dineLA Restaurant week 2009

dineLA Restaurant Week is back!

dineLA.com is the place to preview the hundreds of mouth-watering, prix-fixe menus from a spectacular list of Southland restaurants participating in the second annual dineLA Restaurant Week taking place January 25 – 30 and February 1 – 6, 2009. dineLA Restaurant Week has registered more than 150 restaurants throughout Los Angeles County, from Pasadena to the Westside, Long Beach to Woodland Hills and beyond.

For the entire list of participating restaurants and their menus and to make reservations go to dineLA.com/restaurantweek.

Dining experiences during the event will be available in three price categories: Deluxe Dining is $16 for lunch and $26 for dinner; Premier Dining is $22 for lunch and $34 for dinner, and Fine Dining is $28 for lunch and $44 for dinner (beverages, tax and gratuity are not included; participating meal periods vary by restaurant).

The dineLA Restaurant Week restaurant list, searchable by location, encompasses a wide variety of Zagat rated restaurants, including Patina, Valentino, and Water Grill, and a host of newcomers sure to make the “A” list including Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood, The Bazaar by Jose Andres at The SLS Hotel, and Akasha. There are old favorites such as Chinois on Main, Campanile and Chaya Brasserie, but also many newcomers including Ivan Kane's Cafe Wa s, Royal/T Cafe and Katsuya Glendale.

The Palace (new Chinese restaurant in Los Feliz)

The Palace

Neighborhood: Los Feliz

2112 Hillhurst Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90027

(323) 667-1595

Location
The Palace is a new Chinese restaurant located in the old Chi Dynasty location on Hillhurst in Los Feliz.

U. and I stumbled onto it after the wait at Little Dom's (up the street) was too long.

Decor
The restaurant is beautifully decorated in reds and blacks. The wait staff are dressed in tuxes and formal attire. You can see in the photo above that they have a traditional Chinese dress framed on the wall. It feels like a sophisticated, upscale restaurant, but children are welcome. (And unlike the kid friendly Chinese restaurant in Atwater Village - this place is CLEAN and has much better service!)

If you do bring your kid(s), make sure you get the coveted table next to the large fish tank. My kid loved it. It even has a number of Nemo aka Clown fish in it.

Food
The Palace bills themselves as "Authentic Chinese Cuisine," meaning not a Panda Express wannabe. The food takes awhile (U. commented in surprise that they really must be cooking it back there - rather than cheap Chinese food that sits in warm pots ready to serve right away) but the dishes were nicely prepared and yummy so it was worth the wait. Get the soup as an appetizer so you're not twiddling your thumbs waiting for your entree. And for dessert get the plum or green tea ice cream, which is served with candied walnuts and a cherry on top. Yum!

Dishes I've tried
Wonton soup - thumbs up
Velvet shrimp - very tasty and this is the healthy version that's not deep fried
Mooshu Vegetable - the 1st time I ordered this dish it was delicious and even U. who is not a big Chinese food fan, loved it; but when I ordered it on my 2nd visit it tasted like all the veggies had been burnt. They give you a finger bowl filled with warm water and lemon to rinse your fingers after eating this entree.
BBQ sliced pork - tasty but too much sweet sauce for my taste - got this for the baby.
Dumplings - they take about 15-20 minutes and are served with ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil. They have 2 versions: veggie only and pork. The veggie ones I had were bland so next time I'll try the pork instead.

Note: They are still waiting for their liquor license. So enjoy your hot jasmine tea for now.

Summary
It's a great option for dinner being conveniently located in Los Feliz. I love the decor and ambiance of this local place, and give them props for the effort they put in to be "upscale". When U. is away on business it's always nice to have an option for dinner with my daughter where we both enjoy the food and kids are welcome so we both feel comfortable as well. (They created a "kid safe" cup for my daughter out of a plastic food container, filling it with water and cutting a hole in the top to put the straw through - without me even asking.) The first time I was there the food was excellent, but when I went back a second time the food was just so-so. I'm hoping they were just having an off night, because I'd like to return.

Colombo's (Italian restaurant in Eagle Rock) & compliment from the 50's

Colombo's Restaurant Italian Steak House
1833 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041

I always thought that Colombo's was overrated. Yes, I know it's been around since 1954 and that's an eternity in LA. But really it's overpriced, barely average Italian food, with a cramped interior. Have you ever been seated in the add on room in the back that looks like a converted garage with wood paneled walls? Accompanied by a $150 tab, I refuse to be seated there again.The main dining room is fine although it can get quite loud with a live band, but the bar is even more convenient because you usually don't have to wait long for a place to open up.

Having said that, I first went to Colombo's about 5 or 6 years ago and it's conveniently located down the street from Colorado Wine Company, so it's an occasional stop for us after Friday night wine tasting.

The Strange Compliment
After finishing our dinner U. asked about the desserts and our mustached bartender Frank responded, "Do you really need dessert?" We were a bit perplexed as to why he would ask this, when Frank finished with, "You have your dessert right there," pointing to me (the dame sitting next to U.). My first thought was "what a sexist comment", and then considering the source it turned into "well the old guy meant it as a compliment."

