Issue 31 — Holiday Cheers, Grazing Boards (with bows) + Casual Caviar 🥂
Plus a gluten free Bach moment in Sonoma
I hope you’re staying cozy sitting by a fire somewhere. Perhaps you pulled away from the fam for a moment to scroll on your phone in peace. Happy to be here with you.
News Bites:
We already knew Pasadena was cool, but someone told Vogue. (It was Pia)
I feel pretty mid about Saffy’s but this IG post got my attention.
Nikko wrote about Cafe Triste for Infatuation calling it the ”spot for 20-somethings, wine drinkers, and anyone who can pull off spray-painted jeans.” giving it a rating of 7.9. I feel like we’d get along.
Persimmon Lovers… this salad at Bub’s is for you. They also came out with Baguette chips for all your holiday grazing boards.
This farmer is pitching his iceberg lettuce to In-N-Out on IG. Better protein style could be on its way. 🥬
Never have I ever seen a croissant sliced like this, but I’m into it.
12/24 — 12/26 Seoul’s Knotted Donuts will be at Kumquat for Christmas :)
Mulled wine is out. Hot toddys are in.
If you’re looking for festive places to eat / drink, Infatuation has a list. Fancy prix fixe dinner for NYE — here’s Eater’s guide. Need More? As always, refer to Camber’s weekly round up of stuff of things to do and places to be.
West-Side Coucou fam is opening another restaurant in West Hollywood. 🥂
Sesame LA has moved to a bigger space in Chinatown’s Central Plaza.
McDonald’s new beverage concept CosMc’s is taking on Starbies. I’ll wait for Gen-z to lmk if it’s cool or not.
Late night icon Ruen Pair is opening a dessert cafe next to their Thai Town restaurant.
The LA Times 101 Best Restaurants List of 2023 is here. Obviously I counted how many I’ve been to… it’s 30. They rounded up the most affordable options , but Courage Bagels is on the list… so it’s not that affordable. lol
DTLA’s Ace Hotel is shutting down after a decade in biz. ETA just announced their closing with 2023. Here’s an unfortunate list of 30+ more closures. :/
Spice company McCormick & Co. predicts tamarind to be the flavor of 2024. Although this may be true, it reminded me that any brand can just say anything is the thing of the year if their marketing is convincing enough.
La Morra Pizza has had some great collabs. Here are the pizza boxes to prove it.
Dimes launched Semi-D (Yes, it’s ‘Dimes’ spelled backwards)…. an outlet for exploring various mediums beyond food. They launched with pepper.
Smallhold dropped a mushroom pesto, and I will be trying it before the end of the year.
Maru x MoPQ dropped more merch. Cream Top anyone? The comment section doesn’t disappoint.
Olivia Rodrigo’s Erewhon smoothie has arrived, and it’s good for your GUTS.
The yogurt company Chobani has acquired La Colombe for 900 million. Sheesh.
Only Majordomo can make a banana cocktail sound and look good. They also have a loaded baked potato cart if you didn’t know. (with caviar duh) 🥔
Low-alcohol spirits brand, Haus picked up on the casual caviar trend. The CPG community took to their keyboards. Emily rounded up the news.
Oishii (fancy strawberry brand) just dropped the perfect snacking tomato — The Rubī. ‘Whereas other tomatoes only experience peak ripeness for a few short weeks, the Rubī Tomato is always-in-season, with one mouthful transporting you to pure tomato bliss.’
A film: MENUS-PLAISIRS—Les Troisgros
‘For his 44th documentary, Director Frederick Wiseman (93-years-old!!!!) journeys to the French countryside to examine the workings of a family-owned restaurant that has held three Michelin stars for more than 50 years. The film runs a heroic four hours yet absorbing from start to finish (according to Manohla Dargis, NYT).
I’m not having the easiest time tracking down how to watch it since it’s debut at the Lincoln Center in October. Maybe at this theater in Beverly Hills? 4 hours though… might be more comfy at home anyway. (lol)
Recent Bites (and sips)
Grazing (with a bow)
I’ve been grazing my way through the holidays. Since mid November it’s just been charcuterie spread, one after the other. Not in the actual sense… (cured meats were scarcely present.) I mean charcuterie in the millennial-mostly-cheese kind of way.
Too many tablescapes to photograph… and let’s be honest, you’ve seen ‘em. Dips, crackers, seasoned nuts, dried fruits, olives... candles dripping with wax to deal with tomorrow, bows on everything, and so. much. cheese. Dinner is out the window.
Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE a spread, the same way I love bows. I think I’m just ready to see something new. How do you feel?
Blu’s Latkes + Our Apple Butter
Annie and I brought apple butter to Blu’s housewarming. (It was more of a chutney than a butter) but a welcomed addition for sure. These were the crispiest, tastiest latkes I’ve ever had. Well done Blu.
Blue Barn
My absolute favorite salad — and one of few that’s actually worth its $20 price tag. Dare I say there’s almost too much avocado? Spicy wild ahi tuna tartare, edamame, cucumber, mango, scallion, sesame seeds, crispy soba noodles, miso-ginger vinaigrette & house romaine mix, served with a perfectly sized slice of Acme focaccia.
Tacos de Papas Dorados — Atlaco Taco pop-up at Bar Flores
I can practically taste this photo. Potatoes fried in a crispy tortilla with lime, cilantro + salsas... So simple, always perfect. Chefs kiss.
Little Fish Tofu Sandwich at Dada Market
I thought I was just getting a sammie from Little Fish’s new takeout window, but Dada was such a nice surprise. (Still keeping up their mystery girl vibe on IG) The new Echo Park market took over the former Dinette space and has 2 counters, one for bread + provisions, the other houses Dada’s coffee program and Little Fish.
I’ve been a fan of LF pre-sandwich, back when they were only slingin’ fish + chips during the pandemi out of a home. It’s been so exciting to watch their growth — well deserved. 👏
A Very Celiac Bachelorette
We pulled out all the stops for this gluten free carb queen. I grabbed bags of gf pasta from Bucatini. Audrey schlepped herself to Woodland Hills for Modern Bread and Bagel (GOATED GF option) and we brought 24 bagels up to Sonoma for the weekend. Mother of the bride, Lynn made a whole spread of gluten free pastries… scones + cheddar biscuits. TJ’s frozen hash browns staying crispy in the oven. We had plenty of wine (thanks to generous donations from the rents) but we also brought natty bottles from Highland Park Wine including a mag. (duh)
Flower’s Winery
To my surprise, making a res for 9 women to go wine tasting in Sonoma wasn’t easy. It’s as if all the wineries got together and decided they wouldn’t deal with any parties larger than 6. (And when they say no exceptions, they meant it.) But Flowers didn’t hesitate to accommodate us so we happily drove 1 hour north in the rain to Healdsburg. The vibe was luxurious without being pretentious. We loved Kevin. ;)
The grounds had just been redone by Walker Warner and were STUNNING. Excited to head back in the summer for this ⤵
Thanks for reading and eating :) Happy B.S. Holidays
🔗 Last Week’s Most Clicked Link:
Chipotle really said “We know what you’re doing… so we made a thing for u to do it better.” Their limited edition car Napkin Holder already sold out.
I made it into bitesized - 2023 goal achieved 😉
Another great article, thank you!