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East LA ' Birrieria Chalio ' Serves Big Flavor Birria from Raul Luis Family Secret
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Eating & Drinking Most Popular SoCal News

East LA ‘ Birrieria Chalio ‘ Serves Big Flavor Birria from Raul Luis Family Secret

By Contributor — 4 months ago

East LA ‘ Birrieria Chalio ‘ Serves Big Flavor Birria from Raul Luis Family Secret

One of East LA’s most popular restaurant serves Kings, Queens and Food Royalty.  You can get a taste if it too.

Raul Luis brings Flavor with East LA’s birria

Today’s conversation has been edited for length and clarity.  For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here. 

Joe Winger: 

We have a really special treat today. We’re talking with Raul Luis from Birria the restaurant here in East LA. We’re going to talk about family. We’re going to talk about flavor. We’re going to talk about how he creates these amazing dishes. And then we’re going to talk more about how you can have a bite and taste his the food from his restaurants.

Raul Luis, thank you for joining us today.

Raul Luis: 

Thank you for having me here. I’m very honored to be here speaking to you.

Joe Winger: 

What’s the most important message you want the audience to hear today?

Raul Luis: 

I think we can start talking about how Birria came to LA. How do we get it here? What caused that trigger to start selling the food here in LA? 

My dad was given a certain skill set, handed down to him to make birria.

Birria is chivo goat meat. He used that skill set back in Mexico. He came to the U. S. when he came over during the Bracero program. He was talking to his buddies and he told them he’s a Barriario. He doesn’t know how to cook birria. So they would ask him if he would cook that dish from because that dish was only traditionally eaten during those special once in a lifetime events, baptisms, quinceañeras, weddings.

So the common denominator in all those events was the birria. 

You went [to an important life event], you knew you were going to have birria. I tell people the story because I remember being small myself when I was young, that we wouldn’t eat meat too often because we were vegetarians, not by choice, but because of circumstance.

When someone was having a party, we said, “Wow, we’re going to eat birria today.” We knew we look forward to, we’re going to eat meat. It’s time. Let’s get ready to go eat some meat. Get ready, put on your Sunday clothes and go. When my father came to the U S People knew about him. They asked him to cook their dish for him.

When he cooked the meal for someone’s wedding, quinceanera, baptism, for their special occasion, he would cook extra. 

So his friends would come over. When his friends would come over, he would serve whatever portion it was, usually like a whole carcass of lamb, 50 pounds. And then there was some leftover, so he would feed his friends.

And he would tell the stories when he would feed his friends. His friends wouldn’t leave. They would stay there for hours and they would be talking and my dad was, “I gotta go do my Sunday [errands], my day off. We gotta go to our family.  They were there for hours and all their memories, all memories, special occasions.

Remember this? Remember that? And my dad said, “Man, what? Why are you talking? Why are you staying here so long? 

It was the food. 

He didn’t realize the time. It was the food that was triggering those special [memories], triggering their mind. 

They’re time travelers, they’re going back to other special events.

I tell people,  it’s those once in a lifetime events that are much more exponential, much more magnified because it was somebody’s wedding.  It was somebody’s baptism. 

That’s how it began, by cooking.

 

Joe Winger: 

Your father was an amazing person. Back in the early 1960s, back in Mexico, he’s working in a tiny little five chair restaurant in the Mercado before migrating here to the US.

What have you learned from him taking this huge life journey?

Raul Luis: 

I look back, how do the immigrants do this? How do they leave their country, leave everything behind? 

He had a small spot, maybe five people to sit there.  He would sell on the weekends. Business wasn’t that brisk. 

They were opening up a new spot, but they required a down payment to secure it. So he had to come to the U.S. so he could save up some money. 

They asked, does anyone know how to cook? Dad raises his hand. I’m a birriero. 

So he began cooking birria for the farm workers. He was limited because now he was out of his comfort zone.

He was no longer in Mexico. He didn’t have access to all the spices that he used back home. 

In the preparation of the different birrias, before they put the red adobe sauce, it’s white.

All the farm workers ate it up, but the people who were in charge wouldn’t eat it because it wasn’t easy on the eyes. People eat with their eyes. 

[So he changed his process]

Why don’t you add the red before? 

So, we marinated before we cook it, 

[The second change]

There wasn’t all the spices we needed, so the chef that was there helped them get new spices or tweak the recipe a bit.

That’s what happened.

You have aspirations, and dreams, as many immigrants.  They come to the U. S., make some money, go back.

He never went back. 

Once you plant roots, then it’s hard to go back to your country of origin. 

Joe Winger: 

Fast forwarding to the present day.  Your Birria in East LA is very popular.

What’s the most common dish at the restaurant?

Raul Luis: 

We’re known for Birria.   9 out of 10 plates will be the Birria. 

Sometimes we have new customers who want to try it but are hesitant.  I explain our 10-hour cooking process [to get them excited.]  Underground pits, cooking it with the mesquite wood to add that flavor.

The gaminess, the taste, our process, all that fun stuff, secrets.

Raul Luis ‘s East LA Birrieria Chalio most popular dish

Joe Winger: 

Can you walk us through the flavor and process? 

Raul Luis: 

It’s a 2-day process. You get the [goat] carcass, cut it up into pieces. 

The ribs, the neck bone, the French rack. There’s all these different cuts. Every single cut has a different taste profile and texture. So when you walk in, it depends on you. How dirty do you wanna get? 

Do you wanna get down and dirty?  You get the bones. 

I tell people the neck is the best because it’s so tender, so soft, not too much fat on it. 

If you’d like the nerve, then you get the ribs.

The flavor is amazing. In the bones, it’s amazing. 

There’s people who don’t like to deal with the struggling or getting dirty. So they go with the all leg meat. That’s the drier part.  It’s good, but it’s not. Not my first choice.

We cook it, we steam it, we marinate it, let it sit for about 24 hours and we put it into a our pressure cooker.

Part of the science is the way you stack it up, like a pyramid, and then they put firewood under it.  If you don’t stack it correctly, part of it won’t cook. 

You have to put it up a certain way to make sure that all the meat gets cooked properly. 

We take it out.  We’ve got to separate it so we can have all the different parts. Distinguish the leg from the neck bone from the ribs, put that aside. Then we put it in the oven so we can get like a slow roast, nice little crispy.  Tender on the outside, real soft on the inside.

The most important thing is the consommé. 

That’s the broth, we call it the “honey”. You can’t have it without the consomme. The birria isn’t birria without the consommé. That’s what gives it the flavor. That’s what takes it to the next level.

Some people say, “Oh, I had birria.”  No you didn’t.  That was a taco.

No, you’ve got to have it with the consommé.

The new movement with the birria, they dip the sauce. It’s the same concept, but I would like to think that our consommé is a little more intense, more flavorful, because we use the broth from the goat and from the mince that it distills.

So it’s really flavorful. You got to try it. 

East LA Birrieria Chalio from Raul Luis – A Family Secret

Joe Winger: 

You have a deep family history, you have a cultural history. Obviously food is part of that history. Can you talk a little bit about the cultural value and the meaning behind Birria and why it’s important to you?

Raul Luis: 

I tell people it’s made to feed kings and queens.  How? 

Because in our region, Central Mexico, the birria is eaten by most of the population in Mexico.  About 85-90% are Catholic. 

So one of the first steps when a child is born, they take them to the church and that’s where he becomes a king.

They baptize them. They have a festivity. There’s a party going on.

Then the second phase is they feed the Quinceaneras. 

That’s a rite of passage where you go from childhood to adulthood for the girls. So now you feed the princesses. 

The next step is when the lady gets married, she’s the queen.

All three of those things, traditionally, was birria. 

