Lamb sausage for Blue Cow menu

Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen, the folks who brought you the uber-delish sandwich spot Mendocino Farms (now open in West Hollywood by Target), have plans to open Blue Cow, a more upscale restaurant, early next year. Blue Cow, to be housed in the space occupied by Casa in California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, will also feature sandwiches at the heart of its menu and serve as a test kitchen for Mendocino Farms. Joshua Smith (Church & State, Anisette) will be executive chef, and Steve Livigni (La Descarga, Harvard & Stone) will design the seasonal cocktail menu. And there will be sandwiches of the ice cream kind from pastry chef Miho Travi. Sounds kind of amazing, right?

At a recent tasting at the new MF West Hollywood location, collaborating (yes, partnerships of this type are slated to be common at Blue Cow) chef Jason Travi of Fraiche restaurant fame debuted a couple of his creations for the Blue Cow menu: a turkey sausage sandwich made with Wild Turkey whiskey, apple compote and pickled mushrooms, and a lamb sausage topped with harissa, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes and red bell peppers. While I really enjoyed the Mediterranean-inspired lamb sausage (and I’m not a big fan of lamb in general), the turkey sausage sandwich was too sweet for my taste. But, these recipes could very well change, as they’re still in the testing phase.

Also, I think I may have found my new favorite sandwich at Mendocino Farms: the “Not So Fried” Chicken made with roasted chicken breast rolled in soy-based “Krispies,” herb aioli, whole grain mustard slaw, tomatoes and pickled red onions on toasted ciabatta bread. Very satisfying.

"Not So Fried" Chicken sandwich from Mendocino Farms

Further reading:

Mario Del Pero of Mendocino Farms to Open Blue Cow Feb. 1 with Stellar BOH Lineup by Eater LA

Note: This tasting was hosted.

Japan tsunami. From Amazing Photos.

VIVA JAPAN: A Benefit to Support Relief Efforts in Japan will be held Friday, April 1, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Voyeur in West Hollywood. Expect live music from DJ Glenn Red (Afrofunke, Eclectica), Mr. NumberOnederful (Cannibal Flower), Rick Wren (Hang Together) and The Love Connection, as well as live art from Mimi Yoon and Stephen Williams.

Now, I normally don’t post this kinds of things, but when I saw that all proceeds from the event will go to Direct Relief International (DRI), California’s largest international humanitarian nonprofit organization, I though people should know about it. Here’s why:

• Efficiency: 98.8 percent of funding went to program expenses, with 1 percent dedicated to administrative and fundraising.
• In the past 10 years, each dollar spent has provided up to $30 (wholesale) of medical material aid specifically requested by in-country health professionals to care for patients.
• Transparency: Direct Relief provides a map detailing where it delivers its supplies and how much it spends on each kind.
• Proven Track Record: Direct experience with large-scale emergencies in Asia, including the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004. This will help guide them to best plan and execute a recovery strategy.
• Charity Navigator: Direct Relief is a 4-Star Charity, which is labeled as “Exceptional: Exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its cause.”

There will be a $10 donation entrance fee, and attendees will be allowed to stay in Voyeur when it opens to the public as a club at 11:00 p.m. Proceeds from art sales will also go to support relief efforts in Japan. Do good, people!

Bubble & Squeak

When I first walked into Eveleigh (“ever-lee”), I couldn’t believe this rustic-looking restaurant sat on the Sunset Strip. It was way too laid-back. The reclaimed and repurposed wood, the communal tables, the live lemon trees and the open-air dining room made me feel more as if I were in Napa than smack in the middle of the trendiest part of West Hollywood. That’s a good thing, by the way.

Open-air dining room

Bar area at Eveleigh

Perhaps the best part is that the food and drink are really good. It’s a great option for a lazy weekend brunch — I know, because I’ve had a couple of those here myself recently. Everything I’ve tried has been good, and some of it has been great. Executive Chef Jordan Toft, along with owners Nick Hatsatouris, Nick Mathers and Lincoln Pilcher, designed a menu reminiscent of their Aussie heritage but accessible to us good ol’ Americans.

