All stories about "Food Events"

WEST HOLLYWOOD: Looks like The Abbey's been throwing some of that SBE money around. The WeHo fave has a few tweaks this summer: the back cabanas are now banquettes, there's new furniture in the main bar and VIP area, new fabrics, stenciled tables, but the same overall gothic vibe; and the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus have new additions. And then there's the Abbey CD compilation. Yes, you heard us right. Take home the sounds of the Abbey. [EaterWire Inbox]

HOLLYWOOD: Drink.Eat.Play has another sugar/booze fest coming up with Dessert Decadence at Boulevard 3 on Sunday (6/27). Sweet treats from STK, One Sunset, Kiss My Bundt and…Nesquick...among others. That should go well with the wines offered. Chocolate chard, anyone? [EaterWire Inbox]

And for this weekend's grand tasting event: Project by Project's sixth annual Plate by Plate once again takes place at the California Science Center on Saturday. The restauarant list is varied but good---Beso, Water Grill, Cicada, Fraiche, La Cachette, Mastro's, Palate Food & Wine, Bashan, Wilshire, Whist, M Cafe de Chaya, Valerie Confections and more, plus sake, cocktails, entertainment and the probable Bai Ling sighting. Proceeds go to the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) to advance voter registration and civil empowerment for the 2008 election year. Tickets are $150 in advance, $200 at door, $275 VIP; purchase here. (Saturday, July 26, 7pm-10:30pm, 700 State Drive)

It's time once again for one of the summer's biggest little food and wine event and one actually worth the $110 price tag ($150 at the door): Wally's Central Coast Wine & Food Celebration which raises money for the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund for UC Davis School of Viticulture and Enology. Bonaccorsi was a Spago sommelier who died unexpectedly in 2004. The event, held in the Wally's parking lot, offers just the right amount of nibbles and sips to make a sunny afternoon quite enjoyable. Once again expect eats from Spago, Lucques and A.O.C., Campanile, the Mozzas, Hungry Cat, Comme Ca, Hitching Post and more, plus wines from some personal favorites including Byron, Sea Smoke, Linne Calodo, Au Bon Climat, Qupe, Sanford, L'Aventure, Beckman and others. (Sunday, Aug. 3, 12pm-4pm; Wally's, 2107 Westwood Blvd; purchase tickets here.)

WEST HOLLYWOOD: The annual Hungry Cat Crabfest is loads of fun, so we have high hopes for the Lucques annual barbecue. We don't know the exact menu, but heard something about pork ribs, lamb ribs, corn bread, greens and other sides, plus specialty cocktails, and bluegrass and country music (not live, just for ambience). Reservations go fast, call now. $45 per person. Sunday, August 10, 1pm-10pm. [EaterWire]

BEVERLY HILLS: The Fourth of July barbecue went off without a hitch at the Roof Garden Bar & Restaurant at the Peninsula hotel, so they're making it a regular deal throughout the summer. A prix fixe menu features things like tomato and fresh mozzarella salad, entrees like whole lobster or jerk rib-eye steak prepared on the outdoor grill, sides, and banana splits for dessert. Sunset views and summer night skies come gratis. $55 per person (extra for the lobster); Sat-Sun, 4pm-9pm.

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We checked out the annual Concern Foundation Block Party at Paramount Studios on Saturday, a huge foodie event that raises money for cancer research worldwide. Here, some sights and sounds from the night:

1) The theme was "The Sixties," which doesn't really explain the greeter chicks on stilts with their asses hanging out at eye level but does explain two long sets from "Beatlemania" that everyone (OK, us) really got into.

2) There was some pretty tasty food from the forthcoming Sashi in Manhattan Beach, Jian, Blue on Blue, The Grill and Mr. Cecil's, so it's unclear why the Pink's line was the most ridiculous all night. We joked with one woman that this crowd wouldn't be caught dead waiting in line on at the La Brea stand, but since they paid $350 a head, it was OK. She failed to see the humor while waiting for her hot dog. Crickets.

MELROSE: This is what restaurant family is all about. Billy Walsh, a cook at Craft and a waiter at Osteria Latini, was heading to work on his Vespa in May and got hit by a car. He suffered some serious injuries (collapsed lung, bleeding in the brain, fractured ribs, lacerations) but, as a new hire, didn't have health insurance when the accident occurred. It's a well-known fact many restaurant hospitality workers don't have insurance, so some of LA's food and beverage elite are joining forces to hold a fundraiser for Billy on Monday, July 14. Eric Greenspan and The Foundry on Melrose will host, chefs from Craft and Providence will help with the food, and bartenders extraordinaire from The Doheny, Malo, Osteria Mozza, Comme Ca, The Edison and Gordon Ramsay will be on hand mixing drinks. (Ok, we called a moratorium on mixology, but these are maybe the only people who get a reprieve.) Tickets are $40 per person, which includes dinner, dessert and one drink (after that it's cash bar only); purchase at the door, cash only. Starts at 7pm. [EaterWire]

