Category: Travel

Eating Paris (France, not Texas)

We just received a voice mail from an Official Friend Of ELV inquiring about places to eat in Paris (France, not Texas). After the slide show, you (and they) can jump to a list of favorites complied after four trips there in the past 3 three years. We haven’t been this year due to the falling dollar — but will be attending the Bocuse d’Or (in Lyon) this coming January. Something tells us a stopover for a few days of cassoulet, choucroute, andouillettes, and pot au feu in Gay* Paree may just sneak into our agenda as well.

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As in: full of or given to social or other pleasures.

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Great restaurant opening downtown! In Los Angeles (sigh).

Got your hopes up didn’t we? Sorry. But in a move that we hope someone, sometime soon, takes a cue from in our humble burg; Celestino Drago, celebrated L.A. chef/restaurateur, is transforming a downtown L.A. bank building into a first class eatery (Drago Centro) for the citizens of that taste-challenged area. If anything, downtown Los Angeles is even more pathetic than Downtown Vegas (aka Oscar’s Folly) when it comes to eating out (if that’s possible.)

So if someone will take a gamble there, why not here? ELV can only hope…but isn’t holding his breath. Click here to read the whole story.

And FYI, ELV has it on good authority that uber-wine-guy Michael Shearin (late of the too-good-for-this-world DJT) is in line for the top sommelier spot at Drago’s new venture. Drago Centro is slated to open in September. Stay tuned.

He was a great chef as chefs go, and as chefs go, he went.

Our good friend Bryan Ogden has re-surfaced! Unfortunately, not in Vegas. When Bryan bid us adios a few months back, we knew it was for the balmier climes (and big egos and bad manners) of SoCal. Here is the press release for the pre-opening party (last week) of Apple Restaurant and Lounge in West Hollywood – hosted by VIP Party Queen Allison Melnick. ELV thinks Ogden’s food will be as fabulous as ever, and that Ms. Melnick is probably a real piece of work.

FYI: David Varley was spotted with B.O. at Providence Restaurant in L.A., along with peripatetic local chef Steven Geddes, by intrepid food-reporter-guy Russell Wong. According to R.W., D.V. and S.G. are down south to help B.O. with the AR&L opening. Got that?

Bon appetit and bonne chance to all!

www.applerestaurantlounge.com