Thursday, May 28, 2009

Friday Fun


Wine Tasting in the Park
Silver Lake Wine often takes your wine-soakedness to exciting new places—like the Hollyhock House and Gardens at Barnsdall Park, where Friday-night tastings kick off tomorrow. To pair with the four wines poured, the Coolhaus truck will sling architecturally themed ice-cream sandwiches. Mmm… Mintimalism…

411:
May 29, 5:30-7:30pm, 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, tickets here

FABULOUS DEALS AROUND LA FOR FOODIES!

LudoBites Returns to Breadbar

Chef Ludovic Lefebvre's (Bastide, L'Orangerie) special menu will be available at BreadBar's West Third Street location every Tuesday-Saturday from 6-10pm through August 22. Lefebvre's guiding concept is what he calls "bistronomy," inspired by bistro foods and European dishes. Diners can create their own prix fixe menus ranging from $33-39.

8718 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90048, (310) 205-0124


Lola's Martini Spring Sale

Wednesday and Thursday nights, you can get a $23 dinner including a choice of three martinis, a side salad or cup of soup, and one of four entrees. The special goes all night.

945 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90046, (323) 654-5652


Pizza and Parking at Zucca Ristorante

Leave your car at Zucca for only $5 while attending an event at the Staples Center or LA Live just two blocks away. Get there between 4-7pm, and get $2 off your drinks and complimentary pizza during the restaurant's "L'Ora Felice." The restaurant's Friends and Family Sundays will serve a 3-course family-style dinner for $29 per person.

801 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA, (213) 614-7800


Summer Fridays and Taste of Tuesdays at Whist

$2 cocktails and fried chicken-and-biscuit sliders premier this Friday at Whist. Prices start at $2 at 2pm, and increase by a dollar every hour until 5:59pm, when they plateau at $5. The offer lasts through August 28. You can also get a cabana rental for $100 plus a two-bottle minimum. "Taste of Tuesdays" returns on June 2nd, with $5 cocktails and food, plus discounts on other spirits and bottles.

1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401, (310) 260-7511


Rush Street Launches Lakers Lounge

Culver City's favorite sports gastropub is launching a Lakers Lounge with $5 purple and gold shots of Hooter and Jose Cuervo. On Memorial Day, Rush Street is also offering a hot dog, fries and a draft beer for $10 during lunch and dinner.

9546 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232


New Tasting Menu and Happy Hour at RockSugar

"Rocktail Hour" goes from 4-6pm every day with special cocktails ($6), bites ($3-5), and wines ($5) and beers ($4) by the glass. The new lunch prix fixe includes 3-4 courses for under $15. Chef Mohan's new five-course, ten-flavor tasting menu will go for $35, and the dinner prix fixe, served from 5-6:30pm will cost $23 for three courses or $25 for four.

10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067, (310) 552-9988


"Zagat Presents" Dinner at Simon/LA

Chef Kerry Simon presents a 4-course special menu for Zagat on June 4-5 and 7-12. The menu will cost $48 per person ($63 with wine pairings). The first three courses are created around tuna as the main ingredient.

8555 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, (310) 358-3979


Chef Laurent Quenioux to Open New Resto in July

Naming it BistroLQ, how self-referential, Laurent Quenioux of Pasadena's BistroK and also formerly of Vermont in Los Feliz, is opening a new restaurant in the space where Mimosa used to be on Beverly Blvd., between Fairfax and Crescent Heights. The menu will look like his previous oeuvre, with unusual game meats prepared in complex recipes.

8009 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90048

umm..... yum!

The Waverly Inn's

Truffled Mac & Cheese

By Chef John DeLucie

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
  • 1 tablespoon table salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard or dijon
  • 5 cups milk (see note)
  • 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (2 cups)
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • Da Rosario white truffle oil to taste
  • 1 fresh truffle

Preparation:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander.
2. In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.
4. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9-by 13-inch baking dish and Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.
5. Shave seasonal truffles over each serving.

Friday, May 22, 2009

XIV HAPPY HOUR!!!

The recession just doesn't seem to have reached certain parts of the city. Along the billboard-bombed and bar-crawl crush of the Sunset Strip on any given night are few, if any, signs of an economic downturn. It's the magic of Hollywood in action.

But now that the recession has moved beyond media-driven hysteria to a sobering new reality for many Angelenos, it has changed how urbanites go out and unwind.