DOWNTOWN: Lime Cafe didn't open too long ago, but it apparently wasn't prepared for the criticism the Downtownizens were ready to bring. The owners took the cafe "offline" to retool the menu, add some items, including vegetarian dishes. (Side thought: Is downtown veggie-central or something? Every place seems to get the same criticism. Equally odd, the restaurants automatically placate.) Owner Michael Franz tells Angelenic: "We are not trying to be totally authentic Mexican food, as there are probably a dozen of those within a mile of us. However, we need to execute our version better." The cafe reopens on July 17. [Angelenic]

PASADENA: This is one we'll follow up on to confirm, but the tip just came in: "La Luna Negra is closing in August. Lease issues." This is the tapas and Flamenco dancing restaurant on Green Street, open for several years. [EaterWire Inbox]

Summer is the time for foodie events---some big (AWFF) some small (No Cookie Left Behind)---but there's always something good to eat, hopefully some good hooch to go with it, and plenty of chefs and chef stalkers to schmooze with. True, everyone's tightening the purse strings these days, but consider this: Most of these events cost as much as a dinner at one restaurant and the money usually goes to charity. Coming up we have the 11th annual Extravaganaza of the Senses held at the 20th Century Fox Lot on Saturday, July 19. There will be plenty of food from 40 restaurants including Angelini Osteria, Big Sugar Bakeshop, Border Grill, Ortolan, Mr. Cecil's, Il Moro, Chaya Venice, Sushi Roku and more, plus a VIP lounge sponsored by The Edison. Live music, silent auctions, and wines sponsored by the Wine House. Tickets are a mere $100 ($225 for VIP which includes parking, early entry and seating in the lounge) and can be purchased right here. Proceeds go the the Saban Free Clinic (formerly the Los Angeles Free Clinic) which provides free medical and dental care to the uninsured and working poor.

Now, we have two sets of VIP tickets to giveaway---which gets you access to the extravaganza and the VIP lounge---but you'll have to work for it. Since the theme of this year's event is "going green," tell us about the "greenest" dish you've eaten at any LA restaurant. Green is open to interpretation. The best two answers win entry for two. All entries, right this way.

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If there's one event we---and just about any foodie worth their fleur de sel---look forward to every year, it's Wolfgang Puck and Babara Lazaroff's American Wine & Food Festival held on the Universal Back Lot every fall. Why? Because it's one place with local, national and world-renown chefs, wines and cocktails at every turn, live music, and more food than any one person can eat in the allotted five hours. The New York facades and cobblestone streets made the event interesting, and even though the recent Universal Studios fires affected the location, the party will still go on (no updates on what part of the back lot will be used, however).

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We finally finagled a reservation for Hungry Cat's annual Crabfest, now in its fourth year, on Sunday. Just as it should be, we left full of Natty Bo (National Bohemian beer, for those who don't know, from "the land of pleasant living"), covered in crab remnants and spicy fingers no matter how many times we washed them. While the sun blasted the patio early in the day, people waited for tables inside or in the shade; by the time we left, finally shaded but still hot, every table was full. There was plenty of newspaper, mallets and buckets of beer, and even those who've never had a steamed blue crab in their life really got into it. David Lentz and his chefs (including for a bit, wife Suzanne Goin) manned the crab pots, a very tan Nancy Silverton just finished dessert as we sat down, and the crowd was teeming with bloggers, restaurant publicists, other chefs and food media galore. For anyone who's lived in or near Maryland, this might be a stylized Hollywood-version of the down-home crab feasts (soft shell po' boys and crab soup and heirloom tomatoes with provolone cheese and basil before you even get to the crabs), but who's complaining? Everything was delicious, the beer was ice cold, and for those who wanted them, the crabs kept on coming. It's fair to note: The $50 per person crab menu is easy on the wallet, it's adding the beers and cocktails and oysters from the raw bar that'll put you over. A pricey afternoon, but still total summer perfection.

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This year's Gourmet on Fire event at the Loews Santa Monica hotel was kind of a bust on Sunday. Plenty of people showed---sold out, we hear---maybe because it was an evening event vs. a daytime one. Now we've enjoyed this event every year (two previous at Loews, one at Viceroy) but something was amiss this time around, and we can't exactly put our finger on it. The chefs were almost all there---Neal and Amy Fraser grilling for Grace and BLD; Joe Miller made a quick appearance at his Bar Pintxo table; a bundled up Akasha Richmond passed out spiced grilled shrimp; the chef from the Loews manned his table, as did pastry chef Zoe Nathan from Rustic Canyon. Not in attendance: Govind Armstrong at Table 8 table, which also ran out of food about an hour in. (To be fair, the restaurant is closed for now.) You know what happens when there are only six or seven restaurants represented and one drops out too early? Lines at the other tables get ridiculous.

