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Tuna nicoise salad

I’ve never given Kendall’s Brasserie much thought — I believe most people think of it only when they need a place to eat before a show at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion or Disney Concert Hall — but after having a special Provencal dinner there from the very French Executive Chef Jean Pierre Bosc, I’ve come to know Kendall’s as a place to get a solid meal, no matter the occasion.

As part of the Passport to France dinner series, May is Spring in Provence month. Using Mediterranean ingredients, such as olive oil, fresh vegetables, garlic, seafood and herbs, Chef Bosc has crafted six dishes that can be ordered a la carte or in a three-course prix fixe menu.

If you’re going to choose, I’d start with the niçoise salad made with house-made albacore tuna confit, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, chopped eggs, olives and a shallot vinaigrette. I’m not usually a niçoise fan, but this version’s house-made tuna confit makes this dish special. It’s delicate yet flavorful.

For your entree, I’d go with the bouillabaisse made with rock snapper, shrimp, scallops, mussels and saffron potatoes served Provencal style with croutons and rouille, a sauce made from olive oil, breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and chili peppers that’s like a lighter aioli. The croutons and rouille make this seafood soup special.

Bouillabaisse

To end, choose the Nougat Glacé Maxim made with candied fruit and nuts, frozen meringue, and a raspberry coulis. It took a deft hand to make this light-as-air nougat, which had just the right amount of bite.

Nougat Glace Maxim

The three-course prix fixe ($40) is available from 7:30 p.m. to close.

Next up in the Passport to France series at Kendall’s Brasserie is Fall in Lyon from Oct 1-31. I can’t wait to see what Bosc has up his sleeve for that meal.

Note: This meal was hosted.

Ray’s and Stark Bar, now open at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is quite possibly one of the coolest museum restaurants and bars in existence in Los Angeles. Both sit across the expansive patio from the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion at LACMA, and Stark Bar is al fresco, which makes it even cooler. The food and drink are impressive under Executive Chef Kris Morningstar (formerly of The Mercantile and District) and Barsmith Michel Dozois (founder of Névé Luxury Ice). And it’s close to my apartment — score!

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Rose petal macaroon, lychee sorbet and fresh raspberry sauce from Nick & Stef's. Courtesy of Nick & Stef's.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or your mom’s basement, whatever), you’ll know that Monday is Valentine’s Day. If you’re celebrating this year, here are some options for you.

Staying in? Get some Karma single-serve bottles of sparkling wine to toast you and your loved one, whoever that may be.

Going out? Consider Patina Restaurant Group’s V-Day offerings, including prix fixe meals from Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, Kendall’s Brasserie, Café Pinot and Zucca Ristorante.

Want to do something fun with a friend? Try a blowout from JM Blowdry, part of Joseph Martin Hair & Beauty salon in Beverly Hills. Get two blowouts for $40 (regularly $60) Feb. 11 through Feb. 14.

Steak at Morels

What, you still don’t know what you’re going to eat for Christmas? Well, don’t worry — check out some of these Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals in Los Angeles and Orange County. (Note: I have not checked if these places still have available reservations, but I’m sure there will be last-minute cancellations in any case.)

Los Angeles

Christmas Eve

Marino Ristorante: This Hollywood eatery is offering a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner, a common custom in southern Italy. This 10-course feast will be offered during both lunch and dinner. The menu features traditional dishes such as Insalata di Rinforzo, a pickled cauliflower and vegetable salad that is typically eaten on Christmas Eve; Baccala Fritto and Baccala in Umido, two preparations of salt cod; and Italian dessert Souffle di Panettone.

Price: $59 per person
Address: 6001 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
Reservations: (323) 466-8812 or online

Patina: This downtown mainstay will be offering a special four-course prix fixe menu featuring Maine lobster salad, a fall glazed-vegetable mosaic, foie gras ravioli, and a choice of Pennsylvania roasted duck in huckleberry jus or Colorado rack of lamb with baby artichokes. Dessert options are a chestnut Mont Blanc with French meringue or macerated raspberries with chocolate gratin and milk emulsion. Menu here.

Price: $95 per person; $25 for additional artisanal cheeses; a la carte menu also available
Address: 141 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Reservations: (213) 972-3331

More Patina Group restaurants, including Café Pinot, Pinot Bistro, Zucca Ristorante, Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse and Kendall’s, will be having special dinners for Christmas Eve, too.

Christmas Day

Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro: This fancy-but-not restaurant at The Grove is offering two different meals, one at the more casual bistro with a seasonal soup or salad, choice of Chilean sea bass or filet mignon, and choice of a flourless chocolate cake or black & white chocolate mousse. The other meal will be served in the upstairs steakhouse with choice of lobster bisque or spiced butternut squash soup, choice of seared jumbo scallops or a beet and goat cheese napoleon, main courses of filet mignon and Maine lobster tail or roasted duck, and dessert of either molten chocolate cake or Mont Blanc sundaes.

Price: $35 in the bistro; $65 in the steakhouse
Address: 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Reservations: (323) 965-9595

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Asia de Cuba cocktail. From mralenlin (Flickr).

Seems like every restaurant has some kind of happy hour deal these days (as they should!), so here are some of L.A.’s latest offerings:

• Asia de Cuba‘s “Out of Office” Fridays: For those of you who can get out of work early (or if you don’t have that problem, this is great!), this restaurant at the Mondrian hotel is now offering a $5 menu on Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.: $5 food, cocktails and valet parking. At the Asia de Cuba Bar in the hotel’s lobby, there’s also a happy hour from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, with half-off the lounge’s menu items (excluding bottles); that means just about everything on the menu is less than $10.

• Rowdy Red Wine & Burger Bar: This downtown burger joint tucked away beneath the City National Plaza building has launched a weekday happy hour starting at 4:00 p.m. until close (7:00 p.m.) with $3 select wines by the glass and 30% off all wine bottles. You can also get a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon for $2 and appetizers for less than $5.

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Here’s Patina’s official statement regarding its move to the AT&T Center downtown, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times via EaterLA:

“Patina Restaurant Group (PRG) is excited to announce its upcoming move to downtown Los Angeles’ AT&T Center. The long-planned move will occur sometime before the end of 2009. PRG looks forward to its move into 30,000 square feet of new space that includes a central catering kitchen, corporate offices, storage and a future restaurant currently in its initial planning stage. In addition, PRG will provide a Market Café to service the building.“