All of which puts the new 6ix on Sunset events at the posh, Philippe Starck-designed XIV Restaurant by Michael Mina in the pole position to become the city's hottest happy hour. Featuring cocktails, appetizers and even valet parking for a reasonable $6, it's a shrewd move that turns the posh establishment into a hot after-work destination that won't stress your budget.

"Our goal is to create a fun, high energy that's an extension of the restaurant," adds Cole. "This is not a stuffy restaurant."

The happy hour appetizers offer tantalizing tastes from XIV's menu, with Kobe beef slider burgers and lobster corn dogs. But the runaway winner is the dangerously addictive truffle oil popcorn, the most genuinely crush-worthy bar snack to come along in ages.

"Now, a lot more people can come and experience what we have to offer without having to commit to a full-on dinner. But we're confident that after checking out the happy hour, they'll be back for more than just drinks."

It's situated on the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights, and patrons overlook a stretch that feels like the heart of Hollywood. There's the perpetually evolving 8000 Sunset plaza; the Virgin Megastore has been replaced by an ironically music-themed Trader Joe's, and now a new CB2

6ix on Sunset @ XIV

Where: 8117 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A.

When: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays

Price: No cover

Contact: (323) 656-1414, www.sbeent.com/xiv/

Thursday, May 21, 2009

GOT TO LOVE THE VICEROY


Summer Fridays at Whist

If you're looking to add a half day to that three-day weekend, beer, wine and well drinks are two bucks from 2-3pm Friday at Whist—and then three bucks at 3pm, four at 4pm and five at 5pm. This'll happen all summer, to help kick off all those two-and-a-half-day weekends.



1819 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, 310-260-7511

My Kind of Lunch


The Two-Martini Lunch

In addition to a new $12 three-course prix-fixe lunch (soup, half sandwich on baguette, dessert crepe), Ivan Kane's Café Wa s is reviving your favorite old-school tradition: the midday tipple. Five bucks will make it a two-martini affair.



Daily, 11am-3pm, Café Wa s, 1521 N. Vine St, Hollywood, 323-466-5400

The Weekend Finds 5.22.09

SWEET!!!!
Intelligentsia Venice Opening Bash What: Celebrate the soon-to-be-open Westside location with free coffee, wine and beer from Silverlake Wine, Wurstküche sausages, and tunes courtesy of Peanut Butter Wolf. Why: Mug for the camera. When: Fri., 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Where: 1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd., b/t California and Santa Clara Aves., Venice.

FEEL GOOD!!!!
YogagloWhat: Recently opened yoga studio launches streaming HD video classes with an archive packed with past sessions, how-to clips, and more for its members (monthly dues are $18). Why: Om sweet home. When: In-studio class schedule at yogaglo.com. Online sessions always available.Where: 1800 Berkeley St., at Nebraska Ave., Santa Monica (310-800-4601).

CHILL!!!
Rush Street in Culver City opens its rooftop bar (apparently the only one in the Heart of Screenland from which to conduct studio surveillance) with its manly but market-friendly food. Rush Street's brunch menu also features the 3 Olives Bloody Bar to customize Bloody Marys with Santa Barbara Olive Company goods. 9546 Washington Blvd, Culver City, (310) 837-9546.

See a movie in the cemetery!!!!
http://www.cinespia.org/


BOTTOMLESS!!!!
BoHo Gets Brunching
Starting Sunday, Hollywood's pizza-slinging thrift shop will satiate the ArcLight's matinee crowds with Ricotta Pancakes and Pulled Pork with Cheddar Biscuits and Country Gravy. Oh, and bottomless champagne. Seems the bottomless-drink pool is suddenly…bottomless.

Sundays starting May 17, 11:30am-3pm, 6372 W. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, 323-465-8500, menu here

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

MEMORIAL DAY Things to do in LA

Memorial Day is more than just time off from work. It's a day when all American citizens salute the fallen soldiers who fought to keep this country great by grilling meat over an open flame and drinking domestic beers in their honor. With every BBQ'd slab of ribs we devour and ice cold Miller High Life we throw back, we celebrate our freedom.

This weekend is about our rights. But most of all, our right to PARTY.
Los Angeles Marathon, 5K Run/Walk and Acura LA Bike Tour May 25
Bright and early Monday, May 25 morning a crowd of brave thousands will try to overcome their body's limitations and the late May heat by taking on the famed Los Angeles Marathon, starting in downtown LA. The 26.2-mile marathon will run concurrently with a shorter 5K run/walk and the Acura LA Bike Tour, in which participants will ride out the long stretch of city sites. Afterwards, a Finish Line Festival will take place where runners and spectators can revel in the triumph of the day.

