Cocktails

I just returned from my first trip to Cuba. Cuba has been on my bucket-list for years and it was time to finally book the trip before we are banned from going there again. I found a wonderful culinary trip organized by Access Trips. For eight days we stayed in people's houses, drove around in an old Chevy, met with farmers, chefs and artists, visited organic farms and fishing villages and ate in paladares (private restaurants). All the while, we drank daiquiris, a cocktail created in Cuba and hence the Please The Palate pick of the week. The daiquirí is named after a village near Santiago de Cuba. The drink was supposedly invented by an American in Cuba at the end of the 19th century. By the 1920s, it became known in Havana and the owner of Floridita bar put it on the menu. Then the blender arrived and crushed ice was added, as well as maraschino cherry liquor. Ultimately, the drink was made famous by Ernest Hemingway.
02 December, 2017
With only one night in Chicago, and a rainy one at that, I hopped into a taxi to the neighborhood of Logan Square to enjoy dinner and drinks at Chiya Chai, recently named Best Indian Restaurant in Chicago by Chicago Reader. A fan of Indian food, I was looking forward to a comfort meal and got so much more. Chiya Chai is owned by brothers Swadesh and Saujanya Shrestha who grew up in the midst of the world of tea in Kathmandu, Nepal. Their family are Nepalese tea farmers and their father was one of the first exporters of Nepalese tea to the United States. Swadesh Shrestha recalled growing up in the foothills of the Nepalese Himalayas and loved going to his grandfather's tea shop where he would sit quietly sipping a cup of milky chai as he watched the comings and goings of the village. The brothers, along with Swadesh's wife Rajee, who is also from Kathmandu, opened a restaurant in Minneapolis and ten years later, in August of 2016, opened Chiya Chai in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.  
21 November, 2017
Chios Mastiha is a natural, aromatic translucent resin produced from the mastic tree, a large shrub, which only grows on the Island of Chios in the southern part of the Greek Islands. With a sweet smell and a pine-like flavor, mastiha also has many health benefits. And, mastiha is the Please The Palate pick of the week. I first tried mastiha when I went to Greece. Having a small glass of mastiha liqueur, instead of ouzo, is very common as a digestive after a nice meal. And if you buy a pack of gum in the airport or at a local pharmacy, you will find mastiha gum. The word "mastic" comes from the Greek word "mastichein" which means "to gnash the teeth." Mastiha has been scientifically proven to have beneficial properties and is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. It is good for healing wounds and for skin regeneration. It can be a digestive and used in oral hygiene such as toothpaste. Mastiha comes in different forms: crystal, powder, capsules, oil and gum and it also comes in a liqueur.
28 October, 2017
When I was first invited to check out Geezer's Public House in Woodland Hills, being an American, I thought it was odd that a bar was the name of a cranky old man. But the word Geezer has a different meaning in British culture. Geezer's is a public house, or a pub, which is a popular social drinking establishment in Britain. As posted outside the restrooms at Geezer's, a geezer is a "descriptive word in the UK used to define a man's characteristics. A geezer will be found usually outside a pub with a pint in his hand on match day. They commonly like football, scrapping, beer, tea, tits, and Barry White." Basically, a geezer in British terms is a "guy" or a "bloke" or a "dude".
12 October, 2017
Tucked behind a medical spa on Riverside Blvd in Toluca Lake is an old Spanish-style house that has been converted into Cascabel Restaurant. If you are driving down the street, you will not notice this restaurant but it is a special little find in Toluca Lake. Cascabel means "rattle" and is the name that is used for both a venomous South American rattlesnake and for a type of Mexican chili. Perhaps both are behind the name of Chef Alex Eusebio's restaurant. Dark wooden beams, light wood tables with turquoise accents and white walls with a large rattlesnake drawn throughout, convert the former house into an cozy, inviting restaurant. 
10 October, 2017
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. Greenbar Distillery, Los Angeles’ original distillery, is a story of love. It was born out of the love of two people and today is a love letter to the city it was born in, Los Angeles. Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew met in journalism school at the University of Southern California. Litty, who is Southern Indian, was born in Ethiopia to missionary parents, raised in Jamaica and moved to the United States at age 11. Trained as a chef in Paris, Litty had a wine palate but did not like spirits. Melkon, on the other hand, is Armenian, and in his culture, Litty explained, it is the “land of toasts and it is impolite to not raise a glass.” Wanting Litty to fit into his family, Melkon created a vodka infusion that she would like so that she could participate in the toasts. His infusions, which were made out of his love for Litty, became popular in the entire family. Litty and Melkon married in 2002. At the time, Melkon owned a software company. He sold his company, and in 2004 they started Greenbar Distillery, originally under the name Modern Spirits and then under the name Greenbar Collective. Their goal was to create the best flavors and work with fresh ingredients.
05 October, 2017
The number of food and wine events that take place are numerous. And most of these events support worthwhile causes. But there are a few food and wine events that stand out above the others and one of them is An Evening on the Beach. After all, when you have your bare feet in the sand as you enjoy good food, good wine and good cocktails all for a good cause, then you have a night of good fun. And that is why this week's Please The Palate pick of the week is the annual event An Evening on the Beach. As it still feels likes summer, An Evening on the Beach is the perfect event for a summer evening. The 8th annual event returned to the Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica where two dozen restaurants, more than a dozen wineries and a handful of spirits were joined by 700 guests, everyone with their feet in the sand.
16 September, 2017
I have been traveling so much this year that I have had to keep a running list of Los Angeles restaurants that I want to try when I am home. So finally, I made it to The Ponte in West Hollywood, which opened in February. Replacing Terrine, owner Stephane Bombet has partnered with Chef Scott Conant to offer a casual contemporary Italian restaurant. My first introduction to Scott Conant was at a food and wine event in Beaver Creek. I was blown away by his pasta dish. At that time, he was based in New York so when I would travel to New York, I would go to his restaurant Scarpetta. I was thrilled when he opened Scarpetta in Los Angeles and that is where I fell in love with the seasonal mushroom boscaiola with polenta that just melts in the mouth and his infamous pasta al pomodoro. I was sad when Scarpetta closed in 2016 and then Terrine closed suddenly at the end of the year as well. Two months later, Scott Conant was back, along with his Executive Chef Freddy Vargas as The Ponte opened. One of the best parts of The Ponte is the space. The outdoor patio is one of the best in Los Angeles. Seating is centered around the large tree in the middle of the space with lights dangling from above. The interior is also lovely, with a softer and more neutral look than Terrine. But if you can, sit outside!
12 September, 2017
Being a fan of Italian culture (food, wine, fashion, language, you name it!), I remember when I first went to Bar Toscana in Brentwood in West Los Angeles in 2010. Located next door to the long-standing restaurant Toscana, Bar Toscana reminded me of a bar I would go to in Milan, Italy. It was modern, minimalist and had a super cool feeling with white leather ottomans, digital images displayed in between the glass windows, a menu composed of small plates, or stuzzichini, and a selection of hand-crafted Italian-centric cocktails. Seven years later, Bar Toscana is still open but after a remodel, they have a new look and that is why Bar Toscana is the Please The Palate pick of the week. The space is still modern with a cool vibe but now there is a warmth to the space. The stark white and black furniture has been replaced by warm colors of brown and burnt orange which match the exposed brick. Instead of white ottomans near the entrance, there is a large communal table and additional seating. And, along the glass windows overlooking San Vicente Blvd. are cozy round tables with comfortable chairs.
02 September, 2017
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