City Taven & Sprinkles Cupcakes in DTLA at FIGat7th! | @FIGat7th #FIGat7th

City Taven & Sprinkles Cupcakes in DTLA at FIGat7th!

By Erin

*Disclosure: I was invited out to FIGat7th to try out a couple different places for purposes of this post. All thoughts and opinions remain my own. :)*

Fall is here and the holidays are just around the corner! As Thanksgiving festivities and yuletide cocktail ideas dance in our heads as to what to serve at holiday parties, FIGat7th’s restaurants and eateries have great options for your upcoming winter and holiday food festivities, or if you just want a delicious meal out without any fuss to enjoy the holidays with.

The restaurants at FIGat7th are cooking up with the most fresh and seasonal ingredients to create up a collection of amazing signature dishes. Located in DTLA (Downtown LA) at 7th + Figueroa, it is a bit of a hidden gem in the heart of downtown, not too far from the Staples Center (but without the huge price tag for parking as you can park all day for only $5 with validation on weekends and after 4pm on week days! You really can’t beat that price in the DTLA area!)

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Our first stop was to City Tavern, which is located on the lower level of the mall. Once you enter this large space with exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood floors & walls, with wooden tables and chairs, you will forget you are in a mall. It’s like a little oasis in the big city.

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We came on a Sunday and they were serving brunch. Brunch is served until 3pm on Sundays. Obviously as you can see from above, I had to have a mimosa. What would a Sunday Funday Brunch be without some yummy mimosas? 😉 My friend and I both love cheese, so we decided to start out with the farmhouse cheese boardwhich is off of the “SHARE” part of the menu, consisted of: cheeses, crisps, and accompaniments. It was the perfect way to start out our meal.

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Another one off the “SHARE” portion of the menu that we decided to sample were the Deviled Eggs! Chopped bacon, housemade hot sauce and chives made for a unique twist on the deviled egg!

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Next, we opted for the kale and quinoa salad that is in the “GREENS” section of the menu. Besides quinoa  and kale; apples, raisins, walnuts, and apple cider vinaigrette topped this one. It made for a nice, light, and very tasty course.

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Moving onto some of the main courses during brunch, one that caught our eye was the fried chicken and biscuit from the “RISE & SHINE” part of the menu. The fried chicken was amazing, crispy on the outside while the meat inside was so tender and juicy, while the county sausage gravy and biscuit were so heavenly!

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If you’re looking for more of a burger or sandwich, then give this lovely number a shot! The pastrami swiss burger from the “HELD” part on the menu will make your taste buds happy. Smoked pastrami, swiss cheese, creamy coleslaw, on a whole grain bun with mustard aioli makes up this tasty piece.

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At this point, we were starting to get pretty full, so we decided to call it a day at City Tavern so that we would still have room for some cupcakes at the Sprinkles Cupcakes upstairs. 🙂

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With so many different fun flavors to choose from, it was so hard to pick two to try! They all look so yummy and delicious!

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I ended up going with the seasonal choice, Pumpkin Spice (on the left, which is available through November 30th) and the Cuban Coffee flavors. Oh my, there are no words to describe how utterly delicious a Sprinkles cupcake is. If you’ve had one before, then you know what I mean. They were both fantastic, I enjoyed every last moist, flavorful morsel of each one of these cupcakes. The Pumpkin cupcake is laced with fragrant ginger, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon and is topped with a sweet cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The Cuban Coffee is a Belgian light chocolate cake topped with a powerful dark roast coffee frosting and subtle notes of cinnamon and cocoa. After having these, we were stuffed and decided to a little bit of shopping before heading back home.

What would you have at City Tavern for Brunch? What flavor cupcakes would you choose at Sprinkles? FIGat7th has a flavor everyone can enjoy this holiday season! 🙂

Maro Wood Grill: Dining at its Finest! |@MaroWoodGrill #Gigasavvy #Marowoodgrill

Maro Wood Grill: Dining at its Finest!