Later we were told that white haired, undone necktie wearing Frank lives in Las Vegas, and flies down here to bartend from Thursday through Sunday, and then flies back to his home in Vegas every week. Kooky yes. I asked the same question you're probably thinking, "Why doesn't he bartend in Vegas?" Who knows, maybe I'll chat him up about it another night.

On another bright note, I think we found our perfect Friday night meal to share (after wine tasting at Colorado Wine Company):
1) Appetizer - Antipasto salad
2) Entree - Sauteed shrimp "scampi style" on linguine
3) Dessert - Spumoni ice cream cake

Verdugo Bar - Welcome to the neighborhood!

Photos by: ...totallylikeduh!

Verdugo Bar
(Glassell Park)
3408 Verdugo Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(323) 257-3408
http://www.verdugobar.com/

Open from Thursday - Sunday (8 PM to 2 AM)

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?...

I've always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

The sign out front simply reads, "Cocktails". Here's a view of the street location.The lounge in the back.

Highlights
A bar in my neighborhood! I'm still pinching myself.

While the outside is pretty nondescript, the inside is beautiful. I had envisioned a dive bar, but the Verdugo Bar surpassed my expectations. Sleek, sophisticated, expensive wood, leather, chandeliers, art; even the bathrooms are adorable. Definitely NOT a dive bar!

On this Friday night, the bar's front room was packed, but the Asian inspired lounge in the back has additional rich brown leather seating.

U. summed it up best when he said, "If this bar was in Hollywood I'd think 'whatever' but the fact that it's here...whoa! It's like having the W in our neighborhood."

The Crowd
The crowd was eclectic and 90's Silverlake-ish. A mix of hipsters, locals, and a couple creepy characters thrown in for good measure as a reminder that it is in fact a bar in Glassell Park. Otherwise, with the cool ambiance and décor, you tend to forget where you are. (Although I do hope the nice crowd stays and it isn't overrun by gangsters and homeless - which every new business in an up and coming neighborhood fears).

The Music
The music was also good (lots of classic Joy Division) and not too loud.

Overall Review
A sophisticated local bar and welcome addition to the neighborhood.

(Prior to opening, our neighborhood bar consisted of Los Candiles - a Latino gay/trany bar on the corner of Division and Cypress. A must see for the surreal David Lynch-esque interior and performances - male strippers dressed in sailor and cop costumes, diva transvestites lip synching, and post-op transsexual strippers - but it's not the type of bar you can just stop in to have a drink.)

Big Question
So when is the first trendy restaurant going to move in next door? If only. I hope this is just the beginning of cool establishments moving into the neighborhood. Then my Friday nights could take place on Verdugo (Glassell Park) vs. Colorado Blvd. (Eagle Rock). Just call me an Eastside girl hoping for nicer, safer, more happening neighborhood & playground.

The Prince (cool bar in K-town) & Soot Bul Jeep (Korean BBQ)

The Prince
3198 W Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA 90005
A former British hotel/bar in Korea Town now with Korean owners but never remodeled (thank goodness!). It has the eerie charm of a once posh downtown bar now rundown with all the old furnishings, paintings, and general decor in place.

And if that's not enough to motivate you to drive out to K-town, maybe this will - the Korean bar food (an entire menu of items!). Authentic down to the $20 dried squid, that goes oh so well with drinks. It's hell to pull apart and doesn't look very lady like, lucky for me my husband did the honors while I chomped away, but oh so delicious!

The bar's patrons included hipsters and alcoholics alike. Bottles of Remy Martin line one side of the bar.

The prices are on the high end (a dirty martini is $12), but there's the old/cool factor without being too divey that's enticing, and I have to say again the authentic Korean bar food is da bomb. I'll be back and I'm taking friends with me for bragging rights to having found & experienced a cool, unique bar.

Soot Bul Jeep
3136 W 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA, 90005
We went here after our cocktails, just because it's within walking distance (a block away) from The Prince, but then we realized we had been here before. As soon as we sat down, we remembered why we never came back.

They use real wood for charcoal which can be very nice, but here it's extremely hot and dangerous as a result of cheap grills and poor protection. The whole trying to avoid 3rd degree burns while grilling your chicken isn't any fun. The grill is so hot in fact that if you leave your meat on one side for a tad too long it turns black. I couldn't help thinking of all the carcinogens we were eating. Another downside is they skimp on the number and variety of the side dishes.

After dinner, you come out feeling barbequed yourself and in need of a shower to get the smell out of your hair.

The food was cheap (our bar tab was more than our dinner), but the food just isn't that good and the experience is terrible.

When I declared it was the last time I'd eat here my husband responded, "Honey, last time was our last time. We just didn't realize it was the same place."

