Park Labrea News Beverly Press Dining Guide

Park Labrea News/Beverly Press Dining & Entertainment Guide 3 June 7, 2012

kAREn VILLALPAnDo

Editor and Publisher

MICHAEL VILLALPAnDo

Publisher

jILL WEInLEIn

Restaurant Writer

TIM PoSADA

MAxWELL RoWE

Graphic Design

EDWIn FoLVEn

AARon BLEVInS

Staff Writers

LAURA VAILLAnCoURT

Advertising Salesperson

The Park Labrea News & Beverly Press are weekly newspapers publishing since 1946.

The Entertainment & Dining Guide is a special edition publishing on June 7, 2012.

5150 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 330

P.O. Box 36036, Los Angeles, CA 90036

323.933.5518 • www.beverlypress.com

“We invite you to relax,

pull up a chair, as we

proudly present, your

dinner.”

That line, paraphrased

from the Disney Award-

winning musical – and

motion picture – “Beauty

and the Beast”, perfectly

sums up the concept be-

hind this magazine. The

city of Los Angeles culi-

nary scene offers thou-

sands of dining options, in virtually every type of cuisine imagined.

In fact, Zagat named Los Angeles as the “Top West Coast Food City”

in 2011, besting San Francisco. So what’s for dinner tonight?

We hope this guide piques your interest in trying new restaurants,

or reminds you to visit an old favorite. We highlight ethnic restaurants,

best picnic fare, great venues for celebrity spotting, and brilliant bars.

Several special dining destinations are featured, as well as a few of

L.A.’s most popular summertime adventures – like the Hollywood

Bowl and the LA Zoo.

So be our guest, and explore the seemingly endless dining possibil-

ities this great town has to offer. And when you visit some of these es-

tablishments, mention you read about them here. They – and we –

would appreciate it.

Bon Appetit!

Karen and Michael Villalpando

Join us for a Culinary Odyssey

What’s on the Menu

Morgan’s In the Desert pg. 4Destination Dining in La Quinta

STREET pg. 6Susan Feniger hits the pavement running

Perk Up Summer With a Picnic pg. 8

Celebrity Spotting pg. 10Shhh! Don’t tell!

Great Ethnic Cuisine pg. 14Globetrotting Gastronomy

Creative Cooking Classes pg. 18

Al Fresco Dining pg. 24It just tastes better outside

Great Summertime Wines pg. 26Sommelier extraordinaire, Edgar Poureshagh, shares some tips

Pantages Theatre pg. 27Art Deco masterpiece shines bright

Brilliant Bars About Town pg. 28

Lexington Social House pg. 29A new kid on the block

Summer Fun at Farmers Market pg. 32Step in for a brew or two

Red Medicine pg. 34Southeast Asian L.A.’s way

Greek Theatre pg. 35

Hollywood Bowl pg. 36L.A’s very own “Super Bowl”

LA Dodgers pg. 38Go Blue!

IRIS pg. 40Cirque du Soleil

Pizzeria Mozza pg. 42Pizza with Moxie

Monsieur Marcel pg. 44

Los Angeles Zoo pg. 47Visit the new LAIR

Enoteca Drago pg. 48Tantalizing Italian

Umamicatessen pg. 49Downtown just got even more interesting

Addison, the Grand del Mar pg. 50Chef Bradley orchestrates a culinary ballet

4 June 7, 2012 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press Dining & Entertainment Guide

Ihave a recurring dream of

being in a dark, smoky club,

wearing long gloves and

holding a long cigarette holder

during the heyday of Hollywood.

It could be the 1920s or 30s –

the time frame changes depend-

ing on what I’m wearing. There’s

jazz playing, and martinis being

sipped and a jovial atmosphere.

(I say “holding” a cigarette

holder, because I’m not a smoker,

never have been, or will be, but

the prop adds a certain caché to

the time period.)

Sometimes, in this dream, I

think I’m in Paris, other times,

Hollywood, and every now and

again, at some exclusive resort.

Perhaps I’m at Morgan’s in the

Desert at the La Quinta Resort

and Spa.

In the 1920s, wealthy San

Francisco business owner, Walter

H. Morgan, purchased 1,400

acres from the Cahuilla Indians in

the desert 120 miles from the City

of Los Angeles. He and architect

Gordon Kaufman designed and

built a small grouping of casitas

and a main lodge and called it

“La Quinta”, which opened in

1926. Fast forward, and over the

years the resort grew, adding

more casitas, championship golf

and tennis, and world-class din-

ing.

Walking into the rustic yet ele-

gant hacienda at Morgan’s, you

immediately get a sense of the

past. Comfy upholstered chairs

and sofas invite you to relax and

enjoy a vintage cocktail. The

piano sings out with jazzy music,

and the

clinking

of glasses

and the

sounds of

banter fill

the air.

This

place is

homey,

yet so-

phisti-

cated,

and I feel

as if I’ve

been here

before. I

order a

French 75 from their cocktail

menu, a sultry concoction of Co-

gnac, Champagne, lemon juice

and simple syrup. My husband

orders another vintage drink – a

French martini with vodka,

Chambord

and pineap-

ple juice. A

Manhattan, a

gimlet and a

whiskey sour

are other

classics on

their list.

We are

ushered to a

nice round

table for four

near the fire-

place, and

the attentive

staff is im-

mediately at

our service.

Adam, our

waiter, is a

skilled and

well-trained

server, whose

smile and

wink go a

long way

with the

young

women at the table – my daugh-

ters.

Maître d extraordinaire, also

the restaurant manager, John

Healy, is a knowledgeable som-

melier and personable host.

When you have friendly and

charming staff members, like

John and Adam, it makes the

evening all the better – and mem-

orable. Add to that a remarkable

chef, Jimmy Schmidt, and we

anxiously awaited our first

courses.

We began with Pacific oysters

topped with papaya, ginger and

kaffir lime granite, a cool and re-

freshing introduction to an exqui-

site meal. We also shared the

heirloom tomato salad with

arugula and basil, and the ahi

tuna tartare with tangerines, Maui

onions, Nicoise olives and en-

dive. The crisp crackers in the

bread basket were the perfect

croutons for the tartare.

Warm appetizers, like a

farmer’s market soup, Coachella

artichokes and grilled shrimp are

also on the menu. Knowing the

portion sizes on the large plates,

we opted for the lighter, cool

dishes.

John brought a bottle of 2009

Robert Foley “Griffin” to the

table, a blend of 50 percent Petite

Sirah, 37 percent Cabernet Sauvi-

gnon, and 13 percent Merlot.

The wine was sublime, and the

meritage matched perfectly with

our hearty entrées of porcini

crusted filet and rack of smoked

almond crusted lamb.

The filet, cooked to a flawless

medium rare, was made even bet-

ter by the grilled wild mush-

rooms and a celery root gratin.

The lamb rack with baby arti-

chokes and chanterelles was

spiced up with a chorizo and

tomato emulsion.

DREAMING OF A RETURNto the desert

by karen villalpando

photo by Emily Villalpando

Morgan’s in the Desert restaurant manager John Healy, center,

has a vivacious personality, and commands the dining room well.

He made the evening for Michael and Karen Villalpando.

photo courtesy of La Quinta Resort & Spa

The bar at Morgan’s in the Desert, with vaulted, exposed

wood ceilings, offers comfy sofas and chairs, vintage cocktails,

and jazzy piano music.

See Morgan’s page 22



Dining at Susan Feniger’s

STREET is an interna-

tional, multi-ethnic ad-

venture without leaving Los

Angeles. Feniger, an accom-

plished award-winning chef for

over 30 years, is a dynamic TV

personality, philanthropist and

cookbook author.

When dining at STREET, be

prepared to take an epicurean

journey on “street foods” from

cities all over the world with

Feniger and her sous chef, Kajsa.

This dynamic-duo has created a

new menu that includes many of

Feniger’s classic dishes with a

twist on some modern vegan and

vegetarian specialties.

Feniger is petite with a dazzling

personality. She enthusiastically

serves some of her favorite dishes,

including Laundry Day Fritters

and Kaya Toast. The fritters are a

New Orleans inspired snack.

“Mondays are laundry days in

the French Quarter. Women don’t

have time to cook a detailed meal,

so they make fritters with red

beans and rice,” Feniger said. She

enhances her dish with chorizo

and a creamy hot sauce with scal-

lions.

The Kaya Toast is a popular

snack in Singapore and has been

known to cure hangovers, accord-

ing to Feniger. Coconut cream jam

is spread on lightly toasted and

buttered sourdough bread. Next to

the tiny sandwich is a dark soy

sauce with white pepper and a

splash of vinegar. A softly fried

egg rests on top. We were advised

to dip the sandwich in the egg

yolk and soy-vinegar sauce before

tasting. Wow! It’s a compelling

blend of flavors with the sweet-

ness of the coconut jam and sa-

voriness of the egg. Kaya Toast is

a great brunch item at STREET.

Indian-style crisp papadum

chips served with green edamame

hummus is a wonderful snacking

dish. A coal-roasted Greek arti-

choke is sprinkled with olive oil

and flash fried oregano, giving it

extra zip. Middle Eastern date and

kamut fritters rest on a pool of

slightly sweet yogurt with rose

petals and sugary candied al-

monds. Syrian lamb meatballs ar-

rive in gravy that is a harmony of

dates and carob bean molasses.

Feniger enjoys making meatballs.

She has Swedish on the menu

with crepes, mustard and rose hips

jam, and Korean BBQ meatballs

with Asian pear pickles. The Thai

chicken meatballs were dressed

with a mild peanut sauce and cu-

cumber vinaigrette. Most of her

small plates are only $5.

For heartier fare, try the colorful

Tataki salmon dish, marinated in a

miso mustard vinaigrette, resting

on a bed of cold soba noodles and

adorned with sliced avocado and

bright pink peppercorns.

The West Sumatra beef curry is

made from short ribs, cooked for

hours rendering it ultra tender,

served with sweet coconut rice

and a bright-red chili Sambal

sauce. Fried carrots and broccoli

rabe decorate the dish.

Feniger prepares a wonderful

soul food dish with bite-size fried

chicken croquettes sitting atop a

waffle and drizzled with a piquant

maple syrup.

One of Feniger’s newest items

is her seasoned black bean veggie

burger with pea shoots, smashed

avocado and tomato on toasted

sourdough rounds. “Veggie patties

aren’t easy to make. It takes time

and a lot of taste tests,” Feniger

said. Be sure to try hers – it’s one

of the best veggie burgers in Los

Angeles.

Feniger’s sixth cookbook is

coming out in July. “This is my

first book with photography,”

shared Feniger. “I’m really excited

about it.”

STREET offers a global brunch

on Sat. and Sun. from 11 a.m. to 3

p.m. with creative cocktails that

include watermelon mojitos,

tequila tamarindo and a BLT

Bloody Mary. Dinner begins

nightly at 5 p.m. STREET is open

for lunch on Fridays from 12 p.m.

to 3 p.m. $-$$ 742 N. Highland

Ave. (323)203-0500.

photo by Jill Weinlein

Coal-roasted artichoke with

flash-fried oregano.

Susan FenigerTaking it to the

STREET

photo by Jose Martinez

After 30 years of operating several renowned restaurants, Susan

Feniger, owner and chef of STREET, is still spicing up Los Angeles’

dining scene. With a new book coming our this summer, Feniger has

no intention of cooling off.


Tataki salmon marinated in miso arrives on a bed of cold soba noo-

dles and is adorned with sliced avocado and bright pink peppercorns,

a colorful and tasty creation.

by jill weinlein


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323-962-19006263 Leland Way,

Hollywood, CA 90028(one block south of sunset, just east of Vine)

Summer is an ideal time to

pack a picnic and eat out-

doors. In Los Angeles, we

have some wonderful outdoor

venues; The Hollywood Bowl,

Greek Theatre, and John Anson

Ford Theatre offering first-rate

musical acts. Pick up dinner from

one of the following eateries,

spread out a tablecloth and enjoy

an evening under the stars on a

warm summer night.

Patina Restaurant GroupChef Joachim Splichal and the

Patina Restaurant Group have un-

veiled their 2012 Hollywood

Bowl menu for an ultimate dining

experience. Box seat holders have

numerous dining options from a

Classic three-course meal for $39

per person to the Premier at $65.

All include a choice of water, cof-

fee or tea. The Spa menu offers an

organic baby green salad with

shaved farmers market vegetables.

Choose between pan-seared

lemongrass tilapia with Thai green

papaya salad or grilled salmon

with wilted baby spinach and cit-

rus scented quinoa. Dessert is

summer strawberries with a

vanilla chantilly cream.

