Amy T. Shuster
· 2000 Main St. Santa Monica, CA · 90405 · 310.396.9145 · Neighborhood: Santa Monica
The thing I love most about The M Street Kitchen is not it’s amazingly yummy, eclectic menu or that it’s got a great outside patio right on Main Street that’s perfect for people watching, or that it’s Cafe has the most delicious pastries and great to-go menu. It’s not even that they are dog friendly or serve Intelligentsia coffees. The thing I love most is the people that work there.
Though it’s not quite in my backyard, every time I’m in the Santa Monica area I look forward to going to the sleek yet beachy, M Street Kitchen. I am always happily greeted by the most knowledgeable and friendly folks who work in this joint. The servers are nice, the hostess is cool, and even the chefs look happy. I love that. So many places these days think that they can get away with weak customer service and that their food alone does the job. No way, Jose. There are TONS of great places to eat in LA and if a restaurant doesn’t have good people skills, I look elsewhere. This place has got the whole package and then some. Snap, Snap!
Formally known as Le Grande Orange, M Street Kitchen now touts newer management, but offers the same great breakfast/brunch/dinner menu. In April, the owner has expanded and opened up an adjoining wood-fired stone oven pizza place next door called Stella Rossa (pic below). If it is anything like it’s big sister next door I’m certain that it wont be long until this pizza-bar becomes a bumpin’ hangout.
Back at M Street, there’s a full-on Gluten free menu, a yummy looking Happy Hour Menu (avail from 4-6:30) featuring $3 beers and sushi rolls for $5-7 bucks among other goodies. And if you’ve got munchkins’ you should know that kids eat free from 4 to 7 off their kids menu.
Stand out items
Sunrise Breakfast Burrito: (pictured above) It’s not a traditional Mexican Burrito, it’s actually more like a wrap. It’s smaller than most burritos you might get (for instance at La Salsa) yet is super delicious. It’s an Americana twist, light and mild. It’s got jasmine rice, black beans, sliced deli-style ham and scrambled egg and a side of guacamole and a mild salsa. Good for when you want a light bite.
Nachitos: Huge, delicious and great to share!
BYB Tips: Breakfast is served from 8am until 4pm! (I love any place that lets me order pancakes in the afternoon!)
Muffins in the café drop in price to $1 after 4 pm.
Get there early on weekends. Brunch is often PACKED!
What’s your favorite pet friendly brunch spot? This little guy wants to know! Lemme hear your thoughts…
· 308 N. Stanley Ave. Los Angeles, CA · Neighborhood · West Hollywood ·
Last night I got schooled. I celebrated Cinco de Mayo at a special soft opening of a new neighborhood taco shop, Escuela Taqueria.
Brought to you by restauranteur, Steven Arroyo, he continues to do what he does best; simple and savory eats. He had been testing the waters, serving tacos during the evening at his sandwich shop, Potato Chips and had been planning and prepping for Escuela for over a year.
Not too far from the popular tapas restaurant, Cobras and Matadors and the yummy sandwich shop, Potato Chips, Escuela is Arroyo’s third restaurant off Beverly Blvd.
Located on Stanley Ave., this is a super small, super cute little shop that pretty much, for now, serves only tacos. There are about 10 tables inside which seat about 20 comfortably. There are a few tables for outside feasting, but this place is minimal, so leave the big group at home. There are also a bunch of chairs dangling from above to add a bit of danger to your meal. You can’t help but imagine… I wonder what would happen if there was an earthquake right now… this is Los Angeles after all.
There’s the standard rice and beans or a side of chips and guacamole to help fill your appetite. The tacos are “classic street style”, and by that I mean “smallish”. I’m glad I came with a pal so we could order a few for variety. I loved the Carne Asada tacos which were super tender and delicious. The Chicken Taco was simple and solid but nothing to fan fare. I ended up adding a bit of the salsa to add some more kick. The Avocado and Sea Salted Pork was very good yet the winner of the night was the Bass Taco. The Bass was cooked perfectly and the crispy skin was finger licking good. I’d order this one twice. As for drinks, they do have a small variety of colas and agua frescas. My neighbors to the right of me sipped on 6 oz Pacifico “cuartito”.
