Monday:
Part Two of CUT Beverly Hills International Menu Series
Part two of the series, which begins tonight features the country of Italy. The family-style menu highlights some of the techniques and traditions practiced throughout the country of Italy. Dishes include a seasonal crudo d’orto (vegetable crudo); various salumi & fromaggi; Ravioli Zucchine (zucchini ravioli); and served for the table Costata alla Fiorentina & Bistecca Fiorentina. $95, $55 optional wine pairing; Through September 15 (October will be a Japanese menu); 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; 310.276.8500
Poco Wine Bar Opens
smoke.oil.salt. owners Stephen Gelber (managing partner and wine director) and AdVantage Partners (Adam Fleishman and Lee Weinberg) have opened Poco Wine Bar, a community-driven, wine tasting room and event space, inside smoke.oil.salt. With their entire menu priced $10 and under, they feature a weekly rotating Sommelier’s Select red and white wine at $5 and $6 a glass, from smoke.oil.salt.’s wine list, plus a cava and house made sangria. Additionally, the wine program will offer a selection of rare wines served by the glass available through a Coravin wine system. These select bottles will be announced on social media one night a week, and will include well-known sought-after bottles from around the world, including benchmark older vintages, at market price. The new menu was designed by smoke.oil.salt. chef Jonathan Vasquez, who trained under his mentor Ricardo Zarate and his ever-changing menu will have comfort-driven small plates, showcasing Mediterranean flavors. The debut menu features: Chorizo-Stuffed Squid; Halibut Ceviche; Woodfire-Grilled Flatbread; Heirloom and Beet Salad; Shortrib Crostini; House-Brined Chicken Wings; Beef and Scallop Skewers; Padron Peppers and Papas Bravas Potatoes. Poco Wine Bar will also feature specialty POCO Wine Social dinners once a month, where it will be hosted by a local sommelier, winemaker, or industry leader, starting at $45 all-in. This series of social, communal-style dinners will kick-off with a Portuguese wine night on August 11th. The dinner will feature 6 courses and 7 select paired Portuguese wines for $59 (including tax and tip) Seating is limited and tickets will be available for purchase through Table8. Open Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-11 pm; 7276 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA; 323.930.7900
Guillermo del Toro: At Home With Monsters Exhibit
From Hellboy to Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro has established himself as one of the premiere visual artists of our time. Check out displays from his extensive career, including sculptures and drawings from his notebooks. Monday through November 27th; LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036; 323.857.6010
Laurel Point Opens
The Point Restaurants’ new sustainable seafood restaurant, Laurel Point, is officially open! Laurel Point is a part of The Point Restaurants and is committed to cooking with the freshest and seasonal seafood to create a menu that is sustainable and organic. Highlights on the menu include Summer Squash Linguine with shiitake edamame, chili flakes, parmesan, lemon and herbs; Tuna Tataki Salad with chuka wake, apples, honshimeji, cilantro, panko and sesame miso; and Ahi Tuna Poke Burrito with sushi rice, black beans, avocado, chuka wakame and spicy mayo. See brunch menu here and lunch menu here. Additionally, The Point will be adding a second location, Wewatta Point, in Denver next year. Monday; 12050 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA
Ultimate Back-to-School Shopping Spree with Hotel Irvine
August always means back-to-school (bummer). Well, why not a shopping spree to liven you up?! Hotel Irvine is giving families the chance to to splurge with a package that offers accommodations, perks and amenities for up to eight guests. Take over the 1,500-square-foot Presidential Suite and enjoy a $500 gift card to Irvine Spectrum Center or Fashion Island; a personal shopper; reusable shopping totes; dinner for up to eight guests at EATS Kitchen & Bar; pre-stocked refrigerator with choices of drinks and snacks; and complimentary self-parking for up to four cars. Based on availability; only one reservation allowed per day. $1,095 (additional nights starting at $995, pricing excludes applicable taxes and service charges, dinner at EATS not to exceed $400, refrigerator items not to exceed $50); August; Hotel Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Rd, Irvine, CA 92614; 888.230.4452
