Michele StuevenLooking to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, which this year starts on Sunday, Dec. 2? Here are seven options, ranging from the traditional jelly doughnuts, aka sufganiyot, to Akasha's Vodka & Latkes to full dinners.
Hanukkah Mini Dozens at Astro; Credit: Courtesy Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
From the entire eight days of Hanukkah, Dec. 2 through Dec. 10, Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken will serve Hanukkah Mini Dozens, featuring an assortment of festive doughnuts as well as traditional full-size sufganiyot. The sweet treats are available for purchase in-store and can be ordered in advance online.
The Hanukkah Mini Dozens includes three varieties of donuts, four each, including the following: mini sufganiyot, traditionally prepared with house-made strawberry jam and dusted in powdered sugar; the Hanukkah cookie, featuring a shortbread crumble and covered with vanilla icing; and mini crème brulee doughnuts, with individually torched sugar coating and filled with pastry cream. Full-size sufganiyot also are available.
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, 516 W. Sixth St., downtown; (213) 622-7876, astrodoughnuts.com.
The bar in Saddle Peak Lodge; Credit: Saddle Peak Lodge
Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas has much to celebrate this year, surviving the Woolsey fire being at the top of the list. The iconic rustic lodge in the hills is offering a Hanukkah happy hour on Wednesday, Dec. 5, that will include a menorah candle lighting at 7 p.m. with Rabbi JB Sacks, who will lead the lighting and share stories. At the end of the evening there will be singing and Hanukkah gelt (chocolate coins) for the kids.
The event is $60 per person and will include a prix fixe menu of traditional holiday dishes by chef Adam Horton. There will be potato and celery root latkes to start, followed by a 48-hour brisket with Ashkenazi potato stuffing, kale and mushroom kugel and rosemary-shallot red wine sauce, or roasted Faroe Island salmon. Halvah and apple beignets with salted caramel sauce and crème Anglaise are for dessert
Saddle Peak Lodge, 419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas; (818) 222-3888, saddlepeaklodge.com.
Vodkas & Latkes takes place again this year at Akasha in Culver City from Dec. 2 through Dec. 9. The special menu includes the Illumination (Tito’s Vodka, lemon, honey and orange bitters); the Dreidel (Tito’s Vodka, prosecco, pomegranate and cranberry cordial); and the Tamarind Elixir (vodka, tamarind, ginger and lime). The Hanukkah dinner includes choices of an old-school brisket with roasted carrots, potato pancakes and apple sauce or King salmon with celery root and spinach puree and braised Savoy cabbage.
Akasha’s Yukon gold potato latkes are available to go, served with a choice of Fair Hills applesauce and sour cream, smoked salmon and horseradish crème fraiche or citrus-braised duck and cranberry chutney.
Akasha, 9543 Culver Blvd., Culver City; (310) 845-1700, akasharestaurant.com.
Chocolate babka; Credit: The Gables
The Gables in Santa Monica offers an assortment of Jewish pastries for at-home Hanukkah celebrations including rugelach, chocolate babka, cheese babka with Calabrian chili, and halvah brownies. Babka loaves are available for purchase by the slice or the entire loaf; to order, call the Gables at (424) 280-4470 or email catering@thegablesla.com.
The Gables, 331 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (424) 280-4470, thegablesla.com.
Beef brisket; Credit: The Larder
The Larder at Tavern and The Larder at Burton Way’s Hanukkah takeout menus are available from Dec. 2 through Dec. 10 and offer a complete dinner for eight guests ($48 per person), including potato latkes with applesauce and crème fraîche; braised beef brisket with horseradish cream; duck fat–roasted potatoes; Moroccan beets with labneh, pine nuts and olives; Italian broccoli with garlic and chilies; roasted root vegetables; braided challah; and, for dessert, a chocolate torta with chocolate whipped cream. Or build a custom dinner from the à la carte menu with the Larder’s signature appetizers, including Julie’s spiced nuts; marinated olives; smoked fish platter with goat cheese and rye crostini; or market crudités and cheese platters.
Dinner selections include Suzanne’s slow-roasted salmon with cucumber and mint yogurt; red wine–braised beef short ribs; braised beef brisket with horseradish jus; oven-ready standing rib roast; and organic turkey (16-18 lbs.)
The Larder at Burton Way, 8500 Burton Way; West Hollywood; (310) 278-8060, larderatburtonway.com.
The Larder at Tavern, 11648 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 806-6464, tavernla.com.
Adam Perry Lang; Credit: APL Restaurant
Adam Perry Lang has Hanukkah specials on the menu at his APL Restaurant in Hollywood from Dec. 2 through Dec. 10, including brisket with pommes puree, potato latke with sour cream, nutmeg and compressed apples, and fritters with raspberry jam for dessert.
APL Restaurant, 1680 Vine St., Hollywood; (323) 416-1280, aplrestaurant.com.
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