Hey Angelenos, if you haven’t spent any time in the North Hollywood Arts District, you’re missing out on a ton of fabulous restaurants, bars, a great independent movie theater and a ton of little theaters and shops. I love pockets of LA where there’s a ton to do in walking distance.
I’m lucky because I get to call this particular pocket of LA “home.”
And if anyone is looking for me on Labor Day, as I close out the long weekend, you are likely to find me at Bow and Truss, where they are hosting wine and cheese tastings on the first Monday of every month. The restaurant typically features a Latin inspired menu but on these nights, expect to try wines from all over the world.
Everything is wonderfully laid out, too, so the anticipation builds from the moment you sit down. As everything begins to come out to the table, you really learn a lot about will power!
A couple tips. First of all, it’s a lot of wine and a little cheese so do not plan on this being dinner (unless you are prone to a drinkable dinner in which case, no judgement from me). Second, go with an open mind! I went in believing I’m a red wines only gal and was shocked to find the very first wine, Belasco de Baquedano Rosa de Malbec from Argentina, remained my favorite throughout the entire tasting. Why have I stayed away from rosé wines all these years? It was sparkling, cool and refreshing.
I must confess that true to form, I did not care for the white wines, one an Edna Valley blend and the other a California Sauvignon Blanc, but it was still fun to try them and they were still a good compliment to the cheeses they were paired with.
Pinot Noir is my favorite wine in general, so happily, wine #4, Poppy Pinot Noir from Monterey, did not disappoint, although the final wine, a Malbec, was my second-favorite overall.
I really enjoyed the cheeses, of course, and all for different reasons. The first one, a straveccio cheese, was similar to pecorino romano — something like that. It was a hard cheese but the most salty and flavorful of the night for me. The next cheese was duller flavored with some Rosemary to it, which I don’t usually care for, but it was subtle and was the only thing keeping me drinking the white wines. We also had a terrific aged white cheddar and I learned something — cheddar is naturally white. Anytime you eat yellow cheddar, it’s just food coloring. I guess that seems obvious but it never occurred to me before. The Golden Valley Ewe that came next was great as was the creamy, final cheese, which also had the fanciest name: Brebirousse d’Argent. I would describe it as a richer brie.
The restaurant has done a really terrific job putting this together. It is only $25 for the experience and I can’t believe how much value you get for that money. These were generous pours of high-end wines and sophisticated cheeses. Plus, their patio is a beautiful and perfect place to spend an evening if you want to be outside. It’s the best in the neighborhood and this would be fun to do as a couple with other couples, or just with a group of friends. I think it would be a fun girls night out.
Two giant, drunken thumbs up from me for wine and cheese Mondays at Bow and Truss. Check out their website for more details about reservations, their menu, this wine and cheese series and their other great events like movie nights on the patio.
MORE:
- Located at 11122 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood
- There is a rather pricey valet parking attendant out front which you may have to give into. Street parking is hard to find.
- You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Thank you Bow and Truss for hosting me and my guest for this lovely event.
