Posted on Mar 13, 2009 under Uncategorized |
Hamachi toule cone
I recently visited one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego, The Marine Room. I was in La Jolla doing a story on San Diego and had to include this lovely spot. Located at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club (2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla), this is the best place to share a sunset and wonderful food. Sitting just beyond the sandline within feet of the waves that snuggle up to La Jolla shores, the restaurant offers outstanding French-Colonial cuisine as well as stunning vistas and high-tide waves that splash against the floor-to-ceiling picture windows. My friend and chef extraordinaire Bernard Guillas prepared a lovely tasting menu. We started with a tasty toule cone (edible) of fresh Hamachi tuna with trout roe (above).
Diver scallops
Next came this lovely, huge plump seared diver scallop. Very buttery and sweet, served over mushrooms and a spiced pumpkin bread on the top. Yum.
Beef carpaccio
This appetizer of beef carpaccio came next, with ginger oil, sage focaccia, figs and jack cheese. We really liked the balance of flavors on this plate.
Foie gras and lobster
Next was my favorite, a vanilla leek lobster and foie gras. My friend Sheila doesn’t eat foie gras (poor Sheila, doesn’t know what she is missing) so I ate her portion as well. I just couldn’t let a perfect piece of foie gras go to waste. I could eat this dish all day long.
Pompano with risotto
Chef Guillas then presented us this tasty pompano with Asian crab and a sake infused risotto. We both loved this dish. The light texture of the fish paired perfectly with the creamy risotto. Another fave.
Veal with candy apple
Our meat and final course before dessert was this perfectly cooked veal tenderloin with a roasted candy apple and truffle reduction. The veal was tender and delicious.
dessert, number one
Dessert plate number one included a chocolate pot of creme, lemon tart with hibiscus flower (in the middle, our fave on the plate) and a yummy mango sorbet. We thought we were full, but managed to eat most of this plate.
Dessert, plate two
Our final course and second dessert (yep, we actually ate most of both plates – they were so good and we couldn’t waste them!) had peach sorbet, a minature chocolate cake with raspberries and an amarillo creme brulee. It was a fabulous meal. I highly recommend dinner at the Marine Room – go there to catch the sunset but also for the top-notch food. Reservations at 858.459-7222.
Posted on Mar 13, 2009 under Archives, Food and Travel News, Las Vegas |
Exterior of The Signature at MGM Grand
Food lovers are invited to enter an exclusive sweepstakes for a chance to win a dream gastronomic getaway to Las Vegas. Beginning March 9, 2009, MGM Grand, a AAA Four Diamond hotel, and The Signature at MGM Grand, a luxurious all-suite enclave, will offer one lucky foodie the opportunity to mingle with the world’s most celebrated chefs during Vegas Uncork’d May 7-10. Presented by Bon Appétit magazine, the spectacular epicurean event will showcase the best of Las Vegas’ culinary talent including MGM Grand’s own Joël Robuchon and Tom Colicchio.
Grand junior suite at The Signature at MGM Grand
Valued at more than $3,500, the Vegas Uncork’d VIP Getaway will include:
v A two-night stay for two at The Signature at MGM Grand
v Roundtrip airfare for two
v Two tickets to the Vegas Uncork’d Grand Tasting Event
v Two tickets to all Vegas Uncork’d Culinary Events at MGM Grand
v Dinner for two at NOBHILL TAVERN, the restaurant of celebrity chef Michael Mina
v Two tickets to KÀ by Cirque du Soleil
v Two VIP passes to guest’s choice of Studio 54 or Tabú Ultra Lounge
v Roundtrip limousine airport transfers
Nobhill Tavern, restaurant of chef Michael Mina
The Vegas Uncork’d VIP Getaway sweepstakes runs March 9 through April 15, 2009. To enter, visit http://www.signaturemgmgrand.com/sweepstakes. Additional rules and restrictions apply. A purchase is not required to enter or win and will not increase your chance to win.
