Tag Archives: mediterranean

The White Way to Dine: Villa Blanca Restaurant

Whether you are looking to run into the Real Housewife of Beverly Hills herself or her precious Pomeranian Giggy, Lisa Vanderpump’s Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills combines Mediterranean and Italian cuisine with Asian touches and influences. This beautiful eatery located on Brighton Way is close to major Beverly Hills boutiques and shops and is the perfect place to grab lunch on the patio for some serious people watching.

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The interior is described as “sexy and comfortable” by the designer herself and brings an element of comfort and coziness to the color white. With grandiose mirrors hanging on the walls as well as exotic and elegant flower arrangements everywhere, Villa Blanca offers brunch, lunch, dinner and a fancy bar area for all your drinking and dining needs.

The dinner menu consists of Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna appetizers with entrees such as Sweet & Spicy Butterflied Shrimp, Chicken Milanese and Japanese Mushroom Chicken. Brunch at Villa Blanca means $10 specials including Villa Blanca’s Breakfast Pizza, Vegetarian Frittata and Prosciutto and Melon.

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Whether it’s for the food, people watching or a quick glimpse of Lisa herself, a visit to the Villa will have everyone saying, Bravo.

Zen Ultra Lounge: Sexy & Sleek

East meets West at club owner Kostas Kouremenos’ latest Denver venture: Zen Ultra Lounge. Giant buddhas and sleek red lighting provide the eastern organic ambiance, but there’s nothing zen about this place. Dj’s create killer re-mixes of the latest Lady GaGa hit, while a sexy crowd fill up the bottle service-only tables and darkly lit dance floor. The Asian infusion club is as impressive with its decor as it is with its hot clientele.

Five-Star Dining at Mandarin’s Azul Restaurant

Preparing a delectable menu that fuses Asian, Mediterranean and even some New Picture 65England influences, Chef Clay Conley makes dining at Azul in the five-star Mandarin Oriental an unforgettable experience. The bayviews alone from the restaurant could be considered inspiration enough, but the dishes are certainly prepared with a loving touch and passion for food that Conley’s been honing for years now.

Perfecting his culinary skills at famed chef Todd English’s restaurant, the food here is innovative, creative and of the highest quality, with many ingredients flown in fresh daily from around the globe. The variety is immense with offerings, like Nantucket Bay Scallops, Moroccan-inspired Lamb, Peruvian Style Ceviche and a catchy appetizer simply called A Study in Tuna that’s Asian-inspired.

In keeping with the classiness of the place, Azul is one of the few Miami restaurants offering diners a finishing cheese course in a variety of sizes.

Italian Culinary Heavyweights Deliver at Del Posto

For an authentic yet modern, inventive Italian meal, not many restaurants in NYC deliver in style like Del Posto. With both Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich at the helm- er kitchen- from the first steps guests are greeted to a grand experience:del posto classical pianists set the mood in the ballroom of a dining room with balcony seating, three sets of marble staircases, wrought iron railings, and wooden beams in the high ceilings.

Start your meal with the Abalone Carpaccio with Grilled Asparagus and Young Ramps or with Lidia’s Lobster Salad alla Catalana with Tomato and Celery. For your primi course, the hand made Orecchiette with Lamb Shoulder Sausage, Crispy Morels, and Minted Soybeans is worth it for the minted soybeans alone. For your secondi course, there’s no way to go wrong, but if you are feeling adventurous try the Roasted Turbot – from the Mediterranean – with Caponatina, Crunchy Fregola and Moorish Spices. To finish, the Chocolate Ricotta Tortino with Toasted Sicilian Pistachios and EVOO Gelato is a masterpiece of a dessert and the perfect ending to a beautiful Italian meal.

At Del Posto, the atmosphere and the service are impeccable, but in the end, it is all about the food – as it should be.

