Please The Palate |

Pork Lovers Heaven at 8 Korean BBQ

Eight Korean BBQ may sound like a strange name for a Korean BBQ spot but it is named after its main attraction - 8 curated flavors of Mangalitza pork belly. Of course Eight Korean BBQ offers premium cuts of beef and pork but the pork belly eight ways is what sets them apart!

Tucked in the back of strip mall in Koreatown, Eight Korean BBQ is a modern style Korean BBQ restaurant. The tables, which have large air vents over them to keep the restaurant from filling with smoke, each come with two gas burners. Most Korean BBQ restaurants only offer a single stove per table but with two stoves, a stew pot can simmer on one while a flat rectangular griddle sits on the other. The seats are round cushioned stools that actually serve as storage areas for purses and jackets. And, all chopsticks, spoons and napkins can be found in a hidden drawer underneath the table.

02 August, 2018

Ramona, San Diego – A New Wine Destination

A few weeks ago, I went wine tasting for the weekend in California. I did not go to Napa or Sonoma. I did not go to Paso Robles or Santa Barbara. I did not go to Temecula. I went wine tasting in Ramona Valley in San Diego. Yes, the Ramona Valley is a quickly growing wine destination that I wrote about in my recent column in the Napa Valley Register.

Living in California, we are lucky that no matter what city we live in, there is a wine region in our backyard. San Francisco has Napa and Sonoma, Los Angeles has Santa Barbara, Orange County has Temecula and San Diego has the Ramona Valley.

Yes, there is a wine region in San Diego County. In 2006, the Ramona Valley AVA was the 162nd area to be designated as an American Viticulture Area. It was only the second AVA to be designated in San Diego County (San Pasqual Valley was designated in 1981) and the third in Southern California (Temecula Valley was designated in 1986). These three AVAs all fall within the large South Coast AVA, which covers all of Southern California south of Santa Barbara.

31 July, 2018

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Festival Napa Valley

Two things that go well together are wine and music. And for ten days each year, wine and music come together for Festival Napa Valley. Epitomizing the elegance of wine country life, Festival Napa Valley is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Every July, for ten days, more than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants and vintners participate in Festival Napa Valley. Extraordinary performances in breathtaking locations make up many of the experiences for guests. There are vintner luncheons, winemaker dinners and most importantly, the concerts.

The arts are such an important part of our lives. Research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects. Music helps with language development, spatial-temporal skills and increased IQ. Music makes us happier and less stressed. I grew up in a family of professional classical flutists and started playing at a young age. I played in orchestras my entire childhood and went to music camp each summer. Music has played such a significant part in my life and gives me great pleasure to see other young people experiencing the same.

28 July, 2018