FOOD & WINE EVENTS
By Leslee Komaiko
For dineLA.com
July 4
If you’ve been wanting to check out Marty D’s, the sharp little hot dog specialist in Beverly Hills, here’s a fine excuse. In honor of Independence Day, everything on the menu, including the signature grilled deluxe all beef hot dog and fountain drinks like the Brooklyn Egg Cream, are discounted 15%. For more information, call 310.273.7771.
July 7
The third 5 x 5 Chefs Collaborative dinner of the year takes place tonight at Melisse. Josiah Citrin of Melisse, David LeFevre of Water Grill, Gino Angelini of Angelini Osteria and La Terza, Michael Cimarusti of Providence and Walter Manzke of Bastide are the fabulous five. Tonight they are joined by chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus in Healdsburg. A portion of all proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics. For reservations, call 310.395.0881.
July 8
The first of three bourbon tastings slated for this summer at local Morton’s and Arnie Morton’s takes place tonight at Morton’s in Downtown Los Angeles. A whiskey expert will be on hand for those who want a little educatin’ with their liquor. July 18 brings more of the same to Arnie Morton’s in Woodland Hills. On August 8, Arnie Morton’s in Burbank hosts. The $45 tab includes signature Morton’s hors d’oeuvres. For reservations to this evening’s tasting, call 213.553.4566.
July 12
More than fifty restaurants, bakeries and specialty food purveyors including Fogo de Chao, M Café de Chaya, Valerie Confections and Deluscious Cookies will be on hand for the Concern Foundation’s 34th Annual Block Party at Paramount Studios. Party goers will also be treated to four stages of musical entertainment, casino style gaming and both a live and silent auction. For more information, call 323.852.9844 or visit concernfoundation.org.
July 12-13
The third annual LA Wine Fest takes place this weekend at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Taste dozens of wines from around the world as well as specialty liquors. Saturday evening, Georg Riedel will conduct a comparative wine tasting with his celebrated glasses. A separate ticket is required for this event. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit lawinefest.com.
July 14
Celebrate Bastille Day at Jean Francois Meteigner’s Century City charmer La Cachette. The three course prix fixe menu, priced at $85 per person, includes options such as duck two way a l’orange and roasted rack of lamb. Balloons and live accordion music are sure to keep the mood festive. For reservations, call 310.470.4992.
July 14
“Cooking by Hand” is the theme of tonight’s lecture at Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City. Chef Ben Ford is joined by Gino Angelini of Angelini Osteria and La Terza. The $75 ticket price includes dinner. $15 supplement for wine pairings. Call Ford’s Filling Station at 310.202.1470 for reservations.
July 17
CT Lounge in Eagle Rock, slated to open in June, is hosting a beer tasting this evening. $15 gets you a selection of California microbrews along with appetizers. Jeff Musial from Wine Warehouse will give an overview of the suds. For reservations, send an email to ctlounge@gmail.com.
August 3
More than 50 Central Coast wineries will be pouring yummy stuff at Wally’s 5th Annual Central Coast Wine and Food Celebration benefiting the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund. A handful of Los Angeles’ best restaurants will also be representing. Among them: Spago, Sona, Lucques and The Hungry Cat. For tickets, call 310.475.0606 or visit wallywine.com.
August 5
If tequila and red meat are the source of pleasure for your palate, you won’t want to miss tonight’s Herradura Wine Dinner at The Palm West Hollywood. Each course will be paired with an Herradura tequila for sipping. In addition, each recipe integrates tequila. Think aged filet mignon in an anejo cream sauce paired with Herradura Anejo. Sabroso. Call 310.550.8811.
August 18
Club Culinaire, the local organization founded to promote French cuisine, sponsors a series of dinners throughout the year. Tonight’s “Chef a Table” takes place at Grace, the stylish Beverly Boulevard eatery. Like all Chef a Table dinners, this one begins at 7 p.m. with a Veuve Cliquot wine reception. A five course dinner follows during which chef Neal Fraser will table hop, giving guests a chance to hobnob with one of our biggest talents. But Fraser’s not French you say? True. You need not be to be a club member. You simply must cook in the French style. $105 for members, $115 for non-members. For reservations, call 323-934-4400. For more information on the club, visit clubculinaire.org.
August 31
Join five of Los Angeles’ most celebrated chefs along with Giuseppe Tentori of Chicago’s Boka—Tentori was named one of Food & Wine’s best new chefs of 2008—at tonight’s 5x5 dinner at Water Grill downtown, the penultimate in this year’s series. Water Grill chef David LeFevre teams up with Josiah Citrin of Melisse, Gino Angelini of La Terza, Michael Cimarusti of Providence and Walter Manzke, formerly of Bastide, to prepare a six course menu that promises to blow away even the most jaded foodie. Make your reservations asap. Even with the $150 price tag ($215 with wine pairings), seats promise to go quickly. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Southern California Chapter of Special Olympics. For reservations, call Water Grill at 213.891.0900.
September 7 – 21
Angelenos can get into the spirit of California Wine Month by sniffing-and-swirling their way through over forty restaurants during wine & dineLA presented by American Express. Top LA restaurants will strut their culinary stuff with heavy-hitting wine pairing menus designed to highlight the best of our local grapes. Watch for participating restaurants and their menus at dineLA.com.