By Erin

I was recently invited to a Media Tasting event with Gigasavvy at Maro Wood Grill in Laguna Beach. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

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Laguna Beach has a very well kept secret, which thanks to Gigasavvy’s Social Club, I can now say I have experienced this delicious hidden gem. Maro Wood Grill  is an Argentinean inspired restaurant, located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Owner Mariano Molteni (“Maro”) and Executive Chef Debra Sims appreciate pure simplicity over the lost art of cooking over open fire. Think of a wood grilled rustic method combined with modern, bold and uncommon Argentinean meat cuts, and mesquite charcoal fireworks to bring out the best flavors of the meats. It is a total sensory overload of Argentinean love, and I cannot wait to come back and try it all again. Maro Wood Grill is a fusion of modern and rustic, blending native californian and argentinean design in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I love all the succulent plants that cover the patio walls and tables.

 

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The focus is on sustainability and fresh ingredients. Their fresh, organic cuisine showcases Argentinean dishes with Chef Sims revolving rustic menu from sourcing local produce, using grass-fed beef and making everything from scratch. Chef Sims put it simply, “Everything is kissed with the wood grill, organic, and grass-fed.”  Be prepared to enjoy their hand crafted menu designed around available and unique products and then indulge in the award-winning desserts. Ready for some major deliciousness? I hope you aren’t too hungry…. 😉 First we cooled off with some refreshing Sangria, which kept on flowing throughout this luxurious and  adventurous meal.

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We then started out on our Argentinean adventure with Wood Grilled Green Beans, warm Mushroom & Spinach Empanadas and Mesquite-Grilled Edamame with rock salt. The wood grill added some extra flavor to these otherwise common dishes by giving the beans a nice char for the ultimate taste and flare.

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The empanadas are baked, not fried which gives them a nice doughy texture. Loaded with a delicious filling of organic mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and onions I could have easily eaten this whole tray of empanadas. I only had one though.

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The Mushroom Ceviche and Grilled Sourdough was next. There was a bit of heat packed into this one. I loved how tender and flavorful the mushrooms were.

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Onto the Grilled Fennel and Fig Salad, this was loaded with different flavors and I love how the fig brought some sweetness to the dish.

Ricotta-Noquis-Grilled-Tomatoes

Ricotta Noquis and Grilled Tomatoes was our next stop on this culinary adventure. This dish is extra special as it has a lot of history behind it. Each month on the 29th day in Argentina is Dia de Noquis – the day of Gnocchi. This is the day that everyone gets together to eat noquis in Argentina and other parts of South America. People got paid on the first of every month in South America and money was always tight by the end of the month. Since there was little money available, Ñoquis became a good way to enjoy a hearty, inexpensive meal on a meager budget. Ñoquis are not expensive to make since all you really need are potatoes and flour and hence it is a good way of dealing with low funds to eat at the end of every month. This became a tradition; that’s right, people all over certain parts of South America get together on the same day every month (29th) just to eat Ñoquis.  They also would put a coin under each persons plate for good luck and prosperity. This was a very tasty dish and the ricotta and grilled tomatoes just added to the flavor explosion.

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Wood Grilled “Oysters Rockerfeller” with burnt lemon wedge. Another great addition to our meal. The grilled oysters were absolutely delicious.

Mesquite-Lamb-Baba-Ghanouj

Mesquite Lamb & Baba Ghanouj from Australia. O.M.G. Heaven on a bone. Total and complete perfection with how tender and juicy this lamb came out. Fall off the bone, melt in your mouth goodness! I actually had two of these I loved it so much as another social club member did not want theirs. Say WHAT? I get it. It’s a baby lamb, but it’s just SO GOOD!!

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The Flat Iron and Chimichurri and Short Rib with Vegetables were our last entrees for the evening before heading for dessert. So tender and juicy, I could not get enough, but at the same time I was starting to get full.

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For Dessert, Chef Debra Sims crafted a delightful Grilled Fruit with Passion Fruit Curd to satisfy our pallet before serving us her award-winning Banana Bread Pudding Bites dish that won “Most Delicious Dessert” in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for the Golden Foodie Awards! The grilled fruit with passion fruit curd was just perfect and refreshing.

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The grand-finale; the Golden Foodie award winner, the Banana Bread Pudding Bites. One bite and you’ll be hooked too. I wanted to take a whole bucket of this stuff home to have for breakfast the next morning. Not too sweet, it was also creamy, smooth and melt in your mouth perfection, it’s no wonder this special treat has been voted the best dessert for the past three years straight! It was the perfect way to end a perfect meal.

