LA’s Best Sunday Suppers
It’s Sunday evening, you’ve just woken up from a breakfast-booze induced nap, and you’re hungry. Back in the day you’re loving mother prepared giant delicious multi-course Sunday Suppers for the family, but you’re too lazy to put on such an orchestrated dining event yourself, and even more relevant: you’re too cheap.
Luckily, there are quite a few restaurants in LA that offer weekly prix-fixe ‘Sunday Supper’ dinner deals that allow you to eat like a king on the salary of a court jester. These dinners are a great opportunity for you to get drunk & fat on the cheap and try out a new restaurant with your LA family (i.e. friends) – and there isn’t anything not to love about that! Plus, unlike Mom’s Sunday suppers, there’s no dishes duty afterward!
So without further adieu, here is our round up of our favorite LA Sunday Suppers:
Dominick’s on Beverly has been running their Sunday supper deal for as long as we can remember & they remain one of our favorite picks. For $15/person, you can score some amazing Italian eats. The menu changes weekly but you can usually expect to start with a salad, fill up on some pasta, and end with some sweet gelato or tiramisu. If a $15 3-course meal isn’t mind blowing enough, during Sunday Supper you can also add a bottle of wine for just $12, or sip on some Moretti beer for just $3 a bottle. (PS: Dominick’s hipster brother Little Dom’s in Los Feliz features the same deal on Mondays!)
If you have swankier taste and your bank account has yet to catch up, head to Cecconi’s in West Hollywood for their ridiculously cheap, family-style, Sunday dinners. Call up three of your trendiest (or hungriest) friends and for just $50, the four of you can enjoy salad, pizza, and pasta, all served family style. That’s right, $50 for all of you! That’s just $12.50 each, which would normally only get you an appetizer at Cecconi’s. And to fulfill your wino needs, pair your meal with bottles of house wine for $25 a pop.
Fancy pants Mediterranean food seems to be the latest trend in LA these days & our favorite of these trendy newbies is definitely the casually chic Momed in Beverly Hills. Not only is their food freaking delicious (just thinking of their duck schwarma has me salivating puddles all over my desk), but they also have a great Sunday Supper deal, for just $25/person. The menu includes six small plate items, a seasonal specialty entrée, & a desert. That’s like an 8-course meal! On top of all this, the wine list is very reasonably priced (starting at $5 glass) and features great wines from the Mediterranean region.
Sotto is a pretty new spot in West LA, so new that we haven’t even had the chance to check it out… yet! But their Sunday Supper is calling our names and we can’t wait to find ourselves there one Sunday in the near future. For $30 a person you get five (yes, 5!) courses. Their menu is market driven and changes constantly, so you can definitely expect some pretty delicious fresh fare. Plus, you can booze through your five courses with $15 bottles of wine or $7 specialty cocktails.
To read about other Sunday dinner deals or prix-fixe choices available during the week, check out our blog at www.FinerThingsLa.com!
5 Fun First Date Bars in Los Angeles
These days, first dates tend to be on the more casual side. While coffee dates are fine and dandy, booze always wins. It’s an unspoken fact it helps you get loose. But keep it pleasant, not sloppy. So where to go? Most guys will pick something close to where they live…just in case it goes really well (wink wink, nudge nudge). I’m more inclined to pick something where they either have food or you can get food nearby. See above on keeping it pleasant.
Normal, no drama bar: Spring Street Bar – DTLA
At first, this bar seems more about the beer. But look closely, it features some fine bottles of bourbon. And the bartenders will gamely make you a cocktail if you ask.
Food options: Spring Street serves deli sandwiches and a great potato salad. But if munching from a bag of chips ain’t your steez, head over to nearby Gorbals. Get the banh mi poutine!
High end, craft cocktail bar: Roger Room – Mid-City
If your date hasn’t even been, impress them by leading them to this unmarked, circus-themed bar. At first, they’ll wonder why you’re taking them to Trashy Lingerie on the next block or if you’re really into kinky dates, the strip club across the street. But no, you’ll find the Roger Room next to the Coronet Theatre. The crowd is a nice mix of locals and the craft cocktails here are stellar. Try any of the gin cocktails or for a smooth cocktail with a tough name, the Thug Life.
