Gjelina and Gjusta are two of the most popular spots on Abbot Kinney and now Travis Lett has MTN, an izakaya restaurant, to add to his list of restaurants. Like its siblings, and the neighborhood surrounding it, MTN is super hipster and trendy. The interior is all-black with high communal tables with uncomfortable seating. The backless stools definitely do not encourage one to linger too long at the restaurant. There is a long bar/chef counter along one side of the room with seating, as well as a long counter along another wall with seating. While watching the staff work is enjoyable to me, staring at a black wall does not. Luckily, we got a seat along the street-facing window and could watch the people walk by. And, while the seating may not be that comfortable, the decor is very appealing. The ceramic dishes, custom-made for MTN, are exquisite and the presentation of each dish was enhanced by what it was served on.
30 November, 2017
Located on the ground floor of a magnificently designed new building on Melrose Avenue, Umeda Restaurant opened its doors earlier this year. Across the street from Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza and Chi Spacca, Umeda is on the north side of Melrose, on the corner of Citrus, just west of Highland. Omeda quietly opened with little fanfare but luckily some friends told me about it. Umeda Restaurant is named after its chef, Takuya Umeda. Takuya Umeda began his career in Sapporo, Japan and worked with chef Nobu Matsuhisa at Nobu London between 1997 to 2003. Umeda then came to work at Nobu's Matsuhisa in Bevelry Hills until 2017, when he opened his own restaurant. In the front of the house is the friendly and charming Joseph Mansour who also worked at Matsuhisa for almost a decade. 
28 November, 2017
Anything you think about chocolate will be changed after trying Peluso Chocolate from Sicily. This special chocolate is not just about eating chocolate, it is about eating a story. And Peluso Chocolate is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Peluso chocolate is called chocolate "made in the cold." This recipe was created in 1746 in the southern city of Modica in Sicily and has been made the same way ever since. The cocoa seeds are ground and mixed with sugar. Those are the only two ingredients! There is no butter or oil or milk added. The processing is done at a low temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. By processing it at a low temperature, the healing properties of the cocoa are maintained (they are typically lost when the temperatures reach more than 104 degrees). The healing properties of cocoa are tannins, which have antioxidants and blood pressure regulators. That means that this chocolate has benefits for cardiovascular health, antibacterial protection and safeguards against viral diseases. Flavanoids (which offer protection against tumors) ensure better liver function and help strengthen immune defenses to fight free radicals.
25 November, 2017
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