GAYOT's Blog

by Sophie Gayot

Last week, I heard that the owners of Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen, Josh and Zoe Loeb, had just opened a café and bakery in Santa Monica

Being a fan of Zoe’s rustic pastries, I decided to check out Huckleberry Café & Bakery, and was impressed. Like Rustic Canyon, it features simple décor, somewhat noisy atmosphere, and quality products. Here, you will enjoy good home-style food, including sandwiches, salads, rotisserie chicken and sweets. It’s worth the drive just for the sourdough country boule alone.

All items are available for takeout. Read more about the place in our restaurant section.

by Sophie Gayot

 

What a better way to hold a grand opening a few days away from the Oscars when all the stars are in town. The building, where the hotel ANdAZ is located in, has a long history with the City of the Angels and celebrities. It was formerly the Hyatt on Sunset made famous by the memorable parties thrown by rock ‘n’ rollers like Led Zeppelin.

Continue reading “A New Star on Famous Sunset Boulevard” »

by Sophie Gayot

What happens when two Venetians meet in the kitchen? They cook Venetian specialties. All’ Angelo owner Stefano Ongaro (who has a gorgeous picture of his hometown on his computer background screen) is in heaven since chef Roberto Franzoni has been cooking for him. Listen to the two of them: they are not even speaking Italian, but the dialect from La Serenissima. For years Franzoni was the chef at the legendary Cipriani in Venice, then in New York.

No, I will not reveal the pasta recipe the three of us prepared—the pair refused to write it down for me. It is a longtime family secret. But I can tell you one thing: the only way to know more about this incredible dish is to go to All’ Angelo and discover the beauty of it for yourself!

By Dylan Nugent

This morning, a large group of press was on hand for the unveiling of the menu that will be served at the 81^st Annual Academy Awards® Governors Ball, taking place immediately following the Oscars presentation Sunday evening. For the 15^th consecutive year, Chef Wolfgang Puck will oversee the culinary aspects, while Spago Beverly Hills pastry chef Sherry Yard will be in charge of the dessert offerings.

 

The producer of the event, Cheryl Cecchetto, confides that the theme for the evening will be a combination of East and West “…inspired by nature’s earth, air, water, wood and fire, fused with contemporary design to provide a perfect sanctuary to celebrate in comfort and in style.”

 

GAYOT.com is pleased to be one of the first outlets to offer the details of the menu for our readers.

  Continue reading “Dining with the Stars” »

 

by Sophie Gayot

  

After shooting a TV show this morning on Presidents’ Day, (to be aired later, we will keep you posted), I got hungry around lunchtime. In the pursuit of keeping our Top 10 Burgers in Los Angeles list fresh, I headed to Comme Ca.

 

Here chef/owner David Myers maintains a the family tradition, and offers the burger that his mother used to cook: a thick patty of beef topped with cheddar, lettuce, onions and her own dressing. Just that, you will not find tomato, bacon, avocado, mushrooms, blue cheese and so forth. The only deviation from his mom’s recipe is the quality of the beef: Myers uses only certified Angus. And yes, Comme Ca is now on list!

 

Fast Art

by Alain Gayot
 

by Sophie Gayot

Il Sole on Sunset. But he likes to stop by three or four times a week to greet his friends and clients.

No, Andrew Hewitt is not the chef in the kitchen at his charming restaurant

Hewitt is a concert promoter who works with bands like U2, Radiohead, The Rolling Stones and The Police, to name a few, so expect paparazzi outside the restaurant waiting for a photo op of celebrities post-dinner.

Hewitt has owned Il Sole since 2005 along with Arnold Steifel, also in the Industry. He is also the proud owner of the new restaurant Luau in Beverly Hills.

by Sophie Gayot

As of last night, L.A. Live officially has one more restaurant: the third location of The Farm of Beverly Hills. Councilwoman Jan Perry presided over the grand opening, during which we were able to taste the ultra-classic American cuisine prepared by chef Hans Goplen.
 

Founder and CEO Fran Berger told us how she accidentally entered the restaurant business and that now she would never leave it, she loves it too much, as does new president Karen LuKanic, formerly at Wolfgang Puck Catering and The Palm.

 

Look no further! We have found them for you, at Windows Lounge, the bar at the Four Seasons Hotel at Beverly Hills. The chef, Ashley James, insists on calling them “Real Fries,” because they are made the way they should be made: from fresh quality potatoes (opposed to frozen), fried twice in vegetable oil that is thrown away every day. They only come with the grilled cheese sandwich and the beef sliders, but they were so good that I ordered more of them. The bar, which has always drawn crowds, has been redecorated. The huge marble chimney in the central room brings a touch of modernity.

 by Sophie Gayot

Last night I experienced the latest Sunset Strip restaurant, located in the new ANdAZ hotel, a reincarnation of the Hyatt on Sunset made famous by the memorable parties thrown by rock ‘n’ rollers like Led Zeppelin. These intense blow-outs earned the hotel a nickname, “Riot House.” The restaurant, RH, pays tribute to that part of the hotel’s history, which has even seen a TV fly out of its window.

Chef Sebastien Archambault prepares a clean, home-style cuisine. I liked the vegetables—lots of them—that accompanied the red snapper, and the Kurobuta pork, which were also served as an amuse-bouche.

Both the restaurant and the hotel will officially open on Thursday, Jan. 8. General manager Michel Morauw’s motto is “Everyone can be a VIP at the hotel.” By the way, “andaz” is an Urdu (a Central Indo-Aryan language) word meaning “style”. ANdAZ is a new brand operated by Hyatt Corporation. The first ANdAZ opened in London in November 2008; the property in West Hollywood is its American debut, to be followed by two in New York and one in Austin.

 

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