Sidebar La West Elite Event

This event was so good, I’m almost scared to write a review, because I’m afraid it won’t do it justice!
When I first got the email announcing the August Elite events, this one definitely caught my eye but I was hesitant to RSVP.
«No +1, eek!,» I thought. I would have to go at this alone.
I told myself it was such a swanky place that I had no idea when I would try this out on my own, so I held my breath and hit the RSVP button!
I received the acceptance email (yay/​nervous/​excited — all at the same time!) a few days later. In the email, they requested for us to arrive promptly since this was a tasting event and I thankfully found street parking around the corner and walked in the door at 6:58 – whew!
Brittany was such a gracious host, telling me what to expect at the event, giving me a gift bag, and walking me over to a table where I was seated next to Shirls (who was so super sweet!). Later on, Genna sat at our table and she was great company, too!
A few minutes after sitting down, the food started coming — talk about prompt! Waiters and waitresses also started to take drink requests of which there were two complimentary options for Unilocalers:
–The Xiang Li «Fragrant Pear» & «Papa Doble» aka Hemingway Daiquiri
The pear was delicious and not too sweet and the Hemingway was citrusy and stronger.
The Tasting Menu included the following:
–Smoked Corn Croquettes
–NY Steak with spicy chimmichurri
–Cherry Tomato Tartellets
–Hot Pastrami on Dark Rye
–Maryland Blue Crab Rolls
–Wagyu Beef Sliders
And for dessert:
–White Sangria «Sundae»
–Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Bites
–Whipped Cream Cheese Beignets & Yellow Peach Jam
Everything was absolutely delicious. My favorites were the steak, sliders and beignets! Also, the plates kept coming and coming, there was no shortage of food. To top it off, we got to meet Mister (or should I say Master?!) Wolfgang Puck himself! It was such a treat and we were all so excited for him to approach our table. He individually stopped at each table, took pictures, and thanked us for coming. Wow! What an amazing, talented, humble man. I still can’t believe we got to meet him. The manager, Mishel, also thanked us for coming. It was just so much more than I could have imagined… from the wait staff all the way to the top, everyone was so welcoming and I will definitely be back! I’d love to bring my boyfriend and have him experience a slice of what we did.
Thank you again, Brittany, for hosting this event, it was such a great evening filled with amazing food, drinks, and new friends. :)

Brittany Does it Again!
Great ambiance, food, people, drinks. Best Elite Event for me!
Nestled in the Beverly Wilshire hotel, Sidebar is right next to the famous Cut steakhouse.
I loved the Grilled Dry Ages New York Steak with spciy ready chimichuri and the Mini American Wagyu Beef Sliders!
Dessert loved the Salted Caramel Mik
And meeting Wolgang Puck himself!
Amazing time and experience, makes me proud to be a part of such an Elite group (no pun intended)
Thanks again!
Ben

Great Event!
Really love these fancy west LA events! Since last time Fleming Steakhouse, this is my second fancy Unilocal event. Really feels like an elite now! lol
The food was great. Didn’t expect to try so many varieties of small bites. Really delicious. I love the sliders, patties were so well cooked! Flavorful. Crab rolls are my second favorite. I prefer the Xiang-​Li cocktail more, maybe because it’s very fruity, and tasted really like pear. As to the dessert, I like both the caramel one and the little donut like bites. Cream filling was good, felt like cream puff – smaller version.
Nice vibe, and great value. Wish I will make to more events like this! You are the best, Brittany!

Bottom line at the top: yummyy eats and Chef Puck was really sweet!
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This was such a lovely event to attend after work! I was able to sample one of everything and then some! My standouts were the NY steak with spicy chimichurri, the kobe brioche sliders, and the beignets! Everything was truly awesome though and towards the end of service the staff came around with more burgers and steak. and then round two of dessert which was hilarious and awesome. :)
Most of us were ready to call it a night when Brittany gave us the scoop that Chef Puck was on his way to say hello! He very graciously checked on each table and ended up taking 918 728 931 pictures with everyone. I had a nice chat with him about how much my dad loves him and that my family enjoyed our meal at the source in dc, that the ahi miso cones at spago in wailea are basically crack, and of course that I loved my meal at the event.
We also got a swag bag filled with really awesome stuff and some sort of salt or seasoning. Can someone please remind me what it is? :)
Can’t wait to bring my parents to Cut next time they’re in town!

