Cork Me!

"You haven't drunk too much wine if you can still lie on the floor without holding on."

~ Dean Martin

As you know, we love wine. With brunch, lunch or dinner, or even on its own as a pre-party beverage before a night out... Anytime there's wine - we're in. 

But if you're out to dinner and you want to drink wine like Dean Martin - you'll need a Dean Martin sized bank account too. 

So then begins the fun game we all play of 'which bottle do I order that doesn't make me look like a total cheap ass, but also doesn't cost me a fortune?' 

My dad taught me you always pick the second least expensive bottle on the menu, and then pretend you've had it before. This makes it seem as though my 'inexpensive' wine selection  ($50 for what would have been $15 at Ralphs) is based on my discerning and experienced taste, and not my 'just outta college' budget. 

OKAY, so yes, we graduated three/four years ago. Quit rubbing it in and let me finish my story!!

Anyway... There are two alternate solutions to the wine-bottle game: 

1. Drink at home before dinner (and risk not remembering the meal)

2. Find a place with free or cheap corkage so you can bring your own cheapy bottle and drink for less

Option 2 is always the best solution. 

And now I present to you: FinerThingsLA's favorite free corkage spots around town: 

* Nook - 11628 Santa Monica Blvd #8, West LA

Free corkage on Mondays and Tuesdays only. Favorite items on the menu: Flat Iron Steak and the Burger (friends claim it rivals the F.O. Burger)  

* Colori Kitchen - 429 W. 8th St., Downtown

Family owned and run Italian spot, free corkage every day of the week. This place looks like a total hole-in-the-wall but it's actually the perfect date spot and you really can't go wrong with their homemade pasta. (Thanks for the tip Mr. Lobanov!)

Not free but cheap: 

* Allora Cucina Italiana - 8432 W. 3rd St, Mid-City-West

This place USED to have free corkage, but since they obtained their liquor license they started charging an $8 corkage fee. Not as good as gratis - but still relatively reasonable! While you're there drinking your weight in wine: try the mushroom ravioli, its tastey!

Food Truck Lot Launches Today!

If you are in Downtown for lunch or dinner today check out the new food truck lot that opens today.  The lot opens near Little Tokyo off Alameda and Traction, and starting today will feature a handful of trucks daily for lunch and dinner. 

Lunch trucks start at 11am and dinner trucks will roll in around 5pm. The schedule of trucks is still a little TBD but so far here is what is confirmed for the next couple of days:

Thursday (today):
-11am: Barbie Qs, Dosa Truck, Kabob n Roll, Komodo Food, Fishlips Sushi

Friday:
-11am: Komodo, Slice Truck, Sweets Truck, Vesuvio
-5pm: Flying Pig, Fressers, Tasty Meat, Grilled Cheese Truck

Saturday:
-5pm: Barbie Qs, FrySmith

If you are heading downtown for ArtWalk today/tonight, it is worth checking out. And if you can't make it, don't forget this Saturday is the 1st Annual Street Food Fest, also in downtown. (For more info on Street Food Fest read our earlier post or check out http://www.lastreetfoodfest.com/).  And if you planning on heading to downtown anytime soon you can always find out where popular food trucks are stationed or are planning to be by checking out http://roaminghunger.com/la.

Traction Food Truck Lot. 216 S Alameda St Los Angeles, CA.

That's just how we roll...

The man and I finally made our way to The Foundry this weekend. Being the last day of DineLA we figured we should get there before we can no longer afford it (will someone please start paying me to eat and write about it?!) Long story short: my tummy couldn’t fit all the food on the DineLA menu so I just ordered from the regular menu. It was a helluva lot more reasonably priced than I expected and the food was really tastey.  The man on the other hand decided to be manly and order the big ‘ol four course special. Here’s the lowdown on our menu options:  

MY MENU CHOICES:

Chopped Salad (hazelnuts, currants, mixed veggies), $9

Decent, but too many beets in this salad for me...

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (with Short Rib), $12

Delicious Delicious Delicious Delicious Delicious. And a great deal!! No wonder this guy is opening a restaurant solely dedicated to the oozey goodness of grill cheese – this was amazing. The bread was super buttery and there was an overdose of cheese (that’s a good thing). If only I could pretend there are no calories in butter and cheese…

Grilled Cheese

THE MAN'S CHOICES (DineLA, $44):

Romaine & Clementine Salad

Good, but I think I liked it better than he did (he likes his salad with meats and cheese and heavy things – not healthy veggies and fruit)

Duck Confit & Squash Risotto

My FAVORITE thing we ate that night. Rich and delicious – the arugula and blue cheese were the perfect compliment to the rich flavors of the risotto.

