Tag Archives: Burlesque

News for Restaurants in Los Angeles

Gayot
April 2012

Celebrity chef Jet Tila is partner and food and beverage director at Santa Monica’s new nightlife venue The Charleston. The lounge-style space sports 1930′s décor and features live entertainment nightly from burlesque to bands, DJs, and dueling pianos. The culinary scene spotlights pop-up restaurants with special menus from guest chefs and Tila himself. From the regular menu, expect small plates of haute American comfort food like bacon-wrapped dates; short rib tacos; flatbread with Nueske’s bacon, quail egg and smoked cheese; smoked cheese; and orange-buttermilk panna cotta. Specialty cocktails range from classic Sazeracs to the Cucumber Cooler and Poison Rose. Dinner nightly.

Absinthe, Jazz & Dueling Pianos: 1930s Restaurant & Gastrolounge ‘The Charleston’ Now Open in Santa Monica

by Lauren Lloyd
LAist
March 30, 2012

The Charleston Absinthe, Jazz & Dueling Pianos: 1930s Restaurant & Gastrolounge The Charleston Now Open in Santa MonicaWhere do you go if you’re hankering for 1930s décor, jazz, ’80s cover bands, karaoke, comedy, dueling pianos, comfort food and absinthe? The combination sounds impossible, doesn’t it? It’s not. The Charleston opened its doors to Santa Monica Thursday night, inviting L.A. to experience the newly renovated Wilshire Boulevard spot, formerly known as Angel’s.

Aside from the eclectic mix of aforementioned features, the “sexy” venue, as described by The Charleston website, also boasts burlesque, DJs and hip hop acts. Chef Jet Tila serves up American fusion comfort food in a menu of shared plates — all attractively priced at $13 and below. One gander at the menu will send most tummies into a growling fit and evoke slight to severe salivation (Don’t be embarrassed. It’s only natural). The “Bites” menu includes Bacon Wrapped Dates, Garlic Edamame, Short Rib Tacos with Shaved Brussel Sprouts and Korean Salsa, and bigger plates include Shepard’s Pie, a Three Cheese flatbread, Smoked Mac & Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries and of course, THE Wedge Salad. Sweet teeth can score satiation with three desserts: Plantain Sundae, Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding and Orange Butter Milk Panna Cotta.

Playing host to monthly pop-ups spotlighting local and national chef talent, Tila has so far recruited Evan Kleiman, KCRW “Good Food” host.

The Charleston 2 Absinthe, Jazz & Dueling Pianos: 1930s Restaurant & Gastrolounge The Charleston Now Open in Santa MonicaThe libations menu, which will run patrons $12 to $14 per drink, sounds ideal for an after-work drowning or casual evening of sipping. Whiskey, cognac, vodka, gin, pisco — the gang’s all here! The Charleston, Kaffir Lime Pie, Cucumber Cooler and the Sweet Tart all sound divine, as does the absinthe menu. And for those who prefer to steer clear of classic cocktails, wine and beer are also available.

Tila and partners Mike Lee, Jack M.Y. Lee and Trey Martin welcomed Angelenos to the joint Thursday night at 10pm, showing off the 1930s-style aesthetic, entertainment, eats and beverages.

House of Vibe All Stars will take The Charleston stage tonight at 9pm.

Let’s see a show of jazz hands of those planning to check out the new Westside locale.

Charleston in Charge

Old Hollywood glamour dresses up in Santa Monica

The Rundown LA
March 28, 2012

charlston Charleston in ChargeWith the Great Recession supposedly over, what better time for some Great Depression revelling?

Prep your best suspenders for some proper rug-cutting at The Charleston, where Santa Monica honors those golden days of pomade and prohibition with nightly live entertainment.

Come for everything from burlesque to rock cover bands, and karaoke to dueling pianos. Then stay for the drinks.

Start with the namesake Charleston, a healthy dose of Buffalo Trace whiskey, green chartreuse, Dom Benedictine, and angostura bitters.

For your date? The sweet and tart Kaffir Lime Pie (Stoli Vodka, Stoli Vanilla Vodka, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white).

Make sure to try Iron Chef veteran Jet Tila’s eclectic menu. Divide and conquer the bacon-wrapped dates and Korean salsa (short rib and Brussels sprouts in a corn tortilla) and sausage fennel & arugula flatbread.

Keep the cheese-crusted filet mignon crostini or the Charleston Burger (smoked Cheddar, arugula, onion marmalade and sun-dried tomato aioli) for yourself.

Meat and cheese hoarding: A Depression-era staple, no matter the decade.

A step back in time, via an Iron Chef vet

Thrillist
March 26, 2012

charlestonnew horizontal main A step back in time, via an Iron Chef vet

Grand opening Thurs in Santa Monica, The Charleston is a ’30s-era supperclub-cum-sippery in Santa Monica run by former Iron Chef challenger & lauded restauranteur Jet Tila, whose decked out the old Angel’s space in decade-appropriate beaded chandeliers, a studded, white-leather bar, and plush, red booths, which’re probably the first place to look for left-behind dead presidents.

2601699a inset web A step back in time, via an Iron Chef vet

The food will work in two ways: they’ll do popup dinners by famous chefs like Angeli Caffe exec/KCRW “Good Food” host Evan Kleinman, as well as a there-all-the-timemenu w/ upscale-y bar goodness like short rib tacos w/ shaved Brussels sprouts & Korean salsa; sausage, arugula, and fennel flatbread; and grilled salmon w/ roasted tomatoes and chickpeas, ironically served by a second chick with a cup. Drinkiness leans classic, w/ specialties helped along by a master ‘tail-mixer (who’s developed booze programs at Vegas’ Bellagio, NY’s Po, and SF’s Starlight Room): there’s the Minted Mule (vodka, lime, ginger beer, mint sprig), the namesake Charleston (whiskey, green chartreuse, Dom Benedictine, bitters), and the gin-fronting Poison Rose, which’s really what Leo should’ve done if he wanted a place on that life raft.
2601699c inset web A step back in time, via an Iron Chef vet
They’re also going to have tons of entertainment going on, from ’80s cover bands, to burlesque, to dueling pianos, to karaoke — which, like John Wilkes, you’ll probably straight murder.