Foodie — Wine & Dine

A little bio on Claudine,

"Claudine Artisan Kitchen & Bakeshop is the collaborative effort of Chef Anthony Jacquet and Pastry Chef Lea Newton, whose combined skills and culinary passions have led to the opening of a globally-influenced neighborhood café and bakeshop in the San Fernando Valley. Named after Jacquet’s late sister, the driving force behind his decision to become a chef, Claudine Artisan Kitchen & Bakeshop is a full service restaurant, bakeshop, coffee bar, and grab n’ go deli. Serving only the highest quality food made with local and sustainable ingredients, Claudine Artisan Kitchen & Bakeshop features an assortment of breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes.Highlighting the bounty of local and seasonal produce in California, the restaurant’s menu draws inspiration from the many cultures and people who have shaped the city."

16350 Ventura Blvd., Suite F, Encino, CA 91436

Located on Ventura Blvd in Encino is where you will find Claudine. From the outside, it blends it with the neighborhood Chipotle which sits in the same center. But walking inside, the expectations are blown away by how adorable this place is. Open kitchen with tons of baked goods ready for you to hover over. Everything is made fresh daily, so if you see low inventory, that's a good sign.

Claudine also serves wine and beer which is always a plus. I started with a Stone IPA. They also carried a few specialty cocktails like sangrias and micheladas.

We had a few dishes to sample, all delicious. They make their own house cured lox on toast. The salmon was not overly salty served on top of some preserved Lemon Cream Cheese, Pickled Shallots, Cucumber and Capers. Their Briana's Short Rib Grilled Cheese is also a must order. Stuffed with Stout Braised Onions, Roasted Mushrooms, ‘Merican Cheese, Black Vinegar Teriyaki, and russet wedges. Get your napkins ready.

They also make their own naan pizzas. We've tried 2 and fell in love instantly. Cianna's Naan-Zza: pesto, buratta, bacon, mushrooms and asparagus. Serrano Ham and Olive Naan-Zza: fresno chile, buratta cheese and oregano. The Lea's Lightened Quiche was a winner all around. Custard made with spinach, basil, and only one egg with salad greens (SO GOOD).

If you are not sure what to do about your life, order the Malted Milk Pancakes. Cinnamon-Blueberry compote, salted honey butter, Warm Maple Syrup and Bacon. Sandwich this baby together and eat it with pride. Lot's of it.

16350 Ventura Blvd., Suite F, Encino, CA 91436

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Kings Row is one of those spots that you've seen, but you were never aware of the name. The conversation always goes "Where is that?", "It's in the alley next to Coffee Bean", "OH THAT place! I walk by it all the time and wondered what it was!".

The FIRST time I came to Kings Row was one of my luckiest. I came exactly on the 3rd Thursday of the month. And if you don't know what that means, now you know, because I'm going to tell you, Right, Now.

They roast a whole pig in a China Box for 12 hours. The pig is in a beer brine for 2 days before it hits the box. Happy Hour also ends at 7pm, so whatever drink you are having I recommend ordering a double each time you go up. There's no table service, so all orders are to be placed at the bar. A plate of this succulent will cost you $15, but it also comes with delicious Mac&Cheese and a side garden salad. The pig sees the light at 6PM so come early.

This was my 3rd time coming to Kings Row. I always ask for the crispy skin, and sometimes, extra crispy (they would fry it). If you don't understand why it's so freaking amazing, just close your eyes and put that sh*t in your mouth. You can't complain about crunchy pig skin. You just can't. I got extremely lucky with my cut this time because it was near the belly. And if you don't understand what that means, then - YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO LIVE.

Chipotle Honey Wings

These wings were in a brine for 24 hours, TWICE fried, and drenched in a chipotle honey glaze served with a side of herbaceous ranch. Kings has a pretty fun menu and I would definitely come back just to try out their other items. These wings stay true to the name given. The chipotle was smoky and balances perfectly with the honey. The key is that they were twice fried to make sure that crunch holds up to the drench. Easy to share or hard? I went to order a drink and they were gone when I got back.

This image was from the previous time that I stopped by. Salad seems to change, but it's still tasty. But honestly speaking, no one really cares about the salad. Pig and MacCccheeeese, there's no saving from this.

Enjoy and see you there next month! Or before.

Cheers,

Daiisies

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