The Tavern

Brentwood is not the same as it was when I first moved here. And that is a good thing. For quite a number of months, I have watched the slow transformation of a Hamburger Hamlet (a restaurant I have never been) turn into a beautiful hot spot, Tavern (a restaurant I want to go to everyday). Tavern (and Larder) is the product of renowned restaurateurs Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne. Their other amazing restaurants include A.O.C. and Lucques. Also, Suzanne Goin and her husband, David Lentz, own the delicious Hungry Cat.

A few weekends ago, my roommate and I decided we would go for drinks and appetizers at the bar. We went around six, which was early enough to avoid the dinner crowd. The stools at the bar counter were full, but the chairs and tables surrounding the bar were still available. The bar is beautiful. The design of the bar (and everywhere else) is well thought out; fluidly chic from the lighting to the upholstery on the chairs. The service was also excellent and consistent even as the place progressively became more crowded.

First drink: I had a glass of Cabernet. Instead of writing down the exact wine or trying to memorize what I ordered, I thought I could just go online and check their wine menu. Sadly, they don’t have it up. So I don’t know exactly which one I ordered.

Second Drink: Lucques Gimlet - Hangar One Vodka, fresh lime juice, and mint. Delicious. In my humble opinion, I prefer the cocktails to the wine. And in no way is that a criticism to the wine list, but instead a compliment to the cocktail menu. All their cocktails are creative and delicious. I would order any of them and be satisfied.

While I was there to just have a few drinks, my roommate ordered some bar food which I was fortunately able to sample:

Steak tartare with quail egg - It is hard to believe that I was a vegetarian for eight years, because I could eat this perfectly seasoned tartare with quail egg everyday. And part of me wants to only to catch up on the lost carnivorous years.

Gougères with french radishes - A gougères is a choux pastry (light  pastry dough made from butter, water, fllour and eggs) filled with cheese. I think Tavern follows tradition and makes their gougères with gruyere cheese, but I could be wrong and plan to return soon to taste again. A French radish, also known as French Breakfast Radish, is an elongated red-skinned and white root base. I only had one, but that is all I needed to fall in love. It’s a cheese pastry in a ball form that you can pop into your mouth. What’s not to like about it? 

The Tavern and the Larder (marketplace/café) are wonderful additions to my neighborhood. I love that in a short walk I can be consuming tasty drinks and amazing dishes. I plan to go back in the future, repeatedly.

Quick Update / Thoughts

I haven’t posted in forever. I have a really bad cold right now. It sucks. This week has been very hard for me to get through. But, in more interesting news:

1. I went to Intelligentsia Venice. I love the way it looks. I enjoy the personalities found behind the counter and in fellow patrons. However, I think I prefer the Silver Lake Intelligentsia more simply because I find their assembly line of baristas (one to take your order, one to make your order, one to ring you up) works smoother and faster than Venice’s one stop barista (one person takes your order, makes your drink, and then finally rings you up). Maybe this is just a sign from above for me to put down my to do list, take a deep breath, and enjoy the processes of life.

1½. Speaking of Intelligentsia, I currently am sipping on the in season, direct trade, single origin,  El Machete, Panama. Yum. Not the best part of waking up, but really the only reason I wake up.

2. I went to the Tavern with my roommate for drinks and bar snacks. I loved everything about this restaurant. I hope to write more about it soon. I know I have started the post, but have not gotten around to finishing it.

3. I just bought my first loaf of Woman’s Bread. I really like it. If you’re not a woman, there is also Men’s Bread. If you are not a woman, nor a man, there is gender unbiased / androgynous bread. French Meadow Bakery is healthy, organic, and tasty. I’ve used it for mainly turkey sandwich purposes.

4. I wish I could take some HiberNol.

5. Hope to update more this weekend. Have a happy Friday!

Talpa and Don Antonio’s

I love Mexican food. I don’t have it as often as I like, but that makes it quite the treat when I do get my taco fix. A few weeks ago my roommate and I were both in the mood for Mexican in close proximity to the home. Usually, we just go to El Cholo, Border Grill,  or La Cabana. Not this time. We wanted to try a different place. We drove down Pico with our hungry eyes wide open looking on both sides of the street. We pulled over when we saw two signs side by side: The Talpa Restaurant and Don Antonio’s Cantina. Was it the same restaurant? Or was it two separate restaurants next to one another? We both checked our phones to see what was up with this situation until we realized we were how silly it was to  be parked right in front of both restaurants looking at our phones for information about the restaurant(s). So we did what any rational person would do: flipped a coin. It landed on the Talpa Restaurant. We walked in but immediately recognized it was not where we wanted to eat for dinner. It reminded me of a pizza place where you order at the register and then sit down at a booth and watch the tv that is hanging on the wall. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but we just wanted a more restaurant-y atmosphere. We awkwardly turned ourselves around explaining to the hostess that we “forgot to lock the car.”