You’re paying a bit more than street prices for these “gourmet” tacos but the quality is there.
This special opening was just a taste of what is to come I’m sure. Executive Chef Aaron Dubois wanted to interweave some of his French-Mexican influences and bring a little gourmet twist to the standard taco eatery.
Escuela should be rolling out in full force very soon and I can’t wait to see how they expand the menu.
Mex-inspired breakfast, perhaps?
Let’s cross our fingers and see…
308 North Stanley Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036-2304(323) 939-5220
· 8410 Sunset Blvd · Los Angeles, CA · Neighborhood · West Hollywood · 323.848.8899
Strap on your flip flops, go get that straw hat you’ve been wanting to sport and head over to Kassava! This little joint takes you out of LA for a minute and down to the Caribbean for a mid-day get away meal.
Being a Puerto Rican gal, I grew up on Caribbean cuisine; rice and beans, chicken and plantains. While the menu isn’t Puerto Rican cuisine it does a pretty good job of covering the Caribbean staples and it sure does feel like mom’s home cooking!
Named after a popular Guadeloupian group called Kassav, Kassava boasts a large menu of both Haitian and Jamaican food which tastes very homemade and authentic. There’s nothing flashy about this location. It’s just west of the Beverly Center on Third Street and parking can be a bit difficult. That is really the only reason I don’t frequent here more often.
While their Jerk Chicken is a popular favorite, I decided to try the Brown Stew Chicken instead. It was was slightly sweet and flavorful. The chicken was tender and juicy and it fell off the bone. I’m used to my mom making stew with some cabbage or carrots or something more than just broth. That was my only complaint. Otherwise it was just perfect. The rice and beans were standard Casamiento-style (mixed together). The plantains were just as I like them; firm and sweet and not too soggy.
Quick Tips: I would recommend eating inside as you might get forgotten out on the patio (I did!). Also, don’t come here if you are in a hurry. As a true Caribbean restaurant, service is slow. Just imagine you are on vacation and come to chill, because they sure do take their time here! It’s nice to know though that the cooks take their time and make your food with care.
It’s the best place you can get authentic Caribbean cuisine in the West Hollywood. It’s not super cheap, but considering the Beverly Hills bordering area it’s not bad at all. Plus, when you’re like me, and don’t feel like cooking at home, it’s a good homemade substitute.
Also, check out their newest, Sunset location, or either of two of their food trucks cruising around the LA area.
639 N Larchmont Blvd · Los Angeles, CA 90004 · Neighborhood: Mid Wilshire
I love the layout of this clean, airy, organic-vegan hotspot. It’s only been open a few months in LA, but is already making a name for itself on the north end of the Larchmont and Melrose row. One of eight California locations, I’m glad they chose to pop a squat their newest location near my neighborhood!
I’ve never been a vegan or raw-food kinda girl, but lately I’ve been finding that my body is craving fresh vegetables and light nutrient heavy food. This place is so delicious. I spent 2 hours here on Friday and was already making plans with a friend to go back the next day. There is so much on the menu that looks and sounds delicious. For example, the “I am Fortified”, which I devoured, was chocked full of sautéed cooked vegetables and kale, or your choice of brown rice or quinoa (pronounced Kee-no-ah). The sesame-ginger sauce was pleasant and not too over powering. Also got to try the tacos which, though meatless, were chocked full of savory flavors and pleasant sauces.
Stop by when you need to refresh and detox. Have a smoothie or juice to energize you up. I sat at the bar and got to sample their “I Am Grace” blended drink which featured young coconut milk, almond butter, dates and vanilla. It was creamy, light and super refreshing. It’s the kind of drink that makes you want to say, “Ahhhhhh.”
While some food here is raw and some is cooked, everything looks and sounds delicious! Yes, I know, if you’re not used to vegan, it can seem a bit weird and intimidating, but trust me, you’ll like it!
Word to the wise, they also feature a dish for the less fortunate. It’s called the I Am Grateful bowl. Loaded with kale, quinoa, black beans and garlic-tahini sauce. Besides being filling and delicious, it’s also free. You can pay the suggested value of $7 and it goes as a donation for those who cannot pay. Or you pay a little or, nothing. It’s a “community supported grain bowl.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a restaurant to offer such a thing, especially in hard times like these. I’m blown away to see a place do something like that. This place deserves your business. Check em out!
