Caroline on Crack | August 2011

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Monthly Archives: August 2011

August 31, 2011

Quick Giveaway: Pair of Tickets to The Taste’s Art of Mixing

Learn a thing or two from Rivera's Julian Cox.

This weekend is Los Angeles Times‘ The Taste event, a citywide food fest, with the big event all weekend at Paramount Studios. But for you, my crackheads, I’m giving away a pair of tickets to this Friday’s cocktail-fabulous event, Art of Mixing.

Admission is $125 and will get you unlimited tastings from 30 restaurants (Eva Restaurant, Joe’s Restaurant, Wurstkuche) and 30 wineries, breweries and spirits (Luksusowa Vodka, Original Moonshine) as well as demos from Chef Ricardo Zarate (Picca), John Rivera Sedlar (Playa, Rivera) and mixologist Julian Cox (Rivera, Sotto). This cocktail party opens with a dj set by KCRW’s Jason Bentley followed by Latin-inspired punk band Mariachi El Bronx.

Awesome way to kick off your holiday weekend, no? And I’m giving away only one pair of tickets (value: $250). One! But since the event is just this Friday, this giveaway has to be quick with a winner picked out by tomorrow. So I’m keeping it Facebook-focused! For a chance at the tickets all you have to do is the following:

***CONTEST IS CLOSED***

1) Post on my Caroline on Crackheads Facebook page what’s your favorite cocktail to make at home and you must tag The Taste in your post (you have to Like their page to be able to tag them).

2) Sit back and wait to get a message from me on Thursday morning around 10am telling you that you won. I’ll drop all the entries into Random.org and pick a winner. Check your Facebook email, people! If I don’t hear back from you by 11am I’ll have to draw another winner and you don’t want that.

Good luck!

EVENT: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 from 9pm to 12am

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife

7 Reasons To Love SmithHouse Tap & Grill in Century City

Beer flight! My favorite!

Finally, another reason to visit Century City, other than the mall! Across the street in the old Kula space is new sports bar/restaurant SmithHouse Tap & Grill by Curtis Nysmith (Capitol City). Yeah, I was skeptical of it at first, too, especially since I was not a fan of Capitol City. But when word got out that SmithHouse’s drink menu was created by the crème of the cocktail crop and that there were also 120 beers on tap, well, things were looking up.

Sure enough, after an impromptu meeting with some friends at the new restaurant, which was quiet on a Monday night, I’ve decided that I’m really loving SmithHouse and would like to make it a regular stop on my way home from work. Why? Because of these seven reasons:

1) First thing’s first: A cocktail menu created by top mixmasters Jason Bran and Damian Windsor of West Hollywood’s Roger Room with Simon Ford, Pernod-Ricard brand ambassador and a well-respected bartender. Are you kidding me? Even the drinks which feature flavored vodkas like in the Cantaloupe Caipiroska with Absolut Wild Tea Vodka, cantaloupe and lime and Smitty’s Cider with Absolut Orient Apple Vodka, apple juice, lime and cinnamon are sure to change any cocktail snob’s (my) mind about the nightclub staple. Sure, the bartenders’ skills here might be not up to par with the likes of the Roger Room guys but the Bitter Lady cocktail I had still came out beautifully…even if my dining companion didn’t like his Whiskey Sour.

Bitter Lady cocktail by Caroline on Crack

The Bitter Lady is a great way to soothe away the ills of the day.

2) 120 taps…well, 113 if you don’t want to count PBR, Budweiser, Pacifico, Stella, Bud Light, Coors Light or Amstel Light, which I don’t. But they have many winners like North Coast’s Old Stock Ale 2011, Firestone DBA, Allagash Curieux and St Bernardus Abt 12.

3) $10 beer flights with five tasters! I always say that beer flights are the perfect way to try a bit of everything without having to fear you’ll be stuck with something you hate. SmithHouse has five themed beer flights to choose from: Belgian, Californian, Eastside, European and The Fruit Basket with fruit-infused/-flavored beers. The beers are served in mini mugs and carried out in a wood tray. Special delivery!

