New Year's Eve Party roundup #1

As 2010 comes to a close, there are a variety of options to ring in the new year in high style. Here are some fun ways to begin 2011:

The Varnish's Rare Groove New Year's Eve Soul Revue

The Varnish, the jewel in the 213 downtown crown, will be hosting a New Year's Eve party for $125 (tip included).  The party will go from 9 pm - 2 am and includes the Varnish's classic handcrafted cocktails, unlimited servings of Bols Genever punch and a Midnight champagne toast.

Varnish hostess/server Rebekka Johnson's comedy band, the Apple Sisters will lead a countdown to 2011, which will conclude with a champagne toast.

A twist contest is promised, so be sure to wear your dancing shoes.  Reservations can be made for parties of 2, 4 or 6.  The Varnish is quite small, so reserve early or miss out.

Reserve by calling General Manager Chris Bostick at (213) 622-9999 or by emailing thevarnish@thevarnishbar.com

Havana 1909 at La Descarga

La Descarga is pulling out all the stops for their first New Year's Eve celebration.  Tickets are $150 for the black tie event at which attendees will be dressing to impress as if they were in Havana 100 years ago.

The all inclusive tickets include hors d'oeuvre, live entertainment, open bar, champagne toast at midnight and dancing.

If you have been to La Descarga on a regular night, you know the quality of the entertainment.  I've been told that they are kicking it up a notch for this celebration.

La Descarga has some of the highest quality drinks in town, so open bar will be quite a treat.  The great sounds of Cuban music by the live band will be sure get you dancing.

RSVP by emailing nye@ladescargala.com

I have been told that this event is almost sold out, so get your tickets or miss out til next year.

New Year's Eve Downtown LA

If you can't make up your mind so want the smorgasboard approach to New Years, then the New Years Eve in Downtown LA is for you.  A single $119 ticket entitles you to open bar at eight different downtown watering holes, including Cana Rum Bar, Casey's, Seven Grand, the Golden Gopher, Cole's, Las Perlas, Tony's Saloon and Broadway Bar.

At Casey's, the band Gram Rabbit will be performing live and well spirits and 11 craft beers are included in the open bar.

Cole's will be offering champagne cocktails and the Cole's classic cocktails all evening.

Cana Rum Bar will be serving daiquiris and their signature cocktails to the beat of a band performing Gypsy Jazz.

Paul Chesne of the Paul Chesne Band will be performing at Tony's Saloon.


Where can you get tickets for this event?  Buy them online at www.nyedowntownla.com

CASA's Tequila Toast New Year's Eve

If your New Year's Eve plans lean towards the food as well as the drink, then CASA Cocina & Cantina may be the option for you.  They are celebrating their second anniversary as well as New Year's Eve with a four course prix-fixe dinner for $35 with seatings from 5 pm to 9 pm.  At 10 pm, the New Year's Eve party begins with open bar, a midnight tequila toast and a guest DJ for entertainment until 1 am.  So for $85 you get dinner plus 3 hours of open bar and entertainment.  (If you opt for both dinner and the party, a combo pack discount may be available.)

New Year's Eve Dinner Menu:

First Course: Sopa de chile poblano

Second Course: Ensalada de Caesar Cardini

Third Course: Enchilada con Langosta y Camarones OR Tamale de Elote OR Braised Beef Short Ribs Birria

Fourth Course: Rice Pudding

The $50 price for the New Year's Eve open bar party goes up to $75 on December 28th, so book early.  Why pay more to be a procrastinator?

Reservations may be made by calling (213) 621-2249


Happy New Year!

Rock & Roll Chef Comes to Casa Downtown and Shakes Things Up

Casa Cocina and Cantina, the Mexican restaurant in California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles (across the courtyard from Starry Kitchen), recently got a new chef and a revamped menu.  I was recently invited to check it out and despite my initial misgivings due to the shnazzy corporate look and location, I left a believer in chef Alex Moreno.

Its always a pleasant surprise when someplace exceeds your expectations and beginning with his Quesadilla de Hongos (mushroom quesadilla), CASA did so.  The quesadilla (above) is fresh corn masa stuffed with red wine-braised wild king trumpet and chanterelle mushrooms and queso fresco, finished with radish and tomatillo salad.  For me this was the best dish of the evening and one I couldn't stop eating or thinking about, and as someone who doesn't usually enjoy or get excited about mushrooms, that says a lot.  This is a dish that  could make a meat-lover forget about meat.

Moreno (pictured above) spent a number of years as a rock and roll chef, in his role as personal chef to Van Halen and Sammy Hagar on their tours.  Hagar fell in love with Moreno's Mexican food and "he wanted me to cook my Mexican food for him every night," Moreno said.  Following his tour of duty on the road, Hagar asked him to join his Mexican restaurant Tres Agaves in San Francisco, from which he was recruited to join CASA this summer.  Moreno is a native Angeleno and trained under Josiah Citrin at Melisse in Santa Monica, so he is excited to be back in his hometown cooking Mexican food with his French skills and using top of the line meats and produce.

My other favorite dish of the night was the Braised Beef Short Rib Birria.  The use of braised short ribs elevates the rustic dish without compromising the rich flavors.  Moreno uses chile cascabelle braised beef short rib garnished with Cypress Grove goat cheese-stuffed peppers served with a warm flour tortilla.  The broth was poured tableside; an elegant flourish.  The broth was aromatic and full of a deep rich flavor, a savory soup I drank after I finished eating the short ribs.

Several dishes included tableside service or unusual touches, like the four salsas (above) presented with Jaime's Chicken Burrito, which is served in three pieces and is filled with shredded chicken, sushi rice and quesillo (Oaxacan style cheese).  Both the sushi rice and the four salsas (applewood bacon and black bean puree, summer corn pico de gallo with smoky tomato salsa, habanero green chili and housemade crema) twists that added an element of surprise and visual appeal to the dish.   The Nacho's Madre's Nachos appetizer also is presented with three tiers of crispy tortillas, covered with melted cheese, beans, barbacoa, pico, guacamole etc but it is cut tableside with a large knife.  These elements of drama add a bit of fun and whimsy to the meal.

One of the owners used to work in a bar and so has created some cocktails to go with the new menu.  For me the highlights were the Desayuno (breakfast in Spanish) with Herradura Silver tequila, Lillet Blanc, orange juice and egg whites (pictured above) and the classic margarita.  The orange juice and eggs, both components of a traditional breakfast, give the drink its name.  The margarita was also a good rendition of the standard.  Some of the other more adventurous drinks such as the Uvas No! read better on the menu than they taste in the cocktail glass.

There is a happy hour on Monday - Friday afternoons from 4:30 - 6:30 with $17 pitchers of margaritas and $6 tacos (for 2).  On Tuesdays tacos are only $2.  The ambiance is upscale but comfortable and the outdoor seating (pictured above) is dramatic.  The mushroom quesadillas are an essential order.  Just don't go asking the chef to sing a cover of Why Can't This Be Love.

CASA is located at 350 South Grand St. (California Plaza) in Downtown LA. There is an underground lot and CASA validates.  Phone: (213) 621-2249 Website: CasaDowntown.com