Please The Palate |

The New FIG Restaurant at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

FIG Restaurant has been serving up California Cuisine inside the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica for years. But some changes have taken place and now there is the NEW FIG Restaurant.

The space is still the same and the covered patio is flush with natural light. The decor now has a warmer feel to it with hanging plants adding life to the space. And there is a wood burning oven that has been added that you can see when you first walk into the restaurant.

At the helm of the new FIG Restaurant is the personable Chef Yousef Ghalaini. A native of Lebanon, Chef Ghalaini grew up in his grandfather's bakery where he first learned the art of the wood-burning oven. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley and worked in Napa, Florida, Connecticut and New York before coming to FIG Restaurant at The Fairmont Miramar. At FIG Restaurant, Chef Ghalaini works with local farmers and fresh California ingredients to create his Mediterranean inspired menu that integrates the warm spices and legumes of Lebanese cuisine.

12 September, 2016

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