Oh, and they have outdoor/indoor/bar seating and free wifi. Win, win, win, win.
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· 613 Beverly Blvd · Los Angeles, CA 90036 · Neighborhood · Mid-City West / West Hollywood ·
Imagine that your friend, who happens to be a chef, invites you and a few friends over to hang out at his restaurant after hours.
Your friend, the chef, then uses this opportunity to unleash some interesting ingredients and some sexy new recipes. He decides he’s going to serve up a 5-course dinner for you, your friends, and anyone else who should decide to crash the party. He makes everything himself on a little range-stove top. He makes sure you are comfortable and well hydrated. He personally brings out your plate and tells you what he’s decided to whip up, just for you, just for tonight.
Dinner is a mystery and yet you have no expectations. You just plan on having a good time while you devour something new and delicious. You bust out a bottle of wine from your purse or run to the liquor store down the street for some sake. You and your buds then proceed to eat and eat until you are satisfyingly satiated. You stumble home, drunk with good food in your happy round bellies arguing over which dish was your favorite.
This is what the special Sunday night, $25 prix fixe, 5-course dinner with Executive Chef Aaron Dubois was all about. His venue is the popular tasty sandwich shop by day: Potato Chips, which is located just north of the Grove in West Hollywood. Chef Dubois makes selective, choice entrees and appetizers over the course of 2 hours and you just sit back and relax.
I’m the type of person who stares at the menu for way too long and I always have a hard time deciding what to order. This prix fixe concept is for people like me. There is no menu. There are no choices. There is just food that comes to your table. You either eat it, or you don’t. You may not like everything that comes out of the kitchen, but I found that while some ingredients were eclectic and new to me, everything was delicious. You’re probably going to be introduced to items that you might not normally order so keep an open mind.
Picky eaters might not like this way of eating, but Foodies will delight. Here are a few pics from our yummy night.
Unfortunately, I recently heard that the Potato Chips prix fixe Sunday night dinners are going on hiatus in wake of the grand opening of Escuela Taqueria around the corner. Chef Dubois is busy preparing the menu for this gourmet and hip new taco spot. This will be the third installment of great Beverly Blvd. restaurants by Potato Chips owner, Steven Arroyo. The other being the neighboring tapas bar, Cobras and Matadors.
If you’re planning on stopping by Potato Chips on Sunday night, make sure to give them a call first to make sure the prix fixe dinner is going down. If it isn’t, mosey around the corner and check out Escuela – set to open May 5th!
OK, so if you do drive past Potato Chips on a Sunday night and the lights aren’t on, never fear. The prix-fixe concept is indeed a trend in Los Angeles and there’s lots more prix fixe to go around. Church and State has their own Sunday prix fixe for $39, while chef Suzanne Goin has created a delicious $45 menu at Lucques.
There is a more underground version of the supper club put on by chefs’ Rachael Narins and Suzanne Griswold of Chicks with Knives. Chef Craig Thornton of Wolvesden has his own twitter following of hungry foodies too. Each of these dinners occur only about once a month at a unique, secret location and are strictly ‘invite only’. You can join their mailing list to get on the selective list of lucky food fans. Chicks with Knives can run you about $65 bucks a person while at Wolvesden, you pay however much you feel the dinner is worth to you. You can expect it to feel more like a casual dinner party than a night out at a restaurant. Chef Thornton’s dinners take up to two days to prepare for. The dinner party can last about 3-4 hours and will involve a whopping 10-15 courses! Most of these dinners at any of the above places are low key, communal and unique in their own right.
Many of these Super Secret Super Clubs are actually not so secret anymore (thanks to foodies on twitter and in-the-know bloggers). However, if you should choose to accept one of these dinner party adventures, definitely expect to try something out of your comfort zone. You’ll meet strangers who will become friends and will get to taste out-of-the-box samplings. The night will indeed be something to write home about.
Amy T. Shuster and friends with Chef Aaron Dubois at Potato Chips Sunday Dinner
There are a bunch of recession busting restaurant deals happening in your very own backyard too!