The bubble and squeak (pictured above), which is traditionally made from leftovers, was punched up here with the use of some gorgeous kale (which I’m currently obsessed with), corned beef and potatoes topped with a scotch egg. This has great flavor and is a heavy dish, so I wouldn’t order this unless I was really hungry.

My favorite dish was the baked eggs with chard, shimeji mushrooms, goat curd and mizuna greens. The sourness of the curd was key to this dish. And since I have a thing for mini foods, the small eggs and mushrooms were pleasing to me visually. I’m such a sucker for mini foods!

Baked Eggs

The Seeded Granola topped with a scoop of frozen yogurt (literally plain yogurt that was frozen, not froyo) and blood orange segments was also very good. It was served with almond milk on the side, which I poured over the granola. The best part of this dish was the inclusion of black sesame in the granola, which reminded me of Chinese candies I grew up eating. My only complaint is the price of this dish: $10 for granola, yogurt and milk is a little steep.

Seeded Granola

Now, the cocktails. I tried a slew of drinks, almost all of them made with mezcal. David Kupchinsky, formerly of Comme Ça and The Tar Pit, designed the sophisticated cocktail program. I was impressed with Kupchinsky’s skills because I really liked his versions of the bloody mary and the gin and tonic, neither of which I’m normally a big fan of. The Bloody Sanchez at Eveleigh is made with mezcal instead of the traditional vodka, a decision I thought made a lot of sense, as the smokiness complemented the tomato and spices nicely. The tonic in the gin and tonic is house-made and is more tea-like than the clear versions you normally see, which gives it a unique herbal quality.

Gin and Tonic

The mezcal Old Fashioned was delicious, too. I couldn’t stop drinking it! And the Pimm’s Cup made with Pimm’s liqueur, cucumber, mint, lemon, blood orange and soda was also great. Just as I’m a sucker for mini foods, I’m also a sucker for blood orange.

Mezcal Old Fashioned

Pimm's Cup

The nonalcoholic drinks were tasty, too. The Cacao-Nut Date smoothie made with young coconut meat, coconut water, sweet cacao nibs, dates, cinnamon, vanilla stevia and vanilla hemp milk was a little too tasty — it was basically dessert in a glass and so substantial that it could have been a meal in itself. On the other hand, the Good Morning Sunshine juice, with kale, apple, orange, lime, ginger, mint, strawberry and fennel, was freshing and naturally sweet.

I liked this experience so much that when a friend asked about bloody marys, I suggested we go here, so I went back for a second weekend in a row and had the roasted portabello mushroom topped with burrata, vincotto, thyme and sourdough toast on the side. Though it didn’t look like much food, it kept me full for most of the day so this was a great value at $11.

So if you’re looking for respite after shopping amid the hustle and bustle of Sunset Boulevard, Eveleigh is a great option. Be on the lookout for patio seating in the near future, too.

Further reading: The Eveleigh: Liquid Brunch & Hangover Cures by Caroline on Crack

Note: The first meal discussed was hosted.

Lanterns light up the tables at Fresheast

Fresheast in West Hollywood is a newish fast-casual concept featuring a healthful pan-Asian menu. Located in a Pavilions shopping center – which means free parking, a rarity in WeHo – Fresheast offers dishes with Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and Indian elements, but with a decidedly L.A. flair (quinoa, anyone?).

We were recently invited to sample Fresheast’s dinner menu conceived by Executive Chef Jonathan Schwichtenberg. We appreciated the many options – you can choose from white or brown rice, baby greens or the fluffiest quinoa ever made to go with your proteins, which include the common chicken and beef to the less-common lamb, paneer cheese and tofu.

One of our favorites were the Spicy Garlic Noodles made with wheat noodles, seasonal vegetables, garlic, cilantro, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce topped with green onions. Another favorite was the Indian Vegetable Curry with tofu, seasonal vegetables, onion, tomato and red lentil dal. Both these dishes were flavorful without being overly spicy.