We traipsed over to Don’s where we quickly realized we had made the right decision. It was a little busy, so we put our name down and sat at the bar. But, before we could even order a margarita, our table was ready for us. We sat down while within a few short blinks of the eye a server had brought over water and chips and salsa. I would rate the chips and salsa very high because the chips were warm and the salsa was spicy.

I ordered a margarita to drink (on the rocks with salt) and to eat I decided on the basics: cheese quesadilla, carne asada taco, and a chile relleno.

I wish I could say that this was the best Mexican food I have ever had. But, sadly it is not. I am a taco truck girl and spent my college years eating the best: Leo’s Taco Truck in Eagle Rock. The fact that I spent 8 dollars on a cheese quesadilla is beyond ridiculous. Although it came with guacamole and sour cream, this q-dilla was just too plain and boring for me to ever order again at that price. The taco is the same story. I am used to flavorful carne asada, but this was bland and a little too dry for my palate. The worst was the chile relleno. It was no bueno; soggy and bland.

I don’t like writing bad reviews, but I would return to Don’s. Why would I give them a second chance you ask? Am I crazy? Yes! But, the margarita was great! They cost around six dollars a pop; an amazing price for a non-Happy hour satisfying margarita. Worst comes to worst, they have no good food in which case I would still come back to drink the cheap yummy margaritas and eat the deliciously free chips.

Don Antonio’s
11755 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 312-2090

Rush Street

I finally got a chance to check out Rush Street with both my boyfriend and my roommate (they are not the same). Rush Street is named after the northbound one-way street in the Near North Side (1 of 77 well defined community areas) of Cook County, Chicago. It is approximately a mile long. It was named after the Declaration of Independence signator Benjamin Rush (who lived in Pennsylvania and went to Dickinson College). Rush Street is part of one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country. It is particularly known for it’s nightlife (supposedly especially on the northern side). But I digress.

The owners of the Rush Street restaurant in Culver City are Brian McKeaney, who grew up in the bar/restaurant business (his family owns thirteen establishments on and around Rush Street!), and partners Ken Kaufman, a successful television and film producer, and Tom Patchett, an Emmy winning writer (Carol Burnett Show) and producer and co-founder of Santa Monica’s Bergamot Station Art Complex. The Executive Chef is Dave Northrup. I have never been to Chicago, so I had no idea what to expect or how to judge. Fortunately, my roommate is a native. One thing I have learned about Chicago is that is raises the bar on everything, especially food. (Side note: How much did you love Top Chef in Chicago?)

Walking in, you immediately notice the high arched wooden ceiling, which I was told helped give it the Chicago feel. There is an upstairs bar/lounge/private area, but I did not go up there. We were told we would have to wait 45 minutes for a table, but could hang out at the bar. Even though I was ridiculously hungry, we agreed to the wait. While looming around the bar and taking pictures, within 5 minutes they seated us. Boo yah!

For the love of gin, I ordered their rendition of the Aviation (bombay sapphire, fresh lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, creme de violette) to drink from their Vintage Classic Cocktail menu. Let’s discuss this creme de violette. Wiki tells me that it is another name for liqueur de violette, which is a generic term for a usually French liqueur with natural and/or artificial violet flower flavoring and coloring with either a brandy base, a neutral spirit base, or a combination of the two. I have no idea what brand Rush was using, but it was not common in the States until mid-2007 when Haus Alpenz began importing Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette from Austria. The drink was delicious. I could have had 5 more, but at fourteen dollars a pop I kept it to one.