Family-style artisan platters are

available to share with 3 or 4

friends. The Hollywood Bowl has

a sushi kitchen and offers picnic

baskets for $66. Order online

www.patinagroup.com/bowl or

call (323)850-1885.

MarconaMarcona offers delicious gour-

met sandwiches, fresh salads and

sides, unique picklings and

scrumptious desserts. Some great

picnic fare is a Spanish Gyro and a

Turkey Romesco. The Mediter-

ranean red potato salad with sun-

dried tomatoes and the huge

chopped chicken salad make great

sides. Add the chow chow pickling

with corn, cucumber, cauliflower,

radish, sweet red pepper, thyme and

cider vinegar to liven up your pic-

nic. Finish with a signature cherry

cheese cake. Call first and your

order will be ready to be placed into

your picnic basket. 7368 Melrose

Ave. (323)951-9991.

Maison RichardPicnic boxes are available for

$28. Start with a pate and then

choose one entrée, such as a salad

Nicoise, roasted chicken with veg-

etables, fresh Norwegian salmon

or quiche. A slice of brie and bread

and an apple, pear or lemon tart

are included. Another option is to

order one of their delicious crois-

sant burgers and a fresh cheese

plate with a walnut and raisin

bread. 707 N. Stanley Ave.

(323)655-7777.

louise’s TrattoriaLouise’s in Pasadena, Brent-

wood, Larchmont and Santa Mon-

ica offers family packs for $45.

You receive a Louise’s salad with

mixed greens, Roma tomatoes,

bell pepper, cucumbers, garbanzo

beans, and mozzarella cheese

topped with crispy onions and

pepperoncini. Next, choose a pasta

dish with penne marinara, alfredo

or Bolognese. Finish with a large

cheese pizza. If you picnic with 8

friends, order the panini basket

with an assortment of Louise’s

paninis, Caesar or Louise’s salad,

gourmet cookies, water and soda

for $85. Call to place your order

ahead of time. www.louises.com

for the nearest location.

Perk Up your Summerevening with a Picnic

by jill weinlein

photo courtesy of Patina Restaurant Group

A sampling of Bowl favorites.


The beauty about living in Los

Angeles is that if you dine out

often, you may run into the rich

and famous at one of your favorite

restaurants. Celebrities are always

grabbing a drink and a bite in Bev-

erly Hills, the Original Farmers

Market, Sunset Blvd, West Holly-

wood, Silverlake or Los Feliz.

Here are some favorite celebrity

hang outs.

Planet DailiesOn Mondays after 9 p.m., see

the stars of the mega-successful

television show, “Dancing With

the Stars”, arrive after taping the

show. Mario Lopez tapes “Extra”

at nearby The Grove, a hugely

popular shopping and dining des-

tination. There is a mini-studio in

the back of Planet Dailies for

Mario Lopez to host his radio

show. Former Governor and actor

Arnold Schwarzenegger finished

an entire martini sundae (big

enough to share with 2-4 people)

here. Jennifer Lopez and her beau,

Casper Smart dined here in April.

The food is fresh and fun. Execu-

tive Chef Adrian Tenorio opened

the first Planet Dailies in Las

Vegas and now is creating delec-

table California-style dishes here

at the Original Farmers Market.

6333 W. Third St. (323)370-6560.

Villa blancaPaparazzi line up outside this el-

egant Beverly Hills restaurant, as

celebrities pull up to the valet in

their Range Rovers, Ferraris and

Porches. Reality stars dine on

crispy rock shrimp in crunchy lit-

tle taco shells with a spicy harissa

(Tunisian hot chili sauce) and cit-

rus-based ponza sauce.

Lisa Vanderpump and her hand-

some husband, Kenneth Todd,

from “The Real Housewives of

Beverly Hills” own the restaurant.

Their beautiful daughter, Pandora,

runs the restaurant.

Movie stars enjoy the Caprese

La Villa Blanca salad with large

scoops of creamy Burrata cheese

and sliced avocado.

The Villa Blanca fish & chips is

lightly bathed in Guinness beer

and then tempura battered and

sautéed. Save room for Grandma

Edith’s sticky toffee pudding cake.

9601 Brighton Way, (310)859-

7600.

beverly Hills Polo loungeThe Rat Pack used to dine here,

now the Brat Pack and their en-

tourage visit often. During one

lunch, I sat next to comedian Tom

Arnold and near Astronaut Buzz

Aldrin was nearby. Aldrin carried

a book with a rocket ship on the

back of the cover, looking fit and

spry for a man born in 1930.

Actress/comedian Amy Poehler

sat outside on the lovely garden

patio enjoying a bowl of the most

famous tortilla soup in Los Ange-

les. It has been on the menu since

the restaurant opened.

At another visit, I saw Rob

Reiner eating the chopped Mc-

Carthy salad, named after Neil

McCarthy, who frequented the

restaurant after casual polo games

with Will Rogers and Darryl

Zanuck. The chef finely chops all

of the ingredients in this popular

salad.

The lovely blond pianist, Ok-

sana, plays at lunch from 12:30

p.m. to 5 p.m. During happy hour

and early dinner, a guitarist plays

until 9:30 p.m. For Sunday

brunch, there is a trio entertaining

guests and families. 9641 Sunset

Blvd. (310)887-2777.

Cecconi’sLocated on the corner of

Robertson Blvd. and Melrose

Ave., this site has had an illustri-

Great Celebrity-SpottingRestaurants

See Celebs page 12

by jill weinlein


ous past. It was once Trump’s and

then Morton’s. Enzo Cecconi

opened his first restaurant in Lon-

don in 1978. It instantly became

the late night, after-theater destina-

tion for the rich, talented, and roy-

alty. Now, at the helm of Cecconi’s

in L.A., celebs like Madonna,

model Kate Moss, and actors Si-

enna Miller, Sharon Osbourne and

Jude Law frequent this A-list din-

ing establishment. Chef Andrea

became a celebrated chef with his

beef carpaccio, pinched ravioli,

baked gnocchi and Cichetti (Ital-

ian tapas). 8764 Melrose Avenue.

(310)432-2000.

Little Dom’sTwenty-something movie stars

start their morning with a good

cup of Joe and a shot of chocolate

for an intense fix at Little Dom’s.

They settle in for the ricotta cheese

and fresh blueberry pancakes or

the pizza with a sunny side-up

egg, speck (marbled bacon), moz-

zarella and tomato sauce.

One day during lunch, I saw ac-

tress Christina Ricci and En-

tourage star Adrian Grenier sitting

at separate tables. Little Dom’s is

a neighborhood fixture where

celebrities feel comfortable with-

out the paparazzi hanging around.

The pastry chef makes home-

made confections that include soft

marshmallows, a decadent milk

chocolate truffle, a rosemary and

pine nut brittle bark and a melt-in-

your-mouth salted caramel. Try the

tangerine sundae during the sum-

mer. 2128 Hillhurst Ave., Los An-

geles (323) 661-0055.

The AbbeyWinner of the 2010 Gay Travel

Award “Best Gay Bar in the

World,” the food brings many re-

ality stars and A-list celebrities

here often. You must try the

chicken and biscuits, twisted Cobb

salad and short rib stout braise.

Before the Grand Dame Eliza-

beth Taylor passed away, she came

to The Abbey at least once a week.

Lance Bass, Pamela Anderson,

Christina Aguilera and LeAnn

Rimes enjoy the fun vibe. Hot

drinks are the Belvedere martini or

one of their mojitos. Save room

for the red velet cheesecake.

Open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. 692

N. Robertson Blvd. (310)289-

8410.

ScarpettaLast time I dined at this handsome Italian restaurant, I sat near Ash-

ton Kutcher and Demi Moore. They gazed lovingly into each other’s

eyes while eating Conant’s signature dish - spaghetti with tomato and

basil. Months later, I was surprised to learn that they were going their

separate ways. The word Scarpetta means a piece of bread to use to

soak up a lingering sauce. We did that often with every dish, from

soup to outstanding fish dishes, like the black cod, pictured above. 225

N. Canon Drive, (310)860-7970.

Celeb Hot Spotsfrom page 10



Great Ethnic Cuisine

Los Angeles is a melting pot

of ethnicities, cultures and

therefore, cuisines. No

matter what type of food you are

craving, you can find it in this culi-

nary city. Ramen is all the rage.

Greek is garlicky good. Indian is

instrinsically full of flavor and

spice. For a sampling of the liter-

ally thousands of ethnic restau-

rants in this town, take a glance at

some top choices.

Ulysses VoyageLocated at the Farmers Market,

sit on the covered patio and start

with the Caviar Taramosalta

spread. It’s a light pink, salmon

egg dip with lemon and garlic,

then whipped with Kalamata olive

oil. Spread it on fresh pita bread.

The Saganaki “Ouzo Flamed” is a

cheese, similar to Irish cheddar,

that arrives at the table with a little

Ouzo on top. When lit, the cheese

creates a vibrant fire. It’s extin-

guished with a squeeze of lemon.

The Ouzo gives the cheese a slight

licorice flavor and is hot, gooey

and savory on pita bread.

Moussaka is a popular dish with

layers of ground chicken, grilled

eggplant, grilled zucchini and po-

tatoes. It’s topped with an exqui-

site Béchamel sauce and baked

until the cheese is caramelized.

The seasoned 8 oz. lamb burger is

served on a grilled sesame bun

with a slightly spicy feta spread

and grilled onions on top. 6333

West 3rd. Street #750, (323)939-

9728.

Coupa CaféWhen was the last time you ate

Venezuelan food with a great cup

of Venezuelan coffee? Start with a

Degustacion plate. It’s a colorful

sampler plate that is fun to share

with two to four friends. The

sweetness of the maracuchitos,

which is cheese wrapped in fried

plantains, is delicious. It also

comes with ground beef em-

panadas and mini corn griddle

pancakes with fresh queso de

mano (white cheese). The flavors

of these petite bites are enhanced

with three sauces that accompany

the dish. The guasacaca is green

with an avocado base, a Venezue-

lan guacamole, if you will. The red

picante trujillano has a spicy kick

to it and the salsa de ajo is like a

garlic aioli. The arepas are like

thick tortillas and the reina pepiada

is filled with white shredded breast

of chicken, avocado and mayon-

naise. It’s like a pita sandwich, yet

is made with white cornmeal.

At Coupa Café the empanadas

are fried and served with Venezue-

lan white cheese, carne with black

beans, cheese and plantains or

chicken or ground beef. Be sure

to order the polvorosa de pollo. It’s

a Venezuelan version of a chicken

pot pie. The crust is made with raw

sugar cane pulp.

Finish with a demitasse of pi-

quant hot chocolate with a touch

of cayenne and chili pepper that

tingles your throat as it glides

down. 419 N. Canon Dr.

(310)385-0420.

little SpainEnjoy authentic Catalonia and

Valencia recipes, such as the

seafood paella with a generous

mound of saffron rice, clams, mus-

sels, scallops, calamari, shrimp

and vegetables. The paella Valen-

cia offers chicken, mussels,

shrimp and vegetables and the

by jill wEinlEin

See Ethnic page 16The Saganaki “Ouzo Flamed”at

Ulysses Voyage


Middle East Meets Rustic West��

Cayenne7169 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036323.857.1252

www.cayennecafe.net

vegetable paella is 100 percent

vegan. It goes nicely with a glass

of white sparkling sangria with ap-

ples and oranges.

A tasty tapa is the shrimp coated

with garlic, paprika and red pep-

per. Bombas are fried potato balls

filled with spicy meat and Monta-

ditos; small bites of bread with

“something on top,” such as dried

cured Spanish ham, dried cured

meats, and Spanish cheeses.

Finish with a Crema Cataluna,

like a crème brulee, yet with a

sweeter and creamier vanilla cus-

tard. Some evenings they have

Flamenco music and a dancer in

their back patio. 6333 W. 3rd St,

#120, (323)634-0633.

Flying Pig CaféLe Cordon Bleu-trained Joe

Kim has made a name for himself

with his pork belly bun. Imagine a

pure white steamed bao bun filled

with red onion escabeche (soft-

ened red onions marinated in a

vinegar), crunchy pickled sesame

cucumber and a slowly braised

pork belly nestled in the middle

with Kim’s unique Flying Pig

sauce. Kim blends Asian and Pa-

cific Rim flavors with his French

technique.

