Highlights From Crush Food, Wine, and Art festival in Santa Monica

May 20, 20131 comment

Pardon The Punctuation…Santa Monica, California is mostly known for sunny beaches and as we heard in an episode of South Park, “Santa Monica is good to the homeless.” A great food and wine festival was not the first thing that came to mind when thinking of this town. Not anymore. “Crush” food, wine and art event has just made major strides to change that. First off lets find out about the location.

The 18th Street Arts Center: “18th Street Arts Center is an artists’ residency program that provokes public dialogue through contemporary art-making.” Basically the center supports local artists get their work out there. Pretty bad-ass stuff. I have to say the artist that stuck with me the most was Cheryl Walker. Beautiful work.

Now lets get down to the food and wine. These are my highlights and faves from it.

Chef Becky Reams: of “MasterChef” fame had a wonderful potato dish that was the perfect dish to start my day.

Spring Street Smokehouse: Greeeeeeaaaaaaat Carolina style BBQ. Rockin hot links and bourbon bread pudding….that’s right bourbon bread pudding.

Savour this Moment Catering: threw down vegan roasted vegetable tacos and Thai chile cilantro lettuce tacos. Lots of TLC and fresh ingredients. Full of flavor. Can’t wait to try them again.

Maestro Sausage Company: Purveyor of fine Italian sausages. I could use a box of these to enjoy some sausage and peppers and a coronary every morning of my life. Deeeeeeelish.

Library Ale House: served a short-rib slider with garlic aioli, arugula, gorgonzola, on a brioche bun. By far my favorite of the day…had 3 of them…..”Fat foodie in a little shirt…..fat foodie in a little shirt.”

Krave Jerky: Seven samples of gourmet jerky is what they came with. All of them great. My faves were the basil citrus, pineapple orange, and the sweet chipotle. I need cases of this shipped to me stat! Awesome stuff and gluten free!

Beachy Cream: Hip pin up creamery making yummy ice cream sandwiches. I had the strawberry surfer girl which is strawberry balsamic swirl ice cream on a sugar cookie. Lets just say I had four of them. I also got to try the Surfin’ Safari Chocolate Chip a vanilla bean ice cream on a chocolate chip cookie. I need an extra freezer in my house just to fill it up with their stuff. They rock.

Wise Coffee: great micro-roasted single origin organic coffee. Check them out they are work giving a go. The best part about it was the espresso was prepared on an amazing machine. The Nuova Simonelli “Musica” machine made an exquisit cup of coffee. Top notch premium machines. I’d be posing for pics with this machine every day if there was one in my possession.

Turiya Wines: Small boutique wine from the central. Tasted their Syrah, Cabernet, and Perpetual Bliss blend. I love me some boutique wines. All three were fruit forward and ready to drink right now. I’d have to say the perpetual bliss blend would be the one I’d buy if I have to chose one. Good stuff.

Topanga Vineyards: Their Syrah was by far my favorite wine of the event. 100% Syrah aged in old french oak. Peppery with notes of berries. The perfect summer red meat grilling wine. I see a case in my near future. Get yours now before I get them all.

This is an event that’s worth every penny. Follow them on line and put Crush on your calendar for next year. Who knows, you might see TheYumYumFoodie pounding wine next to you!

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Guests enjoying the great Crush event

Chef Becky Reams taking charge and servin it up.

Some Yummy Spring Street BBQ

Lettuce wraps from ‘Savour This Moment” catering

Nick proudly serving some Maestro Sausage

That is some serious Krave Jerky

The lovely young lady serving up some Beachy Cream organic ice cream sandwiches.

A fine selection of Turiya wine.

Foodie and wife enjoying a Great event. Come on by next year and say hi!

Top Pet Friendly Coffee Places in Los Angeles

May 13, 2013No comments

Pardon The Punctuation…If you’re a dog owner like myself and you actually care about your dog, you might be the kind of person who enjoys taking your pup out with you for coffee. Southern California is a pet friendly part of the country and here my favorite places to bring my dog Indie. Yes even Korea town is pet friendly…insert joke here____.

M Street Coffee: This Sherman Oaks coffee shop is awesome. About 6 tables outside are perfect for you and Fido to sit down and enjoy a beautiful Cali day. Patrons are always bringing their dogs so there is always a new pup around for your dog to make friends with. Besides that their coffee rocks. Try the MStreet latte or the cold brew….yum! They epitomize “Mom and Pop.” Great local coffee house.