Although they have Pizza on their menu, it is not Chicago style. They only offer Chicago style on Monday nights as a special. However, our waitress (who lived in Chicago) explained that it is not great Chicago style pizza; they are still perfecting their recipe at Rush. This was a great warning. I still have never had Chicago style pizza. Tears. Our waitress did recommend the Macaroni and Cheese, which my boyfriend loves. So I ordered it for the table to share. It came looking almost too cute to scoop into, but the taste of it made the destruction of beauty worth it. Like my cocktail, I could have probably eaten several of these pots. Fortunately, we had more food coming.

As the main course I ordered the also recommended Mesquite Turkey Burger and Fries - applewood bacon, cheddar, shoestring onions, avocado, and confire sauce (confire is French for “to preserve”). I just started to eat turkey burgers recently and am becoming a big fan. It is a different taste and makes me feel a little bit healthier. Although there are a lot of toppings on it, the mesquite turkey dominates, but still plays nicely with others.  I would order it again. However, they have a bunch of appetizers their that all sounded very… appetizing. Hah. (I really need to work on my burger photography)

I had no control or discipline at this dinner. Nobody else wanted dessert, but I ordered it anyways. It was a Chocolate Mousse cake. I don’t know much about cakes or mousse, but I do love chocolate. I usually can tell how good a dessert is by how quickly I can feel my blood sugar change. I felt warm and tingly about half way through, but it was so rich that by the end I had to reluctantly put my spoon down. A great dessert to share with people.

In the end, I would go back to Rush in a heartbeat. It’s a little pricey, but if you go in a group and share food it probably would lessen the blow. I would love to go to their Brunch that caters specifically to the hungover crowd. Sounds like it would be perfect for a lazy Sunday.

Rush Street
9546 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 837-9546

Father’s Office I

Last week my roommate and I went to Father’s Office in Santa Monica. Surprisingly, it wasn’t crowded at all. We ordered our drinks and sat down at a table. My Father’s Office drink is usually the Grimbergen Blonde, but they were out of it. I ended up getting the always delicious Saison Dupont. My roommate got a Duvel.

We ordered some sweet potato fries and the olives. Their sweet potato french fries are the best in the city; crispy and seasoned perfectly. I am a sucker for Father’s Office olives because they mix various olives with Moroccan spices. I love them.

We split the Father’s Office burger. It’s not the best picture, but seriously this burger doesn’t need my praise to succeed in life. It’s the tops.

Just know this:
1. It’s usually always packed and there is limited seating.
2. No substitutions on the burger. I suggest the Counter if you can’t handle life without substitutions.
3. The Father’s Office 2 in Culver City is better because it is bigger and serves cocktails.

Father’s Office
1018 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 393-2337

The Hungry Cat

The Hungry Cat is a cute / hip seafood restaurant in Hollywood (Sunset and Vine, behind the Borders Bookstore). My roommate and I went in the mid-afternoon to have a peaceful lunch outside. The service was smooth and the staff friendly. The main purpose was to try their cocktails more than anything else. And that we certainly did, trying 5 out of the 8 cocktails offered. On their drink menu, the Thirsty Cat Menu, they offer both “Classic Cats” and “Seasonal Cats.” I have added * next to our cocktails that were Seasonal Cats.

We Drank

*The Hot Tamale - Reposado tequila (rested tequila; 2 months to 1 year in large vats or oak barrels), lime & orange with fresno chili simple syrup

*The Slice - Boomsma gin, watermelon, basil & fig vinegar

Cucumber Martini - Hendrick’s gin, cucumber juice & fresh lime

Greyhound Proper - Plymouth gin, fresh grapefruit juice & candied grapefruit

* H. C. Sazerec - Sazerec rye whiskey, dash of H.B. Pastis, Peychaud Bitters & lemon

I enjoyed all the cocktails. My favorite was probably The Greyhound Proper, The Hot Tamale, or The Slice. The Cucumber Martini started off weird, but as the ice melted the drink became exponentially tastier. The H.C. Sazarec was also good, but I am a new whiskey drinker, so I let my roommate drink most of it. The main point is that you can’t go wrong ordering a cocktail from their menu, especially from their “Seasonal Cats” section.

We Ate

1/2 lb peel n’ eat shrimp - we paid a few dollars less for them because we peeled them ourselves; interactive eating!

Oysters - From Rhode Island and New Zealand.