Themed, kitschy bar: Tiki-Ti – Los Feliz
The Tiki-Ti just celebrated 50 years of business. It’s family owned and they take care of their customers with some of the greatest tropical drinks around. Get cozy at the bar and order Ray’s Mistake. And when people start to chant “toro, toro, toro!”- join in because it’s fun. Someone just ordered a Blood and Sand. Beware it’s cash only and smoke friendly (one of the few bars in L.A. that can legally allow smoking). Also, there’s no beer or wine. As they say, you can get beer anywhere.
Wine Bar: Vintage Enoteca – Hollywood
Sometimes it’s tough in Hollywood. You want to fit in. But not too much. After all, you’re not the sort to wear footie pajamas and hopefully your date doesn’t either. You want to exude class? Drinking wine seems to imply that. Head over to Vintage Enoteca and let them take care of you. Small bar bites include flatbreads, salumi and cheese plates and bruschetta. Perhaps you’ll both reach for olives at the same time when your date goes well.
The Dive Bar: The Liquid Kitty – West Los Angeles
With a neon martini glass marking the entrance, the Liquid Kitty lately has become less of a dive bar and more of a neighborhood bar in recent years. Often you can find a food truck outside and the friendly barkeeps will ask you if you want a regular or large martini. Go for the large. It’s always worth it. Pick a fun themed night like iPod night on Wednesdays. Impress your date with your DJ skills. Or if live music is your thing, try Thursdays for funk music. The best part about this bar? It’s dark as hell so ladies, skip the pancake makeup. You’ll look marvelous in the dim reddish glow.
Ready more by Shauna at TheMinty.com
Food + beer + 1: The only ingredients for a perfect Seattle weekend
As the work week drew to a close last Friday, I felt like I was floating all the way home. It was sunny, warmish and I was excited about everything my wife and I had planned for the weekend.
For starters, there were people everywhere, everyone wanted to be outside and for good reason at that; it has been a cold, gray and wet winter. I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to ditch that scene and embrace some sunnier skies and warmer days.
We knew that we had a lot planned for Saturday and Saturday night so we knew that we’d need to take it easy on Friday. We went out for sushi at one of my favorite places in our neighborhood, Hana Restaurant. For the first time in what seems like forever we ordered the perfect amount of sushi. Usually it’s a case of the “eyes being bigger than my stomach” syndrome and I feel compelled to eat to the point of having a food baby (possibly twins) but we did alright this last time out. Edamame got our evening started along with a giant bottle of Kirin and were followed by a veggie roll, spider roll and a third roll whose identity I cannot recall at the moment as well as pieces of shrimp, yellow tail, salmon, octopus and tuna nigiri. Absolutely delightful and I might make it a priority to eat there at least once a week.
Because I am new to the city and my wife is reacquainting herself with it, we have committed to exploring other neighborhoods and seeing as much as we can especially now since the weather is slowly getting nicer. After a morning run we hopped in the car and drove over to the junction in West Seattle. We ate at Elliot Bay Brewery & Pub. Sadly we didn’t try any of the beers on tap on account of heading to a beer event later that night but that didn’t stop my wife from enjoying her quinoa salad and I devoured a grilled salmon sandwich in near record time. We walked up and down California Ave SW, exploring some of the shops over there and then made our way back home.
We quickly changed (clothes, not our personalities) and began making our way to the Museum of Flight to attend the Hops and Props event that they were hosting. We decided to take public transportation down there and changed busses at 5th and Pine. I swear that there are more people downtown on a weekend afternoon than there are on a Wednesday morning at rush hour. Anyway, we eventually made it down to the Museum and began to help out our friends at Full Throttle Bottles, one of the main sponsors of the event.
The event is a fundraiser for the museum and attracts around 40+ craft breweries and some 1500 attendees (total guess- there were a lot of folks there) all there to drink beer, eat food, drink beer, check-out the museum, drink beer, eat more food, drink beer and drink beer. I can sum-up my night in three words: SO MUCH FUN.
Aside from eating my weight in corn dogs and jambalaya, I got to try some lovely IPAs that I’d not had before and made some friends with some of the brewery reps too. When my wife and I head to Portland at the end of the month we’re getting a private tour of the Laurelwood Brewery but this probably more a result of my affiliation with Full Throttle Bottles rather than my being an incredibly charming individual. Anyway, it was a great event with fun people, good food and great beer. And there are planes hanging from the ceilings everywhere with an outstanding WW I and WW II exhibit that shouldn’t be missed, even if you’re not into planes and what have you.
