Taste of Reality had boots on the ground in Los Angeles last weekend for the opening of Bravo TV’s Diamonds And Rosé Experience.
So, when Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval announced they were hosting a ‘vintage Vanderpump Rules viewing party’ during the tail end of my stay, I couldn’t resist.
The other half of Taste of Reality, Imani, had to leave LA before me, but she alerted me of the this event. Being that we visited SUR, TomTom, Something About Her, and Jax’s already on this trip, I figured ‘Why Not?!‘ and headed out to Franklin Village to see The Toms on a solo mission.
While I had a great time at Schwartz & Sandy’s, the highlight of the evening was meeting Sandoval’s girlfriend, Victoria Lee Robinson.
Let’s start at the beginning …
The watch party:
Please note that Max Boyens was not bartending, as advertised. But, patrons were well taken care of with the ladies from Schwartz & Sandy’s bar staff on the job.
Here’s the view upon entering Schwartz & Sandy’s.
Tom Schwartz:
Schwartz was there before the viewing party began to welcome guests. While Tom was taking shots (and half shots) with patrons, I asked if he would help me finish off a piece of Strawberry Schwartz Cake from the menu, but he dipped out early.
He’s very kind and made sure to take photos with everyone who asked. Schwartz chatted with a fun couple from Chicago who was seated next to me at the bar and I peeped their convo …
Schwartzie said:
- Summer has been rough at S&S
- Midweek services have been slow
- In retrospect, he would have done things differently when opening S&S … Schwartz noted he wouldn’t have “obsessed over couches” like they did
- Schwartz’s “confidence was shaken” last year and he “thrived in my 30s”
The menu:
I had an incredible dining experience the first time I dined at Schwartz & Sandy’s. For the purpose of research, I tried something different, but wish I would have gotten the Butternut Squash Cacio E Pepe. The other items I tried were good, just nothing special like the homemade pasta entree.
More on the food to come …
The Midnight Madagascar:
After a disco nap, nothing could have hit better than Schwartz & Sandy’s version of an espresso martini. I love fancy glassware, so I have to note how dainty and delicate the cocktail glass was. The vodka-based $18 cocktail did it’s job. The drink wasn’t anything extraordinary, but was good.
The Toms’ vintage VPR viewing party:
I arrived about 30 minutes before the episode aired and had my choice of seating. The restaurant was full by the time the viewing party began.
Golden Beet Carpaccio:
They should have called this a peach and goat cheese salad. Calling it a carpaccio raised my expectations higher than they should have been. The field greens were fresh (compared to what I’m used to getting in Las Vegas), but didn’t taste like they were locally sourced like they do at the other Pump Rules hotspots. They tasted fresh … from a bag.
Don’t get me wrong, the salad was good. But based on the fancy menu name, I was expecting something you’d get from The Bear. The beet garnish wasn’t crispy, so that was disappointing. A few beet potato chips would have served the dish rather than the limp, dehydrated beet slices that topped the dish.
Tom Sandoval:
While I am forever Team Ariana, I have the capacity to provide a fair, unbalanced assessment of my time with Tom.
Sandoval, like Schwartz, made sure to take photos with everyone who asked. Unfortunately for your girl, I think I am the single person Sandoval said ‘No’ to. While he had no issue in taking a photo with me, he declined to make me a cocktail.
I thought it would be fun to have a Tom-created cocktail to sip on, but he wasn’t interested in playing bartender. In his defense, there were bartenders already on the clock. Also, I can imagine that if he makes a drink for one fan, he’d be stuck behind the bar the rest of the night.
I get it.
As always, I was still hungry after my salad:
Did I eat a salad only to find myself hungry 20 minutes later? Of course.
So, I ordered the shoestring fries. They were good, but not great as I found the fries salty. I don’t know if that was intentional as the ketchup was sweetened, but the balance was off. Also, they went a bit overboard with the fresh herb garnish.
I tried the Arugula Awakening cocktail, and I wasn’t a big fan of it. Conceptually, I think the drink has potential. However, the execution was off. I wasn’t paying attention as my drink was being made, but it tasted like they used a pre-made mix.
The peppery arugula flavor was present in the drink, but I feel they missed an opportunity not having a full piece of arugula as a garnish. My guess is the ingredients are blended ahead of time and batched out for the night. I wouldn’t order this again.
My favorite mirror in LA:
The way I feel myself in this mirror at Schwartz & Sandy’s …
After stuffing my face with french fries, I decided to freshen up before heading out for the evening. As good as I felt about myself leaving the bathroom, I was knocked right back to reality when the gorgeous Victoria Lee Robinson graced the bar area with her presence.
Victoria Lee Robinson is a girls’ girl:
I left the bathroom feeling cute and sassy. Upon standing next to the leggy model, I felt short and round. As always, I tried to win the perfect 10 over with self-deprecating humor.
Queen Victoria wasn’t having it. The way this woman built me up. She told me I was beautiful and shouldn’t be so hard on myself. The genetically gifted gal continued to chat with the other bar patrons before heading out with Sandoval.
Schwartz was long gone, and it appeared Sandoval and Victoria were gone for the night, so the bar cleared out. I stayed as I was still eating my fries.
Minutes later, Tom and Victoria returned to the bar and sat right behind me. So, I asked a hard-hitting question to the crystal blue-eyed babe. “How does it feel to be so hot?,” I inquired.
“I don’t know. You tell me” was Victoria’s response.
Tom was vaping next to his model girlfriend and not really paying attention to our conversation until I asked how Victoria was real. Literally, how is someone so sweet, kind, and stunningly beautiful?!?! (I’d like to state, for the record, that if I looked like Victoria, I’d be a monster. A stuck up, holier than thou, trash bag of a human. Big props to Victoria for being humble.)
Sandoval asked me what Victoria said in response to my question about being so hot, and he seemed so proud that Victoria was his girlfriend. It was really sweet.
Tom, you better treat this woman like the treasure she is!!!
One last glance at S&S on my way out:
I noticed a lot more of the details at the restaurant this time around. To say I’m obsessed with this wallpaper would be an understatement.
We know the Toms love a twinkle light moment. This table is a whole ass vibe!!
How did I not notice these decorative columns on top of the restaurant’s waiting area?
From underneath, it felt like I was inside a Georgia O’Keeffe painting.
The neighborhood is not a vibe:
I get the ick outside of the restaurant. This just may be the reason why …
Final thoughts:
While I didn’t watch a second of the vintage VPR episode, I had a great time at Schwartz & Sandy’s. Although I had a better culinary experience my first visit, I’d come back and order the Wendy Peppercorn cocktail and the Butternut Squash Cacio e Pepe again and skip the salad and fries.
If you want a photo op with the Toms, the viewing party is the perfect opportunity. I didn’t get the feeling the Toms are in the restaurant much unless it’s a publicized appearance.
Stay tuned:
Your girls here at Taste of Reality also dined at Something About Her, SUR, TomTom, and Jax’s Studio City during our WeHo excursion. We’ll have reviews of all the VPR hotspots published in the next week or so!
