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<< Los Angeles restaurant news
May 6-December 31
Grace is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a five-course tasting menu featuring co-owner/executive chef Neal Fraser's favorite dishes. The menu offers Dungeness crab salad with English peas, mint and Meyer lemon vinaigrette; sautéed skate with roasted cauliflower and raisin caper emulsion; bacon wrapped saddle of rabbit with polenta, pea tendrils, and game stock reduction; and grilled leg of lamb with vegetable tian and mustard sauce. For dessert, sample "A Study in Doughnuts"---strawberry filled, "The Elvis," and butterscotch filled. The cost is $55, with wine pairings an additional $35---the same price as the tasting menu Grace offered when it first opened. The menu will be available throughout 2008. Grace, 7360 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-934-4400. 
August 21Chef Jason Niederkorn from Café Del Rey will host a wine dinner featuring selections from France. The five-course tasting menu will offer dishes such as coddled egg with Banyuls cream; free-range ris de veau with tongue and cheek salad, frisée, fresh horseradish cream and Bordeaux vinaigrette; pan-roasted turbot with russet pomme purée, asparagus, morels and sauce "meuniere"; Niman Ranch pork loin and trotter sausage with braised lentils, mustard greens, shoestring potatoes and housemade mostarda; and apple tarte tatin with whipped crème fraiche. The event begins at 7 p.m. and costs $95 per person, excluding tip and tax. Café Del Rey, 4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292, 310-823-6395.
August 23
Sample traditional Sri Lankan fare at the annual Sri Lanka Day at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, from Wilshire Blvd. to Arizona Ave. Available food items will include hoppers (crispy pancake-type items usually eaten with meat or vegetable curry), rice and curry made Sri Lankan style, kottu roti (similar to Mongolian barbecue), and pol rotti (bread made of flour and coconut and served with spicy onions or curry). Various cultural events will take place throughout the day. For more information, please visit www.srilankafoundation.org.
August 24
Brush up on your barbecue skills with chef Ben Ford of Ford's Filling Station at a Master Griller's BBQ class staged to take place on the restaurant's patio. This class is intended for the serious griller and will pack in an afternoon of grilling tips, hands-on practice and recipes for brines, marinades and rubs. Ben Ford will also discuss various smoking techniques and let the class indulge in the barbecue fare at the end of the class session. The event begins at 3 p.m. Class size is limited to 12 and the cost is $120 per person. For reservations, please call 310-202-1470 or e-mail info@fordsfillingstation.net. Ford's Filling Station, 9531 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, 310-202-1470.
August 24
Providence continues its series of monthly cooking classes with pastry chef Adrian Vasquez presenting a class on Uncommon Ingredients in Dessert Making. The class will be presented in the kitchen at Providence, with tasting portions served in the dining room for guests to taste. Sommelier Drew Langley will present wine suggestions for the prepared dishes (must be 21 or older). The cost is $150 per person and the class is limited to 20 participants. Credit card confirmation required. For reservations, please call 323-460-4170. The class will be held from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Providence, 5955 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, 323-460-4170.
August 25
BLD is offering a summertime wine and cheese class with chef Neal Fraser and in-house sommelier Eduardo Porto-Carreiro. Two cheeses from the Three Sisters Farmstead Cheese Co. will be paired with the appropriate wines to taste. A discussion of artisanal cheese production and traditions will follow. The event costs $30 per person and begins at 5:30 p.m. For reservations, call 323-930-9744. BLD, 7450 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-930-9744.
Through August 27 (Wednesdays)
Every Wednesday, dessert lovers can enjoy one free full serving of a single flavor of Silky Smooth Ultra Creamery's SilkyFresh dairy frozen dessert or SilkySlim whole fruit sorbet. The offer is available from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesdays through Labor Day. Silky Smooth Ultra Creamery, Beverly Center, 8500 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, 310-659-9992. 
Through August 31 (Sundays)The Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel is hosting JetSet Sundays through the summer. Guests can lounge around the hotel's pool and cabanas while enjoying music from local DJs like Jean Louis from Louis XIV and Sugar Ant Invasion, plus fitting cocktails such as the "Jet Blue," a blend of Absolute Citron, lemonade and blue Curacao. Executive chef Thomas Moran's menu, which changes weekly, may include items like a Brazilian steak sandwich and lime jumbo shrimp with avocado chili sauce. The "Good Humor Truck" also offers summer treats like ice cream bars and cones. JetSet Sundays are held from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Entrance is complimentary. Menu items range from $7 to $17 and cocktails range from $8 to $14. For more information, please call 310-642-1111. Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, 6101 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045, 310-642-1111.
