Food

Is Santa Monica the new drinking and dining destination in Los Angeles? It's definitely one of them, especially along Wilshire Blvd. First Brilliantshine and Chestnut Club opened last year. Then Cadet and Tacoteca opened just before the holidays and now Aestus opened just after the new year. 2015 in Santa Monica is off to a great start. Aestus is owned by Kevin O'Connor, who also acts as the restaurant's sommelier. Former Spago wine director, Kevin is also co-owner of Lioco Winery. He selected the name Aestus, which is a Latin word that means heat, fire, tide, the surge of the sea, because it just seemed to perfectly represent what they are doing. Aestus is about expressing passion through food, wine and drinks. Located on the ground floor of the Arezzo residental builidng on Wilshire Blvd, between 5th and 6th streets, Aestus is a large open mid-century modern space. There is a 15-seat brass bar when you first walk in and a 60-seat dining room. And, from everywhere in low-lit room, you can see the brightly lit open kitchen where Chef Alex Ageneau is at the helm.
29 January, 2015
Living in Los Angeles, I am happy to drive anywhere in the city in search of good food. But, it's even better when the restaurant is only a couple minutes from home. Cadet opened at the very end of 2014 in Santa Monica and it couldn't be a more welcome addition to the area. Located in the former The Shack space, next to the Verizon store on the corner of 26th and . It feels like you have entered your own living room. Exposed brick walls, low lighting, comfortable banquets and a bar in the center of the room are so inviting. And one of the inviting elements is the wood fired grill that can be seen through a glass window when you first walk in. The menu is presented like a deck of cards and you lay them out in front of you like you are reading tarot cards. Cadet Menu
27 January, 2015
It's not hard to find tacos in Los Angeles. From taco stands to taco trucks, we love our tacos. Now Santa Monica has a new taco spot where, in addition to tacos and other dishes,there is a full bar featuring mezcal-based cocktails and craft beers. The Westside needed another great drinking spot. Welcome Tacoteca! Tacoteca

Bartender Gilbert Marquez has crafted the cocktail program. With over 90 mezcals, he has created a menu of modern cocktails that emphasizes indigenous Mexican flavors.

I started with a Bebibas Ancestrales and ordered the Aguacatero (Mezcal, avocado, green chartreuse and lime). The drink comes with a worm salt rim that was spicy and a cricket garnish. Yes, crickets.....after all, they say that insects are the new protein. I went outside my comfort zone and tried them and despite the visual image, they were slightly salty and crispy and don't really taste like anything. I survived!