Urth Cafe on Melrose: If you want to go Celeb sighting with your pup this is the coffee shop for you. I’ve seen everyone from the likes of Will Ferrell, Mandy Moore, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Corgan, and Michelle Pfeiffer at this West Hollywood trendy spot. Don’t let the trendyness fool you. They make some of the best organic coffee beverages in town. Their “Spanish Latte” is still my favorite latte of all time and is an LA must have.

Kings Road Cafe: I was heart broken when their Studio City location closed but luckily the location on Beverly still packs an amazing coffee punch. The Coffee here is like rocket fuel. I’m Cuban and I still think that King’s Road Cafe coffee is the stronger than any of the stuff they brew down in Miami. I’ll take the Pepsi challenge with that shit. They’ve got plenty of tables outside for you and your pooch and besides the rockin coffee they have the best Blueberry Muffin on the planet…there I said it.

Coffee Commissary: Discovered this this great spot on fairfax yesterday. Had to add it to the list. Great artisan coffee and a laid back atmosphere. It’s also nice there is a great little pet store just a few doors down. Be sure to bring your hipster repellant, this place is worth the trip.

These are my top 4 pet friendly coffee places in LA…and yeah I’m sure Korea town is pet friendly. I’m just not taking my dog down there. You can’t go wrong at either of them and I say you give them all a try.

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Main Entrance at M Street Coffee

Some of the Goodies Inside MStreet Coffee

A Yummy Mocha at M Street Coffee

My Dog “Indie” Loving Some Shade Under a Table at Urth Cafe on Melrose. Gotta Love that Underbite

Some Gorgeous Coffee Art on My Spanish Latte at Urth Cafe. Best Latte Ever!

The Amazing BlueBerry Muffin and Rocket Fuel Coffee at King’s Road Cafe

The Friendly Hat Wearing Baristas at Commissary Coffee

My Phallus Shaped Cappuccino at Commissary Coffee.

Chimney Rock Winery, a Slice of Heaven in Napa.

May 5, 2013No comments

Pardon The Punctuation…Located in the Stag’s Leap district of the famed Napa Valley this stunning property creates equally stunning wine. Being a Lexus owner means I’m able to go on LexusDrivers.com and set up complimentary tastings at several of the best wineries in Napa. So when Chimney Rock Winery popped up on the list I jumped at the opportunity like Adele on a twinkie. The property is serene and absolutely gorgeous. Off in the distance you can see the actually chunk of mountain called “Chimney Rock” that gave the winery it’s name. Right off the bat you’ll notice that everything here is about TLC. From the South African style architecture to the style of wine making…they do it right. Enough of the fluffy stuff, lets get to the wine. I’m just going to tell you about the star of the show for me. The 2008 Elevage. Every other wine I had was delicious. From the Tomahawk vineyard to the Alpine vineyard they all kicked ass. But I’m going to focus on the Elevage.

2008 Elevage: This is a Bordeaux style of wine. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. To quote their website,”serves as an artistic portrait of the vintage at the Chimney Rock estate. Experience this blend that evokes finesse and complexity, depth and dimension, and truly highlights the singular nature of the Stags Leap District.” The 2008 vintage consists of %56 merlot, %38 Cabernet, and %6 petit verdot. Aging in new french oak for 18 months really helps build the french characteristics of this wine. Smooth finish with silky soft tannins and a clean soft finish. This wine is perfect. You can drink it now and store it for a few years and rock it out then. This wine is a testament to one of my favorite wine makers Elizabeth Vianna.

When you make a trip to Napa make sure to put Chimney Rock winery on your list. They know how to do it right in every sense of the word. This is definitely a winery that’s worth becoming a member of. So many of their wines are so limited that only wine club members get to taste them. Worth every penny.

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The main entrance to the tasting room.

A lovely vertical of their estate cabernets.

The lovely display in their new wine club member tasting room.

Barrels during nap time

In the distance the famed Tomahawk Vineyard.

My baby…the 2008 Elevage

Chef Gordon Ramsay Hits a Homerun with “The Fat Cow”

April 30, 2013No comments

Pardon The punctuation…Being a huge fan of Chef Gordon Ramsay means that whenever I see a deal to eat at one of his establishments, I jump on it like Taylor Swift on a Kennedy. So when I saw there was a special on GiltCity to have dinner for two with a bottle of wine at “The Fat Cow” in Los Angeles, I was in. For $68 I received two appetizers, two main dishes, and two desserts. This was a great value as the bottle of wine alone was $47 on the menu. We were blessed with an awesome server “Brad” who had great recommendations and knew his shit. Lets break down the chow.