Cheddar Crunch Burger by Caroline on Crack

Oh, to eat meat again.

4) Beer cocktails and beer floats. With 120 beers, it makes sense that they offer not only half and half beer cocktails like the Black and Tan (Bass and Guinness) and Greatness (Lost Coast Great White and Guinness) but beer floats. Choose between three lambics and a chocolate stout to go with your vanilla ice cream. Sure, not as many choices as one would have hoped but still nice to have that option.

5) Free valet! Since the restaurant is not located in Century City Mall but across the street, it can be tough to find parking nearby. Fortunately I was able to score parking at one of the meters but I like the idea of free valet as backup. Plus, when you valet you can text them when you’re paying your bill so that they have your car ready by the time you exit the restaurant!

Cornbread meets creme brulee.

6) Not the same-old, same-old with regards to pub food. I’m not a Top Chef fan like a lot of my blogger brethren so telling me that Top Chef Angelo Sosa is the man behind the menu is a sure way to get me to shrug. But oh what an interesting menu: corn brulee, edamame burger, tuna Reuben melt, and beer fondue. I wasn’t crazy about the too-saucy grilled Tilapia sandwich with Sriracha mayo and spiced onion jam and the Cheddar Crunch Burger elicited an “It’s OK” from the resident burger expert at our table. But damn, that corn brulee which was topped with a corn crumble crust of sorts, which you dig through to get to the creamy corn layer and blueberry compote. And I like that they have some intriguing veg options. Dishes range in price from $9 Caesar salad to the $12 Vintage Burger and $52 for Porterhouse for two.

7) Happy hour is the standard 3 to 7pm on weekdays but beer specials are $3 selected domestic, $4 selected import and $1 off rest of the rail. Cocktails are $5 well and $7 premium. Bar bites are 50% off.

SmithHouse Tap & Grill
10351 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90025 (map)
Facebook: SmithHouse LA

Categories: Beer, Cocktails, Dining, Featured, Los Angeles

Stay for the Beer: Boho, Mohawk Bend, Rosewood Tavern

Rosewood Tavern beer flight by Caroline on Crack

Rosewood Tavern's beer flight with one taster mysteriously missing. Hmm.

Being a foodist, you get pretty particular…OK, anal about your restaurant experience. Does the server fill your water glass in a timely manner, does the waitress give you a five-minute warning before last call for happy hour, how’s the price-to-portion ratio? So when I come across a restaurant where the overpriced food is less than stellar, the service horrible and the cocktails blah, I usually never return. Why would I when there are so many eateries in L.A. that actually hit all the marks?

But lately there seems to be a handful of restaurants that despite all of the above have that one saving grace, the one thing that is a sure way to keep me coming back for more: a well-crafted craft beer tap list. Here are three such restaurants with beer lists that should not be dismissed.

OK, creepy decor wouldn't usually be enough of a turnoff but it doesn't help either.

Boho Hollywood: The new location of this gastropub, “Hollywood’s first gastropub,” may be a turnoff to any Angeleno who fears the hordes of tourists in Hollywood and Highland. Or maybe it’s the creepy old-lady decor (check out that scary doll over its doorway), tourist-trap priced dishes or lackluster service but one thing that should not be dismissed is its beer selection. With 24 taps curated by none other than Ryan Sweeney of craft beer bars The Surly Goat and Verdugo, it’s all hits. If the Allagash Curieux or The Bruery’s Autumn Maple is over the head for most visitors to L.A., there’s always Boho’s beer flight option where four tasters are $11 and you can sample before you commit to a pint or goblet. Also, happy hour Monday-Friday 4-7pm and Saturday 2-5pm scores you draft beer for $5, as well as $4-$7 bar bites.

Mohawk Bend has a gorgeous back room in which to enjoy its equally gorgeous beer list.