That’s the only thing that was in common.  That helped people look back to those special occasions. When people eat the birria, they go back to that once in a lifetime event. 

It’s time traveling for them. 

It’s the memories. 

Fast forward to when we came to LA, the parents would bring their kids, [and now their kids say] ”I used to come here 20 years ago. My dad used to bring me when I was a kid.”

So that’s what it does. It brings the family together. 

Raul Luis Battles Fast Food Giants …and Wins (kinda)

Joe Winger: 

You mentioned some fast food places now working within the same cuisine.  Rubbing you the wrong way.  

Raul Luis: 

Yeah, it’s fascinating how many people called me [about it].

Del Taco and a few other places that were selling birria, but they’re not selling it the way it’s supposed to be. That’s wrong. At first I was a little worked up explaining that they’re missing the point here.  What it means to the people from back in Mexico. 

But there’s always a silver lining. Now the dish is mainstream. 

I would have never been able to do that. These guys with these big budgets are able to cross over and speak to different generations, different ethnic groups.

Before, when we first opened up our restaurant. [Everyone would ask]  “What’s it called? What is that?  I don’t know what that is.”

Now people know when before they didn’t. 

So I give them credit for being able to make people aware and bringing attention to this dish. 

I see myself as the missing link. I’m the one that’s going to fill in the gaps to tell what the dish really means, what significance it has, what historical cultural value it has.  That’s what I’m doing with our YouTube channel at Birria World.

East LA Birrieria Chalio leads the Birria Movement

Joe Winger: 

Let’s talk about the Birria movement. Everyone says you are the leader.  What does the future of Birria look like in East LA and in the country itself?

Raul Luis: 

In a perfect world, everybody would switch over from beef to goat, which is actually one of the most eaten meats across the world.

If you go to the Middle East or China, they eat that dish.  Here in the U. S., it’s not as popular. 

Introducing them to the dish so they can try out the different textures, different profiles. They can see that there’s another option. 

I source from a vendor in Texas.

The meat we use is paleo certified. It’s halal, all this special stuff. Probably a little more nutritional than beef.

There’s more taste, more flavors in the meat. 

My job is to go out there and have people be aware that [this] exists. 

There’s potential growth across the US to be provided for different ethnic groups and different generations of people.

Joe Winger: 

You’ve had world-famous food stars visit you.

Raul Luis: 

Anthony Bourdain came to our LA location.  I guess he saw something before everybody else did and realized it was a special dish. 

The second person was Jonathan Gold.  He was a writer for the LA times. He wrote beautiful articles on us.  He also saw what the dish meant to our community. 

They gave it a little approval. Come on, try it. Take your turn. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I’m sure you’ll be back

 

Joe Winger: 

Raul Luis with his Birria restaurant in East LA. Tell us all the ways that our audience can find you and learn more about you.

Raul Luis: 

They did a documentary, “Mexi Papa: Chronicles of Birria” on YouTube.  That’s just the basic history of how Birria got to LA and the US.

Then you can go to Birria World on YouTube.  We do a birria tour, going to different restaurants, we showcase how they cook it, why it tastes different, how it’s served differently in certain regions. 

On Instagram, you can go to Chalios Birria for my Texas location and East LA Chalios Birria Instagram.

Then on Facebook, it’s a Chalios Seminary.

 

 

LA’s best kept Sushi Secret: Yama Sushi Marketplace celebrates 40 years
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LA’s best kept Sushi Secret: Yama Sushi Marketplace celebrates 40 years

By Susan Schuler — 4 months ago

Yama Sushi Marketplace, LA’s best kept secret, celebrates 40 years

This June 2024, Yama Sushi Marketplace, a rare gem in Los Angeles will celebrate 40 years of the freshest Sashimi and Sushi Angelenos have come to crave and if possible, keep a secret.

“Please don’t tell anyone about this store” whispers one customer while another admits that “It is just not right to gatekeep this any longer!”

https://www.facebook.com/yamaseafoodla

In June 1984, Kenzo Yamada and his wife Nobuko opened Yama Seafood on Las Tunas Drive in San Gabriel.

After many years working as a fish power broker in Los Angeles, Kenzo Yamada or “Yama San” decided to open up his own shop where because of his contacts, was always assured the freshest and best cuts of fish when he visited the fish market every morning.

Today, these same fish companies provide Yama Sushi Marketplace with the freshest fish from all over the world, delivered daily.

https://www.facebook.com/yamaseafoodla

The network of Japanese sushi specialists is quite impressive and Yama san knew them all, from Nobu Matsuhisa (Nobu Restaurants), Katsuya Uechi (Katsuya Sushi) and  Kazunori Nozawa (Sugarfish and Kazunori).

No doubt that Los Angeles was ground zero for Sushi in the USA

There is no doubt that Los Angeles was ground zero for Sushi in the USA, especially with the guidance of Noritoshi Kanai of Mutual Foods (Japanese Food Distributor who introduced Sushi to the American palette).

Although through the years, many larger Japanese Super Markets began to grow in Los Angeles, Yama Seafood stayed true to form, giving customers personal service to choose the freshest cuts of Salmon, Yellowtail, Blue Fin Tuna as Yama San would personally slice each serving of sashimi for the customers.

https://www.facebook.com/yamaseafoodla

Nobuko San, his wife, would run the front and cook the most delicious side dishes for customers, and customers were always given a bag of ice to keep the fish nice and cold.

One of Yama’s first employees, Enrique Moreno (“Kike San”) became Yama’s right hand man, and helped create the now famous Yama California Roll.  “We wanted something special with the correct balance of filling, texture and rice”.

https://www.facebook.com/yamaseafoodla

Last year, in 2023, the Los Angeles Times recognized Yama as having LA’s Best California Roll, and still today, customers line up at Yama for this special sushi.  It is true that customers would literally fight over the last California Rolls in the fridge as two customers famously played a tug of war with the last California Roll Sushi as it went flying into the air and spilled on to the floor.

Yama Seafood was San Gabriel’s “Best Kept Secret”

Although Yama Seafood was San Gabriel’s “Best Kept Secret,” many customers through the years heard about Yama and still to this day travel across state lines to grab the Yama Sashimi and Sushi.

Yama San was a fixture in San Gabriel as many customers had a very close and personal relationship with him as he was always very generous with his support of the community.

In May 2021, Yama San decided it was time to pass the torch, and the Kohno Family of San Marino, stepped in to take over this precious gem.

“The actual interview took 6 months”

Scott Kohno

the CEO of EJL Entertainment

Yama San wanted to make sure that he could trust the next generation to maintain the quality and vision that he firmly established in San Gabriel.

With Scott’s extensive background in retail and food throughout the USA and Asia and his family’s experience in finance, marketing and operations, the store was gradually upgraded, and an expansion plan of the new Yama in West LA (opened 2022) and a brand new Yama in K-town (September 2024) commemorates an exciting time for the Yama Sushi Marketplace brand.

Today, Yama Sushi Marketplace has been named the “Adult Disneyland” by one of Yama’s customers as it transcends just a typical market or restaurant.

From the freshest sushi prepared by sushi chefs on the hour every hour,  to the largest selection of Sake, curated by Scott’s wife, Wendy a Kikisakeshi (Sake Sommelier) Yama has something for everyone.  Unique Shoyu (soy sauce) with Matsutake mushrooms, fresh wasabi, party platters including the new Temaki Time Hand Roll Party Platter and unique gifts and kitchen goods from Japan make the shopping experience second to none.