Meatballs: pork, veal, and pancetta meatballs with tomato sauce and parmesan. These weren’t on the Gilt City menu but Brad told me we had to have them. Thank God for Brad. These are probably the best meatballs I’ve had west of the Hudson river. Not too full of breadcrumb and the veal made all the difference in the balance of the dish. Also I think you could probably wrap dry bark in pancetta and it would taste good.

Squash Blossoms: tempura style and stuffed with ricotta, corn, and dressed in a pine nut and roasted corn vinaigrette. I never tried squash blossoms before I moved to Los Angeles and now I try them wherever I see them on a menu. These did not disappoint. Crunchy deliciousness and the corm was sweet and blended well with the ricotta.

Chicken Wings: with beer, soy and chili. Found out they are soaked in “Blue Moon” beer for a day and fried like yummy wings need to be fried. Could’t get the taste off my mind. I’m not the traditional chicken wings guy and I will definitely have these again. I only wish there were at least a couple more of them on the plate.

Pan Seared Salmon: with bok choy, miso, and citrus. Served crunchy skin up and a dazzling aroma and cooked medium rare…just the perfect piece of fish.

Root Beer Glazed Short Rib: with cheddar polenta, and pickled onions. Personally I can’t stand the taste of root beer and thank God this short rib tastes nothing like it. At least now I know that if a can of root beer ever ends up in my fridge, I can glaze something with it. Great dish and a generous portion. The cheddar polenta works perfectly with the sweetness of the glaze in the meat. This is a dish you can easily share.

Chocolate Pot Au Creme: This is basically on of the most addictively delicious custards I’ve ver had. I was stuffed and couldn’t stop shoving more down my throat.

Sticky Toffee Pudding: This dish is made differently at every single one of Chef Ramsay’s restaurants. My favorite is still the rendition of it at his steak house in Las Vegas at the Paris hotel. I’m not knocking this dish by any means. It’s rich, decadent, and could easily be a substitute for sex.

Before coming here I read some mixed reviews on the place and wasn’t sure what to expect. Anyone who didn’t like the food at this place must have to palate of a sheep dog. It goes to show that never believe everything you read….I guess that means don’t believe this too. If you like the way I write you’ll dig “The Fat Cow.” They Rock.

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The sign tells you exactly how you’ll feel on the way out.

Our Menu for the night

The Yummy bottle of Warwick wine from South Africa that came with dinner.

Meatballs….wow

Squash Blossoms

Love me some chicken wings

The Salmon with Bok Choy

Root Beer Glazed Short Rib

Chocolate Pot Au Creme

The Amazing Sticky Toffee pudding with a little glass of creme!

Dinner at “Bella Via” in Long Island City with my “Stern Show” friend Ronnie Mund.

April 24, 2013No comments

Pardon The Punctuation…If you’re not in the mood to deal with the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and want some home style Italian cuisine, Just one stop on the subway towards Queens is Bella Via in Long Island City. This spot was recommended by my dear friend Ronnie Mund aka “Ronnie The Limo Driver” from the “Howard Stern” show and he knows his Italian food. After a long day walking around Manhattan I hopped on the 7 train and got off on the Vernon exit to meet up with Ronnie and his lovely girlfriend Stephanie for this lovely dining experience. Being the super punctual person that I am, I got there about 30 min early and made my way to the bar where bartender “Carmine” gave me the low down on what I had to have there. First off they serve Johnny Walker Gold at the bar for $12 a drink. For you scotch drinkers out there that is a friggin awesome price for what is usually at least a $20 drink. Here’s the rub.

SCHIACCIATA CON ROBIOLA E` OLIO DI TARTUFO: with robiola cheese and truffle oil. This is a cow’s, goat, and sheep’s milk cheese that is rich in flavor and the truffle oil compliments the rich cheese seamlessly. Make sure you order it because it’s one of those dishes you won’t find on every menu and it’s definitely worth a try.

POLIPO IN INSALATA ALLA CIPOLLA ROSSA: Octopus salad with potatoes and red onion. The octopus was fresh and the dish had the right amount of acid to cleanse the palate before my main course. Solid menu item.

STINCO DI AGNELLO BRASATA AL BAROLO: Lamb Shank braised with Barolo wine. They had me at Barolo! Slowly braised to perfection with fresh vegetables on the side. It’s a lot of food so I recommend sharing on this one. Would order this a hundred times over.

If you want to venture out of the city and don’t want to be surrounded by the Brooklyn hipster vibe, make your way over to Bella Via and who knows…you might hear someone say “Whoa whoa whoa..stop the clock” just a table away. Thanks to Ronnie for suggesting them and Carmine for takin such good care of us. I’ll be coming back for sure the next time I’m in New York.

