kamp.

This is a nice break from all of the ethnic restaurants that Fourth Street seems to gather. The atmosphere matches the food, clean, fresh and simple. Next time you are either coming or going to wine country try Vin Antico, you will enjoy your gateway to California Wine Country.

Vin Antico
www.vinantico.com
881 4th Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-4492

Dinner at Hot Box Grill – March 30, 2012 – Sonoma, CA.

This is one heck of a find in Sonoma County. The food is very creative and makes a great impression with it’s entire farm to table goodness. All the dishes were so tasty; it’s hard to single out my favorites. Chef Norman Owens really knows how to make things interesting, he gets it! This is upscale casual dining at its best.

Hot Box Grill has some pretty great accolades; 3.5 out of 4 stars – Press Democrat, 4.5 out of 5 stars – Yelp, #1 restaurant in Sonoma – Trip Advisor, 4.5 out of 5 stars – Open Table, Best Chef in Sonoma (2010) – Sonoma Sun, Runner-up Best Chef (2011) – Sonoma Sun, and Winner “Man ‘n Cheese Cook-off” – 2012 Artisan Cheese Fair.

Here’s what I had:

Fried Green Tomato Salad with crispy – coated tomatoes. This salad is very Southern, and is packed with great flavor.
Minestrone Soup with nice fresh pasta and chicken meatballs, which makes this soup very comforting.

Fried Pork Rolls with spicy soy and sriracha dipping sauce. These are very Filipino with good crunch, and great taste.

Kalbi Short Rib Lettuce Wraps with rice noodles, mint, chilies, peanuts, and nuoc cham. These wraps are nice and light, perfect to get your appetite on board.

Speck Wrapped Duck Fries with 2 bundles with smoked proscuitto, truffle aioli, grana padano cheese. This dish is so decadent, the truffle flavor is enough to celebrate. May I say that it is very filling, so watch out!

Grilled Asparagus Remoulade, smoked paprika oil, crispy shallots, a wonderful side dish.

Dungeness Crab Salad with Meyer lemon and crème fraiche dressing, butter lettuce, grapefruit, curried papadum. There is so much sweet fresh crab in this salad, it’s a lot of bang for your buck.

Spicy Ahi Tuna with Timbale Ponzu, cucumbers, chili-infused sesame oil, avocado mousse, and crispy wontons. The tuna tastes like the sea, and the chili infused sesame oil adds a nice kick.

Marinated and Grilled Hanger Steak with sauce béarnaise; duck fat French fries, local seasonal vegetables. The steak is cooked medium rare and has a nice crust, jam packed with all the essential flavors.

Petrale Sole, the fish is moist and tender, the presentation is gorgeous, a feast for your eyes!

Roasted cauliflower, caramelized shallots, and
chickpeas with dukkah. This is so great for vegetarians, and can actually be eaten as a meal on it’s own.

Brussels, pancetta, garlic, and chili flakes. This dish will make anyone be a brussel sprout lover for good.

For Desert:

Boston Crème Pie, a fantastic way to end a glorious meal.

My wonderful server Gregg also paired these wines, all of them were fantastic, and were great with the food.

J Cuvee Brut, NV Russian River Valley, great bubbles, paired with the Crab Salad.

Spann Vineyards, Chardonnay Viogner ‘09, Sonoma Valley. This wine matched the subtle flavors of the Petrale Sole.

Nicholson Ranch, “Estate” Pinot Noir ‘08, Sonoma Valley. Great with the lettuce wraps and the speck French fries.

Stone Edge Vineyards, Cabernet/Merlot Blend ‘05, Sonoma Valley. Of course this one was splendid with the hanger steak.

