FARMERS MARKETS

We are lucky to have so many farmers markets nearby, and we already recommended the closest, on La Cienega at 18th Street within walking distance of Reynier Village, Thursdays from 2 to 7pm.
But our favorite is the Culver City Farmers market, now on Main Street between Venice and Washington Blvd, Tuesdays from 3 to 7pm. They not only have a variety of  fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms, but a real find.  A lovely young woman cooks healthy and delicious dishes for you to take home. Check out her weekly menu at Smart Simple Gourmet, pick them up and get ready for a real treat. She has a stand at the Mar Vista Farmers Market as well, on Grand View at Venice Blvd, Sundays 9am to 2 pm.
On Sunday mornings we also like the little market on Melrose Place East of La Cienega, and the newest, the Motor Ave Farmers Market on National.

-EL-

New Culver City Restaurants

Wildcraft

We had been waiting for months to see the new LYFE KITCHEN-Love Your Food Everyday, open in Culver City, after seeing their name on the boarded up storefront, and that event finally took place this week.  I had read a LA Weekly review of WILDCRAFT, another new restaurant that opened on Monday February 25, and was anxious to try it, so I took a walk over there yesterday at lunchtime.  There was a long line waiting to eat at Lyfe Kitchen, in fact all the restaurants were crowded with happy diners enjoying the warm weather at outdoors tables lined up along the wide sidewalks.  So I decided to have the porchetta panino at Wildcraft and I was not disappointed; it did not resemble the suckling pig that is a popular street food in Rome, and it has become quite a fad in Los Angeles restaurants, but it was quite tasty.  I can’t wait to go again with friends to try their pizzas cooked in a traditional brick oven made in Naples.
For a complete list check the Culver City restaurant page of our Reynier Village Neighborhood Association website, and kindly send us your comments.

-EL-

Washington Blvd Restaurants

Industry Cafe

We had blogged about this stretch of Washington Blvd, between La Cienega and National, in 2010 and 2011, when it comes alive for the annual Culver City Art Walk (this event was sadly canceled this year because of citywide budget cuts), and we’ve walked there often to try some of the new restaurants.
We loved BATCH (it replaced SUBLIME); their pizza crust stands up to the exacting standards of an Italian like myself.  We are happy that the INDUSTRY CAFE offers live jazz, but the Ethiopian food could be better.  It was  a good idea to make Helms Avenue a pedestrian area, but we’re sorry that they found it necessary to evict the Jazz Bakery to make room for yet another furniture store. LUKSHON is too snooty for my taste, but one day, when I had a cold, their Shanghai matzo ball soup was just what the doctor ordered.  We prefer places like PINCHES TACOS (yes, it’s named after a Mexican curse word), with its blue and pink building and their tasty sopes, or our latest find, E.K. Valley (Epy García’s Kitchen), serving Mexican food from Oaxaca.

For a list of our favorite Culver City restaurants, and many other nearby places to eat in the Los Angeles 90034 zip code, please check the Restaurants page of our Reynier Village website.

Please enjoy the food and send us comments below.

-EL-

New Restaurants

Moo Moo

A few weeks ago, we blogged about our old time favorite nearby restaurants, see post.
Now we want to tell you about a few recent discoveries.

Earlier in the year, with my neighbor Deni, co-author of this blog, we tried CHEGO, the closest locations of the many restaurants opened by Roy Choi, the Korean chef who became famous for his Kogi BBQ food trucks. It was exciting food, but get there as soon they open at 5.30pm, and study their online menu, so you’ll know what to order.  Chego means “thumbs up” in Korean.
CHEGO (310) 287 0337 – 3300 Overland Ave, LA 90034

You may want to check out his more upscale restaurants, that also serve alcohol.
A-Frame (310) 398 7700 – 12565 Washington Blvd, LA 90066
Alibi Room (310) 390 9300 – 12236 Washington Blvd, LA 90066
Sunny Spot (310) 448 8884 – 822 Washington Blvd, Venice 90292

Always a fan of Thai food, I went with my old friend Christopher to a new place that opened last October, because they serve noodle soups.  Be careful of the spiciness, we ordered level 1, as the waitress recommended. Moo means pork, and Moo Moo is slang for “take it easy.”
MOO MOO Thai Cafe (310) 287 9999 – 11127 Venice Blvd, LA 90034