Whether it is the monthly sushi making or sake tasting classes or the cute Japanese stationery products, Yama is a store that is truly a feast for the eyes (a customer literally walked into to the store with her eyes shielded so she would not be tempted by Yama’s Specialty Gift Table.  “I just want sushi today and cannot get distracted by these tempting Japanese gifts!” she insisted.   A West LA Father holding the hand of his 4 year old daughter commented “thank you so much for bringing this store to West LA.  My daughter and I love Yama and it is now our Friday Night Date Night!”

To commemorate Yama’s 40th milestone, Yama will feature special events during the entire month of June, including retro nostalgic dishes from 40 years ago, mystery grab bags, special 40th anniversary merchandise and the festivities will conclude with the June 29th 40th Anniversary Celebration featuring a Blue Fin Sashimi Cutting Demonstration and Japanese Taiko Drummers.

Yama Seafood LA is a Japanese sushi marketplace

Yama Seafood is a Japanese sushi marketplace with 39 years of history in the San Gabriel Valley. They specialize in offering authentic Japanese meals that customers can enjoy at home, including a variety of party platters.

Both of their stores (San Gabriel and West LA) feature a unique selection of imported Japanese products, snacks, sake and beer, carefully curated and seasonally refreshed by their dedicated team. Additionally, they cater to diverse dietary preferences with grab-and-go items like Chicken Katsu, Somen Salad, and an assortment of Vegan Sushi options under our special brands, Sushi With Attitude and Vegan Sushi With Attitude.

This combination of tradition, quality, and variety makes Yama Seafood (Sushi Marketplace) an ideal destination for anyone seeking an authentic Japanese culinary experience.

For more information, to order online or for grand opening & anniversary celebration activities please visit: https://www.yamaseafoodla.com

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A night of Incredible Flavor for a Worthy Cause: 35th Annual “A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters!” at Burbank’s Warner Bros Studios Saturday, May 18th

By Joe Winger — 4 months ago

Celebrate The 35th Annual “A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters!” on Saturday, May 18th

A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters

Courtesy of California Winemasters

The countdown to the 35th Annual “A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters” has officially begun!

Courtesy of California Winemasters

This year’s celebration coming up on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm at the iconic Midwest Street Backlot at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, promises to be a culinary extravaganza like no other and is set to attract approximately 1,200 wine and food enthusiasts, all coming together to support Cystic Fibrosis research and care.

A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters

Honorary Co-Chairmen Glenn Salva, Estate Director for Antinori Napa Valley, and Sam Marvin, Chef & CEO of Echo & Rig Steakhouse / Courtesy of California Winemasters // Courtesy of California Winemasters

The event proudly announces Glenn Salva, Estate Director for Antinori Napa Valley, and Sam Marvin, Chef & CEO of Echo & Rig Steakhouse in Sacramento, and Las Vegas, as this year’s Honorary Co-Chairmen. Their commitment to this cause adds a distinctive touch to an already illustrious event.

“A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters!” on Saturday, May 18th

A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters has earned its place as a WINE SPECTATOR “Top 10 Charity Wine Auction” and a BizBash Top 100 Event.

The evening will showcase the talents of over 50 Celebrated Chefs and Restaurateurs alongside 75 Award-Winning Wineries and Winemakers.

With local Angeleno’s and guests from  across the county in attendance, this year’s event promises an unforgettable experience for all.

Courtesy of California Winemasters

This year’s Celebrated Chefs and Restaurants include:

AK’s Mercado

Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena

Alisal Ranch

Angustina – Mezcal Y Cocina

Ayara Thai

Bacari Restaurants

Backyard BBQ

Bistro 45

Blossom Catering Company

bon meez

Café Eighteen48

Cavatina

Chameau Catering

Chef Charly

Chef Joseph Manzare

Chef Scott Renney

Cooking with Corralez

Drago Centro

Echo & Rig Butcher/Steakhouse

Eden Hill

Enebla: Recipes from an Ethiopian Kitchen

Epicurus Gourmet

Espelette Beverly Hills

FIVE on the Hill

Georgia’s Restaurant

Heavy Handed

Local LA Catering & Events by Chef David Lefevre

Lil Pig

Lunetta

Maestro Pasadena

NOÉ Restaurant & Bar

Ocean Prime Beverly Hills

Original Tommy’s Hamburgers

Pez Coastal Kitchen

Primal Alchemy

Rikas Peruvian Cuisine

Sea Level @ Shade

The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills with Breads from The Underground Bakery

The Front Yard at The Garland

The Hook and Plow

The Poke Bistro

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Urban Press Winery & Restaurant

Warner Bros. Food Services

Wok Star Catering by Chef Katie Chin

YAKIYA

Desserts will be presented by Magpies Softserve, The Beverly Hilton, Truffles ‘N Coffee and Unique Distributors, Inc. / Florentino Ice Cream.

Award-Winning Wineries and Winemakers

This year’s Award-Winning Wineries and Winemakers will include Ackerman Family Vineyards, ADAMVS, Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery, Anomaly Vineyards, Antinori Napa Valley, Aperture, Arrow&Branch, Baldacci Family Vineyards, Barbieri and Kemp Wines, Barnett Vineyards, Bernardus Winery, Boars’ View, Bremer Family Winery, Cadre Wines, Calafia Wines,Chenoweth Wines, CHEV., Chimney Rock Winery, CIRQ Estate, Convene By Dan Kosta, Cornerstone Cellars, CourAvant,Crocker & Starr, Domaine Carneros, Donald Patz Wine Group, Duhig Wine, DuMOL, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, Earthshine Wines, Farella, Glass Slipper Vineyard, Grgich Hills Estate, Guarachi Family Wines, Hitching Post Wines, Hyde de Villaine,Hyde Vineyards Estate, Jaffe Family Wines, JONATA, Kindred, LOCALISM Wines, Lombardi Wines, Mailbu Vineyards,Mending Wall, Merus, Mi Sueño Winery, Monochrome Wines, Monte De Oro Winery, Murder Ridge Winery, Navarro Vineyards, Olivia Brion Wines, Outpost Wines, Paradigm Winery, Parallel Napa Valley, Patz & Hall, Peter Michael Winery,Post Parade, Pott Wine, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Ridge Vineyards, Sans Liege Wines, Sciandri Family Vineyards, Scott Harvey Wines, Silverado Vineyards, Skylark Wine Company, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, Talisman, Tercero Wines, Terre et Sang, The Hilt Estate, The Setting Wines, Three Wine Company, Tom Eddy Napa Valley, TOP, Trefethen Family, Truchard Vineyards, and VIVIER Wines.

Don Francisco’s Coffee is the official coffee provider and FIJI Water is the official water provider, along with beveragesCelsius and VitaminWater at Winemasters 2024.

Guests will have the opportunity to participate in the legendary auction with over 600 silent and live auction items, featuring rare wines, unique experiences, and exclusive items. The event’s auction is a testament to the generosity and support of the community in making a tangible difference in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis.

Anticipated net proceeds of $1,500,000 will contribute to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s crucial research and care programs. Over the past 34 years, this event has raised an astounding $36 Million, playing a pivotal role in transforming the median age of a CF patient from 12 years old to 56.

“We cannot express enough our gratitude for the unwavering support

we’ve received over the past 34 years

from some of the world’s most prominent Wineries, Winemakers, Chefs, and Restaurants,”

Olivia Younan

Development Director

Cystic Fibrosis Southern California Chapter.

“As we celebrate our 35th Anniversary, we extend an invitation to everyone to join us for this special occasion and make a meaningful impact on the lives of those affected by Cystic Fibrosis.”

Ticket Information: The 35th Annual “A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters” will take place onSaturday, May 18th, 2024, and this is a 21+ event. VIP Guests can enter at 5:00 pm and General Admission will be from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now until Saturday, May 11th, 2024.

