Cocktails

Hands down, one of the best restaurant patios in all of Southern California was Wilshire Restaurant in Santa Monica. When it first opened in doors 14 years ago, I lived around the corner and would frequently dine there. When I moved a little further east, I stopped going to Wilshire as it had become a bit more of a club scene. Wilshire finally closed and now the space is back with Fia and it is fantastic. I had found a parking spot on Wilshire Blvd in front of the restaurant. Instead of walking in the door near the valet, I followed signs down a long walk way. The walkway led me to the very large and gorgeous outdoor patio. Trees and fresh greenery fill the space and tree lights wind up the trees and hang across the open air giving the space a warm and intimate feeling.
30 December, 2019
When I was asked by the publication Daily Ovation to write a story about holiday cocktails, I reached out to some bartender friends and asked them what they like to drink during the holidays. The last thing I expected was them all saying the same thing....Eggnog. Eggnog is the quintessential holiday drink and with Christmas here, I am sharing the story that originally appeared in Daily Ovation but you can read it here. Tis the season. The holidays are coming. The weather has shifted, and it is getting colder outside. It gets darker earlier in the evening. Curling up with a holiday cocktail sounds like the perfect thing to do so I asked four bartenders around Los Angeles what they like to drink.  Funny enough, they all said Eggnog, which should be no surprise as nothing screams the Christmas holiday more than eggnog.
23 December, 2019
Santa Monica just got hipper with the new cocktail lounge/club Canary. What used to be the dark night spot Zanzibar, followed by the nightclub West End, Canary is the opposite. Neon lights invite you in to a large space with lush tropical space with emerald green and gold interior, live plants and a loungy feel. Add some light, fruity, easy drinking cocktails created by Devon Espinosa and Canary is the Please The Palate pick of the week. The cocktail menu at Canary offers 11 cocktails, all on the fruitier, less boozy side.
21 December, 2019
The last time I had dinner in Encino was in 2016 at Chef Phillip Frankland Lee's Scratch|Bar, a restaurant on the second floor of a strip mall that offers nightly tasting menus featuring seasonal ingredients. Two years ago, hidden behind Scratch|Bar, he opened up Sushi|Bar, an Omakase Speakeasy that serves a 17 course sushi meal for $125 per person. I love sushi and am always game to try a new place and added this to my list. And finally I made it for dinner. Sushi|Bar is not your typical sushi bar and much more like a speakeasy. We made our reservation for 6pm and were told to arrive 30 minutes early for a welcome cocktail. We arrived at the mall, took the escalator to the second floor and found an unmarked door with a doorbell. We rang the bell, gave our names, and were invited in to a small room with a bar and some tables. We had arrived promptly at 5:30pm and we were the first people there. We were welcomed with a drink of sake, lemon juice and ginger. And, as we enjoyed our drink, a few more guests arrived took seats and had their drinks. Promptly at 6pm, we were invited to follow the hostess into Sushi|Bar. There were a total of six of us. Sushi|Bar can accommodate a total of eight people at a time. There are actually two sushi bars, one with reservations at 6pm and 8pm and one with reservations at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm.
12 December, 2019
The Holiday season is here! If you are looking to get into the spirit, head to Severance Wine Bar in West Hollywood for their Office Holiday Party Pop Up, inspired by everything from Planes, Trains, & Automobiles to The Office. Drinking Champagne and Sherry based cocktails, eating some sweets while surrounded by tacky holiday decorations make the Severance Office Holiday Party Pop Up the Please The Palate pick of the week. Owner Evan Charest was laid off from a tech job on Christmas Eve in 2017. In 2018, he opened Severance Wine Bar with the severance money he received. And here we are at Christmas time again, so what is better than drinking cocktails inspired by the one of the worst yet funniest workplaces, Dunder Mifflin. Through the month of December, the space next to Severance Wine Bar on Melrose Avenue has been converted into a tacky office holiday pop-up. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, for $20++, you will get a complimentary cocktail or a sparkling wine flight. So get into the holiday spirit! The cocktail offerings are all Champagne and Sherry based. Each is named after a Christmas themed movie that will test your trivia knowledge.
07 December, 2019
One year ago, the Please The Palate pick of the week was the Lost Spirits Distillery Tour in Downtown LA. Founded by Bryan Davis and Joanne Haruta, Lost Spirits Distillery is a producer of rum and whisky but also the creators of one of the most unique tasting experiences. Unfortunately, due to a small fire earlier this year, Lost Spirits Distillery closed for a few months and now they have reopened in a new location with the Lost Spirits Distillery Tour version 5.0. And again the Lost Spirits Distillery Tour is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Whether you like spirits a little or a lot, the Lost Spirits Distillery tour is a one-of-a-kind experience to do with friends. Once you enter the doors of Lost Spirits, you will be And transported to another world with twists and turns. It is rather surreal. From a maze to a boat ride to a submarine ride to a carousel, you are also learning how Lost Spirits Distillery makes their spirits and the history behind the liquors.
09 November, 2019
I have been traveling so much over the past few months that I feel like I have been out of touch with the Los Angeles restaurant scene. When my friend mentioned that we would head to Yapa after our tour of Lost Spirits Distillery the other night, I was excited to try somewhere new but knew nothing about the restaurant. I was feeling disconnected until I realized that Yapa only opened a couple weeks ago! Instead of being late to the game, I am on time! Yapa is located in Little Tokyo, just on the the border of Skid Row. Also known as Skid Row-kyo, this is where Little Tokyo, the Artist District and Skid Row converge. Yapa took over the space that was previously Seoul Sausage and is the project of Josh Goldman and Richie Lopez.
07 November, 2019
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