Where to Drink: 1st Annual International Lambrusco Day @ Cube Café

We celebrate so many special occasions and holidays throughout the year, ranging from the well known right down to the blatantly peculiar. There are the obvious ones, like Thanksgiving Day…But then there are the more unique ones – like Bad Poetry Day (August 18th) and National Night Out (August 2nd; I must celebrate that one this year for sure). And in case you were unaware, it’s actually National Flip-Flop Day today, so make sure you throw on those havaianas at some point before midnight.

Let’s add another holiday to the list this year.

Next Tuesday, June 21st, for the first time ever, International Lambrusco Day will be celebrated – all the way from the rugged hills of Italy to the comfortable, cozy urban oasis called Cube Café right here in Los Angeles.

I was recently invited to Cube Café to try out their Lambruscos in honor of the upcoming new holiday. Situated on La Brea Blvd. in West Hollywood, it’s quite a lovely, quaint social destination, with interior walls painted an earthy red hue. The warmness that emanates from the decor serves as the perfect backdrop for innovative Italian-inspired/California-influenced dishes, such as the hearty Mortadella Tortelloni in Parmesan Brodo with Spring Peas (pictured to the right).

Aside from cooking up impressive fare with fresh, rare, organic ingredients, the café has more than 400 Italian wines to sip on – including a wide variety of Lambruscos, like the Lambrusco Frizzante 'Amarcord,' pictured to the left. For International Lambrusco Day, two specific Lambruscos will be featured at discounted prices by the glass, the half-bottle or the full bottle: the Medici Ermete Lambrusco “Concerto” and the Rinaldini Lambrusco “Vecchio Moro.” Suggested food pairings will be available for each lambrusco, but I highly suggest selecting Cube’s Spicy Fried Chicken (pictured to the right, below). It’s a wonder how the chicken itself is so tender and juicy, while the skin remains delightfully crispy. Oh, and the brown butter mashed potatoes are so creamy, they instantly melt in your mouth!

International Lambrusco Day or not, I just really adore the vibe at Cube Café. It’s casual enough for dinner or a couple of glasses of wine with friends, yet classy enough for date night or to commemorate a special occasion. Whatever the circumstance, I feel like Cube can rightly accommodate wine (and/or dining) needs.

So, I’ll see you there for International Lambrusco Day, and perhaps another time as well!

-Miss Wilson


Miss Wilson's Tips
- What is Lambrusco? OK, I’ll be honest. Before coming to Cube, I had never tasted a Lambrusco myself. But it’s basically an Italian red wine. I personally think it’s delicious, and it has a wide range of characteristics, from smoky (i.e., the Lambrusco Frizzante ‘Concerto’) to smooth (i.e., the Lambrusco Frizzante ‘Ross All’ Antica’).
- Just a heads up – the menu changes weekly, every Thursday.
- You must try a cheese platter. I really appreciate how the names of the cheeses are written on the black board on which the cheeses are served. It makes exploring new cheese options not only fun, but also educational.
- The private dining room in the back is a great option if you’re looking for a place to have an intimate gathering (pictured below).

For more information:
Cube Café
615 N. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.939.1148 ext. 1
www.eatacube.com
www.lambruscoday.org