Food

Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant, located in the Funk Zone in downtown San Barbara, is a wonderful wine bar/retail shop that features local and international wine selections that each tell a story. It is a popular place for a glass or two of wine and a plate of cheese or small bites from afternoon to night. But now you can start earlier in the day with brunch as Les Marchands offers brunch beginning at 10am on Saturday and Sunday. A friend and I met for brunch at Les Marchands on a Sunday morning. We sat on the patio and ordered glasses of bubbles. It was Sunday brunch. bubbles But we also ordered a flight of wine, which includes three two-ounce pours of white, red or progressive (sparkling, white and red). After all, Les Marchands is a wine bar. We selected the white flight and enjoyed tastes of Chateau de Chasseloir melon de bourgogne from the Loire Valley in France, Bruna pigato from Italy and Tyler chardonnay from Santa Barbara. Varying levels of acidity and minerality, these wines were lovely to sip along with our meal.
09 December, 2016
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.
When I first began studying wine, I remember reading that the French called the trio of wine, bread and cheese the “holy trinity.” I cannot disagree. However, throw in a spa treatment and life is perfect!
What wine, bread and cheese have in common, other than being delicious, are that they are all products of fermentation. But then how does the spa fit in? Well, it fits because it also includes fermentation. If this sounds good to you, then head down the scenic Bohemian Highway to Freestone, Sonoma’s first historic district. Freestone’s population is only 32 but it is home to the “fermentation corner” with includes a winery, bakery, cheese store and spa. joseph-phelps-freestone-4
07 December, 2016
Santa Barbara has had a long history with Spain. The Spanish first came to Santa Barbara in the 18th century. Santa Barbara then became a part of Mexico following the Mexican War of Independence and then part of the United States in 1848 following the Mexican-American War. Santa Barbara was destroyed by earthquakes in 1812 and again in 1925 and when the city was rebuilt, it was modeled after the Spanish Colonial style. Santa Barbara's newest restaurant is a love letter to the history of Santa Barbara. Loquita, which means "wild young girl", is the newest project from ACME Hospitality who own Les Marchands Wine Bar, The Lark, Lucky Penny, Santa Barbara Wine Collective, Helena Avenue Bakery and Notary Public Wines, all located in the Funk Zone. Loquita is conveniently located at the entrance to the Funk Zone, across the street from the train station in the downtown Waterfront District. loquita-1 As you walk into Loquita, under the hand-forged iron awnings, you will begin to see the melding of Old Spanish Santa Barbara with the style of today. An long walnut bar lines one side of the restaurant and another stand-up counter flanked by white columns separates the bar from the dining room. Along the back of the restaurant is an open kitchen that is framed by a white brick-framed picture window. From the walnut dining tables and mid-century modern wooden chairs to the antique mirrors, hand-carved wood frames and the vintage brass light fixtures warmed with white globe glass shades, the restaurant invites you in. 
05 December, 2016
Looking for a cocktail bar where you can watch a sports game? Or a sports bar that serves good cocktails? And what about good food? Well, Brack Shop Tavern in Downtown Los Angeles is all of that! brack-shop-tavern-1 Brack Shop Tavern is located on 7th between Grand and Olive, a street that has slowly been filling up with restaurants and bars including Little Sister, Bar Mattachine, Mas Malo and Bottega Louie. Brack Shop Tavern is run by Last Word Hospitality, which includes partners Angus McShane, Adam Weisblatt and Holly Zack, who also own Same Same Thai in Silverlake. At Same Same Thai, LWH took a neighborhood favorite Thai restaurant and updated the decor and added an interesting and diverse wine list to pair with the food. LWH has done it again. They took the old dive bar called Barrel Down, stripped it and created Brack Shop Tavern, a loud, friendly sports bar with craft cocktails, on-tap beer, house-made sodas and hearty, elevated bar food. brack-shop-tavern-3 Brack Shop Tavern has a small but creative wine list featuring domestic producers and interesting varieties. It is refreshing to go to a bar and to find wines like rose, chenin blanc, riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir, sangiovese and cabernet saviginon. And for the sparkling wine, they offer a cremant de Loire, definitely not what I would expect but was very happy to see!
