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La Vida Awhile back I was invited to attend a vodka tasting, hosted by EFFEN Vodka, and was located at a swank Hollywood eatery called La Vida. A brief look at EFFEN vodka: Based out of Holland, this smooth spirit was actually designed for the "club scene," thus a younger audience. The rubber non-slip grip is definitely a plus for those busy bartenders around town. In addition, the rubber sleeve helps with the insulation of the vodka. In terms of the taste itself, it goes down smooth and perfect for either a mixed drink or a simple vodka shot at a party. Below were some of the drinks I tried during the event: 6th and Main - EFFEN Black Cherry, Prosecco, St. Germain The first drink I tried was one that was made with the EFFEN Black Cherry flavored vodka. With the addition of the prosecco, it has all the makings of a nice, refreshing summertime drink! Very nice! La Skyline - EFFEN Black Cherry, Chambord, Cranberry Juice Next up, another drink made with the EFFEN Black Cherry,...

Yatai Ramen Twist @ Breadbar I promise I won't be too mean. It's something I had to repeat to myself as I was writing this blog entry. Maybe I just didn't get it? Or did I go on an off night? I mean, for the most part, I usually understand what makes a good ramen. I've visited the legendary Ramen Museum in Yokohama. I probably ate ramen at least 2-3 times a week when I lived in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Frankly, it's soupy, meat based with noodles, so what's NOT to like about ramen?? Although I'll never be the ramen connoisseur like my buddy Keizo of GoRamen , I don't think I should ever leave a restaurant feeling I just got PUNK'D! Well....here goes! Trio of Boba Drinks (Coconut, Coffee, and Chai) $4 Though the picture may show a quartet of boba drinks, there were only three choices. The boba were good, but it wasn't anything to write home about. I enjoyed the chai, though I'm not sure about the ginger in the coffee boba. Plus, I...

L'Express When I planned my Montreal portion of my Canadian trip, I had my eyes out for L'Expresss, a quaint, yet ever popular French Bistro located in an area known as Plateau Mont-Royal. However, the lack of meals did me and my travel companions in and I figured I had to skip this popular Montreal eatery. Our original plan was to dine at this Spanish tapas restaurant recommended by our Lonely Planet Travel Guide called Pinxto, but once we were told the earliest reservation we could snag was at 9:30PM, we put our names on the board and went looking for a "snack." Since most of the popular restaurant were located in the Plateau Mont-Royal area, I quickly suggested L'Express, hoping we could somehow snag a 3 top on a busy Saturday evening. With a little luck, our Maître d' told us we had an hour before the next party would arrive and the table was our's if we wanted it. Jackpot! Bread Basket The obligatory bread basket. It wasn't anything special, but ...

Petrossian's Black Truffle Mac 'N Cheese Here lies the question, "can one have too much of a good thing?" In my opinion, while it's good to take things in moderation, at Petrossian, the rules are meant to be broken. As profiled on my trips 1 , 2 , and 3 , Petrossian has become one of, if not, my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. On this particular dinner, with the help of the ever so awesome BlackBoardEats , with everything at 30% off, we went with the so called "tasting menu." *Please note, the tasting menu is not normally offered, but I just ask Chef Ben Bailly to just send out whatever he likes and we'll eat it.* Delirium Tremens Hibiscus Champagne While some in our party went with the Delirium Tremens , a delightful Belgian Brew, I went with the ever refreshing hibiscum champagne. Very nice! Blinis - Caviar, Trout & Salmon Roe How can you come to Petrossian and not get an order of their famous Blinis with creme fraiche, topped with caviar, ...