February 2012
Valentine's Day 2012
dineLA Restaurant Week
Jan. 22-27, Jan. 29 - Feb. 3, 2012
dineLA is celebrating five years of bringing together friends, family and food! dineLA Restaurant Week is a two-week dining event established to introduce diners to the vast array of restaurants in neighborhoods throughout LA County. During Restaurant Week, local foodies and visitors alike will have the opportunity to enjoy a selection of specially priced three-course meals from some of LA’s best restaurants.
Watch the Sneak Preview >>
Common Grains Kick-Off Event at the Japanese American National Museum
Saturday, January 8 from 11am-3pm
The Common Grains program will kick off with an onigiri creation contest at the Japanese American National Museum's annual Oshogatsu festival. onigiri is a Japanese rice ball dish covered in nori and filled with a traditional savory ingredient. The contest is part of the museum's New Year celebration of the Dragon featuring arts and crafts, food, and cultural activities.
Free and open to the public. Japanese American National Museum.
Black Truffle Dinners at Patina
Tuesday, January 10 - Thursday, January 12 from 5-9:30pm
To celebrate black truffle season, Joachim Splichal and Executive Chef Tony Esnault welcome Christopher Poron of Plantain Truffle Company along with his French truffle harvest for three exclusive evenings at the restaurant. Sample dishes include Scallop Crudo with Black Truffle, romaine, leeks, and crostini; Duck Terrine, Poulard, and Artichoke with frisée and truffle vinaigrette; and Poached Pear and Brown Butter Cake with Black Truffle ice cream. Accompanying wine pairings will be available and Poron will spend the evening tableside sharing stories of the 2012 truffle harvest.
$95, $135, $175 respectively, exclusive of tax and gratuity. Patina or 213.972.3331.
Common Grains Soba Pop-Up Restaurant and Sake Bar at BREADBAR
Tuesday, January 10 - Thursday, January 19 from 5-10pm
Artisan soba makers Sonoko Sakai and Mutsuko Soma will host a Common Grains pop-up soba restaurant and sake bar featuring freshly stoned and milled handcrafted soba prepared with a choice of traditional or modern ingredients and garnishes and specialty grilled onigiri.
Menu items range from $11-16. BREADBAR Century City or 310.227.7770
Bizarre Foods America with Andrew Zimmern Pops Up at Royal/T
Friday, January 13, reservations starting at 6pm
Andrew Zimmern, the renowned television personality behind The Travel Channel's cult culinary show, "Bizarre Foods," invites foodie enthusiasts to experience "California Dreaming," a one-night-only culinary pop-up like no other. Creating a spontaneous and captivating experience for Angelenos, this unprecedented event will bring Andrew's bizarre world to the everyday restaurant-goer. A sneak preview of the collaborative five-course dinner menu includes dishes such as Sea Urchin and Yellow Tomato-Vegetable Aspic, Tongue Tied: Veal Tongue Tartare and Chile Braised Lambs Tongue Quesadilla, and Cioccolato Orrare da Gustare. However, the menu is subject to change based on seasonality, availability, and inspiration. Please note that a ticket purchase confirms that you are willing to be on camera.
$150 per person with a donation to The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Eventbrite Signup.
California Central Coast Wine Tasting at Campanile
Sunday, January 15 from 4-6pm
The wine team of Campanile joins together to offer a tasting of 20 to 40 wines, the best of which will show up on the wine list the following week. Campanile will provide the food to accompany the wines. K&L will be pouring the wines with experts on hand to discuss the intricacy of the selections. This event is not only fun, but also a learning experience.
$25 per person. Campanile or 323.938.1447.
Common Grains Artisan Soba Demonstration and Tasting at Mitsuwa Marketplace
Thursday, January 26 - Sunday, January 20 at 12 and 1pm
Common Grains will host a soba demonstration and tasting in the Japanese marketplace. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase fresh soba and homemade dipping sauces that can be prepared at home.
Free demonstration, $18 for fresh soba with two homemade dipping sauces. Mitsuwa Torrance.
Common Grains Soba and Rice Workshops at Tortoise General Store
Saturday, January 21 and Sunday, January 22 from 10am-12pm
Common Grains will host soba and rice workshops showcasing different preparations of rice and soba for guests to learn how to cook healthy, simple Japanese meals at home.
$65 per person. Tortoise General Store or 310.314.8448.
Common Grains Film Screenings and Soba Bar at Atwater Crossing
Friday, February 3 and Saturday, February 4: Soba bar opens at 5pm, lecture to follow
Guests will enjoy screenings of films featuring an unsung player in Japanese cinema - rice. The award-winning films by Japanese filmmakers, Branded to Kill, an entertaining 1960’s gangster movie and A Japanese Village - Furuyashikimura, a classic 1982 in-depth rice documentary, will be accompanied by an informal lecture by Anne McKnight, member of the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at UCLA. A soba bar featuring artisanal soba and grilled onigiri, and a variety of sake will be offered at the indoor and outdoor screenings.
No cost to attend the screenings, food and drinks available for purchase. Atwater Crossing and RSVP to commongrains@wagstaffworldwide.com.
Common Grains Charity Panel Discussion and Lunch at Atwater Crossing
Sunday, February 5 from 11am-1:30pm
Common Grains will host a panel discussion featuring expert grain miller and farmer, Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills in South Carolina and Monica Spiller from The Whole Grain Connection, a non-profit organization aiming to enhance the desirability of organic and sustainable grains. Other grain experts will also speak on the panel and a rice exhibition highlighting ancient varieties of grain will be on display. A special three-course prix fixe soba lunch will be available following the lecture highlighting Anson Mills and Japanese grains. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Whole Grain Connection.
$45 per person. Signup Link and RSVP to commongrains@wagstaffworldwide.com.
Healthy Living Day Common Grains Rice Workshop at Japanese American National Museum
Saturday, February 11 from 11am-12:30pm
Common Grains will host a grains workshop featuring rice and miso soup as part of the Japanese American National Museum’s Healthy Living Day. Healthy Living Day features a variety of activities and events for families and individuals geared toward healthy living.
No cost to attend and the event is open to the public. Japanese American National Museum.
Common Grains Soba and Rice Workshops at Tortoise General Store
Saturday, February 18 and Sunday, February 19 from 10am-12pm
Common Grains will host soba and rice workshops showcasing different preparations of rice and soba for guests to learn how to cook healthy, simple Japanese meals at home.
$65 per person. Tortoise General Store or 310.314.8448.
Angelini Osteria
Tuesday, February 14
Celebrate Valentine's Day at Angelini Osteria with a four-course tasting menu. Dinner highlights include Braised Baby Artichokes in Casserole with Olive Oil and Garlic, Homemade Spaghetti Chitarra alla Norcina with Black Truffles, Farm Raised Liberty Duck with Spinach and Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Chocolate Lovers' Cake. Buona Fiesta!
$75 per person, optional wine pairing $25 per person. Angelini Osteria or 323.297.0070.
Patina
Tuesday, February 14 from 5-9:30pm
Love comes in six courses at Patina. Guests are invited to enjoy a sensory and romantic evening this Valentine's Day, with a six-course celebratory menu from Executive Chef Tony Esnault, alongside a hand-picked selection of wines by the bottle from Sommelier Silvestre Fernandes. Menu highlights include Grilled Cuttlefish and Crab Salad, Velvety Lobster Velouté, Potato Truffle Gnocchi, Turbot, Prime Beef Tenderloin, and Chocolate Passion Fruit Vacherin.
$160 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity. Patina or 213.972.3331.