They have such great local sources in Sonoma County and beyond; here are some of the local sources where they gather their ingredients. Oak Hill Farm provides the most delectable fruits and vegetables, the freshest flowers possible, all grown using methods that promote healthy soil, supporting a vibrant environment and community. http://oakhillfarm.sonoma-sky.com/. Their duck meat is from the heart of the Perigord region in Southwest France.
http://www.artisanfoiegras.com/
The milk used is from Clover Stornetta, which is a family-owned and operated dairy processor that distributes a wide range of high quality dairy products throughout California, Arizona and Nevada. http://www.cloverstornetta.com/.
The seafood is from Royal Hawaiian Seafood and has one of the most extensive lines of quality seafood products in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. They continually strive to deliver the best in quality, service & value. http://www.royalhawaiianseafood.com/

This place rocks! So much terrific fare, in the glorious Sonoma Valley. After a long hard day of wine tasting, bring your amped-up taste buds to little jewel, and experience casual dining like never before.

HOT BOX GRILL
18350 Sonoma Highway
Sonoma, CA, 95476
www.hotboxgrill.com
707-939-8383

Coming Home – The Bay Area 20 Years Later:
I wanted to come back to The Bay Area and reminisce about my glorious youth and my time here. See the new and remember the old, but keep an open heart and a cleansed palate, and enjoy all things here in The San Francisco Bay and beyond.

Dinner at Saddles – March 29, 2012 – Sonoma, CA.
Saddles is the restaurant at MacArthur Place, an upscale hotel in the town of Sonoma. I did not have the opportunity to stay there, but saw the beautiful grounds. The gardens are lush, and exotic, with some interesting sculptures. The property and buildings; which comprise 29 E. MacArthur Street have a long and distinguished place in local history. Located in the middle of Sonoma, the former Burris-Good estate is comprised of fantastic gardens, majestic old trees, and historic architecture. The two-story Victorian house, which dominates the property, was built in the 1850s and is reported to be one of the oldest Victorian homes in Sonoma.

The restaurant is fun and engaging. But what can you say about a saddle and a horse? Makes you feel like you’re a cowgirl with a mission. My mission, if I choose to except it, is to eat a big ole piece of gloriously cooked steak in a fun upscale restaurant, that oozes all things western, including it’s vast array of cowboy boots that line that stair case when you first walk in. There’s an awful lot of horsing around going on here!

Here’s what I had:
Stuffed Mushrooms with house made Italian sausage. Great fennel flavor in the sausage, and the mushrooms are moist and fluffy.

Fried Calamari & Rock Shrimp with a Meyer lemon aioli and a spicy cocktail sauce. Good crispy batter, and very fresh calamari and shrimp.

Cornmeal Dusted Haystack Onion Rings with blue cheese aioli. If you’re a true onion ring aficionado, you will dig into these bits of heaven.

Steamed Mussels and Clams, with champagne, shallots and pancetta. Great flavor, with more fresh shellfish.

Beef Carpaccio with mustard aioli and scallion oil. Very light, a nice way to get your taste buds ready for the serious meat.

Soup of the Day: Red Bell Pepper Bisque. Smooth, with a lot of pepper pleasure in my palate.

Classic Caesar Salad with house made asiago croutons. This salad is crispy, crunchy, and with a good dressing too.

Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms and Cabernet demi glace. All of the steaks are aged a minimum of 21 days and are completely hormone and antibiotic free. Yes, I was right and can gladly now except my mission. What a stellar steak!!

Pan Seared Halibut with spring vegetables, asparagus puree and beurre blanc. The fish melts in your mouth, and the sauce equally is astounding.

Creamed Corn, this is by far the best creamed corn ever.

Deserts:
Chocolate Cake, with great chocolate consistency, not too sweet, just perfect.
Strawberry Cheesecake, with a handsome presentation, very good as well.

Here are the fantastic wines that I tried:
Walter Hansel, Sauvignon Blanc ‘01, Russian River Valley. This wine is very drinkable, and was terrific with the seafood.
Benzinger, Chardonnay ‘09, Carneros, Sonoma. Also a great wine, and stood up to the Caesar salad.
Athair, Chardonnay ‘09, Russian River Valley. Very creamy, with hints of caramel and vanilla. Good with the halibut.
Sharp Cellars, Pinot Noir ‘07, “Keenan’s Cove”, Sonoma Coast. This wine paired well with the stuffed mushrooms.
Green and Red, Zinfandel ‘09, “Chiles Canyon” Napa Valley. This wine went well with the beef Carpaccio, didn’t over power this dish.
St. Francis, Merlot ‘07, Sonoma County. This wine was terrific with the steak.
Enkidu “E”, Cabernet Sauvignon 09, Sonoma Valley. Very yummy with the steak.

