Wirtshaus Celebrates Summer

The first day of summer is June 21 and Wirtshaus is celebrating with live German music and new seasonal German beers with a “backyard” BBQ starting at 5 p.m. Enjoy a popular German beer, Schofferhofer Grapefruit. It’s a Hefeweizen pre-mixed with grapefruit juice. It pairs nicely with grilled sausages outside in the biergarten. 345 N. La Brea Ave. (323)931-9291.

Mondo Taco

In the mood for Thai today? How about Indian tonight? At Mondo Taco each homemade corn tortilla is a great base for many of the wonderful flavors you might find throughout the world. Choose from over 20 original international recipes. Mondo Taco offers wraps that are served in a flour or wheat tortillas too. They also create innovative bowls with their unique rice recipe and crispy cabbage. 1292 S. La Brea Ave (323) 939-0161.

Café del Rey

Executive Chef Daniel Roberts invites guests to experience a special four-course wine dinner on June 27 at 6:15 p.m. The wine served is from Freemark Abbey’s collection of handcrafted wines with vintages ranging from 2005 to 2012. During the dinner, Chef Roberts will expertly craft a Mediterranean-inspired menu designed to highlight the fruity undertones of the varietals. Scallops will be served with a 2005 Sauvignon Blanc and the grilled halibut is paired with a Viognier. The duck breast will be served with a Cabernet Bosche and the milk bar dessert will be paired with an Edelwein Gold Late Harvest Riesling. 4451 Admiralty Way (310) 823-6395.

Beach Cleanup

On Saturday, June 22, Simmzy’s is teaming up with Heal the Bay to brighten up Manhattan Beach. Volunteers will meet at Simmzy’s at 8:15 a.m. and walk down Manhattan Beach Boulevard to participate in a beach cleanup. Those who develop a post-cleanup thirst or appetite are invited to head back to Simmzy’s. Try Golden Road’s new Heal the Bay IPA. Simmzy’s and Golden Road will each donate $20 from each keg of Heal the Bay IPA to the brew’s namesake organization. 229 Manhattan Beach Blvd. (310)546-1201.

Stella Barra Pizzeria

Besides serving signature pizzas, the menu boasts a selection of small plates, house salads, and sandwiches. The daily Chef’s Plates menu features house-made pastas, crudos, simply prepared proteins and seasonal vegetables. Now open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., choose from hand-crafted breakfast items, fresh pastries and a selection of breads to go from a breakfast counter. Brunch items include almond granola and Greek yogurt; cinnamon crunch pan perdue; a local fruit salad; three egg breakfast with smashed potatoes, spicy tomato jam, crispy bacon or sausage and house made bread or Farmer’s Market omelet with provolone and country toast. Chef Mahin’s original breakfast sandwich is served on his signature English muffins with soft scrambled eggs, tomato, cheddar, and choice of ham, turkey, sausage or avocado. All pair nicely with a $3 mimosa or Bloody Mary. 6372 West Sunset Blvd. (323)301-4001.

Le Ka

Marcus and Michael Kwan have named Chef David Féau from The Royce at The Langham Hotel as their new Executive Chef at Le Ka downtown. Chef David Féau will debut a French Californian menu with some standout dishes including Cote De Boeuf, whole Thai snapper, Beausoleil oysters, handmade pappardelle and a delightful kale salad. Kristin Feuer, Le Ka’s new pastry chef, is known for creating classic desserts with clean, refined presentations. Lunch begins at 11 a.m. and dinner is served daily at 5 p.m. 800 W. Sixth St. (213)688-3000.

Complimentary Wine Corkage

Now through August, Fleming’s LA LIVE encourages guests to bring their own bottle of wine to dinner with no corkage fee. For those who prefer to leave the wine-selecting to the Fleming’s wine experts, guests can choose a glass or bottle of wine from Fleming’s 100®, an expansive wine collection featuring hand-selected wines by Fleming’s National Wine Director, Maeve Pesquera. To ensure that guests can easily navigate the restaurant’s extensive wine list, Fleming’s recently released their in-restaurant WiNEPAD™ app. With unique features like “What’s Your Mood,” which matches guests’ current moods with specific varietal categories and tastes, the app provides a customized dining experience like no other. Additionally, the app’s “Perfect Pairings” function showcases wine and food pairings based on the guests’ menu selection by providing three perfectly paired wine options that deliciously accentuate complementary flavors. Essentially, the WiNEPAD™ was created to take the guesswork out of selecting the perfect glass of wine for any Fleming’s course. 800 W Olympic Blvd. (213)745-9911.

WP24 Sunset Menu

Chef Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 Restaurant and Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles is kicking off the summer season with the addition of a Sunset Menu in the restaurant’s dining room. It features a variety of the restaurant’s signature items including Peking duck rolls with hoisin dipping sauce; Singapore style chili prawns with fresh crab, fried garlic, chili, scallions, shallots and pickled ginger; and crispy skin Szechuan chicken with snow peas, asparagus and Szechuan pepper salt. The Sunset Menu is $60 per person and offered on evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., when an event is taking place at one of the L.A. LIVE venues. In the WP24 Lounge, the “Four for $24” menu offers a rotating chef’s selection of WP24’s signature small plates daily from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. through Sept. 30. The four tastes may include pork belly bao bun, Chinese spare rib and tempura shrimp and bacon roll for $24. 900 W. Olympic Blvd. (213)743-8824.

4th Annual Summer Tasting Event

Los Angeles Street Food Fest, the largest and most affordable tasting event, will be held at the Rose Bowl on June 29. Attendees get small plates from the best gourmet trucks, old school carts and stands. Celebrity chefs from award-winning restaurants will be handing out signature dishes. LA food truck favorites include the Grilled Cheese Truck, Wicked Kitchen, The Lobos Truck and Currywurst. Street eats will be offered from Bigmista’s BBQ, Short Order, Lazy Ox, El Coralense, and Starry Kitchen. Sweets like the popular Ice Cream Social returns with cult favorites The Donut Snob, Peddler’s Creamery and Dragon’s Whisker Candy. The debut of Sweet Clementine’s popsicles is going to be a popular spot. There will be a live music stage on the Rose Bowl field. All-inclusive, all you can eat, all you can drink general admission tickets are $50 per person. Sip cold brews at the Singha Beer Gardens and wine at Cupcake Winery’s mobile lounge. There will be plenty of cool water stations from Hawaiian Springs, refreshments from Pressed Juicery, Honest Tea, Jarritos, Coba, ONE Coconut Water, Handsome Roasters and The Coffee Bean. The event is all ages with 21+ wristbands for those who’d like to enjoy beer, wine and cocktails. Tickets are available at www.LAfoodfest2013.eventbrite.com

Saddle Peak Lodge Vineyard Dinner

Executive Chef Christopher Kufek kicks off the summer with a Martian Ranch & Vineyard Wine dinner on June 20 at 6 p.m. Martian Ranch & Vineyards is a down to earth winery in Los Almos. The six-course dinner includes wine pairings selected by Sommelier Jen Carter for $95 per person. Start with pork belly spring rolls with Kimchi aioli and a 2012 Rose. The fried soft shell crab is paired with a 2011 Grenche Blanc. Sautéed quail is with a 2011 Tempranillo. Grilled lamb is served with a Syrah and dessert is a rhubarb tart with a Mouvedre. 419 Cold Cyn. Rd. (818)222-3888.