0

Santa Monica’s Mon Ami “First Class to Spain”  Sept 19 Experiential Dining Brings Barcelona to Your Table

Santa Monica ‘s Mon Ami “First Class to Spain”  Sept 19 Experiential Dining Brings Catalonia to Your Table

If you’re not already familiar with Mon Ami, you’re missing out on one of Santa Monica’s tastiest hidden gems.

Tucked behind the crowds on Ocean Avenue, this hidden courtyard restaurant feels like the best-kept secret for cocktails and bites near the beach. 

Nas Negahban’s Mon Ami “First Class Experience’ takes Your Tastebuds to Barcelona

Under the guidance of Nas Negahban from Pacific Coast Hospitality Group, a seasoned traveler with a passion for authentic culinary experiences, Mon Ami strives to mirror the richness of Mediterranean cultures in every aspect. 

The Mon Ami event series will launch September 19.

Reservations to the Barcelona First Class Series Event: https://resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/mon-ami?date=2024-09-19&seats=2&query=Mon%20ami&activeView=list

Pricing is: $95 plus tax and gratuity for the 4-course food menu

Or $125++ for the food menu and 2 included drinks

Mon Ami Chef explaining tonight's dishes

Mon Ami Chef explaining tonight’s dishes

Speaking on his inspiration and Mon Ami’s concept, Nas explains:

“I’ve always had a passion for building new concepts and brands across various industries.

We currently have a few restaurants in Spain and other countries

but Santa Monica is home. ”

 

Nas Negahban

 

Mon Ami is the true Mediterranean experience.

With an emphasis on a variety of culinary dishes and spices and inspired spirits with an enhanced flair attached to it from several countries located on or by the Mediterranean Sea such as Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Morocco, & many more with a lot of their food curated and selected from the local Santa Monica Farmers Market. 

First Class Series Event on September 19 – Extraordinary Journey to Barcelona

The First Class Event Series includes 2 items from Mon Ami’s drink menu (specialty cocktails or wine)… and dishes from their food menu:

  • appetizer
  • first course
  • second course
  • choice of 3rd course
  • and choice of dessert

If that sounds like a lot, it is.  And not in a “I’m stuffed and need to roll home” kind of way.

Incredible flavor.

Diversity.

Filling.

But you leave feeling pleasantly fulfilled. Not heavy.

For me, that’s incredibly important.

Mon Ami’s First Class Series is a great idea for date night, for a casual business dinner, for a birthday or celebration.

Most importantly, it creates memories.  It’s been a few days since my dinner, and I’m still remembering it and smiling.

Mon Ami's Blackberry Mojito

Mon Ami’s Blackberry Mojito

Mon Ami’s Blackberry Mojito

Mon Ami's Catelonia Margarita

Mon Ami’s Catelonia Margarita

Mon Ami’s Catelonia Margarita.

The dinner started with a light appetizer, perfect to ignite your appetite.

Mon Ami; Amuse Bouche (Iberian Jamon with Burrata, Calabria Chile on a crustini)

Mon Ami; Amuse Bouche (Iberian Jamon with Burrata, Calabria Chile on a crustini)

Amuse Bouche (Iberian Jamon with Burrata, Calabria Chile on a crustini)

Light with a good crunch and subtle flavor.

Equally important, the perfect conversation starter.  If your dining table has a quiet moment, the arrival of this plate sparks smiles, giggles and reactions.

Mon Ami; Tapas Trio: Truffle mushroom, Chicken Mousse with a Pickled Onion, Spicy Tomatoes and Pepper

Mon Ami; Tapas Trio: Truffle mushroom, Chicken Mousse with a Pickled Onion, Spicy Tomatoes and Pepper

1st Course

Tapas Trio: Truffle mushroom, Chicken Mousse with a Pickled Onion, Spicy Tomatoes and Pepper

This is the first feel of diversity.  Flavor, mouthfeel; each of the three delivered a different experience.  From subtle, to bold, to a kick of spice.

Is your dinner Instagrammable?  It is if you’re at Mon Ami.

All evening long diners were taking pics of their meals.  Why?  Sure, it’s delicious.  But the plating.  Beautifully well-designed and playful.

Mon Ami takes their flavor seriously, but has fun creating each dish into art.

Mon Ami; Grilled Octopus with Patatas Bravas

Mon Ami; Grilled Octopus with Patatas Bravas

2nd Course

Grilled Octopus with Patatas Bravas

The grilled octopus is tender and juicy, paired well with crispy fried potatoes and drizzled with red sauce. It made you hungry for what’s next…

Mon Ami; Marinated Skirt Steak with a side of Spanish Rice and Roasted Zucchini

Mon Ami; Marinated Skirt Steak with a side of Spanish Rice and Roasted Zucchini

3rd Course 

Marinated Skirt Steak with a side of Spanish Rice and Roasted Zucchini

Don’t forget, the 3rd course has options: steak vs pasta.