The crunchy tofu bun arrives

with a generous piece of tofu mar-

inated in a kimshi sauce with Ko-

rean chile powder, Korean pepper

paste, garlic, ginger and sesame

oil. It’s served with honey roasted

peanuts and the famous Flying Pig

sauce on a steamed bao. Look for

the Flying Pig food truck that hits

the streets daily. 141 S. Central

Ave. (213)621-0300.

Got Kosher?Located on Pico Blvd., this au-

thentic Tunisian Kosher restaurant

serves some of the best sand-

wiches in town. My favorite

comes in three sizes with tuna

steak in olive oil with harissa (mild

Tunisian chili sauce) and me-

chouia (Tunisian summer salad

with tomatoes and peppers), hard-

boiled egg, potato, pepperoncini,

capers and olives. The baby sand-

wich is called a Fricassee served

on fry bread. The medium-size

sandwich is “a mama” served on a

stirato bun. The king is the Assette

Tunisienne entrée that is served in

a deconstructed form. It’s Tunis

street food that incorporates a

symphony of flavors.

The Mediterranean plate offers

smoky babaganoush (mashed egg-

plant mixed with olive oil and

spices), humus, olive tapenade,

harissa, Israeli salad (diced toma-

toes and cucumbers, parsley and

onions). It’s served with four fried

falafel balls and pita triangles or a

pretzel roll. Be sure to try their

desserts like the traditional Middle

Eastern cigar dipped in honey and

nuts, or the almond pastry with

praline and raspberry center. The

molten chocolate cake was gooey,

rich and satisfying. 8914 W. Pico

Blvd. (310)858-1920.

Cayene CaféAppreciate the eclectic fusion of

Mediterranean, American and Eu-

ropean dishes. Owners Sam

Amad and Noura Elnasser season

the dishes with garlic, mint, pars-

ley and cumin. The lunch menu

offers flavorful salads, burgers,

pizzas, pastas and Mediterranean

delights.

For dinner, Chef Noura Elnasser

creates more tasty entrées and

skewers of brochettes with rice

pilaf and humus. Sip Moroccan

mint tea or Turkish coffee with one

of the cakes or desserts baked by

Elnasser’s mother. This is one of

the few restaurants in Los Angeles

that offer a dog menu. Doggie

dishes range from $1 to $6. Open

Mon. through Fri. 11 a.m. to 10

p.m., Sat. and Sun. 9 a.m. to 10

p.m. 7169 Beverly Blvd.

(323)857-1252.

All Things EthnicFrom page 14

See More Ethnic page 20

Washington, DC's only Five-Star, only Five-Diamond Hotel

Featuring Michael Mina's "Restaurant of the Year" BOURBON STEAK

Condé Nast Traveler "Reader's Poll Top Hotel Spas"

2800 Pennsylvania AvenueNorthwest, Washington, DC

20007-3717(202) 944-2026

BOURBON STEAKA Dramatic Take On e Washington DC Steakhouse


Throughout Los Angeles,

outgoing chefs are offering

cooking classes inside their

restaurants or stores. Cooking

brings people together and pro-

vides a fun social environment.

You will learn how to cook differ-

ent cuisines and can take the skills

home to impress your family and

friends. Here are a few choices.

Cooking on the edgeThe Westin Bonaventure Hotel

and Suites offers “Cooking on the

Edge with Executive Chef An-

dreas Nieto.” This once-a-month

class features a different theme.

Students learn how to make appe-

tizers, entrees and desserts. Each

course is paired with wines from

well-known wineries. Classes start

at 1 p.m. and are located in the

main kitchen of the Bonaventure

Hotel. After the cooking demon-

strations, students sit down with

Chef Andreas at the chef’s table

and enjoy a wonderful lunch.

Parking, recipes and a gift are in-

cluded in the $55 tuition. For more

information contact Claudia.Lam-

[email protected]. 404 S.

Figueroa St. (213)624-1000.

Spirits & Cocktail ClassesPublic School 612 offers fun

classes in libations with food pair-

ings. In May, I attended the tequila

class 101. Tuition was $40 to sip

three different tequilas and one

mescal. Each tasting was paired

with a special dish prepared by

Chef Dante Ascenzi. We finished

with a tres leche cake and received

an envelope filled with recipes.

Guests took home a Fortaleza

Tequila t-shirt. Every six weeks

they offer a different class. 612 S.

Flower St. (213)623-1172.

Asian DelightsRockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen

offers cooking classes taught by

Executive Chef Mohan Ismail.

Last month, he taught a class with

his mother from Singapore on

Southeast Asian breakfast dishes.

Students learned how to make

Kaya toast, Mee Siam, Congee

and Strawberry lemon punch.

After class, participants sat down

to a wonderful meal inside the

beautiful restaurant. Call to inquire

about their next event. At West-

field Century City, 10250 Santa

Monica Blvd. (310)552-9988.

Make the best PizzaMozza Scuola di Pizza offers

numerous cooking classes each

month including how to make

some of Mozza’s most popular

pizzas on Wednesdays at 6:30

p.m. On Saturday evenings they

often teach a “whole-animal”

class. Family-style brunch cook-

ing classes are taught on Sundays

at 12:30 p.m. 6610 Melrose Ave.

(323)297-1130.

From Soup to nutsSur La Table at the Farmers

Market offers a variety of wonder-

ful cooking classes each week for

$69. Some of the classes include a

Spring Feast on the Grill, Asian

Noodle Night, Thomas Keller’s

Favorite Home Recipes and

French Bistro Classics. Weekday

classes begin at 11 a.m. and

evening classes start at 6:30 p.m.

6333 W. Third St. (323)954-0121.

Creative Cooking Classesby jill weinlein


Street by Susan FenigerLaundry day fritters and Kaya

toast are a great way to start your

International dining adventure.

The fritters are a New Orleans in-

spired snack. “Mondays are laun-

dry days in the French Quarter.

Women don’t have time to cook a

detailed meal, so they make fritters

with red beans and rice,” Feniger

said. She enhances her dish with

chorizo and a creamy hot sauce

with scallions.

Feniger is also very proud of her

Kaya Toast. This is a popular

snack in Singapore and has been

known to cure hangovers. It’s

made with coconut cream jam be-

tween two pieces of lightly but-

tered toasted sourdough bread.

Dip the toast into a dark soy sauce

with a splash of vinegar. Next,

gather some of the softly fried egg

resting on top. It’s a compelling

blend of flavors with the sweet-

ness of the coconut jam and sa-

voriness of the egg yolk, vinegar

and soy sauce. This is a popular

brunch item at STREET.

Feniger enjoys making meat-

balls. She serves Syrian lamb

meatballs in a gravy of dates and

carob bean molasses. Her Swedish

meatballs on the menu accompany

crepes with mustard and rose hips

jam. The Korean BBQ meatballs

are with Asian pear pickles and the

Thai chicken meatballs are

dressed with a mild peanut sauce

and cucumber vinaigrette.

STREET offers a global brunch

on Sat. and Sun. from 11 a.m. to 3

p.m. Dinner begins nightly at 5

p.m. STREET is open for lunch on

Fridays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. N.

Highland Ave. (323)203-0500.

Ethiopian CuisineJust walk south on Fairfax Ave.

between Olympic and Pico Blvd,

and you will find at least seven

family-owned and operated

Ethiopian restaurants. You can ask

for utensils, but why? It’s better to

scoop up wots (flavorful stews),

chopped salads and meat combi-

nations with traditional injera

bread. The menus consist of vege-

tarian, meat and poultry, and

seafood dishes. Some dishes are

mild, others are medium in spici-

ness. Ethiopian wines and African

beers are served at many locations.

Here are a few of the Ethiopian

restaurants on Fairfax Ave.

Nyala Ethiopian Restaurant

1076 S. Fairfax Ave. (323)936-

5918, Little Ethiopia Restaurant

1048 S. Fairfax Ave. (323)930-

2808, Rosalinds 1044 S. Fairfax

Ave. (323)936-2486, Messob 1041

S. Fairfax Ave. (323)938-8827.

Ethnic & MoreFrom page 16

photo courtesy of Nyala

A world of flavors awaits you on

South Fairfax in Little Ehtiopia.

No TomatoesNo Tomatoes! was founded in

2010 by two friends, Kim

Billingsley and Neeraj Patel as a

specialty food truck, after one of

them lost their corporate job. From

the success of the Indian-cuisine

food truck, they were able to open

a ‘brick-and-mortar’ restaurant, lo-

cated on the south side of The

Beverly Center in August, 2011.

They wanted to make Indian food

that was lighter and healthier than

what is found in most traditional

Indian restaurants, so they decided

to take traditional Indian street

food and package it in an “Ameri-

can to-go style”. They’re called,

‘No Tomatoes!’ because one of the

owners doesn’t like raw tomatoes,

and so they made their food with-

out tomatoes, except their most

popular dish – Chicken Tikka

Masala – which has to be made

with tomatoes! Check out their

website at www.notomatoeslosan-

geles.com to find out where the

food truck will be parked next.

8516 W. Third St. (310) 289-1133.



Seared diver scallops, Alaskan

halibut and the hand cut pasta of

the day are all excellent selec-

tions. Prime Angus beef – a filet,

a New York Strip and a 24 oz.

Porterhouse – can be grilled to

your liking with a “crust” of your

choice – crispy Parmesan, May-

tag blue cheese, and Nueske

smoked bacon. Sides dishes are

available to accompany the

steaks, like ginger scented

Coachella sweet corn, smoked

paprika fries, and the proverbial

macaroni and cheese – only

theirs is made with fives cheeses,

and roasted. And yes – it is deli-

cious!

I’m more of a “savory” selec-

tor, than a sweet, but John in-

sisted we try the chef’s buttered

popcorn ice cream parfait.

Topped with bittersweet choco-

late fudge and sea

salted caramel, the ice

cream amazingly tasted

like buttered popcorn!

We also sampled the

orange blossom crème

brulée, another out-

standing dessert.

It is obvious the

team at Morgan’s en-

joys putting on a show

every night, and it’s

under the orchestral

baton of Jimmy

Schmidt. This acclaimed chef

hails from the Rattlesnake Clubs

in Denver and Detroit, and has

been a successful chef for more

than 30 years. His sensational

cooking and John Healy’s ability

to “work the room” make dinner

at Morgan’s not just another

night out, but a memory that

lingers on both the soul and the

palate.

Perhaps I didn’t live in the

1920s when Walter Morgan envi-

sioned this place, but he made

sure his guests would feel at

home for decades to follow. I’ll

be dreaming about this place

again soon.

Morgan’s in the Desert at La

Quinta Resort and Spa, 49499

Eisenhower Drive, La Quinta,

CA 92253. (760)564-4111.

www.laquinta resort.com.

Dining reservations: (760)777-

4835.

Morgan’s website:

www.morgansinthedesert.com.

MORGAN’Sin the desert

from page 4

photo courtesy of La Quinta Resort & Spa

The signature restaurant at La Quinta Resort & Spa is Morgan’s in the Desert, named

after La Quinta’s founder, Walter H. Morgan. The resort – and the restaurant – are

world-class destinations.


T A R T

Located at the Farmer’s Daughter Hotel115 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036323.556.2608 • www.tartrestaurant.com

• Weekend Brunch served from 7am - 4pm

• Bottomless Mimosas $15• Endless Bloody Marys

• Punch Bowls - a combination of fruit juice, liquor & fun

made for all your friends to enjoy!

• Everyday Happy Hour 4-7pm

• Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner7 days a week

• Al Fresco dining on the Patio

“Cooking, the World’s Oldest Profession”

��

��

24 June 7, 2012 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press

Food just seems to taste better

when you dine outdoors. Here are

some of our favorite restaurants in

Los Angeles for patio dining.

Picture Perfect Café PinotSitting on the garden patio

among the iceberg roses with

views of the lights from modern

high-rise buildings is pretty spec-

tacular at Café Pinot, located next

to the Central Library. They have

numerous weddings in the nearby

garden with the receptions held on

the patio or inside the restaurant.

The new Executive Chef Syd-

ney Hunter’s French/Contempo-

rary menu offers a burst of

authentic flavors, like his lamb

rack with garlic confit, eggplant

caviar, spring onions, fried polenta

and black olive sauce. Open for

lunch Mon. through Fri. and din-

ner seven days at 5 p.m. Sunday

dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. 700 W.

Fifth St. (213)239-6500.

