SLS Hotel Beverly Hills

SLS Hotel BEVERLY HILLS’ Perfect Rooftop Lunch

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The Mediterranean Lunch table setting on the SLS BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL Rooftop

(Gerry Furth-Sides) The Mediterranean Luncheon on the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS Rooftop rivaled anything, anywhere in the Mediterranean, or the world, right here in the city with spectacular views of the Hollywood Hills. 

Every touch on the classic and about-to-be-classic dishes at the luncheon were sublime even though Executive Chef Amirsaam Mansouri will be introducing his own menu this season, SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS Director of Sales & Marketing, Nadine Vondermann told us.

SLS Hotel Executive Chef Hussain Zouhbi

The hotel offers a choice of an extensive collection of Old and New World wines and seductive Paloma Anejos to pair when watching the west coast sunset while basking in the rooftop secret garden.

The fun pool on the SLS BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL Rooftop
Every detail was beautifully thought out and presented at this SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS luncheon

Brioche croutons dotted the Caesar Salad with a soft ad crispy, not a hard crunch, for example, and beef Wellington was served in individual slices. We thought nothing could match the former SLS and this has, so we can hardly wait for the new menu!

Small, still sumptuous Lobster Rolls for lunch at the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS Rooftop
Individual Beef Wellingtons, perfect prepared, on the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS Rooftop
Glorious as an edible painting, roasted Brussels Sprouts, crisped outside, tender inside, on SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS Rooftop
Beautiful roasted Salmon with micro greens on a bed of couscous on SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS Rooftop
Our “better than perfect” plate at the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS lunch
The surprising red ganache rose at the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS luncheon

The lovely red rose in the last dessert dresses up a rich, substantial chocolate ganache — a fitting symbol for the day. If luncheon on the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS rooftop was one of the International Women’s Day Conference highlights, the welcome at the door set the tone for the day. 

Welcome! Our warm sign-in hostess shows us her Woman’s Day earrings at the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS

Panels and group discussion filled this awe-inspiring day that started with an invigorating Pilates class. Still each lady (and a handful of men) were turned out and ready: polished, original and empowered and empowering.  These ranged from “Women in Law” and “AI and the Metaverse to “Kicking Open the Door – Creating and maintaining the pipeline.”

Just when you thought there could be “no more” came a Red Carpet Entrance in the sunny Garden Room with Cocktails and an inspiring Evening Program with event honoree, Director, Dyan Cannon, who accepted with heartfelt feelings about being your own person and accepting others, always.

Cocktails in sunny side Garden Room at the SLS HOTEL BEVERLY HILLS
Actor/Director Dyann Cannon at the SLS BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

In the same theme of empowerment, filled with inspiring personal accounts, it was exciting to hear the story of academy award nominee, Laura Karpman ( “American Fiction”Original Films/Paramount Pictures) in a panel discussion led Lorenza Munoz. 

Laura Karpman ( “American Fiction”Original Films/Paramount Pictures) (center) at the SLS BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

And, more exquisite food for cocktail and wine hour, more sharing and then a private media supper in THE NOOK restaurant before everything reluctantly took leave.

One last exquisite bite to eat at the SLS BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

//www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/laxls-sls-hotel-a-luxury-collection-hotel-beverly-hills/dining/

465 S. LA CIENEGA BOULEVARD,

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA, 90048

TOLL FREE:+1-888-627-8543

Meet the New Wine Darling at 25th “Spain’s Great Match”

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Worthy of the Gran Hotel itself,  the 25th “Spain’s Great Match” headlined Albarinõ, the new “darling of the wine world” to set the high tone for Spain’s finest, most memorable wines.  Chef Jose Andres’ incomparable Spanish bites and the sheer volume of wine offerings made the all-day event feel full enough for two.

We loved the glacier clear, ribbony mineralogy of the Albariño.

The morning began at long seminar tables already  set with Albariño, the new “darling” of the wine world (in a similar way ancient Georgian wine, became last year’s “new” darling).    The wine is not new.  It has already earned recognition as Spain’s most notable white wine.    Albariño is identified with five subzones in the Rías Baixas wine region, which spans the western Galician coastline in northwest Spain, north of Portugal.  At its heart,  Val Do Salnés is the wine making capital of the region.  The region has absolutely no connection except for the name to the eastern European area, Galicia.

