Shaena Engle brings food news and lifestyle and happenings for the month of April:
Dine LA Returns, April 1-15
Participating LA restaurants will be offering special menus for lunch, dinner and take-out during Dine LA beginning Friday, April 1 and running through April 15.
Book Your Mother’s Day ‘Spa-tacular’ Gifts Now at Burke Williams
Burke Williams is offering up special spa packages for Mother’s Day and April is the perfect time to book a special treat for your mom. Specials include the Restful Release, $170, including a 50-minute pure relaxation massage or spa style facial; spa manicure and three-day spa pass; the Awakening Wellness package. $280, offering a 80-minute Burke Williams experience massage, spa bath of choice, spa manicure and three-day spa pass and the Healing Journey, $385, offering a regenerate anti-aging facial, spa bath of choice, spa pedicure and three day spa pass. Visit https://www.burkewilliams.com for locations.
The Marlou and The Burrow Bar & Kitchen Open Downtown
New restaurants The Marlou and The Burrow Bar & Kitchen, helmed by Chef Marcos Spaziani and Chef Louis Hugh, have opened downtown. The Marlou is open seven days a week for brunch and dinner, The Burrow Bar & Kitchen is open Tuesday through Saturday for tapas and cocktails.
Tillamook Cheese Launches new Maker’s Reserve 2012 Vintage Cheese
Tillamook Cheese has launches their Maker’s Reserve 2012 vintage cheese and is celebrating by partnering with Truffle Shuffle for a cook along class Sunday, April 10 at 2pm and 5pm PST. The event will include a tasting of cheddars and a chef-led cook along of an American Wagyu Cheeseburger featuring the new Maker’s Reserve 2012 cheddar. Register for the event at https://www.truffleshufflesf.com/products/american-wagyu-cheeseburger-with-tillamook-makers-reserve-4-10-at-2pm-5pm-pt. $125 per person.
Masters of Taste
The 5th Annual Masters of Taste will be held at the Pasadena Rose Bowl on April 3rd from 4 to 7pm. The food and beverage festival will include a variety of LA’s best dishes and cocktails. Tickets are $135 at https://mastersoftastela.com.
Desert 5 Pop-Up at Santa Anita Race Track on April 9
On April 9 from 1pm to dusk, Desert 5 will hold their annual Derby featuring live music, cocktails, vintage shopping, food trucks and more. Tickets are $10.
La Quinta Resort & Club Announce Partnership with Ramy Brook
La Quinta Resort & Club has. Partnered with designer Ramy Brook for their Ramy Brook Shop & Sip package that invites guests to book a stay at La Quinta’s suites and receive a $500 shopping credit for a Ramy Brook Spring 2022 look and complimentary bottle of Whispering Angels rosé.
Atrium Offers New Brunch Items
Los Feliz’s Atrium is now offering a limited quantity off-menu chicken biscuit to the weekend brunch menu. Additionally, Exec Chef James LaLonde has added other dishes including ceviche kanpachi, a cardamom waffle, Jidori chicken tinga and truffle soft scrambled eggs.
Celebrate Greek Easter at Avra Beverly Hills
Celebrate Greek Easter with authentic Greek cuisine and live music at Avra in Beverly Hills. The Mediterranean menu includes an emphasis on fresh seafood. The special Greek Easter pre-fixe menu will include Tsoureki and Red Eggs, traditional Easter soup, Romaine salad with eta dressing and roasted baby lamb, $90 per person.
RAW WINE LA Spring Festival
RAW WINE is hosting a Spring fair at City Market Social House, 1145 S. San Pedro Street, in downtown LA featuring hundreds of natural low intervention wines and great food, April 3 and April 4, 10am to 6pm, tickets start at $70 online, https://www.rawwine.com/fairs/los-angeles-2022-spring/ticketing-information.
Geffen Playhouse Presents Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?
The Geffen Playhouse in Westwood is celebrating the 60th anniversary of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” with performances from April 19 through May 22, featuring Aimee Carrero, Calista Flockhart, Graham Phillips and Zachary Quinto. Tickets at https://www.geffenplayhouse.org.
De Buena Planta Opens in Silverlake
De Buena Planta, a plant based Mexican concept, has opened in Silverlake. The menu is 100% gluten free and vegetarian dishes highlight seasonal produce from local farms. Located at 2815 Sunset Boulevard.
Peninsula Hotel Beverly Hills Launches Table 9 Whiskey
The Peninsula Beverly Hills has partnered with cult whiskey creators Wolves Whiskey to launch their own bespoke artisan crafted whiskey, Table 9. Table 9 iis exclusively available at the hotel’s Club Bar beginning in April. Guests can attend the Table 9 paired four course meal which includes a bottle of whiskey to take home, $700 a person and bookable through OpenTable.
