Food

While in Denver for work, a foodie friend recommended Euclid Hall Bar and Kitchen. It was a randomly snowy night in late April as I found my way to the restaurant located in an old building in the historic Larimer Square. Euclid Hall (800x533) Euclid Hall is an American tavern featuring innovative international pub food. The third restaurant from Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch, who also own Rioja and Bistro Vendôme in Denver, Euclid Hall is located in a building that was originally a house built in 1883 and is located right around the corner from Rioja.
25 April, 2013
During a recent trip to Las Vegas for Nightclub and Bar Convention & Trade Show, Public House at the Venetian hosted a Pop-Up Showdown between booze and beer. Pop-Up Showdown Public House Certified Cicerone Russell Gardner took the lead on the beers as the US Grant Hotel San Diego’s Director of Food and Beverage Jeff Josenhans created the cocktails.
15 April, 2013
The 17th Annual Restaurant Industry Conference took place this week at UCLA through UCLA Extension. Focusing on brand relevance and evolution, the one day event was attended by more than 350 industry executives, including restaurant operating companies, owners, C-level executive, lenders, private equity investors, investment bankers, suppliers and professional advisers. 17th Annual Restaurant Industry Conference Restaurant Industry Conference Here are some highlights I took away from the day:
05 April, 2013
Another birthday in the family had me looking for a new restaurant to try and Littlefork was at the top of my list. Littlefork is the new restaurant in Hollywood from Jason Travi (formerly of Fraîche and Mesa) and David Reiss (owner of A-frame, Sunny Spot, the Alibi Room and the Brig). The menu is influenced by Travi's New England roots but also by the southern reaches of Canada, as reflected by the prevalence of smoked meats and poutine on the menu. We started with a few selections from Bar Manager Dino Balocchi's cocktail menu. Dino comes from the Michelin-starred Longman & Eagle whiskey bar and gastropub in Chicago and has created a menu of bitters-intensive variations on sours, daisies and Manhattans. Thai Town Mule (gin, lime, thai basil, peppercorn, house ginger beer) - a refreshing drink to start with but the peppercorn adds a little kick Kentucky Daisy (rye, cynar, rosemary, mint, lemon, barrel aged bitters) - if you like the bittnerness of cynar, this herbacious cocktail is a good choice Georgetown Swizzle (darm rum, jamaican rum, EXR, lime, demerara, mint) - sweet/spicy/bitter flavors coupled with the strength of the rum and the mint adds a lightness
26 March, 2013
As I travel to cities and visit bars, I am reminded of a great bar tour I took last October at Portland Cocktail Week. What better way to tour the bars of Portland than on a bright red double-decker bus for the Cognac Tour. Experience Cognac  
05 March, 2013
Ramen, pho, soups.....there are oodles of noodle dishes to make you feel cozy and happy on these cold nights. This past weekend, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the First Annual Noodle Bowl Festival took place at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica. From traditional noodle houses to others who put their spin on noodles, seven restaurants from around Los Angeles served warm bowls of noodles to a full crowd. While slurping and filling our bellies, proceeds were raised for My Friend’s Place, a Hollywood-based charity dedicated to assisting and inspiring homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives. Noodle Bowl Fest 2013 100_2390
12 February, 2013
Every year for my birthday I try to find a new restaurant to try with my family. What better way to celebrate than to enjoy a new place with family while getting to try lots of dishes and sharing. In perfect timing, David Myers' Hinoki and the Bird opened just in time to be the restaurant of choice. I had been sad when Sona closed as some of my first real foodie experiences were at Sona. But, David is back with Hinoki and the Bird, located in the basement of a luxury condo building in Century City that is not so easy to find (my GPS was confused and I had to make 2 calls to the restaurant to make sure I was in the right place).  We arrived and were greeted by the valets, still not sure what to expect. But, once the big wooden doors opened, we stood looking out over the entire restaurant.  From the bustling bar to the open kitchen, the room was filled with energy. Chef David Myers100_2376
09 February, 2013
A birthday is a perfect excuse as any to go out to dinner. It is a guarantee to have a group of people which means ordering lots of different dishes and sharing. So, for this year's birthday, I picked Josef Centeno's newest restaurant Bar Amá in downtown LA that recently opened. Inspired by the memories of the women who raised him, Josef Centeno has created a menu of elevated Tex-Mex favorites that he grew up on. Bar Ama
08 February, 2013
Although ink. opened in late 2011, I hadn't been yet. It was on my list of places to go but time got ahead of me. So after spending a week in DC before the holidays and eating at a few Top Chef contender restaurants (Range by Bryan Voltaggio and Graffiato by Mike Isabella), it was time to hit ink. by Michael Voltaggio, winner of Season 6 of Bravo's "Top Chef". ink. is a casual place with a edgy decor but a cozy feel.  The menu offers a small plate format which is great because you get to try lots of different things.  And, ink. is all about different. The cuisine is cutting edge, using new techniques. And, the descriptions on the menu are only scratching the surface.  When our server described each dish, it was hard to keep up with exactly what processes the ingredients have undergone before they land on the plate....but whatever they were, we liked the results!
06 February, 2013
Every year dineLA's Restaurant Week offers a specially priced prix fix menu for lunch and dinner, allowing diners to try a variety of local restaurants. The 12-day dining event, which just took place from January 21 - February 1, showcased some of LA's best restaurants. With so many restaurants to try, both old and new, Restaurant Week provides an opportunity to explore as many restaurants as you can manage to eat at over 2 weeks.  And, with lunch menus priced at $15, $20, and $25, and dinner menus at $25, $35, and $45, you won't necessarily break the bank by eating out. In addition to the price, this is a great way to get a taste of a restaurant's menu as the prix fix menu is typically made up of smaller portions of regular menu items. During this last restaurant week, we made it out to 3 restaurants. And, as we were dining as two (or three), we were able to order almost every item offered on the menu. Here are some recent highlights from the more recent Restaurant Week:
01 February, 2013
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