Discovering the Dão Region in Portugal

Written by Allison Levine on January 17, 2019

Travel Wine

A new year has arrived and with that comes resolutions, hopes for change and excitement for what is new. For me, that means exploring new wine regions. And, one of the regions that I recently had the privilege to visit for the first time is the Dão region in Portugal. There is much to discover in this wonderful region and I shared a bit about the region as a whole in a recent column in the Napa Valley Register, which you can read here.

The new year brings a sense of possibility, of new beginnings, of resolutions. A new year can also bring a sense of discovery and for me. I love discovering new wine regions. Along that line, it is time to discover the Dão.

The Dão region in Portugal is not a new wine region, although it was for me. In fact, it is the second-oldest wine region in Portugal. The Dão Demarcated Region was established in 1908.

Khong Ten – A Modern Twist on Traditional Vietnamese Flavors

Written by Allison Levine on January 15, 2019

Food Cocktails Wine

I was first introduced to Vietnamese food when I lived in Washington DC. There is a large population of Vietnamese living in Northern Virginia and Vietnamese restaurants line the streets the way sushi restaurants do in Los Angeles. I have always been disappointed in not finding more Vietnamese restaurants here as I find Vietnamese food to be fresh, healthy and full of flavor. There is a large concentration of Vietnamese living in Southern California but most of the Vietnamese restaurants are located in Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley. Of course, in Los Angeles you can find a smattering of Pho shops but now you can also find a modern take on Vietnamese food at Khong Ten LA in West LA.

Khong Ten translates to “no name” in Vietnamese. Co-Owner and Chef Kim Vu and her partner Don Andes called the restaurant “no name” as they were developing the concept. Don wanted the restaurant to have a Vietnamese name and ironically, on his travels to Vietnam, learned the meaning of Khong Ten. What started as an inside joke stuck and ultimately it is the perfect name for the restaurant.

Khong Ten is not a traditional Vietnamese restaurant. “There is really no name to describe what we are doing here,” explained Kim Vu. “We are not a Vietnamese restaurant. It is more an exploration of Vietnamese cuisine.”

Kim is a first-generation Vietnamese-American but considers herself part of what she describes as the “third wave.” She identifies as 100% Vietnamese but is nothing like her parents. She explained that “the first generation cooks like they are back home and then the second generation, especially in California, starts to use local, fresh ingredients that are available. The third generation re-imagines the cuisine of their parents.”

Please The Palate January 2019 Newsletter

Written by Allison Levine on January 10, 2019

Travel Lifestyle Food Cocktails Wine

Welcome to 2019! Another year has flown by and we are wondering where it went. 2018 was a year of many challenges in the world but it was a good year for Please The Palate as it celebrated its seventh anniversary and continued to work at a never-ending pace.

As 2019 begins, I have hit the ground running and look forward to lots of exciting projects ahead! Two big announcements for 2019 are:

1) I am proud to be the host of the wine podcast Wine Soundtrack USA. Wine Soundtrack originally launched in 2017 in Italy and is now available in the US. In each podcast, wine producers share the story of who they are and about their winery through a series of 30 questions. Wine Soundtrack was created to bring to life an idea of sharing and insight. It allows wine lovers to listen to the hopes, dreams, intuitions, prospects, loves and passions of the protagonists of the wine world, directly from their own voices.

2) I have taken on the role of General Manager of Effervescence, a Champagne and Sparkling Wine Festival that will take place in Los Angeles May 3-5, 2019. Stay tuned for information on a Champagne tasting on May 4th and a Sparkling Wine Brunch on May 5th. And, if you have a Champagne or Sparkling Wine brand that would like to participate, contact me!

Looking Back at 2018

Travel
It seemed like I was on the road for most of 2018, especially towards the end of the year. In total, there were 136 days of travel. Domestic travel was to Oregon, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Washington DC, Napa, Pebble Peach, Sonoma, Mendocino, Paso Robles, San Diego, Chicago, Michigan, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Scottsdale, Phoenix and Miami. On the international front, I traveled to Chile and Croatia for the first time and returned to Italy and Portugal. I am looking forward to seeing where 2019 will take me!

Writing
2018 brought 66 published articles in outlets including the Napa Valley Register, California Winery Advisor, Caviar Affair Magazine, ATOD Magazine, Wine Industry Network and Beverage Industry News, as well as more than 50 blog posts. I also continued doing one-minute wine videos with the Wine Weirdos and I became the host of the podcast Wine Soundtrack USA.

Events
From planning events to marketing and promoting events, I worked with Madeira Wines, Wines of Setubal, Tunisian Wines, DoctorWine’s Essential Guide to Italian Wine, Inter Rhone and more, totaling more than 40 events across the U.S. in 2018. I also worked with the Gelato Festival America, traveling across the country to seven cities where I managed all of the activities in the Gelato School, as well as played MC for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Read the full January 2019 Newsletter.