LA West Elite Event: California Cuisine At Tapenade

It’s good to be an Elite! What an amazing event!
We got to sample the entire menu! Honestly, I couldn’t even choose the best dish, since all were so good! Pork Belly was definitely the highlight of the night.
Brittany certainly came through on this event and I’m very thankful

Has the most incredible meal here at the Unilocal Elite event. Thanks, Brittany!
My favorites were the polenta and tuna tartare but every dish boasted fresh and local ingredients which really delivered on flavor across all the dishes. I will definitely be coming back here to see the new menu items the chef has up his sleeve.

Awesome place for dining events!
Brittany delighted us with an awesome restaurant on the West Side. I’d say the place was pretty classy. We all gathered and enjoyed an assortment of 10 – 15 different kinds of dishes. They ranged anywhere from shrimp salads, to brussel sprouts, and all the way out to pork belly and bacon wrapped dates.
I personally like the brussel sprouts, wild mushroom with polenta, and the tuna Tartar. All the dishes looked very extravagant, and were very delicious. I did like the Chocolate crème dessert at the end. it was a nice end to an awesome meal.
Thank you Brittany and Nicole for being our awesome hosts and chaperones, and Tapenade for providing us with an amazing experience. Shout out to all the new friends Sharr, Christine, Liz, Sam, and Jane. we were the awesome table!

Are you serious? SERIOUS?! I am so glad that I went to this event. As stated by practically everybody else, the food was abundant, delicious, and downright SCRUM-​DIDDLY-​UMPTIOUS. I can’t even begin to describe the flavors because there were so many. The company at our table (at a NO +1 EVENT, mind you) was awesome. I literally have zero complaints and only praises for this event. I can’t even count how many plates we had. I miss this event already. I wish every Unilocal event was like this one!
Oh and did I mention that we got two free glasses of wine also?
Yeah. Be jealous.
Well done Brittany B., Chef Ressul, and everybody else involved!

Thank you so much Brittany for a fabulous event! This was my first and hopefully not my last. I loved chatting with like-​minded and fellow food and dining lovers. Can’t wait until the next one!
Tapenade was fabulous and the number one thing that stuck out to me was the service. The staff was on point. With everything. I can’t praise them enough!
The food was also fantastic. We got to taste almost everything on the menu! Needless to say, I was in a major food coma but the items that stuck out to me were the hen of the wood mushrooms w/​polenta, tuna tartare, and chocolate pot de crème. Of course the brussels sprouts and the bacon wrapped dates were amazing, but its really hard to make me upset over either of those dishes. My only complaint with the sprouts and the dates were that they were a bit greasy and oily for me. I’m curious how the sprouts were prepared, I’m assuming deep fried? I know they fry them at Freddy Smalls but they fire roast them at Cleo, which I prefer. The flavor of the sprouts were phenomenal but I could do without the grease. I was bummed I missed out on the lamb agnolotti… it seemed that most Unilocalers reviewed this dish and I’d love to try it. Next time!
The wine was also delicious and paired very well with what we had. I’m not a huge buttery, oakey, chardonnay fan and this was anything but. It was lovely, and so was the cabernet. Great choices!
I could definitely see myself coming back here with a friend over some wine and bites or even saddling up to the bar. It’s close to where I live too which is a bonus. Thank you again for having us!