Charming Off VineThis 1908 bungalow has sur-

vived the Roaring 20s, the Great

Depression, Hollywood’s Silent

and Golden Eras, earthquakes –

and even a fire. Once owned by

actress Beryl Wallace, the charm-

ing craftsman-style home serves

delicious California style comfort

cuisine. The popular front patio

has twinkling lights and a lush gar-

den atmosphere. Perfect for pre

and post theatre dining, Off Vine

is a Hollywood treasure. Open for

lunch Monday thru Friday at

11:30 a.m. and Saturday brunch at

10:30 a.m. Dinner is served Mon-

day thru Saturday at 5:30 p.m. On

Sunday brunch begins at 10:30

a.m. and dinner at 4 p.m. 6263 Le-

land Way. (323)962-1900.

A new york Vibe at

wood & VineOccupying two stories in a fab-

ulously renovated space, Wood &

Vine offers a New York vibe. Be-

yond the bar is an outdoor patio

with a rectangular fire pit blazing

at night. Soft upholstered stools

surround the fire pit where guests

enjoy classic cocktails. Chef

Gavin Mills whips up elegant

steamed mussels, flavorful grilled

flat iron steaks and colorful beet

salads, ideal for sharing. Fried

Dining Al Frescoby jill weinlein

Dining & Entertainment Guide

photo courtesy of Cafe Pinot

The patio at Cafe Pinot offers views of the Downtown L.A. skyline.

See Outdoor Dining page 30


Some see a glass as half

empty; others see it as

being half full. I look at a

glass and wonder what I want to

put in it. My drink, and career of

choice, is wine. Being that my

humble establishment, 3Twenty

Wine Lounge, is rounding out its

first year on the Miracle Mile, I

am starting to realize more and

more that the beauty of serving

others is much more about the

personal interaction than it is

about the experience of owning a

restaurant or touting the label of

“sommelier”. My biggest suc-

cess, as a wine steward, is to

make the moment more enjoy-

able.

Wine, when chosen well,

should not be the highlight of an

evening, but instead a perfect

complement to a wonderful

evening. Wine can accentu-

ate flavors, be a muse for

pondering, and the means by

which one can draw a smile

for just a little bit longer. The

moment should define the

wine, and not the other way

around.

With the weather get-

ting warmer, and the

days getting longer,

wines that are cool to

the touch, and refresh-

ing on the tongue are

perfect pairs to enjoy

our gorgeous Los An-

geles days. Now is

the time to enjoy

white, rosé and

sparkling wines.

As a sommelier, I

am often focused on

the dish that is before

us. In fact, food pair-

ing is a personal

specialty of mine. However, if

you are enjoying an outdoor or

summertime event, I urge you to

take the time to think about what

wine would pair best with the en-

vironment, as well as the cuisine.

When sitting in the hot sun,

would an oaky and alcoholic

cabernet sauvignon be more ap-

propriate or a cool and refreshing

Sancerre (Sancerre is a sauvi-

gnon blanc made in the Loire

Valley of France)? Let’s accen-

tuate the vibrancy of the sun, and

balance it with wine that will

counter the heat that it imparts.

Pairing to the moment is not a

new concept. After all, it would

be hard to picture a graduation or

wedding without a bottle of bub-

bly. It is one of the few situations

where the wine served should

transcend the moment.

Of course, many of us re-

ally only love red wines. Be-

lieve it or not, there are some

red wines that actually taste

quite good chilled! Look for

simple red wines, with very

low tannins. Grapes like Bar-

bera, Bonnarda and

Grenache can make for

quite delicious chilled

wine in their more simple

forms. Don’t enjoy

these wines too cold

though, about 50 de-

grees is perfect re-

freshment for those

summer days, with-

out numbing too

much of the flavor of

the wine.

Think of the South

of France. Think of

sun-drenched coast-

lines and dark tan

lines. It is home to

one of my fa-

vorite wines, the Provencal Rosé.

No wine is better suited for sun-

shine. Dry, refreshing and full of

flavor, these wines offer gener-

ous fruit and delicious minerality.

At their best, notes of water-

melon, strawberries, raspberries

and cherries fill the glass, and a

beautiful touch of acidity makes

it all the more refreshing. These

wines were grown in the hot

summer sun of the French Riv-

iera, which is a climate that is

very similar to ours, so Provencal

Rosé pairs beautifully with the

Los Angeles sunshine, and it re-

ally is the perfect time to chill

those delicious bottles.

If you already love white and

rosé wines, this is really your op-

portunity to delve deeper into

quality. Your retailers are stock-

ing up their white wines for the

summer rush, and it is the perfect

time for

you to find

those little

producers

that really

put their

blood,

sweat and

tears into

what they

do – often

at a frac-

tion of the

price of the

most pres-

tigious

brands. Go

to a good

shop or

sommelier

and ask

them for

interesting

and bou-

tique ver-

sions of the

style of wine that you like. It is

what we are paid to do, and it

gives us the chance to really

show you what we are passionate

about, something artisanal and

interesting, rather than watching

you walk out with a wine that

was made in quantities large

enough to fill a lake.

If you ever need help with se-

lecting of a proper wine pairing

for your dish, do not hesitate to

email me at edgar@320south-

wine.com.

Great Summertime Winesby edgar poureshagh

Guest Columnist and Sommelier

photo courtesy of “Francois Millo/CIVP” www.winesofprovence.com

The Provence region of France produces some of the best summer wines.

Edgar Poureshagh


The Pantages Theatre has been

an icon near the corner of Hol-

lywood and Vine since it

opened in 1930, first as one of Holly-

wood’s grand movie houses, and later

as a premiere destination for Broad-

way shows.

The venue is the last of Alex Pan-

tages’ iconic theatres, and over the

years has played host to movie pre-

mieres and screenings of some of the

greatest Hollywood films, including

“Cleopatra”, “Spartacus” and “On the

Waterfront”. The theatre was acquired

by Howard Hughes through RKO

Pictures in 1949, and the venue hosted

the Academy Awards from 1949 to

1959. It was purchased by Pacific

Theatres in 1965, and continued to

feature extended engagements of pop-

ular movies in the ‘60s and ‘70s such

as “Patton” and “The Great Race”.

In recent years, it has been the pre-

miere destination for Broadway

shows such as “Disney’s The Lion

King” and “Wicked”, which became

the longest running Los Angeles pro-

duction of a Broadway show.

The Pantages Theatre is currently

operated by the Nederlander Organi-

zation and Broadway L.A. This year’s

line-up includes “The Addams Fam-

ily” running from June 5 through 17,

followed by “Million Dollar Quartet”

from June 19 through July 1, featuring

the music and stories of Elvis Presley,

Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and

Carl Perkins. “La Cage Aux Folles”,

starring George Hamilton and

Christopher Seiber, returns from July

10 through 22; while “Memphis”,

winner of the 2010 Tony Award for

Best Musical, runs from July 31

through Aug. 12.

Summer music and comedy per-

formances include Stephanie Miller’s

“Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour” on July

28, and Steve Martin and the Steep

Canyon Rangers performing on Sept.

1. Straight No Chaser brings its

“#SNC Live Fall Tour” to the Pan-

tages on Nov. 30.

Additional upcoming Broadway

productions include “The Book of

Mormon”, running from Sept. 5

through Nov. 25, and Donny and

Marie Osmond’s “Christmas in Los

Angeles”, from Dec. 4 through 23.

Shows planned for 2013 include

“Rain”, a tribute to The Beatles;

“Jekyll & Hyde”, starring Constantine

Margoulis and Deborah Cox; “Catch

Me if You Can”; “Disney’s Beauty

and the Beast”; “West Side Story”;

“Priscilla Queen of the Desert”; and

“Sister Act”.

The future of the Pantages Theatre

promises to be as bright as its past,

with plans proposed to construct re-

tail, housing and office space around

the iconic venue. The plan would be a

partial realization of the original

1920s concept for the venue, which

was to build an office building above

the theatre. That plan was cut short by

the stock market crash in 1929, how-

ever.

Although the current project may

be a few years away, the theatre con-

tinues to be a major entertainment

draw in Hollywood, and promises to

remain so well into the future. The

Pantages Theatre is located at 6233

Hollywood Blvd. For information,

visit www.broadwayla.org.

photo by Randall Michelson

The Pantages Theatre’s grand staircase leads the way to such musicals and shows as “Wicked” and “The Lion King”, and this summer’s many

new additions, like “Memphis” and “La Cage Aux Folles”.

A Sizzling Summer Schedule

by Edwin FolvEn


Mixology 101Perched high above the Farmers

Market, with sweeping views of

the market and The Grove, this

craft cocktail bar is filled with

cozy sitting areas and heaters to

keep guests toasty. The windows

open to allow a warm summer

breeze.

Salvatore Calabrese is one of

the leading bartenders in the

world. He and his team whip up

bubbly champagne cocktails, clas-

sic drinks and great martinis. The

Spicy 50 martini is made with

Stolichnaya vanilla vodka, elder-

flower cordial, fresh lime juice,

honey and muddled chili peppers.

A cute little chili pepper hangs

from the side. It has a kick at the

end, yet the honey smoothes the

heat. Open from 5 p.m. to mid-

night during the week and until 1

a.m. on Fri. and Sat. 6333 W.

Third St. Suite 020.

3TwentyOenophiles unite! 3Twenty

Wine Lounge is the place for wine

aficionados and enthusiasts. It’s a

comfortable and friendly place,

welcoming novice wine drinkers

too. The owner, Edgar Poure-

shagh, is a sommelier and affable

perfectionist.

Guests receive a credit card to

sample some of the 186 wines on

their list. Throughout the evening,

guests mingle among three wine

stations for tastes, swiping their

card each time. Two circular sta-

tions offer wonderful red wines

from around the world. Another

station offers white and rose

wines. It becomes a bit of a lively

social scene as guests sip and

swirl, talking to Poureshagh and

others about the wines.

Poureshagh has 40 rare vintage

wines from some of his favorite

wineries around the world. The

eclectic menu offers small plates

that complement the wines nicely.

(See the accompanying article by

Poureshagh on page 32.) 3Twenty

Wine Lounge is open for lunch

and dinner, seven days a week. $$

320 S. La Brea (323)932-9500.

lexington Social HouseThis Hollywood hangout offers

a great patio bar with creative

cocktails, such as the Shipwrecker,

Teacher’s Pet, The Polynesian and

Writer’s Kid. Actor and musician

Jeff Goldblum and his Jazz Band

perform every Wed. night. His

shows begin at 9 p.m. and 10:30

p.m. Come early, try a few of Ex-

ecutive Chef Jared Simons’ Amer-

ican fare with a Southern twist and

sit back to listen to some great jazz.

1718 Vine St. (323)461-1700.

25 DegreesInside the Hollywood Roosevelt

Hotel, is a bar/ restaurant with bur-

gundy colored booths and red vel-

vet flocked wallpaper. Above each

table, swanky black crystal chan-

deliers shimmer. Bartenders shake

up inventive cocktails such as Red

Head in Bed and Watermelon

Smash, and other bubbly libations.

Wines from Germany, Italy, New

Zealand, Chile, Sonoma, Napa

brilliant bars About Townby jill weinlein


The Spicey 50 Martini at Mixology

101 kicks things up a notch with a

chili peper instead of an olive.

See page 31


Lexington Social House

Hollywood’s New Chef Gets Stellar Reviews

by jill weiNleiN

Anew Hollywood hot spot

near the corner of Holly-

wood and Vine with a so-

phisticated club atmosphere is the

Lexington Social House. Actor

and musician, Jeff Goldblum,

(“Jurassic Park”, “Independence

Day”) plays with his jazz band

most Wednesday nights. Arrive

early to enjoy chef Jared Simons’

dazzling American fare with a

Southern twist, and stick around

listening to some great jazz start-

ing at 9 p.m.

Simons is fairly new to the Lex-

ington scene. His culinary resume

is as extensive as his tattoos.

Looking like a character from

“Grease” with his slicked hair and

jeans rolled above his ankles, Si-

mons says he prefers denim in-

stead of the traditional white chef

outfit.

Prior to becoming a chef, Si-

mons was an All-Star wrestler and

football player. “I was headed to

Cornell or Stanford, before my

neck injury,” Simons said. Since

his wrestling coach worked in a

restaurant at nights, he invited Si-

mons to interview for an after-

school job. “At the time, I died my

hair red, so the only job they of-

fered me was washing dishes,” he

laughed. Simons learned to cook

at this restaurant. Instead of at-

tending college, he applied to

cooking schools. “My parents and

nice Jewish grandmother were

very disappointed that I didn’t

want to become a doctor,”

Simons said. He was ac-

cepted into a culinary

school in San Francisco.