Terrific food, delectable drinks and Wolfgang Puck himself = one awesome Unilocal Elite Event.
The Sidebar is a terrific little lounge/​bar in the Beverly Wilshire that has a great amount of ambient atmosphere and grooves with some chill tunes in the background. The décor includes a few tables, sofas, chairs and a bar area. The waiters were all nice and friendly as well.
The menu for the night was a fascinating exploration of tastes. Starting with the drinks, there was a pear vodka cocktail and a rum grapefruit drink to choose from — I chose the latter. Although a bit strong, I loved the fresh grapefruit and the mix of drinks that created a nice melding of both fruit and alcohol.
Food-​wise, there was a mix of a really delicious corn corquettas that had that crunchy exterior and a gooey corn center, pieces of NY steak with a little bit of a kick chimmichurri sauce, hot pastrami rye that had a nice texture, good sliders, blue crab rolls which had an awesome taste about it, and cherry tomato mini-​tarts with the always great goat cheese on top. My favorites here were probably the corquettas, the steak and the mini-​tarts.
Finally, with the desserts, we were given salt chocolate bites, cream cheese beignets and a sangria flavor sundae. All were excellent and it’s tough to choose my ultimate favorite between the gooey, softest beignets I’ve ever tasted versus the flavorful and unique sangria but my sangria love opts me to choose the latter.
And of course, finally, we got to meet the man himself — Wolfgang Puck. Really appreciated the time he took to take photos and give a quick chat with everyone.
So all-​in-​all, what else is there to say? One of the best Unilocal events I’ve been to yet. :)

One of the best events I’ve been too! Love small bites because you get to try a little bit of everything :)
The atmosphere is sleek, modern and chic.
We were given 2 drink tickets for the ones on our special tasting menu or any other well drinks. They were so accommodating with everything. I didn’t really want to drink my calories after I tried the «Papa Doble» aka Hemingway Daiquiri, it wasn’t anything amazing to me.
***
Here is all the food we had:
Smoked corn «croquettas», espellette: This came by many times & I took it, just really hot inside so needed to watch out! Tried to scoop up all the pipperrada sauce I could, it was awesome!
Grilled dry aged NY steak, spicy red chimmichurri sauce: This was really good too, perfectly cooked & the sauce was nice and spicy to compliment the steak.
Cherry tomato tartellets, goat cheese, basil: I didn’t get to try this unfortunately :(
House-​cured hot pastrami on dark rye: This was one of my favorites! The cheese and sauce that was on it made it taste even better, it was perfect!
Maryland blue crab rolls, broiche bun, old bay aioli: This was really good too, they kept saying lobster but we all knew it was crab!
Mini American wagyu beef «sliders», broiche buns, sweet pickles: Another one of my favorites, this was the cutest thing ever, it was awesome and so small but packed with flavor. Carefully made to include the pickle and the sauce they had as well on it!
At some point not everyone got to try something so we kept asking for more, they did bring it out eventually for us which was really nice of them.
Desserts:
Whipped cream cheese stuffed beignets and yellow peach jam: This was actually one of the best beignets I’ve had, next to bottega louie. The stuffing was perfect and oozed out after 1 bite, it was warm and I wish I had more now!!!
White sangria «sundae», coconut, pineapple: This was so refreshing, it really did taste like a sundae and the fresh fruit complimented the dish. Also the spoon was too cute I wanted to take it with me, but didn’t, don’t worry!
Salted caramel milk chocolate bites: This was sweet, but I liked that, because it was also salty, and I love sweet and salty together, salted caramel is one of my favorite things!
Everything was so impressive! I’m getting hungry just thinking about it again!
To compliment everything Wolfgang Puck himself stopped by, it was really sweet, he went to every table endured taking pictures with everyone’s iphones (including mine!) and making small talk. It was nice to have him there!
I would definitely stop by here for drinks and a small bite or even a meal since the food was so good! THANKS TO BRITTANY B for another successful and fun event!