Memorial Day Street Fair May 25
This largley Latino themed street fair sees nearly 30,000 participants each year flood the colorful and street food laden intersection of Wilshire Blvd. and Alvarado St. Taco trucks, carnie games and rides, live music and all kinds of souvenirs, sundries and widgets are expected to converge in a may-lay of May day fun. This event will probably be responsible for most of the tired children with cotton candy hangovers in LA classes on Tuesday morning.

Topanga Days May 22 - 25
It doesn't get much more American than a bunch of free thinking, hemp-wearing folks getting together for high times, good music and classic Americana like pie eating contests, egg tosses, sack races and face painting. Topanga Days combines a free-thinking fundraiser for the arts set against a backdrop of natural beauty, making it the ultimate Memorial Day Weekend love-in option. Just make sure to wear some flowers in your hair while you remember our vets.

Vineland Drive-in Memorial Day Weekend Tailgate May 24
Enjoying a drive-in movie is something so classically California and therefore intrinsically American that pairing it with a holiday meant to celebrate our freedoms and remember those who fought for them makes so much sense. The Southern California Drive-in Movie Society has been striving to preserve this piece of American culture by setting up tailgate events at local drive-ins. This Sunday the schedule makes its way to the Pacific Theaters Vineland Drive-in, a little more than 20 minutes outside LA.

Fiesta Hermosa May 23-25
Freedom of artistic expression goes hand-in-hand with one of our most important rights. No where is this freedom more greatly lauded this weekend than at the Fiesta Hermosa arts and crafts fair. Nearly every artistic medium is explored and on sale along with the live music at this celebration by the beach. Plus, a sprawling selection of food choices and a beer and wine garden make it nearly impossible not to exercise your inalienable right to gorge yourself while getting sunburned.

Jazz/Reggae Festival @ UCLA May 24-25
Much of what we call classic American food, culture and music actually comes from somewhere else. Hamburgers and hot dogs? German. Christmas trees? European. Rock & Roll? Basically a conglomeration of African rhythms originated by the ancestors of slaves and then co-opted by Caucasian dreamboats with slicked back hairdos. Only one art form has truly come out of the United States in the country's short lifespan and that is the sublime art of Jazz. UCLA's Jazz Raggae Festival has become a SoCal Memorial Day Weekend staple that brings together the music, soul and sustenance surrounding that indigenous American sound. Erykah Badu headlines this year with De La Soul also on the list.

Classic Beach Bonfire
If you'd like to spend Memorial Day weekend sleeping in, this option is not for you. But if you have an appetite for the sun drenched bliss of a sandy afternoon by the soothing Pacific ocean waves and a balmy night lit by the flickering fire of crackling wood, the classic beach bonfire is the only thing to sate it. Dockweiler Beach is the last in Los Angeles with fire rings so getting there super early may be the only answer.

Old School Park BBQ
There isn't a park in all of LA that doesn't beg to be barbecued in. Tall, friendly palm trees, plenty of room to swing a bat at a pinata or blow up a bouncy house, ample space for impromptu kickball games and most come fully equipped with built-in grill pits, ready for fresh coals and sizzling delights. Plus there are so many, you're bound to find a spot to celebrate in peace. Just take your pick.

Cinefamily 5min game and BBQ May 25
Movies have been a part of this country's cultural fabric since the first moving picture with sound made its groundbreaking debut in New York City. The Silent Movie Theater keeps up the fine tradition of movie watching this Memorial Day with its 5min game and BBQ. They'll play the first five minutes of 15 different films and then have a vote from the group as to which should be watched in its entirety. They'll also fire up their patio grill and throw on whatever eats the audience brings along.

Re Edit Memorial Excursion May 22-25
Housed inside the 740 Basement Lounge downtown, Re Edit's Memorial Excursion is a four-day funkfest of techno and electronica ending in a finale on Memorial Day afternoon at the Flat Lounge pool that will feature live DJs, fresh barbecue, bikinis and drinks galore.

Memorial Day Mini-Cruise & BBQ
The Booze Cruise is probably not an American invention but it's safe to say us rowdy Yanks have pretty much perfected getting good and sloshed at sea. This event covers a multi-leveled luxury yacht and includes DJ's, barbecue, extensive liquor options and a game deck with all the favorites including karaoke, pinball, Foosball, video games and air hockey. It's kind of like Freshman year of college, only on a boat.