For more information on the 35th Annual “A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters,” please visit www.CAWinemasters.org

ABOUT A CULINARY EVENING WITH THE CALIFORNIA WINEMASTERS:

A Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters is a WINE SPECTATOR “Top 10 Charity Wine Auction” and BizBash Top 100 event that showcases 55 celebrated chefs and restaurateurs and 75 award-winning wineries and winemakers. 1,200 guests from all over the USA are in attendance.

The event features over 600 extraordinary silent and live auctions.  Anticipated net proceeds of $1,500,000 will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s vital research and care programs. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system.

The event has raised $36 million in 34 years and in that time, the median age of a CF patient has gone from 12-years old to 56.

ABOUT THE CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION:

The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with the disease the opportunity to lead full, productive lives by funding research and drug development, promoting individualized treatment, and ensuring access to high-quality, specialized care.

Little River Inn in Mendocino Brings Memories this Spring: Mother’s Day brunch, Anderson Valley Pinot Festival and more!
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Little River Inn in Mendocino Brings Memories this Spring: Mother’s Day brunch, Anderson Valley Pinot Festival and more!

By Kelsey Ridley — 5 months ago

Little River Inn in Mendocino Brings Memories this Spring: Mother’s Day brunch, Anderson Valley Pinot Festival and more!

This time of year brings all kinds of delights to the historic Little River Inn on the splendid Mendocino Coast of Northern California.

Their lavish gardens are bursting with colorful flowers, Sunday brunch will once again be served at their restaurant, a Mother’s Day brunch to remember is planned, wine-lovers can take advantage of a Pinot festival package in the nearby Anderson Valley, and epicureans will be thrilled by an Uni and Whiskey pairing dinner that coincides with the coast’s popular Urchin Fest this June.

Sunday Brunch is Back

The return of Sunday Brunch at Little River Inn’s restaurant.

The public and the Inn’s guests are welcome to indulge from 8am to 11am every Sunday. Dishes on offer include Ole’s Favorite Breakfast, which is two Swedish hotcakes, two eggs, and a choice of bacon, pork sausage or chicken apple sausage; Avocado Toast with Radish, Sprouts, Tajin, Cotija cheese, and a Baby Lettuce Salad; and a Seasonal Frittata with Baked Eggs, Chef’s Selection of Seasonal Vegetables, Cheese, Homestyle Potatoes, and a Choice of Toast.

Celebrate Mom!

On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, Moms will be treated to a feast at brunch from 8am to 12pm.

The regular brunch menu is available, plus specials for Mother’s Day, including a crispy Croque Madame sandwich and delectable Bread Pudding French Toast. Mimosa flights will be on offer, with exclusive flavors like Pineapple/Lime/Cayenne, Grapefruit/Thyme, Guava/Rosemary, and Strawberry/Mint. Guests pay an additional $35 for four 6-ounce mimosas. To make a reservation, call 707.937.5942.

Mendocino's Must-Visit: Little River Inn Brings Memories this Spring: Mother’s Day brunch, Anderson Valley Pinot Festival and more!

Experience the AV Pinot Festival Package

Nobody does Pinot Noir like Anderson Valley, with an unmatched combination of ruggedly beautiful terrain and casually elegant tasting rooms, it is a true hidden gem.

There’s no better way to experience fantastic wines and stellar atmosphere than at this year’s Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival (May 17-19).

Little River Inn has crafted a package – good May 16-20, 2024 – that includes two nights in an Ocean view room and two tickets to the festival. More than 50 wineries will pour, including more than a dozen prestige labels from Napa and Sonoma that covet the fabulous local fruit.

Some of the county’s best chefs will serve Pinot-perfect pairings, and attendees will have the opportunity to bid on exclusive wine and experiences during the ever-popular silent fundraiser.

There will be a Grand Tasting that includes Rosés and Sparkling Wines in addition to those phenomenal Pinots, educational seminars with winemakers, live music, a BBQ, and more, all set next to the beautiful vineyards of Anderson Valley. AV Pinot Festival Package, good May 16-20, 2024, $990 for three nights or $714.50 for two nights (two-night minimum). To book, go to littleriverinn.com and search for the festival dates.

Uni Meets Whiskey at an Exclusive Dinner

Little River Inn’s Chef de Cuisine Joe Perez crafts delectable uni-centric dishes and whiskey expert Jonathan Darrow brings his wisdom around Japanese whiskies to create a one-of-a-kind pairing experience in this not-to-be missed dinner. Guests learn about urchin and the local tidal environment while enjoying 6-courses and a variety of Japanese whiskies, along with one special cocktail. The event is timed to take place during the area’s annual Mendocino Coast Purple Urchin Festival from Friday, June 14 to Sunday, June 16, when the coast hosts multiple urchin-related events and local restaurants offer special uni dishes. Uni and Whiskey Pairing Dinner, Saturday, June 15, 2024. Little River Inn’s Abalone Room, 6:30 pm, $250 per person, and tickets can be purchased here.

Exceptional Oceanic Cocktail for Kelp and Urchin Fest 

Little River Inn has confected a cocktail specially for Urchin Fest (which is joined this year by the North Coast KelpFest!, a month-long exploration of the beauty and benefits of the irreplaceable underwater ecosystem). The Van Damme Seaweed Spritzer is composed of locally foraged seaweed- and cucumber-infused vodka and dry cucumber soda, and garnished with a seaweed pickled cucumber ribbon. Available for the duration of the KelpFest! at the Little River Inn restaurant and Ole’s Whale Watch Bar, from May 18 to June 16, 2024. Price: $15.

Little River Inn

Little River Inn is a family-owned and operated historic resort in Northern California that is home to a chef-driven restaurant, a nine-hole Audubon-certified golf course (suitable for all skill levels), professional tennis courts, and the friendliest service on the Mendocino Coast.

Ideal for the entire family (and pet-friendly as well), the Inn has 65 guest rooms ranging from the economical to the luxurious. Several private meeting and special event spaces with stunning ocean and garden views make the Inn an excellent venue for small- to medium-sized events and corporate retreats.

The restaurant, helmed by CIA-trained Executive Chef Marc Dym, is a destination unto itself and the delicious, often hearty California coastal cuisine has a dedicated following, with many items, such as Ole’s Swedish Hotcakes and the Blackberry Cobbler, lauded by visitors and locals alike.

The dinner menu can be enjoyed in the charming dining room or outdoor garden area, while breakfast is available via room service, to be savored from the comfort of one’s own private deck (or even in bed).

Ole’s Whale Watch Bar is a classic local hangout where guests gather for libations or a casual bite, and at certain times of the year, to watch the migration of the gray whales. The Inn also offers massage services in both the spa room and also in-room. Overseen by fifth-generation owner Cally Dym, Little River Inn was proud to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2019.

Little River Inn is located two miles south of Mendocino overlooking the Pacific Ocean, at 7901 N. Highway One, Little River, CA 95456. For reservations and additional information, call 707.937.5942 or visit www.littleriverinn.com.

Strawberry Kabobs, Pizza, Funnel Cake and so much more! California Strawberry Festival, May 18 and 19
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Strawberry Kabobs, Strawberry Pizza, Strawberry Funnel Cake and so much more! California Strawberry Festival, May 18 and 19

By Kelsey Ridley — 5 months ago

Strawberry Kabobs, Strawberry Nachos And Strawberry Tacos–Just Some Of The Tastes At The California Strawberry Festival, May 18 and 19

Fifty food and drink vendors will be at the festival, many with strawberry-themed offerings.

Festivalgoers can treat themselves to chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberry-topped funnel cakes, strawberry pizza, strawberry nachos, deep-fried strawberries, berry kabobs, strawberry tacos and strawberry beer and smoothies.