Best lunch entree for under $10 (outside of K-town)

Daban (Korean BBQ)
2139 Foothill Blvd.
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011

Located near the 2 Fwy Foothill exit, in the Ross strip mall. I went there years ago when the food was "Americanized" but they've since changed ownership and the food is authentic Korean now. Look what you get for $8.99 (plus tip). This is the teriyaki chicken lunch box.

The side dishes change with what's in season, and you can't beat the variety at this price!

Bouchon

Bouchon
9 W. Victoria Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Touted as the best restaurant in Santa Barbara - reviewers were falling over themselves with praise for this French restaurant.

The restaurant has quaint indoor and outdoor seating. (We sat indoors.)Drinks
Belgian Peach Lambic beer (to compliment the fois gras & peaches)
Wine - Qupe - Syrah

Appetizers
Fois gras with peaches

Roasted Wild Mushrooms
on cauliflower puree with teardrop tomato confit,
crispy thyme & Clos Pepe Estate olive oil
$14.

Main Course
Bourbon & Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast
duck confit, thyme-infused jus, succotash of corn, fava beans, applewood-smoked bacon and Windrose Farms butternut squash
$28.

Dessert
Vanilla Crème Brulée
$8.

Review
Based on the reviews we expected the food to be great, but it was just "okay". The mushrooms were burnt, the tiny serving of fois gras was laughable, and everything was too salty. Disappointing. The place itself was nice, prettier from the outside. The inside was very simple and small. In terms of service, our waiter was constantly coming over to ask us if we were enjoying our dinner, (expecting us to rave about the food), which got to be annoying and they couldn't clear everything away fast enough (including our lambic beer which we weren't finished with), although they overlooked our empty water glasses and we had to ask a couple times for more water.

My husband and I looked at each other and asked, "Have we become foodies?" Maybe we've been watching too many food network cooking shows and going to too many nice restaurants - but Bouchon didn't meet the definition of a great restaurant. Sadly, it was just okay. Food was okay, ambiance was okay, and service was okay.

Later when we got into a cab, our cab driver was surprised we weren't thrilled with Bouchon. "It's the best restaurant in Santa Barbara!" So we heard.

Marty's

(This photo and the ones below are by mralenlin.)

Marty's
(Neighborhood: Highland Park)
5137 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042

Marty's is a new bar in Highland Park located on York Blvd. The owner also owns Mia Sushi on Eagle Rock Blvd. The bar is named after his son Marty. The restaurant is named after his daughter Mia.

As we were walking down York, a lady stopped at a signal light poked her head out of her car window and asked us if we knew where Marty's was. Funny you should ask, we're going there too, we said. Later we saw her at the bar and she thanked us for pointing her in the right direction.

The exterior is pretty nondescript, (you'll know the place by the sign and the big bouncer standing out front), but the inside is gorgeous. It looks and feels like a posh west side bar. Definitely a nice addition to Highland Park. The interior is decorated in the same style as Mia Sushi with an Asian zen like decor and soft diffused lighting. Its gives the place great ambiance.This is a photo of the lounge area when you first walk in. Leather couches and tables, with a large built in skylight used as a lighting fixture above. It makes you forget that you're on York Blvd. It's so nice to have a bar like this locally and not have to drive all the way out to the west side for a bar with ambiance.

We've been to Marty's twice so far. The first time the service was so so, but the second time we had a bartender that was on it and the service was great.

We had dinner there as well.

What We Ordered
Caprese Salad - $8 (for my husband)
Caesar Salad - $7 (for me)
Sweet Potato Fries - $5 (we shared a side of fries)

Food was cheap! Caprese salad was good. Caesar salad was lacking something and the dressing was watery. I wouldn't get it again. The sweet potato fries were yummy! Those are a definite must order when we go back again. And yes, we will be back.

Johnny's

Johnny's

(Neighborhood: Highland Park)

5006 York Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90042

On a Friday night back in June (6/29/07 to be exact), we ventured out to Highland Park to check out two new bars within walking distance on York Blvd - Johnny's, and Marty's.

First we went to Johnny's, since it's on the corner. Parking on the street was not a problem. However, since you will be walking the streets at night, be forewarned - the neighborhood is a bit rough. I didn't feel unsafe (probably because I was with my husband), but I did feel like I stood out in my designer jeans and heels as we walked past auto repair shops and Cholos in white tank tops smoking on the sidewalk. The neighborhood reminds of me of what Silverlake was 15 years ago - up and coming with new hip bars and shops popping up, but still a rundown neighborhood on the fringe of the ghetto.

The best way to describe Johnny's is a dive bar with a mixed hipster clientele. It's got a long bar, and leather bench/couch seating with small tables on the side. In the back there's a jukebox and a pool table.

There were two bartenders manning the bar. I read reviews about how the double bar tending thing isn't working there - as one would take an order and give it to the other one, and never check back to make sure you actually got your order. We had the same experience. First the one bartender thought the other one had taken our order (she hadn't). Then when we ordered another round and it didn't come - when she caught our eye - she told us that she had given our order to the other bartender. It's a small bar, but we had to flag down a bartender if we needed anything and it was a long wait for everything - which was annoying. We never got our water we asked for either. From a small, neighborhood bar you expect better service.

