Food

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.
01 September, 2018
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.
28 August, 2018
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.
25 August, 2018
Our journey up the coast of Croatia started in Dubrovnik. About halfway up the coast we hit Split, the second largest city in Croatia. It was from Split that part 2 of my story begins that originally ran in ATOD Magazine. Beaches, Roman ruins, trendy cafes and boutique shops greeted us in Split, the second largest city in Croatia. Split is in the center of Dalmatia and home to the third largest port in Europe, after Athens and Naples and where our cruise up the coast of Croatia continues. SPLIT | What To Do Take a tour of Diocletian’s Palace. The palace was built by the Roman Emperor in 4th century AD. The ancient fortress has become the old town of Split and you can wander the narrow streets to find shops and restaurants. Split has a really inventive way to explore the city: a scavenger hunt. We were given a list of things to find and take photos of and in the process get a unique take on the region. Initially, I thought that this seemed a bit silly but as we started doing it, we realized how much we were really exploring the town. We paid more attention to small details, spoke to locals, and had a lot of fun.
23 August, 2018
Croatia had been on the top of my list of places to visit. Just across the Adriatic from Italy, it has become a popular travel destination. And, a few months ago, I was lucky to finally go. My mom and I took a "girl's trip" and traveled up the coast of Croatia by boat, stopping in more than ten ports. I wrote about our journey in ATOD Magazine and here is Part 1 of Cruising up the Croatian Coast, exploring the history, cuisine, market places and more.
What was once considered off the beaten path, Croatia is one of Europe’s hottest destinations. Perhaps it was the filming of Game of Thrones that opened the world’s eyes to the beauty of the country but regardless of what it is, people are flocking to the country in droves. Croatia had been at the top of my list to visit for the past few years. But with 21 regions and 1185 islands, 67 of which are inhabited, deciding where to go and what to see was overwhelming. To simplify the challenge, I invited my mom to join me for an Adriatic Sea cruise up the coast of Croatia.
21 August, 2018
As someone who travels a lot, I have had to eat a few meals at airports before catching a flight. Sometimes I have stayed at a hotel near the airport in order to catch an early morning flight.  All of these scenarios have caused a level of dread since to date, airport hotels are usually not the most desirable place to want to eat or sleep. But, in recent years, airport hotels and their food offerings have started to trend upscale. One of these airports is my home-base, LAX. Just outside the entrance to LAX is the recently renovated Hyatt Regency LAX. Walking in, you will never believe you are at the airport. The hotel is mid-century modern and is striking in its clean, open spaces. Inside the Hyatt Regency LAX is the hotel restaurant called Unity LA. There are three distinct dining concepts at Unity LA - there is a self-service market, a bar and a full-service restaurant. Unity LA will change your idea about dining at an airport hotel restaurant. Upon walking into the Hyatt Regency LAX, you will first see Unity Bar LA, which offers a lively environment to enjoy food and drink in a community setting.
09 August, 2018
Eight Korean BBQ may sound like a strange name for a Korean BBQ spot but it is named after its main attraction - 8 curated flavors of Mangalitza pork belly. Of course Eight Korean BBQ offers premium cuts of beef and pork but the pork belly eight ways is what sets them apart! Tucked in the back of strip mall in Koreatown, Eight Korean BBQ is a modern style Korean BBQ restaurant. The tables, which have large air vents over them to keep the restaurant from filling with smoke, each come with two gas burners. Most Korean BBQ restaurants only offer a single stove per table but with two stoves, a stew pot can simmer on one while a flat rectangular griddle sits on the other. The seats are round cushioned stools that actually serve as storage areas for purses and jackets. And, all chopsticks, spoons and napkins can be found in a hidden drawer underneath the table.
02 August, 2018
Recently I was heading up to Paso Robles to be a judge at the Central Coast Wine Competition. On my way, I went to meet with winemaker and owner David McGee of Monochrome Wines. His tasting room is located in Tin City, an super-hip wine tasting destination in Paso Robles. But, Tin City has more to offer than just wine tasting some of the best boutique wineries in the region. There are a few other surprises. You can read all about it in the story that I had written for California Winery Advisor. So what is Tin City Paso Robles and why should wine lovers care? Fifteen minutes south of the town of Paso Robles, an unassuming industrial park is home to an unexpected experience: Tin City. While pool supply companies, auto body shops, and air conditioning distributors are still located here, there is no mistaking that Tin City is Paso’s hippest wine tasting destination. Add in a brewery, cider maker, and distillery and it is clear that Tin City is a drinker’s paradise!

Before We Get To The Tiny City Wineries

26 July, 2018
Hollywood has a new drinking (and eating) destination. Bar Joe, inside Spoonfed, will satisfy you morning, noon and night. That is right, Bar Joe is an all-day drinking destination. Bar Joe is located inside Spoonfed in the heart of the Hollywood Media District. Spoonfed is a large, bright open space that combines counter service with comfortable seating and lots of natural light. Tucked inside Spoonfed is Bar Joe. Bar Joe offers table service in its dining room and patio. The entire Spoonfed menu is available in Bar Joe and Bar Joe provides all of the drinks for both spaces. The only thing you have to decide is if you want table service or self-service. 
24 July, 2018
The heat was at an all time high in Los Angeles and it was over 100 degrees across the city. I had been invited to check out Del Frisco's Grille's new brunch menu and brunch at the beach sounded like the perfect antidote. It was also a great opportunity to catch up with a friend. Del Frisco's Grille sits on Ocean Avenue, directly across the street from the Santa Monica Pier. Of course, it is summer in Los Angeles, which means that the tourists have descended upon Santa Monica. Hoards of people were trying to cross the street to head to the pier or the beach and I sat patiently at the light, waiting for it to change. I pulled up to the valet, parked and walked into Del Frisco's. While sitting on the patio, looking out at the ocean sounded lovely, the idea of sitting inside the cool indoor space sounded better so we opted for a lovely booth by a window. Del Frisco's Grille is a steakhouse by night, serving up creative twists on American comfort classics. But on the weekends, they are offering a revamped brunch menu that will satisfy both locals and tourists alike. We started with the share dishes on the menu. The Smoked Salmon Tower is the quintessential brunch platter. Perfectly toasted New York bagels are served with two different cream cheeses, one plain and one an "everything" caper spread. On the top of the tower is smoked salmon from Foley Fish in Boston, red onions, cucumber, tomatoes and capers. I love a good bagel and would have been satisfied with just this dish.....but there was more to come.
19 July, 2018
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