Sunday was spent mostly recovering from Saturday night though we did manage to eat at Glo’s that morning. That was my first time there and now I know why people are always queued-up outside that place. The food was delicious and I am pretty sure that the hash browns they serve are among the best I’ve ever had. For whatever reason I had a hankering for corned beef hash which is unusual because I don’t really eat red meat anymore and am rarely interested in eating it anyway. Well Glo’s was kind enough to accommodate my yearning and I cleared my plate (including scrambled eggs and toast).
Returning home to lie paralyzed in food coma we finally tore ourselves off the couch once again, to gorge on more food. This time we ventured into the ID down to Harbor City Restaurant for dim sum. We ordered modestly and so far this is the best Chinese food I’ve had since moving here. We ordered shiu mai, spring rolls, pork puns and this fried shrimp with tofu dish. The shiu mai is served as an order of four and they are the biggest shiu mai I have ever seen. The spring rolls are other-worldly and the pork puns were stuffed with the sweetest pork. Both dishes were terrific. The shrimp and tofu thing was really good too. It was served in a sweet brown sauce but I couldn’t help but drench everything in hot sauce.
So even though I gained 4 ½ pounds over the weekend and probably contributed to my bad cholesterol increasing about 11 points I think it was well worth it. Although I just noticed that my left arm feels kind of tingly- is that bad?
Winemaker’s Dinner at Saratoga’s charming Sent Sovi
Saratoga’s charming Sent Sovi restaurant hosts a winemaker dinner practically every month, with most held in the main dining room. But now and then, Chef-Proprietor Josiah Slone will host one in the intimate private cellar room, which seats only a dozen people around one large square table, making for a very memorable experience.
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending such a wine dinner as a guest of the restaurant. The $135, five-course, five-wine dinner showcased one of Slone’s all-time favorite wineries, Varner , a boutique winery in Portola Valley that has attracted the accolades of the one and only Robert Parker, who awarded its 2008 Varner Chardonnay Bee Block an impressive 97 points.
Both Chef Slone and his wife have long been fans of the wines produced by Bob Varner and his brother Jim. They have visited the winery half a dozen times and joke that they often have to restrain themselves from carrying nothing but Varner wines on the restaurant’s wine list. It’s easy to see why when you taste these balanced, long-finishing Chardonnays and smooth, silky Pinot Noirs.
One of the great advantages of attending one of these smaller winery dinners is that you get the chance to really converse with the winemaker, not just upon your arrival when you’re introduced, but all through the meal. Bob Varner, who studied biology at the University of California at Davis, can explain any technical aspect of wine-making, and why he believes doing as little as possible to the grapes is always best.
The evening started with passed canapés that included pate smeared with a sweet-tangy quince mustard, and just-fried Meyer lemon-goat cheese beignets.
After sitting down, the first course arrived – a refreshing cured artic char with the zing of preserved Meyer lemons from the chef’s backyard tree. That was followed by what was one of the juiciest white meat chicken dishes I’d had in a long time. Cooked “sous vide’’ to keep the bird moist, the chicken was accompanied by caramelized fennel and a dice of sweet, spicy pears.
Braised monkfish followed, cooked with Herbes de Provence, bacon and red wine until it all reduced to form a sticky, thick glaze. Next, “flattened’’ roast duck that was reminiscent in texture and taste of Chinese barbecue spareribs with a sweet, peppery bite from harissa.
Dessert was apple tarte tatin made with Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples that would have been perfect had it been served warm, rather than chilled. But that’s a forgivable lapse, given how tiny the kitchen – and oven space – is here.
Varner wines also are available on the regular wine list, by the bottle, as well as by the glass. In fact, Sent Sovi is one of the few South Bay restaurants that regularly pours Varner. Slone is confident you’ll enjoy these wines as much as he does. And if you do, he’ll even offer to let you buy a case and pick it up at his restaurant, rather than incurring shipping costs if you ordered it directly from the winery instead. How’s that for service?
LA’s Top Bottomless Mimosa Brunches
Over here at FinerThingsLA, we really like to drink. So much so that after a night out, when we wake up the next morning, there is nothing we love more than a boozy breakfast with free flowing mimosas. Seriously, what could be better for a hangover than some perfectly cooked over-easy eggs or some nice fluffy pancakes, paired with copious amounts of boozed up OJ?