SANTA MONICA: A reader saw that It’s a Grind Coffee Shop on SMB is closed: "I walked by there yesterday and a note on the door said 'Thanks for the past 22 months, we are closing our doors.'" Any one have ideas on why it closed? (Photo credit.) [EaterWire Inbox]

UNIVERSAL CITY: We got word from the folks who organize Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff's American Wine and Food Festival. Despite the fires on the Backlot, where the event is usually held, it will most likely return for the September event. Tickets go on sale July 1. [EaterWire]

BEVERLY HILLS: Pool parites are all the rage. The Blue on Blue at the Avalon Hotel now has Detox-Retox from 2pm-6pm every Sunday with special menu offerings that either help the hangover (bbq brisket sliders, corn and crab hushpuppies, sparkling pomegranate lemonade) or keep the party going (build-your-own Bloody Mary). The hourglass pool is intimate with nice little cabanas, so this would be the anti-Vegas pool party if there ever was one. [EaterWire]

GOF 2007

It's that time again: Gourmet on Fire once again takes place poolside at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel this Saturday. The event differs from the larger tasting events in several ways, but it's still worth the money. There are only seven chefs all serving specialties from giant grills---this year it's Akasha Richmond from Akasha, Joe Miller from Bar Pintxo, Neal Fraser from Grace, Katsuya Uechi from Katsuya, Greg Foos from Ocean & Vine, Govind Armstrong from Table 8, and pastry chef Zoe Nathan from Rustic Canyon---so it's a bit more intimate, more like a pool party than some grand affair. Also new, the event starts at 6pm for a little sunset action. There's always lots of wine, beer and cocktails, and, hey, you can even get a glimpse of the new ferris wheel on the Pier. Tickets are $100, some proceeds go to the Southland Farmer's Market Association. (June 14, 6pm-9pm; 1700 Ocean Ave.)

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We popped over to Sunday's annual Club Culinaire Picnic des Chefs held in Griffith Park because the weather was perfect, and what could be better than a glass of rose and some French food in the park? Not much, really. Tickets were gratis for us, but even if we forked out the $50, it would've been worth it. Instead of having each restaurant set up a booth and serve food, booths were organized by region with several chefs manning each one. We caught Joe Miller dishing out escargot in Burgandy and Jean-Francois Meteigner slicing grilled beef in Provence; there was some lovely roasted chicken and frites in Paris, and the clafoutis at the dessert table was magnifique. French accents---real and fake--were in abundance, as were families, kids, couples, many stretched out on blankets in the grass. Not long after we arrived, people horded fresh baguettes and boules from the bakery table, which was a great idea until we spotted a a girl running through the grass half eating a baguette, half threatening to hit her brother with it, and we almost poked some nice woman's eye out at a wine table with ours. Tres dangereux!

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DOWNTOWN: The Library Bar, a cozy watering hole for beer lovers, business folk and late-night Downtownizens will have a kitchen and small bar menu soon. Construction started this week with hopes to finish in a few months. [Angelenic]

MID-CITY: There's a rumor floating around that Ortolan's Christophe Eme is looking for a TV gig. Yes, he's handsome enough, and sure, he can get some pointers from wife, actress and restaurant partner Jeri Ryan, but the heavy French accent might be too much to bear on the small screen. Pot throwing, however, might make for good TV… [Grubtrotters]

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Yesterday the annual Taste of the Nation foodie fest took place in Culver City's Media Park, now with more of LA's top chefs, more food and it looked like more do-gooders than ever. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, and there's a lot of space, so no matter how long the line, there's no major pushing and shoving for bite-size morsels, even at the Craft table. No one ran out of food too early, and there were plenty of cocktails and enough water to rehydrate the crowd---all positives compared to last year. The best part is foodies and fans meeting the chefs, all for a good cause: Proceeds go to the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness, the LA Regional Food Bank and other charities. Some hangover observations:

1) We didn't hit every booth so it's unfair to say who had the best dishes of the day, but we enjoyed the roast pork and coleslaw sandwich from Grace, the returning arancini from Dominick's (as well as their house white wine), Cognac-cured salmon from Conny Andersson's forthcoming AK restaurant, duck liver mousse from Palate Food + Wine, simple oysters on the half shell from Water Grill, and pork belly from Sona/Comme Ca. Where the lines never died: The mojito bar and Gail Silverton's Gelato Bar booth.