Beef Tenderloin

Perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. Though, the man complained that the menu said it came with olives and there was only one on the plate. I’m not sure why he cared….

Blood Orange Bar

The man was pretty sure that the blood orange bar was going to be some dessert that only girls would like – for him ‘dessert’ does not involve anything healthy (like fruit). But we both loved it. A pastry like bar (like a lemon bar) topped with blood oranges, goat cheese ice cream, and balsamic vinegar (my favorite condiment of all time) – the combination of all ingredients was heavenly. Really delicious. 

Blood Orange Bar

Best part of the night: 

As we were about to leave Eric Greenspan (the head chef) came up and asked us how our meal was (and as I’m a nerd I got excited talking to this ‘celebrity’). I told him the grilled cheese was 'to die for' (I hate when people say that – it sounds so pretentious, why did I say that?!!). His response:

That’s just how we roll.

Oh Eric Greenspan I love you and your deliciously unhealthy food.

If ya wanna get laid…

There is one place in the city that will seal the deal for you: The Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel.

The food is good (I recommend the steak salad or the halibut), the staff is incredibly attentive, the lighting is dark, and the decor is Donald Draper swank.

I go here every year for my birthday: I've never had a terrible meal and I've always had an amazing time. It's one of those places I wish I could just hang out at every evening, get to know the bartender, and order a scotch on the rocks (I don't even like scotch - it smells like my grandfather and tastes like Chloraseptic - but it seems 'cool' and makes me feel important when I drink it). Unfortunately, unless I meet a sugar daddy at the bar (sorry Mike) I'm not going to be adopting this lifestyle anytime soon...

The other thing that makes me feel important when I come here is that its always filled with celebs brokering deals on their next big movie. Last time we were there we sat next to Quentin Tarantino and Michael C. Hall (+ awkward wife). However, if you've got one of those significant others who is obnoxiously obsessed with celebrities spottings and feels compelled every time they see one to say hello and make 'buddies' - dont bring them. That is not a swank thing to do. Bring your goo-mah instead.

I'm not sure what their Valentine's Day menu is like this year but, like most restaurants in LA, I'm sure its ridiculously over priced. I'd recommend going here Feb 12th, 13th, or 15th instead (or for any other celebratory occasion OTHER than Cupid's favorite day to rip couples off.)

Remeber: the place is in a hotel, so if you're feeling REALLY confident - maybe book a room too? The rooms are swank (word of the day) and they've got a great pool off the Terrace Bar with a view of the city.

Sunset Tower Hotel
8358 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
323.654.7100

Good Luck and Enjoy!!!

Deal Alert!

A few deals to start your day off right:

* GROUPON: One dozen chocolate dipped strawberries from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, $18 (Normally $36)
Not a Groupon Member Yet? Sign up!

* BLACKBOARD EATS: Coupon code for 30% off at Provecho, 800 Wilshire Blvd (Downtown).  
Valid today through Feb 27th; Maximum party size of 6; dine-in only; excludes other specials or prix fixe menus; not valid on Valentine's Day.
Not a Blackboard Eats member yet? Sign up!

* GOLDSTAR: Little Tokyo Food Tours from Six Taste, $33 (Normally $55.)  
Valid Saturday, January 30th and Sunday, January 31st. Check availability online when purchasing.
Not a Goldstar member yet? Sign up! 

Deals Found at the Foundry!

I'll admit - we've never been to the Foundry. We've heard great things about the food there but its always been slightly out of our budgets.  However, after a quick look at their website today I believe we will be making our first visit there this Sunday.

What: Suds and Song Sundays @ The Foundry on Melrose
When: Sundays, 8:30pm - 11pm (in the Lounge)
The Low Down: $2 Featured Beers + Live Music

 BUT WAIT FOLKS! THAT'S NOT ALL!