There isn’t a lot to say that hasn’t already been said other than that this is the best Unilocal Elite event I’ve been to thus far!!! The food was divine, the setting was perfectly relaxing and luxurious to melt into after a long day at work, and we met Wolfgang Puck… so…yea.
I was really impressed by all the food and even though all of the items were served as tray-​passed hor d’oeuvres, we all got more than enough to eat. The corn croquettas were my favorite, they were so sweet and creamy and I may have eaten 2 or 8. The mini rye bread and pastrami sandwiches were perfect, tender and gooey, and the chevre and roasted tomato tartlets were also a hit. The pear martinis were fresh and not too sweet or strong, and the dessert was amaaaaaze! I had never had anything quite like sangria sorbet with coconut crème before, it had so many layers of flavor– very impressive.
Brittany– you have outdone yourself with this one, it was perfection!!! Can’t say enough good things and I’m grateful to have been a part of such a great event.

A couple weeks back, I got the email for the Unilocal LA West Elite Event and saw that it was at the Sidebar. «Well that looks awesome,» I thought «but I’ll never make it in,» as I submitted my RSVP. Of course, I got an email indicating that I was waitlisted, and figured that was it.
Lo and behold, soon after, I got an email from Brittany inviting me to attend! So of course, I had to come. And what a wonderful treat it was.
We all arrived at the Sidebar at about 7PM, just in time to get a bit of a chat from Britt describing the gift bags and process to follow for everything.
First off — Sidebar is very welcoming. Décor is a warm modern, casual sort of style. Easy to spread out and lounge around. Not too imposing considering the hotel in which it is located. There’s a nice long bar too, in case you’re meeting friends for drinks. With that — it was on to the tasting!
We were handed a nice little custom menu for the evening with some drinks and apps. I don’t drink so I had to pass on those but they supplied complimentary water and diet soda for me so that was nice!
The dishes featured were:
— Smoked corn «corquettas»
— Grilled dry aged NY steak, spicy red chimmichurri sauce
— Cherry tomato tartellets, goat cheese, basil
— House-​cured hot pastrami on dark rye
— Maryland blue crab rolls, broiche bun, old bay aioli
— Mini American wagyu beef «sliders», broiche buns, sweet pickles
— White sangria «sundae», coconut, pineapple
— Salted caramel milk chocolate bites
— Whipped cream cheese stuffed beignets and yellow peach jam
(Thanks Shirls — I used your list)
My favorite items were:
— the house-​cured pastrami on dark rye: worth driving across town for!
— mini sliders! definitely worth grabbing a plate of these
— grilled NY steak
I sat with and got to meet some awesome fellow Unilocalers, and, as the fiinal treat to the evening — got to meet the man himself, Wolfgang Puck!
Wow! What a fantastic event! Thanks so much Brittany for putting it together, and thanks to Sidebar for hosting us. It was fantastic.

Well, «Oops, Brittany did it again!» with yet another fantabulous event!
I’d never been to Sidebar before, nor had I been to Cuts. They are both bookmarked for sure now after having a chance to sample some of the various plates that can be had here.
The place is a comfy setting in not so big a space but they tell us they have a DJ busting out tunes Thursday to Saturday nights which would make this place popping!
We Elites pretty much took over the lounge. It was a smaller, more intimate group which made this shindig even the more special. There was swag galore strewn about and the Unilocal peeps at my table were really cool and I’m glad I had a chance to meet some new ones.
Getting to the food, everything was extremely tasty from the various appetizers like the Smoked Corn Croquettas to the main samplings such as the Grilled Dry Aged New York steak which has a nice spicy bite to it and was extremely tender. The House-​Cured Hot Pastrami on Dark Rye was to die for, so finger lickin’ good, mm mmm! Between the two drinks, I preferred the Papa Doble daiquiri which had a really nice and sweet flavor to it and was smooth to sip on throughout the evening.
The pièce de résistance of the event was to have the man himself, Wolfgang Puck, make a cameo appearance and wow the whole bunch of us. He was really friendly and took pictures with everyone. What a great sport!
I’m going to make it a point to return again because this is a great little bar to visit to imbibe on drinks and nosh on some delicious food. The serving staff was really cool and attentive to all our needs, even to some of the more demanding ones, hehe.
Much thanks to Brittany and her crew for putting together another rockin’ elite event! Unilocal is too awesome!