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SCHIACCIATA CON ROBIOLA E` OLIO DI TARTUFO WOW!

Octopus salad with potatoes and red onion

Lamb Shank braised with Barolo wine. My mouth was watering while I posted this pic.

ZD Wines, What an Amazing Tasting Experience in Napa.

April 18, 2013No comments

Pardon the Punctuation…When it comes to the full tasting experience in Napa, ZD winery does it right in every way, shape, and form. Right in the heart of the Silverado Trail sits this family owned and operated winery and I love the fact the family is involved in every aspect of their wine making. They epitomize the american dream. I scheduled a “Vineyard View” tasting of current and library wines where each wine was complemented with some cheese action and finished with a yummy chocolate truffle. Upon arriving I was greeted by the friendliest staff in the biz. My host was Emily and she rocked! Super knowledgable and just a pleasure to be around. Emily loves what she does for a living and represents the winery that way. She gave me a tour of the wine library, barrel room, and bottling line. Let me tell you this has to be cleanest winery I’ve ever been to…and I’ve been in my share of wineries. Those rooms were probably sterile enough to perform open heart surgery if need be. Anyway at the end of the walking segment of my tour I was treated to and great barrel tasting which was a nice touch. They aren’t BS-ing when they call it the “Vineyard View” tasting…Emily guided me up a flight of stairs to a dining room with a stunning view of the vineyard. I could move into that room if they ever need to someone to look over it…like…forever. There was a dining room table set up with wine, cheese, and chocolate. Three of my favorite things. After getting to sample all of these stellar wines, I was blessed with the opportunity of drinking some Abacus. Abacus is one of the rarest wines in Napa and is ZD’s “Ultimate Cabernet Sauvignon, combining the best qualities of an aged wine with the best of a youthful wine, together in one sumptuous mouthful.” To create this “Solera Style” wine, the winemaker blends every ZD reserve cabernet ever produced and barrels it until bottling. So you are basically tasting over 20 years of reserve vintages layered in one bottle of wine. Holy shit this is the Ferrari of wines. Elegant, refined, and with years of extraordinary pedigree. That kind of TLC gives this wine a $525 a bottle price tag which is worth every penny. If you have the means to get your hands on some I strongly suggest you do. The only warning I have for you is that Abacus is so good it may ruin most other wine for you. I can’t reveal how I came to taste this greek god of wines, but I CAN say it’s good to be TheYumYumFoodie. :)

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Vintage ZD labels

The View Behind the Winery is Stunning!

The Sterile Bottling Line. Wish I could have had a “Laverne and Shirley” moment.

The 2010 Reserve Cabernet Barrel I Was Able to Taste From.

The Charcuterie Plate at the Tasting Table in The Vineyard View Room

The Abacus in All its Glory

A Wonderful Dinner at Celadon in Napa

April 17, 2013No comments

Pardon the Punctuation…If you’re in downtown Napa and you’re in the mood for a meal that that is unpretentious and won’t break the bank, give Celadon a try. Located right in the heart of downtown Napa is this gem. If you go try to request a table by the fireplace. Best spot in the house. Another great thing about Celadon is that they’ll split plates if you’re trying to share any of the dishes. That’s nice on the belly and the pocket. I walked in with an open mind and went with the server Eric’s recommendations. He rocked it out. Here is what we had.

Duck Confit Salad: with baby spinach, dates and petit basque cheese, and truffle vinaigrette. This was one of the best salads I’ve ever had. Could have easily ordered two of these and called it a night. WOW! This dish is a must have.

Soy-Braised Crispy Pork Belly: with tatsoi, daikon, yuzu-wasabi dressing and kecap manis. As far as I’m concerned you can wrap a cat turd in pork belly and It will taste could. This was delicious. A bit on the heavier side compared to the duck salad but it was a fun asian salad.

Moroccan Inspired Braised Lamb Shank: with golden raisin and toasted almond couscous. The lamb is slow cooked to perfection and I’d order that couscous as a side on it’s own. Just the perfect meal.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Mousse Bars: with fresh berries and chocolate sauce. This was nothing to write home about but it worked. I’d probably try something else next time I grab dinner there.

Remember that this meal was split between two people and we were stuffed. Didn’t break the bank and happily satisfied. I will definitely be going back and I strongly suggest you make your way over there as soon as possible.

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The Sign says it all.

baby spinach and duck confit with dates and petit basque cheese, truffle vinaigrette

soy-braised crispy pork belly with tatsoi, daikon, yuzu-wasabi dressing and kecap manis

moroccan inspired braised lamb shank with golden raisin and toasted almond couscous

chocolate and hazelnut mousse bars fresh berries and chocolate sauce .