It’s been a while since I attended my last Unilocal Elite event and I’m glad that I waited.
For the first time ever I actually arrived EARLY however, surprisingly enough there were people waiting in line already lol. Brittany B. and the Tapenade team did an amazing job setting up because we were seated right away.
The menu was impressive with a 15-​course meal and 2 glasses of wine. I was actually overwhelmed… meeting new people, catching up with familiar faces (Christine T.), reading over the menu several times, taking hundreds of pictures all the while taking it all in.
The highlight of the meal for me are in this order (or my top 5 dishes):
— brussels sprouts (roasted to a crisp with shaved parmesean cheese and toasted almonds)
— bacon with dates and manchego cheese (it’s not the prettiest of the dishes but the piggy melted in my mouth like no business)
— wild mushrooms with polenta (creamy, earthy and just heavenly)
— shrimp salad with avocado cream (interesting combo of flavors)
— truffle fries with shaved parmesean cheese (I would eat the whole thing if I didn’t care about my figure)
The pork belly is a very handsome dish (
)
But I just can’t stomach the glistening fat into my mouth. I flipped it over and took a few bites of the meat which was smokey with a char-​siu flavor.
As anticipated with a 15-​course meal over a 3-​hour seated dinner… the first few dishes were devoured with not a drop left. However as we move towards the end of the dinner, everyone was saying to each other…“no no, please… after you.” Exactly. We were fed beyond what seemed at first like our stomachs were bottomless pits… only to find out later that we actually have limits.
Like true foodies (at our table), we were taking photos so much that the Unilocal photographer took a picture of us taking photos. Liz O. was also taking notes of the food and barely ate her food. Yup… we don’t mess around.
At the end of our meal, Chef Ressul Rassallat came out and spoke to us a little bit about his passion for food and his culinary adventures around the world. And what a perfect way to end the evening to see the man behind the food and his creative vision. We were truly lucky to be there.
A big CHEERS to the Chef, Brittany B. and the Tapenade staff who made this amazing event possible.

I had an amazing time at this event! Brittany B. puts on the best events every time!
This was a great location, and I had never even heard of this restaurant! It was all very fancy and it felt like such a special occasion place.
How many different dishes were there? 18? And they were all very rich! Lots of truffles and potatoes and polenta and tuna tartare… these people were not skimping on costs for the event!
Our waitress was so friendly and accommodating of my particular diet. I told her that it was important to me that the rest of my table doesn’t miss out on certain foods because of me. I ended up getting plates of dishes just for myself, and the people at my table ended up being even happier because there was more food for them! :) They did not have to do that for me, the fact that they did is awesome and shows what great customer service they have.
I ate maybe 4 or 5 dishes and was completely full after the first 2.
Our waitress was seriously so sweet that I would actually want to be friends with her outside of this restaurant and Unilocal event. Just a lovely person.
Everything was great here and I would definitely come back.
Just wondering: do they have olive tapenade? I would have liked that!

Literally got home last night from the Unilocal event and passed out due to food coma from SO MUCH FOOD! This tasting menu at Tapenade blew me away. My favorites were the crispy brussels sprouts, bacon wrapped dates, braised pork belly, and yogurt panna cotta. You could taste the freshness of the ingredients in all of the dishes. The service of the staff was very friendly and attentive. Chef Ressul came to share his journey as a chef, and the inspiration to his innovative dishes. It was awesome and fun to meet more Elites in the WLA area over some stunning food.
Thank you Brittany B., Chef Ressul, and Tapenade!

Well I’ve finally come out of my food coma long enough to reflect back on this delicious meal! Being my first Unilocal event, I really didn’t know what to expect and part of me thought we’d be shepherded through buffet lines while clamoring for chairs at banquet tables… but this was the exact opposite. There were about 50 people and we all were seated at nice wooden tables for 4, or some larger ones for 6 – 8. To be honest I would have left happy after snatching up a pair of my cool new red Unilocal tube socks, but what the heck, I might as well taste some food. There were custom menus on the tables with about 16 dishes listed so of course we thought maybe we would be doing some choosing. There’s no way that we could get every single one, is there?!
And that’s when the madness started. A crisp glass of Château St. jean– Chardonnay 2011 came out quickly followed up later in the evening by a Château Timberlay Bordeaux– Cabernet Sauvignon 2009… and then the FOOD. The food which kept magically refilling itself a la Harry Potter with some help by the wonderfully polite French waiter.
There were far too many dishes to name but I was truly blown away by the Crispy BRUSSEL SPROUTS with capers, vinegar, and almonds. You really see these everywhere now but these are some of the best I’ve had and most flavorful. The TUNA TARTARE was refreshing, smooth, and perfectly salty, and the ROASTED BELL PEPPER SALAD with toasted almonds, currants, and mint was a really interesting flavor combination. The BACON WRAPPED DATES are a classic, and Chef Rassul’s did not disappoint.
THE PORK BELLY ohhhh the pork belly. The biggest, most golden, most tender piece of pork belly I’ve ever seen, towering over a side of muhammara just posing there, relishing in admiration. I think we all kind of took a moment of silence to drool and ogle before digging in.
The above were definitely my favorite offerings in addition to the PASSION FRUIT PANNA COTTA which was almost indescribable. Tangy and tart and sweet and tropical and smooth all at the same time, and a perfect end to the meal.
It was such a pleasure getting to know other Elite Unilocalers, Brittany, and Nicole, and a huge thank you to Chef Ressul Rassallat who is humble, knowledgeable, and truly passionate about his food. Will definitely be back.