The Foundry also has a few other great deals early in the week (And an extra special DineLA menu):

Mondays: Lunes Latinos
Latin inspired cocktails, Greenspan's Gorditas (3 kinds / $3 each), and Latin Jazz
8:30pm - 11:30pm every Monday (in the Lounge)

Tuesdays: Bluesy Tuesdays
Listen to the Blues while eating up Chef Greenspan’s take on Southern food - fried chicken (priced by the piece) and waffles ($4), sides of creamed corn, grits, and greens($5), Green Tomatoes ($5), Corn bread pudding ($7). 
8:00pm -10:00pm every Tuesday (in the Lounge)

DineLA
While other restaurants are offering three courses for a set price for DineLA Week, The Foundry is upping the ante to offer four (4!!) courses for the same $44/per person price. The menu includes items like White Gazpacho, Beef Tenderloin, Duck Breast, and a Blood Orange Bar for Dessert (I want I want I want!)


As you know from our detailed love for the Windows Lounge at the Four Seasons - we love any place with live classy music*. A place with live swanky music and drink specials = True Love.

*Note: a DJ is not 'live music' by any stretch of the imagination... and though we really love 80's cover bands (one of us has even dreamed of having Fast Times play at our wedding...) these just don't fit in this classy equation for love.

Hope to see you at the Foundry this Sunday!!

Deal Alert!

Here’s a great way to whet your palate before a delicious dinner (or long night of drinking): Vinoteque on Melrose holds a ‘Sip and Swirl’ event every Tuesday at 7pm.

The restaurant pair three wines with three appetizers – and each Tuesday is a different theme (upcoming events include Whites of the Loire Valley" on January 26, "Napa and Her Wine" on February 2, and "A Night in the North of Spain" on February 9).

Normally the cost is $20.10/per tasting (a pretty good deal on its own.) However, if you go to Groupon.com today they are selling certificates for these events for only $10! You can use the certificate any Tuesday between now and April 22nd – but the deal is ONLY AVAILABLE TODAY so hurry up and purchase!

We already told you guys about Groupon earlier in the week, but just in case you were stubborn, or stupid, and didn’t listen to us - here’s the link so you can sign up to become a member:

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu310080.

Great idea: start your night with ‘Sip and Swirl’ and continue your eating adventure with Vinoteque’s DINELA menu ($35/pp for dinner with a great line up of delicious food!)

Eat and Drink for Haiti

A few ways you can get great food and drinks while also donating to Haiti disaster relief:

FIG Restaurant (Santa Monica): Saturday, Jan 23rd. All wine proceeds will go to "Share Our Strength"
Locali (Hollywood): Sunday, Jan 31st. 11am - 4pm, LA Bake Sale for Haiti.
Isla Cantina (West Hollywood): TONIGHT, Wednesday, Jan 20th. 20% of all food and beverages sales go to the Haiti Relief efforts. The restaurant is also offering a special "Haiti Relief" cocktail where 50% of sales will be donated.
Haven Gastropub (Orange): Monday, Jan 25th. ALL proceeds to go Haiti Earthquake Relief.
Susan Feniger's STREET (Hollywood): 15% of all gift card sales go to Doctor's Without Borders. 
Barbrix (Silverlake): Sunday, Jan 24th. 5pm - Closing, 10% of gross sales will go to Doctors Without Borders to benefit the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
Beach Pit BBQ (Orange County - 3 Locations): Thursday, Jan. 21st. 100% of food sales go to helping Haiti Survivors.

For a list of more restaurants donating proceeds to Haiti Relief check out the list compiled by CitySearch.

http://losangeles.citysearch.com/list/172921

Deal Alert!

Here's a great deal at West Restaurant and Lounge in the Hotel Angeleno:

$60 worth of food/drinks for only $30!
We've never eaten at this spot before but its a lounge too - so if you're don't want to eat dinner there you can use all $60 on drinks!

The deal is available at Groupon - to sign up click here: http://www.groupon.com/r/uu310080.

You can only purchase the deal today so hurry up!!

Note: Even if you're not interested in today's deals - Groupon has great offers (a new one every day) on other food/services/events in and around Los Angeles (as well as in tons of other major cities around the country.) So its definitely worth signing up so you can take advantage of future offers.

Rain Rain Go Away

Angelenos are wimps in the rain. No one wants to go out in the scary rain (oooh nooo we're melllltinggg) - let alone drive in it with all the crazy rain-challenged drivers.

In response to this rain-aversion restaurants seem to be boosting the happy hour deals this week in order to lure you out of your warm and dry apartment. But no, you wont do it! You're hair will get matted down walking to the car, the hems of your pants will be wet, it will just be terrible!