Mohawk Bend: This gorgeous Echo Park movie-theater-turned-barestaurant’s tag line is “Commitment to Craft” and with 72 craft beer taps that change daily, it ain’t kidding. With a focus on California, you’ll find 65 craft beers from the Golden state with the rest of the taps filled out by a monthly featured out-of-state brewer. Sure, there is also a specialty cocktail list created with California-based spirits, but unless you like sweet drinks, stick to the beer. If you’re intimidated by the huge selection, just ask the bartender for a suggestion and a taste. By the way, the food here is hit or miss but you can’t go wrong with the “Keenwah” salad, fire-roasted artichoke and the olive tapenade and flatbread.

Enjoy a tasty brew at the bar or the communal table at Rosewood Tavern.

Rosewood Tavern: Just down the street from other beer-serious eatery, Golden State Cafe, this tavern on Fairfax Avenue boasts not only an intensive whiskey selection but a beautiful 28-tap list. The food may be overpriced and unimpressive but at least they’ve got the likes of Eel River Triple Exultation, Stone Smoked Porter and Eagle Rock Solidarity. So if Golden State is packed, just grab a seat at the bar or communal table and order up a tasty brew or a flight ($13 for four tasters). And word of caution, the service here usually starts out great but toward the end you’ll wonder where your server disappeared to, seriously, so make sure to double up on your beer before that happens. Regarding the lead photo, one taster was missing from my flight because the bartender didn’t realize I wanted a taster of Black Market Brown Ale so poured me a regular pint of it. Not that I’m complaining! Score!

Beer BTW: If you love beer flights as much as I do (instant beer fest!), here’s my list of the top five craft beer bars for beer flights as published on LA Weekly‘s Squid Ink.

Categories: Beer, Los Angeles, Nightlife

6 Comments

August 25, 2011

This Weekend: Beck at the Bowl, Coney Island Wine Pairing, Creaky Tiki

Thursday, August 25

Locals’ Hour at Playa
Learn from one of the best in the cocktail biz, Angeleno Magazine’s “Best New Mixologist” Julian Cox. He’ll teach you some of his trade secrets for you to try at your own cocktail parties. Best part is that the class is free and you can imbibe the lesson plan for $9 with half-priced appetizers.

5:30-7pm. Playa, 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 933-5300.

Friday, August 26

Coney Island Gourmet-Style Tasting Event at Vintage Enoteca
Close your summer out under the boardwalk, or rather, enjoying food inspired by Coney Island but fancified — truffled popcorn with Coney Island Albino Python White Lager, lobster corn dogs with a Viognier/Chardonnay blend, beef dogs with a Syrah and lemon-lime swirl cotton candy with Moscato d’Asti.

Friday-Sunday, 4-11pm. $30. Vintage Enoteca, 7554 W Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood (map). (323) 512-5278.

Sunday, August 28

J Gold’s Pancake Breakfast
I had to ask LA Weekly‘s food writer JGold when I saw him at the craft beer bar crawl, “Now you’re doing a pancake breakfast event? Why?” He seemed really excited about it saying it was his idea and that they won’t just have sweet but savory breakfast items, too, as well as, wait for it, brunch cocktails! OK, that sounds good. Plus for $25 you get to sample from 20 of the man’s favorite pancake places like BLD, Original Pancake House, Fig and Playa. Part of the proceeds will benefit the LA Food Bank. LA Weekly is giving away tickets. Enter to win here, the drawing is tomorrow.

11am-2pm. $25. Vibiana, 214 S Main Street, Los Angeles (map).

Serge Gainsbourg Tribute with Beck and Sean Lennon at Hollywood Bowl
Pack a picnic with your favorite French red and snuggle avec votre bebe at what is sure to be a lovely summer concert featuring Beck, Sean Lennon, Ed Droste (Grizzly Bear) and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra celebrating French singer Serge Gainsbourg. Deal alert: Thrillist Rewards is currently offering $31 seats for $20.