Loved the event! The restaurant interior was very nice!
While I enjoyed the food, it wasn’t mind blowing. Many of the dishes could have been skipped altogether in my opinion (eggplant caviar, parmesan fries, shrimp salad) so we could have had room for their «best» dishes (lamb shanks, etc.)
My favorite dishes were probably the brussel sprouts, the bacon wrapped dates and the braised pork belly.
My favorite dessert was hands down the passion fruit panna-​cotta!
All and all it was a nice event, just wish the chef had the foresight to really plan the courses out so we could have experienced the BEST of the menu instead of countless misc starters.

Here are my winners from another amazing Elite Event at Tapenade:
Crispy Brussels Sprouts — Never have I ever wanted two servings of a dish with the notorious sprouts and Chef Ressul definitely has something special here to kick off a delicious meal!
Bacon Wrapped Dates — Anything is better with bacon. surprisingly even figs. This is a definite dish to try to satisfy your both your sweet tooth and your everlasting BACON HUNGER.
Shrimp Salad — The yummy avocado mousseline that came with the shell-​less shrimp really adhered to the California Cuisine theme of the night. Refreshingly ingenious!
Chocolate Pot De Crème — I’m a sucker for chocolate and this was a rich and creamy way to fill the secret desert chamber in my stomach =).
Thanks to all the Elites, Tapenade, and Unilocal Staff for another home run Event!

Last night’s LA West Elite event at Tapenade has to be the best event thus far.
All elites were treated to a 15-​course meal and 2 glasses of wine; a Château Timberlay Bordeaux– Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and a Château St. Jean– Chardonnay 2011. Everything tasted fantastic! See my pictures and you’ll drool over them.
Chef Ressul, you are A-​mazingly talented and excellent at what you do! All your dishes were creative, fresh, and savory.
It was wonderful catching up Sharr as I haven’t seen her in awhile. Also, it was a pleasure meeting new faces; Jane, Dave, Liz, and Sam. SYOY!
Chef Ressul, thank you for your creative fares, and the entire staff of Tapenade for being so accommodating. Thanks Brittany and Nicole for organizing such an eventful evening.

So this is how Unilocal elites get pampered at event like this, wow!!!
I was so lucky to make to this event at the last moment, and witness the great tasting Unilocal event. During the three hours of feasting, I was dazzled by waves of aesthetically eye-​pleasing and deliciously tasting appetizers, main entrees, desserts and wines, just when I thought it must be the last course, another one was brought to the table. I may not know much about Mediterranean cuisine, but I know when I like the food. That being said, I’m no stranger to tapenade, the sourdough crisps topped with various tapenade have been served in this house as decent snacks or light lunch regularly since when?
I really don’t know how to begin this or organize this review, since I’m not that familiar with Mediterranean cuisine, as far as I know, Mediterranean cuisine is pretty healthy and eclectic in terms of ingredients. So I’m just going to wing it with my rambling.
First of all, the whole event is flawless and impeccable with the planning and execution. Forgive me if I’m being verbose, the wine makes me do that.
Secondly, great comfort food to start with the Truffle-​Parmesan fries. This has to be the best fries I’ve ever tasted. Definitely coming back for that and take a dozen to go next time.
I prefer fresh raw date than cooked or pickled date, but the bacon-​wrapped dates had me thinking otherwise. I was dubious at first, but as I chewed to the inside of the date, I was so pleasantly surprised by the texture change and sweetness. For at that one moment, I thought to myself, good lord, I didn’t know a «date» can be so beautiful and sweet like this.
The taste of Brussels sprouts is mature and sophisticated, I’m glad I wasn’t deterred by the salty caper at first, roasted Brussels sprouts balanced the saltiness just right.
Oh, the baby beet salad, who knew beet can be so elegantly presented and taste almost as subtle as ??. The roast hazelnuts are wonderful contrast in texture and flavor to the beet. Well done!
The succulent, tender almost jelly like pork belly came, sitting there stately with it’s staggering swagger, starring at me as if to say, «Did you know I was coming?» Haha, I could barely finish half of one sliver since I was so full already, besides my taste buds were craving for something light, sweet and sour for a change.
The pot of chocolate de crème was second to the last course, and it was a great way to end the meal. It’s so creamy and complicated (for me) in taste, oh heaven! But before I had enough time to try another bit of it, a new comer was on the table beckoning for me to try. Yes finally the beauty of them all, descents in a nice jar. Yogurt Panna-​Cotta, was the last course which had me all shudder from inside in a good way, it’s so deliciously tangy yet sweet at the same time. Should I dare for a second bite? Why not? Let’s stimulate that taste buds all the way, for one thing, I know that sliver of pork belly in my belly would be so happy to meet the town tart… all in the good time.
So in the end, I want to thank Brittany and Unilocal for organizing such a great event and gave me the chance to taste such awesome food. Also a big thank you to Chef Ressul and all the hard working staff at Tapenade for making such a fantastic event. Yes, I’m a fan.