Rías Baixas is fascinating for its strong resemblance to the emerald green fields of Ireland (also breathtakingly shown in the Gran Hotel because it was filmed in the region), complete with mist and rainfall, here balanced out by over 2000 hours of abundant sunshine during Albariño’s critical growing and ripening season.  The wines as a result contain excellent natural acidity and balance along, with its characteristic aromatic profile influenced by hard granite mother rock.

These vineyards offer up a highly approachable wine with a mix of floral, oceanic and citrus aromas.  On the palate, a good Albariño “is racy” but not sharp, with a sense of minerality derived from the granite bedrock common to the Rías Baixas region.  Albariño also has the tastes of lees (spent yeast), buttercup, peach, nectarine, melon, citrus and even a touch of salty brine, influenced by nearby Atlantic Ocean.

Clean, classic tasting Albariño pairs with all of the elegant España classics, elevating the food flavors with its silvery, layers of mineralogy while remaining low in acidity:  Ibirico ham, potatoes and cheeses, rather than seafood or fish because of the creamy rather than buttery quality of the wine.

Our enthusiastic guide, Michael Meagher, could not emphasize more that Albariño is uniquely grown predominantly on old-school overhead pergolas, regaling us with us tales of “looking up not down” on his trip there.  Another wonderful characteristic he told us was how the winemakers always collaborate with each other, again unlike winemakers in other areas of the world.

Planting Albariño at the exact right height and exposure ensures even ripening

Compared to other white wines, Albariño tends to taste lighter in body. While many Albariño wines are known to age for 5–7 years, this wine is usually best consumed within a year or two after the vintage to maintain its trademark acidity and bold, fruity aromas.

Careful harvesting are handpicked in small plastic 40-pound crates, then aged in precise temperature oak barrels.

For most information about food products, and the wine, please see:

//localfoodeater.com/best-spanish-artisanal-la-espanola-meats/

New Spice Affair Restaurant Updates Authentic Indian Cuisine

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Spice Affair looks to fill big footprints in its Beverly Hills home on Restaurant Row. It replaces Gaylord’s and Tanzore (all in the same family) with brand new owners and management on a street where size and opulence once reigned. These days, all but historic institutions, such as Lawry’s The Prime Rib next door, are scrutinized by every critics. The world-renowned SLS Bazaar across the street is one of the few new places to have made it in the last decade.

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In less than a year, Spice Affair has backed its claim of being “the ultimate Indian indulgence” and achieved status as the “buzz” of the foodies with its own California and contemporary versions of authentic Indian fare. IMG_1996This is not surprising because sophisticated owners Sonia Batra and Puneet Chandak, are used to such scrutiny, having honed their skills with their first Indian restaurant, Broadway Masala, in Redwood City, which earned a Michelin-star rating. Anupam Bhatia creates all their restaurant menus and also oversees the cocktail list. Chef Nimish Bhatia is the chef.

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From the moment you walk into the exotic bar and lounge, the staff is professional, welcoming and accommodating. Even in low light the special stone bar glows to the ends of the room.   The bartender was only to happy to substitute gin for vodka in the Mumbai Mule served in a special chilled copper mug with ginger liqueur, cardamom honey and a lime wedge.  Other drinks with fascinating names are the Bourbon La Rouge and the Violet Dusk.

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One of the more unusual dishes seldom found on American restaurants is the Tomato and Carrot Shorba, a creamy, delicate soup with infusions of coriander that is tempered with royal cumin.  It is rich with layers of flavor that do not overlap each other, seeping into the soup, a characteristic of authentic Indian food.

IMG_1949In another unusual dish, a dramatic one reminiscent of Moroccan Bastilla, an ethnic blend of rice and meat or vegetables cooked on a Dum is served with Raita.

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The Spice Affair appetizer sampler plate

The Sampler Appetizer Platter includes tandoor-grilled Marinated Artichoke Hearts, one of the most popular dishes at Spice Affair, featuring caramelized onions, almonds, tamarind and tomatoes.  A mixture of duck meat and dates tops Indian bread. An Indian Bread Wrapper of Phulka contains chicken tikka masala filling.    Sev puri is stuffed with white peas and sprinkled with strands of sev.  

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Authentic blends of rice and meat or vegetables are cooked on a Dum, and served with Raita, a yogurt based side dish.

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Desserts include an especially smooth yet densely, rich Halwa.

Spice affair, 50 N. La Cienega Blvd,, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, 310-400-6800 (//www.spice-affair.com/)

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