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Chef Debra Sims with her Golden Foodie Award for Maro Wood Grill’s “Most Delicious Dessert,” which is that amazing banana bread pudding shown above.

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A wonderful evening spent with friends, eating the most delicious food made by Chef Debra Sims at Maro Wood Grill made for the perfect night out.  If you are looking for a special night out for dinner, a date night spot, birthday dinner, girls night out, or if you just want a good piece of lamb or an amazing dessert, then make sure to head on over to Maro Wood Grill for the most delightful and delicious dining experience!

Maro Wood Grill is located at 1915 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, California. For more information, please call (949) 793-4044 or visit their website at Maro Wood Grill.

Vampires Beware: It’s Garlic Month at STACKED!|@foodwellbuilt #foodwellbuilt #garlicmonth

Vampires Beware: It’s Garlic Month at STACKED!

By Erin

It’s Garlic Month at Stacked this October! Get ready to enjoy garlic inspired Signature Menu Items all month long. From sandwiches, to burgers, mac & cheese, pizza and more, Stacked has something everyone will love for garlic month (unless you’re a vampire, then probably not)! Of course I had to go and try it out for myself. I approve. 😉

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Before getting started on all the new signature items, we had to start off with an old favorite, The Candied BACON!! It’s so addicting. It’s a Stacked staple and once you’ve had them, you cannot come here and NOT order these! It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty. Paired with some hard cider, it’s a match made in heaven. Yummmmm.

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Ready to see what’s on the line-up for this month?

Garlic Shrimp Mac N Cheese

Garlic Shrimp Mac: Creamy Mac ‘N’ Cheese with shrimp, Fresh Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper, Roma Tomato and green onion, topped with Parmesan Breadcrumbs. What’s not to love about mac ‘n’ cheese? You’ll love this garlic and shrimp version that will leave you craving more.

Stacked-Chicken-Sandwich

Garlic Chicken Sandwich: Grilled Chicken Breast with Swiss Cheese, Tomato, Avocado and green leaf lettuce on a rustic French Roll with a house-made Garlic Aioli. It’s perfect if you want to indulge in something on the lighter side. I would add bacon to this. I love bacon and avocado on anything!

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Steak Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing: Flat Iron Steak, Crispy Bacon, Gouda cheese, red onion, grape tomatoes and roasted garlic on a bed or Romaine Lettuce, tossed with a Creamy Garlic Dressing. This salad is amazing! I think it’s my new favorite. My friend that was with me said the same thing. She LOVES the ‘Cow in the Garden’ salad Stacked has, but now she thinks this one takes the cake as the new favorite. So, it’s not just me that thinks this salad is perfection!

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Garlic Chicken and Bacon Pizza: Hand Stretched Pizza Crust that is topped with a tasty garlic sauce, Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheeses, Roasted Chicken, Bacon, grape tomatoes and green onions. The garlic sauce really helps make this one! So much goodness stacked onto one pizza!

Stacked-Bacon-Parmesan-Burger

Garlic Parmesan Bacon Burger:  a fresh Angus Beef stacked with Applewood Smoked Bacon, roasted garlic, Parmesan Cheese, green leaf lettuce and tomato on a Brioche Bun with a creamy herb dressing. I loved this one, with all the flavor from the barcon, garlic, and parmesan cheese, it’s is sure to make your mouth happy!

Stacked-Garlic-Fries

Garlic Parmesan Fries:  Fries tossed with fresh garlic and topped with fresh parmesan and green onions. Great as an appetizer or to go with your burger or sandwich. I’m always a sucker for some garlic fries!

Stacked-Mint-Pumpkin-Shakes

Don’t forget about Dessert! Cool off and take the edge off all that garlic with one of these special shakes! Choose from either the Pumpkin Pie Shake or the Mint Shake! The Pumpkin Pie Shake shown here is the ‘adult version’ that is called the ‘Jack-O-Lantern.’ Both were a perfect way to end our garlic filled meal. The mint shake is just minty enough, but the mint flavor is not overpowering. The Jack-O-Lantern has a lovely pumpkin spice taste with a kick.

Which Items do you want to try out this month? Get in the Halloween Spirit and fight off some Vampires with these delicious dishes! 😉