It was also really cold inside. Outside it was a warm night and you didn't need a jacket. But inside it felt like a meat locker, and we had to wear our jackets the entire time. The place has cement floors and just a really cold, dank vibe, (think basement) so it's weird that they'd crank up the air conditioning like that.

It can also get quite loud at Johnny's. There was a guy at the end of the bar who was shouting and the entire place echoed his conversation.

We left to check out Marty's down the street (also on York), on the opposite side of the street. (I'll write about Marty's in a separate post.) If you're in the area, forget Johnny's and head over to Marty's. There's no comparison.

My 1st Post on Yelp - (Review of Larkin's)

(Photo by Rick P.)

Larkin's
1496 Colorado Blvd
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
(323) 254-0934
www.larkinsjoint.com

Below is my review of Larkin's (a new soul food restaurant in Eagle Rock, CA), that I posted on yelp.com.

07/22/2007
1 star rating

My husband and I went to Larkin's on 6/29/07 for dinner. It was the WORST restaurant experience we've ever had. Hence the one star.

We were both really looking forward to having dinner here, as we're locals and it's the highly anticipated new Eagle Rock restaurant, so I made reservations ahead of time.

We walked in and no one greeted us. It was like walking into someones house uninvited. We waited and waited, and finally when one employee walked towards us I thought "ok this must be it", but nope...she kept on walking right past us without saying a word. After more waiting we were approached by a second employee who took my name but never came back. Still more waiting.

After all this waiting, one of the owners (Josh) approached us only to tell us, "I'm sorry guys but we're not serving anymore tables."

What? Even though we have a reservation?

The guy gave us major attitude and made us feel awful by falsely accusing us of being over 15 minutes late.

Josh: "Oh you're Rose? Well, it'll probably be around 40 minutes until a table becomes available. We didn't think you were coming and gave your table away. Typically we only hold your table for 15 minutes. That's our policy. Just wait outside and we'll call you when a table opens up."

We looked at or watches and saw that it was only 9:14 and our reservation was for 9:00. It was at least 10 minutes of waiting. Who gives tables away after 4 minutes? Obviously they had overbooked. And furthermore what restaurant waitstaff (or owner) blames their customers? So unprofessional and rude!

Instead of being apologetic, the owner said that he didn't see us. Well maybe that's because NO ONE is manning the entrance so customers are left waiting there. He kept calling my husband "buddy" and told him to "go outside and chill".

Then he told us, "You guys have to understand this is our first weekend that we've been open. We're not ready for this. We're still figuring stuff out. No hard feelings."

We get that, but why not say that in the first place? Why makes us feel like we were to blame, when the restaurant messed up? And what's with the attitude? Then he went back inside to leave us waiting some more on the front porch. No chairs to sit on - so we had to stand. No complimentary drinks. No reassurances. Nada.

Come on guys - I took the time to make a reservation ahead of time. I didn't just show up as a last minute thought. And I got terrible treatment. Not a good first impression - especially for a restaurant where service (that generates good experiences) is of the utmost importance.

We waited for a bit but when no one came back outside after another 10 minutes we decided to go somewhere else for dinner and went to Mia's Sushi instead.

I really hope that Larkin's gets their act together. It could be a really nice restaurant - there's a lot of outdoor space that could be used for extra tables - that isn't being used.

After our horrible experience I refuse to go back for dinner - and I've stayed away on purpose choosing other restaurants along Colorado Blvd. every weekend. I still haven't even tried the food, so I may go back for breakfast if other reviewers say that the service has improved. Until then - Larkin's isn't even on my radar.

The Oinkster

(Photo by Tales of an LA Addict)

For dinner last night we headed over to The Oinkster (near Colorado Wine Company) in Eagle Rock.

The Oinkster
2005 Colorado Blvd.
Eagle Rock, CA

(Photo by By Ollylain)

They have a nice outdoor patio area, with trees and surrounded by Asian reeds. There's nothing to the inside (it looks like a generic diner with booth seats), but the outdoor patio really makes the place. And they have beer on tap (which closed the deal for U.).

I heard about this place some time ago from friends, but never wanted to go there because I thought it was a greasy spoon hamburger joint. I don't eat beef, and I try to eat pretty healthy so I didn't think there would be anything there that I would want to eat. But then I read on yelp.com that they have rotisserie chicken, so I decided to give it a try. (A plus is that it's located just down and across the street from Colorado Wine Company - which is perfect to grab a bite to eat after our wine tasting.)

What we ordered: ½ Chicken with garlic aioli, crispy Belgian fries and red cabbage slaw
Price: $7.50 each

Praise: The food was cheap, I liked the outdoor patio area, it's local and convenient, they have beer on tap, service was good and quick, and they have a diet black cherry cola (yummy!)