Spicy Garlic Noodles

Indian Vegetable Curry

From the meat dishes, our favorites were the Emperor’s Lamb with California Pure lamb, onion, red bell pepper and green onion, and the Mongolian Chicken with Jidori chicken, green onion and ginger. These menu items were simple yet satisfying, especially the lamb, which had a nice mild flavor we appreciated since we’re not the biggest lamb fans.

Emperor's Lamb

Mongolian Chicken

Some of the best parts of the meal came at the end with house-made Meyer lemon and mango sorbets. If Fresheast makes the fluffiest quinoa we’ve ever had, then it also makes the creamiest non-dairy frozen treats, which are produced in small made-to-order batches by infusing a ton of air into them. The Meyer lemon sorbet was a standout with its intriguing floral quality; it definitely left us wanting more. Not to be overlooked are the fresh-made juice combinations, especially the Fresheast Juice. Its mixture of orange, lemon, apple, cucumber, spinach, kale and red beets was delightfully refreshing – the juice alone is worth the trip here.

Mango Sorbet. So creamy!

Also noteworthy is the restaurant’s green philosophy. The plates and bowls are from VerTerra, disposable-yet-compostable dinnerware made from fallen leaves, and the space was constructed using recycled woods. All meats and seafood are sourced from certified natural purveyors, and produce is sourced locally and organic whenever possible. Fresheast will also reward you for being environmentally conscious. Ride a bike or drive a hybrid or electric car to the restaurant and get 10 percent off your meal. Same goes if you bring your own cups or containers. And on Monday nights, 10 percent of the restaurant’s proceeds are donated to Doctors Without Borders.

There’s also a daily – that’s right, daily – happy hour from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that offers 50 percent off beer, wine and sake with the purchase of an entree. Fresheast’s private label cabernet sauvignon, produced by Eden Canyon Vineyards located just outside of Paso Robles, is a standout.

With nothing priced above $12.95, Fresheast offers well-priced meals with quality ingredients, a great option in an otherwise high-priced part of Los Angeles.

Note: This was originally posted on LAist. This meal was hosted.

My favorites are the Woody tank by Victor Glemaud ($70) and Costello Tagliapietra‘s 70s glam Hamm shirt ($92).

Woody by Victor Glemaud

Costello Tagliapietra's Hamm

House of Holland designed a Jessie-inspired shirt ($108) that’s made out of a sweatshirt-like material, while Cassette Playa made a Buzz Lightyear shirt ($84) light as a feather. There’s also a Jonathan Saunders-designed black-and-white Rex shirt ($84). You can find all the shirts for sale at Revolve.

To launch the T-shirt line, Disney and Revolve hosted a party at the retailer’s shop in West Hollywood complete with tray-passed appetizers, wine and a candy buffet (score!). Celebrities were in attendance, including Cheryl Burke from “Dancing With the Stars,” actress Krysten Ritter and my personal favorite model Agyness Deyn.

Designer Henry Holland and model Agyness Deyn in the life-size toy display box

And there was this fun over-size chair out front where Tara of When Tara Met Blog, Esther of e*starLA and Katelin of Gorgeous Footsteps in the Sand and I took this cute pic:

Katelin, me, Esther and Tara.

My only issue with these Toy Story-inspired shirts are the prices. Nothing less than $70? Really? I understand that these are designer and all, but they’re T-shirts. I wouldn’t pay that much for a T-shirt from any designer, no matter how soft and comfortable it may be (which some of these shirts are), but that’s just me. I could understand the high price tags of the Alice in Wonderland Disney Couture items because of the obvious skill that went into each item, but I just can’t justify paying nearly $100 for a T-shirt. These Toy Story shirts are cute, though…

The event is taking place this Saturday, June 19, at the West Hollywood Tender Greens from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Look out for noms such as Nutella blondies, carrot cake cookie sandwiches, browned butter brown sugar cookies, matcha mocha bundts with red bean filling, ube cupcakes and much more (complete menu here). There will also be The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf beverages to help wash it all down. The best part? Every is priced between $1 and $4 and all proceeds go to charity.

Drago Centro charcuterie plate. From Dig Lounge.

Whether you plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day or not — or just haven’t made up your mind yet — here are some special meals that will be happening around Los Angeles.

