Issue 77 — Tiny Tinis, a Westside Crush, and the Salad I Can’t Stop Making
Plus healthy pre-made meals, better than Erewhon...
If you’re like me and you enjoy data, you’ll love The Angel’s recent survey on What Angelenos want from restaurants right now. A few thoughts:
Turns out, we care more about service than we might’ve realized. Are we all reading Unreasonable Hospitality? I started appreciating elevated service more after a trip to Melvyn’s in Palm Springs… the penguin suits, the tableside flair… I get it.
And while many people said they’re drinking less due to high costs, MY habits haven’t changed that much... they’re just shifting. Fewer $18 cocktails out, and more bottles of wine at home with friends. No corkage fee. ;)
The last few times I had a martini (literally just one) I woke up with a baby hangover. And honestly, I don’t have time to be a few hours behind in the morning, so, for now, I’ll stick to wine. That said, I’ve been loving the tiny tini glasses making the rounds lately. Emily had some at her birthday, and Nadia served the cutest little plastic ones at her Wares opening party. Though, on second thought… maybe they weren’t smaller. Just shorter? This may explain my hangover…
Brunch is starting at Woon Friday, May 9th **in Pasadener only.
Here’s a thought: maybe give new spots a month to settle in before dropping hot takes. Are we really shocked that the coffee shop that went viral on TikTok last week isn’t fully ready to serve a line out the door? Be for real..
Holcomb quietly closed on York… I’ve heard some fun goss about what’s taking it’s place… a welcomed addition to the street if you ask me. 😏
Camber started a podcast on Substack, a great short + sweet listen to keep you company on your commute. (For the record, YES, I have toyed with reading through my newsletters as a ‘podcast’ but I link too much. It doesn’t quite translate.)
Mady mentioned new west side spot, Beethoven Market in their first episode. I happened to go to last week, thanks to Rachel for keeping me up to date on all the west side spots!
The Talk of the Town
Beethoven Market: Previously a Mar Vista corner market, now a California-Italian hotspot. Jeremy Adler from Cobi’s and chef Michael Leonard are slinging cocktails, classic pastas and blistered pizzas. Every detail is charming af, down to the scalloped string lights on the patio. Perfect setting for a summer spritz. (It’s also right around the corner from one of my client’s stores) Go say hi to the girls at Whimsy + Row! More on Beethoven in Recent Bites… scroll to the bottom.
Also been hearing a lot of buzz about Firstborn in Chinatown, just opened in Mandarin Plaza. Menu sounds stunning. Mussels Escabeche with celery + jalapeño… Steamed Custard with roast scallops, English peas, sea lettuce vinaigrette. OK!
Also got my eye on Pho District Cafe in Eagle Rock, a new Thai-Vietnamese bistro tucked in a strip mall. Spicy shrimp wontons, bánh mì, sweet & sour orange chicken... the vibe feels right. I love that they posted their entire menu to instagram. Smart for a new spot.
Organic Oren is a meal delivery service offering seasonal dishes that are as clean and curated as they are actually delicious. Your Erewhon protein plate could never... I was truly so impressed with my order. Everything was so fresh, flavorful, and felt healthy without tasting sad. The Mediterranean salmon bowl and the caramelized Japanese yams were standouts. Sauces go crazy. Celery juice slaps. Solo or spiked. ;) Worth the price.
They deliver on Mondays for a fee, or you can pick up in West Hollywood. If you’ve had the food at Sua, know Organic Oren’s behind it. They also stock a few of their Organic Oren dishes in the grab-and-go section at Sua, Tuesday - Friday.
Would love to get them to cater an event someday... I just know it would be stunning.
Coming Up 📆
5/08 Madhappy Fest at the Pier w/ Apple Pan, Courage Bagels, etc. Tickets here for $36
5/11 Chloe Cooks Al Fresco Soiree at The Oliver House with Yola Mezcal
5/11 OG Freedman’s is back for Mother’s Day Brunch (at Greeksman’s)
5/15-5/18 Printed Matter’s LA Art Bookfair
5/17 Mak Center Architecture Tour: ft 2 houses by R.M. Schindler, Gregory Ain & John Lautner in Silver Lake.
Specials Board
Not your average egg sandwich from Airliner Bar.
Bar Siesta’s Espárragos con Espuma de Anchoa ~ Klein Farm Delta Queen asparagus, espuma of @siesta_co Cantabrian anchovies, smoked trout roe, garrotxa cheese & parsley oil
Smoky spicy sticky sweet crunchy vegan gf Sweet Potatoes at All Time
Cured pacific Mackerel Toast at Little Fish with treviso jam and last year’s pickled garlic scapes.
On a pie at Grá: Market plums, cream base, fresh herbs, pecorino & sunflower seeds.
Recent Bites (and Sips)
Pour Sport is my friend Monica’s coffee matcha pop-up. Follow her on IG for updates. She’s got a big pop-up in a couple weeks you won’t want to miss...
I know I said to give new spots a month to settle… but sometimes you get in early, and it just works! Welcome Beethoven Market. We had a small service hiccup at the beginning, but once we were properly seated, the rest of the meal was amazing. We kept stopping our conversation to say, wait… this is really good.
They’re not taking any wild culinary risks, but there are some fun dishes for sure. We ordered the tuna carpaccio, paper-thin tempura-fried delicata squash with a honey drizzle, olives stuffed with chicken sausage, and a coupla classic pastas.
Some meals knock you out. This one left me feeling satisfied, not drowsy. Love that.
My HLP mom, Rachel, made me a niçoise while we were working out of her studio one day and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s become my go-to meal inspo lately. Perfect for someone like me who eats one big meal around 11 and not much again until dinner. Brunch..lol
It’s so easy to prep potatoes and asparagus ahead… boil and egg and assemble. Rachel nailed it with the seared tuna, but tinned fish works in a pinch. I mostly just go for the vibe of niçoise with whatever I have on hand. Never disappointed.
Garrett called this pizza the Kate special and I’m honored. P.S. the boys are planning the next La Festa. Ricotta Bear Pizza & Cheeky’s Cocktails at Great Oat Ranch... Deets + tickets soon.
Let’s take a moment for the the lychee martini from Jar… Definitely my favorite cocktail in LA and one of the few occasions I drink vodka.
Another perfect martini at Houston’s… talk about SERVICE 👏
🔗 Last Week’s Most Clicked Link
Sunset Beer Garden. No caption, no nothing.