Yum! Big Flavor At This Year's California Strawberry Festival, May 18 and 19

Yum! Big Flavor At This Year’s California Strawberry Festival, May 18 and 19

There is also strawberry-covered fried dough, strawberry kettle corn and strawberry lemonade.

“The food and drink list goes on and on,”

Michael Thompson

festival board member

“For $5, you can pile on strawberries and whipped cream as high as you can at our ‘build-your-own’ Strawberry Shortcake Experience.”

The Kabob Shack will offer a kabob skewer with fresh strawberries and a choice of bananas or brownie bites drizzled with white and brown chocolate. “We use about 120 flats of strawberries at the festival,” says Stacia Mizukawa, Kabob Shack owner. “Each kabob is made to order and chocolated right in front of the customer. Nothing is premade. We want the customer to experience everything firsthand.”

Many of the food and drink booths are run by volunteers. Buena Music Association is a nonprofit that raises funds to support the Buena High School music program. Its festival specialty is strawberry and whipped cream-topped funnel cakes.

“People love funnel cakes.

Even with all the other festival food,

last year, we made over 3,000,”

Angie Palacios

the association’s board president.

“Parents and students volunteer for our booth. It’s a wonderful experience for everyone and a great way to finish off the school year.”

The Oxnard Buddhist Temple has been serving chocolate-dipped strawberries at the festival for about 10 years. The booth sells about 20,000 chocolate-dipped strawberries over the two-day festival.

“Most of our strawberries are donated,” says Yoshi Usuki, a longtime volunteer. Shifts of 25 volunteers first melt chocolate in crock pots. The strawberries are dipped, put in cupcake holders and set on racks to cool. The strawberries are then sold individually and in three and six-packs.

Festival general admission is $15, active military with ID and family and seniors 62 and over, $10, youth ages 5 to 12, $8, and children 4 and under are free.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.CAStrawberryFestival.org or upon entry to the festival. A limited amount of parking is available onsite for $20 per vehicle.

Festival-goers are encouraged to use the free shuttles, which will run every 15 minutes to the festival from nearby locations in Oxnard and Ventura. Metrolink offers a $10 day pass, good for unlimited rides on the day of purchase, and up to three kids ages 17 and under ride free with each adult fare. The station is located next to the fairgrounds.

Festival hours are 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

For more about the festival visit www.castrawberryfest.org or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

The California Strawberry Festival pays tribute to California’s $3 billion strawberry industry. Strawberries are Ventura County’s largest crop generating over $662million in value in 2022.

Passover 2024 is also here! Taste these Beverly Hills Wine Suggestion from Kosher Expert
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Passover Wines for 2024! Taste these Beverly Hills Wine Suggestion from Kosher Expert

By Joe Winger — 5 months ago

Wine Expert Jay Buchsbaum from Kosher.com Reveals Perfect Passover Wines Pairings for Passover 2024

Passover starts Monday April 22 at sundown and ends April 30th. But today’s conversation is about the flavors of Seder dinner.  

Jay Buchsbaum

Royal Wine and Kosher.com’s Jay Buchsbaum visits to talk about flavor, tradition, tastes for every family member and what’s exciting in the wine world for 2024.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.  For the full, unedited conversation, visit our FlavRReport YouTube channel.

 

Joe Winger: Jay, welcome back.  I appreciate that you’re returning.  Last time was great and we learned alot.

Jay Buchsbaum: Thank you for having me. Wow. This is great. So getting invited back for a second date, that’s really cool.

Joe Winger: Passover is just around the corner and we want to talk about different over wines to enjoy during the celebration and some great wine pairings.

I wanted to start off with what might be one of the popular new bottles – Carmel Black Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jay Buchsbaum:  It’s very hot and the reason it’s very hot is because people want something that’s rich and flavorful, especially the American palate, what we call the New World style.  

Opulence, fruit forward, but they don’t want to spend a fortune like you’d have to from some fancy vineyard in Napa or from Judean Hills. When it comes to Israel or the Golan Heights, and this is one of those wines where they’ve put together this at the beginning of opulence, lots of fruit forwardness, 14 months in oak and about $25.

So it’s really one of those really wonderful wines. What I noticed, and they say they forgot to do it, but I noticed that it does not have an appellation specific, except for Israel.  The reason I believe the winemaker did that –  I don’t know for sure – he talks about it on the back [of the bottle] that they brought the grapes from some of the finest vineyards.  He chose small amounts [of grapes] from the best vineyards from different places and put them all together, carefully crafting it so that it’s big and rich and flavorful and still under $30 bucks.

Joe Winger: That sounds amazing. What are some good food pairings that you’d recommend with it?

Jay Buchsbaum: A roast would be great. On the first and second night of Passover, we don’t officially roast anything because we don’t want people to think that it was a sacrificial lamb that was done in Egypt because we don’t have it today yet.

Until the reestablishment of the temple on the Temple Mount at some future time. 

So people cook a roast in the oven, it’s not barbecued. That’s what they’re talking about from a historical, spiritual sense –  but a delicious roast, maybe chicken marsala, where you have mushrooms and caramelized onions, you have a really rich flavor to go with that.

A lot of the Sephardic foods are like that too. We talked about traditional foods. Traditional foods from where? Sometimes it’s Eastern Europe, sometimes it’s Middle Eastern, and sometimes it’s Sephardic.

Lots of seders have a mix of all [cuisines] because you have melded families.

 

Joe Winger: Royal Wine currently has a wide roster of wine suggestions for Passover  Something for every adult at the table, from Grandpa to 25 year old Grand-daughter and her boyfriend.

 

Jay Buchsbaum: That’s a great point.  I’m going to give you the last one first only because I thought this was so much fun when I thought about it and I actually might do it. 

Let’s say the boyfriend is coming over. He wants to bring you something and he doesn’t know what to get you because, he’s not that observant..

So I thought, why don’t you end the meal with something Sparkling. The Momentous Rosé. That might be fun. You go out with a pop, so to speak. There’s Vera Wang’s  Prosecco Rose that’s also wonderful.   Both around $20.

But if you want to go really high end, why not go with the Rothschild Brut Rosé from Champagne, which is magnificent.  It’s 100% Pinot Noir, and about $100 a bottle.

So you have great diversity and  accessible and quite delicious sparkling wines.

Grandpa, or if you have a real fine wine guy. You have beautiful wines from the Rothschild vineyards, the Haute Medoc. which is in the upper $30s, and then you even have Grand Cru’s LesCombes, Grand Cru Margaux as an example, and some amazing wines from the Herzog Winery in California like the Alexander Valley Herzog Reserve, or the Napa Valley Herzog Reserve.  

We have a beautiful Lake County Reserve Cabernet from California. Big, opulent, delicious, mouth filling. 

I start my Seder usually with a rosé.  The reason for that is because you’re starting your Seder, having eaten nothing pretty much since the morning. So you’re on an empty stomach and the tradition is to finish at least the first glass. So I try to start with a rosé.  It’s a little lighter, a little lower in alcohol, a little lighter in texture and, and I like to start with an Israeli wine first.

Joe Winger: Iis there a hidden gem as far as just high quality with amazing value?

Jay Buchsbaum: There’s a really wonderful wine from New Zealand.

It’s a white wine, not a red wine. It’s made by the Rothschild family, but it’s made in New Zealand, called Rimapere Sauvignon Blanc. Less than $30 for sure.  Fresh, sweet lemons, but with enough acidity and structure, almost like a palette cleanser.

Joe Winger:  Anything that you’re looking forward to in the next few  months that wine lovers should be getting excited for?