To Celebrate

Drago Centro: From Feb. 12 to 14, Drago Centro is offering a four-course dinner for $55, with wine pairings for an additional $35. (Limited à la carte menu items will be available, too.) Here are the menu choices:

First course — beef carpaccio, hearts of palm and candied almonds, or antipasto plate

Second course — butternut squash ravioli with lemon brown butter, or shrimp and scallop agnolotti with cioppino foam

Third course — roasted lamb with artichoke hearts, brown butter pomme purée and rapini, or Dover sole, baby vegetable ragoût and lemon beurre blanc

Fourth course — strawberry semifreddo with basil and white chocolate, or chocolate cake, candied Marcona almonds and raspberries

Also, on Feb. 14 the restaurant will be hosting a masquerade carnival with live music, and guests are encouraged to dress up, too.

Cecconi’s: The West Hollywood eatery is offering its full à la carte menu, a tasting menu for $85, and an optional wine pairing for an additional $45. The tasting menu includes wild mushroom cappuccino; dungeness crab, ahi tuna and avocado; winter black truffle and ricotta ravioli; chateaubriand for two, winter root vegetables and a peppercorn sauce; and a layered chocolate cake, kirsh cherries and whipped cream.

Pourtal: The Santa Monica wine bar is offering two-for-one glasses of bubbly on Feb. 14 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Choose from the featured selection of Marquis de Perlade Blanc de Blanc or a Kir Royale. Cupid will be there to pass out secret Valentines to guests who purchase bubbly or a tasting card; they will receive a free pour ranging from on Pourtal’s Enomatic machines.

Cube: Head over to Cube Marketplace’s cafe on Feb. 13 for a fondue party. Ok, not really, but you can get the fondue special and make it your own party! For $35, you can get prosecco, cheese fondue, roasted farmers market vegetables and fresh fruit, house-baked bread, Meyer lemon coeur a la crème, farmers market berries, citrus cookies — and house-made dark chocolate truffles and confections to take home.

Not To Celebrate

Charlie’s Malibu: On Feb. 13, Charlie’s will host “Bitter, Party of 1” for singles (or as its press release says, “couples welcome, but we may mock them”) with tunes from DJ Kid Wycked from 9:00 p.m. to close. And on both Feb. 13 and 14, the restaurant will offer a four-course chef’s tasting menu for $75, with a $20 wine pairing, along with the regular à la carte and lounge menus. The tasting menu includes dishes such as poached pear with herbed goat cheese and candied walnuts, filet mignon, and lobster tail. You don’t have to eat with a Valentine, you know.

Rush Street: On Feb. 13, the Culver City bar and restaurant will host a Meet Your Valentine party with specialty cocktails and artisanal chocolates. There will be no prix fixe menu. On Feb. 14, diners can enjoy half-off featured wine and champagne all day long.

Akasha: Take home a box of 12 mini cupcakes for $20 from the Culver City restaurant’s bakery to serve at your anti-Vday party — or eat them yourself, I don’t judge. Flavors include chocolate and vanilla cakes with different frosting and icing. The chocolate with Gianduja (that’s a chocolate/hazelnut combo) filling, chocolate glaze and fleur de sel sounds awesome!

Pork belly slider at Petrossian

Petrossian: This West Hollywood restaurant and market is offering a special six-course prix fixe menu and a champagne and caviar toast in two seatings, one at 6:00 p.m. and another at 9:00 p.m. The first seating, at $95 per person, will feature blinis, hand-sliced smoked salmon, foie gras terrine, seared scallops, prime beef filet mignon and vanilla panna cotta. The second seating, at $125 per person, will feature the same menu except a traditional caviar presentation with 12 grams of domestic, sustainable Transmontanus caviar will be served in place of the blinis.

Vertical Wine Bistro: This Pasadena eatery and wine bar is offering two dinner seatings for New Year’s Eve. The first seating at 6:00 p.m. will feature the regular dining menu, and the 8:00 p.m. seating will be a five-course prix fixe meal, including a cheese course and dessert, for $65 per person. There’s also the option of basic wine pairings for another $65 per person or deluxe wine pairings for $125 per person by wine expert David Haskell. After dinner there will be a party in the restaurant’s bar and lounge area from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. for $20 at the door and $35 to reserve a seat in the bar and lounge.

