being that i work somewhere that often requires me to see clients back to back to back, there are times where i do not go outside for seven hours at a time.  with that being said, there are few things that compare to having a great meal and some pretty cocktails with a view with people who started off as coworkers and have become some of my closest friends.  if you haven’t already been, you have to add this place to your list of places to go in downtown la – perch.

 

prior to today, i had only been to perch in the evenings.  at night, the vibe is dark and sultry.  seeing it during the day presented an entirely different vibe – it was warm and inviting.  my girls and i sat outside on the covered terrace for brunch and started with some cocktails.

 

 

the berry la was pretty much made for me.  it had vodka, st. germaine, berries, lemon and rose and is light, subtly sweet and refreshing.  both amanda and rebecca started off with the penthouse passion which is tequila based with mint, lime and passion fruit puree and described it as tart with a little kick at the end.  we also ordered a bottle of the poema cava brut and i just decided to keep my first glass with the ice and berries because it was getting a little toasty on the terrace + because i love fruit that has been sitting in bubbles.  is there anything better?

 

we shared the baked brie and it did not disappoint, especially with the freshness of the apple pecan slaw.

 

 

their take on huevos rancheros was beautifully plated and thoroughly enjoyed by amanda.

 

 

i am a sucker for a burger at brunch so i had to try it.  the burger was so juicy and who doesn’t love gruyere cheese and a fried egg?  because i am obsessed with avocado, i had them add it.  the burger is served with fries or a salad – i am going to keep it 100, i pretty much never say no to fries.   i have no regrets whatsoever.

 

 

instead of dessert, we opted for another cocktail.  this is easily one of the best drinks i have ever had.  as a blogger, i found it both hilarious and ironic that it is called writers block.  it has grey goose la poire vodka, st. germain, lemon and sparkling wine.  absolutely delicious.

 

 

once we wrapped up the eating portion, we headed to the rooftop and met easily the most hilarious security guard i have ever encountered in life.  he also took like 15 pictures of us from various angles when we asked for one which made me so happy because i love an option but don’t want to be the annoying customer that is like, “can we please get some standing shots as well?”  it was such a clear day and the views were gorgeous.

 

 

whether you go during the day for brunch, at night for dinner or just to the rooftop at any time for cocktails, this place is an absolute must.

 

i wouldn’t go without a reservation but opentable makes that ridiculously easy.

 

have you been to perch?  what’s your favorite dish on the menu?  and more importantly, your favorite cocktail?

 

xoxo,

k. tap

it is no secret that i love a good cocktail.  during summer, i gravitate towards drinks that are light and refreshing.  even though i make a great red sangria, in may, i started experimenting with white and rosé sangrias.  my godsister and her husband are hosting a few of us at their new place today and there was no way i could arrive empty handed.  i figured the perfect housewarming gifts were an orchid, a rose water and ivy candle and of course, my sparkling summer sangria.

 

 

ingredients (most of which can be found at trader joe’s):

1. three bottles of espiral white wine
2. 12 ounces of your favorite vodka
3. one pound of diced watermelon
4. one small container of raspberries
5. 12 strawberries (cut into 1/4s)
6. two lemons (cut into 1/6s)
7. a splash of sprite
8. ice

 

 

the first thing i do is pour the vodka into the gallon pitcher and then squeeze the lemons into the container before dropping them in.  next, i add the raspberries, strawberries and watermelon.  then, i add the bottles of espiral white wine.  if you plan on going through all of the sangria in one day, you can pour sprite directly into the pitcher.  otherwise, you can pour sprite into each individual glass.  lastly, throw a few ice cubes into each glass to keep it nice and cold on a summer day.

 

 

what is your favorite type of sangria?  if you make this, please let me know how you like it!

 

xoxo,

k. tap

it has been days and i still cannot stop thinking about the mind-blowing dinner jessica and i had last week at bestia.

 

bestia is located in downtown la in the arts district.  from the outside, you see this industrial space that somehow pulls you in.  once you walk in, they somehow soften the space with beautiful decor, stunning chandeliers and pops of color.  because of how crowded the restaurant was, i did not snap photos of the interior (as to not disturb fellow diners).  i did however get photos/videos of what jess and i ordered and it was phenomenal.

