Five Outdoor Asian Winners California-ize the German “Biergarten”

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Leave it to fun-loving Bavarians in Germany to solve a problem with a precise, practical party solution.  Munich breweries early in the 19th century added to open-air dining and beer-drinking with “Biergartens” as a way to use planted gardens above cellars to keep their lagers cool enough to ferment underground – this after 400 years of legal wrangling for brewers’ rights.

Once allowed, the festive concept spread ’round the world, with wine and even entertainment added to the mix.  Late in the century after the Civil War, when Germans were the dominant ethnic group in America, they happily added  “beer garden” to the hospitality vocabulary.

This summer Los Angelenos have a choice of five cutting-edge Asian winners.  They cross town from Chaya in DTLA to WEHO’s Akuma Ramen & Sushi, and Hannah An’s District, as well as the An Family’s Crustacean and Tiato on the westside. 

Lantern-lit Japanese Beer Garden on the CHAYA Downtown patio offers rare Japanese Whisky and a special cold Shiso Sapporo star in a festival during the month of August.  DJ Ces adds to the festivities by spinning outdoors every Thursday.

Handcrafted Mojitos are prepared in three thirst-quenching flavors: Strawberry, Passionfruit, and Cucumber.

CHAYA Downtown Corporate Executive Chef Yukou Kajino and Chef de Cuisine Oscar Cuaya fire up the Yakitori Grill for their version of classic Yakitori Skewers, including Chicken and Spring Onion with house-made tartar sauce; Beef Tongue with shishito peppers and salsa verde; Tandoori Spiced Shrimp with spicy aioli ($4), and Tomato & Summer Squash with Indian raita sauce.

Chefs also grill up succulent Grilled Lobster Tails plus snappy summer snacks like Elote Loco grilled corn dressed in aioli, tajin and cotija cheese.

Briny Grilled Oysters with garlic butter and soy sauce ($4 each), are a welcome contrast to the Grilled Yellow Peaches served with chili honey and vanilla ice cream ($9).

The CHAYA Downtown Summer Festival 2018, Monday through Friday from 4:00 pm to close from Thursday, August 2^nd, 2018 through Thursday, August 30^{th, 2018} on the patio at CHAYA Downtown. For details, please visit www.TheChaya.com or call CHAYA Downtown directly at 213.236.9577.

 

Akuma 

Happy Hour, Biergarten style, takes place all day, every day here.  The private little patio is off the street right behind a (free) parking lot in front.  Happy hour specials include $3 Seaweed Salads, Cucumber Salads, Edamame and Cucumber Rolls.  Bring a friend for Ramen and buy one, get one free.

 

Hakutsuru Draft Sake, best served chilled, is known for its light, slightly dry, smooth taste.   Its fresh, refined taste comes from being brewed and aged for 1 month in a cool state at about 41 F before bottling.

 Akuma Ramen & Sushi, 8267 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046, Phone: (323) 745-0533. For more information on Akuma Ramen & Sushi, please see akumaramen.com.

Crustacean 

Chef Helene An, best known for creating the first Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco (Thanh Long, 1971), is well-known for the family’s Euro-Vietnamese Crustacean in Beverly Hills (1990).  Daughter and partner, Elizabeth An, recently remodeled the splashy Beverly Hills restaurant to feature a bar open at one side with extravagant drinks, complete with herbs and flowers.

 

Crustacean Restaurant, 468 N. Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA  90210. (310) 205-8990. For details, please see //www.crustaceanbh.com.

District

The District by Hannah An, 8722 W 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048. The District is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, with brunch and dinner service on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy hour is 5-8 PM.  For more information on the restaurant, please visit their website: //thedistrictbyha.com/

 

The 320-seat formal restaurant is minus white tablecloths and serves a modern take on Vietnamese food incorporating a global twist and California’s local and sustainable fresh ingredients.

 

 

Tiato

On the westside, daughter Catherine An heads up Tiato, the second generation wing of the House of An restaurant group. Sister Hannah’s District sits tall in West Hollywood).  www.anfamily.com.

Tiato Kitchen + Garden Venue tucked into a tree-filled Santa Monica neighborhood has no rival as the city’s prettiest, largest garden indoor-outdoor space to relax in for Happy Hour, smack in the Santa Monica current. Soaring ceilings and polished concrete floors, reclaimed wood furniture, and eco-friendly materials lend an organic sensibility and a contemporary sense of grandeur at the same time.

Fresh Pressed Juice ($6.50) becomes a welcome summertime meal in itself, starting with the Royal Detox (beet, carrot and green apple). My companion ordered the Green Goddess (broccoli, celery, green apple, honeydew, and spinach).   The cafe offers draft and bottled beers, organic wines and a sake bar.

The menu designed for health-conscious west-siders has icons to clearly mark nutritional categories. Many of the herbs used in the healthy drinks are grown in TIATO’s on-site garden.  In fact, Tiato is named after the “tia to” Vietnamese perilla plant, which has a fresh flavor similar to the Japanese herb shiso.

Walk in and the huge bar is right in front of you For ordering Happy Hour drinks at Tiato at Sunset, mid-Week, 5 Pm to 8 PM, Tuesday through Thursday.

 

 

Tiato Market Garden Café, 2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 190, Santa Monica, CA,  310.866.5228 to leave a message.  For hours and more information, please see, www.tiato.com