Mohawk Bend, Echo Park’s new restaurant in a converted movie theater with an impressive 72 beer taps, is a great place for a drink and light meal. Appetizers and salads, as well as a nicely curated beer list, are the stars here, and the atmosphere is lively if a bit crowded. But where Mohawk Bend excels, it overreaches in other areas, especially when it comes to burgers and pizza.
Dining room at Mohawk Bend
...and behind the curtains, the back room
Huevos Polenta at Playa Rivera
When I first heard that Chef John Rivera Sedlar was opening Playa Rivera restaurant in the old Grace space on Beverly Boulevard, I jumped for joy. I love Sedlar’s food (and Julian Cox’s cocktails) at Rivera downtown, so having one of his eateries closer in proximity to where I live is really a treat.
Elegant, hearty and delicious, Playa Rivera’s brunch is a great choice for a casual-but-elevated meal. I had the pleasure of having brunch here with Fiona of Gourmet Pigs, Lindsay of LAist and Esther of estarLA, and we had a well-rounded meal complete with cocktails and a chat with Sedlar himself, who happened to walk in just as we were leaving.
Gonpachi's courtyard
Restaurant Row on La Cienega Boulevard has been long known for its large, overly expensive eateries — Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Benihana, Woo Lae Oak, The Stinking Rose. But the Row’s Gonpachi Beverly Hills, though large, is one of the best values on that strip with its incredibly fresh-tasting sushi-grade fish and satisfying hot dishes, including robata.
I was recently invited to dinner at Gonpachi to try out its new menu. I hadn’t been to the restaurant for years, and only for happy hour, so I was excited to go back. The courtyard is lush with foliage and a koi pond, and the interior is reminiscent of the film Kill Bill (which was filmed at the Tokyo location of Gonpachi). All this really sets the scene for the fine meals served here.
Courtesy of Malibu Country Mart
Malibu Country Mart is hosting its first-ever Fashion’s Night Out event September 8, and it will be hosted by none other than celebrity stylist Taylor Jacobson, formerly of “The Rachel Zoe Project.” You’ll have fun with a fashion show curated by Jacobson followed by a Q&A session, complimentary food and drinks, a $500 gift bag giveaway, as well as discounts and activities at many of the shopping center’s stores.
The fashion show, which starts at 7:30 p.m., will feature looks from the mart’s retailers, including Earnest Sewn, Madison, John Varvatos, Planet Blue and the newly opened Rubin & Chapelle. Immediately following the show, Jacobson will take questions from the audience and the mart’s social media sites via Twitter (@MalibuCntryMart) or Facebook. You can also enter to win at the mart’s Facebook page a Fall Goodie Bag valued at $500 filled with Jacobson’s top seasonal picks from retailers at the center.
And with all this fashioning, you’re bound to get hungry, so the Malibu Country Mart will have complimentary Italian appetizers from Tra di Noi, ice cream from Coolhaus, and wine and liquor bars.
Many of the retailers will have in-store events, promotions and sales. Here’s a list:
Canvas: Malibu artists customizing Converse sneakers and specially designed FNO t-shirts, with proceeds going to FNO charity; tequila tasting bar hosted by Karma Tequila
Chrome Hearts: serving chocolates and champagne
Earnest Sewn: 25 percent purchases; with each purchase become eligible to win a $500 gift certificate
Encore: Isabella Fiore trunk show (handbags)
Henry Beguelin: 10 percent off all purchases; 15 percent off purchases of $2,000 or more
John Varvatos: complimentary photo booth
Juicy Couture: Viva La Juicy fragrance sampling; treats; 20 percent off all full-priced items
M. Fredric: enter to win a $100 M. Fredric gift card
Madison: participate in a styling challenge for a chance to win a pair of MOTHER jeans
Madison Gallery: Malibu jewelry designers Nancy Newberg & Irit Ehrlich offer a sneak peak at their newest collections
Malibu Lifestyles Soft & Man: enter drawing to win a $1,000 gift certificate with $200 purchase during FNO
Oliver Peoples: serving champagne
Planet Blue: Stone Cold Fox trunk show
Rubin & Chapelle: 15 percent off all purchases
Tylie Malibu: meet Tylie Malibu designer Lisa Popp; enter to win a Tylie bag; 30 percent off Tylie products
Vince: In collaboration with SUPER, skin care experts providing facials and skin care tips; champagne and cupcakes; for every $350 spent, receive a $100 coupon to use at SUPER, along with a 20 percent discount
Yosemite by James Perse: 10 percent from entire purchase of California Wildlife merchandise donated to the foundation
Malibu Country Mart
3835 Cross Creek Road
Malibu, CA 90265
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Jar of Picklings at Vodvil
Do you like to play with your food? And by playing with your food, I mean playing games while eating food. If your answer is yes, then Vodvil on Fairfax Avenue is the place for you. Part restaurant, part game show, Vodvil goes beyond the usual trivia night to include an upscale comfort food menu and bar with interactive games moderated by a cheesy-but-entertaining host.