What the next best solution? Make someone else brave the weather and order in!

Here's a few of our favorite restaurants that deliver in the Mid-City West/ West Hollywood area:

* Wokano (8408 W. Third Street, Los Angeles / 323.951.1122)
 Sushi is good, but we also love their pan fried gyoza and their Chinese Chicken Salad has a great Ginger dressing.
Additional Locations in Burbank, Pasadena, Downtown, Santa Monica, & Long Beach

* Urth Caffe (8565 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood / 310.659.0628)
We love the original Urth Salad and on Wednesdays they have a delicious Tortilla Soup
Additional Locations in Beverly Hills, Downtown, and Santa Monica

* Tomato Pie Pizza Joint (7751 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles / 323.653.9993)
You MUST order the 'Grandma' - it was ranked as the 7th best pizza in the NATION by GQ last year
Additional Location in Silver Lake 

* Joan's on Third (8350 W. Third Street, Los Angeles / 323.655.2285)
There are so many good sandwiches and salads here! We usually go for the three salad combo with the Corn & Black Bean Salad, Szechuan Green Beans (mmmm!), and Taragon Chicken Salad.

* Bossa Nova (685 N. Roberston Blvd., West Hollywood / 310.657.5070)
A change of pace form the typical delivery options - Brazilian Food! The grilled chicken and steak are great and come with plantains on the side (yummy). Plus you can place your order online.
Additional Locations in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and West LA 

* Talesai (9043 W. Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood / 310.275.9724)
Great Thai food that's flavorful without being too heavy.
Additional Location (Cafe Talesai) in Beverly Hills

Note: Make sure you tip well! Some poor sap had to get soaking wet just so your lazy self could fill your belly!

Dudes Love Hot Chicks

Guys love them some chicken wings.

As one male friend of ours said ‘there’s something manly about leaving a pile of bones behind when you eat.’ And as we learned last night – give a man chicken wings from any vendor (Hooters not required) and within a minute his face and fingers will be glistening with the beautiful red sheen of hot sauce.

Last night at the begging and pleading of our male companions – we agreed to go out for wings. But rather than force ourselves into a self-esteem killing environment of orange booty-shorts and fake boobs we decided to try someplace new:

The spot: Hot Wings Cafe / 7011 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles

Long story short – regular beers are $3.50/ea, nicer beers $5/ea and after ordering nearly 50 chicken wings (split between five of us) we were only out $6.00/ea for food.

End of story: great deal to keep men happy. Plus there are TVs on every wall, service was speedy, and we saw some D+ celebrity from the Real Housewives of Atlanta.  

Done deal – see you there next week for football playoffs.

Happy Hour Alert

4 - 5 - 6 Happy Hour at Susan Feniger’s STREET

Here’s the deal: STREET’s entire menu is based on street food from around the world and normally its pretty pricey. However from 4-7pm, Monday – Saturday, you can try selected items from the main menu for just $5 per plate. Each plate is small but they are meant as tastings (i.e. three hors d' oeuvres sized pepper poppers per plate…) A selected menu of drinks also comes at $5/glass.

The offer is only valid at the bar though so make sure you can grab a stool.

From our experience last night the place is pretty empty until around 7:30pm so grabbing three bar stools during Happy Hour was no problem. We shared all five of the menu items (Chile feta poppers – delicious, Kobe beef chili dogs – delicious, Shishito peppers – bland, Brazilian acaraje fritters – good, Burmese lettuce wraps – delicious) and we each had a few drinks. The drink options included a Gin Rickey, a ginger/lime/vodka drink, a rum based drink, and a red and white wine option (I had the red – it was great).

We definitely recommend checking this place out for Happy Hour if you want to try STREET without spending next week’s pay check. However – avoid the valet, its $8+tip, which is the equivalent of two delicious chili dogs…

Susan Feniger’s STREET

742 N. Highland (Just above Melrose)

Los Angeles, CA 90038

323-203-0500

Happy Hour Alert

Do the Humpty Hump...

I'm pretty sure this would be Wednesday's favorite song were the day to have emotions and a personality and what not... and if Wednesday had a favorite thing to do in the evening it would be to enjoy happy hour deals.

In honor of Wednesday/Hump Day Taste on Melrose is offering Happy Hour specials all day long. Specials include $3 Beers, $4 Wells & Wine, $6 Speciality Cocktails, and a limited menu of food items for $4-$5 (pizettes, mac n' cheese, calamari, shrimp...)