Here are just a few local restaurants that offer prix fixe dinners, to get you started…
Food Fair by Diego American · West Hollywood · ($15, 3 course – Monday Nights)
Potato Chips Varies · West Hollywood · ($25, 5 course – Sunday Nights) * Call first for info as the Sunday Dinners are on currently hiatus pending the Grand Opening of Escuela Taqueria
JiRaffe French · Santa Monica · ($38, 3 course – Monday Nights)
Church and State French · Downtown · ($39, – 4 course Sunday Nights) * Optional wine paring for $10 more
Lucques French/American · West Hollywood ($45, 4 course – Sunday Nights)
Chicks with Knives Varies (Monthly)
Wolvesden Varies (Monthly)
· 9575 W Pico Blvd · Los Angeles, CA 90035 · Neighborhood · West Los Angeles ·
This sexy and romantic little bite of Southern Italy is just the sort of place this area needs. I used to live around here and found myself driving to Culver City or 3rd Street to get my Italian fix. Sad to see the Test Kitchen go, but glad to see they are making a good use of the space left behind.
Sotto is a great date spot as it’s dimly lit and provides a substantial wine list, yummy cocktails and a variety of non-alcoholic drinks. The music is very KCRW as Indie rock music like the Smiths, Black Keys, Arcade Fire or MGMT plays lightly in the background. I came with an intimate party of three and we all had voracious appetites so we were able to try a bunch of items from their current menu.
I sipped the Tiger’s Blood cocktail, which had Campari, Ramazzotti, muddled orange, lemon juice and soda water. It was not what I would have imagined Tiger’s Blood to taste like. There were no remnants of tigers or blood and Charlie Sheen was nowhere to be found. Instead it was light and very citrusy. Get it if you like lemon-infused cocktails.
Also tried a non-alcoholic lemonade type beverage, which was simple and refreshing.
The Grilled Pork Meatballs were the first to come out and were a table favorite. The pork was a fluffy consistency and you could definitely taste the lemon infused into the mix. They were grilled perfectly and sat atop lemon leaves, pecorino and bitter greens. We all agreed that we wished we could have had just one more meatball.
My other favorite was something my friend ordered. The Tomato-Braised Octopus ai Ferri which was served with chickpeas, preserved lemon, chard and some kind of delicious sauce. It was appetizing in both presentation and taste. I don’t think I have tasted octopus this good.
Another appetizer we tried were the Friarelli Peppers Al Forno, which is simply Italian speak for Shishito Peppers. They were texturally very good but pretty basic. I could have used a little more flavor or a sauce of some sort to accompany. It was missing something.
I liked the Shaved Beet & Mixed Chicory Salad, which had wheat berries, lemon vinaigrette and fiore sardo. My friend who ordered it however thought it was a bit too delicate in flavor and needed a little more kick.
I love a restaurant where the pastas are homemade. I ordered the Ciceri e Tria Pasta, which was made up of tagliatelle, chickpeas and baccalá (which is a salty cod fish). Loved the soft textures of the pasta and fish juxtaposed with the crunchy noodle-crouton. I would order this one again next time. But then again, I really like baccalá.
Sotto features a Neapolitan pizza oven hand-built by Stefano Ferrara, a third-generation oven maker from Naples. When you’re doing Italian, might as well use Italian parts, right? I hear it took him and his assistant about seven days to build the oven from start to finish.
Now, I was kicking myself that night for coming here, knowing about the pizza yet having given up cheese during lent. Doh!
BUT… and here’s a big but… Sotto is probably the first pizza place I’ve been to that actually has a really good cheese-less pizza on the menu. Hooray for me! It’s a simple Marinara pizza with oregano, tomato, garlic and EVOO. I got to indulge after all! Oh, and don’t be scared by those little pizza blisters on the crust, Sotto fires up their pizzas with a combination of oak and beech which helps the heat to stay consistent and adds those little dimples and pockets of flavor on your pizza.
The Marinara Pizza was pretty good though I found myself preferring a more crispier, crunchy crust to their soft, chewy one. Well, to each their own. I’m going to have to come back when I can try their Boscaiola or their Guanciale pizzas which have some toppings! (I must say though, that the Marinara did taste pretty delicious heated up the next morning for breakfast.)
We also ordered the classic Margherita Pizza, which I didn’t try but was told from my dinner comrades that it was good.