Choosing skirt steak because it’s commonly a tougher cut and I was curious to see how Mon Ami’s skilled chef would create a heavenly plate.  Here, the marinade brought out the tender juicy flavor that we hoped for.  Well-prepared.

Our table shared smiles, giggles and mmmm’s with each bite.

Mon Ami; Crema Catalona with Shaved Chocolate and Berries

Mon Ami; Crema Catalona with Shaved Chocolate and Berries

Dessert

Crema Catalona with Shaved Chocolate and Berries

Again, dessert offered choices.  Dessert was between Crema Catalona and Sorbet.  I chose the Crema because I wanted to see how the Chef and his kitchen would prepare the dish.  His choices were impressive so far and I chose to trust his instincts.

I’m glad I trusted him.

It was perfect for me.  To be clear, I don’t want a mountain of sugar.  I want 5 bites of flavor and pleasure.

If tonight had been a date, sharing 2-3 bites each would have been the perfect evening to a perfect dinner.

 

 

 

Born and raised in Santa Monica, Nas is committed to elevating his hometown’s hospitality scene to reflect the sophistication of beachside cities he has encountered abroad.

This is present in every aspect of MON AMI’s ambiance, from its lush indoor-outdoor seating surrounded by greenery to its late-night live entertainment and picture-perfect cocktails. MON AMI is meticulously curated to enchant and immerse guests.

The event series will launch September 19 at the Mon Ami Santa location.

Reservation to the Barcelona First Class Series Event: https://resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/mon-ami?date=2024-09-19&seats=2&query=Mon%20ami&activeView=list

You can also email events@monamism.com if you have any questions or want to book over the phone.)

Pricing is: $95 plus tax and gratuity for the 4-course food menu or $125++ for the food menu and 2 included drinks. 

Mon Ami will offer a complimentary taste of the sangria upon arrival.

Advertisement

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Award-Winning Horror Hit “Soul Trader” Screens in LA for Calabasas Film Fest Sept 21, Susan Dynner, Shauna Grace in-person

Award-Winning  Horror Hit “Soul Trader” Screens in Los Angeles Calabasas Film Fest Sept 21 1pm.

Award-winning short film The Soul Trader returns to Los Angeles to be screened as part of Calabasas Film Fest on Saturday September 21 at 1pm.

The Soul Trader is a 12 minute short proof of concept for a feature or series directed by Susan Dynner (Brick, Punk’s Not Dead, Code Blue: A Love Story) and starring Shane West (A Walk to Remember, ER, The Dirty South), Donna Mills (Knots Landing, Nope, Origin), and newcomer Shauna Grace.

The story follows Coral Chase (Shauna Grace), an occult hitwoman who has the power to steal life-extending souls, which she then sells to vain, wealthy elites like Erica Claessen (Donna Mills), who clings to the crumbs of youth. She’s flanked by stoic bodyguard Damien (Shane West), who ultimately emerges from the shadows as her rival when she’s about to carry out a money-spinning hit at a target’s home and realizes she’s not the only one with murder in mind.

“We’re excited to share this story and show a strong female lead that audiences are falling in love with”

Director / Producer Susan Dynner

 

The short film launched at the Cannes Film Festival’s American Pavilion in May and has been gaining momentum ever since.  

It won its first award just weeks later at the Manhattan Film Festival in NYC. Then more awards at Rock The Shorts in Beverly Hills. Now it’s set to screen at many more festivals on the West Coast, East Coast and across the globe.

“This project is definitely a good luck charm.  Playing the role of Coral, working with our cast and crew has been incredible. But the biggest thanks is the reaction from the audience.  Getting to meet people who are excited and inspired by the story and characters.”

Actress / Executive Producer Shauna Grace

 

Meanwhile the filmmaking duo Susan Dynner and Shauna Grace are busy taking meetings toward their next step.

What is their next step?

“This was always meant as a proof of concept short film to become a feature film or TV series.  With the sold-out screenings and awards, it just confirms our feeling that this story is so much bigger than a short.”

Susan Dynner

 

Actress Shauna Grace has been receiving strong reviews, comparing her on screen presence to other heroines including Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson.

Dynner’s experience as a studio development executive for visionaries such as Richard Donner and Wolfgang Peterson shines through.  Also, her producing work on Sundance hit “Brick” and festival darling “Punks Not Dead” shows her ability to bring production value on a range of budgets.