Normally their Happy Hour is a measly two hours, just 4pm - 6pm, which is impossible to make it to unless you work in WeHo (we don't) and have a cushy job that actually lets you leave at 5pm (we don't).

With an all day Happy Hour it might be one of those days you call in sick from work and enjoy this rainy LA day on the Taste patio, sipping discounted cocktails and nibbling on discounted mac n' cheese (its delicious there).

Enjoy & good luck in surviving the last 50% of your work week!

.

Pan e Vino on the Cheapo

Deal Alert!!

Restaurants.com is offering gift certificates for dinner at Pan E Vino on Beverly Blvd. at a serious discount: $25 worth of food for $10!

Italian food is good but I love me some wine too (just ask my friend Peter who once watched me enjoy a few glasses / plastic cups of Chardonnay at Booomers Family Fun Center)... so it couldn't get better than wine and Italian food at 60% off.  (Cue salivating Homer Simpson expression).

Here's the link so you can grab some cheap(er) eats: http://www.restaurant.com/microsite.asp?rid=354485&mcn=00057537

Sunday, Monday, Happy Days...

I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too..

Just because it's Monday doesn't mean the weekend has to end, to keep your drinking binge going, here is our round-up of drink/food specials to last you through the week:

Monday:

• Taste on Melrose (West Hollywood): 1/2 off bottles of wine
• Nic's (Beverly Hills): $7 Appetizers & Martinis, $21 Three Course Menu
• Citizen Smith (Hollywood): Half off food and drinks, 6pm-midnight
• Malo (Silverlake): $1 Tacos (Thanks Harry!)
• Kitchen24 (Hollywood): $3 Beers, $5 Cocktail, $5 Apps, 3PM - 11PM

Tuesday:

•  Taco Tuesday!...the choices are endless but here are some highlights:
• The Spanish Kitchen (West Hollywood): $2 tacos
• Marix (West Hollywood): $7.95 all you can eat tacos + Margarita Madness from 4-7pm
• El Toro Cantina (next to Busby's East - Mid Wilshire): $1 tacos
• Cabo Cantina (either Sunset or Wilshire on the westside): $5 all you can eat tacos
• Kay & Dave's (Pico/Overland, Pacific Palisades, Culver City, Brentwood): $1 Tacos + Happy Hour Drink Specials (i.e. $1 Margaritas) from 4-7pm. 
• Cha Cha Lounge (Silverlake): if you don't like tacos or enjoy hipsters, the Cha Cha lounge has $1.50 PBR all night on Tues

Wednesday:

• Bodega Wine Bar (Santa Monica): Wine Caraffe Night, regular carafes $15, premium $21
• The Edison (Downtown): $4 drinks
• Big Wangs (Hollywood): $0.25 chicken wings and $2.50 beer (chosen by the bartenders), 4pm to close

Thursday:

• The Edison (Downtown): The Edison strikes again! $0.35 cent martinis, 5-7pm
• Lola's (West Hollywood): Late night happy hour special, $5 martinis 10:30pm-12:30pm

So if you didn't have a reason to drink every night before, you should now, hope this makes your week a little more bearable.

Wine & Dine... At the Mall?

Last night we discovered a great way to wine and dine - at Westfield Century City!

Yes - the mall.

But before you judge too quickly, get this: the mall has a great food court will REAL food options (Lawry's, Gulen's Mediterranean, Take a Bao, Etc...) so everyone in your party can get the kind of food they want and reconvene to grub. There's no awkward splitting of the bill, no debating over what type of food everyone wants, no worries that its going to cost a fortune.

Once you've gotten your food fix head over the Ummba Grill - where you can order drinks on the malls' rooftop patio, chill in the comfortable outdoor sofas,  and on certain nights - listen to live music. We just chilled at Ummba with a few glasses of wine until midnight last night. Better than your average bar its not incredibly loud so you can actually hold a conversation without sounding like a 60-year-old Reno cocktail waitress the next morning.

Just a word to the wise - if the night gets away from you and you realize you've been at the mall for four hours (like we did), find a place to validate your parking. Century City gives 3 free hours - but after that the price jumps up to $7 for your next 30 minutes, and $2 for each 15 minutes after that. Ouch!

Westfield Century City
10250 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067