Through September 1 (Sundays through Wednesdays)
Tracht's, the Long Beach restaurant of chef Suzanne Tracht (Jar), is celebrating its first anniversary with a three-course tasting menu for $30. First course options include signatures such as crab deviled eggs; braised pork belly with ginger broth, ong choy, seaweed and carrots; and red Belgian endive Caesar salad with garlic croutons. Among entrées are lemongrass chicken with kaffir lime leaf, Tracht's signature pot roast and roasted wild salmon with shallots and lemongrass vinaigrette. Dessert choices include chocolate pudding and pecan pie. This anniversary promotion is offered Sundays through Wednesdays, from 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. until Labor Day, September 1. Tracht's will also provide a 25% discount on any bottle of wine from its list purchased with this promotion. Tracht's, Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, 111 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802, 562-499-2533.
Through September 1
Every Tuesday night through Labor Day, Whist offers "Tastes of Tuesday" poolside. Market-driven small plates might include shrimp ceviche with Serrano chile, grapefruit and tortilla strips; cedar plank salmon with a soy and mirin glaze; grilled Pacific oysters with smoky barbecue sauce; Harry's Berries strawberry shortcake; and "Fresh Bar" cocktails like the candied kumquat margarita. Exclusive poolside cabanas are available at a cost of $200, by reservation only, and each cabana accommodates up to 10 people. The evening runs from 6 p.m.-9 p.m., with each item costing $5. Whist, Viceroy Santa Monica, 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310-434-2855.
September 5-7
The Original Long Beach Lobster Festival features Maine Lobsters flown in nightly from the Atlantic Ocean. Bristol Farms chef Bruce Jacobs and crew serve lobster dinners that include melted butter dipping sauce, fresh cut lemons, coleslaw, dinner roll and watermelon. The event also offers an international food court, beer and wine gardens, arts and crafts booths, live entertainment and dancing, plus storytellers and moon bounces for the kids. For more information, visit www.originallobsterfestival.com. Rainbow Lagoon, 400 Shoreline Village Dr., Long Beach, CA 90802, 562-495-5959. 
September 7-21During wine & dineLA, chefs from more than forty Los Angeles area restaurants will feature special multi-course wine pairing menus designed to highlight California wines. Participating restaurants will include A.O.C., Foxtail, Grace, Spago Beverly Hills, The Foundry on Melrose and Valentino, among others. For more information, please visit www.dinela.com.
September 13
Chef Loren Lawe of The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa will lead a series of adult cooking classes which include a demonstration, hands-on cooking by participants and a three-course lunch paired with wines. This class is themed "From the Orient" and will also feature a special "Shopping with the Chef" field trip to the Whole Foods Market in Pasadena where participants will learn shopping tips and techniques. Sommelier Mathew Lathan will discuss the featured wines and explain how each compliments a course. Each class is $125 per person plus tax and gratuity, and includes the two-hour kitchen instruction, a three-course lunch paired with wine, recipes of the dishes prepared in class and a Cooking with the Masters apron. Classes are limited to 12 people and begin at 9:30 a.m. For reservations, please call 626-568-3900. The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-568-3900.
September 20
Pastry chef John Quinn will lead a series of children's cooking classes at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa for kids between the ages of seven and 12. Chef Quinn will begin each class with a kitchen tour and safety lesson and then teach the young aspiring chefs the art of recipe preparation, baking techniques and pastry presentation. This class will feature apple pie. Classes are limited to 12 children and begin at 10 a.m. For more information or to make reservations, please call 626-568-3900 or visit www.langhamhotels.com. The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-568-3900.
September 21
Food and wine gala Savor the Season features Los Angeles chefs, live and silent auctions, music, wine and spirits, all to benefit Break the Cycle, an organization that raises awareness and provides support for teen victims of domestic violence. Honorary chef André Guerrero (MAX, The Oinkster) hosts a line-up of culinary talents, including Michael McDonald and Renee Ward of brix@1601 and Chad Minton of jer-ne restaurant + bar, to name a few. The Tasting Garden invites VIP guests to indulge in fine foodstuffs such as caviar, Belgian chocolates, flavor-infused teas, gelato, boutique cheeses and champagne. General admission costs $100. VIP admission costs $250 and includes access to The Tasting Garden, complimentary valet parking, gift bags and Savor the Season Cookbook featuring recipes from participating chefs. The event will be held from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. For more information, call Break the Cycle at 310-286-3383 or visit www.savortheseason.org. Vibiana, 210 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, 310-286-3383.