Saddles might be so far the best Steak house in the Sonoma Valley. You have got to be ready for a really good steak. As much as I loved all the rest of the menu items, next time I would cut to the chase and just order the steak with all it’s fixings. Of course the steak would be nothing without the great wine selections, so make sure you pair it with the glorious nectar, and above all enjoy.
Saddles
29 East MacArthur Street
Sonoma, CA
(707) 933-3191

Dinner at Pig ‘N Whistle March 5, 2012

Imagine a place where you stay the same and never grow old, and are constantly playing hide and seek with the staff that can see you, wearing the same white dress that you wore in the 1920’s. This is a famous place, a sort of haunt for many old Hollywood types. It has great food, fun libations, and serious atmosphere, in the heart of Hollywood. The people that work there say they have seen a lot of folks from the very distant past, but these are not ordinary patrons, these are folks that spook some of this establishments workers. Why you ask? What comes along with the Hollywood history are the playful ghosts, in the form of a little girl, a talking painting, and a swinging light fixture. Like something out of a scary Hollywood movie, so many stories so little time, so many ghosts and so little time.

Enrique is part of the wait staff, and he does his inventory every Monday night in the basement of the Pig ‘N Whistle. He says, “the first time I saw her she was playing hide and seek, peeking her head around the corner and laughing, she had dark hair and lots of soot on her face, but she was playful and did not scare me, and my manager did not believe my story.” Enrique heard that the other cooks saw her too; they call her the little girl in the white dress. Enrique has to do inventory alone every Monday after midnight, and that’s when he says he hears strange noises from the inventory room, where he has sightings of the little girl. There have been some stories by customers as well. A young girl said that she heard the lady in the painting talking in the bathroom downstairs, and a recently a man felt a slap on his back in the men’s lavatory.  Then there’s the unknown reasons why one of the chandeliers swings back and forth on it’s own.

My first visit, I was told to use the main bathroom on the bar level, their have been customer incidences with other worldly creatures in the basement bathrooms. So when I went to use the main bathroom and it was locked, I waited tapped on the door again, had one of the workers knock and try to open the door to no avail. Then after waiting for about 5 minutes I pushed on the door one last time and it miraculously opened. When I went back to the bar there was a tapping of my foot while sitting at the bar, when I looked down there was no one there. Then when I came for my tasting, I took a tour with Chris, the handsome manager, and Enrique. With them once again, I experienced the poltergeist first hand as a door that led to the common bathroom area locked after Enrique said that he unlocked it ten minutes earlier. This was not just one isolated incident, it seems that there have been many mysterious door locking and unlocking events that the staff can tell you about. I also had a swipe of an invisible hand that I could feel when I walked through the hallway in the basement.

The story goes that in between the early years of the restaurant being open and then closing, there was a fire at that time for school for deaf children; supposedly the little girl in the white dress, who appears to the wait staff, perished in the flames.  Another coincidence about the Pig ‘N Whistle is the unsuccessful Hollywood actress Peg Entwisted, who jumped off the Hollywood sign on September 16, 1932, maybe lurking around this establishment, uncanny how this name is so close to hers.

The other big-time attraction is manager/actor Chris Caldovino. He has played such parts as Billy Leotardo in The Sopranos, and will have a new reoccurring role on Boardwalk Empire, starting to film this month.  Every now and then he gets recognized, when the tour buses come by. They tell the tourists about the famous TV star that moonlights as a manager, or manager that moonlights as a famous TV star. He is Italian, and can weave some marvelous stories about his roots, his Momma Violet, Grandma Maria, and his love of Violet’s lasagna. Chris however, can’t wrap his head around the paranormal activity, and thinks that his staff is just fooling around with him for laughs. But either way he is another one of the many reasons to visit this remarkable pub.

