eatplusdrink:

BOA

Although our Christmas holiday involved more food than anyone could ever consume, we found ourselves watching the Food Network non-stop this past Saturday.  If you recall, the morning started out cold but dry and quickly devolved into a rainy, soggy mess.  I was out on my bike and got caught in the rain - fun.  So once I got home, all I wanted to do was sink into our bed and watch tv.  And watch tv we did.  In the early afternoon we were starting to get very hungry as we watched a series of restaurant shows on The Travel Channel.  One in particular, Food Paradise, was all about steakhouses.  We learned about dry-aging beef, wet-aging beef and how to get the best cuts of meat from a cow.

We were all dying for a steak and started calling around town to secure an early reservation with the kids.  Mastro’s was booked, Lawry’s was going to be too touristy but BOA was reasonably close and could seat us at 5:30p.  Perfect!  

We threw on slightly nicer clothes, slicked down the kids’ hair and took off for Santa Monica.  As we walked in, our son asked where the pictures were on the walls - unfortunately, he thought we were going to The Palm which he saw on that show.  Now I’m forced to take him there one day soon.  Only WE would have kids that think going to The Palm is normal.

I’ve eaten at BOA many times and this trip didn’t disappoint.  We started off with a special bruschetta appetizer with ricotta cheese, cherry tomatoes and truffle oil that was heavenly and a picture perfect chop salad.  The steaks were wonderful although my gigantic Porterhouse (to share with the kids - hello!) was much more rare than the “medium to medium well” I asked for.  I also really loved the wine menu with a number of unique, hard to find wines but mostly the half-bottles that allowed the two of us to try two different wines without spending a small fortune.

The coup de grace of the evening though was the perfectly square mound of blue cotton candy they made for the kids.  They went nuts.  Everyone around us was in awe of it and it was awe worthy.  For a last minute trip out for “cow” as my daughter said, it was a pretty great night.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Again 

eatplusdrink:

White House Honey Ale

Yes, you read that right.  The White House made beer using honey from the first ever bee hive on the South Lawn.  I was fascinated when I read about a New York Times reporter who went about trying to re-create it.  Check out Eric Asimov’s story here.  

I loved watching the White House chefs attempts at making beer after President Obama bought a home-brewing kit last year.  Even though I’m not a big beer fan - too many years living in Germany while I was growing up, it made me want to try and make beer at home.  In case it also makes you feel the same way, here is the White House recipe for Honey Ale.  Brew away!

eatplusdrink:

Freddy Smalls

Freddy Smalls is by far my favorite new place to eat and drink so it’s only appropriate that the first post at Eat+Drink is completely and utterly dedicated to Freddy Smalls. There have been many write-ups in the newspaper and you can check them out here and here but if you want to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, well read on.

Freddy Smalls was started by Jeff Weinstein, founder of hamburger haven The Counter.  Although I’ve met Jeff, I really love his wife Kelly.  Sorry Jeff.  Kelly lights up a room and knows everything about everyone.  Love.

Freddy Smalls is a bar with really good food.  They aren’t a restaurant, they’re a bar.  Don’t ask for coffee, they don’t have any.  Nor an espresso machine.  Go to Coffee Bean for that.  At Freddy Smalls you’re going to eat, drink and talk loud.  

There isn’t a thing on the menu I don’t like but my faves are the warm olives, the deviled eggs, the buratta, chicken panzanella and to top it off for dessert, the Namalaka.  Order this and you will be happy.

Ah but you also have to drink at Freddy Smalls.  This bar is not for teatotalers.  My drink of choice is the Five Star Sidecar in a lowball - but that’s just because I don’t like holding those small martini glasses and then getting my drink all over my hand.  But that’s me.  You can order a million other drinks that they have or they’ll make something just for you.

Freddy Smalls is my jam.  I hope it becomes yours too.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over 

Gorgeous…..

Love…this is hysterical to a cyclist.

Apple Pan

My paternal grandmother is not a good cook.  A wonderful woman, yes, but a horror in the kitchen.  When I was young, my family would drive up from Orange County to visit her and my grandfather in West Los Angeles but always with a caveat – we’d stop at the Apple Pan.  This tiny shack on Pico Boulevard is an LA institution with its original menu and décor which date back to the 1940’s.   In my formidable years, I wanted to be a grown-up just so I could work in the movies and eat at the Apple Pan every day.  I suppose this dream isn’t so far-fetched but if only my waistline would co-sign with these ambitions…

The options are limited but oh so satisfying.  I always order the fries well done as they arrive with the perfect amount of crispiness on the outside that crunch into a soft, slightly salty potato center.  You can’t go wrong with either the hickory or steak burger – it’s just a matter of personal preference.  The hickory features their special house-made barbecue sauce while the steak burger is their take on an all-American classic.  Both come adorned with pickles, lettuce and mayo with the opportunity to add a slice of Tillamook Cheese (which is an obvious yes).  At this point in the meal I’m almost always full…but that doesn’t mean the party’s over.  It is the Apple Pan for goodness sake’s!  Now here’s where things get controversial. Yes, they are known for their apple pie.  Yes, it is great.  However, the banana cream pie is the real show stopper.  The cream mixes with sliced bananas proudly perched on top of flaky pie crust into a delectable presentation with an entrancing fragrance.  It’s pretty close to pure perfection. 

