Produce from Crows Pass Farm

I spent yesterday afternoon on the CBS lot in Studio City, eating and drinking my way through more than 30 of Los Angeles’ chefs’ food at the 23rd annual Great Chefs of Los Angeles event, which benefited the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California. OK, I didn’t taste everything — I’m not a black hole of food — but I did taste a lot of good stuff.

BLVD 16‘s Simon Dolinky made butternut squash dumplings with mustard greens, pomegranate and brown butter. I like the food at BLVD 16 at the Hotel Palomar, so it’s no wonder that I enjoyed this dish, too. Topped with bacon bits, the crunchiness contrasted well with the doughy dumplings, and the greens were flavorful without being overpowering.

Akasha‘s short rib on pretzel bread with a side of cole slaw and pickle. The pretzel bread (I love pretzel bread!) soaked up the short rib’s tasty juices, making it all even better. The slaw had a spicy kick to it, and wasn’t creamy, which I prefer.

Bonadea, a Los Angeles-based company that makes bottled aguas frescas. I tried the jamaica flavor, which has nothing to do with the island country and everything to do with hibiscus. Its flavor was light, and a little sweet and a little tart. There was also a tamarind flavor, which I initially passed on because I don’t like tamarind, but after tasting a sip, I found it more peachy than tamarindy. Yeah, that’s not a word.

Neal Fraser of Grace and BLD fame made braised veal short rib with polenta that tasted just like a Chinese dish my mom makes. That’s because the polenta was cooked with chestnuts — yum!

Bottega Louie‘s panini with brie, blood orange and watercress, and a salad with roasted grape tomatoes, burata and pesto were light and refreshing, which was welcome since a lot of what was being offered at the event was heavy as this is technically fall.

Celestino Drago’s duck sandwich and butternut squash soup were also good, though I liked the sandwich more than the soup, which I didn’t find all that impressive.

Ford’s Filling Station‘s Ben Ford made a persimmon salad with goat cheese, candied pecans and a sherry vinaigrette. Beautiful and tasty. I’m obsessed with persimmons, and I wanted to ask Ford for a plate of just fruit, but that probably wouldn’t have gone over well.

Chef Ben Ford mixing up some salad

Yes, the Bazaar of the SLS Hotel was there, and yes, it served some pretty and fun stuff, including the liquid nitrogen-frozen caipirinha. It was really, really strong, but eating it with that sage on top was pretty amazing.

Keven Alan Lee’s East served up a scallop on the half shell with lemongrass sambal, wasabi creme fraiche, shiso dust and micro cilantro, as well as Hawaiian walu fish with miso mustard cream, micro wasabi, chive essence and smoked chardonnay sea salt. Many people liked this, especially the scallop, and I did too, but probably not as much as everyone else.

Scallops on the half shell

Hawaiian walu

Michael Fiorelli of Mar’Sel at Terranea Resort made braised wagyu beef cheek and creamed chard tortellini with ricotta and tiny autumn vegetables. The tortellini I could take or leave, but the beef was wonderfully tender, and the mini veggies were so cute — perfectly cooked, too.

And now for something completely different…I give you Sushi Popper! Is it sushi? Is it a push-up? Is it a sushi push-up? It is! I tried the seared albacore with smoked banana and a mild habanero sauce. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t good.

Esther of e*starLA popping a Sushi Popper

All in all, this was a really enjoyable event, despite the hot sun. I do have a gripe, though: The event’s theme was “Go Green, Go Organic,” yet there were all kinds of green violations. Sure, everyone used eco-friendly plates and utensils, but what’s with the bottled water? And the plastic cups? And the unnecessary packaging of the Sushi Poppers? Something to think about for next year…

Hotel Palomar's pet amenities. Courtesy of Hotel Palomar.

• Hotel Palomar: This Kimpton-owned property allows all types of pets no matter what the species or size, within reason of course. I mean, where would they put a horse? For most of us, this means bringing your dog along, and like any good pet friendly hotel, the concierge will arrange for a staff member to walk your dog and even to pet sit. And in addition to the in-room amenities — treats, a bed, even doggie “beer” (chicken or beef-flavored broth), you can get your special four-legged friend a massage or an acupuncture treatment. How’s that for pampering?

