Seven Surprises at Los Angeles Magazine’s THE Food Event 2018

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Los Angeles magazine’s The Food Event 2018: Its 13th Annual Epicurean Extravaganza is still best described as “leisurely and posh.”  Still, no matter how many times you’ve visited, it’s always startling to arrive at a gate atop Mulholland Drive and be greeted by friendly hosts, both staff and grazing bison, looking up as if to nod, hello.    The spacious grounds inside this magnificent private venue make for delightful walking in the fresh air between samplings from a curated list of the most innovative and the very best LA Restaurants, Wine, Beer and Spirits.  A gentle incline burns calories,  although, alas, the one mile we walked only covered a shot of tequila.

Wildlife behind the fences at the Semler Ranch

One great big, happy picnic right on the ground up the hill.

(1) Surprise:  How something so simple can taste so divine.  RONAN Restaurant’s artistic Breakfast Radishes with Garlic Butter served up so beautifully its not surprising that an art gallery fronts the new RONAN restaurant. When checking back to see exactly what made it so special,  Chef Daniel Cutler’s wife and partner, Caitlin Coyne, graciously told us that he created the dish as “an homage” to the classic French – adding a bit of caper to the creamy garlic butter.  No surprise that Daniel was a former acclaimed chef de cuisine at the pizza oven at Sotto.  It also turns out it was Caitlin who prepared our first of many take-away orders at Sotto she did everything to please short of bringing the food over and serving it herself.

Chef Daniel Cutler’s Breakfast Radishes with garlic butter  at Ronan’s

Ronan, 7315 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90046 – (the former MAO and Tommy Tang’s!) (323) 917-5100

(2) Head to Silverlake because here restaurant food actually lives up to its promises!  The mixed seafood ceviche was as fresh as the ocean. And the Salazar host here was so sweet to help pick the best one for a photograph.

Salazar, 2490 Fletcher Drive, Los Angeles, CA  90039 – no phone yet! //SalazarLA.com

(3) Casa Vega: a “best bite” as Christy Vega serves up Casa Vega’s family recipe for albòndigas and the best hug right inside the entrance.

For more information, please visit www.casavega.com or find Casa Vega on Facebook and Instagram.

(4) Short ribs happily were a popular dish at the Los Angeles magazine’s The Food Event 2018.  Terranea outdid them all with both beef rib and beef cheek.   Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib at the restaurant($36) are also served with  whole grain honey mustard, jalapeno mashed potato, garlic broccolini and horseradish cream.  Terranea’s culinary team uses locally sourced products from the resort grounds and the surrounding peninsula.  Chef de Cuisne Andrew Vaughan, who didn’t need to ask twice if we wanted a second helping, oversees  the mar’sel restaurant herb garden.

Chef de Cuisine Andrew Vaughan, serving up the delectable ribs.

(5) Surprise celebrity chef! Our hero who saved our phone, looks like any other young, cutting edge, brilliant guy serving a unique dish.  He turned out to be none other than superstar Marcel Vigeron of Wolf restaurant!

(6) Desserts served on the top of the hill were wild and wacky.   The SMITTEN ICE CREAM ladies brought their own ice cream maker to whip up raw cookie dough ice cream.  They were thrilled to top it with whipped cream for us.

Layered sponge cake from Ma’am Sir

For locations all over Los Angeles, please see  //www.smittenicecream.com/location/southern-ca/

(7) Some people dress — so we loved this as a part of the general people-watching.

A dress to match the wildlife outside the fence!

No surprise: Taking in the magnificent vineyard grounds, home to Malibu Family Wines, producers of Saddlerock and Semler wines. The very essence of the California ideal, the Semler family’s exuberance fills the air. //(www.malibufamilywines.com)

A drink on the front porch


Tastings include: Apollonias Pizzeria, Baby J’s, The Bellwether, Bone Kettle, Casa Vega, Cookie Dough Dreams, Dama, Eataly, The Exchange, Fat Dragon, Gabi James, The Gables, Gwen, Hamasaku, Hayden, Hip Hot, Kato, Little Ruby, Luv2eat, Ma’am Sir, Madre!, Makani, Malibu Café/Basement, Manuela, Michael’s Santa Monica, Mohawk Bend, Ronan, Salazar, Smitten Ice Cream, Sotto, The Sunset, Terranea, Tesse, Wilshire, Wolf, Wood & Water, Yardbird, 6th & La Brea

The Magazine Wall halfway up the hill

The Philanthropic Partner is the Kids Courage for 2018.

SPONSORS: Infiniti, Celebrity Cruises, Courvosier, Gearys, Hornitos, MedMen, San Luis Obispo, Sipsmith, SLO Wine Country, Stella Artois, Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve, Laura’s Lean, The Broad Stage Bai, Don Francisco’s Coffee, Kevita

For more information, please visit //www.lamag.com/thefoodevent2018.  Ticket price was $130 with an additional after-party for $20.


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