Dakota Chop House: The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Dakota Chop House is hosting dinner, as well as a live band, dancing, midnight countdown and champagne toast. There will be two seatings, one from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. that will feature a three-course meal for $75 per person including braised young artichoke salad, osso bucco and spumoni millefoglie, and a second one from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. for $125 per person including veal cheek ravioli, rabbit and taglitelle with lamb ragu.

Further reading: e*starLA has a great list of New Year’s Eve dinners, too.

Petrossian in West Hollywood recently held a special event dubbed an industry night for those in the food business to meet and mingle, and that included food bloggers — oh, how far we’ve come, huh?

The restaurant/marketplace (very trendy these days, though to be fair, Petrossian was a market first) is planning on holding these industry nights about once every couple of months, according to Chef Benjamin Bailly. If this recent event is any indication of what these nights will be like, we’re all in for some great food and drink. It’s a great deal, too: Drinks range from $2 to $8, and the plentiful appetizer-size food is free!

I had a pumpkin ale, but I tasted the hibiscus champagne, and it was nice — not too sweet. I thought the sangria was too sweet, but that might have been because I was eating a lot of savory foods.

Hibiscus champagne with an edible flower in the bottom of the glass

The food ranged from hummus and sweet potato chips to pork belly sliders, and it was all really good. I haven’t had a sit-down meal here, but I figure it they can make great appetizers — which I’ve found a lot of places can’t do, despite having a good regular menu — that the meals should be good, too. For a rundown on the restaurant’s regular menu, check out My Last Bite.

Borscht (left) and gazpacho (right)

Crab and salmon (I think?) crostini

Butternut squash soup

The items below were my favorites of the night: Bacon-wrapped dates and apricots, pork belly sliders and panna cotta. I found the bacon and pork belly to be amazingly light, considering the amount of fat they surely had — a great way to trick yourself into thinking that it’s not bad for you! And the panna cotta had tons of vanilla bean specks; it was very tasty.

Bacon-wrapped dates

Bacon-wrapped apricot

Pork belly slider with caramelized onion

Panna cotta with strawberries

Like I mentioned before, Petrossian is also a market selling high-end food like caviar, smoked salmon and artisan chocolates.

Sweets counter

I’ll definitely be back and hope to try a proper meal here some time (the menu is on the pricey side, though), especially since Bailly was so nice to us, making the rounds to ensure everyone was having a good time. And he’s pretty involved in the local food scene, a la Chef Ludo Lefebvre, with tweeting and eating out around town.

Chef Benjamin Bailly

Akasha food from Great Chefs of L.A.

Friday is the first day of Akasha‘s Hanukkah meals, which include slow-roasted brisket; potato pancakes made from Yukon gold potatoes with gravlax, wasabi tobiko and horseradish crème fraiche; and Israeli doughnuts. There will even be special cocktails, including the Winter Mary made with celery-peppercorn vodka, carrot juice and pickled carrot. The special holiday food is available through next Friday, Dec. 18, during happy hour (small plates and cocktails) and dinner.

On Saturday, join in the Loopt Holiday Scavenger Crawl, which is part pub crawl, part scavenger hunt that promises to take participants to speakeasies, galleries and coffee shops on a hunt to be the first to find a “VIP” party. Along the way, you’ll win prizes from the locations you’ll scurry to, as told to you by the Loopt iPhone/BlackBerry app that guides you. The top three players from each city (there are also scavenger hunts in New York and San Francisco) will $200 gift cards to the retailer of their choice, and the grand prize for the top player out of all the cities will get a round-trip ticket to Hawaii.

Wrap up your weekend on Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Cynthia Vincent and Sid Vintage sample sale at Code C boutique, where there will be one-of-a-kind of pieces available only at this sale. Bonus: Bring an unwrapped toy to donate to L.A. Family Housing and receive a free Coolhaus ice cream sandwich. Shopping and ice cream? Yes, please!