Thanksgiving at Esterel: One more Reason to be Thankful

If there is one-thing foodies are thankful for, it’s French food. This year Esterel, the restaurant at Sofitel Los Angeles in BeverlyHills, gives patrons a chance to experience gratitude, Parisian style (and where The Thomas Gals will be dining this Turkey Day!). This Thanksgiving, Esterel has created a three-course pre-fixed menu that provides a tasty twist on traditional fare. Executive Chef Marius Blin’s autumnal inspired offerings are the perfect blend of rich and round flavors shaped by savory and seasonal elegance.

This one of a kind holiday dining experience provides guests all the hospitality of home with none of the extra work. While for guests, relaxing should be easy, choosing between the many delectable choices might be difficult. In addition to warm apple cider and a special selection of Thanksgiving bread, guests will begin their meal with a choice of three appetizers, which include Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, a Fennel Goat Cheese Salad with or Pecan Crusted Sea Scallops for starters.

Esterel is also offering a variety of main courses, allowing guest to choose just how traditional they want their Thanksgiving to be. For patrons who are craving a delicious interpretation of the usual staples, Esterel will feature Free Range Turkey with brioche sage stuffing, cranberry relish, and buttermilk red bliss mashed potato. For those looking for a different taste this year, they can select either the Crispy Skin Branzino served with braised baby carrots, parsnip, heirloom spinach, local caviar champagne beurre blanc or Porcini Agnolotti complimented by carrot harissa puree, local beans, welted wild arugula and Black garlic.

And no Thanksgiving feast would be complete without a sweet and sugar finishing note. Esterel guests will have a choice between Pumpkin Chai Cheesecake Brulee, Hibiscus “Soup” or Valrhona Chocolate Cremeux.

Esterel’s three courses prefix menu will be offer from $65 and for children between 6 -12 years old $40 from 12:00pm – 4.30pm. Thanksgiving specials served after 4:30pm along with regular dinner menu. Please visit www.esterelrestaurant.com

For those who prefer to spend Thanksgiving at home, but would like some pampering before braving the shopping crowds, Esterel has you covered. They are offering special two different Black Friday package deals which include the Beverly Center’s passport to shopping, Bloomingdales discounts, spa treatments, and much more. Please call the hotel directly to book the holiday packages by calling 310.278.5444 or visit www.sofitel.com

I Love Paris in the Summertime

So I don’t know if you know this but Paris is très chaud in the summertime (actually thanks to global warming it seems to be très chaud everywhere). The heat in Paris is that sticky hot heat that causes your typical America to run for the air conditioning dial. But since AC is very limited the City of Lights I decided to make the best of a mal situation and find a sanctuary of lunch on one of the loveliest islands in Paris (and not the one that houses Notre-Dame).

Considered on the most romantic parts of Paris the two islands that lie in the middle of the Seine River (Ile de la Cite and Ile St-Louis) are some of the city’s most enigmatic attractions. Ile St-Louis is (in my opinion) the most charming place in Paris. The 17th century stone house, boutiques, and specialty shop make it the perfect place to amble about. Strolling along these cobblestoned streets I decided to partake in the wonderful Parisian experience: the outdoor picnic.


I slid into a Fruit and Vegetable store to purchase two beautifully fragrant peaches, I could write pages on the soft fuzziness alone (2.69 € for two). Next I discovered the perfect From Eger, the cheese shop (but calling it just that cheapens it). As I entered the shop of Christian Le Lann, Fromeger-Affineur I was slammed with a bouquet of stinky cheese smells. It was easy to read that the man watching football behind the counter was not into embracing the English language. Terrified at my mediocre French I desperately searched around for something self contained, something that I wouldn’t have to request in grams (Yes, all I could think about was David Sedaris’ Me Talk Pretty One Day). Joyfully eyes fell upon the smallest wrapped round cheese Tentation de Saint Felicien Double Crème L’Etoile du Vercors. Quite a mouthful, Tentation is the the cheese, L’Etoile du Vercors is the cheese group that makes it (6.8 €).

I walked the Quai de Bourbon, to the tip of the East side of the island, to the little park housed there. Up until this point my sister and I had noted every place in Paris we went so many people were speaking English (it should be noted we were seeing a good amount of tourist sites), so I was happy to discover this was not that case; Here, I was surrounded by natives, speaking their native French tongue. I sat down arranging my spoils when I felt a wonderful puff of air skip across my shoulders.

That breeze alone made it the best seat in the City.



I dug in. No Silverware, no napkins, lots of finger licking. The Etoile was so creamy it tasted like butter (truthfully for a moment I thought I had accidently bought butter). The peach was full of juicy sweetness that spurted with every bite. It had been awhile since I’ve eaten a peach whole. There’s something so inherently sexy about it. How French, I thought.

I paused for a moment to drink from my SIGG bottle (every good Green girl doesn’t go anywhere without it…) and I noted how the water tasted sweeter. I have always felt that real quality food can enhance your palate (just in the same way cardboard fast food can deaden it). And while Frenchman fished the Seine and boats full of tourists drifted up and down I thought that is exactly what this meal had done. Through my taste buds I had discovered the most quintessential f French philosophies: Joie de Vivre.

The ES: European Edition

The Edible Skinny: a tale of two Mediterranean cities.


In lieu of the Euro dropping I decided to take a quick jaunt to Europe (that along with the fact that I was visiting my sister who lives there…).



First up will be Paris, France (the ultimate food capital) followed by the more wallet friendly Barcelona, Spain. Now I know I don’t normally do restaurant reviews, but because I feel they are educational about Europe’s customs (and because it’s my blog) here you go.