2) For her first TON as a Top Chef, Foxtail's Antonia Lofaso worked it. She cooked fettucini and clams with fennel (same dish as in the Restaurant Wars episode?), which was damn tasty, posed for pics with fans, and competed in a TC-type cooking challenge against Fred 62/Tiara's Cafe Fred Eric. Judges Evan Kleiman (owner of Angeli Caffe and host of "Good Food," LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold, and Cat Cora picked Eric as the winner, which may or may not have had something to do with him ripping off his clothes to reveal full-on Lakers' regalia.

Scenes from 2007 SOS Taste of the Nation

Yet another reason why we love summer in LA: Outdoor food events. Taste of the Nation, Share our Strength’s annual food and wine event to combat child hunger, takes place at the Culver City media park on Sunday, June 1. Not only is it the 20th anniversary of the evnt, but the list of chefs and participants is as inviting as ever. As always, we've got the top players from Providence, Comme Ca/Sona/Boule, Grace, Angeli Caffe, Border Grill/Ciudad, Joe's/Bar Pintxo, Melisse, Water Grill, Sushi Roku/Boa, Ford's Filling Station, Whist, Table 8, Little Dom's/Dominick's and more, plus newcomers Foxtail (Antonia!), Murano, One and STK, Paperfish, Akasha and the Big C himself, Colicchio's Craft. Another sure-to-be-highlight will be Jonathan Gold's "Ask the Critic" booth---go ahead, try and stump him---cooking challenges hosted by Kirk Cameron (!), and general sunny, breezy afternoon giddiness. Tickets are $115 in advance, $125 at door and $175 for VIP package (get them here), and 100% goes to SOS charities.
· Gossip from Taste of the Nation [~ELA~]
· 2008 Taste of the Nation Los Angeles [Official Website]

Omnipresent lines at Tender Greens, Culver City

ANYWHERE: We know they're opening in West Hollywood, heard they were still looking downtown, but the Tender Greens boys aren't stopping their salad train there. They're also looking at Burbank, Tarzana, Hollywood and maybe Santa Monica, but no dreaded 'C' words here: "We may have multiple locations, but we don’t see ourselves as a chain. Our goal is to build a company that believes wholeheartedly in sustainability. We’re not trying to build a behemoth." All they want are locations with lots of foot traffic from homes and businesses, outdoor space for sidewalk cafes, and plenty of parking. [GrubTrotters]

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There's a good chance we really are still hungover from this past weekend's festivities. Here's the thing: You have Vegas, which is already the land of excess, go-go-go, non-stop everything, and then you have Bon Appetit's Uncork'd, a multi-day, multi-resort, multi-chef, food, drink and party extravaganza. Mix them together and *boom* excess on steroids. We blazed in the sun at the cooking competitions, we noshed at the Grand Tasting, we watched chefs win a couple thou at blackjack. Here, then, a final round up of gossip, quips and observations.

It's that time of year again: The calendar is chock-full of every sort of charity food event imaginable. But which ones are worth it? Let's look at a couple upcoming events back to back and compare cost, menu, cocktails, beneficiaries, and overall fabulosity. We'll weigh in, you make the call.

La Vida Sake
Petersen Automotive Museum, Miracle Mile, Thur, May 22, 7pm-10pm
Cost: $60 in advance, $75 at door
Menu: Nibbles from Maison Akira, Water Grill, Japon Bistro, Maru Sushi, Warun, Oiwake and others.
Cocktails: Lots of sake, sake experts, sake sampling.
Beneficiary: Little Tokyo Service Center.
Overall Fabulosity: Last year, it was Morimoto and Star Wars at the Science Center; this year it's sake and low riders at the Peterson Museum. As they said on Losanjealous: "We have no choice but to applaud the LTSC for managing to neatly encapsulate the essential ingredients and flavors comprising Los Angeles, our fair city, within this one event: fund raising, alcohol, small portions, numerous cars and Wilshire Boulevard will all be simmered in a melting pot of cultural influences with serious Latino and Asian leanings. Voila!"

Vegas, in chocolate. BA weekend 2007.

There are people who complain that the big-name marquee chefs barely step foot in their Vegas restaurants. True, in Vegas, chances are slim you'll see Flay running around Mesa Grill or Guy Savoy working the lines at Guy Savoy. But this weekend, they and all the others will be in the house: Bon Appetit's Uncork'd---a mega-culinary excursion where everyday folk (with a wad of cash) can hobbnob with chefs like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Laurent Tourondel, Michael Mina, Wolfgang Puck, Paul Bartolotta and Daniel Boulud---begins Thursday, May 8. Looks like most of the events (luncheons, cooking demos) are already sold out, but tickets are still available for the grand tasting at Caesars. Us: We'll be blogging from the sidelines, eating, gossipping with the chefs, and rooting for Border Girls Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Miliken to take Todd English or David Burke in blackjack. You: Maybe a spontaneous road trip is in order.
· Bon Appetit: Vegas Uncork'd [Official site]