Who does not love gelato!?!? I, for one, absolutely love gelato. I love the lightness but richness, the smooth, creamy texture and the simplicity and creativity of ingredients. So, when I was asked to manage the Gelato School at the Gelato Festival America, it was a dream come true....after all, it meant that I could eat all the gelato I wanted for seven festivals! We have just completed two cities - New Jersey and Chicago - and have five more to go and I am loving every single bite! That is why, without a doubt, the Gelato Festival America is the Please The Palate pick of the week.
If you are looking for somewhere to eat that will satisfy everyone, Granville is the answer. Looking for healthy food, they have it. Craving comfort food, they have it. Dining with someone with dietary restrictions, Granville's menu has a lot of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes. And the best part, the food at Granville tastes really good. Granville currently has four locations. Burbank and Glendale have been open for almost a decade each. The Studio City location opened three years ago and one-and-a-half years ago, the West Hollywood location opened. I had been to the Studio City location a few times, as it is a favorite local spot of my parents. But I ventured to the West Hollywood location, located on the corner of Beverly Blvd where Jerry's Deli stood for many years. And what a beautiful transition! The architecture is modern with concrete arches covering the windows. Inside, the space is large, open and bright with skylights that let the light flow in and live trees add a freshness to the space.
Sometimes there is perfect synergy in a wine and food pairing. It goes beyond just working well together to actually elevating both the food and the wine, resulting in only one response, "WOW!" These "wow" moments do not happen all the time and I had one this week. This perfect pairing of Palmina 2010 Nebbiolo, Sisquoc, Santa Maria Valley with Rock Crab with a truffle sauce at Maude Restaurant is the Please The Palate pick of the week. The current regional theme at Maude is the Central Coast. The Central Coast menu was launched in July and I went for the first time in early July. It is a menu comprised of the bounty that the central coast has to offer, from fresh seafood to vegetables. And the wine pairings celebrate the delicious wines coming from Santa Barbara and more. One of my favorite dishes was the Rock Crab, served in the crab shell, and topped with truffles. The Rock Crab was paired with the Palmina 2010 Sisquoc Nebbiolo, Santa Maria Valley.
Copied!