The exciting gourmand experiences of Vegas Uncork’d will include a high-stakes culinary competition, an exclusive event fusing the culinary artistry of Joël Robuchon with the performing arts of Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ and a Mother’s Day brunch with Tom Colicchio – and many more activities at Las Vegas’s top resorts and restaurants. For those who prefer not to miss this exciting opportunity, exclusive room rates are available at MGM Grand from $139 per night and at The Signature suites from $159 per night. For reservations, visit www.mgmgrand.com/vegasuncorked or www.signaturemgmgrand.com/exclusive_offers or call (800) 929-1111. For more on Vegas Uncork’d or to purchase tickets, visit www.vegasuncorked.com.”
Posted on Mar 04, 2009 under Uncategorized |
Last night JLK Communications and Spago Beverly Hills hosted a reception for the new Terranea Resort, scheduled to open in June in Palos Verdes. The $450 million oceanfront resort will include a spa, several restaurants, and views from everywhere in the resort.
Food and travel writers
We were greeted with wine and lots of yummy appetizers.
Salmon pizza
Pizzas included salmon and tomato.
Tomato pizza
Next came wontons and white and red wine.
Wontons
We also tasted delicious chicken and beef satay.
beef satay
Chicken satay
Bob and Rob Lowe (father and son) presented information and welcomed the crowd.
Bob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Terranea Resort Executive VP/Managing Director Terri A. Haack presented a slideshow about the resort. All the writers were lucky enough to be given a night at the resort when it opens. For more information and to make reservations go to www.terranea.com.
Executive VP/Marketing Director Terri A. Haack
Posted on Mar 02, 2009 under Archives, Food and Travel News, Los Angeles |
Wines at Langham/Mission Wines dinner
On February 24, the Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena teamed with Byron Kosuge Wines, Kingston Family Winery of Chile and South Pasadena’s Mission Wines for a wine tasting dinner. The dinner was the first in a series featuring wines from renowned winemakers. We were among approximately 40 others to share in this lovely dinner showcasing the winemaker’s finest wines. The evening also included a discussion about the winemaking process and the distinctive traits of each wine.
Nicole and lots of wine glasses
I took my good friend Nicole, above with our yummy glasses of wine to pair with Chef de Cuisine Craig Strong’s delicious tasting menu.
Crab croquettes
After a brief champagne reception and appetizers, we were given crab croquettes as our first course to pair with our only white wine, Kingston Family vineyards 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Cariblanco (from Chile). Our first red wine was a 2006 Pinot Noir Alazan, also from Chile. the crab croquettes came with baby lettuce, olive oil dressing and strawberry romesco sauce.
Cannelloni Swiss Chard and Lobster
Next came a nice cannelloni of swiss chard and lobster with a tasty rhubarb herb sauce. This was our favorite of the night.
Chef de Cuisine Craig Strong
Chef Strong came out and talked a bit about the menu.
Byron Kosuge
Byron Kosuge spoke about the wines he choose, from Chile and California, and interesting characteristics of each wine. He also came to each table to answer questions and talk more about his tasty wine choices.
Guinea Hen
Next came this beautiful smoked guinea hen with brown butter risotto (Nicole’s favorite), swiss chard, corn froth and cassis sherry vinegar jus. yum. This was paired with a delicious 2006 Pinot Noir (The Shop) from Carneros and a tasty 2006 Pinot Noir (Manchester Ridge) from Mendocino, both from Byron Kosuge Wines.
Venison
The heaviest course was the venison, served on bacon bread pudding with briased lingonberry red cabbage, poached quail egg and grande veneure sauce. This was paired perfectly with a 2005 Syrah (Bayo Oscuro) from Chile from Kingston Family Vineyards and a 2006 Syrah (Dry Stack Vineyards) from Bennett Valley from Byron Kosuge Wines. Mission Wines of South Pasadena provided the wines for the dinner. I highly recommend attending one of these dinners for any food or wine lover – we learned alot about wine and also got to eat Chef Strong’s great food.
Two more wine tasting dinners are coming up at the Langham – on March 10, Celia Masyczek (Food and Wine’s 2008 Winemaker of the Year), maker of Scarecrow, DR Stephens and Corra Wines will be featured and on April 29, Eric Kent from New Cult Wine will be featured. Each event begins at 6:30 with a reception and dinner is served at 7:00 pm. For reservations, call 626/585-6218.