Criticism: They served the chicken on Styrofoam plates (bad for the environment as well as a waste, plus it makes a gross sound when you're cutting into your chicken with plastic utensils), the fries had too much salt on them (next time I'll request little or no salt), and the chicken was on the greasy side (surprising for a rotisserie chicken).

Overall: It was okay. It has a relaxed, casual atmosphere (full of hipsters) and you can't beat the price. Because of the grease we won't be frequent diners, but on occasion we'll probably be back just because it's located so close to Colorado Wine Company.

Long Live George

So last night U. and I were at Colorado Wine Company for their Friday night wine tasting. In my last post here, I mentioned that the bartender always seems to have amnesia when he sees us, acting like it's the very first time (and not EVERY Friday that he sees us), and we wanted to see if he would finally remember us after U.'s tip last week.

So with much anticipation we waited in line at the bar with our 2 cards for the wine tasting and when we got up to counter this is how it went down:

Bartender: Hi. Are you here for the wine tasting?
U.: Yes. (as always)
Bartender: For just the 2 of you?
U.: Yes (again, as always!)

Both of us sighed - looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Then U. shooed me off to get some cheese and crackers. The guy obviously didn't remember us. Again! How is that possible?

We cheered up when we got a table with 2 chairs (score!).

Afterwards, when U. went back to the bar for our 2nd wine, he saw a sign saying that the bartender is leaving. U. asked the new guy (George) if he was the new bartender in training. He is! After George and U. shook hands and made introductions; U. tipped him. Let's hope he has a better memory than the old bartender - and we finally get a bartender who remembers us!

A toast was in order - "Long live George!"

Good news - new bartender George, Jen the owner is pregnant, we found seats

Bad news - we didn't like any of the 5 wines & we went home without buying a single bottle of wine - that's a first! - and it was super LOUD in the store tonight. You had to shout to be heard. We might have to switch it up and go on another night - like Sundays when they have higher end wines and maybe aren't so busy. We'll just have to see how it is next Friday.

Yelp Changed My Life

I'm serious. You can look up reviews for everything from cheap Korean massage with ambiance, to restaurants, bars, night clubs, arts & entertainment, and shopping - whatever you're looking for. Great thing about it is that the reviews are written by real people - Average Joe's who write about their experiences and tell it like it is- so you get the real scoop. Also unlike some user review websites like chowhound, which can be outdated, this one has recent reviews. Reviews from the current month & year - who woulda thought? Just about every hole in the wall is listed in their database.

Textbook Definition
Yelp is a web 2.0 company that operates a social networking and user review website.

Founding Fathers
Yelp's founders, Jeremy Stoppelman and Russel Simmons, were early employees at PayPal. They received $6 million in initial funding and then an additional $10 million in their second round funding.

Seeing LA In A Whole New Way
It's peaked my interest in a lot of cool bars in LA that are off the beaten path -(like "The Prince" in K-town - I am so there!), not to mention all of the old & new establishments in my neck of the woods. Tonight for instance I'm going to check out 2 new bars within walking distance of one another on York Avenue in Highland Park that I found through Yelp (prior to going to dinner at the new southern restaurant "Larkin's" in Eagle Rock). One is called "Johnny's Bar" and the other is "Marty's." (Marty's is by the same owner of "Mia's" the sushi restaurant in Eagle Rock. The restaurant is named after his daughter Mia, and the bar is named after his son Marty.)

Good Ole U S of A
Yelp accepts reviews of any business or service in the United States. The most active cities include:

• San Francisco, CA — offers neighborhood filtering


• Boston, MA — offers neighborhood filtering


• Chicago, IL — offers neighborhood filtering


• New York, NY — offers neighborhood filtering


• Philadelphia, PA


• Washington, D.C.


• Seattle, WA — offers neighborhood filtering


• Los Angeles, CA — offers neighborhood filtering


• San Jose, CA


• Austin, TX


• San Diego, CA — offers neighborhood filtering

Review
Yelp is a great site, and has a craigslist/San Fran/community feel about it. Very cool.

Minx (2nd Visit) & one day only beef

After our wine tasting at Colorado Wine Company, we decided to go to Minx for dinner.

2nd Visit & Ahi Poke is Disappointing
This being our second visit - and I had to have the delicious Ahi Poki with smelt egg fritter starter that I had so enjoyed on our first visit. But this time it wasn't the same! Instead of a smelt egg fitter at the bottom, there was rice. What a disappointment! The dish that I loved the most was different -and not as good.

Starters
Uwe had his oysters again for an appetizer. And I lifted our beef ban (which has been going strong for a number of years now) so Uwe could try the Kobe beef with lobster roll. It was just a thin slice (think sashimi style) of beef on top of the roll. Nothing spectacular, and not worth the one day repeal of my years of giving up beef (since mad cow was detected in the US).

Entrees
Uwe had the tomato & mozzarella salad. (Pretty good.)

