Go Old School and Warm Up with a Bowl of Killer Shrimp

Written by Allison Levine on January 22, 2019

Food

With all of the restaurants to chose from in Los Angeles, sometimes it is easy to forget about those that have been around for awhile. So, when I was invited to visit Killer Shrimp in Marina del Rey, I was looking forward to re-visiting it.

Killer Shrimp is a big bowl of shrimp with a spicy broth. It is a recipe that was created by rock musician Lee Michaels more than 30 years ago. His son Kevin, who is the CEO of the company today, was a young surfer at the time and called his dad’s special home recipe “killer” shrimp. After testing it around town, they started a pop-up in Venice and then opened up their first spot in Marina del Rey, following by Studio City and later other locations. Growing up in Studio City, I would drive by Killer Shrimp regularly but was afraid to try the spicy “killer shrimp” as I did not handle spicy food well. And, at that time, the menu only included Killer Shrimp, served in the spicy broth with bread or poured over angel hair pasta or steamed white rice.

Here we are a couple decades later, the weather is cold and I have built up a tolerance for medium spice. I headed to the single Killer Shrimp location, looking forward to warming up.

Killer Shrimp is located in Marina del Rey in a huge space with fabulous waterfront views. There is an outdoor patio, a full bar and private event space. And, the menu has grown beyond the Killer Shrimp. As per the name, and the location on the water, the menu is seafood and fish driven with appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrees, as well as the original Killer Shrimp menu. Read More +

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Jaffa LA

Written by Allison Levine on January 19, 2019

Food Cocktails

Almost a year ago, Jaffa LA opened its doors on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood. With a modern take on Israeli cuisine featuring fresh seasonal ingredients and sustainable meats and fish, Jaffa LA has been serving healthy, fresh and delicious flavors. I returned this week to try a few new dishes and revisit some others and loved every single bite and that is why Jaffa LA is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

There was not a bite that I did not enjoy. And now there are more reasons to head to Jaffa LA. One of the reasons is that Jaffa LA just launched Social Hour Bites, available weekdays from 4:00pm-7:00pm. On the Social Hour menu are four plates for $7-$9.

One of the most addictive items on the Social Hour list are the Eggplant Crisps with shakshuka dip. Crispy, warm, salted and gluten-free (for those who care), these can easily replace french fries.

Please The Palate January 2019 Newsletter

Written by Allison Levine on January 10, 2019

Travel Lifestyle Food Cocktails Wine

Welcome to 2019! Another year has flown by and we are wondering where it went. 2018 was a year of many challenges in the world but it was a good year for Please The Palate as it celebrated its seventh anniversary and continued to work at a never-ending pace.

As 2019 begins, I have hit the ground running and look forward to lots of exciting projects ahead! Two big announcements for 2019 are:

1) I am proud to be the host of the wine podcast Wine Soundtrack USA. Wine Soundtrack originally launched in 2017 in Italy and is now available in the US. In each podcast, wine producers share the story of who they are and about their winery through a series of 30 questions. Wine Soundtrack was created to bring to life an idea of sharing and insight. It allows wine lovers to listen to the hopes, dreams, intuitions, prospects, loves and passions of the protagonists of the wine world, directly from their own voices.

2) I have taken on the role of General Manager of Effervescence, a Champagne and Sparkling Wine Festival that will take place in Los Angeles May 3-5, 2019. Stay tuned for information on a Champagne tasting on May 4th and a Sparkling Wine Brunch on May 5th. And, if you have a Champagne or Sparkling Wine brand that would like to participate, contact me!

Looking Back at 2018

Travel
It seemed like I was on the road for most of 2018, especially towards the end of the year. In total, there were 136 days of travel. Domestic travel was to Oregon, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Washington DC, Napa, Pebble Peach, Sonoma, Mendocino, Paso Robles, San Diego, Chicago, Michigan, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Scottsdale, Phoenix and Miami. On the international front, I traveled to Chile and Croatia for the first time and returned to Italy and Portugal. I am looking forward to seeing where 2019 will take me!

Writing
2018 brought 66 published articles in outlets including the Napa Valley Register, California Winery Advisor, Caviar Affair Magazine, ATOD Magazine, Wine Industry Network and Beverage Industry News, as well as more than 50 blog posts. I also continued doing one-minute wine videos with the Wine Weirdos and I became the host of the podcast Wine Soundtrack USA.

Events
From planning events to marketing and promoting events, I worked with Madeira Wines, Wines of Setubal, Tunisian Wines, DoctorWine’s Essential Guide to Italian Wine, Inter Rhone and more, totaling more than 40 events across the U.S. in 2018. I also worked with the Gelato Festival America, traveling across the country to seven cities where I managed all of the activities in the Gelato School, as well as played MC for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Read the full January 2019 Newsletter.