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FOOD & DRINKFOOD & DRINK

Mountain View News May 9, 2026


Peter A. Dills

L.A.’s King of Cuisine

https://
podlink/1116885432

TO TV OR NOT TO TV

If the Dodgers are in the eighth inning and you’re hungry, your restaurant 
choice suddenly becomes very important.

Some respected restaurants—Houston’s and Panda Inn, for example—have 
decided televisions don’t belong in the dining room. Their thinking is 
simple: focus on the food, the conversation, and the company at your table.

I get that.

But I also think there’s room for both.

Sometimes I want a steak, a martini, and old-school conversation. Other 
times? Give me a burger, a cold beer, and let me keep one eye on the game.

That’s why this isn’t really a debate about televisions. It’s about knowing 
what kind of night you’re after.

Rocco’s on Green gets it. In my opinion, one of the best true sports bars around because they remember 
an important detail—you might actually be hungry.

The Boat In San Gabriel? My Glory Days Gang loves it, and I understand why. It’s lively, loud, sports-
driven, and sometimes that’s exactly the right call.

Then there’s the in-between category.

Kabuki on Colorado Pasadena understands balance. ESPN might be on, but usually without sound. 
Sushi, sake, conversation, and a casual glance at the score—that works.

Plate 38 feels more civilized. Golf on the screen, cocktail in hand, nobody screaming over a replay.

Granville On South Lake? If I happen to be there and the game’s on, terrific. But I’m probably not texting 
my buddies, “Meet me at Granville for kickoff.”

Twohey’s in South Pasadena deserves a smile for getting into the Dodger spirit with a two-for-one 
appetizer deal if you show up wearing Dodger gear.

And yes, The Canoe House South Pasadena has TVs and the right vibe—but if you’re waving the Dodger 
flag, I’d like enough time to see how the story ends. Even with a mighty Mai Tai.

Even Taylor’s Steakhouse, despite a television tucked at the bar, still feels like a place where the martini 
gets more attention than the scoreboard.

My ten-year-old Samsung at home still works just fine. But every now and then, sports are simply better 
with strangers, onion rings, and somebody yelling at the umpire.

Peter’s TV Cheat Sheet

Quiet / Minimal TV:

Houston’s, Panda Inn, Taylor’s (bar TV only)

A Few TVs / Keep an Eye on the Score:

Kabuki, Plate 38, Islands, Twohey’s, Brookside Golf (Pedro), Granville (if you’re already there)

Game On / Full Sports Mode:

Rocco’s, The Boat, Buffalo Wild Wings, T. Boyle’s Tavern, Yard House

Miss your favorites? Email thechefknows@yahoo.com


THE TASTING ROOM

THE TASTING ROOM – 
FINALLY! 

A NON-ALCOHOLIC 
COCKTAIL I LOVE!

I’m Gustavo Lira, Tasting Room Manager and 
Wine Buyer at The Bottle Shop in Sierra Madre 
with another wine and spirits selection. 

I have had many non-
alcoholic wines and cocktails 
over the years and my reaction to all of them in the past was – 
why bother? They would always be insipid, lacking any depth, 
flavor, and quite frankly tasted like a drink that had been diluted 
with dishwater. I am very pleased to tell you that is no longer 
true. The other day I tasted a non-alcoholic, organic ready-to-
drink sparkling aperitif cocktail produced by Contratto Spirits 
in Piedmont, Italy. I was floored by how delicious it was and how 
closely it resembled an aperitif cocktail containing alcohol. 

How do they do it? Well, it’s flavored with over 30 botanicals, 
including Madagascar vanilla bean, orange, tangerine, lemon, 
lime, cedar, elderflower, rose, quassia, cinchona, rhubarb, and 
coriander. It is USDA Certified Organic. It uses organic cane 
sugar, and the color is derived from organic black carrot juice. It 
does not use Red 40 dye as other companies do. 

Contratto was founded in 1867 and is a small producer of 
sparkling wine, still wine, vermouth and spirits. Their total 
annual total production is around 250,000 bottles. Compare 
that to Aperol which is made by the giant corporation Campari 
Group – 360 million bottles. I always say that you get much better 
quality from smaller producers than huge corporate producers. 
And Contratto does not use Red 40 dye as is found in Campari’s 
Aperol. Once you taste Contrattino Aperitivo Italiano, you will whole-heartedly 
agree. 

You get wonderful bitter notes of rhubarb, refreshing citrus notes, and floral notes 
from this aperitif. It’s balanced and has sweetness which is not cloyingly sweet. It 
is so refreshing! You had better come to The Bottle Shop and get some quickly or I 
might buy all that we have! They also make an aperitif that contains alcohol which 
is also very impressive. 

Contrattino Aperitivo Italiano is available at The Bottle Shop in packs of 3 bottles 
– 200ml size. Regular price is $14.99 with the Special price at $13.50 when you buy 
two packs. The Aperitivo Italiano with alcohol is priced at $15.99 and the Special 
price is $14.40 when you buy two packs. 

Say you saw it in the Mountain Views News! Special pricing is good through May 
25th.

Until next time – Salud!


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