Jay Buchsbaum: We were missing rosés from Israel for a whole year because of the sabbatical year. We skipped that vintage of roses, and so they’re back for the first time in 24 months for this Passover.

I love some of the new Italian wines. One of them to take a look at is Cantina Giuliano.  it’s a boutique winery. They make 3,000 – 4,000 cases maximum. It’s run by a young couple and I just had them over at my house for Sabbath Shabbat.  His wines blew people away.

I think the most exciting thing is our new winemaker and what our new winemakers is doing with our grapes. His selection and his final product over at the Herzog Wine Cellars. And that could be

Our new winemaker, his name is David Galzignato. He’s with us about three years and he has a background that is with some of the finest and smallest, medium sized boutiques. 

He was going to be moving to France, going to go for his MW [masters of wine] and they asked him if he’d come and consider working with us and he did. He has been making literally blow your brains out wonderful wines so our Napa Cabernet, our Alexander Valley Cabernet are just up and down the line, the wines, especially the reds are just rich and opulent.

He got Joseph Herzog to buy a visual sorter, they range in cost between a $100,000 – 1 million dollar machine.

What they do is when the grapes come in [during harvest] and there’s something called sorting tables.

Done by hand [vineyard workers literally sorting through the harvested grape bunches, looking for]  damaged or a little beat up or whatever, and they only allow the perfect grapes to go through. 

This visual sorter does this electronically by computer, so nothing is missed, zero. As a result, the grape quality is much higher

Famously said in The New Yorker Years ago, “There’s only three things that matter in good winemaking. Good grapes. Good grapes. Good grapes.”

So, the fruit that we get and the fruit that we end up making wine out of is literally the most important thing.

By using these kinds of methods, which are not inexpensive. But the quality is through the roof. We’re looking to make a 100 point wine one of these days and I think it might we might get close this year. 

Oregon, Chicago, North Carolina and much more! Traveling? Discover Greatest Hotels Ever from Fifty Grande
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Oregon, Chicago, North Carolina and much more! Traveling? Discover Greatest Hotels Ever from Fifty Grande

By Susan Schuler — 6 months ago

Oregon, Chicago, North Carolina and much more! Traveling? Discover Greatest Hotels Ever from Fifty Grande

Travel magazine Fifty Grande recognized 50 hotels for its first ‘Greatest Hotels Ever’ awards, nominated by readers.

Hotels had to meet two criteria to secure a nomination; they had to be located in the United States and needed to average a rate of under $350 per night.

“This collection of hotels reflects the adventurous spirit and eclectic interests of our Fifty Grande community,”

Chris Walsh

Editor-in-Chief

The chosen hotels offer an array of interesting amenities and thoughtful guest experiences. This carefully curated selection celebrates the best in­­ affordable tourism, highlighting exceptional accommodations that redefine the travel experience without breaking the bank.

Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas

Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas

The Greatest Hotels Ever are:

Northeast & Mid-Atlantic

The Asbury, Asbury Park, N.J.
The Dean Hotel, Providence
Hotel Zena, Washington, D.C.
The Lincoln Hotel, Biddeford, Maine
Oak Bluffs Inn, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
The Schoolhouse Hotel, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
TWA Hotel, New York
The Verb, Boston
Woodstock Inn and Resort, Woodstock, Vt.

South

Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas
Emeline, Charleston
Flophouze, Round Top, Texas
Grand Bohemian Lodge, Greenville, S.C.
Graduate Nashville, Nashville
Hotel San Jose, Austin
Hotel Tupelo, Tupelo, Miss.
Kimpton Overland Hotel Atlanta Airport, Atlanta
The Pontchartrain Hotel, New Orleans
The Reserve at Hot Springs, Hot Springs, Ark.
The Vendue, Charleston

Ace Hotel Palm Springs, Palm Springs

Ace Hotel Palm Springs, Palm Springs

West

Ace Hotel Palm Springs, Palm Springs
‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, Honolulu
Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile, Kanab, Utah
The Eddy Taproom & Hotel, Golden, Colo.
The Edgewater Hotel, Seattle
Grouse Mountain Lodge, Whitefish
Hotel Chaco, Albuquerque
Hotel Figeroa, Los Angeles
Hotel Max, Seattle
Hotel McCoy, Tucson
Hotel Zetta, San Francisco
McMenamins Kennedy School, Portland, Ore.
The Pearl Hotel, San Diego
Shore Lodge, McCall, Idaho
Urban Cowboy, Denver
The Venetian, Las Vegas
Wyoming Inn, Jackson Hole

21c Museum Hotel, St. Louis

21c Museum Hotel, St. Louis

Midwest 

21c Museum Hotel, St. Louis
Bottleworks Hotel, Indianapolis
The Brown Hotel, Louisville
Hotel Donaldson, Fargo
Hotel Millwright, Amana, Iowa
Hotel on Phillips, Sioux Falls
The Junto, Columbus
Kinn Guesthouse, Milwaukee
Magnolia Omaha, Omaha
Palmer House, Chicago
The Siren Hotel, Detroit
Union Station Hotel, St. Louis
Viceroy Hotel, Chicago

The survey was conducted September 4 – 25, 2023 and the results were based on 1825 respondents.

For the full story, visit www.fiftygrande.com.

Fifty Grande

Fifty Grande is a digital and print travel publication that explores the U.S.

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Big Hollywood Shake-Up! American Film Market 2024 Moves To Las Vegas’ Palms Casino Resort

By Contributor — 6 months ago

American Film Market 2024 Relocating To Las Vegas’ Palms Casino Resort

The Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) and its Board of Directors announce that the American Film Market (AFM®), its industry flagship event, will relocate to Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas for its 45th edition.

New Chapter for American Film Market in 2024

Scheduled for November 5 to 10, 2024, this move marks a new chapter for AFM.

Held in Los Angeles and Santa Monica for over four decades, AFM is a cornerstone event for the independent entertainment industry.

Companies Including Arclight Films, Blue Fox Entertainment, Cornerstone, Film Mode Entertainment, FilmNation Entertainment, HanWay Films, Lakeshore Entertainment, Millennium Media,

Myriad Pictures, NEON, Protagonist Pictures, The Exchange, WME Independent & XYZ Films

Already Committed as Exhibitors at the Palms for AFM24

American Film Market 2024 multi-City Search

The decision to move American Film Market to Las Vegas comes after a multi-city search and careful consideration of the needs of AFM’s Exhibiting Sales Companies and Buyers and reflects IFTA’s dedication to creating the optimal environment where the global film and television industry can converge, collaborate, and conduct business seamlessly.

“After extensive research, discussions with the Board and invaluable feedback from stakeholders, this move underscores our determination to evolving AFM to meet today’s industry needs,”

Clay Epstein

IFTA Chairperson and President of Film Mode Entertainment.

“The strength of the AFM lies in its ability to create community and present a sophisticated platform for all our participants’ activities in one convenient location. The Palms enables us to do all of that and beyond.”

Palms Casino Resort offers a wealth of modern facilities and conveniences, all in a single location for an enhanced market experience. Highlights include newly renovated rooms and suites for Exhibitor office space and guest rooms, the Brenden Theatres’ 14 screen state-of-the-art multiplex, and more than 170,000 square feet of dedicated conference, meeting, and event space. 

Las Vegas presents easy travel options, including domestic and international flights from over 160 locations, and its close proximity to Los Angeles, with over 35 daily flights, expands the options and allows AFM participants easy stopovers. Furthermore, Las Vegas offers a wealth of dining, sleeping, entertaining, and shopping opportunities, providing added value for AFM participants.

Epstein further added, “This move to Las Vegas is generating support and enthusiasm from colleagues around the world and we are excited to welcome everyone to AFM 2024 in November.”