Both Dynner and Grace will attend their Calabasas Film Festival screening on Saturday September 21 at 1pm and be available afterwards to discussion.

The Soul Trader is directed and produced by Dynner, written by newcomer Mike Underwood, photographed by Matthias Schubert (The Door Man, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, Shelter in Solitude), produced by Lauren Bancroft (The Making of Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, Wild Bitch, Bite Size Halloween), edited by David Hopper (God Bless America, In Between Songs, Rust Creek), and executive produced by Shauna Grace, with music composed by Jeff Russo (Fargo, Ripley, Star Trek: Discovery).

See The Soul Trader at Calabasas Film Festival on Saturday September 21, 2024 at 1pm.  Tix available here: https://calabasasfilmfestival.com/session/shorts-program/

 

 

Los Angeles Halloween Event List 2024 :Freakiest, Scariest, Tastiest (Updated)

Los Angeles’ Freakiest, Scariest, Tastiest, Halloween Event List 2024 (Updated)

Our guide to Halloween 2024 in Los Angeles has you covered with the best treats, the most inspiring costumes and the best neighborhoods for fun, frights and memorable nights.

Los Angeles Halloween Event List 2024

Los Angeles Halloween: Universal Studios’  Halloween Horror Nights

8 Terrifying Haunted Houses

 

From cinematic greats and crazed cult favorites to the park’s original abominations, enter mind ripping haunted houses inspired by the biggest names in horror.

Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse

Terrifying Blumhouse characters have taken over the Terror Tram. Face the murderous android M3GAN. The Grabber. And more.

 

4 Sinister Scare Zones

Take on four sinister scare zones, each with a different terrifying theme.

Luchadores Monstruosos

¡Ojo! You’re about to get caught in the middle of a Lucha Libre horror film as two luchadores battle masked monsters.

Murder of Crowz

You’ve foolishly ventured into a massive crow’s nest. Now the fearsome flock will descend upon you and peck your bones clean.

 

Chainsaw Punkz

Get revved up for your night of terror as soon as you enter. Chainsaw-wielding punk rockers with masks and mohawks will close in on you.

Skull Lordz

All hail the royal court of the undead, where gothic kings and queens reign. Beware! Cross into their spectral kingdom at your own peril.

 

Explore the Gore Your Way

Grab your tickets to the terror. Enhance the horror with an R.I.P. Tour or admission that includes express access. Or, maximize your fear by staying near the screams with a Hotel & Ticket Package.

Buy your tix today:

https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/en/us/tickets

Los Angeles Halloween: Delusion

Story takes place in the mid 20th Century, centering around the brilliant psychologist Dr. Frederick Lowell and you, his cohort of unusual patients.

An epic and haunting adventure awaits those willing to play their part in Delusion’s latest interactive play. You will play the role of Dr. Frederick Lowell’s most prized patients, found sleepwalking on the grounds of the Red Castle. Yet this time, when you awake, your memory has faded and Dr. Lowell is nowhere to be found.

PLAY YOUR PART EXPERIENCE

Head to the VIP lounge for your private bar where you might stumble upon a few hidden surprises and performers.

Then venture beyond the veil of the show and prepare to showcase your mad talents. A quick costume change into mental asylum garb and off you go, awaiting actual patrons of the play as they move through a deranged scene that features you!

Buy tix to Delusion here:

https://enterdelusion.com/buy-tickets/

Los Angeles Halloween Event List 2024

West Hollywood Halloween Carnival

 

West Hollywood loves Halloween, and the City of West Hollywood is thrilled that Halloween is back with Halloween Carnaval 2024!

The City’s incomparable Halloween Carnaval is one of the most unique Halloween gatherings in the world.

Halloween Carnaval is free to attend and will take place on Thursday, October 31, 2024 on a one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Drive and N. La Cienega Boulevard.

Staged on Santa Monica Boulevard/Historic Route 66, Halloween Carnaval will feature a stage at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and N. San Vicente Boulevard with a live DJ set, food trucks and thousands of wildly dressed Halloween revelers for a one-of-a-kind experience.

There will also be Halloween celebrations at businesses, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues throughout the City!

The City invites Halloween Carnaval-goers to get into the spirit and show off costumes by uploading photos to social media sites with the hashtag #wehohalloween.

 

Halloween at Cinespia

For its October 2024 lineup, presented by Amazon MGM Studios, the LA-based organization announced screenings of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Trick ‘r Treat, Coraline and Suspiria, leading up to Halloween.

Cinespia will also host a special Halloween night screening of director Dario Argento‘s horror classic Suspiria on Oct. 31 at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.

