Posted on Dec 28, 2011 under Archives |
Chow Chow, waiting to go on holiday
Here are my latest articles up on travelhoppers.com – where to take your dog on vacation, at http://www.travelhoppers.com/2011/12/28/california-resorts-must-love-dogs/ and at AOL on where to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Toluca Lake, at http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/nearby-new-year-s-eve-celebrations. I posted a cute pic of a chow chow, my favorite type of dog.
Posted on Dec 19, 2011 under Archives |
Inside Taberna
A few months ago Taberna, an upscale Mexican restaurant, opened in Beverly Hills. Taberna makes all dishes fresh daily and offers a wide ceviche selection, DIY tacos, rabbit enchiladas and mole-rubbed filet Mignon, as well as traditional Mexican dishes. There are tons of chain Mexican restaurants in LA, but it’s hard to find good authentic South of the Border cuisine. I visited Taberna to check out the menu with my guest Dalbert. Here is what we sampled:
chips
Salsa
Immediately after being seated, we were served crispy chips and two salsas. We also ordered the guacamole, garnished with pumpkin seeds and queso fresco.
We also ordered poached octopus with roasted jalapeno, caper aioli and garlic chips and ahi tuna with guajillo oil, serrano peppers and jicama.
poached octopus
ahi tuna
We also received a nice plate of mushroom quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese, roasted poblano peppers and wild mushrooms in fresh tortillas.
mushroom quesadilla
Our fave of the evening was the main courses, a crispy chile relleno roasted with a vegetable and Oaxaca cheese filling and a Yucatan pork stew served in a banana leaf with fried plantains, crema and pickled red onions.
chile rellano
Yucatan Pork Stew
Everything we sampled was fantastic and the menu is reasonable priced. The next time you crave high end Mexican fare, head to Beverly Hills to Taberna to sample fresh authentic dishes. Located at 369 North Bedford Drive, call 310/858-7070 for reservations.
Posted on Dec 03, 2011 under Archives |
Garry Marshall and Fritz Coleman and Toluca Lake Xmas Open House
Last night I attended our yearly Toluca Lake Xmas Open House for an article on AOL, http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/toluca-lake-hosts-sparkling-xmas-open-house-e770ba3f. Also, a new article is up on www.travelhoppers.com on where to get hitched in Sin City at http://www.travelhoppers.com/2011/12/02/wedding-jackpot-best-bets-to-get-hitched-in-sin-city/.
Posted on Nov 24, 2011 under Archives, Chefs, Interviews |
Chef Suzanne Goin
A few days ago I headed west to The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories and Venokado at Santa Monica Place to attend a booksigning, cooking demo and wine tasting from one of my favorite LA chefs, Suzanne Goin. I sat down with Chef Goin shortly before the demo to talk about her many restaurants and her latest venture (with partner Caroline Styne), The Larder on Maple Drive in Beverly Hills, a quick service cafe serving up breakfast and dinner.
One of Los Angeles’ most beloved chefs, Suzanne Goin cooks with a palette of colors and flavors that showcase the best farmers and producers from the Southern California markets. In all three of her restaurants, Lucques, A.O.C., and Tavern, her passion for seasonal cooking is reflected in her ever-changing menus and artfully presented dishes. Her artistry has earned her numerous accolades including Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs of 1999, the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: California in 2006, and four nominations for the national Outstanding Chef Award in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Her restaurants have been praised by Gourmet magazine, Bon Appétit and Los Angeles Times (which awarded Lucques three stars).