A recommendation from the table next to us led us to our table winner of the night, dessert! We all loved the Bittersweet Chocolate Crostata, which had crumbled hazelnuts and a punch in the face of salted rosemary caramel. The first bite had my taste buds all crazy. A must try if you love bittersweet chocolate and rosemary punches in the face!
All in all, Sotto is worth a visit and is a welcome addition to the list of good Italian eateries in my neighborhood. Keep it on your radar so that when the hostess at Mozza laughs in your face for trying to get a last minute reservation you have a great plan B!
· 7401 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA · 90036 · Neighborhood Mid-City/West Hollywood ·
It’s a gourmet Waffle House/Café. Duh, Winning.
R.J. Milano is a local business owner who definately takes pride in his work. He’s the kind of owner who is involved in all aspects of his establishment, from the careful choosing of local artists to display on the shop’s walls, to making sure that customers are always the first priority. He told me that some visitors have driven hours to check out his 9-month old, West Hollywood Waffle House-Café.
I’m a bit spoiled being that Shaky Alibi is within walking distance to my house. I like to think of this place as my Cheers. Well, if Cheers served coffee and Kirstie Alley brought me delicious waffles everyday.
You don’t like waffles you say? Then, you’ve never had them here. Along with their awesome decor and hip local art that changes regularly, the made-to-order sweet or savory waffles are perfect for a relaxing morning or an after dinner spot when you just want to kick back and talk or sip some tea and maybe play ping pong. Yes! They have a ping pong table that they bring out on Friday and Saturday nights. That pretty much sealed the deal for me about this place.
I love sitting at the bar and chatting it up with the friendly waffle-tenders. Plus, they have free wifi and are open late. Double score.
Bring the lady friend… she’ll think you are so hip. This spot is a must try when you’re looking for someplace chill and Goooood.
Stand out items: Specaloos Spread (get it crunchy), the Monte Cristo Waffle or the Drinking Chocolate.
Just in their opening week these tattooed LA butcher babes sold out of 3 whole steer, 9 pigs, 7 lambs and 200 chickens. I grabbed me 2 humongous pork chops and fried them up with an amended version of this recipe. My cinnamon and brown sugar, granny-smith apple glaze came out delicious. I served it up with some rosemary and garlic mashed potatoes.
To quote the boyfriend, “This dinner was bomb! Even the fatty bits were tasty.” We each licked the bone clean. How carnivorous of us.
You can find Lindy and Grundy at
801 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Neighborhoods: Mid-City West, West Hollywood
· 8075 West 3rd St., Ste. 100 Los Angeles, CA 90048 · Neighborhood · West Hollywood ·
Growing tried of my usual pizza spots, I went in search of a new place and just so happened upon Olio Pizzeria. Olio is a cute newish corner joint, which recently opened up on 3rd street last year and features at the center, a magnificent smelling, wood-burning oven. Oh, sweet Jesus you can smell it from down the street. It. Smells. Like. Heaven.
I was lucky enough to be one of the first to discover them on their inaugural weekend back in October, 2010. The bad news was that they had such a successful opening, they were dangerously low on ingredients… including dough! GASP! After ordering, I was given the news; they weren’t going to be able to make the pizza, no dough, no go. Okay, I forgave them. It was a soft open after all, these things are bound to happen. The server was very apologetic and gave me a hand written coupon to come back for a free pizza. Yippie!
One month later. Take Two. Behold the cheesy goodness.
Super nice owner, Chef Bradford Kent chatted me and my friend up and apologized for our first, uneventful experience. This time we got to try it all.
Two delicious pizzas, a perfectly dressed salad, Intelligentsia coffee and a custom made dessert (off the menu!).
The Margherita Pizza was AMAZING. There will be no leftovers. Perfectly crunchy and tasty, the dough is the star. The OVEN is also the star! After all, pizza that is made in a wood burning oven has just the right amount of crispy and soft OMG-ness. These guys seem like they really put care into their creations. Note that the pies come out smallish and individual sized, so you definitely want your own, or get two to share.
I love that they use local fresh produce, artisan cheeses, locally roasted coffees. They also use California olive wood to fire their ovens.
