Lifestyle

As good as the food is at a restaurant, what can make a meal even better is the wine selections to pair with the food. It is not about the size of the list or having the correct list of wines. It is about understanding the cuisine of the restaurant and the customer and then creating a list to appeal to both. My recent story in California Winery Advisor listed 15 of the best restaurant wine lists in Los Angeles and you can read it here. ************************************************************** Wondering who has the best restaurant wine lists in Los Angeles and why? It is not the size of the wine list. It is not because it has a list of every aspirational, expensive, highly scored wine. And it is definitely not a good list when the list consists of generic mass-produced brands that can be found on the shelves of the local grocery store. A good wine list is one that is curated by the wine director of the restaurant to pair with the food on the menu. It is a list that offers a range of price points and combines familiarity as well as uniqueness. With so many exceptional restaurants in Los Angeles, a good wine list is what can set one apart from another. Here are 15 restaurants offering some of the most interesting, exciting and appropriate wine selections for the customer.
02 July, 2019
Do you enjoy drinking cocktails but sometimes need or want to take a break....but then are easily tempted by the cocktail menu? Here's a great option - guilt-free delicious alcohol-free cocktails make with Seedlip Drinks. Read about Seedlip distilled non-alcoholic spirits in my column in the Napa Valley Register which I have shared here.
Have you ever needed a break from drinking but still want to go out and socialize? I know that I sometimes need a break from drinking alcohol but am still so tempted when I go out and see a great cocktail list.
20 June, 2019
Sparkling sake? I am not talking about the cheap stuff you may have seen in the market. I am talking about sparkling sake made like Champagne, with secondary fermentation in the bottle. I was surprised and quite impressed when I tried it and wrote about it in the Napa Valley Register and am sharing here. When you think about sparkling wines that are not Champagne, you might think about sparkling wine from California, Oregon, France, Italy, Spain or another wine- producing region. But what about Japan? When you think about what grapes sparkling wines are made from, you might think about Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinto Meunier, Glera, Vermentino, Shiraz, Lambrusco or many other wine grapes. But what about sake?
06 June, 2019
Pico Boulevard in West LA has been a sleepy street for many years. A few restaurants are tucked along the street that have been there forever. And while I live only one mile from Pico Boulevard, I was not going to Pico very often until Khong Ten opened up. And now there is Pikoh LA, located in the former Chan Dara space, that has added a new life to Pico Blvd. The space at Pikoh is modern, open, casual and inviting. The colors are clean, the decor is minimal and there is fresh greenery placed throughout the restaurant. There is a long bar for counter seating, a dining room separated by plants, the front section for happy hour seating and the main dining room. And there is outdoor seating as well. Pikoh is a perfect neighborhood restaurant. Open all day, they serve breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner. But more than having a coffee bar, a cocktail bar and food, Pikoh has delicious, flavorful food that will keep you coming back! This is because Chef Ricardo Zarate, of Rosaline and Los Balcones Studio City, is behind Pikoh LA! And, while this is not another Peruvian restaurant, this all-day casual concept features California cuisines with Peruvian and Asians flavors.
04 June, 2019
So often there are two approaches when drinking wine. We order a glass and just drink it, not thinking much about it but enjoying it as we eat a meal or talk with friends. Or we sit and analyze a wine, assessing its aromas and tasting notes. But have you ever tasted wine with intention? Have you ever meditated and drank wine? This past week I attended a Medi-Tasting Experience and tasted wine in a new way. That is why Tasting with Intention is the Please The Palate Pick of the Week. Sitting at the Malibu Beach Inn, overlooking the ocean and listening to the sound of the waves crashing, chef, author and meditation teacher Cassandra Bodzak guided us through a meditation following by a tasting of the wines of Champagne Henriot. Through meditation, the goal was to be more in tune with our bodies. Our senses are optimized which leads to a deeper tasting experience.
01 June, 2019
Drinking a glass of Krug Champagne is aspirational, sitting down for a dinner of Krug Champagne is beyond my wildest dreams. But, my dreams came true as I enjoyed a delicious meal at 71 Above in downtown LA, paired with more than a dozen bottles of Krug Champane which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and am sharing here.

Exclusive. Aspirational. Hedonistic. Revered. Indulgent. Pleasure. These are just some of the words that come to mind when I think about Krug Champagne. In fact, ask any Champagne collector, or lover, to name a brand that is respected the world over and they will likely answer Krug.

I have had the pleasure to taste Krug Champagne on a couple of occasions. Mind you, it was just a taste of the Grand Cuvee or the Rosé, but even with those tastes, I cherished every sip.

30 May, 2019
Enjoying a glass of wine or a balanced cocktail with a meal is a pleasure in life. Sipping on a glass of wine or a tasty cocktail with friends is a social activity. But, what if you do not want or you cannot drink alcohol? Luckily there is a growing trend of non-alcoholic drinks and Los Angeles is leading the charge. And, the opportunity to find delicious, balanced, flavorful non-alcoholic drinks is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Distill Ventures, the first accelerator for the spirits industry, found that 83% of bar managers in Los Angeles think non-alcoholic cocktails are part of a growing trend. And, more than 40% of restaurants in Los Angles offer a non-alcoholic specific drinks menu. With brands like Seedlip, the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirits, we no longer need to order overly sweet "mocktails" attempting to mimic a classic cocktail or fruit juices when we want to have a drink. Seedlip and other soon to be released non-alcoholic spirits are creating a new category, not trying to copy an existing one. And, when used in drinks, the flavors and textures are complex and refreshing.
25 May, 2019
Located in Los Angeles County on the border of Ventura County, Westlake Village is 30 miles from Los Angeles and can seem like a world away. But on a Sunday morning, when traffic is non-existent, it is an easy drive to Westlake Village for a one-day-getaway at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. From the moment we pulled the car up to the valet, we felt like we were on vacation. Service is impeccably friendly at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. We were greeted at the door and directed straight ahead to Coin & Candor, the new restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village. A California Brasserie, Coin & Candor is open and inviting. It sits just off the main lobby and is bright white with large floor to ceiling windows. A large circular bar sits in the center of the restaurant with seats for eating on one side and a chef's prep station on the other.
23 May, 2019
Show more
Loading...
Copied!