Major production, finance, sales and distribution companies, including Arclight Films, Blue Fox Entertainment, Blacktop International, Cinema Management Group, Cornerstone, The Exchange, Film Mode Entertainment, FilmNation Entertainment, Film Seekers, HanWay Films, A Higher Standard, Lakeshore Entertainment, Millennium Media, Myriad Pictures, NEON, Protagonist Pictures, The Asylum, The Solution Entertainment Group, Vision Films, WME Independent and XYZ Films have already committed to participating in AFM24 in the new Las Vegas Palms locale, underscoring the industry’s enthusiasm for this monumental move and the importance of AFM to their businesses.

Jean Prewitt, IFTA President & CEO commented:  “AFM was created by the Independents and remains the Independents’ market.  The industry has called for a fresh look at how the market can better serve a rapidly changing business.  The Board has made a monumental decision that allows us to better serve these needs.  We look forward to introducing everyone to the new AFM venue and its offerings.”

“We’re delighted to extend a warm welcome to the American Film Market,” said Cynthia Kiser Murphey, General Manager of Palms Casino Resort. “Our team members are committed to providing the Palms signature and personalized hospitality to each and every guest. The AFM’s needs and our offerings make for a perfect match and we look forward to hosting the AFM participants this November.”

As AFM prepares to make its debut in Las Vegas this Fall, further details will be unveiled in the coming weeks and months. 

About the American Film Market® (AFM®)

The AFM is where the global film and television business comes to life every November. The only independently produced international sales market, hundreds of finance, production, sales and distribution companies and thousands of professionals from every segment of the industry, convene at AFM for six days of discovery, development, deal making, networking, marketplace discussions and world-class conferences. The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®) and serves as the annual fundraiser for the association.  

About the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®)
IFTA is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution, and sales companies. The organization represents the independent sector before governments and international bodies and provides significant entertainment industry services to independent companies around the world.

About Palms Casino Resort

Palms Casino Resort is making history as the first resort in Las Vegas fully owned and operated by a Native American Tribe. Palms Casino Resort features two distinct towers with 766 hotel rooms and suites, a diverse mix of bars, restaurants, live entertainment venues, and immersive lifestyle experiences across a 95,000-square-foot reimagined casino. Offering free valet and self-parking, the resort also includes over 190,000 square feet of meeting, convention, and event space; the Pearl, a 2,500-seat theater; an expansive pool, The Spa & Salon at Palms; a wedding chapel; the Brenden Theatre 14-screen cinema and nearly 600 units at Palms Place condominiums.

Palms is located just west of the center of the Las Vegas Strip off I-15 on Flamingo Road. Palms Casino Resort is owned by The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority (“SMGHA”) an affiliate of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. For more information visit http://www.palms.com/ or the Palms Press Room. Follow Palms on social media Facebook Twitter Instagram.

Make the Best Cocktail on your next drinking night, Bark and Barware Shows You How with Cocktail Smoker
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Make the Best Cocktail on drinking night, Bark and Barware Shows You How with Cocktail Smoker

By Joe Winger — 6 months ago

Make the Best Cocktail on your next drinking night, Bark and Barware Shows You How with Cocktail Smoker

Bark and Barware enters the cocktail market with their premium cocktail smoker, including 6 flavors. 

Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy

Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy

Today, Bark and Barware’s Harel Levy joins us for a conversation about cocktails, creating your long-lasting drinking crew, picking the right flavors, the perfect pairings and more!

The below conversation has been edited for length and clarity.  Find the full conversation at our YouTube channel.

 

Joe Winger: Can you tell us a little bit about your story? And what inspired you to create this cocktail smoker kit?

Harel Levy:  I’ve been an entrepreneur for the last seven years. While there are no mistakes, I actually found [the cocktail smoker] by mistake. I was planning to buy something for my Dad. I usually won’t give something if it’s not 100%. So I’d rather not give a gift that I don’t really like.  Because I really care about what the recipient is going to feel. 

“I really love the idea of cocktail smoking kits. […]  It’s another tool to have a great night.

I don’t want to give something cheap, because if you really love someone, you really want to make sure that everything is spot on, right? 

Even on yourself, you will be more forgiven in terms of what you buy than someone else.

I really love the idea of cocktail smoking kits. It’s not that it’s only cool and it’s a great addition to having those nights with friends, with family.  It’s another tool to have a great night.

I went to Amazon and I saw there is no one who actually sells it in a premium, wooden box.  And with many flavors.  I talked with [my company’s] CEO about it, what’s missing here.

Bark & Barware's Smoker Kit

Bark & Barware’s Smoker Kit

We came up with a wooden box. It came from my passion to give something that looks good.

For almost a year, we went back and forth with factories. The smoke.  The flavor.  Details with the box.

When we released it, we were very happy.  We knew my criteria.  If I can give it to my Dad, not being afraid he’s not going to like it.  Then I know that other people are also going to enjoy it because I have high standards for giving a gift to someone that I love. That’s how we came up with the product and the product.

The second thing we are planning is to bring a mixologist,  make it a more holistic experience. 

Extend the journey with our customers, give them cocktails, give them recipes, give them ideas, The journey doesn’t end when the transaction happens for us. We want to continue to build trust and serve our customers.

 

Joe Winger: You have a very comprehensive website.  Can you walk us through your Cocktail Smoker Kit? When we buy it what do we get?

Harel Levy: There are six different chip flavors, the culinary torch, the smoke lid.  Ice tongs, whiskey stones. Unfortunately, we don’t include butane [gas for the torch] because shipping is very heavily regulated, 

“In every smoker kit you get six different chip flavors, the culinary torch, the smoke lid.  Ice tongs, whiskey stones.”

We have six flavors: cherry, oak, pear, maple, hickory and apple. Our plan is to listen to our customers and come up with new flavors based on what they ask for.  It’s not a one-time product release.  We’re going to offer refills, extensions, more.

Each taste is very delicate.  The world of wine, flavor, alcohol is so wide and you can get very specific sometimes. When you do get specific, you get the best results, right? 

 

Joe Winger: Has there been one or two major lessons you’ve learned?

Harel Levy: Initially we had more flavors. After we gave out samples and heard about which flavors were the favorite, we removed some. 

Joe Winger: You mentioned flavor pairing.  What’s your favorite cocktail pairing?

Harel Levy: It’s a tough question because taste is something that is extremely subjective.

We usually put it with scotch. That’s our personal preference.  Our customers get very creative with their ideas. That’s why we initially started with those six flavors. But listening to customer feedback, it’s going to grow and change.

 

Joe Winger: Over a year of research and development, were there any unexpected surprises?

Harel Levy: A lot of people agreed with me on the wooden box.  People started asking for smoke refills.  They’re going through the smoke faster than I thought.  When we launched, I was expecting this to be used for special occasions.  But people are using it every week, all the time.  

 

Joe Winger: In the past few weeks, I’ve been in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia.  All those places have bars where they’re serving smoked drinks.  Now people want to have that experience at home.  

Harel Levy: That’s going to make you the hero of the party.  You’re the one who brings the cool stuff. I always like to do that. 

We really advise [anyone trying this] to taste all of the flavors. Not just one or two.   The spectrum of what flavors someone likes or doesn’t like is very wide.  You’re probably going to really like 1-2 [of the flavors], and less like the others.

Those 1-2 that you really like, we’re going to offer you refills.

When I host friends [at my house], I drink scotch and it goes well with cherry.

But it’s like a game.  You try a lot of things. You find out something that you’re really going to love.

“That’s going to make you the hero of the party.  You’re the one who brings the cool stuff.”