 

first things first, be sure to get a reservation.  we had to book a reservation for a thursday evening almost two months out to get the time slot we wanted (7:45pm).  we arrived about 20 minutes early, valeted the car (would highly recommend as street parking is slim in the area and the parking lot is tight) and were inside by 7:30pm.  the hostesses were incredibly gracious and we were seated at least 10 minutes ahead of our reservation.  i would have been happy being seated on time so they had already earned extra points with us by this point.

 

our waitress was not only friendly but incredibly knowledgeable about the entire menu. since it was our first time, she had plenty of recommendations and suggested we order some things to share in order to be able to experience more of the menu.  she gave us a few minutes to discuss the menu and in that time, a wine connoisseur came over and was able to find jess a great alternative for the red she was looking for (she typically likes a malbec but since that wasn’t an option on this night, he recommended something she loved just as much).  i was on the fence between two rosés and after explaining the flavor profile of what i was looking for, he brought over the perfect glass.  there were a good 80+ wines to choose from and the menu was easy to navigate since the ones sold by the glass had a dot next to them.

 

 

for our starter, we ordered the calamari alla plancha.  typically, calamari is fried or lightly battered.  this one was completely different and arguably, more delicious.  it was marinated with citrus and chili and tossed with cucumbers and mushrooms.  i honestly could eat this every single day.  jess loved it just as much.

 

 

now for the entree portion, i was pretty set on burrata pizza, especially because it came with chilies on it and i love a kick.  at any italian restaurant, jess typically gravitates towards gnocchi.  we both agreed that we would sample a little of each other’s meal.

 

 

 

i am still dreaming about that burrata pizza.  the flavor profile was out of control and it was so fresh and creamy.  the gnocchi was simple yet perfectly cooked.  sometimes, i find myself avoiding gnocchi because it can be a little dense.  that was not the case at bestia – i would gladly order a bowl just for myself during my next visit.  the portions are perfect and with the plates being so rich, if the portions were any bigger, it would be too much to handle.  especially if you are like jess and i and want to save room for dessert.

 

if you know me, you know chocolate is far from my favorite sweet.  however, there was this chocolate budino tart that had salted caramel, olive oil and sea salt and we just had to get it.  our waitress highly recommended two desserts and this was one of them.

 

 

for someone like me that appreciates my chocolate being balanced out by a little salt, this was absolutely delightful.

 

if you are looking for an amazing italian restaurant in la, i could not recommend bestia enough.  for the full menu, click here.  there is something extra special about restaurants that are not part of a chain – it is like there is a little extra love sprinkled into each dish served.

 

have you been to bestia already?  if so, what is your favorite dish?  if not, head over to open table to book your reservation asap.  you will thank me later.

 

xoxo,

k. tap

since moving back to la in summer of 2017, i often feel like i tourist even though i lived here the first 17 years of my life.  there are so many new spots that popped up while i was living in the bay.  when one of my close friends from high school recommended a local spot for us to meet for breakfast, i had not heard of it.  once i arrived, i realized that it is literally a few steps away from the barre studio i go to.  let me introduce you to roots & rye.

 

 

roots & rye is tucked away in a little alley in old town pasadena off of colorado boulevard and is the absolute cutest.  if you are person that enjoys a fresh and filling breakfast or are in need of a pick me up post workout, this is the perfect place for you.  they have açaí bowls, smoothies, milkshakes, ice cream and toast.  absolutely everything is dairy free.  one of the things we enjoyed most were the unlimited toppings/add ons.

 

my friend had a medium sized bowl and i had a smoothie and avocado toast.

 

everything we had was delicious.  her bowl was overflowing with goodness and flavor and was only $9.  my smoothie was blended perfectly and i could really taste the fresh berries – it is also a great way to get a serving of greens in without even having to taste it (i added kale to mine).  and lastly, the avocado toast was to die for.  you have the option of getting it with or without chili flakes.  because i love a kick, i asked them to mix in extra.  when they brought it out, i thought about asking for salt but figured i should take a bite first.  i am so glad i did because it did not need anything!  it was seasoned well and was zesty (due to whatever fresh squeezed citrus was added).  i enjoyed every bite.  and for $5?  you really cannot beat that.

 

if you are in the pasadena area, i highly recommend roots & rye.  there is also an echo park location.  it was the perfect breakfast on a hot summer day.

 

xoxo,

k. tap