7pm. $12-$134. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Avenue, Hollywood (map).

Monday, August 29

Creaky Tiki at 320 Main
For this month’s tiki event at Seal Beach’s 320 Main, the bar will explore pre-tiki tropical cocktails like the Singapore Sling, Hurricane and Queens Park Swizzle, to name a few. Guest bartender Marcos Tello will serve up the cocktails along with owner Jason Schiffer and RumDood Matt Robold. Cocktails are $8 each and punch bowls are $6 a glass.

7-11pm. 320 Main, 320 Main Street, Seal Beach (map). (562) 799-6246.

Categories: Cocktails, Dining, Lists, Los Angeles, Music, Nightlife

The Crappy Beer Intervention: Inaugural Craft for Crap Beer Party at Beer Belly

Beer Belly Beertender by Caroline on Crack

Trade a can of MGD 64 for something that comes out of a tap for a change.

So when I moved in to my new home, I found a huge stash of Coronas and Bud Lights (with lime flavoring nonetheless) tucked away in one of the kitchen cupboards. (Does that mean the house was blessed or cursed?) What was I going to do with all this crappy beer that not even the previous tenant wanted? I definitely wouldn’t serve it at a party, nor would I foist it on any of my friends (not that they’d take it anyway).

Fortunately, Beer Belly in Koreatown is willing to take it off my ever craft-beer-loving hands for its Inaugural Craft for Crap celebration on August 28 at 3pm. At this unique beer event, Jimmy and Yume Han, the owners of the bar, are offering to take your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of Bud Lights in exchange for a serving of some Cistmontane brew (and a penny*).

You can bring a forty, a 12-pack, one can, or, in my case, 24 bottles of shite and get a glass of Cismontane Citizen Steam Lager, Black’s Dawn Imperial Stout or Coulter IPA. Beer Belly says, “The economically minded should bring a can. The bold and determined should bring a case of 24.” Basically, it doesn’t matter how much beer you bring in, you’ll still get one glass.

The real question is what will BB do with all the bad beer it gets? It doesn’t know yet but is open to suggestions. Anyone got any ideas?

The bar is promoting this event as a way to convert your buddy who swears that MDG is the best and introduce folks to the wonderful world of craft beer. I’m saying it’s a good way to get your friend on the road to good taste and, let’s face it, what can be an expensive-ish habit. But who cares? Yay good beer!

Just in case you don’t know what would be considered bad beer, here are some ideas.

* The event was initially trading your crap beer for good beer but the California Department of Alcoholic Beverages (aka party-poopers) said that doing so would violate Beer Belly’s alcohol license so the bar is now charging 1 cent to trade your crap beer for the good beer.

EVENT: SUNDAY, AUGUST 28 at 3pm

Beer Belly
532 S Western Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90020 (map)
Facebook: Beer Belly LA
Twitter: @BeerBelly_LA

Categories: Beer, Los Angeles

2 Comments

August 23, 2011

Blog Bite: Lobster Mac & Cheese & $4 Pint Night at Blue Palms Brewhouse

Lobster mac & cheese by Caroline on Crack

How to make your belly happy.

You’ve had a tough day and you really want to treat yourself to make it all better. Best way to indulge? Chow down on the decadent lobster mac and cheese at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood. Yup, this craft beer bar not only features 24 awesome beers on tap at any given time but it has delicious food to boot! (Click here for their menu.)

Its lobster mac & cheese can be ordered up as a $7 half order or a $12 full serving. But I like to get it as a side (for an additional $2.50) to the veggie burger because, as it turns out, as much as I love the stuff, the side portion is just the right size. The cheese here is so creamy and not too sharp. The cheese-to-pasta ratio is perfect, as there are some places where either the pasta is left swimming in the cheese or, horror of horrors, there’s so little of the good stuff. And naturally, since it’s a sin to have cold melted cheese, it’s best to enjoy your side first. The burger can wait. Arggh, I’m just salivating looking at that picture. The only thing is that the subtle flavor of the lobster is hidden in the cheese. But I still wouldn’t kick this mac n’ cheese out of bed.