** Unilocal WEST ELITE STRIKES AGAIN**
And no, it was NOT an April’s Fool joke.
Sit-​down 14 courses with 2 wines meal extravaganza with the one and only Chef Ressul Rassallat.
SAY WHAT.
YEAH, you heard me right.
This was the REAL DEAL.
This was definitely one of DEE BEST sit-​down YEE’s I have ever participated.
Thank you, Brittany and Nicole for making it happen!
My table partners were super fun amazing: Anthony, Jeanie, and Shannon. You guys know how to handle your business and most importantly, ME. xo
Now to the event…
PARKING
========
There are two driveways which hit a underground parking garage. First 90 min free and $ 2 for every additional 30 min. Had to pay $ 6 since we went a bit over the fun limit. ;)
AMBIANCE
=========
Woodsy and dimly-​lit. Nice bar area with chalkboard specials. Business casual attire works. Great place to take a date and a small group of friends.
FOOD
======
GET STARTED:
CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS/​sliced almonds/​capers/​red wine vinegar
Holy crap this was the mother of all brussels sprouts. Thank you for making me believe that brussels sprouts can taste this good!
HEN OF THE WOOD MUSHROOMS/​creamy parmesean polenta/​truffle oil
The mushrooms had some Asian-​influence. I am used to my white and criminis. The polenta reminded me of grits. Taste marvelous with the shaved Parmesan and truffle oil.
RICOTTA CHEESE TAPENADE/​green olives/​brioche bread
Wonderfully creamy and so delicious with the provided brioche bread.
TRUFFLE-​PARMESAN FRIES/​shaved parmesan/​house made aioli
I must be a weirdo, but I looooooooved the fries more than anything! The aioli was simply divine with the warm fries. I will return for these alone!
==========
VEGETABLES, etc.:
BABY BEET SALAD/​feta cheese/​hazelnuts/​orange vinaigrette
Super fresh and refreshing. Easy to eat and easy to please.
ROASTED BELL PEPPER SALAD/​toasted almonds/​currants/​mint
Slimy fun! I loved the subtle hint of the mint!
GRILLED PEAR SALAD/​blue cheese/​walnuts/​endive/​honey-​rosemary dressing
I am not going to lie, but I prefer the pears to be completely poached in white white with roasted pecans instead. I think it would take it out of the ballpark.
WARM EGGPLANT CAVIAR/​tomato concassée/​virgin olive oil/​country bread
The texture was «interesting». Not my favorite, but not bad.
==========
BUTCHER BOARD:
BACON-​WRAPPED-​DATES/​manchego cheese/​extra virgin olive oil
OMG these should have been renamed to «Crack Bacon Wrapped Dates»! Magical flavors. Thank you!
BRAISED PORK BELLY/​muhammara/​currant
Melted in my mouth good. Another favorite. I am going to order this again!
==========
TO SHARE:
SHRIMP SALAD/​avocado mousseline/​lemon
The shrimp and avocado combo didn’t do much for me.
TUNA TARTARE/​avocado/​ginger-​orange dressing
Definitely Top 3. Nothing beats fresh tuna and ginger together. Wow. *applause*
==========
SUGAR BUZZ:
CHOCOLATE POT DE CREME/​coffee chantilly cream
Creamy and the chocolate had a nice balanced-​flavor. Not overpowering or sweet. Just right. Solid.
YOGURT PANNA-​COTTA/​infused vanilla beans/​passion fruit coulis
Tangy and beautiful. This dessert will get you laid.
Are your eyes tired from reading all this culinary amazement?
Chef Ressul Rassallat is AWESOME. I am your biggest fan (and loudest cheerleader).
HIGHLY RECOMMEND and once again, thank you Tapenade and Unilocal for the generous and most memorable «Elite» treatment!