To show our love for boozy brunches, we dedicate Fridays on our blog to everything & anything mimosa related. Although we haven’t had a chance to hit up all 50+ options listed on our blog, we have tried many of them and definitely have our favorites:
Taste on Melrose – West Hollywood
Taste has it all – amazing food, a great patio for people watching, and most importantly, $13 bottomless bubbly every Saturday & Sunday from 10:30am – 3:00pm. There is something on the brunch menu at Taste for everyone: if you’re in the mood for something savory, we love the breakfast burrito, and if you have a sweet tooth, it doesn’t get better than the brioche French toast with bananas and Nutella. Keep in mind, Taste is definitely on the classier side compared to some of our other mimosa picks, so we don’t encourage finding the bottom of the mimosa barrel here (trust us, we’ve tried on multiple occasions and the waitresses did not bother to hide their disdain.)
The Six – WestLA
We absolutely love this small, dark, restaurant tucked away on Pico. Their breakfast items are hearty and delicious, perhaps the best item on the menu being their waffle sliders. Really, we love any type of slider, and The Six’s breakfast version is no exception – sausage, bacon, eggs & cheese sandwiched between two mini waffles. Think of it as the rich man’s McGriddle. And of course: every Sunday from 10:00a-3:00p they offer bottomless mimosas, bloody marys AND Heffeweisens for just $10.
Overland Café – Culver City
Overland Café always tops our list simply because it is SO cheap. Just $5 for bottomless bubbly, served every Saturday and Sunday from 8:00a-2:00p! Plus, Overland takes no issue with excessive breakfast boozing. In fact, they are encouraging of it & leave full sized bottles of champagne on the table, coming by to replace the bottles when they are empty. Yes, the food is also decently good (standard breakfast stuffs), but we really just come here for the inexpensive bubbly.
Eva – Mid-City
We have yet to meet someone that doesn’t love Eva. Eva has long been the home of one of the best Sunday Suppers in LA and, recently added another reason for us to stop by weekly: Sunday brunch. Sunday brunch at Eva isn’t the cheapest on the block, but considering the food quality and the fact that the mimosas are endless, $29 a person doesn’t seem too bad either. Brunch runs every Sunday from 10:00a-1:00p, and the price includes a 2-course seasonal breakfast menu. Eating at Eva feels like eating at a friend’s house, a cozy spot that is perfect for a lazy Sunday meal.
For a full guide of bottomless mimosa brunches in and around Los Angeles, be sure to check out our blog; we update the list every 1st Friday of the month with a new spot!
The forgotten Seattle Neighborhood: Eastlake
I like to think of Eastlake as the neighborhood in Seattle people forget about. There’s U District and if you don’t blink fast enough you’ll end up in South Lake Union, completely missing the neighborhood east of the lake. After living here for a few years I’ve had the privilege of hitting up a few of the local spots and here are some of my favorites.
Serafina – the jaunt to Italy.
This is a great place when you want to feel like you’re taking a little vacation, it’s something special. Sit at the bar and enjoy one of their hand mixed cocktails. Their spirits and syrups are house-infused and I always find something fun to try in seasonal cocktail section. On the menu start with a traditional Italian dish like sliced meats, cheese and marinaded peppers or Bruschetta. The pork belly has a little northwest twist and is not to be missed. For a second course try the butternut squash ravioli or the eggplant, it’s their signature dish. If you do a meat course the braised short ribs are excellent. Always save room for dessert and end the meal with the Profiteroles – they are divine.
Next door to Serafina is Cichetti – the harth.
No matter where you sit in Cichetti you feel like you’re seated right next to a cozy fireplace or the wood fire oven churning out most of the items on their menu. Everything from the cocktails to food has this homey feeling. Try a classic ruby cocktail or their haymaker. They seasonally update their menu but there are a few constants. Try the pizzas, baked clams or the lamb kabob. The pickled onions on the lamb kabob is an extra special touch. It’s off the menu now but try asking for the Oven Floor Cheese, it’s the simplest dish but amazing! Their dishes are large enough to be a meal or get a few and share the warmth with friends. On Friday nights you’ll find the bar is one of most happening places in Eastlake.
