Subscribe to this RSS feed
Friday, 20 January 2012 13:17

dineLA hits The Imbiber's 'hood

dineLA hits The Imbiber's 'hood

dineLA Restaurant Week is coming to The Imbiber's home turf, Marina del Rey, from Jan. 22-27 and again from Jan. 29 – Feb. 3, with six restaurants offering three-course meals at special prices. Participating locations include several of my local favorites:

· Café Del Rey boasts stunning coastal views as well as both Mediterranean and Californian cuisine, supplied by local seafood vendors and prepared by Chef, Daniel Roberts. (Lunch and Dinner)Café Del Rey

· Chart House offers fresh seafood, succulent steaks, and an extensive collection of fine wines. They've got seasonal outdoor seating, making a sunset dinner a truly memorable occasion. Be sure to save room for the legendary hot chocolate lava cake. (Dinner)

· Located inside the Ritz-Carlton, Jer-Ne Restaurant + Bar offers an eclectic Californian menu by Chef Joshua Hasho. A modern yet relaxed dining room offers a 14-foot “caramel cream” – colored onyx communal table, which offers a comfortable haven for small groups or single diners. ( Lunch)

· Locanda Positano features traditional Italian décor and music to complement the innovative dishes prepared by Florentine Chef Massimo Denaro. (Dinner)

· At sugarFish, Chef Kazunori Nozawa's focus is on the quality of ingredients and dedication to simple sushi. sugarFish doesn’t have trendy flourishes and clever names, but rather a strict devotion to classic, extraordinary sushi. Don’t think. Just eat. (Lunch and Dinner)

· One of the newest additions to Marina del Rey, Vu Restaurant offers an inventive menu by Executive Chef Kyle Schutte that uses fresh, flavorful California-grown sustainable ingredients for all its meals. (Dinner)

These restaurants will spread the culinary love at lunch ($16, $22 or $28) and/or dinner ($26, $34 or $44).

Published in The Imbiber Blog
Read more...
Friday, 02 December 2011 13:40

Lovin' Larry's: A Visit To Venice's Superb New Outdoor Eatery

Larry's in Venice, CA
I've lived in and around Venice, CA, for going on 12 twelve years now, and I must say, things have really changed around here. The gentrification began in earnest a decade and a half ago, and now this once untamed and downright treacherous territory has become a haven of tranquility for the bourgeoisie. That's not to say that Venice is totally devoid of the threat of real street violence, mind you. Just swing by any of the trendy eateries that dot Abbott Kinney Boulevard on a weekend night and you're likely to find some well-heeled bohemians at each other's throats trying to secure a table. I once saw a guy outside Gjelina try and strangle a dead-ringer for Tim Robbins with a wolf scarf from what appeared to be the Tom Ford collection. It was chilling. Tim Robbins really does have a scary, gigantic head.

Make no mistake, the denizens of Venice take their local dining scene seriously, and so it is that each new restaurant that comes along (and they're opening at a pace of about one per week) comes under immediate and intense scrutiny. Often times, this happens before the place even fires up the ovens for the first time.
Published in The Imbiber Blog
Read more...