Walt Disney Concert Hall: Nosferatu

Walt Disney Concert Hall: Nosferatu

Walt Disney Concert Hall: Nosferatu

Halloween Organ, Film & Music: Nosferatu

Thu / Oct 31, 2024 – 8:00PM

Silent film specialist Clark Wilson returns for Walt Disney Concert Hall’s annual Halloween concert, performing a chilling, original organ score to the 1922 Nosferatu—one of the most influential works in cinema and the horror genre—live to picture.

Tix here: https://www.laphil.com/events/performances/3006/2024-10-31/halloween-organ-film-music-nosferatu

David Gilmour at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles Halloween

David Gilmour at the Hollywood Bowl

Tix here: https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/3507/2024-10-30/david-gilmour

Knox Dobson RTD Wins Double Gold Medal, Old Fashioned Wins Gold At 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Knox Dobson ’s Superior Ready-to-Drink Improved Whiskey Cocktail Wins Prestigious Double Gold Medal & Old Fashioned Wins Gold At 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Knox & Dobson, a new collection of superior ready-to-drink cocktails, proudly announces that their Improved Whiskey Cocktail has been awarded the prestigious Double Gold Medal and their Old Fashioned Cocktail has won a Gold Medal in the Ready-to-Drink category at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the oldest and largest competition of its kind. Receiving a high-tier medal at SFWSC is a testament to exceptional quality and craftsmanship.

This year’s competition featured nearly 5,000 entries, judged by experienced and knowledgeable spirits critics through a blind tasting process, ensuring impartiality and integrity.

Knox & Dobson’s new collection of premium ready-to-drink bottled cocktails is designed to be shared with friends, making it easy to simply Open, Pour, and Enjoy!

The collection was meticulously curated with an uncompromising commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and taste by Knox & Dobson Founder & President Rob Levy (Former Owner, The Raymond 1886) and Creative Director Peter Lloyd Jones (The Raymond 1886, Everson Royce Bar, Proof Media Mix).

The lineup includes a gin Martini, classic Old Fashioned, Improved Whiskey Cocktail with Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, Rye Manhattan, and Moscow Mule.

Each cocktail features the highest quality ingredients such as hand-selected barrel-aged whiskey, distilled gin, natural cane sugar, and authentic Angostura Bitters.

“Our mission was to create a collection of cocktails that were equal in taste and quality to those freshly crafted by a skilled bartender. Peter Lloyd Jones was the best choice, and I can’t imagine working with anyone better,”

Rob Levy

Knox & Dobson Founder & President

“Pete’s experience at 1886 Bar at The Raymond and Everson Royce Bar, combined with his passion and creativity, make him the perfect partner at Knox & Dobson.”

Levy’s upbringing in Skokie, Illinois, at Knox Avenue and Dobson Street, is where he spent most of his adolescence in the ‘60s and ‘70s, hanging out “on the corner” with neighborhood kids who remain lifelong friends. Knox & Dobson is as much an elevated on-the-go handcrafted beverage experience as it is a distillation of hometown pride and a love of bringing people together.

The Knox & Dobson Improved Whiskey Cocktail (35.42% ABV), which was awarded this year’s Double Gold Medal, is made with straight aged rye whiskey, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur, and Angostura bitters. This cocktail features a spiced flavor profile combined with American oak, citrus, and bright and deep cherry notes, making it a whiskey cocktail meant to be sipped and savored.

The Knox & Dobson Old Fashioned (38% ABV), which was awarded the Gold Medal, consists of straight aged bourbon, natural cane sugar, orange oil, and Angostura Bitters. Enjoy the taste of aged bourbon with bright citrus flavors, bitters, raw cinnamon, clove, and American oak.

Knox & Dobson’s new collection of superior bottled cocktails are best served chilled or over ice. Each 200-milliliter bottle features two servings, perfect for sharing, so simply Open, Pour, and Enjoy!

Knox & Dobson is available for delivery Nationwide.

Visit Knox & Dobson to order your new favorite bottled cocktails today.

To see the full list of locations to purchase directly, please visit Knox & Dobson’s Stockists page.

About the Author
Joe Wehinger (nicknamed Joe Winger) has written for over 20 years about the business of lifestyle and entertainment. Joe is an entertainment producer, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and C-level consultant who owns businesses in entertainment, lifestyle, tourism and publishing. He is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, member of the Directors Guild of America, International Food Travel Wine Authors Association, WSET Level 2 Wine student, WSET Level 2 Cocktail student, member of the LA Wine Writers. Email to: Joe@FlavRReport.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to top