An Eastlake icon. But like all good icons there is a way things are done around here. This local spot is a tavern, beer and wine only, no hard booze. Only cash is accepted so leave your credit card at home. The Skee-Ball machine is in the back. But those are the basics you need the deep cuts. For starters the staff is on it! Keep your beer full or your glass in your hand at all times or someone will come by and scoop it up. Keeping your beer full is preferred. And if all that drinking makes you get hungry and a Zoo hot dog just won’t do it, order a pizza from Pazzo’s next door. It’ll fill you right up. Beer + pizza, it doesn’t get much better than that. Everyone must have at least one beer here in their Seattle-lifetime.
Ravish is every thing you want in a favorite neighborhood bar – good drinks, good food, good atmosphere and a good smile from manager Nick when you walk in. Ravish is good for a quick drink with a friend or bring a group for multiple cocktails and bites at one of their bright green tables. There’s something for everyone at Ravish. Start by perusing the two page cocktail list filled with classics and cocktails with a twist. Move on to food. The menu is built to share with a group or choose a few things for yourself. You can’t go wrong a trio spread, steak skewers, two kinds of sliders, small salads and an amazing mac and cheese that’s worth the wait.
View more by Jamie at http://jamieofalltrades.typepad.com/
Or follow her on Twitter @jmeofalltrades
Introduction to drinking like an Irishman (or woman)
First of all, Happy St. Patrick’s day everyone! As you probably all know, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Guinness beer who went down in legend for bringing the glory of alcohol to Ireland. So naturally, every year on March 17th we all flood our local pubs to drink like the Irish. (Don’t believe me?)
To honor this great day and properly pay homage to St. Patrick, here are a few lessons to help you on your way to being a true Irish drinking snob.
Lesson 1: Guinness
Unlike most beer, Guinness is carbonated mostly with Nitrogen, which isn’t absorbed as quickly into the beer as Carbon Dioxide. This gives the stout more of a creaming, velvety texture. To enjoy Guinness like the Irish, it is proper to wait a full 2 minutes before drinking in order to let the Guinness settle. And for those of you who really want to do it right (or rather enjoy annoy bartenders), ask for a double pour. This pour, which should take exactly 119.5 seconds, consists of filling the glass a little more than half way, waiting for it it so settle, then pouring the rest into the glass.
Lesson 2: Black and Tan
Contrary to popular belief, the Black and Tan is said to have originated in Britain and isn’t widely consumed in Ireland. However, if you insist on enjoying a pint, it’s best to fill your glass almost all the way with Smithwick’s (pronounced Smit-icks, you’re welcome) and top it off with a bit of Guinness.
Lesson 3: Whiskey
The Irish take a lot of pride in their whiskey because they invented the stuff (‘whiskey’ is derived from the Irish word for water). So tonight, skip the bourbon & Scotch unless you want St. Patrick to haunt your dreams. For those that are curious, unlike Scotch, whiskey is distilled 3 times instead of 2 giving it a smoother flavor. And unlike Irish whiskey, bourbon is make using mostly corn grains and is aged in brand new charred oak barrels giving it a distinct oaky flavor.
Types of Whiskey
- Single malt- produced from one type of malted grain and distilled in a single distillery
- Blended – A mixture of various kinds of whiskey such as grain whiskey, malt whiskey, and a pot-stilled whiskey
- Pure Pot Still – Refers to whiskey distilled in pot stills (large copper heating vessels) and contains a combination of malted and un-malted barley
And there you have it, a simple explanation of Irish drinking to prepare you for your exploits. Play it safe, and good luck tomorrow morning.
The most ledgendary Seattle pub crawl
Inspired by yesterday’s article by Seattle Met about great pub crawls in each Seattle neighborhood, I decided to embark on an imaginary journey though Seattle to create a truly legendary pub crawl to rival the Circle Line pub crawl of London or the Red Line pub crawl of Chicago. After all, what city loves its beer, cocktails and wine more than Seattle?
The fact that Seattle lacks a “Line” of any kind put me at a serious disadvantage, but the metro was ready to the rescue. Be warned, this crawl is quite extensive and should probably only be attempted when sneaking a truly legendary night (or if you really want to blow an out-of-towners pants off).
We start in Pike Place Market
The Restaurant Bar – Il Bistro
Il Bistro is known for their legendary Happy Hours and amazing ambiance. Be sure to order one of their precision crafted cocktails while you brace for the upcoming journey.