02 December, 2016
Studio City is twenty miles from the ocean but a visit to the nautically-inspired Laurel Point may make you feel like you are sailing on the sea. Laurel Point sits on the second floor of Laurel Promenade on the corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura Blvd. It was the location previously home to the longstanding Daily Grill. Still owned by the same proprietors, Laurel Point is a seafood restaurant in the heart of the valley. As you come up the escalator to the second floor, it is like entering the deck of a ship. Of course, the view from the deck is of cars, not of the water or boats. laurel-point-3 And inside, the bar looks like the inside of a ship, with curved ceilings and arches and the dining room shaped like the hull of a boat. laurel-point-1 Laurel Point is committed to sourcing the freshest fish and seasonal oysters. Using sustainable and organic ingredients, all items are made in-house.
30 November, 2016
Recently I was heading to Seattle for work  It was a short trip. I had three nights and had planned to see friends in my free time. Then, in mid-flight, my friend who I was supposed to catch up with had to reschedule our dinner. I had been counting on her to pick the place as she is a local. But now I found myself on a Sunday afternoon, flying into a city with no plan and no ideas. So, I jumped online and read through Eater Seattle's Top 38. A few places caught my eye, one of which was Manolin. I checked into my hotel downtown and the concierge said it was twenty minutes away and wanted to suggest closer restaurants. But, I stuck to my plan and called Uber. Ten minutes later, I was in Fremont, a popular Seattle Neighborhood. manolin-1 Manolin is named after the young apprentice to Santiago's wise fisherman in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. The restaurant, which was named one of Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurants when it opened in 2015, features the maritime pleasures of the Pacific Northwest.
21 November, 2016
I invited a friend to join me at La Boheme for dinner recently. She asked, "you mean the restaurant in West Hollywood? It's still open?" That is what I had thought when I was invited to check it out as well. And the answer is yes! For twenty-five years, La Boheme has sat on Santa Monica Blvd in the heart of West Hollywood. la-boheme-1 From the street, there is something eye-catching about the building of concrete and stone with glittering lights and interesting ornaments. la-boheme-4 But when you walk inside, it is utterly mesmerizing. The 4,800 square-foot space is eye-catching with high ceilings, magnificent French chandeliers, a fireplace and red everywhere - the curtains, walls, ceiling, tables, chairs....everything! It is a bit eccentric and leans towards Gothic. It is like a set from of Moulin Rouge or Phantom of the Opera.
14 November, 2016
Sitting in a strip mall with neighbors such as Mediterranean Bar and Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Massage Envy, Gymboree, Coffee Bean, Allen Edwards Salon, Larsen's Steakhouse, a dental office, clothing boutiques and a carousel, I was surprised that was where I would find Chef Phillip Frankland Lee's Scratch Bar & Kitchen. But there it was, tucked into the second floor on the mall in Encino. encino-mall Scratch Bar & Kitchen first opened in Beverly Hills in 2013 and that was the first time I was introduced to Chef Lee. When the restaurant closed, Chef Lee opened the vegetable driven Gadarene Swine in Studio City which I went to a number of times. I was always impressed by the creativity of each dish, showcasing vegetables in ways one would never think of. Sadly Gadarene Swine recently closed but happily Chef Lee re-opened Scratch Bar & Kitchen one year ago in a strip mall in the valley. scratch-bar-kitchen-1
04 November, 2016
Recently I received an invitation to a VIP Jack in the Box event in Los Angeles and I was intrigued. I do not eat fast food, except maybe on a very, very rare occasion. But, I do watch a lot of television and am quite familiar with the entertaining Jack in the Box commercials. For those not familiar, Jack Box is the founder, CEO, ad spokesman and mascot for the Jack in the Box chain. He is a typical man but his head is round and white with blue dot eyes, a pointy nose and a linear smile. He wears a business suit and a yellow clown cap. Jack has been the mascot since 1994 and for more than a decade, we have met his family members, some who have human heads and others with egg-shaped heads. We even saw Jack get hit by a bus and end up in a hospital. And, in 1998, Jack met his wife Cricket at a "Meat Riot" concert and they have a young son, Jack Jr. The commercials are really quite funny and tell a contiguous story. jack-in-the-box-1
31 October, 2016
It has been almost a year since Roku opened on the Sunset Strip. The 8,000 square-foot modern restaurant with black-and-white marble flooring, manicured Bonsai trees and a warm, sophisticated vibe has been a popular spot for celebrities. It is a restaurant that can please most palates as they offer sushi, teppanyaki, new style appetizers, inventive entrees and, of course, favorite dishes from the iconic Sushi Roku. roku-sunset With the menu changing seasonally, we went to try the new items on ROKU’s menu. Shishito Peppers - Typical shishito peppers are elevated with a yuzu miso sauce and melted Parmesan shishito-pepper-parmesan-yuzu-miso
24 October, 2016
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