The Pig ‘N Whistle opened its doors originally July 22, 1927, with it’s Mayan Egyptian Architecture, it is all part of The Egyptian Theater complex. It boosts gorgeous hand carved ceilings and all of its original dynamic design elements. There are 8 big screen TV’s and an old style jukebox, which was playing the sounds of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Stars such as: Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, and Loretta Young, used to be regulars.

Restaurateurs Chris Breed, Alan Hajjar, Eric James and George Nahas, make up the Sunset Entertainment Group, which was founded in 1990. They previously owned The Roxbury, The Sunset Room and The Cabana Club. (This spring a new club called LURE will open at the old Cabana Club location.) An amazing 1.5 million renovation was completed in 1999 and the Pig ‘N Whistle reopened. They have some notable names as part of the stars on The Hollywood Walk of Fame right outside their door: Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, soon to be Malcolm Mc Dowell. As well as hosting the Iron Man 2 premiere party.

If all of this wasn’t enough for you to saunter down to this bright Hollywood star then just try the fantastic food!

This is what I had:

Ahi Tuna Tartare  – chopped pineapple, glazed cucumbers, white and black sesame seeds and avocado – nicely presently in a round mold with layers of pineapple, avocado and aha tuna, with 2 gorgeous sesame wontons and a nicely drizzled sesame oil and wasabi.

Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad – romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, red cabbage, carrots, cilantro, jack cheese, tortilla strips, fresh BBQ chicken breast, tossed in ranch dressing – great flavor, perfectly cubed cheese and same size bbq chicken, nice ranch dressing, liked this salad alot.

California Cobb Salad – Mixed greens tossed with grilled chicken, bacon, avocado, blue cheese and hard-boiled egg. Not your usual Cobb salad. All the ingredients are separated, this salad everything is tossed together with fresh farm greens.

Homemade Chicken Soup with Rice Spiced with Nutmeg and Cinnamon – nice slices of tender white meat chicken, sliced onions, with a glorious dash of nutmeg and cinnamon, almost tastes like a Armenian chicken pastry, very delicious.

Yukon Gold Potato and Leek Soup – rich creamy, comfort soup.

Crispy Calamari served with Spicy Marinara Sauce – this dish was excellent, it was so crispy and not greasy that it got gobbled up.

Pepperoni Pizza served thin and crispy, traditional New York style pizza, very crisp and tasty.

Classic Fettuccini Alfredo – Creamy cheese and shallots alfredo sauce with shrimp. Very rich, need to share this dish with someone, but nice garlic flavor, and the shrimp’s pop in your mouth.

Rustic Shepherds Pie – Casserole of beef slow cooked in brown gravy with peas, carrots. Topped with creamy mashed potatoes and jack cheese. I grew up with this dish, which both my cousin Lydia and my Dad used to make. This pie is a new take on an old traditional dish, but works perfectly. This is one of Pig ‘N Whistles signature dishes and I know why, it’s GOOD!!!

Chicken Pot Pie – Oven roasted chicken breast and market fresh vegetables, Béchamel sauce topped with puff pastry – not your usual pot pie with pie crust, this is so much more delicate, if I was a skinny girl I would eat this luscious dish everyday, worth the calories.

Pig ‘N Whistle Burger – Juicy grilled ground chuck, greens, tomato and sautéed onions with French fries. By far the best fries in Los Angeles, and the burger is so juicy, ripe with flavor, a very great taste treat.

Peppercorn Sautéed 10 oz. New York Steak – garlic mashed potatoes and grain mustard reductions sauce. The meat is sliced and served over these luscious garlic mashed, with a super creamy reduction sauce, this dish screams of old style steak house.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon – Basil potatoes, fresh green peas, cherry tomatoes, sautéed spinach and beurre blanc sauce. The salmon is served with a basil-mashed potatoes, something I have never tried. It has great flavor and a nice green color; with the sweet peas it becomes a whole new experience. The salmon on top adds to the overall presentation and gives the fish a totally new taste sensation.

