Please The Palate |

Just Put It In A Waffle at Bruxie

Typically we eat waffles for brunch. Or for a savory note, some eat chicken and waffles. But just about anything can be paired with a waffle. Next time you are eating a sandwich, why not put it in a waffle? That is what they are doing at Bruxie. Bruxie is a new take on the sandwich. Founder Dean Simon fell in love with waffles when he was in Brussels. He came back to California and since he could not find light, airy, crispy style waffles, he began testing recipes until he created a recipe that matched what he ate in Brussells. Then he put quality seasonal ingredients in them to make sandwiches, both savory and sweet.

Simon and business partner Kelly Mullarney, both chefs, opened the first Bruxie in the historic Old Towne of Orange in 2010 and it became the busiest restaurant per square foot in the nation. Now with six restaurants in Southern California and one in Las Vegas, Bruxie is showing people that waffles are no longer just for breakfast. Bruxie sandwiches are not sweet. They are yeast risen waffles that are light, airy and crispy and will remind you of warm toasty bread. But, they weigh only three ounces and contain 250 calories. They are rather guilt free....until you start adding the savory or sweet ingredients. But who cares when they taste so good!

02 June, 2016

Inotheke – Introducing Modern Greek Food to Los Angeles

I have always been a fan of Greek food, or at least what I thought was Greek food. Spanikopita, Greek salad and gryos were what I was familiar with until I travelled to Greece for the first time this past summer. In Greece, I was introduced to "real" Greek food - vegetable-driven, fresh seafood and local cheeses...lots of cheese, fried with honey. The "real" Greek food is light and healthy and full of flavor. Sadly we do not get a lot of "real" Greek food in America. There are only a few restaurants in Northern Calfornia (Dio Deka) and New York (Estiatorio Milos and others) showcasing the beautiful flavors of Greek food but at a higher price point. Now Los Angeles has a "real" Greek restaurant, offering the fresh flavors with affordable prices. Welcome to LA, Inotheke! Inotheke, which means "wine case" in Greek, is located on Broadway and 6th in Santa Monica. Owner Carolos Tomazos is recognized by many in Los Angeles as the front-of-house personality at the popular former Waterloo & City. With Inotheke, Tomazos, who grew up on the island of Cyprus, is bringing a fresh modern perspective to Greek food.

13 January, 2016

Via Veneto Santa Monica

In a city like Los Angeles there are restaurants on every corner and new restaurants are opening at record speed. Trying to keep up with new restaurants, it is sometimes easy to forget those that have been open for a few years or more. Let's not forget these restaurants as there are some many gems among them. And one of these gems is Via Veneto in Santa Monica. Los Angeles is blessed to have many authentic Italian restaurants in the city. Tucked into a little space on Main Street in Santa Monica, Via Veneto is one of them. Serving traditional Italian food for twelve years, they still continue to pack the house every night. And from the moment you walk in, perhaps you will feel like you have entered a little trattoria in Italy. The Italian staff will greet you and serve you, and of course, charm you in the process. On a recent visit, we were taken care of by Luca. Originally from Molisa, a region in the south of Italy, Luca has been working at Via Veneto for five years. He knows the menu inside and out and is happy to suggest many of the daily specials. With a combination of regular menu items, as well as some specials, we were ready to go.

07 December, 2015