BOA Steakhouse

On the Sunset Strip and at the beginning of the exclusive area known as the platinum circle is BOA, one of the newest and swankiest steakhouses in Los Angeles. The decor is modern and opulent with rich amnbient lighting, colorful lamps and an amazing outdoor lounge with a cozy fireplace. Depending on the time of day you dine, you will find a unique mix of people, in the early hours of the day you will find an abundance of  power lunchers and when the sun goes down you will find celebrities, red carpet and plenty of paparazzi . I love the outdoor lounge with its posh decor, and the flickering fireplace. It is super chic and cozy.

 My experience started with a grilled shimp salad with, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, salad greens and pickled turnips. This was an interesting salad and flavorful, but I am not sure I would order it again. This was my first time tasting quinoa and I may have preferred it prepared in a different way rather than in a salad, but their was a nice contrast of flavors and textures.

The spaghetti with Kobe Meatballs was very flavorful and did not disappoint. Overall, I was pleased with the food and the ambiance is amazing! I probably should have tried some steak, but I just wasn't in the mood for a steak when I went, but I hear the steaks are pretty tasty and the menu offers steak prepared in several different ways to please any palate.

The large circular booths are perfect for a group or extra cozy for a couple:-)

The indoor lounge has a stunning red granite bar and low leather couches.

This is the outdoor lounge during the day. This light airy lounge takes on a completely different vibe at night with the fireplace blazing, chiffon curtains blowing in the wind and plenty of the too cool for school crowd lingering over inventive cocktails such as the BOA Black Cherry Manhattan, or the BOA infusion, which is an exotic blend of  rum. fresh pineapple, vanilla bean and cinnamon.  if you prefer a mocktail, they are happy to create one for you:-) 

BOA is a very stylish and upscale restaurant. I would definitely recommend it if you love a cool ambiance. There are a couple of distinct differences between dining  during the day and dining in the evening hours. During the day you will experience a laid back vibe, but at night when the action starts, the snooty factor goes up. If you love to be where the rich and beautiful are, come here after dark:-)  This is not a cheap place to dine. Expect to pay at least $50.00 and even more if you add dessert.

BOA Steakhouse

9200 Sunset blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90069

310-278-2050

Holiday Fashion Inspiration

I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving! Its that time of year where we attend lots of parties and bring our own brand of sparkle every where we go.  I love getting dolled up for the holidays and this time of year gives us all an excuse to be extra glamorous Here is some holiday inspiration What is your favorite holiday look?

This cute leather dress from H&M is a break from the typical dresses seen during the holidays

There are so many great color combinations other than red that look fabulous for the holidays

What is your favorite look?

Pear Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

This is one of my favorite salads and it is truly addictive and unbelievably tasty. This fresh blend of spring salad greens, arugula, candied walnuts and feta cheese is absolutely bursting with flavor. I toss the salad with vinaigrette and then stack it vertically on pear slices. This makes an amazing presentation and is perfect for Thanksgiving, although I love to eat this throughout the year. 

I have tried it with various vinaigrette's and it is a very versatile salad that pairswell with just about any vinaigrette. I experimented with maple and it marries well with the ingredients in this salad. The dressing adds a nice hint of sweetness, so if you prefer plain walnuts rather than candied ones, those work out great as well.

Start with fresh Arugula

Spring Salad Mix

Crisp Juicy Pears

Walnuts

Add a hint of Feta Cheese and voila!

Ingredients

4 Bosc or D'Anjou Pears 

1 package washed spring salad greens

1 cup fresh arugula

2/3 cup candied walnuts (the Trader Joe walnuts are pretty tasty)

2 ounces Feta Cheese 

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Directions:

Whisk all Vinaigrette ingredients until well blended and emulsified. Toss with salad greens add walnuts and cheese and set aside. Wash and dry the pears. Slice the pear vertically into three slices. Be sure to slice a small piece from bottom piece so that it sits flat vertically. Spoon salad onto each piece and stack until fully assembled.