I had the vegetable risotto. There were a couple things wrong with this dish. First off the cabbage on top drenched in an overpowering balsamic vinaigrette did not complement the dish, and was too salty. I had to push it to the side and try to keep it from contaminating my risotto. Second - they had cooked artichokes in it. Artichokes I like, but not the entire part, when it's not cooked properly. After chewing it, you were left with a mouth full of chewed up leaves, like straw - which I had to spit out. I kept trying, thinking it was just one - but every artichoke in it wasn't cooked properly. Who do they have cooking this stuff back there? Don't they taste what they're cooking?

Dessert
We opted not to have dessert this time. But I did see that they still had the same gawd awful peaches with blueberry ice cream cobbler on there. Ick. Made me think of how Chef Ramsey would critique it - What on Gawd's earth were you thinking?!

Overall Review
I was so disappointed that my favorite dish was changed. The one dish that was "inspiring" isn't there anymore. How is that possible? But the worst dessert I've ever had is still on the menu. Doesn't make much sense. With the $$$ prices, I don't know if I'll be back for a 3rd time. They do have exceptional service, and you can't find another restaurant like it locally, but the food just seems to miss more often than it hits. After dinner, Uwe and I watched in slow motion as we saw our car being driven by the valet at 10:30 at night (when it's pretty dark) without turning the headlights on. Luckily there was no accident.

Friday Night Wine Tasting @ Colorado Wine Company (& Date Night)

"So what's the plan for tonight?" asked Uwe.

Date Night
See it's Friday night - our date night. After 5 years of marriage, 7 years of being together, and 2 years of being parents - we decided that we needed to have a weekly date night. (Believe it or not - We really do enjoy each other's company.) Our weekly date night started out originally with a babysitter (Jill a college student who's getting her PhD in psychology) coming over every Friday night to babysit. Recently we added Wednesday nights as well. Wednesdays we usually go to a movie, or to some event. Lately Fridays have been reserved for wine tasting and dinner afterwards.

TGIF
My first impression was that Uwe was upping the ante to make it more bearable for me to stay at home with the baby. Ya know - getting me out of the house so I keep my sanity and all that good stuff. I thought "how sweet." But it's become evident that Uwe looks forward to our date nights even more than I do - and there's real meaning in that old adage - "Thank gawd it's Friday!" He likes being able to watch movies, but the main attraction is our Friday night wine tastings.

The Perks

• Get to spend time quality one on one time with the spouse - Check!
• Get to chat without having to entertain our toddler (and feel like we're DINKS again - dual income with no kids)- Check!
• Get to drink wine and lots of it - Check!
• Get to bring home numerous bottles of wine - Check! (this one is for Uwe)

Yeah it's pretty much pure bliss for us old timers.

Decisions....Decisions
Tonight being our Friday wine tasting night - We could have gone to a champagne tasting at Red Carpet Liquor, (taste all 6 for $37), or head back to what has become our local hangout - Colorado Wine Company for their Friday night wine tasting (taste all 5 for $15) - featuring 4 wines and a Bellini (made with Prosecco & white peaches). Doesn't that sound refreshing?! We opted for Colorado Wine Company (better ambiance and crowd).

Prior posts about both wine tasting establishments
You can read my prior posts by clicking on the links below:

I Heart Colorado Wine Company
I was happy to see that after my last post where I listed some recommendations on how to make the place nicer - the owners actually made those changes. (Added more tables and seating, and redid the ceiling to give the place more ambiance.)

Wine Tasting @ Red Carpet

Good Decision
I'm glad we chose Colorado Wine Company because we discovered a new wine that we really enjoyed. It was the first wine of tonight's tasting.

Martin Alfaro Santa Cruz Chardonnay - Golden straw color, citrus and tropical fruits, vanilla, and a hint of butterscotch. Refreshing acidity on the finish.

The owner Jen said it was a bit hit tonight (aka lots of people were buying bottles to take home).

It's a refreshing white wine that's perfect for a warm summer night (like tonight!), and you can really taste the trace of butterscotch. (Different and yummy.) Uwe and I were both surprised we liked it so much because we're both red wine lovers.

Inside Joke
After I mentioned to Uwe that I liked the wine he agreed and immediately said:
"Okay - let's buy a case."
"No, better yet - let's buy every bottle they've got in this store."
"Even better, let's buy the whole friggin store. "

These remarks had me in stitches.

It goes back to when I was pregnant and I abstained from all alcohol. Now I'm not preacher's wife, and I see no harm in having a glass of wine when you're preggers - so I didn't stop drinking because of the principle itself. But the idea of drinking made me nauseous, as did the smell. I literally couldn't stomach it. Must have been the hormones. Even after I gave birth, I couldn't drink for a long time because the hormones must have messed with my palate and wine tasted gawd awful no matter what kind. Uwe kept bringing home bottles of wine for me to taste, hoping (praying) that we'd find one that I liked so we could enjoy wine together again (after over a year of waiting). I really wanted to like it - but everything tasted so horrible, that rather than having to hold my nose to drink an expensive bottle - I just said "forget it - don't bother - it's not the wine - it's just me."