Joe Winger: This first kit is a starter kit or a sampler kit. I get those six flavors and I get to decide, “Oh my gosh, I really like this one. Now I need a refill.”

Harel Levy:  Exactly. It’s exciting me on a personal level because I’m curious […]. What’s going to make people upgrade a scotch that costs hundreds of dollars?

I can play with the flavor. That will upgrade an experience for the end customer cost hundreds of dollars. I did my part, right? And for them, they’re going to be over the moon. They’re going to be super happy. It’s just going to become one of their routine.

“What’s going to make people upgrade a scotch that costs hundreds of dollars?”

Joe Winger: There are smoking kits all over the place. Dozens of competitors on Amazon.  Why should someone choose Bark and Barware?

Harel Levy:  It’s the full experience that we offer. It starts with the package. Then the flavors. Most of our competitors offer four, we offer six. We tasted all of the competitors and our flavor is better.  Otherwise I would not have released the product.

Our post-purchase [experience] the recipes.  We’re working with a mixologist to just create a mini course to go with the kit, go with specific drinks. Customers are going to have access to all of it. How do I mix it? What should I mix it with? 

Joe Winger: What does the future of the brand look like?

Harel Levy: We’re planning to release big packages [re-fills] of each flavor. Second thing is the mini courses. We really want to inspire because that’s fun.  

The process of drinking with friends, the process of smoking. It’s a fun process. You sit on your balcony, with friends, you open a bottle of wine as well.  That’s a fun process. 

Our goal is to inspire. Someone [will realize they] like a specific cocktail.  We will give them all of the information on how to make it,  how to mix it, then we earn a customer for life. 

Joe Winger: You mentioned picking a cocktail is like picking a favorite kid. It’s so hard to do. What is your favorite cocktail to use with your smoker? 

Harel Levy: Yeah, so that’s a great question. I like the combination of the apple and scotch.

Joe Winger: Because you’re a foodie, are there any specific cocktail and food pairings that you really enjoy with any of your specific flavors?

Harel Levy: My favorite is having an apple flavored scotch with a ribeye. Someone I work with loves the hickory flavor.  That’s the beauty of this world, every person has their unique taste.

Shop for Bark and Barware’s Cocktail smoker hit on amazon here: https://amzn.to/3P5c42g 

Learn more at: https://www.barkandbarware.com

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Beauty and Big Laughs ‘Models of Comedy’ with Ksenia, Peake, St. John at Ella Beverly Hills from Max Events 

By Contributor — 6 months ago

Ksenia, Peake, St. John! Beauty and Big Laughs ‘Models of Comedy’ at Ella Beverly Hills with Max Events 

Max Events presents Models of Comedy in support of From the Heart Tribe and sponsored by Lamborghini, Ella Beverly Hills, Sixty Hotels, Neft Vodka.

Ksenia, Peake, St. John! Beauty and Big Laughs ‘Models of Comedy’ at Ella Beverly Hills with Max Events 

Ksenia, Peake, St. John! Beauty and Big Laughs ‘Models of Comedy’ at Ella Beverly Hills with Max Events 

Ksenia, Peake, St. John! Beauty and Big Laughs ‘Models of Comedy’ at Ella Beverly Hills with Max Events 

What happens when you produce a comedy show starring some of the most beautiful people from around the world, including New Zealand, Germany, Russia, Denmark, Latin America, United Kingdom, United States and more?

The answer is fun-loving, raucous and big laughs.

Emmy Award winning Fashion Stylist, Costume Designer Brenda Cooper arrives for the show

Emmy Award winning Fashion Stylist, Costume Designer Brenda Cooper arrives for the show // Photos by Eugene Powers

Hot Night – Big Laughs ‘Models of Comedy’

The audience started off fun and flirty (thanks to St. John who we’ll get to in a sec), turned over the top, and by the end of the night there was a sing-a-long.  

Eliza St John hosts ‘Models of Comedy’

Eliza St John hosts ‘Models of Comedy’ // Photos by Eugene Powers

Eliza St. John

St. John was our host for the night who definitely set the tone: sexy, fun, flirty.  Struts onto the stage, wiggling and dancing. Oozing with energy, she interrupts her own introduction to flirt with a guy in the front row – who she asks to slide into her DMs.  Then asks the whole room to slide into her DMs.

A frisky start to a night that only gets hotter.

Eugenia Kuzmina performs at ‘Models of Comedy’

Eugenia Kuzmina performs at ‘Models of Comedy’ // Photos by Eugene Powers

Eugenia Kuzmina

Eugenia has become a comic strip regular, performing throughout Los Angeles stages.  She usually includes character work.  But, tonight was a straighter performance, based on well-timed rat-a-tat style jokes.  More relaxed, more comfortable.  Her characters are fun, but here’s hoping she delves deeper into these scripted punchlines.

Christine Peake, photo by Eugene Powers

Christine Peake

“Oh My Gawwd,” a guy in the 3rd row gasps just seconds into Christine Peake’s act.  And the gasps and howls only get louder!  Her set is not for the faint of heart. She goes for the jugular. LA’s “woke” youngsters in the crowd gasped, while the older crowd hooted along.

In 2024 she is finding her wings and soaring.  At Peake’s birthday show a few weeks ago, she broke new territory with her improvising.  Tonight she brought new laughs with a mostly new (and growing) set.   

Dominika Van Santen // Photo by Eugene Powers

Dominika Van Santen // Photo by Eugene Powers

Dominika Van Santen

Dominika won the Top Model of the World in 2005 and competed for Miss Venezuela Pageant, later she performed alongside Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Robin Thicke, J. Lo, Pitbull.  Tonight she brought great laughs.

CJ Franco // Photo by Eugene Powers

CJ Franco // Photo by Eugene Powers

CJ Franco

Instantly recognizable from 2021’s FBoy Island and tonight she continues beginning the heat – smart and salacious.  From threesomes to sex toys, she takes us into her bedroom and the crowd loves it.  Laughs, cringes, and blushing – she keeps pushing to the edge and gleefully dancing off the cliff.  Unafraid!

Thash Mose // Photo by Eugene Powers

Thash Mose // Photo by Eugene Powers

Thash Mose

Thash is a surprise discovery.  A quieter delivery, which made the laughs all the bigger.  From Disney’s “Frozen”, to drug addicts and the fashionably offensive. Nothing was off-limits and the audience loved her.  

Ksenia // Photo by Eugene Powers

Ksenia // Photo by Eugene Powers

Night of Beauty, Laughs and Surprises at ‘Models of Comedy’

Ksenia

Ksenia was one of the biggest winners of the night.  A mix of jokes, stories and songs.  Yes, songs.  And here’s the surprise: she has a great voice.  She got the crowd to sing-along twice by the end.  Seeing couples and strangers sway to the music,  enjoying the moment.  Ksenia is someone to watch for.  Get a ticket to her next show!

Thash Mose, Christine Peake, Eugenia Kuzmina, Kzenia // Photo by Eugene Powers

Thash Mose, Christine Peake, Eugenia Kuzmina, Kzenia // Photo by Eugene Powers

Neft Vodka

The World’s First Sipping Vodka from Austria.  Carefully selected for their soft and mild flavor profiles, Neft uses only Old-World non-GMO rye grains in their mash bill, imparting subtle sweetness and a luxuriously lengthy finish of soft, rye spice.

They are meticulous in their distillation process: using a copper still followed by continuous column distillation to extract only the highest quality spirit: the hearts. The result is a vodka with an incredible flavor profile and distinctive viscosity, giving NEFT its infinitely sipable taste and luxurious mouthfeel.

From the Heart Tribe

From the Heart Tribe is dedicated to effectuating positive change by organizing engaging experiences that contribute to the betterment of the natural environment.

 

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