Please The Palate |

Pork Lovers Heaven at 8 Korean BBQ

Eight Korean BBQ may sound like a strange name for a Korean BBQ spot but it is named after its main attraction - 8 curated flavors of Mangalitza pork belly. Of course Eight Korean BBQ offers premium cuts of beef and pork but the pork belly eight ways is what sets them apart!

Tucked in the back of strip mall in Koreatown, Eight Korean BBQ is a modern style Korean BBQ restaurant. The tables, which have large air vents over them to keep the restaurant from filling with smoke, each come with two gas burners. Most Korean BBQ restaurants only offer a single stove per table but with two stoves, a stew pot can simmer on one while a flat rectangular griddle sits on the other. The seats are round cushioned stools that actually serve as storage areas for purses and jackets. And, all chopsticks, spoons and napkins can be found in a hidden drawer underneath the table.

02 August, 2018

Brunch at the Beach at Del Frisco’s Grille

The heat was at an all time high in Los Angeles and it was over 100 degrees across the city. I had been invited to check out Del Frisco's Grille's new brunch menu and brunch at the beach sounded like the perfect antidote. It was also a great opportunity to catch up with a friend. Del Frisco's Grille sits on Ocean Avenue, directly across the street from the Santa Monica Pier. Of course, it is summer in Los Angeles, which means that the tourists have descended upon Santa Monica. Hoards of people were trying to cross the street to head to the pier or the beach and I sat patiently at the light, waiting for it to change. I pulled up to the valet, parked and walked into Del Frisco's. While sitting on the patio, looking out at the ocean sounded lovely, the idea of sitting inside the cool indoor space sounded better so we opted for a lovely booth by a window. Del Frisco's Grille is a steakhouse by night, serving up creative twists on American comfort classics. But on the weekends, they are offering a revamped brunch menu that will satisfy both locals and tourists alike. We started with the share dishes on the menu.

The Smoked Salmon Tower is the quintessential brunch platter. Perfectly toasted New York bagels are served with two different cream cheeses, one plain and one an "everything" caper spread. On the top of the tower is smoked salmon from Foley Fish in Boston, red onions, cucumber, tomatoes and capers. I love a good bagel and would have been satisfied with just this dish.....but there was more to come.

19 July, 2018

Maude Ventures to the Central Coast

Since Maude changed its format to focusing on wine regions every quarter, they have taken us on journeys to Rioja and Burgundy. For their third featured region, Maude takes us to our own backyard, the Central Coast. From Santa Barbara to Monterey, the Central Coast is a region filled with so much bounty and the Maude team spent a week visiting farmers, purveyors and winemakers to create the menu. The menu generally focuses around the fresh local seafood that we are so fortunate to have access to. Spot prawns, abalone, oysters and uni are just some of the delectable treats we enjoyed. And each dish was paired with wine selections from producers in the Central Coast, from under-the-radar producers to well-known names.

As we arrived to Maude for our reservations, we were escorted upstairs to the wine cellar lounge. This room is now incorporated into the regional tasting menus. For Rioja, we started in the lounge with a glass of Cava and a plate of jamón serrano and cheese. For Burgundy, we ended the evening in the lounge where we enjoyed a cheese and dessert display. And for Central Coast, we again started our meal upstairs where we were greeted with a glass of Broc Cellars, Chenin Blanc, Petillant, Shell Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles 2017. The effervescent wine has a floral honeyed nose with notes of citrus, peach, pineapple and key lime pie, as well as yeasty aromas and was the perfect way to start the evening.

10 July, 2018