Pecan Pie with vanilla ice cream – a perfect ending to a great dinner, and oh so Southern don’t you know.

New York Cheesecake with strawberries – Great creamy texture with just the right amount of sweetness.

The Wines and Cocktails that I enjoyed:

Cherry McGuire – Sky Cherry Vodka, Lemonade and Grenadine, so sweet, but very thirst quenching.

Greg Norman Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2009 – just the right amount of fruit and oak to enhance the Aha Tartare and nice salads.

Justin Chardonnay – Paso Robles – a great accompaniment with the Calamari and the Fettuccine with Shrimp. It has a nice creamy vanilla flavor that works great with any of the fish dishes, including the Salmon.

1805 Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2010 – Really good with The Chicken Pot pie, subtle fruit forward tones that don’t muddle any of the rich chicken flavors.

Ravenswood Zinfandel – really terrific with all of the meat dishes – The Pig ‘N Whistle Burger, The Shepherds Pie, The New York Steak and The Pizza. Just the right amount of cherry, and vanilla flavors to not over power the meat dishes, with great natural balance.

The icing on the cake, I spoke to a priest who had been dining, and said he loved the food, and knew nothing about the friendly ghosts, he said next time would bring some holy water. One would think that this would creep out the workers of the Pig ‘N Whistle, but in reality, it adds to the history and fantastic hipster Hollywood atmosphere of this famous Landmark. Run don’t walk to the Pig ‘N Whistle; you might be a little spooked, but will absolutely be pleasantly surprised.

http://www.pignwhistlehollywood.com/

Pig ‘N Whistle is located at 6714 Hollywood Blvd

(Besides the restaurant they also have a back room where they do music, and comedy, check out their website for more details.)

Open 7 Days a week -2 Happy Hours Daily, 4pm-7pm and 10pm-12am.

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Kitchen Hours: Sun-Thu 12pm-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-11:30pm.

Bar Hours: Sun-Tue, 12pm-12am, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat, 12pm-2am.

Hollywood has always been very chic but of late, not so user friendly, with horrible parking and the bridge and tunnel crowd coming in for the weekends. The club scene has never been so happening in the heart of Hollywood, which leads to even more congestion. Just when you thought of staying home, here comes this gem of a restaurant, with marvelous food, and even better prices. Sadie has all of their best attributes covered. It has the prime location, just down the street from the world famous Grumman’s Chinese Theater, but its sneaky location is not directly on the beaten path. When you are inside you feel like you could be in some far away resort, even with the parking lot being right outside the door. But here lies a mystery, how can they serve up such farm to table goodness at such small prices, with a very upscale atmosphere. All the food tasted was complex, often surprising and always delicious.

Executive Chef David Schmit is soft-spoken and very insightful, offering up his fondness of farmers markets in the Southland. But underneath his quiet charm lies a bigger then life talent, pleasing any experienced palate. Chef Schmit feels privileged to share his passion for creating what he calls “honest, new American fare”; using the finest ingredients he can source. Since he can remember, he was drawn to the action in the kitchen, where he spent quality time with his mom, grandmother and aunts while learning how to prepare meals, using food grown on his family’s nearby farm. Spending time honing his culinary talents he landed at The Buffalo Club. It was during his tenure there that he was approached by Buffalo Club colleague, Patrick Doherty. Patrick is now Sadie’s general manager, and adds a familiar face to this new establishment. It was Patrick that asked David to come to work at a new concept that was being developed in Hollywood.

Sadie has some deep history, the name Sadie finds its root in the matriarch of the beloved Simon family. Coming from Calexico, California Sadie and her husband Faris Simon moved to Hollywood in the 1930’s and had a renowned Hollywood Business, Simon Candy & Nut Shop on Hollywood Boulevard in 1935. After the depression, and the attack on Pearl Harbor business declined, so Sadie closed her beloved jewel. But in 1946 they rebuilt their treasured business by opening Jeanie’s Candy & Nut shop, which was a Hollywood staple for many years to come. When Sadie’s sons returned home from the service they purchased the parking lot just south of where the restaurant sits today, and the Simon family began to build their empire.

