If most American cities are about the consumption of culture, Los Angeles and New York are about the production of culture – not only national culture but global culture.
– Barbara Kruger, American Artist
Barbara is spot on, the City of Angels sets the stage for fashion, food, and beverage trends across the world. This unique presence dominates the scene and creates excitement when you experience this firsthand. Surprising to me, and those who know me well, I found out I loved this city. I was delighted to share unique experiences and Los Angeles does a fantastic job creating moments of delight, cheer and desire.
Watching top chefs and mixologists share their passion with the world is something beautiful; I do not take for granted. Looking at a menu versus physically being there to see how it is prepared, how ingredients are mixed, to smell the aroma, and to taste is something that cannot be replicated virtually. With that being said, I wanted to share with you our unique foods, product and restaurant recommendations, so you can replicate a similar experience to ours.
Gracias Madre
This bright and airy, vegan,
We went with the Sorry Ms. Jamson: apricot jam, habanero bitters, lemon, mezcal in a float of
The menu intelligently combined sweet and savory flavors while staying true to the Mexican theme with elements like mezcal, tequila reposado, agave,
Employees Only
Surprised to see EO
The Yellow Jacket was the most approachable mezcal cocktail I’ve ever come across created with mezcal, pungent elderflower liqueur, sherry, and what inspired its name, yellow chartreuse. With strong citrus up front and a hint of smoke, this cocktail finished beautifully balanced.
The Infinity Cocktail was a full-bodied cocktail , both strong and delicious. The
The Colonial is a simple drink with complex flavors. This
From the artisan delicate bread to the playful cocktails, the Lucques group didn’t disappoint. The unique inclusions of specific ingredients elevated a traditional dish and made it delightful and surprising. The Jungle Birds addition of grapefruit transformed the cocktail with beautiful citrus notes.
Being a James Beard Award winner offering a grilled cheese, we couldn’t ignore this menu item. The Mexican Grilled Cheese was thoughtfully created from the crunch of the bread to the sweet caramelized onions and Spanish chorizo (neither too salty or spicy) made us recognize how they won this prestigious award.
With little room left, we questioned splurging on a dessert, however, our experience would have not been the same without the Creme Brulee Cheesecake. Hints of sugar and crunch shined through this dessert with candied kumquats and unique citrus delivering a delicious yet refreshing take on cheesecake.
Kismet
Kismet, wow we truly were blown away by this low key and humble restaurant. We stopped in for a snack, but after we tried the tahini we knew we had to explore more.
Our server highly recommended their flaky bread, so we ordered the Savory Flaky Bread. The flaky bread, aka the Malawach, which is popular in Israel was served with
This restaurant was a MUST and I highly recommend going to try the unique ways they use common ingredients and flavors to create bold and memorable dishes.
Republique
Flying buttress stone archways, glass ceilings and medieval decor adorning the wall made sitting down at Republique feel a bit like having dinner in a castle. While most popularly known for brunch, we visited for dinner and drinks in the evening.
Prior to digging into the menu, we ordered the Celery and Mandarinquat cocktails. The celery salt lining the rim in combination with the serrano chile pepper delivered vegetative notes which nicely offset the sweetness of the orange, plum and
The menu consisted of a variety of several small plates to share along with
Bavel
With plants dangling from the ceiling intermixed with sparkling lights, you immediately felt the energy and excitement of this restaurant. We snagged a spot at the bar for a pre-dinner cocktail. The Celeste, while it had several ingredients, came together nicely with vodka, rose, citrus, vanilla, coconut, eggwhite, and clove dust. Slightly reminiscent of a tiki cocktail, this was a touch on the sweet side.
Our favorite was the Nebuchandnezzar. This savory skewed cocktail had lamb fat bourbon that paired nicely with a smoked ice cube, and blue plum brandy.
The menu showcased many authentic dishes expected at a Mediterranean restaurant. We began with Prawns grilled to absolute perfection. The harissa marinade, cured zucchini tzatziki, herbs, and lime transported this dish from tasty to spectacular. An array of flatbreads speckled the menu and we selected the Butternut Squash Flatbread. While simple, it had the perfect balance of sweet and savory leaving us satisfied. We completed the evening with slow roasted Lamb Neck Sharwma.
From the moment we ordered a craft cocktail at the bar to the very end of the meal, it was truly an experience.
We made this happen all in
Authored by: Elaine Schomaker & Savannah Turner