After graduating and

working at a few restau-

rants, Simons opened his

first French-style cafe in

Carlsbad when he was 22

years old. “When my girl-

friend wanted to move up

to Los Angeles, I followed

and eventually opened the

restaurant Violet in Santa

Monica. We were near

Valentino’s,” he added.

The chef likes to use

local organic produce and

American products that

are minimally processed.

His Little Gem salad

with smoked blue cheese

vinaigrette offers an al-

most bacon flavor. “I like

to use Little Gem lettuce

more than Romaine, it’s

sweeter,” Simons said. The

toasted hazelnuts, sliced

red grapes and radish offer a

melody of pleasing flavors.

A perfect example of Simons’

passion for American fare and

comfort food is his innovative steak

tartare with pickled fennel and dec-

orated with a root beer caviar. Crisp

French fries are served on the side.

It’s a gourmet version of the classic

hamburger, fries and root beer

shake. The caviar is made from

root beer and gelatin.

Another comfort dish is Si-

mons’ fried chicken, braised kale

with bacon and chive mashed po-

tatoes. The chicken comes from

Mary’s Farms and bathed in a

classic buttermilk coating. It’s

served with a honey mustard

sauce. Every Sunday evening Si-

mons prepares his fried chicken

dinner for $25.

His pork Saltimbocco with

creamy grits is an Italian dish with

a South Carolina spin – a 14 oz.

Berkshire pork chop cooked with

Iowa proscuitto and sage served

on top of light yellow grits and a

coffee gravy wash. “This is a

man’s dish,” Simons boasts.

For dessert, try the monkey

bread sprinkled with brown sugar,

pecans and served with Fossel-

man’s banana ice cream. The

chocolate bread pudding is made

with a black eye ganache and

espresso, and served with a heady

Guinness Stout ice cream.

Come see this new Hollywood

chef who channels Danny Zucko

from “Grease”, and serves com-

forting American dishes with a lot

of soul. $$ 1718 Vine St.

(323)461-1700.


The lip-smacking fried chicken at Lexington Social House shows off Chef Si-

mons’ Southern cooking with a California twist.


Southern pork chop on creamy grits is hearty fare, a plate Simons dubs “a

man’s dish”.


Chef Jared Simons, who prefers denim over the

traditional white chef ’s jacket, is creating quite

a stir – in his kitchen and among local chefs.


chicken and waffles with a

maple roasted squash syrup is a

great take on a popular Pico Blvd.

restaurant. His butterscotch pot de

crème with caramel ice cream and

sprinkled with black molten sea salt

is served in a little mason glass jar.

It’s heavenly. Open at 5:30 p.m. on

weeknights. Saturday and Sunday

brunch begins at 11a.m. 6280 Hol-

lywood Blvd. (323)334-3360.

Hipsters Unite at

Dominick’sSit outside on the main patio area

near a roaring fireplace or under

twinkling lights. What once was

one of the Rat Pack’s favorite wa-

tering holes is now where the Brat

Pack come to discuss their newest

entertainment endeavor. The

homemade linguine with a light

roasted tomato and basil sauce and

Alaskan halibut is terrific. Another

favorite is the grilled hangar steak

with arugula and Parmesan. The

patio is very popular, so make a

reservation first. Open at 6 p.m. 7

days a week. Sat. and Sun. brunch

begins at 10 a.m. 8715 Beverly

Blvd. (310)652-2335.

Grilling at Nick & Stef’s The restaurant is named after

celebrity chef and restaurateur

Joachim Splichal’s fraternal twins,

Nicholas and Stefan. During the

summer on Thursdays, they offer

The Girl and a Grill night outside.

The girl is executive chef Megan

Logan, a young, gorgeous blonde

with a sweet attitude. She grills

meats, skewers and serves oysters

on the patio overlooking the lights

of the nearby Bonaventure. The

steaks are dry aged in a special

room, making them so tender and

flavorful. Sit back while a DJ

spins Prince, reggae and Madonna

songs. Open for lunch during the

weekdays, dinner at 5:30 p.m. and

4:30 p.m. on Sundays. 330 S.

Hope St. (213)680-0330.

Enchanting TerraceCliff’s Edge is hidden on the

corner of Edgecliff Ave. and W.

Sunset Blvd. in Silverlake. Its en-

chanting patio is ideal on a warm

night or for a weekend brunch.

Colorful, comfy pillows along the

outdoor banquet offer cozy dining

areas, either with a group or signif-

icant other. Strings of outdoor

lights in the ficus trees give the

restaurant a festive atmosphere.

Space heaters placed throughout

the two-tiered terrace warm guests

on chilly evenings.

Try the candied beets salad with

lavender goat cheese, oranges and

pistachios. Another favorite is the

delicate skate fish with the mashed

sunchokes, lemon, capers and

frothy brown butter foam. Dinner

begins at 6 p.m. Brunch is Sat. and

Sun. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 3626

W. Sunset Blvd. (323)666-6116.

Japanese Beer Garden at

CHAYA DowntownDuring the summer, CHAYA

Downtown’s Japanese Beer Gar-

den entices foodies with aromas

from the hibachi grill. Yakitori

skewers of chicken, beef, shrimp,

shiitake mushrooms and bacon

wrapped dates seductively infuse

the outdoor patio. The vibe is lively

and fun with brightly colored

lanterns strung around the garden.

Order a Bento Box to share while

listening to Asian techno pop

music. The six-item box contains

an appetizer, salad, sashimi, sushi,

fish and a meat dish. For dessert,

try the caramelized banana tart with

house-made banana ice cream

mixed with fresh berries and a

chocolate-covered banana on top.

Open for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Mon.

– Fri. Dinner at 5:30 p.m. 525 S.

Flower St. (213)236-9577.

Wood & Vine fire pit

From page 24



Some of our customers’ favorites:• housemade horseradish • our famous carrot salad• French dip sandwiches

and of course our fresh roasted nuts and nut butters!

3rd & Fairfax • 323.938.4127www.mageesnuts.com

Serving the finest Corned Beef for 78 years at the Farmers Market

Restaurant & DeliHouse of Nuts Since 1917

Phyllis Magee, owner of Magee’sKitchen andHouse of Nuts, has been a FarmersMarket merchantsince 1934

Farmers Market’s EB’s &

326 Beer & Wine bars are

as unique as the Market it-

self, a perfect al fresco setting to

enjoy world class beer and wine

while relaxing with friends, din-

ing with family or just plain old

people watching.

The friendly bar staff are al-

ways ready to give advice on

which beverages pair best with

tasty foods available from neigh-

boring vendors and cafes.

Summertime is especially fun

as EB’s and 326 are often at the

center of Market events, including

Thursday evening jazz concerts,

which are open to the public free

of charge. Friday nights too, fea-

ture live music from May through

mid-September. EB’s presents

Ranch Party, L.A.’s best live

country music showcase, every

Saturday evening all year round.

The Ranch Party regulars get into

the spirit of Americana wearing

cowboy hats and boots and with

$3.50 draft beer and $2.50 long

necks served up by the lovely

Stacey and Jessica. It’s the most

fun and affordable gig in town.

If rock-and-roll is more your

thing, don’t miss The Interna-

tional Swingers who will be per-

forming at EB’s on Friday, June

22. The Swingers feature two

members of the Rock & Roll

Hall of Fame, Clem Burke of

Blondie and Glen Matlock of

The Sex Pistols, and recently re-

turned from Australia where they

wowed packed houses with full

speed ahead, peddle to the metal

rock/punk classics. As always,

there is no cover charge; show

time is 7 p.m.

Sports fans love Farmers Mar-

ket Bars as the best place to

watch NBA, MLB and English

Premier League soccer while

sipping on a cold pint, and EB’s

will be open at 9 a.m. for June’s

European Cup matches. If beer is

not your first choice as an eye

opener, the cheerful morning

bartenders are always ready to

serve up a spicy Bloody Mary or

refreshing Mimosa.

Local beer enthusiasts have

been giving 326 rave reviews for

some of the new brews now on

tap, including Eagle Rock brew-

ery’s Revolution and our own

house beers, 326-Independence

Ale and Farmers Market Honey

Blonde. For wine lovers, bever-

age director Christine Buckhout

recently added two delicious

Bordeaux selections, Chataeu

Bonnet and La Valade, to EB’s

extensive wine list. To usher in

the summer jazz season, Chris-

tine will be hosting a Rosé tast-

ing event on Thursday, June 7

from 5-7 p.m., featuring

Columbo Cote Bleue from

France paired with gourmet

cheeses and other tasty nibbles.

Happy Hour is from 4-7 p.m.,

Monday through Friday. Draft

pints are $3.50 and all wine is $4

by the glass – truly the best deal

in town. So come on down to The

Original Farmers Market, 3rd &

Fairfax, pull up a stool at EB’s or

326 Beer & Wine and let the sum-

mer fun begin. 6333 W. 3rd St.,

www.farmersmarketbars.com.

Summer Funat the Farmers Market Bars

By gary twinn

Guest Columnist and Manager, Farmers Market Bars


brilliant barsfrom page 26

and Australia are included on

their list.

For those who enjoy a good

beer, there are many beers on tap

and bottled that go nicely with

one of the overstuffed burgers on

a brioche bun.

The bar is known for its deli-

cious spiked shakes. Imagine a

vanilla milk shake with Maker’s

Mark Kentucky Bourbon

Whiskey, butterscotch and

Hawaiian red sea salt. They also

offer a salty caramel shake and a

bananas foster with Kraken

black spiced rum, fresh banana,

butterscotch, vanilla ice cream

and dark Jamaican Myers’s rum.

Come before or after a night of

dancing or an evening at the the-

atre. 7000 Hollywood Blvd.

(323)785-7244.

The Original Farmers Mar-

ket has been a popular at-

traction since a group of

farmers began selling fresh pro-

duce out of their trucks near the

corner of 3rd Street and Fairfax

Avenue in 1934.

Today, the Market features din-

ing, grocery, retail and entertain-

ment, including a “Summer

Family Fun” series, taking place

on alternating Sunday afternoons

from June through August. Events

such as free arts and crafts and live

music, as well as offerings specif-

ically geared towards families, are

included.

The series begins on Sunday,

June 24 with the Radio Disney

Road Crew providing music,

games and prizes from 11 a.m. to

1 p.m.; a door hanger making

workshop with Sticker Planet

from noon to 3 p.m.; and Mick-

eyO Physical Comic Superstar

performing at 1:15 and 2:15 p.m.

The fun continues on Sunday,

July 8 with face painting from

noon to 3 p.m., and a wildlife tam-

bourine workshop with Art 2 Go

from noon to 3 p.m. Musical per-

formances by Birdie’s Playhouse

begin at 12:30 and 2 p.m.

Face painting fun returns on

Sunday, July 22 from noon to 3

p.m.; with flower planting and pot

decorating from noon to 3 p.m.;

and music with Melissa Green &

Friends at 12:30 and 2

p.m. The Sunday, Aug. 5

program features the

Radio Disney Road

Crew entertain-

ing from 11 a.m.

to 1 p.m. Partici-

pants can make a

fruit or vegetable

on a stick for their

garden with Kids for Peace from

noon to 3 p.m., and entertainment

will be provided by Gwendolyn &

The Goodtime Gang at 1 and 2:15

p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 19, face

painting runs from noon to 3 p.m.;

while a conductor’s hat decorating

session is scheduled from noon to

3 p.m.; and entertainment by The

Conductors will be held at 12:30

and 2 p.m.

The Original Farmers Market is

located at 6333 W. 3rd St. For in-

formation, call (323)933-9211, or

visit www.farmersmarketla.com.

Sounds of Summer at thefarmers Market by edwin folven


You may remember when

Red Medicine opened in

December 2010, they re-

ceived much attention over a no-

table food critic’s “outing”. All of

that is now water not only under

the bridge, but perhaps a water-

shed moment in the restaurant’s

history. Touched by the seemingly

“golden hand” of Umami Burger

and 800 Degrees guru Adam

Fleishman, Red Medicine, with

Chef Jordan Kahn behind the

stove, is as popular now as when

it opened.

Red Medicine occupies an

iconic corner building at Wilshire

and Gale. The minimalist space

with distressed wood paneled

walls and polished concrete floors

is appropriately dark, with a hint

of mystery. The bar space with

high-topped booths against a wall

of windows facing Wilshire

Boulevard is an inviting space

where creative cocktails are

poured. The dining room seats 65

cozily, with a long, narrow win-

dow where diners can spy Chef

Jordan hard at work.