Olio is a moderately priced, great breakfast, brunch or light dinner spot. Cozy and comfortable for a casual first date or meeting with a handful of friends. Their menu is ever expanding. In fact I was just there last week and got to try a Buffalo Mozzarella (imported from Naples), Margherita Pizza and a delicious Salmon appetizer which was new to the menu.
The pizza is comparable to Mozza or Gjelina, minus the long wait that you would get at either place. It’s much more casual.
Check them out yourself and let me know your thoughts!
· 801 N Fairfax Ave · Los Angeles, CA 90046 · Neighborhood · Mid-City West/West Hollywood ·
Here is my Top Ten List about why you should know (and LOVE) Lindy and Grundy, LA’s hottest new female butchers:
#10. All the cool foodie kids are doing it. These gals have been tracked by The Huffington Post, Good Food, Cool Hunting, LA Eater and all the relevant LA food blogs for at least the past year. Just Google their name and a plethora of information about them pops up. Everyone in the West LA area that I’ve chatted up this week seemed to have at least heard of them. I mean, how do you NOT notice two female, tattooed, butchers with bright red lipstick moving into West Hollywood? In just their opening week alone they sold out of 3 whole steer, 9 pigs, 7 lambs and 200 chickens. I settled for 2 hearty pork chops, (which were delicious, by the way).
#9. They are SUPER nice. Hmm, ok when I think of a butcher, I usually think of an old, hairy, mustached man in a white wife-beater t-shirt, apron and dripping carcass blood. Kinda like this guy.
These gals are definitely NOT THIS GUY. Lindy and Grundy are 21rst century, hip, rocker-hot and most assuredly NOT scary! On the contrary, they are super friendly and willing and ready and to answer any questions you might have.
Amelia (Lindy) and Erika (Grundy) may be wielding knives, but they are all smiles and quick to welcome you into their shop. I inquired about some “Mint Jelly” that looked oddly interesting and Lindy opened up a jar and gave me a taste. See? Not scary!
#8. They get local. Everything other than their lamb comes from within 150 miles from their Los Angeles shop. They are all small, multi-generational family farms in the California area. Rancho San Julian beef, Reride Ranch pork, Sonoma Direct lamb and Rainbow Ranch Farms chicken to name a few. L&G carry only pastured meats from animals raised on these small, local, sustainable ranches. Rest assured your dinner will have never been given antibiotics or hormones (unless your medicine cabinet accidentally explodes in your kitchen). Plus, these puppies have a strictly vegetarian diet!
#7. They don’t waste the beef. After an eight month apprenticeship on the art of butchering at Fleisher’s Grass-Fed and Organic Meats in upstate New York, they learned a true philosophy of whole animal utilization and nose to tail butchery—a skill that not many people can do these days.
#6. It’s a family business. Yep! They are married to each other. Aww, that’s just sweet.
#5. They plan on teaching you their secrets. Stay tuned, once they’ve hit their stride, they will be offering programs at Lindy & Grundy to share their knowledge. Their philosophy is that meat should not be intimidating. They want you to know where your meat comes from and be proud of it. They inspire their customers to support local California agriculture and small farms. Right on!
#4. They used to be Vegetarian. Wait, whaaa!? Former vegetarians. Amelia jumped the fence and started eating meat after 14 years of being a Vegetarian. However, after she learned about the many injustices in American “industry” farming, she became an activist in helping to teach America how to eat sustainably.
To quote the great Miley Cyrus, “That’s pretty Cool!”
#3. They take their time. Sustainable, grass-fed animals take a bit longer to mature (average 7 months). However, their butchering process employs dry aging methods to create a more robust flavor. The end product is far superior to factory raised commodity meats.
#2. Your cow, lamb, chicken or pig was treated very nicely. Pasture raised animals are treated much better than animals raised in feedlots. The animals that end up at L&G are treated in a humane and ethical way. These ladies encourage respect between their clients, ranchers, and animals. They made it a point to visit all the farms, which supply their meats to ensure that the animals’ receive special care and attention in the way that they are handled, transported, and processed.
…and the #1 reason you should love Lindy and Grundy…..
#1. They are Women Butchers! Need I say more?
Lindy and Grundy is located at:
801 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Neighborhoods: Mid-City West, West Hollywood
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