In any case, I highly recommend hitting up BPB during its $4 pint night on Tuesdays when you can get ANY beer off the 24-tap list for only $4 through 10pm! That includes the strong Belgian ones that come in tulip glasses! I took advantage of this deal the Tuesday after their 3rd anniversary party when they had a lot of rare and amazing brews left over. Teh awesome! The best beers and delicious mac ‘n cheese? You’ll forget all your worries in no time.

Blue Palms Brewhouse
6124 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California 90028 (map)
(323) 464-BEER
Facebook: Blue Palms Brewhouse
Twitter: @BluePalms_Brew

Categories: Blog Bites, Dining, Featured, Los Angeles

1 Comment

August 23, 2011

Giveaway: Tickets to Exclusive Hollywood Roosevelt Pool Party + Hangover Cocktails

Relaxing at the Hollywood Roosevelt Pool.

Our L.A. bartenders are back from Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans and boy, are they beat. Lots of cocktailing, partying, schmoozing, debauchery…and cocktailing in humid, high temperatures. Fortunately, Aidan Demarest of Hollywood Roosevelt’s Spare Room knows just how to cure what ails them.

Next Tuesday the 30th, he’s throwing an exclusive pool party at the Hollywood Roosevelt for 100 or so of his bartender friends, as a follow-up to his infamous Recovery Room at Tales.

Thanks to a slew of liquor sponsors — Cointreau, Brugal Rum, Zu Vodka, Piper Sonoma Champagne, Abita Beer, Fortaleza Tequila, Four Roses Bourbon — guests will be retoxed with the following hangover-relieving cocktails:

The Anti-Oxidant: Zu vodka, pomegranate, Cointreau and lime
Green Room: Champagne, Cointreau and mango puree
The Noon-Day Reviver: Brugal Rum, ginger and bitters
Pit Stop Shot: Zu vodka, Chipotle and OJ served with 2 aspirin and 2 Vitamin C
Speedy Recovery: Brugal Rum, Cointreau, black tea, lemon and honey
Super Sangrita: Fortaleza Tequila, Cointreau, lime served with a fresh carrot, beet and ginger chaser

Aidan was quick to remind me that studies show that drinking is actually healthy. Well, that’s all I needed to hear!

At this pool party lucky attendees will also be treated to a stress-relieving yoga class by the Roosevelt’s Donna DeCoster (Runyon Canyon Yoga), a massage by Gabriel Kimson (Conceptual Wellness) and a mini facial. Bonus is that girls will get a makeover after their facial so they can return to the party gorgeous.

** CONTEST CLOSED***

Again, this exclusive party is for bar industry folk BUT Aidan was generous enough to give me five pairs of tickets to give away to five lucky crackheads. If your calendar is cleared that morning (obviously, no 9-5ers..unless you, ahem, call in sick) and you want in, all you have to do is the following for a chance at the tickets (no limit to how many times you enter):

Leave a comment below saying what’s your favorite hangover cure. I’m always on the lookout for a new one!
Tweet: “I wanna go to @cointreauusa @hwood_roosevelt’s pool party, @carolineoncrack! http://wp.me/pNkdL-2cL”
Post on my Caroline on Crackheads Facebook page what’s your favorite hangover-relieving cocktail and you must tag Cointreau and Hollywood Roosevelt in your post (you have to like their pages to be able to tag them).

I’ll randomly pick 5 winners via Random.org on Friday at noon and notify them via email. If I don’t hear from you by 5pm this Friday, I’ll draw another winner so check your email, crackheads!

EVENT: TUESDAY, AUGUST 30 at 11am

Hollywood Roosevelt
7000 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California 90028 (map)
Facebook: Hollywood Roosevelt
Twitter: @hwood_roosevelt

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles

22 Comments