Restaurant: The Tasting Kitchen Location: Abbot Kinney in Venice What we ate: bread + butter, castelvetrano olives, cheese board, pasta and milk chocolate panna cotta for dessert. Good for: intimate setting, small group gatherings and date night. We ate dinner upstairs on the second floor, […]
When I go to Gjelina, I force myself to order a salad to start. Not that their salads aren’t great, but I am always impatient to get to the pizza and the dessert (Pot de Crème, every time, no exceptions, that’s the rule. You can only add to the dessert order, not take away).
For pizza we went with: Pomodoro Crudo and Smoked Mozzarella w/confit tomato and jalapeno. Thennnn we decided that wasn’t enough, because can you ever have enough? Magically a 3rd pizza with Gruyere and caramelized onions arrived at our table.
In the spirit of trying something new, I ordered the Olive Oil Poached Alaskan Halibut w/artichokes and leeks. The fish was so delicate and light, a great contrast to the three pizzas we devoured.
My perfect combination to enjoy Gjelina goes as follows: wait in line (somewhat patiently)/order a glass of wine or beer to ease the pain of not being seated yet+order a starter right away and then continue to scan the menu+order at least 1 pizza+a small plate or big plate+ and save room for dessert !
Learning how to make bread can be intimidating. I suggest starting with a simpler dough like focaccia. The Kitchn has a great recipe that I use for guidance and then switch up the toppings. Today I made one with chopped parsley pesto and slow-roasted cherry […]
Tahini Kale Slaw and Roasted Tamari Portobello Bowl Ingredients:2 large Portobello mushrooms2 tablespoons toasted sesame or grapeseed oilsea salt and fresh ground pepper1 tablespoon tamari or low sodium soy sauceSlaw:1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed1 carrot, grated3 green onions, white and green parts, choppedTahini Citrus […]
The Chef:
Sara is a published cookbook author who is celebrated for her unique and healthy approach to food. Her and her husband Hugh, write, cook and photograph for their food blog, Sprouted Kitchen. Sara worked on an organic farm in college and then lived at a villa/ cooking school in Tuscany where she learned to appreciate fresh, wholesome food. She has been documenting her food journey for several years and offering great tips for eating seasonally, cooking with whole grains and embracing more produce.
Her cooking style in her second cookbook Bowl + Spoon:
Sara describes her approach to her second book as “food in a bowl: combinations of vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, big salads- texture and flavor that go together to make a simple, nutritious meal that makes sense composed in one vessel.”
Cooking with whole grains: Sara recommends trying quinoa, brown rice, rice or quinoa pasta, soba noodles, old-fashioned oats or steel cut, millet, bulgur, and farro. You want to get to know each grain, their flavor profiles, textures and subtleties in order to choose which one will be your base to build a perfect bowl for breakfast lunch or dinner. I will be sharing her recipe for Tahini Kale Slaw and Roasted Tamari Portobello Bowl w/ brown rice.
Some people refer to Inn of the Seventh Ray as the most romantic dining experience in Los Angeles. So naturally we had to see for ourselves. From the moment you pull up to the restaurant, you know it is special. The restaurant is an outdoor […]
Chef Highlight: Becky Reams.
Who she is: Becky is a rad chef with a ton of passion and a big personality. She finished as a semi-finalist on Master Chef Season 3 and currently works as a chef, food photographer and food stylist.
What she does: Becky started a once-a-month pop up brunch, called Bang Bang Brunch, which pops up in really cool spaces around LA.
Where you can see her work: Instagram, Facebook, Website
Get tickets for brunch: Bang Bang Brunch
Instagram love: Matchbox Kitchen. Cakes, doughnuts and plenty of pretty and sweet images to drool over.
Pan con Tomate w/ an olive oil fried egg, basil oil, pecorino, micro greens and balsamic reduction for breakfast.