Almost to pretty to eat:-)

Bon Appetit!

Turkey Sloppy Joes

 

Do you like Sloppy Joes? I love them!  My first time eating one of these tasty sandwiches was in the school cafeteria, so I get a little nostalgic when I have one.  I know Manwich makes a great meal, but I wanted to know what a Sloppy Joe would taste like made from scratch with pure ingredients like back in the day. This was pretty darn good and um sloppy, LOL

This time of year I love filling comforting foods like a great sandwich, a hearty soup or chili. The classic Sloppy Joe is made with ground beef, but I tend to try to be healthier and substitute ground beef with turkey in almost everything I would use ground beef for and it is just as tasty.  If you ate Sloppy Joes as a kid, this recipe will bring back great memories and if you have never had one, you are in for a treat:-)

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup water

1/4 chopped red or green bell pepper

1 tablespoon butter 

Burger Buns or Kaiser rolls and butter for grilling buns

Directions

Add butter to a large skillet and lightly saute onion, pepper and garlic until soft and cook, add the ground turkey and cook until brown.  Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl or directly in skillet. Simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat.

For buns, spread with softened butter and brown in a skillet or on a griddle. Spoon a generous amount of sloppy joe meat on bun.

so good!

Bon Appetit!

Mission Inn Sunday Brunch

Los Angeles has no shortage of great places to dine, but there are also many great options outside of Los Angeles in surrounding areas, which include the Inland Empire and Orange County.

The Mission Inn is one of those places that is best described as out of the ordinary. Located 60 miles east of Los Angeles in Riverside, a quiet community in the Inland Empire The Mission Inn is one of Riverside's best kept secrets. 

My foodie friends often joke that Riverside is a culinary wasteland, but there are some hidden gems in Riverside with great food. The Mission Inn is one of those places.  The ambiance in and of itself is breathtaking and the food is the cherry on top.  The beautiful courtyard will make you feel as if you are in Europe and the beautiful dining room is warm and cozy. 

The Sunday Brunch Buffet is a dazzling display of fresh salads, fruits, made to order breakfast staples such as omelets and waffles and carving stations with roast beef and ham. There are also several delicious hot pastas and potato dishes to satisfy those carb cravings we all have. Some of the hot choices  were: Ravioli, Linguine, Pasta Alfred, Mashed Potatoes, Scalloped Potatoes, Potatoes Au Gratin and Breakfast Potatoes. There was also lots of seafood options and plenty of freshly baked breads. 

When I saw the dessert display, I could not see anything else after that. The dessert selection offers something special no matter what your dessert preference. For the chocoholic, the chocolate fountain does not disappoint, if you prefer simple desserts, there are plenty of gourmet cookies and if you love complete decadence, this is your playground! Cheeecake, Tira Misu and a unique White Chocolate Tira Misu along with a variety of tarts and cakes.

Entry to restaurant

Belgian waffles are made to order with your choice of toppings.

Perfection

This is the beautiful indoor dining room

This beautiful courtyard setting is perfect for brunch and since California has beautiful weather almost all year long, is is nice to dine Al Fresco and if you are cold, there are outdoor heaters to keep you nice and toasty:-)

Isn't this patio gorgeous?

Plenty of fresh crab legs

All the fresh Shrimp you can eat

Isn't this a work of art?

 Chocolate fountain to satisfy your sweet tooth

Tira Misu

Chocolate Cake!

Rich creamy cheesecake...

Carrot Cake

Mini Sweet Treats

This is the spiral staircase in the hotel. Such amazing architectural details

The Mission Inn looks like an amazing  castle

Mission Inn Skybridge

The Mission Inn is indeed a beautiful and scenic place

My brunch experience ended on a sweet note:-)  This is definitely a brunch worth checking out and at $40.00 per person, it is a great value. You can walk the grounds or just sit and relax and take in the scenery after enjoying your meal.

Mission Inn

3649 Mission Inn Avenue

Riverside, CA 92501

951-784-0300

Sunday Brunch: 10:00-2:00