National Moment of Remembrance
Where ever you are, whatever/whoever you're doing on Memorial Day, set an alarm for yourself on your cell phone, iPhone, Blackberry or ironic digital '80s era watch/calculator combo (I'm talking to you, Hipsters) for 3PM. This is the nationally recognized time when every US citizen should take a minute to pause and reflect on the real reason behind this holiday and the real people who have dutifully served out country through the years.

Get Ready For Summer In L.A.



Lakers Playoff Special At BLT SteakAs long as our boys in shorts are in the playoffs, BLT Steak's bar will be serving up Chef Laurent Tourondel's signature BLT Burger for a discount $17 with Kobe beef, or $14 with ground prime beef. Add in fries and a draft beer for $11 more. That's not much of a bargain these days, but
8720 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, (310) 360-1950

FIG Launches Lunch May 17th
FIG at the Miramar is adding lunch to its roster of market-fresh meals. It's about time the hotel restaurant at the Miramar Fairmont in Santa Monica added the meal, not least of all because of how pretty the pool area looks from the sunlit dining room at midday. Some of the new menu items include scallops with butter beans, farro salad with cherries and tomatoes, and strawberry shortcake.
101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401, (310) 319-3111

Locali's ICYCLE, The Eco-Friendly Ice Cream Truck er, Bicycle
May 25 will see the maiden voyage of the "Icycle" from Locali, Franklin Village's environmentally conscious convenience store. Dressed in an old-fashioned soda fountain costume, a Locali employee will peddle to the far reaches of the eastside proffering organic icy treats like sno cones made with filtered water and organic syrups. Find out where the Icycle will be by following Locali's Twitter.
5825 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028, (323) 466-1360

Red Sun Sundays at Katana
Katana kicks off its annual Sunday BBQ Garden on Memorial day, where guests can enjoy discounts on signature cocktails and appetizers on the view-licious patio overlooking Sunset Boulevard and the city. The event takes place every Sunday through summer from 5:30-11:30pm.
8439 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, (323) 650-8585

Farmer's Market Cocktails At Lago
Lago is capitalizing on its location right in the heart of LA's biggest farmer's market to create a new menu of artisanal cocktails. Priced at $12, the new drinks include a Meyer Limonata with Meyer lemon, Veev acai liqueur and prosecco; and $14 martini-style choices like the Sage Mist with sage, Square One cucumber vodka and prosecco. You can also catch Lago's happy hour seven days a week from 4-7pm.
231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403, (310) 451-3525

Casa Noble Tequila Launches Weekly Tasting at Maison 140
Every Wednesday in May, Maison 140 and Casa Noble tequila (which is 100% organic) will host a joint tequila and cheese tasting from 6-9pm. for reservations, email tastings@maison140beverlyhills.com.
124 S. Lasky Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212, (310) 273-7700

BottleRock Opens Downtown
Four times as large as the Culver City original, BottleRock 2.0 makes its home just around the corner from L.A. Live with huge wine racks and eco-friendly building materials like countertops made from recycled bottles, and tables made from reclaimed wood. You'll also find more bottles and nibbles on the wine and food menus.
1050 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, CA 90015, (213) 747-1100

Hollywood Bowl Picnic Baskets from Café W as
Just in time for the Hollywood Bowl summer season, Ivan Kane's bohemian piano bar slash upscale restaurant is launching a line of two picnic baskets, er, brown bags, for you to take with you to the Hollywood bowl. Try either the one with a sandwich for $14 per person, or a fancier meal for $26 per person.
1521 N. Vine St., Los Angeles, CA 90028, (323) 466-5400

Monday, May 18, 2009

Oh La La in La La Land

Madame Royale
6423 Yucca St(W. of Cahuenga)HollywoodLos Angeles, CA 90028323-463-0609website
Sometimes you're looking for a night out that takes you to another era—like all the way back to 2001, when Moulin Rouge premiered.Or, okay, maybe 19th-century Montmartre.

Here, a sneak peek inside Madame Royale, a Paris-inspired lounge that's now in soft-open mode for a select Hollywood crowd.

Behind a nondescript door just beyond the Cahuenga Corridor gridlock, the exclusive sliver of space (you once knew it as Play) has undergone a thorough gutting to create a brand-new yesteryear feel—think brick walls, mismatched mirrors and peacocks. Lots of golden peacocks.The leather banquettes up front are dance-ready, but push past those to make a pit stop at the central bar. Beyond that you'll find a small stage in the rear corner. Promoters-turned-proprietors Ian Shepp and Brad Hoss promise an eclectic mix of sets from jazz greats and intimate acoustic-rock gigs.
Out back, though, is where we predict the most intriguing 21st-century revelry will go down—the walled-in patio, with greenery snaking through overhead beams and old-timey sconces providing the only light, has its own second bar, slinging absinthe cocktails under a New Orleans–style balcony.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

LOVE THIS!!!!