The menu is definitely eclectic

– Vietnamese? Yes, but with a pre-

scribed amount of California cui-

sine thrown in. Beef tartare with

water chestnuts and chlorophyll,

spring peas with yuzu, soy-milk

yogurt and trout roe and – for now

– foie gras mousse with tete du co-

chon are on the cold side of the

menu. I say “for now” because as

of July 1, foie gras will be hard to

find on menus throughout the

state. The California State Legis-

lature has banned the production

and sale of it.

Crispy spring rolls with Dunge-

ness crab, pork rillette with crispy

chicken skin, lychee and pistachio

are delightful small plates. One of

the most interesting dishes on the

menu is the caramelized Brussels

spouts with a vermouth fish sauce

($9). They are braised for several

hours until a rich brown crust

forms on the outside, intensifying

the flavors, giving them a meat-

like texture and taste.

Sweetbreads are served with

crispy sunchokes, prune, chickory

and smoked bone marrow. The

pork in caramelized black vinegar

is marvelously spiced and is per-

fect for sharing. Under “large for-

mat” is a Wagyu beef brisket

braised for 36 hours and glazed

with palm sugar and fish sauce.

The tender, melt-in-your-mouth

beef arrives on a Staub cast iron

plate, with butter lettuce leaves

with which to wrap the beef.

Santa Barbara spot prawns are

cooked over hot river stones with

lemon grass, and the Hertiage

pork belly is glazed with vinegar

and malted barley. These “large

format” dishes are market priced

and meant for a party of 5-6 peo-

ple, at least. They are enjoyable

and fun to share family style, with

a few glasses of wine or one of

their creative beverages. (see

below).

After sampling what seemed

like every item on the menu, it’s

clear to see Chef Kahn’s attention

to detail and precision in preparing

every plate that leaves his kitchen

is his top priority. His supply of

fresh herbs alone must include

nearly 50 varieties. Every dish is

prepared with quality ingredients

and painstaking preps.

The drinks – both hard and soft

- are all handmade at the restau-

rant. They even make their own

Squirt. Cocktails, like the #69

Cocchi Americano – elderflower,

and soda served on a stem with ice

and an orange peel – tastes like a

cooler for a hot summer day. The

wine list is just as eclectic as the

menu. Rieslings pair perfectly with

most every dish, which is why

there are 26 of them on the list.

Kahn began his career as part of

a four-man pastry team for

Thomas Keller’s French Laundry.

While his culinary wizardry is re-

vealed in his cuisine, he also

makes incredible desserts. His sig-

nature coconut Bavarian cream

with coffee, condensed milk, Thai

basil, peanut croquant, and

chicory was rich and tasty. Pear

ice cream was on the menu the

night we were there, and I couldn’t

stop eating it. I’m sure whatever

ice cream Kahn is offering, it is

worth every calorie!

Red Medicine offers a dining

adventure where you can taste

several dishes, and enjoy interest-

ing cocktails in a lively atmos-

phere. Red Medicine is open until

2 a.m. nightly. 8400 Wilshire

Blvd., Beverly Hills. (323)651-

5500. www.redmedicinela.com.

Red MedicineVietnamese Cuisine with an L.A. Flair


photo courtesy of Red Medicine

Red Medicine Chef and Partner Jordan Kahn meticulously prepares each dish

coming out of his Vietnamese kitchen.

The Greek Theatre has an

exciting summer line-up

of concerts by major per-

formers. It includes Primus with

special guest Fishbone on June

8; Summerland featuring Ever-

clear, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms,

LIT and Marcy Playground on June 29; The B-52s and Squeeze on June

30; Al Green on July 19; and Alan Jackson in Go Country‘s Summer

Concert Under the Stars on July 20. Also included is Ringo Starr & His

All Starr Band on July 21; Neil Diamond, celebrating the 40th anniver-

sary of “Hot August Nights”, Aug. 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25; Joe Cocker

and Huey Lewis and the News on Aug. 15; and an “An Evening with

Crosby, Stills & Nash” on Sept. 7.

The Greek Theatre is located at 2700 N. Vermont Ave. for informa-

tion, call (323)665-5857, or visit www.greektheatrela.com.

By Edwin Folven


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June 8 Primus with special guest Fishbone

June 29 Summerland featuring Everclear,

Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, LIT and

Marcy Playground

June 30 The B-52s and Squeeze

July 18 Demi Lovato

July 19 Al Green

July 20 Alan Jackson in Go Country‘s

Summer Concert Under the Stars

July 21 Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band

July 22 The Jacksons: Unity Tour 2012

July 28 Gladys Knight and Natalie Cole

Aug. 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25 Neil Diamond,

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of

“Hot August Nights”

Aug. 15 Joe Cocker and Huey Lewis

and the News

Sept. 7 An Evening with Crosby, Stills &

Nash

Sept. 22 Bonnie Raitt plus special guest

Mavis Staples

Oct. 11 Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin

Experience

Summer Concert Schedulephoto courtesy of The Greek Theatre


The Hollywood Bowl’s

Summer 2012 Season is

just around the corner,

with classical, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll,

country and world music con-

certs set to heat up the night. Fea-

tured performers include Glen

Campbell, Ben Harper, Barry

Manilow, Kenny “Babyface”

Edmonds, Martina McBride,

Ziggy Marley, Liza Minnelli,

Smokey Robinson, and many

more.

This year, the Hollywood

Bowl season opens on June 22

with a performance by the Hol-

lywood Bowl Orchestra con-

ducted by Thomas Wilkins, and

culminating with a fireworks

show. The star-studded opening

night will also feature Reba

McEntire and Chaka Khan being

inducted into the Hollywood

Bowl Hall of Fame, with actress

Julie Andrews hosting the cere-

mony.

The concerts continue on June

24 when country music-legend

Glen Campbell brings his

“Farewell Tour” to the Bowl. A

celebration of jazz-legend Miles

Davis is scheduled for June 27.

The annual Fourth of July fire-

works Spectacular has become a

tradition, and this year will fea-

ture Barry Manilow. Other per-

formances include the L.A.

Philharmonic’s “Frozen Planet in

Concert” on July 6 and 7;

KCRW’s World Festival cele-

brating the music of the Philip-

pines on July 8; and a tribute to

Ray Charles on July 11.

There will be a “Legends of

Reggae” concert with a tribute to

Ziggy Marley on July 15;

Smokey Robinson performing

with the L.A. Phil on July 20 and

21; and a production of “The

Producers” from July 27 through

29. Summer continues to heat up

in August and September, with

the Neville Brothers’ “Farewell

Tour” on Aug. 1; “Pixar in Con-

cert” from Aug. 3 through 5, cel-

ebrating the music of animated

classics; and performances by

Nora Jones on Aug. 10, and Liza

Minnelli on Aug. 11. Renowned

tenor Placido Domingo joins

Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A.

Phil on Aug. 19.

On September 2, Paramount

Pictures celebrates its 100th an-

niversary with a music and film

performance celebrating classics

of the silver screen. B.B. King re-

turns to The Bowl on Sept. 5,

while a Bowl favorite, the “Sing-

a-long Sound of Music”, is

scheduled for Sept. 22.

Classical, jazz and world

music shows will also be inter-

spersed throughout the season,

offering something for everyone.

This year’s season continues a

long tradition that began in 1920,

when the “Hollywood May Fes-

tival” became the first production

to charge admission in what

came to be known as the Holly-

wood Bowl. The first official sea-

son opened in 1922 with

“Symphonies Under the Stars”.

In the years that followed, just

about every famous name in

music or theatre entertained

guests at the Bowl. In 1937, Fred

Astaire and All Jolson paid trib-

ute to composer George Gersh-

win in a memorial concert. Frank

Sinatra made his Bowl debut in

1943, and rock ‘n’ roll first came

to the Bowl in 1958 with a

“Salute to Dick Clark”.

In August 1964, the venue

hosted a performance by The

Beatles. That tradition of top mu-

sical acts continues today, where

bowl-goers enjoy outdoor con-

certs under the stars.

The Hollywood Bowl is lo-

cated at 2301 N. Highland Ave.

For information and a complete

schedule, visit www.hollywood

bowl.com.

Summer Under the StarsTop: Fireworks usher in the Summer lineupat the Bowl

(photo courtesy the Hollywood Bowl).

Bottom: Savor the sounds of summer with

a pre-ordered picnic or three-course meal

from the Patina Restaurant Group. (photo courtesy of Patina Restaurant Group)

by Edwin FolvEn


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With the Los AngelesDodgers sporting thebest record in Major

League Baseball and celebratingnew and “Magic” ownership,there’s plenty of reason for opti-mism in Chavez Ravine.

This season, the Dodgers arealso honoring the 50th an-niversary of Dodger Sta-dium, and officials haveplanned a series of specialevents and promotions tocelebrate the iconic base-ball stadium.

The team will be honor-ing Hall of Fame broadcasterJaime Jarrín, “The Spanish Voiceof the Dodgers”, now in his 54thyear with the club, on June 11. TheDodgers will continue to roll out itsbobblehead series with catcherMike Scioscia on June 12, slugger

Eric Karros on June 28, formermanagers Tommy Lasorda andWalter Alston on July 14, historichome-run hitter Kirk Gibson onJuly 31, pitcher Sandy Koufax onAug. 7, pitcher Fernando Valen-zuela on Aug. 21 and Hall of Famebroadcaster Vin Scully on Aug. 30.

This season has beenpunctuated on Fridaynights with Dodger Sta-dium’s Friday Night Fire-works. The promotioncelebrates the stadium’sanniversary. Kids canalso run the bases after

every Sunday home game. On Father’s Day, June 17, the

Dodgers will give out sports bagsand host a Father’s Day Catchevent. That Sunday is also VivaLos Dodgers Day, in which theDodgers celebrate their Hispanic

roots. Viva LosDodgers Dayswill be held everySunday through-out the season.

On June 30,prior to a match-up against theMets, fans will beable to participatein On-Field PhotoDay at 4:15 p.m.On July 4, theclub will face offagainst the Reds,and fans will havean opportunity to“ooh and aah” atthe stadium’sFourth of JulyFireworks. July 4is also Military AppreciationNight.

The team will give away anMLB Network Drawstring Bag onJuly 15, a beach chair on July 17,a snapback cap on Aug. 5, a back-to-school backpack on Aug. 26, aMatt Kemp replica jersey on Sept.

4, a fleece blanket on Sept. 13, andDodger Giveaway Night is Oct. 2.

Concession stand fans won’twant to miss $1 Dodger Dogsnight on Sept. 3, and La Gran Fi-esta, a Viva Los Dodgers celebra-tion, on Sept. 29.

Go Blue!

Fun at the Ballpark All Summer Long

BY AARON BLEVINS

photo by Jon SooHooAndre Ethier is one of the current Dodger standouts.


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Cirque du Soleil continues to heat up atthe Dolby Theatre, formerly the KodakTheatre, where its tribute to cinema,

“IRIS: A Journey Through the World of Cin-ema”, is playing all summer long.

“IRIS” was created exclusively for its per-manent home at the theatre and offers a newtake on the art of cinema, as only Cirque duSoleil could imagine. The production is writtenand directed by Philippe Decouflé, with musicby Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman.It features 72 performers, 200 costumes, 8,300square feet of performance floor, more than600 lighting features, 20 video projectors and160,000 watts of sound.

“IRIS” combines acrobatics, dance, projec-tions and live music, taking audiences on ajourney through the evolution of cinema —from the foundations of the art form to the bus-tle of the soundstage. When the two young he-roes — Buster and Scarlett — find themselvesplunged into the joyful chaos of a film set, their

escapades are transformed into akaleidoscope of movement, moodsand images, supported by an orches-tral score.

“IRIS” conjures up a world betweenmotion and picture, light and sound,which shifts constantly between real-ity and make-believe. The show ex-plores the limitless possibilities ofcinema by combining dance, acrobat-ics, live video, film footage and inter-active projections, illustrating both themechanics of cinema and its extraor-dinary power to deceive the eye.

“IRIS” has also been critically-ac-claimed for its music. The 17-songstudio soundtrack of Elfman’s musicis available for purchase. The unique blend of100 orchestral musicians — the largest inCirque du Soleil recording history — is spreadover large and small ensembles and is mixedwith the live show’s eight house musicians.

The Dolby Theatre is part of the Hollywood& Highland complex at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.Tickets range from $43 to $133, with VIP tick-ets starting at $253. For tickets and informa-tion, call (877)943-IRIS, or visitwww.cirquedusoleil.com/IRIS.


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IRISA Journey Into the Magic of Cinema

BY EDWIN FOLVEN



The Best Authentic New Orleans Food in Los Angeles

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Servers dish out Mozza’s creative pies at their pizzeria at the corner of Mel-

rose and Highland.