Slowly but surely I started to get my palate back (although seafood is still an issue), and I can now enjoy wine (Cheers!). So the inside joke is - anytime I say that I like a particular wine - Uwe wants to run out and buy a case for me. Tonight I said just to get one bottle - but he got 3 instead.

Recommendations Needed
With that said, in part due to the delay in my wine drinking, we still haven't purchased a wine to commemorate my daughter's birth. Something that we really need to do. Does anyone have any recommendations for a spectacular 2005 red wine (like a Syrah) that will age well? Uwe and I would like to purchase a case, so we can open the wine to celebrate on her 21st birthday (and for her to have a bottle as a keepsake).

We're also looking for a great 2001 red wine (to commemorate our wedding anniversary). Again, same thing, it needs to be able to age well.

Wolftrap - South African Wine
I also spotted a South African wine - Wolftrap, which intrigued me. It's the only bottle of wine from South Africa in the entire store. The owner, Jen said this wine is amazing.
Region: Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
Winery: Boekenhoutskloof (founded in 1776)
Type: Red wine
Grape: Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Viognier
Vintage: 2005

Origin of the Wolftrap Label Name
It's name comes from the fact that when the Dutch moved into the area back during their colonial phase, they brought a fair amount of wolf traps in order to protect themselves. There was only one problem with this: There are no wolves in South Africa. So you have a wine so named because it pokes fun at the Dutch.

Tasting Notes
Dark red-black color with spice, bacon and wood on the nose. Smooth, smokey bacon and spice flavors overshadow subdued, mellow cherry and blackberry fruit. Dry, light mouthfeel with good structure and a black currant finish.

I Can't Wait to Open the Bottle
Of the reviews I've read online, people either love it or hate it. So it'll be interesting to see to which camp Uwe and I belong to - the lovers or haters.

Back At Home
So when we got home, I confirmed with our babysitter Jill that we'll see her again next Wed. I told her it's really nice to have date night twice a week. Jill replied that it's also nice for her and gave me a big smile. I guess she can use the extra money being a student. A win win situation. =)

The Roost

We decided to check out another bar near Atwater Village, in Los Feliz. Uwe said I "owed him a dive" since he agreed to check out Club Tee Gee with me.

The Roost

3100 Los Feliz Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

We were expecting a dive but were pleasantly surprised. It's got a hypnotic red glow inside, with a popcorn machine, and decorative roosters thrown in for good measure. There were lots of hipsters & regulars here. One girl told the bartender, "I missed you! I just finished my final exams, so you'll see me here a lot more often now."

On a funny note, a couple patrons from Club Tee Gee followed us to The Roost. Uwe was pretty freaked out by that. Being as it wasn't close enough to walk and you had to drive from one location to the other. What are the odds in LA?

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The bar was funky and had lots of seating. Only negative was that the bartender would stir instead of shake our cocktails, including Uwe's dirty martini. I've never seen a bartender do that before at a real bar. Also, the bartender served my cosmo in a wine glass (vs. a martini glass). Strange.

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It had a funky ambiance and it's local - so we may go back if we're in the area.

Club Tee Gee

Photo by robjtak

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The sign looks like "Club Tee Yee", but it shows up as "Club Tee Gee".

Club Tee Gee

3208 Glendale Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90039

After the movie tonight, it was still early, so we decided to get some cocktails in nearby Atwater Village (before returning home to relieve the babysitter).

Photo by pony ride

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I drive by this place all the time during the day, (since we go to the local video store next door), and I was always curious as to what it looks like inside. The bar has been around since 1946. So I suggested we go there just to check it out. We were prepared for a dive and that's just what we got. The review says it's a hipster hangout, but we didn't see any hipsters there tonight. The place is a lot darker than in the photo above. We sat in the 2nd booth, as there weren't two open seats together at the bar (on the opposite side of the booths).

Now I can at least check it off my list, that I went there and had a drink.

Wine Tasting @ Red Carpet

Red Carpet Wine (the sign out in front of the store says "Red Carpet Liquor), is a wine store in Glendale where in addition to wine, you can also buy champagne, beer, and cigars (they have a walk-in humidor). The staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. You tell them what you're cooking for dinner and they'll pick out a wine that goes with it, or make a suggestion. They'll also point out some great deals on lesser known new labels with great wine. Although we don't go there as often as we used to, we still go there to buy wine, champagne, and occasionally my favorite Belgian, raspberry Lambic beer (mmmm).

Red Carpet Wine
400 East Glenoaks Boulevard
Glendale, California 91207

Wine Tasting
Tonight Uwe and I decided to go to Red Carpet Wine for their Friday night wine tasting. We love Colorado Wine Company, but Red Carpet showcases higher end wines in their tasting and we wanted to see what they had to offer. (The price is also double what we pay at cowineco - and they have 7 wines in their tasting, vs. 5 at cowineco).

I had been to a Red Carpet for their "Silver Oak" wine tasting. (I organized an after work excursion to go there to check it out.) Sampling $100+ bottles of wine was lovely - and it attracted quite a different crowd.