Incredibly generous and welcoming, Tapenade and it’s staff presented a tasting event that really gave it’s guests an understanding of who they are and their take on «modern» Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Rassallat offered multiple dishes from each section of his menu that included appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts; it truly was a feast!
Much thanks to the Chef, the staff of Tapenade and of course Brittany B. for organizing such a wonderful experience.

All I can say is… wow, wow, WOW!!!
I’ve passed by this building many times but haven’t ever been in. after parking underground and climbing up the stairs, a super cozy restaurant was revealed — not too big and not too small — warm and inviting with a central bar area. I picked out a table, met my three new best friends at this’ no +1s’ event, and proceeded to experience a truly amazing meal.
When I saw the menu, I assumed maybe we would get one from each category of item. but as the dishes started rolling out from the kitchen, I was shocked to realized that we were getting EVERYTHING on our menu! In the end, Brittany cut of the chef as we were going to end up wasting food — everyone was soooo stuffed. Our meal was accompanied by two different delicious wines. My favorites? Definitely the brussels sprouts and the pork belly. And the panna cotta was so fresh and wonderful, with its tart citrus flavor. But, I loved it all! The food was so rich in flavor, so varied and so delicious. I have to also give a shout out to the french fries. those potatoes were super fluffy and delicious with the champagne infused salt at our table.
Everyone at the restaurant was so nice and kind and welcoming to our group, and it was a real treat to see the chef come out at the end and talk about his experiences and cooking philosophy. My only regret is that I didn’t get him to sign my menu that I took home! I can’t wait to come back and visit again — and even better is that it’s close by where I live (and there’s a nice patio too that I’ll have to try out!).
Brittany B., I think this was the best Elite event I’ve been to yet! Thank you so much!!! And of course, thank you to Chef Ressul Rassallat for the wonderful *wonderful* meal. See you soon!

Ohhhhh… food coma kicking in…
But I know I must write this now, while the impressions are still fresh. Tapenade showed us Unilocalers an awesome time tonight. I’m so glad I made the cut at the last minute. Tapenade is a relatively new «modern» Mediterranean restaurant on the first floor of the Olympic Collection. The décor is pretty, with a central bar area and a small patio out front. All the staff worked their butts off tonight, and my table was especially happy with our server, Eric, for his attentive service and friendly attitude.
We had so many dishes that I’m going to focus on the standouts of the night:
–Crispy Brussels Sprouts: these little veggies are so trendy right now, yet I’d say I’ve found about a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ success rate with them so far. Tapenade does them right! They make the individual leaves nice and crispy, and cook them in red wine vinegar with capers and sliced almonds. Very flavorful.
–Hen of the Wood Mushrooms in a creamy polenta with truffle oil: this was a very decadent and tasty dish. The mushrooms were perfectly cooked, and the polenta had just the right amount of truffle flavor. We liked the shaved parmesan on top and I also detected the slightest hint of citrus.
–Tuna Tartare and Sashimi: the sliced tuna was a pretty, perfect red on top, and the tuna and avocado tartare with the wonton crisp was balanced and well-​seasoned with a ginger-​orange dressing.
–Braised Pork Belly: OMG. Why did this have to come so late in the meal?!? It was a stunning piece of pork belly, bigger than my fist, and served with «muhammara»: a hot, red pepper dip (according to Wikipedia). I didn’t eat much of the muhammara but that pork belly was so rich and fatty, I ate a slice and then my table was nice enough to let me take the rest home. Oh, I have plans for you, my pretty…
I almost forgot– I loved the salts on the tables! There were pots of 2 kinds of sea salt; one was infused with cognac, and the other was infused with burgundy wine. Delicious!
I know everyone else will describe the rest of the menu and I have pictures as well. Tapenade spoiled us so much that we went way over time and so we finally had to call it quits. Before we left, Brittany introduced Chef Ressul to us and we learned a bit about his extensive culinary background. He, and all the staff at Tapenade, did an excellent job tonight. Thank you Brittany, Nicole, and Unilocal for this great event, and I hope to return to Tapenade to try that lamb agnolotti another time!