22 January, 2015
Saint Martha may be aptly named for its namesake, the Patron Saint of cooks and servants, but it also pays homage to Saint Vincent, the Patron Saint of wine. But you might not know this from the outside. Located in a run-down strip mall in Korea town, it's neighbors are a "dentista", an acupuncturist, an Allstate insurance office and a shoe repair shop. Saint Martha Exterior And among these business sits Saint Martha behind a heavy wooden door.Saint Martha Exterior But, open the heavy door and enter the cozy, low-lit windowless room, and find a world that honors and celebrates wine and food.
21 January, 2015
Creamy, semi-soft, hard, cow, sheep, goat....so many cheeses to choose from! I love cheese. Who doesn't? And, like wine, when you have really good cheese, you can taste its terroir, where it is from. But, it can be intimidating or overwhelming when it comes to really understanding French cheese. There are 350-400 types of French cheese, and with many varieties within each type, there may be more than 1000 different types of French cheese. Cheeses of France Have no fear! Cheeses of Europe and the French Cheese Board are here to help. Their mission is to create awareness about the variety of the cheeses of France available on the US market and the multiple ways that American consumers can incorporate the cheeses into their diets, their recipes and their lifestyles. One of the ways they do this is by creating pop-up stores in cities, like they did recently in Santa Monica. An outdoor pop-up store was created in the center of Santa Monica Place and for one day consumers could taste cheese (for free) and buy cheese (at great prices). Here are some of the cheeses we tasted and learned about:
20 January, 2015
It's time for dineLA when for two weeks (January 19 through February 1) restaurants offer specially priced prix-fixe lunch menus for $15-$25 and dinner menus for $30-$50. These are the perfect days to try new restaurants or visit old ones while maintaining a bit of control on the wallet.....and losing a little control of the waistline. After all, when some of the best chefs in LA are offering affordable dining opportunities, how can you say no?!?! One of the many participating restaurants is Acabar in Hollywood and we got a preview of their dineLA menu. The dineLA menu price is $40, a great value for Chef Octavio Becerra's food and includes three courses, with three options to choose from within each course. First Course:
18 January, 2015
Remember the song you sang as a child, "Peanut, peanut butter and jelly. Peanut, peanut butter and jelly. First you take the peanuts and you crush them, you crush them..... then you take the jelly and you spread it, you spread it..... peanut, peanut butter and jelly." Spread PB As this song continues in your mind, you might be thinking about your favorite childhood food. Who doesn't love peanut butter (except those with allergies, sorry!)?  Did you know that the creamy, nutty spread that we loved with apples, bananas, celery, jelly and more is the #2 food in America (bacon is #1)? Spread PB Take a trip back to childhood at the new Spread PB Bar in Studio City. Elementary school friends Katie Kerr and Dustin Albert met over peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the obsession  flouished. Katie has been a member of the Peanut  Butter of the Month Club for three years. Now Katie and Dustin are sharing their love with the rest of us.
16 January, 2015
When I went to lunch at Spago a few months ago, I saw that a new place was going in next door called Spaghettini. Silly me thought that meant that it was a "little Spago." But it's not. It's actually the second location for a successful restaurant and music venue, owned by Laurie Sisneros and Cary Hardwick, that has been in Seal Beach for 26 years. Spaghettini is a large rectangular space that is wide open. With white walls and dark wood and blue accents, it is rather simple in its décor, but also modernly elegant. Spaghettini Dining Room We started at the bar and ordered a couple drinks to start the evening. We ordered The Home Slice (apple ginger soda, Angel's Envy Bourbon, citrus) and The Duet (El Dorado 12 Year Rum, Rhum JM, honey, Italian sweet vermouth, Angostura, grapefruit peel). The Home Slice was refreshing with the sweetness of the bourbon on the finish. But, I would have liked a bit more acidity or bite on the front of the palate. The apple ginger soda seemed a bit muted. The Duet on the other hand was a well balanced cocktail. Perhaps not the first drink you want for the night on a chilly night, it was perfect. The cocktails range from $15-$18 and are a bit steep.
15 January, 2015
Marino Ristorante It's sometimes easy to forget about  long-standing restaurants when we are always trying the newest place. But, for more than 30 years (since 1983), Marino Ristorante has been family owned and operated serving traditional Italian food to the Hollywood and Hancock Park communities. Every morning at 5am, Mario Marino (the son of founder Ciro "Mario" Marino) can be found at the fish market, selecting fresh fish for the menu. Then you will find Mario at the restaurant, both at lunch and dinner, charming guests and suggesting wine pairings. Mario Marino
12 January, 2015
Just before the holiday season started, Terrine LA opened its doors on Beverly Boulevard in the old Pane Vino space, a block from Jar Restaurant. And, just after the holidays, Terrine LA opened its doors for brunch. So, to start the new year off on a good foot, we headed to Terrine LA for brunch. Terrine Restaurant Terrine LA is a gorgeous space. The brasserie-style restaurant is a wide open space with bright natural light (in the daytime). The elegant copper and marble bar runs along one side of the room and a whitewashed brick wall runs along the other side. A large picture window behind the bar offers a view into the kitchen. And there is the romantic patio featuring a lovely old tree in the center. However, as it was one of those very rare cold days in LA, we opted to sit inside.
09 January, 2015
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