Marinated Mussels

The Pug burger - with bacon, avocado and blue cheese

My favorite was the shrimp, but the mussels and oysters were also exquisite. I preferred the Rhode Island oysters over the New Zealand, but they were both yummy.  Since I am new to shellfish, I enjoyed the fact that we were able to order them in whatever quantities we pleased. We initially ordered two of each type of oysters and two mussels, but loved the mussels so much that we ordered more for the table. The Pug burger was good, but too well done (we asked for medium rare, but there was nothing pink about it). It was also a vertical nightmare to eat, requiring burger surgery (burgerioplasty) on the burger in order to get a decent bite.

The owners, David Lentz and Suzanne Goin, know what they are doing; they also own these other hip Los Angeles restaurants: AOC, Luques, and Campanille. Suzanne is opening up a new restaurant in Brentwood, which I am crossing my fingers to be just as amazing as the other restaurants. 

In the end, the seafood and cocktails were delicious and I can’t wait until we go back.

The Hungry Cat
1535 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Get Directions(323) 462-2155

Eagle Rock: Colorado Wine Company

I love the Colorado Wine Company. So much, in fact that I need to say it again… I love the Colorado Wine Company! I have been going there ever since it first opened in 2005. Not only are the owners, John and Jen, some of the sweetest and most friendly people, but anyone that has worked or currently works there, are also great people.

I tried to think of the main reason behind why I enjoy Colorado Wine Company, but found that I am unwilling to settle on just one. Instead, I have made a list:

- I already mentioned that the owners/staff are amazing (but it is worth repeating).
- The atmosphere is organized, intimate, and cozy.
- The prices of wines by the glass are reasonable.
- I am always able to find a great bottle within my 8-15 dollar price range.
- I am always able to get a great recommendation for the aforementioned bottle; very knowledgeable people!
- Nobody judges your palate, there is “Wine For Everyone.”
- The art on the walls is constantly changing and showcasing talented, local artists.
- I always make a new friend while I am there; the people who I meet are laid back, friendly, and fun.
- Parking is rarely a problem.
- They send out witty newsletters and have a beautiful and active website.

This past Friday I went to their weekly tasting with my roommate. The tagline to the tasting was “Happy Thoth Day!” in celebration of the first day of Thoth, the ibis-headed god of knowledge, in the Egyptian calendar. The best reason to raise your glass! Here is the list of the wines in order of how they were served:

1. Tangent Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Edna Valley, California
2. Mr. Riggs Riesling 2006, Clare Valley, Australia
3. Lonardi Valpolicella 2004, Verona, Italy
4. Wisteria Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, California
5. Earthworks Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Barossa Valley, Australia

I am not going to go into great detail about how each one tasted, but instead want to stress that they were all delicious! These are the quick notes I wrote later in the evening about the wines: Favorites are 1, 3, 5. Tangent was sweet, perfect to start the tasting. Mr. Riggs was not as sweet as I expected for a Riesling, but quite satisfying. The Valpolicella was great, light in taste. Wisteria was good, but where does it come from? Earthworks was full bodied and pleasant, could drink a lot more of it.

The Co Wine Co is one of the remaining reasons, aside from a few friends in the area, that I return to Eagle Rock. When I am on that side of town, I always try to stock up on some inexpensively priced wines. I am willing to pay more here than I would at Trader Joe’s because I know that John and Jen have put a lot of time and effort into choosing amazing wines and I fully trust their judgment and selection (in comparison to me just choosing wines by which one has the cooler label). I came home with bottles Tangent and Valpolicella from the tasting, and two other bottles that I found around the store that looked good.

Whether to pick up a bottle, sit down for a glass, or have a cold one from their impressive beer selection (No Bud Lite here), I encourage everyone to visit Colorado Wine Company! Check out their website (also sign up for their newsletters) to see what event works best for your schedule. I have included information on two of their weekly tastings and their hours of operation, but I know they offer events on other days so it is best take a look at their event calendar.

Friday Wine Tastings (5 wines; 15 dollars) - 5:30-8:30pm

Lazy Sunday Tastings (4 wines; 12 dollars) - 1:00-4:00pm

Store Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday & Wednesday: 11:00am-9:00pm
Thursday-Saturday: 11:00am-11:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm

Wine Bar Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday & Wednesday: 4:00-9:00pm
Thursday-Friday: 4:00-11:00pm
Saturday: 1:00-11:00pm
Sunday: 1:00-5:00pm

Colorado Wine Company
2114 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 478-1985