Please The Palate |

Journey to a Greek Taverna at Kassi Club

Restaurateur and interior designer Nick Mathers first opened Eveleigh on Sunset Blvd. Next he opened Elephante in Santa Monica. And now Kassi Club in West Hollywood is the newest addition in the group. Australian born Mathers was inspired by his travels to Greece and has converted the space on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood that was forrmerly Goldie's into a Greek eatery with a California flair.

In some ways, the decor and vibe are similar to Elephante in Santa Monica. Influenced by the tavernas of Kastellorizo,a small Greek island near Turkey, Kassi Club has a chic vibe and a warm energy. There is oak flooring, stone accents, rattan ceilings and low lounge seating.

20 August, 2019

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Provisions Tasting at Soter Vineyards, Willamette Valley

Today, a visit to a winery can offer so much more than a wine tasting. There are vineyard tours, reserve tastings, meeting the winemaker, food pairings and barrel tastings. Each of these experiences enhance the wine tasting experience, leaving a lasting memory. On my visit to Soter Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, my friend and I sat down for the Provisions Tasting, which offers a sampling of the current release wines paired with small plates crafted from the produce and meat grown on their biodynamic farm. From the moment we pulled up to Soter Vineyard until the moment we drove away, the Provisions Tasting at Soter Vineyards was extraordinary and that is why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Mineral Springs Ranch is a 240-acre oak savanna in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Soter Vineyards is the 32 acre estate vineyard and the entire property is a biodynamic estate owned by Tony and Michelle Soter. We drove up the long driveway to the top of Mineral Springs Ranch.

At the top of the hill is the Soter Vineyards Tasting Room. The rectangular wood barn looks rustic from the outside but is anything but rustic on the inside.

17 August, 2019

A Love Story in the Alexander Valley

I had never heard of Garden Creek when I was invited to an intimate dinner in the vineyard to celebrate 50 years. 50 years of grape growing and I had never heard of them. But what struck me from the moment I arrived, aside from the beauty of the vineyard, was the love. There was the love between owners Justin and Karin and love for their land and that is what I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and share below.

Fifty years of growing grapes. Nineteen years of making wine. And you have probably not heard of them, as I had not until I visited them recently. Located in the Alexander Valley, Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards and Winery is a story of love: love for the land, love for the wine and love for the people.

Owners Karin Warnelius-Miller and Justin Miller were raised on the 100-acre property, of which 72 acres are planted. Justin’s American father and Swedish mother purchased the first 54 acres in 1963, planting vines in 1969. They purchased more property in 1970. They named the property Garden Creek Ranch after the creek on the northside of the property and began selling grapes to local wineries in the area. Justin began managing the vineyards at the age of 19.

15 August, 2019