The design is split up into 3 separate areas, the front bar, the dining room, and the outside patio. Each has elements that have been reworked since it’s past Le Deux Restaurant, especially the climate-controlled roof over the outside patio. A completely different vibe that is elegant yet unpretentious, and offers 3 different dining experiences, all designed by Ralph Gentile Architects.

The drinks are reminiscent of the early glamorous Hollywood era, all very precise, and mixed by Giovanni Martinez, director of spirits. This unique spirits menu is meant to celebrate Hollywood during Prohibition. In every part of modern day cuisine we are enjoying mixologists everywhere, but few have the blend of artistic vision and unbridled skill that drives Giovanni. Chris, working under Giovanni’s tutelage made me a proper vodka martini in a gimlet glass, nicely shaken and icy cold. All of the other fabulous drinks on the menu looked like a lot of thought and work went into each one.

Jason our server is like an encyclopedia, all knowing, and all saying, with a stellar attitude. He knows so much about all the products used in this culinary treasure, including the wines and pairing. His choices for my dining experience were impeccable.

Here is what I tried:

For The Table – American Charcuterie with chicken pâté, la quercia prosciutto, fra’mani sopressata, pickled vegetables, grain mustard, and grilled ciabatta. A great array of fine products, but the prize here to keep your eye on is the sherry filled chicken pate, with lots of sweet lavish flavors. Margherita Flatbread with mozzarella, crushed tomato, basil, like a margherita pizza but with more crunches. Duck Confit Flatbread with arugula pesto, caramelized onions, greens. Sweet and savory, the duck is smoky and tender, perfection on a flatbread. Whole Leaf Caesar Salad with baby romaine, shaved egg, parmesan croutons, simple, yet direct, one of my all time favorite caesar salads. Duck Confit Salad, with frisée, pistachios, and blackberry gastric. You will never need to order any kind of duck dish for a main entree. This salad fills the bill, with its crispy outside skin, and fragrant berry sauce, it will blow your hair back.

Plates – Fresh Spinach Pasta with mushroom ragout, tomato, parmesan. What they don’t tell you about this dish is the fantastic truffle overtones, a yummy take on an old favorite. Pan Roasted Idaho Trout with olive oil crushed potatoes, capers, kalamata, tomato, and lemon. Very fresh fish, with a nice buttery flavor, a must have at this fun hangout. Grilled Prime Pork Chop with kale, roasted apples, parsnip puree and sherry. Such great melt in your mouth goodness, this dish took my breath away. So tender and the apples add just the right amount of tangy sweetness, really terrific.

Sides – Kale, what a fun garlicky, citrus accompaniment to this amazing experience, and so healthy. Polenta, with parmesan, warm and inviting, comfort food to die for.

Desert – Apple Berry Cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream, and Orchard Lime Tart. Loved the Lime tart, nicely appointed, very creamy, and tantalizing.

These are the wines that Jason kindly suggested with my meal:
Sauvignon Blanc – Domain Laporte Loire, France 2010. This wine paired well with the American Charcuterie, it enhanced all the components in this dish, without overwhelming the flavors.
Pino Grigio Blend – Palmina, Santa Barbara, California 2010, went good with the flatbread margarita. Chardonnay – Patz & Hall, Sonoma Coast, California 2009. I basically drank this wine throughout my wonderful dining experience. For me it worked well with all the lighter fare. Syrah Trenza – “Tinto”, San Luis Obispo, California 2008, great with the Pork Chop, with all its heavy berry taste. Malbec – Urraca Agrelo Vineyard, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina 2009, I especially liked this wine with the desert, but it was also great with the duck dishes and the pork chop.

Having been to the grand opening a few weeks back, and getting the opportunity to taste a few more of the menu items, I can tell you that this new restaurant will makes its mark on Hollywood, and the dining scene in Los Angeles. It’s got all the right moves, great food, fun people, excellent service, hip atmosphere, great location, and surprisingly low prices. Sadie is a winner!

1638 North Las Palmas Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323.467.0200
http://www.sadiela.com