Uwe described tonight's crowd as "the Whole Foods crowd" as the people looked like they walked into the wine tasting right after a workout and shopping for groceries. Quite different from the crowd at Colorado Wine Company.

I was hesitant to do the full wine tasting because of the 7 glasses of wine, but after seeing the small tasting pours - I was in - and had no problem completing the course.

There was a 2002 Syrah that we very much enjoyed, but they didn't have it for sale. That's one thing that irks me about their wine tasting. Why have it on the tasting menu if you can't buy it afterwards? The bartender said that the owner will have a few bottles in his personal cellar that he will bring in just for the tasting, so there aren't additional bottles for sale. Last time I was there, the same thing happened. I had an exquisite 1999 Silver Oak and wanted to buy a bottle to bring home to Uwe so we could enjoy it together - but again they didn't have that year for sale - so I had to settle for a 2002 (which was good, but not the same).

Overall Review

The wine tasting is pricey for the lack of ambiance (again - think of Whole Foods) and they need to bring in some hors d'oeuvres in addition to the chinsy but pricey cheese plate. However they do feature high end wine tastings, and they have seating around the bar. (Which can fill up if they're featuring a high end label.) For our Friday night - date night - we will stick to Colorado Wine Company which has a nicer crowd and better ambiance. But there's a good chance we will go back if they feature Silver Oak again, or another high end wine that we'd enjoy.

Minx Restaurant & Lounge

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I Heart Colorado Wine Company

Colorado Wine Company, located on Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock, has become our local haunt since we started going a couple months ago. The first time we went, the store was celebrating the day that Jimmy Carter got attacked by a swamp bunny in the 70's. How could we resist?

Our weekly date night of going to the movies (as parents of a toddler we were movie starved and determined to watch some movies before they went to DVD) was getting a bit stale, as we were running out of good movies to see in our time slot (the time the babysitter would arrive at our house and we could get to the movie theatre). So I made reservations at cowineco for their Friday night wine tasting, to change it up a little. After that we were hooked! We went back the very next Friday, and keep going back for more. In fact, we were just there again last night!
About Colorado Wine Company (per their website)

Colorado Wine Company debuted in February of 2005, and when the owners ran out of glasses on the first night, they knew we were on to something. CoWineCo is owned and operated by John and Jennifer Nugent who wanted to create an environment where anyone, no matter what level of wine knowledge they had, could enter the store, receive personal service and recommendations, try a sip or two of the daily selections at the bar, and leave feeling more comfortable and educated about wine (and hopefully more relaxed after a hard day at work).

Our wine bar is open every night and we offer wines, sakes, bubblies, and beers from around the world, with a focus on bottles $25 and under. We believe that good wine can be had at almost any price level. Don’t agree? Come visit sometime.

They place cushions on some of the boxes so you can sit down in the store front.

It's such a great idea and I don't know why there aren't more of them. They have daily and weekly events. It's $15 for the Friday wine tasting which features 5 different wines. (I've been itching to try the Sangria Saturdays.)

They also bring in cheeses, crackers from the local Auntie Em's. So as you're standing around chatting and enjoying wine, inevitably you like one or more - so go figure- we usually bring home 5 bottles of wine each time we go there. And as you're standing in the store you're looking at the all merchandise - wines, glasses, bottle openers and cool wine kitsch. It's the best advertising that's non-intrusive (i.e., no one's trying to sell you anything and you're not obligated to buy anything) and we have a great experience each time.It feels like a house party. There's nothing fancy about it, but it's a good time and if you've gone once, you will be back. It's full of locals which is nice to see, and since it is in our neighborhood, it's really convenient for us.

The owners John and Jennifer Nugent are really nice, and we always see them on our Friday night excursions working at the store. They've succeeded in bring that local, home grown, you feel like you've been hugged feeling to their store. They were recently featured on the radio as well (Indy 103.1 FM).

When you walk in, you're greeted with a smile and "Hi Guys" from Jennifer, and after paying are given a card from a playing deck which you give to the bartender in the back. Those cards serve as your ticket for the first glass of wine.

In addition to featuring their wines on their website, they also have printed copies available at the store, so you can read what you're drinking.

When we went last night I was bummed because there was a glitch in the website and the wines weren't posted until later in the day, but I got so busy with our kid that I wasn't able to read the featured wines before we got there. Uwe mentioned that the wine list would be there, to which I said, "Yeah I know, but I like to read them and be prepared ahead of time." Uwe gave me a look which said, "I love you even after being together for 7 years, but sometimes you're a little strange." A photo of the bar in the back, with the coveted couch.

Things I would suggest to make it a little better (although it's already great!):

• More variety in the munchies. (I know it's currently free - but in addition to the free stuff - maybe bring in stuff that can be purchased.)
• More seating (I know the space is limited!)
• Update the ceiling to give the store more ambiance. (I'm sure it's on their list of store improvements.)

So this is my ode to Colorado Wine Company. (And no - I'm not being paid to say this.)