Please The Palate |

Cocktails at Foreign Cinema, San Francisco

"Cocktails are about something beautiful." As I sat down with Foreign Cinema Bar Manager Nicky Beyries, this was one of the first things she told me. "They evoke memories or by mixing fun ingredients, we make new memories," she continued. "I like to take great ingredients and be irreverent. The point is to let the ingredients speak for themselves" And that is what she does with her cocktails.

Nicky grew up on farms in Petaluma and Santa Rosa, which explains her appreciation for fresh, seasonal ingredients. With ten years of experience behind the bar, she joined Foreign Cinema in San Francisco last October. The current cocktail list is her first full cocktail menu at Foreign Cinema and I joined her at the bar recently to taste through her current list.

11 February, 2016

The Raymond in Pasadena – An old place that feels like home

The Raymond in Pasadena is not a new place. In fact, it is rather old. Established in 1886, it was The Grand Raymond Hotel, frequented by East Coasters in the winter. The hotel no longer exists, but inside the original caretaker's cottage is the home of The Raymond Restaurant and 1886 Bar.

Tucked away and hidden by trees in a residential area of Pasadena, The Raymond and 1886 Bar are out of the way and hard to find. But, it is worth the effort to spend an evening here as you will immediately feel right at home in the cozy, intimate space.

Owned by Leslie Levy and her husband, 1886 Bar has been drawing in cocktail lovers from around the city since it opened in 2010, as well as garnering awards for the cocktail program. A small, low lit bar filled with dining tables, there is not a lot of room to stand along the bar. But, if you can get a spot, you are in luck. Once you have settled in, get ready to do a little work. The cocktail menu is not for the lazy. Each drink is named after a literary reference and eloquently described in paragraph format, like reading a story. It is worth taking a moment to read through it but if you refuse, the bartender is happy to help you with suggestions.

05 February, 2016

Messhall Kitchen – Comfort Food and Cocktails in Los Feliz

As the weather finally gets cold in Los Angeles, a hearty meal is in order. Messhall Kitchen in Los Feliz offers hearty comfort food with big flavors. From the outdoor fire pit to the wood cabin-like decor, and with servers in flannel shirts, you will feel the warmth the moment you walk in. You will also feel a sense of nostalgia. All of that comfort of your childhood, of camping or going to camp, will warm your heart as you take a seat in the family-friendly spacious restaurant. Chef Shane Pritchett came to Messhall Kitchen in 2014 and has brought his love for barbecue to the menu, while using local, sustainable and organic seasonal ingredients to create the re-conceptualized American favorites. Messhall Kitchen is the kind of restaurant that you want to come hungry....and thirsty. The drinks menu consists of classic cocktails, barrel aged cocktails and spirit flights. But, I was drawn to the drinks that are an ode to Harry Potter. As a huge fan of the books, we picked a Polyjuice Potion (151 rum, persimmon syrup, grapefruit, lemon, sherry float) under the Three Broomsticks Shaken Beverages section and a Veritaserum (Buffalo Trace bourbon, Mandarin Napoleon, maple syrup, barrel aged bitter) from the Hog's Head Stirred Libations section.

25 January, 2016