Once upon a time, Dominick’s was a Los Angeles landmark, famous for catering to Rat Pack celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. But then came the 1970s, complete with a lamentable makeover of Dominick’s in a nautical theme, and the once iconic restaurant was reduced to footnote status.
Until recently, that is. In 2002, Dominick’s was purchased by Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet, who closed the doors for a renovation that restored the West Hollywood hangout to its former glory. One year later, Dominick’s was back in business, exuding nostalgia and serving up homey Italian fare with, as the owners put it, a light Californian touch.
And now the partners have even found a unique way to mix the Italian and Californian on their wine list. Seeking to add bottles of reasonably priced but good quality red and white wines to their list, the partners teamed up with the Palmina Winery in Lompoc, Calif., to blend their own house wines, Dago White and Dago Red, named in reference to the pejorative many Italians still use to describe their homemade wines. To craft them, Ebbink and Boudet took several of their staff members to the winery and spent an afternoon blending and tasting until they found the combination of Traminer, Pinot Grigio, Arneis and Malvasia Bianco they thought was perfect.
Following months of aging at the winery, Dominick’s Dago White is set to make its debut this spring. Blending of the red is expected to take place soon and bottles will follow to the restaurant in due course.
When it comes to pairing beer and barbecue, make it hoppy With summer grilling season upon us and hot spices and barbecue sauces appearing on menus from coast to coast, it’s worth remembering that when it comes to spice and vinegar, not all beers are created equal. Peppery spice, salt and vinegar can each do a number on malty, sweet beers like Scotch ales and doppelbocks, and considering that all three elements often feature prominently in barbecue sauces, it is usually wise to avoid such styles when choosing a beer to serve with grilled and generously sauced foods. Better is a style with a healthy degree of hoppy bitterness, such as pale ale, IPA or pilsner, which can cut through the spice and acidity to refresh the palate and stimulate the appetite for the next mouthful.