If you’re a regular reader, you know my parents are foodies and when they visit me, we tend to go big.
They’ve treated us to some of my finest meals – from Del Posto and Hearth to many other dining faves.
This visit was only a short one, but we still packed in a good time – strolling on the beach and soaking up the sun’s rays. Before heading to dinner, we enjoyed drinks at The Penthouse. Happy hour at the The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica is worth the pricey drinks because of the view alone…but for the record, the drinks are really good, too.
Seating along the windows is prime real estate, so it was a good thing we arrived by 6:30 pm. The Penthouse is (as you’d expect) on the top floor of the hotel, which is located on 2nd and California, offering amazing 360 degree views of the Westside, from the coast to the Valley.
The ambiance was Hollywood chic with the casual mellow feel of Santa Monica.
There were even sunroofs to let in views of the bright blue sky!
As we took in the breathtaking views, we browsed the cocktail menu. SO many good choices!
Clockwise from the left, mom’s Bubbles & Kiwi, dad’s Spicy Hot Margarita, Kyle’s Rooftop Manhattan, and my Thyme & Cucumber Amnesia.
I tried my mom’s, but not my dad’s (me and tequila don’t mix at all).
Her Bubbles & Kiwi had Muddled Kiwis, Plymouth Gin, St Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Lemon Juice and a dry burst of Perrier-Jouet Brut Champagne.
I liked it but it was very sweet, so one sip was enough. I love kiwi though, so the muddled fruit was a perk.
My drink was recommended by the waitress, and I’m so glad I went with it. Despite the odd sounding pairing of thyme and cucumber, I just went with it.
In addition to Muddled Cucumber and Thyme, it had Cranberry Juice and fresh Lemon Juice and Gin. It was light and refreshing, and the flavor was subtle but definitely present. It’s the kind of drink you could sip all night. Plus, how cute is the floating cucumber island with the sprig of thyme popping out of it!
Kyle’s drink was potent smelling, so I didn’t try it, but in case you were wondering, he was the first one to finish.
The Penthouse’s Rooftop Manhattan has Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, a Dash of Angostura Bitters and a Maraschino Cherry.
The people watching in this place was hilarious. Nearly everyone surrounding us was on a mobile device. I was trying to take a picture of it, while Kyle mocked the neighboring crowd.
He calls this look “TCB” (taking care of business). Please note the guy in the background doing the same. 🙂
As the sun went down, we took photos and eventually headed to dinner.
You better believe we will be returning to the Huntley again. If the drinks were that good, I want to try their food menu too.
Dinner was only a short walk away…
Top Chef Masters turned me and Kyle on to the genius of Chef Susan Feniger who competed in Season 2, and apparently co-owner Chef Mary Sue Milliken will soon be competing in Season 3 (premiering this week!).
Needless to say Border Grill has been on the to-visit list for a while now, so this meal was long overdue.
Aren’t my parents cute!
After we were seated they brought us chips and salsa and we ordered drinks. The cocktails were what you’d expect in a Mexican restaurant, but I still managed to find a non-tequila, non-wine drink.
Sangria! Yum. There was so much chopped fruit in the drink I couldn’t really taste the alcohol. But I didn’t really care since I had to work the next morning.
For our entrees, my mom and dad both got the same dish.
Chicken Poblano Enchiladas ~ slow roasted chicken • handmade corn tortillas • poblano crema grilled corn • wild mushrooms • roasted poblano chiles
Kyle got the special, probably because the name of the dish, Chilequile, was his nickname when he studied abroad in Spain. FYI, chilequiles are kinda like deconstructed enchiladas, or nachos with fried tortillas underneath a bunch of toppings.
Chicken Chilequiles
I got the Border Vegetables ~ sweet creamed corn • green chick peas • braised fennel • quinoa salad • sautéed mushrooms black beans • seasonal farmers market vegetables
I couldn’t figure out what the braised fennel was the entire time I was eating it, but it was only so-so. The green chickpeas on the other hand were AWESOME. Where do you buy green chickpeas anyway? The quinoa was really acidic, almost like the tabbouleh I got from Tender Greens, but I liked it. When I mixed the black beans with the quinoa and the rest of the seasonal veggies it was great.
All in all, a great night. I left way too full, but the walk back home helped.
Dessert was a treat of a different kind.
Remember that mystery suitcase from this post?? One reader actually guessed correctly, and identified it as an accordion.
Back in the day, Kyle’s grandpa was a member of a musical group called the Polka Dots. And lucky me, he left his accordion to Kyle. Hmmmm…I don’t remember anything about learning musical instruments in our wedding vows.
Who plays (or used to play) an instrument?
I played the french horn. <—Band geek 😉
Tomorrow I’m announcing the Tropical Traditions coconut peanut butter winner so get your last minute entries in asap.
hungry hungry hippie 