LOS ANGELES — A Studio City wine bar and restaurant is now expanding into brunch.
Managing partner and wine director of Vintage Wine and Eats, Rebecca Phillips, loves the complexity, history, expression and, of course, the taste of wine.
Therefore, after 20 years in the restaurant industry, she became a sommelier, even taking an advanced course to move higher up.
“But once you really start to learn, where does this wine come from? Who made it? What is the weather pattern there? What did the history of this place bring to the table?” Phillips said.
After managing for a few LA restaurant groups and even helping open a restaurant for someone else, she decided it was time to take her future into her own hands. According to the Court of Master Sommeliers, 28 women have earned the title of Master Sommelier in the country, while 144 men have earned the title.
Phillips wants to create space for other women to join the craft and collaborate with them at vintage wine and eats.
“I just thought this is a lot of blood, sweat and tears, and if I’m going to do this, I’m doing it for myself. I am getting emotional. I just decided that all of that investment and hard work, I really wanted to invest in myself,” Phillips said.
Along with her business partners, she expanded the wine selection that is constantly rotating, as well as creating a new brunch service on the weekends.
Someone who knew little about wine is Nick Stahl, the cook who created the brunch menu. He makes sure his specialties are elevated, like the bacon egg and cheese on ciabatta with house made aioli, to collaborate nicely with Phillips’ wine.
“I have a pallet for food and I want to learn wine to match that with food,” Stahl said.
Now, his knowledge is expanding to take wine into consideration when coming up with new recipes like this unique invention: the potato bomb, which actually started as a happy accident.
It includes homemade rosemary mashed potatoes that are turned into a ball and fried, resembling a baked potato. Then you have to wait for the explosion. It is then topped with an egg to make a Sunday fun day meal to go with some bubbly.
The wine bar and restaurant offer something for everyone and Phillips will walk you through the selections step by step.
Grab a glass of your old faithful or try something new at Vintage Wine and Eats at 12023 Ventura Blvd. Studio City, CA 91604.