A Napa “Sit Down” at Nickel & Nickel Winery.

April 14, 20131 comment

Pardon the Punctuation…If you’re into single vineyard rockin cabs, make your way down to Nickel & Nickel winery when in Napa. The sister winery of Far Niente, N & N make more of a California “in your face” style of cabernet as opposed to Far Niente’s more european style red wine. Before you go please know that you need to call ahead and make an appointment. Give yourself some time as they can get fully booked quickly. Lets get down to the tasting. Once I check in I was greeted by our guide Kevin who was very knowledgable and took great care of us. Here is what we tasted along with some notes.

2011 Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay Carneros, Napa Valley: This is a nice departure from the usual “Cougar Juice” served in the valley. Hints of pear with tropical notes and a nice finish.

2009 C.C. Ranch Cabernet Rutherford, Napa Valley: Dark Cherry, fruit forward, jammy, and not my favorite when I first tasted it. After about 15 min of being poured it grew on me and softened out nicely. Threw me off but I loved it at the end after it opened up. Hold on to this one for a few years before cracking it open.

2009 State Ranch Cabernet Yountville, Napa Valley: By far my fav wine of the tasting. Hints of blackberry with an elegant silky finish.

2009 Kelham Vineyard Oakville, Napa Valley: Strong hints of tobacco with bright tannins. I dig this wine but would cellar for about 5 years to maximize it’s potential.

Check them out if in town and you won’t be disappointed. The lovely tasting room is just icing on the cake of the wonderful wine drinking experience you’ll have.

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The 2009 State Ranch Cabernet from Yountville. My favorite of the day.

2009 Kelham Vineyard Cabernet. Was delish but will be incredible if you cellar for 4-5 years.

The grounds behind the tasting room at Nickel and Nickel

The tasting room is a gorgeous cottage. Niiiiiiiiiiice!

When Looking for Great Falafel in New York, Look No Further Than Taïm! Gluten Free!

April 9, 2013No comments

Pardon The Punctuation…After watching Taïm on an episode of “Throw Down” with Bobby Flay, it was at the top of my list for Falafel in New York. On a quaint street in Greenwich village sits this mini palace of fried chickpea goodness. A simple and fresh menu with wonderful smoothies make this the perfect place to spot and grab a bite while on a stroll through the village. I recommend the mixed platter which comes with a sample of all three of their falafel flavors on a bed of hummus with sides of Israeli and tabouli. Go there…eat, be merry, and you will return…over and over and over again. I’ve had my share of falafel and Taïm is by far the best I’ve had. A picture is worth a thousand words so I’ll say no more. Oh and by the way their falafel is gluten free!

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The mixed falafel plate in all it’s glory.

Dipping sauces anyone?

Just in case you don’t believe me…gluten free it is!

“The National” New York, is a Grand Café from Chef Geoffrey Zakarian

April 2, 2013No comments

Pardon The Punctuation…If you’ve watched as much “Iron Chef” as I have, chances are you’ve sat at home and dreamt for the day you’d get to eat at one of your favorite Iron Chef’s restaurants. Last night one of those dreams came true. “The National” in midtown Manhattan comes to us from world renowned chef Geoffrey Zakarian. It’s been on my list for over a year now and it was well worth the wait. The menu has just the right amount of items and the ambiance was fun and relaxed. Once inside the dimly lit bar and dining room feel like you’ve travelled back in time…in a good way. This night there was a jazz quartet playing standards…nice touch. My waiter “Ronnie” guaranteed me that I’d love what he recommended. He rocked and here’s what he recommended.

Grilled Octopus: with chorizo, fennel, cannellini Bean, and piperade. Loved the salty chorizo with the perfectly grilled octopus and the beans were a nice touch.

The “Ugly” Burger: with pickled jalapeño, NTL. sauce, housemade pickles, bibb lettuce, and hand-cut fries. Top 10 burgers I’ve ever had the pleasure of scarfing down. The fries were highlighted by some delish house made ketchup which forced me to eat more than my tummy needed.

Great food and great service make “The National” a place that will always be on my list when I’m in New York. Next time I’ll have to try some dessert as I was too stuffed from that burger to gorge myself on the sweet stuff. “In Ronnie we trust” should be their new slogan.

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Grilled Octopus with Chorizo, Fennel, Cannellini Bean, and Piperade

The “Ugly” Burger with Pickled Jalapeño, NTL. Sauce, Housemade Pickles, Bibb Lettuce, and Hand-cut Fries.