Pizzeria Mozza, located at

Melrose and Highland, fea-

tures a relaxed atmosphere,

delicious Italian food and a suit-

able wine selection, an ideal com-

bination for diners who wish to

take their time.

They sip their wine a little

slower to savor the taste, they nib-

ble on antipasti and linger over

their primi and secondi.

Pizzeria Mozza is an interesting

place. They leave tables empty for

reserved guests. Guests with reser-

vations are whisked to their table

upon entering, as long as every

member in the party is present.

Come with your entire posse or

you may have to wait.

Sean, one of the bartenders, has

a friendly personality that made us

comfortable sitting at the bar. He

hands guests four crispy bread

sticks wrapped in waxed paper.

These crunchy sticks are made

fresh daily at La Brea Bakery and

served warm at Pizzeria Mozza.

Glasses of Italian Birra Moretti

are offered on tap and carafes of

A lot of Moxie at

by jill weinlein

see Mozza on page 46


Open Everyday! Farmers Market: 6333 West Third St. at Fairfax (323)934-3113

Hollywood & Highland: 6801 Hollywood Blvd. #403 (323)960-0933Burbank: 108 E. Palm Ave. (818)846-0566

��

Sweet & Savory Crepes & Waffles European SpecialtiesGourmet Sandwiches & Paninis, Salads & SoupsCoffee, Espresso & Cappuccino

��

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Strolling through the original Farmers

Market, I always enjoy walking past the

Monsieur Marcel bistro and gourmet

store. There are always a few patrons sitting to-

gether speaking French, while sipping a glass

of wine and sharing a plate of cheese or enjoy-

ing a croque monsieur.

The Monsieur at Marcel is Stephane Strouk,

a charming Frenchman, passionate about

cheese, wine and gourmet food.

“My first solid food as a baby was cheese,”

he shared with a smile. “I eat one pound of

cheese a day. It’s what keeps me fit and

healthy,” winked Strouk. “When you love

cheese, life is good.”

Strouk arrived in the United States in the

early 1990s and shortly opened a French crepe

shop in the Farmers Market. When a nearby

deli closed, he leased the space and opened a

cheese shop. “I searched all over Los Angeles

for cheese and wine that I liked from my home

country,” Strouk said. “I found Italian cheese,

but not French.”

In 1995, Strouk first learned of plans to build

The Grove. He realized that it would change

the Farmers Market for the better, so he imme-

diately started planning his gourmet grocery

store. When the former Farmers Market gro-

cery store space became available, Strouk ren-

ovated the space and filled his gourmet grocery

store with a variety of European cheese, mus-

tards, olive oils, wines, tapenades, chocolate

and gourmet items. He offers at least 20 differ-

ent varieties of vinegars and mustards.

While building the restaurant and patio, his

crew found a round safe buried in the ground.

“I thought it might be filled with enough gold

coins to become a millionaire,” he said with a

chuckle. Strouk called a locksmith to open his

treasure. It took the locksmith over one hour to

finally open the safe and recover a 4” x 6”

piece of paper. It was the original recipe for a

one-of-a-kind specialty item, caviar cheese.

This was not just any cheese recipe. It was a

hand written recipe passed down through gen-

erations. To Strouk. it was a treasure.

“We are the only manufacturer in the United

States that makes caviar cheese. It is shipped

to Dallas, Boston and New York City,” Strouk

explained. “We have one customer who always

calls us to deliver a container of caviar cheese

to his home when he is ill. He believes

our cheese makes him feel better.”

I ordered the salade nicoise and

sandwich au jambon d’espagne for

lunch. The deep red, pepper-crusted ahi

tuna was served on a bed of mixed

greens with sliced hard boiled eggs,

long green beans, sliced potatoes, an-

chovies, red onions, deep purple olives

and cucumbers bathed lightly in a mild

tarragon dressing. It’s large enough to

enjoy with another person.

The sandwich arrived on a French

baguette with slices of imported Ser-

rano ham, roasted peppers and embel-

lished with shavings of Manchego

cheese. The flavor of the cheese inten-

sified the addictive quality of this sand-

wich.

Strouk said he always enjoys half a

glass of wine with his lunch. “A nice

Bordeaux is my favorite to sip,” he said.

“Recently, I became a big fan of Rosé wine,”

Strouk said. His Monsieur Marcel labeled Rosé

is from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of

France. It received a gold medal at the French

National IGP Wine Awards and a silver medal

at a worldwide Rosé contest. “I have a secret

of how to drink a Rosé all day long and stay

standing and not fall asleep…drink it with ice,”

he whispered.

His bistro and market are a labor of quality

and love. He brings smaller artisian foods from

Europe to Los Angeles. “Less industrial and

more quality. I don’t import from big corpora-

tions,” Strouk said. “At least fifty percent of

my guests are European. They come here to

enjoy tastes from their homeland.”

For dessert, I ordered a plate of colorful mac-

arons. These delightful confectionary bites ar-

rived as an assortment of blueberry lavender,

coffee, lemon, raspberry, almond and salted

caramel.

For those looking to enjoy a taste of France

at home, Monsieur Marcel is offering a special

promotion on their award-winning private label

Rosé through the end of September. Customers

who buy one bottle will receive a second bottle

at 50 percent off. 6333 W Third St # 150,

(323)939-7792. Hours 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on

Sunday they close at 7 p.m. 1260 Third St.

Promenade (310)587-1166.


Monsieur Marcel for Lunch? Mais OUI!

BY JILL WEINLEIN


The Monsieur at Marcel’s is owner Stephane

Strouk, who proudly displays his private label

cabernet sauvignon and award-winning rosé

wines available at his restaurants and gourmet

grocery store.


The bright colors on the salade nicoise make this dish as en-

joyable to view as it is to eat. The deep-red, rare-seared ahi

is served atop crisp greens, with yellow cherry tomatoes,

purple onion, and lemon-colored, hard-boiled eggs. The an-

chovies provide the finishing touch.

“When you love cheese,

life is good.”

Stephane Strouk, Monsieur Marcel


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��Monday-Sunday 3pm-Close

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5773 Wilshire Blvd. (323)937-7952in the Museum Square • www.mariecallenders.com

In the � of the Miracle Mile

Wines by the GlassDraft Beers

Specialty Cocktails

• Mojitos • Hand-Shaken Margaritas • Martinis

Featuring Live Piano & VocalsWed-Sun 6:30-9:30pm

Join us for SundayBrunch!

Vini al Quartinos or Vini

Spumanti Frizzanti priced at $10

to $14. Various Quartinos of Vini

Blanca (white) wines are under

$22. The Refosco Rosato, Bas-

tianich – Friuli, was clean, dry and

pink, a perfect wine to sip while

enjoying a chopped salad. The

mound of insalate arrives on a

white plate filled with shredded

red onions, cherry tomatoes,

salami, aged provolone, garbanzo

beans, iceburg lettuce and pepper-

chinis. The radicchio gives the

salad a bitter taste, while the pep-

perchinis give it a zip.

“Years ago, this used to be Jack

Warner’s private office. The din-

ing room just right of the front

door was once Warner’s meeting

room,” Sean said. This site used to

be Emilio’s for nearly 40 years.

For the past six years, it has suc-

cessfully been part of the mega-

successful Mozza Group. They

own the Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria

Mozza, Pizza 2 Go and Scuola de

Pizza, a cooking school. Classes

and demonstrations in pizza mak-

ing, family style dinner prepara-

tion and ravioli making range

from $50 to $175. The popular

Mozza cookbook class offers stu-

dents a five-course journey in

preparing some of the restaurant’s

most popular dishes. For the $175

Pizzeria MozzaFrom page 42

fee, participants also receive a

signed Mozza cookbook.

Upon opening the menu, you

quickly realize that this isn’t a tra-

ditional pizza joint. There are fried

squash blossoms with ricotta,

panini sandwiches, signature

plates of the day

and more than

20 different

types of pizzas.

The most re-

quested pizza on

the menu is the

fennel sausage topped with panna

(cream) and dusted with red

onions and scallions.

According to Sean, it took

Nancy Silverton over a year to

perfect her pizza dough. The

dough is simple and baked in the

pizza oven until the edges darken.

The thinly sliced Pizza alla

Benno with Speck, pineapple,

jalapenos, tomatoes and moz-

zarella is a juniper-flavored ham

that is similar to Italian proscuitto.

Mixed with the pineapple it

weaves sweetness with a bite of

heat from the sliced blanched

jalapenos, an

u n e x p e c t e d

twist that tickles

your lips.

The butter-

scotch budino

dessert is lus-

cious and lovely with one of Sil-

verton’s delicate rosemary pine

nut cookies. The sweet butter-

scotch is embellished with a sprin-

kling of sea salt on the top.

Pizzeria Mozza will make you

believe. Open daily from noon to

midnight. 641 N. Highland Ave.

(323)297-0101.

It took Nancy Silverton

over a year to perfect her

pizza dough.


More than a mere pizzeria, Mozza also

includes specialty desserts, like their

butterscotch budino with sea salt.

The Los Angeles Zoo &

Botanical Gardens are

primed for an exciting

summer, as the zoo recently

opened its LAIR (Living Am-

phibians, Invertebrates and Rep-

tiles) habitat and is preparing for

its 42nd Annual Beastly Ball.

The Beastly Ball will be held at

6 p.m. on June 12 at the zoo, 5333

Zoo Drive, in Griffith Park. Ac-

tress Sarah Michelle Gellar and

former L.A. mayor Richard Rior-

dan will be honored for their

wildlife preservation efforts.

Gellar will receive the Tom

Mankiewicz Leadership Award,

which was established in the

memory of the former Greater Los

Angeles Zoo Association

(GLAZA) chairman, and recog-

nizes members of the entertain-

ment industry who contribute to

the world’s natural and civic envi-

ronment. She is a GLAZA Safari

Club patron and advocates for var-

ious charities, and will succeed

last year’s recipient, rocker Slash.

Riordan has helped make the

zoo an international leader in the

preservation of endangered

species, and for creating a conser-

vation center that cares for and

studies wildlife.

Tickets to the ball are $1,000

per person,

and sponsor-

ship opportunities are available.

More than 1,000 people usually

attend the event, which

raises more than $1 million

for the city-owned zoo.

Guests will have an opportunity

to walk around the zoo after hours,

and officials will spotlight the new

LAIR habitat. There will also be

animal feedings, silent and live

auctions, entertainment and food

from many L.A. restaurants. Co-

median Jimmy Pardo will serve as

the master of ceremonies.

For tickets and information, call

(323)644-4753 or visit

www.lazoo.org.

Additionally, concerts will

be held this summer at

the zoo from 6 to 9 p.m.

on July 13 and 27. The July 13

event will feature Cubensis, the

Long Beach Caravan Trio,

Masanga Marimba, Mini Man-

sions, Caravana, Patrolled by

Radar, Wayward Sons and The

Heist. The June 27 concert line-up

includes the Rocky Neck Blue-

grass Band, the Marieve Hering-

ton Band, Paddy’s Pig, Wicked

Tinkers, AK and Her Kalash-

nikovs, Bandidos de Amor, Tropi-

cal Punch and Kenny Hudson and

the World Beat.

For members, tickets are $15 for

adults and $10 for children ages

two years old through 12. For non-

members, tickets are $20 for adults

and $15 for children. Children

under 2 are free. For information,

call (323)644-6042.

ZooCamp will begin July 2 and

run through Aug. 10 for children

four years old through 12. The Crit-

ter Club, for children four to five

years old, includes programming

such as “Animal Imagination”,

“The Big and Small of it All” and

“Farmers Lil’ Helpers”. The Wild

Bunch, for six and seven year olds,

includes “Outback Adventure”,

“Sense-sational Safari” and “Safari

Afrika”. The Zoo Troop, for eight

and nine year olds, will explore

“Rebel Raptors”, “Planet Primate”

and “Karibuni Afrika!” Eco Ex-

plorers ages 10 through 12 will

have an opportunity to take their

own “Wild Photography”.

A full week of camp is $250 for

members and $310 for non-mem-

bers. Registration forms are avail-

able at www.lazoo.org, and can be

sent to lazoo.reservations@lac-

ity.org, or by mail.


SSSsummerat the Los Angeles ZooBy AAron Blevins

photo by Jamie Pham

Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) Co-Chair Betty White with

Jacob, the Columbian red-tailed boa, at GLAZA'S Beastly Ball in 2011.

photo by Hugh Stegman

Cubensis performs at Music in the Zoo 2010. The band will again appear at

the Los Angeles Zoo on July 13.