Walk to 4th and Pike and hop on the 49
The Hipster Bar – Linda’s Tavern
When you get to Linda’s meander on to the back and grab a drink at their outdoor bar. It’ll probably be quite crowded, but hey, that’s only because it’s a great bar right?
Walk east on Pine to E Pine and 10th
The Beautiful Bar – The Tin Table
The Tin Table is a newly renovated bar that’s definitely worth checking for a touch of high class New York style and great cocktails.
Back to Broadway & E Pine to catch the 49. Sit tight because the next stop is at E Miller St and 10th.
The Sports Bar – Roanoke Park Place Tavern
This is your friendly neighborhood sports bar – Cheap beer, friendly bartenders and lots of charm.
Hop on the 49 again and get off at 45th & 11th. Walk a few blocks to 45th & 8th (it’s good to sober up a bit on these things).
The Dive Bar – Blue Moon Tavern
You might want to skip this one if dive bars aren’t your scene, but honestly, you’d be missing out. Yes, it’s old and grungy, but it’s also incredibly comfortable and unpretentious.
Hop on the 44 near 45th & 7th and hop off at 45th and Corliss Ave N
The Live Music Bar – Seamonster Lounge
Seamonster is an old, bohem bar that’s great for a unique live music experience. It’s chill, it’s got great drinks, and to top it off, most of the time there’s no cover.
Get back on the 44 and get off at NW Market St & 6th Ave NW
The Cocktail Bar – Sambar Lounge
Sambar is a small and intimate lounge that’s perfect for unique cocktails mixed to perfection, such as the Piñato with tequila Blanco, tomato water, pineapple, lime, and Pastis.
Walk to 8th Ave NW & NW Market St and hop on the 46. Get off at N Phinney Ave and N 36th St
The New Bar – Quoin
This bar is attached to a urban-style Korean restaurant called Revel, so it makes sense that this bar’s specialty would be sojus (Korea’s version of Sake). It’s small, it’s new and it’s a spark of something unique in Fremont.
Hop on the 28 and get off at Dexter and Howe. Then walk south on Dexter to Dexter and Hayes
The Hangout Bar – Dexter and Hayes
This bar isn’t really a destination point for people who live outside of Queen Anne, but for folks in the area it’s a neighborhood staple because it reflects what Queen Anne is – a neighborhood. There are no meandering drunk 23 year olds or panhandlers, there’s just a lot of apartments, houses and a bar where everyone knows your name.
Hop on the 28 and get off at 3rd and Bell. Then walk to Blanchard toward 1st
The Hidden Bar – Bathtub Gin & Co
This tiny bar is bit of an oasis from the throngs of 18-23 year olds meandering around 1st ave. And what keeps this place so special is that it’s quite literally hidden. To get to the speakeasy bar, you’ll need to walk down the alley way across from SeaSound Lounge. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a beautifully crafted cocktail, sit back, and reflect on your magnificent pub crawl.
And so ends our journey. From this point you have 2 options, take a taxi home or call your mom to pick you up. You may not feel the greatest the morning after this epic journey, but that sick churning in your belly will be overpowered by an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and pride that you and your buddies traversed 8 Seattle neighborhoods in 1 day without the use of a car.
I myself plan on taking this legendary pub crawl this year sometime. When the weather is a bit warmer of course.
5 Bars in Culver City to Consider
In recent years, Culver City has slowly become a destination spot with new art galleries, farmers’ markets, restaurants and even theatre. For those who don’t want to travel to Hollywood, Downtown or even nearby Santa Monica, finding a local bar within stumbling distance is king. Culver City has no shortage of dive bars (Cozy Inn, Tattle Tale, Cinema Bar, Scarlet Lady Saloon). And there are other choices such as wine bars Ugo or Bottlerock, kitschy Bigfoot Lodge West, the chic bar inside the Culver Hotel or even bars at restaurants like Akasha and Fraiche.
A-Frame: For the more picky cocktail enthusiast
Here are five more to consider-
The Irish Bar: Irish Times
3267 Motor Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034-3709
(310) 559-9648
There’s something inherently fun about Irish bars. While Irish Times seems like your typical pub with bar food, a pool table, live music, a jukebox plus an assortment of loyal locals. You’ll be wondering why you never come to this spot to get your cheap drinks on. Don’t ask for a craft cocktail here. Get beer (they have Stella on tap). Or if you’re feeling fancy, try a Jameson and ginger. There are even posters advertising this fine beverage. You could try getting an Irish Car Bomb but depending on the mood of those loyal locals, you might want to reconsider.