Meals on Wheels (San Francisco)
French Street Food on Wheels

First there was Good Humor, then came taco trucks and the carts—curry, crème brûlée, amuse-bouche…Let's face it: food on wheels is having a bit of a moment.So it stands to reason that after seven years as your regular brick-and-mortar French hideaway (with killer garden patio, no less), Chez Spencer is adding a mobile component to its bistro repertoire with Spencer on the Go!—the first food truck to serve white tablecloth French fare—starting this weekend outside of Terroir Wine Bar.Think of the truck's offerings—from Braised Skate Cheeks and Grilled Sweetbreads to Frog Legs and Curry and Escargot Puffs—as the ultimate in haute street meat. Once the white '86 Chevy decked out with strings of lights, a fridge stocked with French drinks like Orangina and Perrier, and even an herb garden with rosemary and lavender (delivering a sliver of Provence on four wheels) pulls up, order from the dozen-plus small-plates menu—and reserve the right to run a few back.You can count on weekend nights of organic European wines and chef Katgely's delicacies, but if you want the truck all to yourself, it's fully equipped to cater parties and can go where many caterers can't—out at a vineyard, the beach, your driveway. After all, there's something about its wayfaring mobility that has a certain je ne sais quoi.

1116 Folsom St, starting May 16 (Thurs– Sat), 6pm-12am SAN FRANCISCO

:( So sad...Michel Richard goes back to the East Coast for good.

Citrus at Social Hollywood is experiencing a change-over. Again. This time it's the restaurant's big name chef Michel Richard's decision to permanently commit to D.C., with Alain Giraud taking over consulting kitchen duties at the lavish Jeffrey Chodorow-owned business, reports the Daily Dish. Richaud will take the Citrus brand and name with him, too, but what the revamped place will be called remains unknown.

OKAY ALL YOU BEER LOVERS!

BREW'S CLUES
Beer Explained (in Convenient Picture-Book Format)
UrbanDaddy - B Is for Beer
You love beer. But let's face it: you don't always get it.

Oh, sure, you understand the appeal—the fizzy bitterness of your first sip, the slow buzz of an afternoon spent sinking sixers. But how is this nectar from the gods made?

Presenting B Is for Beer, your one-stop resource for unraveling beer's great mysteries.

First, a note re the format: It's billed as "a children's book for grown-ups, and a grown-up book for children," and the plot includes a visit from the Beer Fairy. (You might remember her from your most recent hangover.) But with its knowing, wise-guy tone, it reads more like Dave Eggers spinning a boozy yarn from the nearest barstool.

Written by Tom Robbins (Even Cowgirls Get the Blues), the book explains everything from wort to hops, while mixing in jokes about Seattle's miserable weather and golf (defined as "basketball for people who can't jump and chess for people who can't think"). You'll also be treated to something like poetry—as when he describes beer as "an elixir so gassy with blue-collar cheer…that it seizes the soul and thrusts it toward that ethereal plateau where all human whimsies float and merge."

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

New Silverlake Bar

Barbrix
2442 Hyperion Ave
(at Tracy)
Silver Lake
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-662-2442
website

Monday, May 11, 2009

BEZU RESTAURANT- POTOMAC MD

http://www.bezurestaurant.com/


Pan Seared Foie Gras
hudson valley foie gras, grilled pinnapple, aged balsamic reduction, tahitian vanilla

Seasonal Salad
apples, blue cheese, artichoke chips,
cranberry reduction, endive, toasted almonds, mixed greens

Cesar Salad
parmesan basket, fresh anchovies,red and yellow pepper coulis

Shrimp and Scallops with Sliced Black Truffle and Mashed Potatoes with Celery Jus

Monday, May 4, 2009

FOOD + DRINK
The Definitive Guide To Los Angeles Happy Hours : A Resource For Recession Drinking

http://www.la.com/rss/ci_12263055?source=email

LA.com's list of where to drink and eat during these tough times. Great list of happy hours thoughout the week.

Fab-Dog

When in Reseda...gotta go http://www.fabhotdogs.com/ I had the Kansas City Dog Bacon wrapped all-beef dog topped with BBQ sauce, grilled onions and shredded cheddar cheese. YUM. And garlic fries as well. Back to the gym!

Fab Hot Dogs
6747 Tampa Ave.
Reseda, CA
818) 344-4336