Barbounia’s Where the Mediterranean Meets NYC

If you’re looking for an authentic Mediterranean restaurant with marvelous prices and a fantastic atmosphere, you’re only a cab ride away. Nestled in Gramercy, Barbounia allows its customers a glimpse into a Mediterranean dream. The restaurant is dimly lit and is decorated with towering pillars, ornate arches, and lavish floral arrangements.

The menu boasts many flavorful dishes from the region, specifically the countries of  Greece, Morocco, southern France and southern Italy. Such dishes include the Lamb Terracotta, which is Lamb Kebabs served with pepper chutney, pistachios, and tahini wrapped in an oven baked flat bread, and their pan-seared Yellow Fin Tuna served with creamed potatoes and vegetables. While enjoying their meal, customers can also sip on some of the many cocktails offered, including the Barbounia-tini made with fresh aloe-vera juice and foam. But that’s not all, Barbounia also offers a champagne brunch on Sunday where you can get a never ending flow of champagne cocktails for only $12!

Hand-Pick Your Own Catch of the Day at Kellari

For those who like a little interaction and personalized touch to their orders, look no further than Kellari.  At this new downtown authentic Greek restaurant, patrons take matters into their own hands with fresh seafood hand-picked and cooked to order using true Mediterranean methods.

Specializing in fresh seafood straight from the Picture 22water, Kellari features a gorgeous fresh fish display, showcasing fifteen varieties of seafood, ranging from the native seas of Greece, Spain and Portugal, to the more familiar waters of the Atlantic.

Forget you’re in DC for a bit and start off with a bottle of authentic Greek wine and a few generously-portioned “mezedes,” or Greek small plates intended for sharing.  The crispy eggplant and zucchini Kellari Chips serve for a great beginning: coated in a decadent, golden batter, fried until crisp and served with a rich tzatziki dipping sauce.

Once you’ve had a bite to eat and settled into one of the warm, inviting booths, take a trip up to the impressive fish display.  Knowledgeable servers will provide ample information on each species’ native origins, textures and flavors, and corresponding preparation methods to help you make the best decision for a memorable dining experience.  Savor your hand-picked gorgeous masterpiece, grilled whole and served simply with olive oil, fresh lemon wedges and dusted with fragrant herbs – a truly unique rustic treat, and one that will take you all the way to the Mediterranean, even if just for a night.

Rioja: LoDo’s Mediterranean Mecca

RiojagnocchiFrom the moment its doors opened in 2004, handsome Rioja has been on the short list of candidates for Denver’s best restaurant not only among locals but in the national press (including GQ and Details).

Though Colorado is always in the background, chef-partner Jennifer Jasinski keeps her focus admirably sharp and tight on the cuisines of Italy and Spain, and the result is a seasonal repertoire as robust and colorful in flavor as it is precise in presentation. Handmade pasta is always a must, as is the signature appetizer of spiced pork belly in fresh chickpea puree—but then, so are the remarkably rich soups and fruit-based desserts. Perhaps the ultimate must is more than one visit.

Toast to Taxim!

They say Mediterranean and Greek food is the healthiest cuisine there is – thank goodness! Because that allows one to gorge oneself at Taxim guilt-free, no? The thing is, Taxim in Chi-town’s hipper than hip ‘hood, Wicker Park, offers so many ga-ga worthy Greek dishes that you’re going to wish you had five stomachs.

Touted again and again by the press for its over-the-top deliciousness, each and every plate is seriously delectable. The names may give your mouth a work out, try spitting out: Sparágia me avgó pápias – young asparagus, duck egg, wood-grilled no-knead garlic bread, but your tastebuds will reap the benefits. Melt-in-your-mouth lamb, Amish chicken, mouth-watering sea bass and a whole slew of veggie options, the menu is a people pleaser.

Of course, knowing its location too, Taxim certainly doesn’t skimp on the decor. The chic interior is warm, sexy and cozy enough to cuddle up and enjoy a night cap post din-din. Opa!