Fairmont Century Plaza Hosts Chrysalis Poker Night
The Fairmont Century Plaza will host the Chrysalis Poker Night fundraising event on April 21 from 6 to 10pm. Enjoy an evening of competitive play, buffet dinner and cocktails and raise funds to help individuals navigating barriers to the workforce prepare for, find and retain employment. Buy tickets at https://www.changelives.org.
A Crystal Cove Restaurant Opens in Newport Beach
A Crystal Cove, a new modern American eatery, will open in the Newport Coast community in May.
Veggie Grill Celebrates Earth Month
Veggie Grill will celebrate Earth Month this April with their Grades of Green Donation campaign. The vegetarian dining chain will donate a portion of the proceeds for every VG classic burger to the Grades of Green nonprofit. Additionally, on April 25 each guest who eats at a Veggie Grill with a vegan first timer will receive a BOGO meal for their friend.
Celebrate Easter with Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolates and Bona Furtuna’s Easter Bread
Gift your family and friends with delicious treats from Kreuther chocolate. Choose from an Emoji Chocolate Easter Egg, a pistachio cookie topped with white chocolate and a milk chocolate shell filled with hazelnut gianduja, $18; their yummy Carrot Cake Macarons with almond cookies filled with a cheesecake buttercream filling with pieces of carrot cake crumble, $42 or their Rabbit’s Dream, five bars of salted butter caramel ganache in milk chocolate with a milk and white chocolate decorative plaque, $42. All available on Goldbelly at https://www.goldbelly.com/kreuther-handcrafted-chocolate. Sweet tooths will also love Bona Furtuna’s Colomba de Pasqua, or Easter bread dotted with candied Sicillian oranges, plump Sultana raisins and Sicillian almonds, $64.95 at https://bonaturtuna.com/collections/panettone/products/colomba-easter-cake.
San Diego City Cruises Hosts San Diego Pet Day on the Bay
On Saturday, April 23, San Diego City Cruises will host San Diego Pet Day on the Bay, welcoming pups aboard one-hour themed sightseeing cruises. The rides include doggie treats. Human riders will be able to spend time with dogs available for adoption, guests are encourage to contribute a gently used blanket or towel to donate.
Paradisus by Meliá Offers New Dining Experiences
Mexico’s top chefs from around the country will collaborate with Paradisus by Meliá’s executive chefs to create a new dining experience at resorts Paradisus Cancun, Paradisus Playa del Carmen, Paradisus La Perla and Paradisus Los Cabos. For a list of dinners and more information, visit www.melia.com/paradisus.
Celebrate National Gin & Tonic Day
Celebrate National Gin & Tonic Day on April 9 with a refreshing cocktail using Gracias a Dios 32 Botanical Agave Gin, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin or Minke Irish Gin.
Tao Group Makes History as First International Restaurant Group to Become Sensory Inclusive
Tao Group Hospitality partnered with KultureCity, the nation’s leading nonprofit working on sensory accessibility, to invest in sensory inclusion training for their team members. Staff will be fully trained and special sensory bags will be available for guests beginning in April, coinciding with the start of Autism Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month.
Asterid by Chef Ray Garcia Opens in Downtown LA
Asterid, the new restaurant from Chef Ray Garcia, is now open for dinner in downtown LA. Located in front of The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, the new restaurant offers California inspired cuisine in sophisticated dining, bar and lounge settings.
Chef Brooke Williamson, World Chef and No Kid Hungry Team to Give Away 100,000 Meals
World Chef, top chefs and No Kid Hungry are teaming together to create Mission Chef, a series of exclusive meal kits with proceeds going to No Kid Hungry. The inaugural Mission Chef will team with Chef Brooke Williamson to offer short ribs and risotto available to order in April for $149.99. You can order the kit at https://www.myworldchef.com.
Johnnie Walker Announces First Strides to Celebrate Women’s Progress
Johnnie Walker and Angel City Football Club has released Running with the Angels, the first original anthem for a U.S. women’s professional sports team. Along with the anthem, Johnnie Walker has launched grants dedicated to funding to communities where inequality exists.
Celebrate Easter with FLOUR SHOP’s Easter Egg Cake Balls
FLOUR SHOP has launched their Easter Egg Cake Balls with 12 halves of decorated Easter eggs made with vanilla cake and coated in colorful chocolate, available in pink, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple for Easter. Order at https://flourshop.com.
Viceroy Santa Monica Launches Spring Menu with Puppy Brunch Menu
Viceory Santa Monica’s Sugar Palm Ocean Avenue restaurant has launched their new Spring menu increasing their vegan options. They are also launching a puppy brunch menu for healthy dog entrees in honor of National Pet Day on April 11. They are also offering through May 31st a waive on their pet fee and adding a special limited turndown amenity for pets.