I have to admit that I was skeptical of Vodvil’s concept. I thought it might be annoying to have dinner while being subjected to shouts from game players. However, on the particular night my dinner companion, Lindsay of LAist, and I visited Vodvil, it happened to be word games night, which was perfect for us writers. We won our share of rounds and cashed in our winnings at the restaurant’s prize machine, which is filled with nostalgic trinkets. (By the way, there’s a $4 charge per person to play the games. There’s a small sign at the host stand stating this, but I don’t remember seeing it on the menu, which would be a good place to let people know.)
The executive chef here is Jamie Lauren, formerly of Beechwood and also of “Top Chef” fame. We actually saw Lauren in the dining room chatting it up with fellow “Top Chef” alum Antonia Lofaso — it was a very L.A. food world moment.
Simone Wang Squared Swirl Rings. Photo courtesy of Simone Wang.
Simone Wang has some of the coolest jewelry — it’s geometric with an updated throwback flair that’s so in right now. Whether your look is more 80s or more 60s, Wang’s necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets will complement your outfit with style. One of my personal favorites is the Squared Swirl Ring, which comes in a bunch of different colors so you have lots of options. Wang uses a variety of metals and stones, including silver, gold, jade and diamonds, adding to the versatility of her line. And now you can purchase Wang’s jewelry from Max & Chloe!
Wang comes from a family of artists, so this craft is in her blood. She honed her talent at Stephen Dweck in New York for five years, which gave her the training she needed to launch her own line this year. I can’t wait to see more.
Note: Designer Simone Wang is married to my cousin.
Mango Strawberry Shaved Snow at Class 302
Class 302, a little Taiwanese cafe in a Rowland Heights strip mall, offers some of the best Asian dessert I’ve ever had. While there’s also a savory food menu, the star here is the shaved snow. Yes, shaved snow, not shaved ice. Where traditional Chinese shaved ice comes in tiny chips with all the flavors piled on top, Taiwanese shaved snow comes in big sheets with flavor already frozen in the ice. Sure, you can still get all kinds of goodies on top, such as the mango, strawberry and condensed milk shown above, but you’ll also get milk frozen in the ice. This makes for a creamy texture not normally found in shaved ice. It’s really unique.
I recently tried a bunch of shaved snow combinations at Class 302 with a group of foodies, including Esther of estarLA, Danny of Kung Food Panda and Josh of Food GPS, and my favorites were the Mango Shaved Snow with mango-flavored ice topped with mango, mochi and condensed milk, and the Green Tea Red Bean Shaved snow with green tea-flavored ice topped with red beans, mochi and condensed milk. The flavors were so rich yet not too heavy. They were perfect for a hot day.
Mango Shaved Snow at Class 302
Green Tea Red Bean Shaved Snow at Class 302
On a weekend afternoon, you may have to wait a while — we waited about an hour — for a table. And like many Chinese restaurants, Class 302 takes only cash. But these desserts are totally worth it.
Recess happy hour at Public School 612
If you’ve been to the downtown L.A. Daily Grill lately, you may have noticed a separate bar space just past the host stand. That’s Public School 612 (AKA PS 612), a new gastropub concept from the owners of the Daily Grill restaurants. This is the first of what the owners hope will be many PS 612 locations.
The bar opens every day at 4:00 p.m. and features food and drink, including a nicely edited beer list. There’s also a Recess happy hour on weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a bar bites menu that tops out at $4. The drink specials don’t include the bar’s cocktails, but there’s a $4 handle of beer (that’s actually available all night long), a $5 Skinny Margarita and a $10 carafe of wine.
On a rare visit to The Valley, I recently stopped by Raphael, a Studio City restaurant with a focus on international fare. The menu has been revamped with Asian influences by Chef Adam Horton (most recently of Saddle Peak Lodge), who spent some time not long ago traveling the region.
The items I liked best from Horton were the Asian ones. The Crispy Pork Belly, a kind of deconstructed banh mi made with house-made French sausage, nuoc mam fish sauce, capsicum, herbs and pickles on brioche, was my favorite item off the Bar Bites menu, where nothing tops $12. The different layers of flavor were very satisfying, not to mention pretty.
Crispy Pork Belly at Raphael
As I’ve previously written, this year’s L.A. Street Food Fest was held at the Rose Bowl, and it was a fun and flavorful event. I had a really great time. Unfortunately for the organizers, it was held over Carmageddon weekend when a portion of the 405 freeway was shut down, and that affected attendance. However, the lack of a big crowd and long lines probably contributed to my enjoyment, so it was a catch 22. I hope it all evens out next year!
Here were some of my favorite bites from this year’s event.
Baja Bites
Sea Urchin Tostada by Sabina Bandera of La Guerrerense
Pacific Oyster Asada w/ chicharron short rib, serrano ponzu butter, lemongrass foam by Javier Plascencia of Mision 19
