Food

Of all the meals that I eat out, sometimes there is that one that stands out above the rest. There is such a feeling of satisfaction and excitement when one like this is found. And, I found that very feeling at The Factory Kitchen, which opened up in downtown LA at the end of 2013. A trattoria-style Italian restaurant, it is named after the building that it is based in - the Factory Place Arts Complex - in the Arts District. The Factory Kitchen is the project of two lifelong friends - Chef Angelo Auriana and General Manager Matteo Ferdinandi. Chef Auriana was the executive chef at Valentino for 18 years before moving to Farina in San Francisco. And, Matteo Ferdinandi has worked with Celestino Drago and Spago. Together, they have created a restaurant that is the epitome of Italian hospitality.
02 June, 2014
After a long day of wine tasting, nothing beats a casual, tasty meal with a cold drink. So, after the recent Santa Barbara Vintners Festival in Solvang, CA, we were looking for that spot and found Dos Carlitos Restaurant & Tequila Bar in the quiet little town of Santa Ynez. A family-owned business with two long standing restaurants in Santa Barbara - Carlitos Café y Cantina (Est. 1979) and Cava Restaurant & Bar (Est. 1997) - Dos Carlitos is a casual, relaxed restaurant with an outdoor patio and features fresh homemade tortillas and an open fire grill (La Parilla).
28 May, 2014
So when I say Beaujolais, you might think of Beaujolais Nouveau, that super fruity wine that comes out every Thanksgiving. But, let's talk about the "real" Beaujolais, a versatile and food friendly wine that will pair with your next meal! If Pinot Noir is your grape of choice, Beaujolais, made with the Gamay grape, is a great alternative and somewhat similar! The region of Beaujolais is bordered by the region of Burgundy (home of Pinot Noir). The two wines have many similar characteristics - light to medium bodied wines with red berries, spices and floral aromas and great acidity on the palate. And, the white grape of both Burgundy and Beaujolais is Chardonnay. Best of all, Beaujolais wines are wines that can pair with so many foods as demonstrated recently on the West Coast Beaujolais Food Feast where the wines were paired with seafood in Portland, Mexican food in San Diego and Asian food in Los Angeles, which I got to attend at Hakkasan in Beverly Hills.
25 May, 2014
When I think of North Beach in San Francisco, I think of all of the Italian restaurants that line the streets. But located just off Washington Square Park on the corner of Union and Powell is The Square SF. The Square (1) The Square SF opened earlier this year in the location that used to be the famous Washington Square Bar & Grill. But today, The Square is a modern gastropub.
23 May, 2014
Looking for the perfect gift? I think I found it. Well, actually a friend gave this to me for my birthday so I have to thank her for finding it. But, I am hooked! Love With Food is a great idea for your foodie friends but it is also a great way to give the love back. For as little as $10/month, you can receive a seasonally curated box of 8 or more tasty snacks. All snacks are are either organic, all natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial junk. So, you can feel good while doing good!
20 May, 2014
When my friend mentioned that we were going to Verbena for dinner during our food tour of San Francisco, I hadn't heard of the new restaurant by Chef Sean Baker, but I had heard of his other restaurant, Gather, in Oakland. Considering Gather's reputation for local, sustainable fresh ingredients, I was rather excited. Located on Polk Ave in the hip Russian Hill, Verbena is a quintessential Northern California restaurant from the menu to the sustainable, natural decor. The menu is produce-focused but has a fair amount of omnivore options. And all of the products used come from small artisan farmers and ranchers in the area with which they have direct relationship. Verbena (1) We started with cocktails which feature seasonal ingredients and spirits from small producers.
16 May, 2014
If you don't have time to take a trip to the state of Washington, you don't have to go far to get a taste of Washington. Head to your nearest Omni Hotels & Resorts throughout the month of May and partake in their "Taste Washington" program that spotlights the wines of the region.....that's what we did when we went to Noe at the Omni in downtown LA. “Taste Washington” is part of Omni Hotels & Resorts popular culinary series “Flavors of the World”. The wines and foods of Italy, Argentina, Spain and France have been featured in the past. This year they are focusing on domestic wines. And with Washington State producing high quality wines at great value, as well being the No. 2 premium wine grape grower in the U.S., it is the perfect fit.
14 May, 2014
I travel to San Francisco regularly. Sometimes its a day trip, usually its an overnight trip and occasionally there are a few extra days to plan and explore. Explore what? Restaurants of course. There are so many to try in San Francisco and one that has constantly evaded me is State Bird SF.  State Bird is one of those restaurants that you have to plan far in advance to try to get one of the limited reservations. Or, you can line up each night before they open, which is what we did. State Bird SF (1) We didn't know what to expect or how early to get there. With the doors opening at 5:30pm, we lined up at 4:30 and we were not the first ones there. But, when the door opened up, the line quickly moved and we were told to return at 7:30pm for dinner. Perfect!
12 May, 2014
Looking for a causal gastropub for some good old comfort food?  If so, City Tavern is a great option and you have the choice of the original Culver City location or the new Downtown LA location. While the menus vary a bit, one thing the Downtown LA location has that Culver City doesn't, is a cocktail program developed by Brent Falco and Cari Hah. City Tavern Downtown LA is located on the lower level of a mall (FIGAT7TH center) at 7th + Figueroa. But, once you enter the large space with the exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood floors & walls, and wood tables and chairs, you will forget you are in a mall.
01 May, 2014
Santa Barbara is a college town and home to State Street that is lined with bar after bar serving mediocre well-drinks to weekend revelers. But cocktail lovers rejoice! Now there is a place where you can get a properly made craft cocktail, along with some tasty bites. Located on Canon Perdido Street, just a block and half east of State Street in what was originally Santa Barbara’s Chinatown, but is now called the “Presidio District”, is the Pickle Room. Located next door to Three Pickles Deli, the Pickle Room is in the place of the historical Jimmy’s Oriental Garden bar. With no sign out front except for a red sign that says “cocktails”, Pickle Room is like a speakeasy meets neighborhood bar. More importantly, it is a “grown-up bar,” owner Bob Lovejoy explained.
30 April, 2014
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