Westside Tavern
By Carole Dixon
For dineLA.com
Next time you order that Colorado lamb chop or pork belly special, consider paring it with pale ale rather than pinot. There are some wonderful beers coming out of Portland, Napa and Europe that are warranting great food pairing combinations right along side the wine list.
Susan Feniger’s latest venture Street offers a multi-course ‘Globe Trot’ menu featuring street foods from around the world. You could add wine pairings, but with this type of cuisine beer pairings are much more interesting and palatable. The Globe Trot changes daily and it requires the whole table, just like a formal tasting menu but with smaller plates for sharing. It could include menu items such as Indian vada dumplings and Korean rice salad paired with a La Goudale from France or Hue beer from Vietnam alongside mung bean pancakes with pork belly and kimchi. According to Feniger, “If you don’t want to think about it, the Globe trot is a great way to go. Part of it is to get people out of their regular mode and tasting things that they might not try. It’s a great opportunity to explore cuisines and beers that they haven’t before and there’s something that happens when people start to eat from a culture that they are not used to. There’s a connection like eating in a street market.”
At Westside Tavern, Warren Schwartz (formerly of the Whist at the Viceroy) has a chance to be creative with beer pairing suggestions for some of the signature items on his dinner menu. Schwartz recommends a Grilled Angus Strip Steak with St. Agur Cheese and market tomatoes paired with a dark Stone Smoked Porter. “The smokiness of the Porter works great with the grilled steak, acid from the tomatoes and the richness of the St. Agur blue cheese,” notes Schwartz. For the juicy cheeseburger with Tillamook cheddar, caramelized onions and wild arugula, try Alesmith Nut Brown Ale. “Both products stand up to each other in depth and complexity. They make great wingmen,” says Schwartz.
In the shadow of the Hollywood’s Arclight Cinerama Dome, Chef Andre Guerrero, of Max and The Oinkster, has opened BoHo (Bohemian Hollywood). Their impressive brew program is spearheaded by beer sommelier Ryan Sweeney. The 31 different styles of beer will be available on “pure rotation” and will be changed out weekly depending on availability. His popular mini- tastings or flights are perfect for sipping and not filling up on a few bottles. You’ll want to save room for the Kalbi Pizza paired with Bootlegger's Palomino pale ale, or Lagunitas IPA. For the Po' Boy oyster sliders, “Craftsman makes an oyster stout made with oyster shells that would fit the bill,” says Sweeney. For the Lemon Crusted Salmon, a wheat beer by Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier or Lost Coast Great is recommended. Even dessert is matched up with a head of bubbles - coconut pudding and Lindemans Framboise (raspberry) or the Rogue chocolate stout for something a little less sweet.
The great California fresh comfort food that made Taste on Melrose a food staple can now be found in the new Pacific Palisades location with Cathy Halter in the kitchen and General Manager Brad Rasmussen overseeing the strong beer list. Roasted golden beet Salad is paired with the Witkap Abbey Ale; sesame crusted Ahi tuna with Hitachino White Ale; and for the Chicken parmesan Paillard with Fuller's London Pride.
Beer sommelier and author, Christina Perozzi (aka ‘the beer chick’) recently paired a dinner at Charlie’s in Malibu and consults for many other LA restaurants. “I'm thrilled that beer is finally claiming its rightful place in the fine dining world. Now that craft beer is making a bigger name for itself, more customers are demanding it, and more restaurants are realizing that craft beer with its amazing variation of flavors can provide food pairings that simply don't exist with wine.” For Perozzi, switching to beer with your usual meal means that you can have a completely different dining experience. Her recent creations, alongside Chef Eleano Camboni, have included New Zealand green mussels meuniere with Blanche de Bruxelles - Belgian Witbier and pappardelle carbonara with Deschutes Black Butte Porter from Oregon. According to Perozzi, “Most people are surprised with a dark beer choice, but this light bodied beer has roasty notes that work well with the pancetta in this dish and toasty nutty notes that pair perfectly with the Parmigiano, not to mention a nice dry finish that balances the creaminess of this dish.” The main course was Colorado lamb chop with rosemary and white truffle scented roasted garlic with Bear Republic Racer 5 – India Pale Ale from Healdsburg. “Hoppy, herbaceous, floral and dry, and a great pairing for lamb,” say Perozzi.
For the finale, Chateaubriand Benedict with poached egg, spinach and béarnaise
paired with Brouwerij Bosteels, Tripel Karmeliet from Belgium. “I love this beer just with eggs alone!” says Perozzi. Apparently, so do other LA diners. Fig in Santa Monica recently added a Keg & Eggs menu on Sunday’s featuring a bottomless pint of specialty draft beer and any seasonal egg-based dish such as the frittata verde or the chilaquiles. Brunch in LA may never be the same again.
Boho, 6372 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 323.465.8500
Charlie’s, 22821 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, 310.456.3132
Fig, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, 310.319.3111
Street, 742 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, 323.203.0500
Taste, 538 Palisades Drive, Pacific Palisades, 310.459.9808
Westside Tavern, 10850 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, 310.470.1539
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