After such a satisfying meal, I’m either ready to curl up on the couch with a good movie or immediately schedule my next appointment at the gym.  Even though I am now firmly cemented in my adulthood, it doesn’t seem like all that much has changed as far as my priorities go. Maybe instead I should call up my grandmother and see if she’d be up for a visit?  

Lauren’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over

Apple Pan

10801 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles 90064

(310)475-3585

Hours: 11:00a-12:00a Every Day

Sunday Supper: Chili

A couple years ago we had a dinner party that was straight out of a movie.  Great people and great conversation out under the stars at our home with twinkling lights everywhere.  We ate and drank well into the night.  Everyone felt it the next day.  It was sort of epic.  

One of the thoughts that came out of that event was a feeling of family and friends, food and wine, laughter and love.  We wanted to replicate that as often as possible and although we do have a two or three big dinner parties a year, more often it’s the Sunday Supper we adore.

Sunday Supper is very specific.  It’s clearly on Sunday and usually at 4:00p.  Invites are very difficult to come by and guests are matched up for compatibility.  We rarely cook during the week so Tere likes to pull out all the stops on Sundays.  She’s made many a fine meal that I will do my best to document going forward as they are usually repeated every so often.

Recently, I asked for chili.  It was getting colder and the weather made me want to hunker down and snuggle under a blanket and watch random television.  Chili seemed appropriate.  Tere found this chili recipe at Epicurious and it is excellent.  I ate it for a week straight and probably suffered a few consequences because of it.  The chili is worth it but the Lime Crema (aka lime creme fraiche) is what makes this chili amazing.  Do not overlook the simple sour cream and lime because it’s so good, you’ll want to bathe in it.

Chili requires cornbread.  I don’t know exactly why but it does.  Tere’s a bit fancy so she went all out the first time and made corn muffins from a Bouchon bakery mix from Williams-Sonoma.  It was good but I’m simple and really just wanted regular corn bread.  The second time she made chili, she went for “regular” corn bread and made this one she retrieved from Whole Foods.  It was good too but I really just wanted the old stand-by from my childhood.  You know the one - in the blue and white box?  Yes, Jiffy mix.  On the third try, she finally found it and I had the cornbread muffins that made me happy.  Sometimes, comfort food means feeling like a kid again.    

Aether Apparel

Aether Apparel

BOA

Although our Christmas holiday involved more food than anyone could ever consume, we found ourselves watching the Food Network non-stop this past Saturday.  If you recall, the morning started out cold but dry and quickly devolved into a rainy, soggy mess.  I was out on my bike and got caught in the rain - fun.  So once I got home, all I wanted to do was sink into our bed and watch tv.  And watch tv we did.  In the early afternoon we were starting to get very hungry as we watched a series of restaurant shows on The Travel Channel.  One in particular, Food Paradise, was all about steakhouses.  We learned about dry-aging beef, wet-aging beef and how to get the best cuts of meat from a cow.

We were all dying for a steak and started calling around town to secure an early reservation with the kids.  Mastro’s was booked, Lawry’s was going to be too touristy but BOA was reasonably close and could seat us at 5:30p.  Perfect!  

We threw on slightly nicer clothes, slicked down the kids’ hair and took off for Santa Monica.  As we walked in, our son asked where the pictures were on the walls - unfortunately, he thought we were going to The Palm which he saw on that show.  Now I’m forced to take him there one day soon.  Only WE would have kids that think going to The Palm is normal.

I’ve eaten at BOA many times and this trip didn’t disappoint.  We started off with a special bruschetta appetizer with ricotta cheese, cherry tomatoes and truffle oil that was heavenly and a picture perfect chop salad.  The steaks were wonderful although my gigantic Porterhouse (to share with the kids - hello!) was much more rare than the “medium to medium well” I asked for.  I also really loved the wine menu with a number of unique, hard to find wines but mostly the half-bottles that allowed the two of us to try two different wines without spending a small fortune.

The coup de grace of the evening though was the perfectly square mound of blue cotton candy they made for the kids.  They went nuts.  Everyone around us was in awe of it and it was awe worthy.  For a last minute trip out for “cow” as my daughter said, it was a pretty great night.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Again 

BOA

101 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica 90401

(310)899-4466

Reservations