A Fiji Island Iguana

~

There are different types ofItalian restaurants. Themost formal type is a Ris-

torante. Less formal dining venuesare Trattorias and Osterias. Ce-lestino Drago has opened one ofeach in Southern California. HisEnoteca Drago is a neighborhoodwine bar and restaurant in BeverlyHills serving small plates and won-derful wines at reasonable prices.

For those who fondly enjoyedDrago’s restaurant in Santa Mon-ica, this Enoteca is similar. NewChef de Cuisine, Garrett Muko-gawa, has filled the menu with amosaic of brilliant Italian dishes.Mukogawa prepares contemporarydishes with an Asian and Frenchflair that will tantalize your palette.

We started with a caprccio dibue with thinly sliced filet of beef,decorated with a peppery sweet

and tangy arugula lettuce withDijon dressing and shaved parme-san. The arugula adds a delightfulpizzazz to this dish.

Another great appetizer fitting tosplit is the Bomba. It’s a home-made pizza crust filled with moz-zarella, caramelized onions andelegant black truffles. Chef Muko-gawa places a crust over the pie tocreate a calzone type of pizza.When our server, Veronica, piercedthe top, a potpourri of heavenlyaromas escaped. Most of the pizzasare traditional with a twist, like onewith Yukon potatoes, parmesanand rosemary. Another is decoratedwith smoked salmon, capers andpickled onions.

For pasta dishes, we tried Ce-lestino’s classic Drago dish, pap-pardelle with roasted pheasant andmorel mushrooms. Pappardelle is

derived from theword pappare,which means togobble up. Thetender pheasantand honeycomb-like mushroomswere adornedwith a delicatebutter sauce.

Still wantingmore, we ordereda Milanese spe-cialty, osso buco.It’s served on abed of rich gorgonzola risotto withblack trumpet mushrooms. Thetender veal fell off the bone.

Lastly, we ordered the risottoNero with black squid ink, clams,mussels and shrimp. One of myfriends was a bit leery about order-ing this dish. When it arrived, I puta small serving on her plate andwatched her enjoy her first bite.Soon she was helping herself toseconds.

As we all sipped a round of cap-puccinos, we shared two desserts.The Budino di butterscotch e caffe

arrived with a sweet and crisp rose-mary tuile sprinkled with sea salt.It was blissful. Last to arrive weretwo delicate apple criêpes with ascoop of buttermilk sorbet andtopped with a few pinches of sug-ary streusel. The pastry chef, MarioOrtiz, is an expert at I Dolci(desserts).

We left Enoteca Drago with bigsmiles. $$ Lunch is served Mon.through Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.Dinner, 4 to 11 p.m. On Sun. EnotecaDrago is open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. 410N. Canon Dr. (310)786-8236.


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Over 300 Tequilas Including Antonio’s Famous

Tequila Resposado!! Full Bar • Fine Mexican Cuisine !

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7-(=+&8">(-.?3.*'@"A%&#1"B"C+&&-(;$&"D"7.'"E./DFG0/7%&"E./DH0/

Enoteca DragoTantalizing Italian Fare

BY JILL WEINLEIN

photo by Jill WeinleinThinly sliced filet of beef dressed with a peppery sweetand tangy arugula gives the carpaccio salad a zingy flavor.


UMAMicatessen


Try out UMAMIcatessen fries with pickled peppers and a “brainaise” sauce at the new restau-

rant by the Umami Restaurant Group.

This spring, a new deli, groovy bar,

gourmet coffee bar, donut shop

and Umami burger restaurant

opened next to the historic Orpheum

Theatre. It’s another creation by the in-

novative Adam Fleischman, Los Angeles

based restaurateur and Chief Executive

of Umami Restaurant Group. With his

mega successful Umami Burger, Fleis-

chman branched out to pizza with his

thriving 800 Degrees in Westwood Vil-

lage. Then, he brought a brand new din-

ing concept to downtown L.A.,

UMAMIcatessen. It’s a food festival-

dining venue where servers bring

you dishes from the five different

kitchens.

Fleishman has an outstanding

knack of attracting extremely tal-

ented people to work with him.

Celebrated San Francisco Chef

Chris Cosentino is the mastermind

behind the first of five kitchens,

PIGG. Cosentino has a flair for tun-

ing offal (internal organs of a

butchered animal) into gourmet

fare. Try his Cone O’ Cracklins

made from thinly sliced pig ears

fried crispy and served with a sprin-

kling of sherry vinegar and flash

fried sage. They are crunchy and

airy, a variation of a salt and vine-

gar pork rind and an ideal snack.

Mixologist, Adrian Biggs, shakes

up handcrafted cocktails with twists

on classic libations to complement

the savory UMAMIcatessen menu.

Try the tropical Urban Trader

with Bacardi rum, apricot liqueur,

St. Vincent orgeat (made with al-

mond milk, pure sugar cane, rose

water and orange blossom), fresh

pineapple and lime juice with a

sprinkle of nutmeg. Another fa-

vorite is the Citrus Tree with rum,

lychee liqueur, red and green grapes

muddled with fresh lime and sugar.

Cosentino’s PIGG style fries are

pickled red peppers and topped with

ham puree and brainaise. Cosentino

uses every part of the pig, including

the brain. His brainaise is made

from, yes, pig brain.

Cosentino makes a Hoof and

Mouth sandwich that is served with

pickled carrots and onions. Yes,

part of the hoof and snout of a pig

are the meat inside a French

baguette. There is also a pigs ears

salad with watercress and mint. His

raw lardo with pears looks like

strips of bacon fat (lard) accompa-

nied with hazelnuts and thinly

sliced fresh pear.

A dish from the third kitchen and

deli, The Cure, was a tender and

flavorful pastrami sandwich on rye

with housemade mustard. The thick

slices of ruby-red pastrami are as

good or better than any other

kosher style deli in Los Angeles.

Fleischman worked with

Mezze’s executive chef, Micah

Wexler, to create some of the items

at the deli, like matzo ball soup,

smoked salmon, sturgeon and po-

tato knishes served with whole-

grain mustard. The Cure also serves

a turkey sandwich on challah bread,

corned beef on rye and a chicken

salad sandwich with roasted fennel,

red and green grapes, toasted wal-

nuts, tarragon and a yogurt dressing.

All the sandwiches are under $13.

“Our loyalty is to the customer

experience. Every server here has

extensive product knowledge, en-

thusiasm and a smile to keep cus-

tomers coming back,” said Jason

Berkowitz, the VP of Hospitality

for the UMAMI Group. He gives

his servers a pep talk before the

doors open. “Nice is the new nice,”

Berkowitz added.

The Spring for Coffee baristas

make a cappuccino with heart

shaped white foam, to accompany

piping hot beignets with a caramel

and coffee flavored dipping curd.

Tres de Leche donuts go great with

any of the hot beverages.

The designers of the space, Der-

rick Flynn and Juliana So, of SO/DA

Inc., met at USC’s School of Archi-

tecture and specialize in hospitality

and interior design. “This was three

different spaces when we first

started,” Flynn said. Now it’s 6,650

sq. ft of raw open space filled with

interesting historical materials and

objects. Custom light fixtures are

made from antique milk crates and

bottles. Old stage lights from the Or-

pheum Theatre hang above the

Spring for Coffee bar. Downtown, with its art-deco

buildings, magnificent theatres,

contemporary galleries and hip res-

idences, welcomes UMAMI-

catessen. The restaurant has

attracted a new breed of foodie ur-

banites who want to experience one

of L.A.’s new dining adventures.

Open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. 825 S.

Broadway, (213)413-UMAMI

(8626).

by jill weinlein

Mixologist, Adrian Biggs, at Umami-

catessen, is shaking up some lively li-

bations,


Addison, the signature

restaurant at The Grand

Del Mar Resort in North

San Diego County, is named after

architect Addison Mizner, whose

style defined the resort communi-

ties of Boca Raton and Palm

Beach in the 1920s. The restau-

rant features influences from

Spain, Portugal, Italy and Mo-

rocco, supremely appointed with

decorative pieces and sensational

lighting. Stone flooring and lime-

stone fireplaces are balanced with

earth-toned hues and graceful yel-

low-plastered arches.

The restaurant opened as a des-

tination location in September

2006, with Executive Chef

William Bradley leading the

team. Bradley is at home in his

native San Diego, and in his

kitchen – his command is clear.

He is a conductor and inventor,

maestro and sculptor. Creative,

yet with a subtle hand, Chef

Bradley perfectly seasons and

plates his food.

Dining at Addison is prix-fixe

with a choice of three ($90) or

four ($98) courses. A cheese carte

is also offered with selections

from California, Wisconsin, Italy

and France. However, Addison’s

“Carte Blanche” menu is my rec-

ommendation, where Chef

Bradley creates seven courses for

the table for a prix-fixe of $150

per person.

We dined there last fall, and

since then, a spring menu has

been introduced. While the dishes

we enjoyed may not be offered

now, be assured everything

Bradley creates is a dining mas-

terpiece.

We were

seated and im-

mediately pre-

sented with an

amuse bouche

of tomato con-

sommé with

raspberry and

yuzu – a rela-

tively clear

broth, yet in-

tensely flavor-

ful. The wait

staff appears seemingly from

nowhere with silver-domed plates

that are placed harmo-

niously in front of you,

with the domes lifted in

synchronicity. This

“culinary ballet” con-

tinued for the entire

meal - every dish was

presented with aplomb.

Over the next few

hours, we enjoyed

seven remarkable

courses paired with

wines. From petite

crevettes (shrimp) we

moved on to a roasted

sable fish with tomato

confit and sauce ver-

mouth. Both dishes

were extraordinary ex-

amples of Bradley’s su-

perb culinary talent. An

interlude of terrine of

foie gras with a ginger-lime jam

was matched with a Chateau

Suduiraut from France. The

Sauterne-like wine was the per-

fect balance to the rich and deli-

cate foie gras. The pinnacle of the

meal was the ris de veau poelee,

or veal sweetbreads, gently flash-

fried with a fine coating and

served with Parme-

san risotto. The

captain was hesi-

tant to tell us what

was in the dish –

some diners may

shy from such an

item, but we have

had the pleasure of

dining on sweet-

breads before, and

knew right away

this was something

special. A Gaju

Nebbiolo/Cabernet from Italy

was poured with this main course,

simply fabulous.

Speaking of wines, Jesse Ro-

driguez, the sommelier, has com-

piled a wine list like none other

I’ve seen. Wines from all over the

world are offered, some of which

I was not familiar. What a won-

derful treat to experience such

hidden gems! In the dining room,

a table is full of crystal decanters,

of all shapes and sizes that appear

more like objets d’art. In fact they

are very functional vessels for

many of the wines Jesse pours.

For this culinary ballet’s grand

finale, we were presented with the

cheese cart, and two desserts, one,

a light lemon-honey sorbet and

grapefruit granite, the other a

Nutella mille-feuille (a delicious

pastry and custard) and crème

fraiche ice cream. What a satisfy-

ing end to, possibly, the finest din-

ner I’ve ever experienced. After-

ward, we were taken backstage

for a tour of Chef Bradley’s

kitchen. His crew was busy clean-

ing up for the night, since we were

the last diners, and Chef Bradley

proudly showed off what was “be-

hind the curtain”. The maestro, or

director, definitely produces an

award- winning show.

The spring menu offers the fol-

lowing first course choices: sea

scallops sashimi, langoustine á la

Robuchon, oysters and caviar or

Dutch white asparagus. Razor

clam risotto, wild Brittany turbot,

coddled farm egg or bouillabaisse

are second course offerings. If

you opt for four courses, select

from Kobe beef short rib, salmon

“sur la plate”, coffee-roasted ca-

nard (duck), and the aforemen-

tioned ris de veau. Finally, dessert

is red raspberry pavlova, brownie

á la mode, le petit gateau for two

(a little cake), or white chocolate

mousse.

This summer, wine tastings on

Addison’s Terrace will be offered

every other Friday from June 8 to

August 17; 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Relax and start your weekend

with Rodriguez’s hand-picked

summer wine pours that will offer

sippers a flight of three excep-

tional wines for $25 per person.

Addison at The Grand del Mar

Resort, located in coastal North

San Diego County. 5300 Grand

Del Mar Court, San Diego, CA

92130, (858)314-2000.


photos courtesy of The Grand del Mar

Executive Chef William Bradley

The dining room at Addison

KV.Dining Guide.Main Layout_Layout 1 6/1/12 3:45 PM Page 51

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