“Bring on the Booze” with Westbound
The new bar + eatery partners with neighbor Van Leeuwen Artisanal Ice Cream to bring you three exclusive Westbound boozy milkshakes, including: London Fog with Earl Grey ice cream, paired with Westbound’s house-made lemon sorbet, Beefeater gin, and garnished with lemon curls; Matcha Madness with Vegan Matcha ice cream, Rittenhouse rye, honey syrup, Amaro Montenegro and matcha powder; and Grasshipster, with Mint Chip ice cream, Fernet Branca, crème de cacao and menthe, and served with mint (a play on the 70’s favorite “Grasshopper” cocktail). August; 300 South Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013; 213.262.9291
Tuesday:
The Taco is King for the Return of Street Food Fights this at Border Grill DTLA
This August, many nations will gather to compete for the title of world’s best – not just in Brazil for the Olympics – but in DTLA for the return of Street Food Fights. Chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken bring it all together at Border Grill Downtown LA for the month-long event. It’s Latin America versus the world as four Latin favorites (Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico) take on four international challengers (Thailand, USA, Lebanon, Italy) over four weeks out on the patio, culminating in a four-nation free-for-all championship round on Tuesday, August 30th. It starts with Brazil and Italy competing in the taco. The Street Food Fights menus are a collaboration by Feniger, Milliken, Executive Chef Michelle Lainez, and the entire Border Grill Downtown kitchen family. Winners will be decided by voting on social media. All-You-Can-Eat: $20 Online Pre-Sale, $25/door, $6/a la Carte; Tuesdays, 5:30– 9 pm; Union Bank Plaza, 445 S Figueroa St #100, Los Angeles, CA 90071; 213.486.5171
Thursday:
Kettle Black Opens
Following the success of newly opened sister restaurant Sawyer, partners Beau Laughlin, Brett Cranston and Jay Milliken have announced another concept, Kettle Black, an Italian restaurant with Executive Chef Sydney C. Hunter III in the kitchen. Laughlin, Cranston and Milliken designed Kettle Black in collaboration with Carlos Anthony Lopez. The space, originally home to the California Bank, seats 105 and features a modern take on a rustic aesthetic. Kettle Black displays the original vault from 1922, along with 17ft ceilings, original tile, brick, and vaulted wood truss beams. Hunter will offer a variety of Antipasti including Orata Crudo with Sea Bream, tangerine vinaigrette, pink peppercorns, and malden salt; and Pulpo with fregola sarda insalata, ‘nduja, mint, and sherry vinegar. From the wood fired oven, selections include Eggplant with saba vin cotto, garlic, olive oil, parmesan, and chili flake; and Polpette with san marzano tomato sauce, and pecorino romano. Pizzas from the wood fired oven will include Polpette Pizza with meatballs, ‘nduja, and leoncini; and Patata Pizza with crème fraiche, Yukon potato, broccolini, sunny side up egg. House-made pasta dishes include Gnocchi with braised lamb, sundried tomato, and baby zucchini; Garganelli with wood fired Bolognese and pecorino romano; and Pappardelle with maitake mushroom and nasturtium butter. And ‘Dolce’ includes Siciliano with sponge cake, candied pecans, smoked meringue; Vanilla Panna Cotta with macerated stone fruit; and Ricotta Fritter with strawberry sauce. Curating the wine program is certified European sommelier, Dario Dell’Anno (Mozza, Providence) who has picked a wide range of exciting and bold Italian wines. Barkeeps Damien Windsor (Roger Room, Seven Grand) and Jordan Young (Osso, East Borough) have create a cocktail program focusing on a wide variety of craft and classic cocktails, an after dinner Amaro list, and house made Italian style vermouths. There’s a daily happy hour from 5-7 pm that includes $3 house beer, $4 Peroni, $6 house red, white, and rosé wine, $7 well drinks, and $8 punch, daiquiri, Negroni, and Aperol Spritz. Food offerings include a $7 Meatball Sandwich; $7 Tri Colore Salad with radicchio, endive, little gem, salame, and provolone; $15 Charcuterie; $7 Wood Fired Cauliflower with bagna cauda, fried capers, and pickled raisins; and $14 Margherita Pizza and choice of a glass of wine or beer. Happy hour menu is also available Sunday –Wednesday from 11 pm – 2 am. Open daily, 5 pm – 2 am; 3705 Sunset Blvd, Silver Lake, CA; 323.641.3705
