Food

Wine dinners take place in many restaurants. They are events that bring people together for a meal and introduce people to new wines or present sought-after wines. In many instances, attendees are supporters of the restaurant yet unfamiliar with the winery. And a key element of the dinner is that the winemaker, winery owner or a key representative from the winery will attend to be on hand to share the story of the winery and discuss the wines. This person, along with the wines, becomes the focal point of the night. But another significant element is the menu that is created to pair with the wines. Since they opened three and a half years ago, Crossings Restaurant in South Pasadena has been hosting four to six wine dinners a year. Owner Patrick Kirchen, who has been cultivating relationships with wineries since working as General Manager at Arroyo Steakhouse and Nick and Stefs, looks to share these relationships with the community. One of these relationships is with The Terraces, a winery based in Napa Valley and I was invited to attend the recent wine dinner they did at Crossings.
01 August, 2017
Sitting at long tables with bibs on as big pots filled with lobster, potatoes, sausage, artichokes, corn, garlic and shrimp were spilled out in front of us, it was on! Everyone grabbed a lobster and was almost ready to go. What else did we need? A glass of wine, of course! And the wine for the night was the Chamisal Vineyards 2015 Estate Chardonnay, a perfect pairing for lobster and hence the Please The Palate pick of the week.
29 July, 2017

Each time a new restaurant opens up on Ventura Blvd, between Studio City and Sherman Oaks, I get excited. I love seeing the area I...

27 July, 2017
I remember the very first time I had that "a-ha" moment with a food and wine pairing. They are not easy to come by. Of course, finding good wine pairings with a dish is not the challenging part, it is finding that elusive pairing in which you just have to pause for a moment and say "oh my!", "wow" and "A-ha!" When you do have one, you remember it all so clearly. And just this past week, while on a wine trip to the Nahe and Mosel regions of Germany, I had one of those incredible "a-ha" moments during a dinner with winemaker Ernest Loosen of Dr. Loosen wines. That is why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week. My week was spent exploring the amazing, delicious riesling grape in all of its manifestations - dry, off dry, sweet, sweeter and sweetest. And Ernie Loosen is one of the iconic winemakers of the Mosel, the oldest wine growing region in Germany. And we were lucky to be invited to his home for a tasting and dinner.
22 July, 2017
Food and wine pairing is like a good marriage. It is about balance, harmony and complimenting each other, although it is never perfect. At Primo Italia in Torrance, husband and wife team Lou and Grace Giovannetti share their passion for Italian food and wine offering monthly wine pairing dinners in one of their private rooms. Opened in 2016, Primo Italia is a collaboration and partnership. Lou is the restaurateur and Grace is the sommelier. They have created a restaurant that is warm and inviting and in a way, an invitation into their home. From their Campania and Sicilian roots, Primo Italia is an homage to Grace's Italian family heritage with family photos that line the walls. And their wine dinners are an opportunity to share their passion for food and wine. Their most recent wine dinner was with Tenuta San Guido, as estate located in Maremma, a coastal region in Tuscany. Tenuta San Guido is the estate that produces the iconic Super-Tuscan Sassicaia, as well as other wines.
20 July, 2017
I love basil. I love the aroma of fresh basil on a margarita pizza, on top of a caprese salad, in a pesto sauce or in a Thai dish. But never did I realize how many types of basil exist, more than forty varieties! Leave it to Maude, who picked basil as the featured ingredient for the July tasting menu. Holy basil, cinnamon basil, lettuce basil, sweet basil, lemon basil, Lesbos basil, opal basil, African blue basil and more, each has its own appearance and aroma. And we were in for a treat with the Maude July menu! Two of us sat down for dinner and as we waited for our dining companions, wine director Kevin Caravelli poured us a small glass of Domaine Julie Benau Picpoul de Pinet “Cuvée Libero” 2015 from Languedoc France. What is really cool about this crisp mineral-driven wine is that is it aged in barrels underwater. The delicate fresh wine was a perfect start to a meal that would also be fresh and delicate.
18 July, 2017
East Meets West in Pasadena at Bistro Mon Cheri. Tucked upstairs in a strip mall overlooking Pasadena's East Colorado Boulevard sits Bistro Mon Cheri, the newest restaurant by Chef Kimmy Tang. I first met Kimmy years ago in Beverly Hills at 9021Pho where Vietnamese cuisine was met with a California flair. Now at Bistro Mon Cheri, Vietnamese cuisine gets a European touch. The European influence was immediately apparent with the first dish placed on the table - Paté de foie de canard, a duck liver pate served with Vietnamese baguette. Creamy and rich, it was more French than any other culture. Next up was a more traditional Vietnamese dish - Sakura shrimp salad with carrot strips, cucumber, walnuts, fried shallots and sesame seeds on thin rice noodle crackers. I loved the freshness and lightness of this dish.
06 July, 2017
Work took me to Boston recently. I had not been to Boston in more than five years and in that time, especially in the past two years, the Boston food scene seems to have exploded. On my two day trip to Boston, I found three restaurants that are must eat-ats if you are heading to Bean Town. Committee Boston 50 Northern Avenue Boston, MA 02210 Located on the waterfront in Boston's Seaport District, Committee Boston is a large, 5,500-square foot restaurant. The open space is a mix of materials, including wood, stone, leather and metal. Wooden wine crates line the walls and ceilings and lighting fixtures are urban funky.  A Mediterranean theme, Committee features a menu of small plates, an interesting wine list featuring a good selection of Greek wines and cocktails. Having traveled to Greece a couple times over the past few years, I was impressed by the authenticity and flavors of the dishes. I hosted a Madeira wine event at the restaurant and the small bites paired perfectly with the sweet fortified wines.
29 June, 2017
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