The LA West Elite event at Sawtelle newcomer, Tapenade was truly an extravagant affair! We were treated to 14 courses including appetizers, 2 finishing salts (flavored with Burgundy wine and Cognac), a main dish and desserts, plus Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines selected by Chef Ressul Rassallat who is also a certified Master Sommelier in addition to being a Chef de Cuisine.
Here’s a list of what we shared family style:
«Get Started»
CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS/​sliced almonds/​capers/​red wine vinegar
HEN OF THE WOOD MUSHROOMS/​creamy parmesean polenta/​truffle oil
RICOTTA CHEESE TAPENADE/​green olives/​brioche bread
TRUFFLE-​PARMESAN FRIES/​shaved parmesan/​house made aioli
«Vegetables, etc.»
BABY BEET SALAD/​feta cheese/​hazelnuts/​orange vinaigrette
ROASTED BELL PEPPER SALAD/​toasted almonds/​currants/​mint
GRILLED PEAR SALAD/​blue cheese/​walnuts/​endive/​honey-​rosemary dressing
WARM EGGPLANT CAVIAR/​tomato concassée/​virgin olive oil/​country bread
«Butcher Board»
BACON-​WRAPPED-​DATES/​manchego cheese/​extra virgin olive oil
BRAISED PORK BELLY/​muhammara/​currant
«To Share»
SHRIMP SALAD/​avocado mousseline/​lemon
TUNA TARTARE/​avocado/​ginger-​orange dressing
«Sugar Buzz»
CHOCOLATE POT DE CREME/​coffee chantilly cream
YOGURT PANNA-​COTTA/​infused vanilla beans/​passion fruit coulis
Before leaving with Unilocal swag, we had a chance to meet with Chef Ressul Rassallat. He summed up his cuisine by by saying it has a farm-​to-​table emphasis on ultra-​fresh local ingredients using culinary touches reflective of his global travels (we Unilocalers definitely picked up on the French, Spanish, Italian and California-​Asian influences in the delectable dishes). Tapenade’s website mentions his background and its quite impressive (classically trained in Escoffier techniques and winner of several American Culinary Federation medals), but Chef Rassallat came across as very humble with a great love for food and sincerely wanting to share that passion with everyone. His staff was top notch in taking care of all of our needs, plus they validated for 90 minutes of parking!
Many thanks to Tapenade restaurant, Unilocal,Brittany and Nicole for a wonderful evening! I’m definitely coming back to Tapenade to try more dishes on my own, especially since its in my ‘hood!

My sausge fingers can’t type right now… soooo fulll… my seat belt doens’t reach around my belly.
I will need to upbdate this later when i’m not drunk off wine and brussels sprouts and bacon chocaolaty things.
GOod night. Thank you Brittnay. I want tto tr y the lamb, maybe put it on my pillow so iI can stick my tonguwe out and munch on it as I sleep.

This was AMAZING! this was my first sit down Unilocal elite event and it was awesome! The food was great and the people were awesome too! My favorite was definitely the tuna tartare! The brussel sprouts were also really good! Never had brussel sprouts where I can actually say I love them afterwards! =] I wish I got to try the lamb but it’s okay next time! =]