So… we met Wolfgang Puck. And he said that he liked that Priscilla and I were showing off our legs for our picture. Yeah, that happened. And I loved every second of it!
Sidebar is a cute little lounge next to Cut serving up small-​bite style appetizers and a very fancy drink menu. The place is decked out with lots of couches and a few small tables, flat screens, and a pretty looking bar along the length of the room.
We enjoyed a lovely sampling of the menu with everything from mouth-​watering pastrami (literally the best pastrami I’ve ever had… so juicy and tender!) to chocolate sea-​salted caramel bites (clearly those two were my favorite!). Also some big hits were the Aged New York Steak (perfectly medium rare) with an amazingly spicy chimmichurri sauce, as well as the Cherry Tomato Tartellets, which were made of the lightest, crispiest pastry bread you could imagine. As far as beverages go, I loved the Papa Doble mixed concoction — powerfully strong with just a hint of sweet.
The servers were all very accomodating and sweet — even when we were the biggest table and asking for items we hadn’t received yet. Thanks Brittany and Sidebar for another faboosh event.

So the event was quite good. Plenty of food to go around. Got to try a bunch of delicious treats. We also got some amazing cocktails, and a visit from the man himself Wolfgang puck!

Fabulous event!
The Beverly Wilshire is a stunning hotel, and Sidebar was equally exciting! All of the food was delicious. My favorites included the tomato and goat cheese tartlet and the blue crab roll. I also really enjoyed my pear martini! Each taste was as delicious as the last. I appreciated the variety on the menu. From tomatoes to steak to sliders and corn fritters, there really is something for everyone at Sidebar.
The servers were friendly and prompt, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. I also enjoyed the dim lighting and modern décor. However, the icing on the cake was definitely meeting Mr. Wolfgang Puck himself!
Great food, decadent atmosphere, innovative drinks and good company. I had a blast!

Brittney, you outdid yourself again! And it was wonderful meeting Genna too!
The Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills (a Four Seasons hotel) has that luxury feel every step of the way. Upon entering the hotel, I was greeted by the doorman showing me the direction to head towards Sidebar. As I was passing the elevator, through the grand hallway to where Sidebar and Cut are located, I was once again greeted by another staff whom warmly walked me to Sidebar.
Arriving prompty at 7pm, I noticed there was already a line forming to get checked in for the Sidebar LA West Elite Event. I took this time to check out the décor and crowd. The décor was upscale casual modern. There was also a flat screen television showing sports. There were about a dozen seats at the bar, a communal bar table, living room style (sofa with coffee table) and a trio of tables that sat parties of 3s. I met Brittney’s lovely right hand woman, Genna U and another sweet and wonderful woman, Jessica B.
The dishes & desserts featured for the evening were:
–Smoked corn «corquettas»
–Grilled dry aged NY steak, spicy red chimmichurri sauce
–Cherry tomato tartellets, goat cheese, basil
–House-​cured hot pastrami on dark rye
–Maryland blue crab rolls, broiche bun, old bay aioli
–Mini American wagyu beef «sliders», broiche buns, sweet pickles
–White sangria «sundae», coconut, pineapple
–Salted caramel milk chocolate bites
–Whipped cream cheese stuffed beignets and yellow peach Jam
I enjoyed them all. If asked what my top 3 favorites were, it would be the NY steak (cooked medium rare), the wagyu sliders and the white sangria «sundae» with coconut and pineapple.
As for the cocktails, the Xiang Li which translates to «Fragrant Pear» in english was tasty. I recommend this drink if you prefer something lighter and sweeter.
As the event was coming to an end, we were all graciously greeted by Wolfgang Puck! That was truly a wonderful surprise and what a way to wrap up the evening. =)

My first Unilocal Elite event!
Appetizers and cocktails at upscale bar in Beverly Hills Hotel. Bombarded by the food — featured was the wagyu beef sliders, crab rolls, aged pastrami sandwich bites, chimchurri crusted new york steak. Also included was two tickets for two of their house cocktails. Slightly on the sweet side, but definitely a well crafted, strong drink.
Spacious seating, candlelight, and plenty of food and drinks. It was an intimate event with 30 or so people, but was seated with 5. Definitely a good way to meet other Unilocalers and find out what a small world LA can be sometimes. The manager came by to give us her business card, which was a nice touch.
A lot of thanks to Brittany for setting it up, being a very nice hostess and seating people together. Greatly looking forward to the next Unilocal Elite event.