• Willows Lodge: If you’re headed up north to the Seattle area, you might want to try this welcoming hotel in Woodinville. Pet amenities include a doggie room service menu featuring Three Dog Bakery treats, bowls, a rawhide treat and a bed with turn-down service. There are also off-leash trails on the property.

• Loews Santa Monica: Not only does this beach-side hotel welcome pets, it also provides information on nearby pet friendly restaurants, groomers and other services; food and water bowls, treats, poop bags and dog tags; and a pager service that alerts guests when there’s an emergency with their pet if they’re away from the hotel. Room service is also available for pets for food delivery, and other items, including kitty litter, pooper scoopers and toys, are available for purchase. Guests can also borrow pet beds, leashes and collars. And of course Loews offers pet sitting and walking services.

But some Loews hotels also offer something unique: “learning vacations” for pets. In San Diego’s Coronado Bay, dogs can take surfing lessons, and in Denver, the Loews offers Outward Hound trips with on- and off-leash guided hikes. At the Loews Vanderbilt in Nashville, pets can even record their own albums with the help of a personal voice coach and a real recording studio. I’m not kidding.

Blvd 16 calls its happy hour “Rush Hour” and is pushing the concept as a stop during the evening commute. It’s relatively close to the 405 freeway, so I guess this is a reasonable idea. From 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., you can choose from a variety of small plate appetizers ranging from $3 to $5, and from a list of 3 oz. wine flights ranging from $4 to $6. Well drinks are $6, too.

I had the chance to try out some of these items recently, and some were excellent while others underwhelmed. The grilled flatbread’s toppings change according to Chef Simon Dolinky’s whim, and when I was there that whim included ricotta, bacon and caramelized onions. It was one of the better items, and was even good the next day (I ate it cold, right out of the fridge, because I’m classy like that). I also enjoyed the herb french fries tossed in herbs grown on the hotel’s rooftop garden. The crunchy grit fries, which are made from grits, are an interesting twist on the traditional french fry. But they’re so big that they should be called planks instead!

Flatbread with ricotta, bacon and caramelized onions

Crunchy grit fries

I also tried some of the lounge menu, i.e., non-happy hour, items and really liked the $10 Mac and Chevre (that’s mac and goat cheese, folks), and the $16 Hawaiian Tuna Rolls filled with dungeness crab and sea beans and topped with candied kumquat, shaved lemongrass and micro shiso. Chef Dolinky also brought out some items from the dinner menu, and my favorite was the $9 creamy asparagus grits with parmesan and a poached egg on top. A written description of this dish doesn’t do it justice; it’s really good, and I don’t even like grits!

Mac and chevre

Hawaiian tuna roll

Creamy asparagus grits

Some of the dishes that I wasn’t as impressed with included the Carolina-style BBQ pork sliders (too vinegary) and the crispy calamari (underseasoned). Chef Dolinky also brought out a special dish, a Korean shortrib taco. The beef was cooked in Coca-Cola to give it sweetness, and it was served with a smear of grits between it and the tortilla. While the flavor was nice, the grits just reminded me of mashed potatoes, and it felt out of place. It was meant to be a fusion dish, but it wasn’t one of my favorites.

Korean shortrib taco

As for the cocktails on the lounge menu, I tried two: the restaurant’s signature Blvd 16 (non-happy price $12) and the Lady in Red ($14). I preferred the Blvd 16 made with tarragon-infused Square One vodka, Domaine de Canton ginger liquor and citrus juice, and served with a slice of cucumber. I’m drawn to any drink with cucumber and herbs, and this one was definitely satisfying. The Lady in Red was also good with its mixture of Ketel One citroen, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh strawberries and lemon juice. I’m also a sucker for anything with elderflower in it, but the strawberries made it just a tad too sweet for my taste.

Blvd 16 cocktail

Lady in Red

All in all, I enjoyed more than I didn’t, so I would stop here if I’m ever in the neighborhood. And for the low prices during happy hour, it’s worth the layover on your trip home after work.

PS – I’ve eaten at Blvd 16 for breakfast before, and I have to say the guava syrup with the whole wheat pancakes are awesome (and again, I don’t like pancakes!).