Last Wednesday I attended Cocktail Hour at Terrine to sip some of mixologist Ryan Wainwright’s new summer cocktails. His focus is to make spirits the stars. His bar is filled with bowls of fresh fruit and little bottles of colorful bitters. Wainwright is a stickler on quality ingredients and detailed execution. He has taken creativity to…
Category: French Cuisine
10 Reasons To Get The Cuisine of the French Riviera Cookbook
Last Tuesday, I finally met restauranteur Laurent Halasz – the founder and owner of FIG & OLIVE. He hosted a dinner for the launch of his first-ever cookbook, FIG & OLIVE – The Cuisine of the French Riviera in collaboration with renowned publishing house, Assouline. I found this impeccably dressed Frenchman to be extremely charming…
Tantalizing Terrine
For my 26th wedding anniversary, I took my husband with me to review the new lunch menu at Stephane Bombet, Executive Chef Kris Morningstar and Francois Renaud’s elegant California brasserie – Terrine. Chef Morningstar has been tantalizing Los Angelenos with some of his French favorites that include beef tartare, onion soup, steak frites, escargot, tartines, and…
Little Next Door Has Soul
A tall gentleman walked into Little Next Door on a Tuesday night with sunglasses and a chic scarf tied around his neck. At first I thought he was the talented actor Liam Neeson with long hair. When he took off his sunglasses, I realized this very handsome French man with an air about him was…
FIG & OLIVE – Mediterranean Diet Friendly
Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. The key components of the Mediterranean diet include a splash of olive oil, instead of butter, and a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meat, whole grains, legumes and nuts. A glass of red wine is…
PERCH – French Cuisine with Rooftop Views of LA
My friends dining with us asked, “Is the restaurant Perch named after a fish or branch for a bird?” As the door opened and we walked up to the reception table, it became obvious Perch is a lovely elevated spot with spectacular views of Los Angeles. Sitting at a table on the outside patio with…
Church and State – Country French Cuisine
Being a fan of the talented Chef Tony Esnault, I was excited to visit Church and State, located near the outskirts of downtown Los Angeles in the Arts District. I first met the gifted French chef four years ago when he was the Executive Chef at Patina next to the Walt Disney Hall. Each dish…
Crepes + Kitchen French Sweet Delights
The first thing I noticed when I entered Crepes + Kitchen on Wilshire Blvd. near La Brea Ave. was the friendly greeting from the owners Yafit Barades and Jacqueline Soletzky. These ladies are genuinely nice to every person who walks in their door. They are also passionate about dogs and have a jar of treats…
Le Petit Bistro – Authentic French
Welcoming us into his restaurant, the charming Albert Emkies of Le Petit Bistro, made a great impression as he seated us in a comfortable red booth for a delightful traditional French dinner. Delivering the menus to our tables, he pointed out the specials on the back page of the menu. At least four appetizers and…
Maison Giraud – You’ll taste why Alain’s croissants are the talk of the town
My friend John was raving about a newer French restaurant, Maison Giraud, in the Pacific Palisades. “You must try their croissants. They’re the talk of the town,” he said. Walking inside to meet him and two friends, I was hypnotized by the glass pastry counter filled with trays of croissant au beurre, pain au chocolate,…
Papilles Bistro – Tantalize Your Tastebuds
If you blink, you may not see the sign for Papilles Bistro. Driving on Franklin near the 101 freeway, we spotted this newer restaurant tucked away in a small strip mall between the historic Castle Argyle and Hollywood Tower building. The restaurant is tiny, yet serves delicious California cuisine with a French flair. The owners…
Cafe Pinot’s Newest Executive Chef
I was so excited to experience a dinner prepared by Executive Chef Sydney Hunter III at Café Pinot. The seasoned chef began his career at L’Orangerie in 2002. Some may remember him at Bastide on Melrose. Chef Joachim Splichal, founder of the Patina Restaurant Group, recently gave Hunter the coveted white Executive Chef jacket at…
