Archive for May 15th, 2008

Wolfgang or WOLFGANG PUCK?

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Wolfgang Zwiener, a former head waiter at Peter Lugars in Brooklyn, opened a couple of Steakhouses in Manhattan called Wolfgang’s and has recently opened one on Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. This location is uncomfortably close to Spago and Cut, owned by Wolfgang Puck and is the cause of much disputation and confusion!

I believe, due to the fact that one of the former licensees of the Spago trademark in Japan, which Wolfgang Puck chose not to renew, is involved in the company of Wolfgang Zwiener to be cause enough to believe their company is trying to benefit from the enormous name value of Wolfgang Puck. The fact that they have put Wolfgang Zwiener in such small font in their advertising and promotions and even on the entrance to the restaurant, might be construed as trying to cause confusion. Evidently, also in contention is a 2007 agreement in which Zwiener agreed to use his full name if he opened restaurants outside of Manhattan.

I think that Wolfgang Puck is absolutely right to defend his 32 years of “goodwill” against perpetrators, especially, in his home turf. I sincerely hope that he wins the lawsuit with minimum litigation.

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AOC Restaurant & Wine Bar, Los Angeles

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

8022 W. Third St. (Crescent Heights Blvd.)
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel.323-653-6359
Opening Hours: Mon: 6-10pm, Tues-Fri: 6-11pm, Sat: 5:30-11pm, Sun: 5:30-10pm
Credit Cards: All major
Prices: Moderate

AOC BarLocated on a quiet section of Third St. this wine bar is usually crowded and well it should be; it made tapas-style small plates of basic Mediterranean fare fashionable.
I have brought many Japanese people here and they just love the great variety of small portion choices. For everyone else it is great fun to be able to pair different dishes with their diverse selection of wines available by the glass.

This operation is the brain-child of Susan Goin and Caroline Styne of Lucques fame.
Look for interesting items such as: brandade (A pounded combination of salted cod fish, olive oil, garlic, milk and cream), boudin noir and a large selection of charcutrie and cheese.

One evening as I sat at the bar, I looked up to see in the middle of the back bar a Cruvinet Wine Preserving Machine, being put to very good use. The original company Cruvinet I founded along with partners Jean France Mercier, presently owner of Tixa Wine Cellars the top custom wine cellar designer in the U.S., and Nick Bassill Luxine Ltd., a cutting-edge manufacturer of induction cooking units for commercial and home use. We put together this company in the early eighties, and it was, from the onset the quality leader in the industry, with as many as nine copy-cat competitors turning out inferior and less costly machines within one year. We all went our separate ways, for individual reasons, five years later.

This machine is ideal for this type of situation however, one of the employees after all of us dispersed, and basically without permission, usurped the technology, therefore I cannot vouch for its integrity today.

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Pane e Vino Restaurant, Los Angeles

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

8265 Beverly Blvd.,
Los Angeles
323-651-4600
Opening Hours: 11:30 am – 11:30 pm; Sunday, dinner only
Valet Parking
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate

Restaurants L.A.Descend a few steps into a beautiful walled patio with tables laid out around a centerpiece tree, where on most days at lunch you will find owner, Rod Dyer holding court at a table under this tree. Making your way to the reception area, you’ll feel as though you are reenacting one of New York’s former luminaries’ famous entrances into El Morocco—all eyes look up from plates as diners intently peruse each new arrival.
Pane e Vino Trattoria has a fine-looking, booth-filled dining room, but more attractive and popular is their enchanting garden patio. This authentically Mediterranean setting has terra-cotta-hued walls and tiles, and is adorned with bougainvillea and glimmering candlelight at night.
The bar is conveniently situated midway between the garden and dining room. An open kitchen and wood-burning pizza oven dominate one side of the main dining room. The opposite wall is decorated with a muted earth-tone mural.
Pane e Vino is one of the few restaurants in Los Angeles to serve Certified Piedmontese beef, Costata long bone rib eye (two lbs.) carved table side for two persons.

Pane e Vino Trattoria has garnered awards as the best patio dining in L.A. for many years running.

Footnote: This is an article that I originally wrote for Wine & Dine Magazine and is currently being used in part by Pane e Vino’s public relations department. It has been edited to include or delete various changes that have occurred over time and condensed, in keeping with this blog’s effort to keep posts succinct.

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