I had been eating at Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine since reading an LA Times review when it  opened in 2008, because it reminded me of my dreamy trip to India and Nepal in 1984, but have gone back many more times in the past few months, because they serve tasty vegetarian dishes.
TARA’S Himalayan Cuisine (310) 836 9696 – 10855 Venice Blvd, LA 90034

This Salvadoran place that also serves Mexican food has been open for 10 years, but I had never tried it, until I decided to assemble a list of nearby restaurants for the new website of our Reynier Village Neighborhood Association. We found satisfying food and a family atmosphere.
GLORIA’s Cafe (310) 838 0963 – 10227 Venice Blvd, LA 90034

-EL-

Local restaurants

Cafe Brasil

For over 20 years, since moving to Reynier Village, I have been going out for meals with friends and family at my favorite nearby restaurants, a short drive away.
CAFE BRASIL, opened in 1991.  They were the only place to enjoy a leisurely lunch in the outdoor patio the day after the 1992 LA riots, when every other place was closed.  And we love their new location further West on Washington, next to their enchanting Villa Brasil Motel, opened in 2002.
HU’S SZECHUAN has been serving tasty and inexpensive Northern Chinese food at this location  for over 30 year, and they also deliver. My friend Chris wrote a glowing restaurant review way back in 1979, so that’s how many years we have been coming to eat here.
VERSAILLES, opened in 1981, is a no-nonsense Cuban place always packed with customers.  They have another location on La Cienega Blvd, just south of Pico.
Check the list below for addresses and websites, along with my favorite dish for each.
Please send us comments about YOUR local favorites.

-EL-

Café Brasil: 310-837 9506
10831 Venice Blvd LA 90034
Executive Lunch $ 7.95
www.cafe-brasil.com

Hu’s Szechuan: 310-837 0252
10450 National Blvd LA 90034
Yu Hsiang Eggplant $ 7.45
www.husrestaurant.com

Versailles: 310-558 3168
10319 Venice Blvd, LA 90034
Cuban Style Pork $ 11.99
www.versaillescuban.com

Eat on Robertson

Campos. Robertson Blvd

There are not nearly enough good places to eat on Robertson as we would like, so we wouldn’t have to drive to downtown Culver City to find a proper restaurant, however we have some local favorites, like Campos, not a chain like Taco Bell across the street, but a family owned place that serves authentic Mexican food.  We love the Argentinian Empanadas made by Adriano and Marcelo, and we’re very appreciative of the discounts they offer our Reynier Village Neighborhood Association, when we host our summer park nites.

You may want to enjoy a stroll, grab some food at these local eateries.

CAMPOS TACOS  310-202 7308
2639 S Robertson Blvd

DOLCE ISOLA 310-776 7070
2867  S Robertson Blvd

EMPANADAS  310-836 5944
2513 S Robertson Blvd
www.argentinianempanadas.com

Dolce Isola. Robertson Blvd

-EL-

Farmers market

pupusas

We all know by now that locally grown fruits and vegetables are better for our health (more nutritious) and for the environment (less pollution).
So why don’t we make it a weekly ritual to visit the Farmers Market at 1801 S. La Cienega Blvd?
It’s very close to Reynier Village and easily reachable by walking or bicycling.
It takes place every Thursday afternoon from 2 to 7 pm.
You can buy organic or pesticide-free produce to prepare healthy meals.
You can buy cut flowers, also plants for your garden (from Ramos Nursery).
You can take home delicious meals, such as Salvadoran pupusas and Hawaiian BBQ chicken.

For more info check out their website
www.lacienegafarmersmarket.com

-EL-

organic vegetables

Man does not live by compost alone. . .

Introducing “Food & Dining”  to our blog!
Because toiling in the garden is not sufficient for a happy life, man (and woman) also has culinary needs, and darn it, who doesn’t like to talk about food?!?!???

Citrus Jicama Salad from Chichenitza

With our new Food & Dining category we invite you to comment and share your:
-  family recipes, bbq marinades, backyard picnic ideas
-  delicious finds at Trader Joe’s, Glatt’s, Elat or other local markets
-  favorite vendor at a local farmers market
-  methods for canning or drying fruits from your garden
-  hot local restaurants . . .

. . .   and much more!    Please join in and let’s talk food!

                           – - DM