September 26
The American Wine & Food Festival kicks off its weekend of festivities with the Red Hot @ Red Seven party at the Pacific Design Center. Set at Wolfgang Puck's West Hollywood restaurant Red Seven, this celebration offers a night of wine and spirits, musical entertainment and tastings of beef served by Red Seven, CUT Beverly Hills, CUT Las Vegas, Lawry's The Prime Rib, La Brea Bakery and more. The event will be held from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Red Hot @ Red Seven tickets are available through the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation for $150 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.awff.org. Red Seven, Pacific Design Center, 700 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, 310-289-1587.
September 27
Hosted by Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff, the American Wine & Food Festival features live bands, a silent auction, and an epicurean feast, all to benefit the Los Angeles Chapters of Meals on Wheels. The Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation has put together a line-up of celebrity chefs including Nobu Matsuhisa of Nobu Los Angeles, Julian Serrano of Picasso, Alessandro Stratta of Alex, Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's, Lee Hefter of Spago Beverly Hills, Mark Peel of Campanile, and many more. The event will be held on the back lot of Universal Studios from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. AWFF tickets are available through the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation for $300 per person. Table reservations are available from $3,500. For sponsorship opportunities and to purchase tickets, please visit www.awff.org. 
September 28Wolfgang Puck, Lee Hefter and Barbara Lazaroff with chef de cuisine Thomas Boyce and executive pastry chef Sherry Yard welcome some of the finest chefs to prepare a six-course meal at the 9th Annual Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner at Spago Beverly Hills. In this final event of the American Wine & Food Festival weekend, six celebrity chefs will pair up, each preparing one course, for the gala dinner. There will also be a live auction featuring one-of-a-kind items and experiences. The event begins at 6 p.m. Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner tickets are available for $750 per person or $7,000 per table. For reservations, please contact Tracey Spillane, General Manager Spago, at 310-385-0880. Seating is limited. Spago Beverly Hills, 176 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 310-385-0880.
October 11
Chef Loren Lawe of The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa will lead a series of adult cooking classes which include a demonstration, hands-on cooking by participants and a three-course lunch paired with wines. This class is themed around "Pumpkin & Squash" and will also feature a special "Shopping with the Chef" field trip to the Whole Foods Market in Pasadena where participants will learn shopping tips and techniques. Sommelier Mathew Lathan will discuss the featured wines and explain how each compliments a course. Each class is $125 per person plus tax and gratuity, and includes the two-hour kitchen instruction, a three-course lunch paired with wine, recipes of the dishes prepared in class and a Cooking with the Masters apron. Classes are limited to 12 people and begin at 9:30 a.m. For reservations, please call 626-568-3900. The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-568-3900.
October 18
Pastry chef John Quinn will lead a series of children's cooking classes at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa for kids between the ages of seven and 12. Chef Quinn will begin each class with a kitchen tour and safety lesson and then teach the young aspiring chefs the art of recipe preparation, baking techniques and pastry presentation. This class will feature Halloween treats. Classes are limited to 12 children and begin at 10 a.m. For more information or to make reservations, please call 626-568-3900 or visit www.langhamhotels.com. The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-568-3900.
Through October (Wednesdays)
Through October, Salvatore Marino at Il Grano will offer Tomato Wednesdays, featuring dozens of varietals handpicked from his home garden. The weekly à la carte menu includes dishes like rainbow of heirloom tomatoes with Puglian burrata, the PBT panini (pancetta, burrata and Black Cherokee tomato), and Pomodorini del Pendolo (burrata stuffed "candy wrap" pasta). Il Grano, 11359 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025, 310-477-7886.
November 8
Chef Loren Lawe of The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa will lead a series of adult cooking classes which include a demonstration, hands-on cooking by participants and a three-course lunch paired with wines. This class will feature holiday ideas. Sommelier Mathew Lathan will discuss the featured wines and explain how each compliments a course. Each class is $125 per person plus tax and gratuity, and includes the two-hour kitchen instruction, a three-course lunch paired with wine, recipes of the dishes prepared in class and a Cooking with the Masters apron. Classes are limited to 12 people and begin at 10:30 a.m. For reservations, please call 626-568-3900. The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-568-3900.
November 15
Pastry chef John Quinn will lead a series of children's cooking classes at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa for kids between the ages of seven and 12. Chef Quinn will begin each class with a kitchen tour and safety lesson and then teach the young aspiring chefs the art of recipe preparation, baking techniques and pastry presentation. This class will feature gingerbread houses. Classes are limited to 12 children and begin at 10 a.m. For more information or to make reservations, please call 626-568-3900 or visit www.langhamhotels.com. The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-568-3900.
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Top 40 Restaurants
Our annual restaurant issue features our top 40 selections, including Los Angeles' Spago Beverly Hills, newcomer to the list Sona and many more!
