Cocktails

Enjoying a glass of wine or a balanced cocktail with a meal is a pleasure in life. Sipping on a glass of wine or a tasty cocktail with friends is a social activity. But, what if you do not want or you cannot drink alcohol? Luckily there is a growing trend of non-alcoholic drinks and Los Angeles is leading the charge. And, the opportunity to find delicious, balanced, flavorful non-alcoholic drinks is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Distill Ventures, the first accelerator for the spirits industry, found that 83% of bar managers in Los Angeles think non-alcoholic cocktails are part of a growing trend. And, more than 40% of restaurants in Los Angles offer a non-alcoholic specific drinks menu. With brands like Seedlip, the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirits, we no longer need to order overly sweet "mocktails" attempting to mimic a classic cocktail or fruit juices when we want to have a drink. Seedlip and other soon to be released non-alcoholic spirits are creating a new category, not trying to copy an existing one. And, when used in drinks, the flavors and textures are complex and refreshing.
25 May, 2019
Located in Los Angeles County on the border of Ventura County, Westlake Village is 30 miles from Los Angeles and can seem like a world away. But on a Sunday morning, when traffic is non-existent, it is an easy drive to Westlake Village for a one-day-getaway at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. From the moment we pulled the car up to the valet, we felt like we were on vacation. Service is impeccably friendly at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. We were greeted at the door and directed straight ahead to Coin & Candor, the new restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village. A California Brasserie, Coin & Candor is open and inviting. It sits just off the main lobby and is bright white with large floor to ceiling windows. A large circular bar sits in the center of the restaurant with seats for eating on one side and a chef's prep station on the other.
23 May, 2019
It was a classic LA day, not hot but not cool. I drove across the city to Silverlake to Tacos Delta, a family-owned taco stand that was opened in 1981. But on this particular night, the nondescript taco stand was converted into a vibrant, eye-catching space for a Tequila Don Julio dinner. Traveling across the country, Tequila Don Julio is bringing a taste of the colorful culture to the US as part of a series of events hosted by Tequila Don Julio and The Infatuation. The dinner was a celebration of Mexican culture as part of their new campaign, For Those Who Know. Bringing a taste of Mexico's colorful culture to the US, Tequila Don Julio selected Tacos Delta to celebrate the restaurant’s story and how it became a meeting point where ‘those who know’ have been coming for nearly three decades to enjoy authentic Mexican eats.
09 May, 2019
Chef and Author of the Fire of Peru, Ricardo Zarate is on fire! Considered the "godfather of Peruvian cuisine", he is spreading the flavors and excitement of Peruvian food across Los Angeles. His restaurant Rosaline in West Hollywood showcases classic Peruvian dishes and his new place, Los Balcones in Studio City, explores Mestizo cuisine, Peruvian dishes blended with Spanish and Asian flavors. Los Balcones is located on the corner of Moorpark, just east of Tujunga. It sits in the space that was previously Girasol. Los Balcones has kept some of the decor, including the magnificent ceiling that looks like an etched flower. After sitting down in the covered patio looking out onto Moorpark Avenue, our first order of business was to select our drinks. We ordered the "special" cocktail that was described as inspired by Zarate's book, The First of Peru, and was made with mezacal and an orange juice ice cube. The serving of the cocktail was the first hint of what we were in for - lots of flavor, a little heat and some of the most colorful dishes you may have ever seen.
25 April, 2019
Living on the west side of Los Angeles, I find myself regularly heading downtown and even further east to try new restaurants. But the west side is also worthy of exploration and one of those places is Margot, a rooftop restaurant located at The Platform project in Culver City. A friend invited me to dinner and selected Margot. I had not heard of it and had only been to The Platform once before. With all of the construction in the area, it had not been on my radar. But, now it is and I have already been a few times. 
11 April, 2019
A dinner of fermented foods may not sound very appetizing. To ferment food, we let it sit out, letting bacteria grow. But, if you think about it, we eat, and drink, a lot of fermented products. Wine and beer are fermented, as is apple cider vinegar and kombucha. Sourdough bread, yogurt, kefir, miso and kimchi are all fermented foods. Cabbage, when fermented, becomes sauerkraut and fermented cucumbers are pickles. Historically, fermentation was a way of preserving food. And, there are a lot of health benefits to eating fermented food. When food is fermented, a chemical reaction takes place in which sugars are broken down into acids or alcohol. This process allows beneficial bacteria (probiotics) and digestive enzymes to prosper. These probiotic bacteria improves digestion, boosts immunity, provides minerals that build bone density, helps fight allergies and kills harmful microbes. So, when I was invited to the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad for a Fermentation Dinner, I did not hesitate to accept. How could I say no to eating and drinking a five course meal that one could argue would be good for me.
28 March, 2019
My days and nights are filled with wine lunches, tastings and dinners. And one of the biggest challenges is limiting how much is consumed if I am driving home. But this week, I went to lunch on a beautiful, crisp, clear day at the Malibu Beach Inn and spent three hours sipping Seedlip cocktails. And, in the end, I got in my car and drove home. Why? Because all of my cocktails were non-alcoholic! It was such a treat to sip cocktails all day and yet not experience the effects of the alcohol, among other benefits, and that is why Seedlip Cocktails are the Please The Palate pick of the week. Seedlip Distilled Non-Alcoholic Spirits are the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirits. Made from herbs and botanicals, it is a truly nonalcoholic spirit, as well as sugar-free, allergen-free, sweetener-free and has no artificial flavoring. And Seedlip has no calories or carbs.
26 January, 2019
Almost a year ago, Jaffa LA opened its doors on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood. With a modern take on Israeli cuisine featuring fresh seasonal ingredients and sustainable meats and fish, Jaffa LA has been serving healthy, fresh and delicious flavors. I returned this week to try a few new dishes and revisit some others and loved every single bite and that is why Jaffa LA is the Please The Palate pick of the week. There was not a bite that I did not enjoy. And now there are more reasons to head to Jaffa LA. One of the reasons is that Jaffa LA just launched Social Hour Bites, available weekdays from 4:00pm-7:00pm. On the Social Hour menu are four plates for $7-$9. One of the most addictive items on the Social Hour list are the Eggplant Crisps with shakshuka dip. Crispy, warm, salted and gluten-free (for those who care), these can easily replace french fries.
19 January, 2019
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