The Get Crazy Stripper Pole Bar: Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: 310-837-9546
Named for Chicago’s Rush Street, this bar and restaurant serves a rather Californian menu. It gets busy for happy hour and it’s “off the chain” in horribly outdated slang for Culver City. The two-story joint has a stripper’s pole upstairs and two outdoor patios. When it gets super packed on weekends, don’t try to converse with the bartenders on the finer points of vodka. They’ll either tell you that vodka in the skull-shaped bottle is terrible or simply hand it to you. The later will probably get you in trouble.
Your Nice Restaurant Bar: Ford’s Filling Station
9531 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232-2618
(310) 202-1470
Some may not consider bars at hotels or for that matter, restaurants for their evening’s imbibing but Ford’s Filling Station just started a great late night Happy Hour. On Fridays and Saturdays from 10 to 11 p.m., you can enjoy ½ priced well drinks, draft beer and $5 house wine. One night, a whiskey and soda cost $3 leaving you plenty of cashola for late night bar bites. Oh, Chef Ford is Ben Ford, Harrison Ford’s son. But don’t be impressed by that tidbit, more impressive is Chef Ford worked at Chez Panisse for two years. Hold up the bar by trying one of their Rickys (with a spirit of your choice- pick rum! Pick vodka! Pick something!).
Come for the Grub, Stay for the Craft Cocktails: A-Frame
12565 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90066
(310) 398-7700
The craft cocktail scene is exploding in L.A. and pretty soon, cocktailians might be able to find a drink made with farmers market ingredients, esoteric liquors and home-made bitters just about anywhere. One of the new spots is A-Frame, Roy Choi’s picnic food restaurant sprung from an old IHOP. A-Frame’s cocktail list reads like a handbook for monks, girls who fell in love with St. Germain 3 years ago and the more picky cocktail enthusiast.
Hidden Gem: Mandrake
2692 South La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 837-3297
For hipsters lost on the Westside, never fear, come find your alternative hairstyled brethren at the Mandrake. With no signage other than a tiny blue neon sign that says “bar,” The Mandrake is easy to miss on La Cienega between Venice and Washington. Fortunately, the area features an artwalk and this bar is a welcome place to hang out in between galleries. The bar features a short list of classic cocktails, homegrown mint, tree trunk tables and eclectic music. The gallery room and back patio (where the mint is grown) is in use but most crowd around the long bar. I have discovered they make excellent mint juleps (which really is just a tumbler of whiskey, brown sugar and a few mint leaves) and delightful Manhattans. Also try their Bloody Marys with a spicy peppery vodka.
By Shauna L. Der, theminty.com
Follow her at twitter/theminty
Venice Ale House – “X” Marks the Spot for Organic and Local Food and Drink
Between the surf and the smog of Downtown LA, lies an area of land which teems with life. Surfing, skating, street markets, restaurants, bars, giant murals, fortune tellers, and the most eclectic gathering of eccentricity within a comfy 72 degrees.
Venice, CA has been a destination for tourist, both locally and from abroad, since its inception as a amusement and resort town in 1905. Last August, it was gifted yet another reason to be an “X” on any explorer’s map.
Just a sample of an incredible menu
Venice Ale House was created by owners Thomas Elliot and Spoon Singh in the spirit of a hang-out for grown-ups living, working and playing in Venice. They feature grass-fed beef, local wines and beers, a varied selection of tasty veggie-friendly dishes and their organic-centric menu is always being updated with the season. Decked out skateboard art inside the ale house and Earth-friendly powered gas lamps to keep you warm after the sun sets on their patio, you can’t go wrong wherever you choose to sit.
Spoon and Tom, Chef Emilio, and GM Lindsay are just some of the fine folks of the Venice Ale House who pour their hearts and souls into this ocean-side gem and create a hallmark of the love of food, drink and the beach. Check out their full menu here, but don’t be afraid to just stop in and trust the good people who run the joint to show you a good time. (And be sure to get the salmon tacos—they’re huge, taste amazing, and include some darn good mango salsa.)
Venice Ale House was my must go to destination on the Westside over the Fall, but where is your “X” marked in Los Angeles?
