So this foodie moved to the left coast! While I was learning to live my new life in Los Angeles with my boyfriend-then-fiancĂ©-now husband Steven, I was always on the lookout for good – nay GREAT - food. In a city of fitness and health nuts, the words “comfort food” are often verboten. But when you’re in a new home, a new time zone, and new relationship, sometimes comfort food is just what you need.
While it’s been almost 3 years since my move, here are three
go-to restaurants that helped keep my “foodie homesickness” at bay.
Casa Ado – This place
shouldn’t work. It’s a dark rustic Italian restaurant located in the prime real
estate section of the Marina del Rey beach front. Nothing about it screams
“Beach Side Restaurant” or “Just Add Avocado and Chia!” which is maybe why it
actually does work for me (I love a good contradiction). Among the bars, wings, surf shops and taco places
along Washington Boulevard, sits the little gem of a restaurant. It was the
first restaurant I went to in LA that made me go “oh….maybe this place IS a
foodie town.” The homemade pastas, the delicate cheeses, the friendly (mostly
Italian) wait staff, the red wine list, the dripping wax of candles over the long-ago-emptied
bottles of Chianti, makes this place scream Lower East Side…but alas, here it
sits, on the beach, next to the Venice Whaler.
If you go, the Grilled Ciabatta bread served with Burrata
cheese, onions Marmellate, crispy Pancetta in a Vincotto dressing is a MUST! Did
I mention it’s in walking distance from our apartment? BRB…
Bay Cities
Italian Deli & Bakery – OK this isn’t really a restaurant. This is more
of a specialty market and deli that has been a “must” for us whenever we have
to bring something for a picnic at Malibu
Wines (more about that in another post!) or when we just want some great
food that we can grab and go! Everyone goes there for the Godmother,
a traditional Italian sub with any meat/cheese combo you want -
but the whole point is to cram get every type of
Italian meat your heart can possibly stand into this sandwich. And it’s
delicious. However, I go
for the Caprese sub– sometime with Burrata (if I have a lot of napkins) or
sometimes with traditional good old fashioned mozzarella cheese. What makes
these sandwiches so divine is the crusty yet chewy I-think-I’ve-died-and-gone-to-yeasty-heaven
ciabatta bread.
Vittorio and the famous Godmother - source http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2011/February-2011/02_17_2011_Bay_Cities_Deli.html - photo by Gene Williams |
Our new “thing” is to
order an extra loaf and stick it in the freezer to make chicken or meatball
parm sandwiches (confession, I’ve also just ripped hunks of it off and dipped
it in olive oil or peanut butter – don’t judge). The market in Bay Cities is
amazing too. It’s hard to leave there
without dropping at least $50 on things like candied figs, roasted peppers, capers,
Italian cheeses, gelato, etc.
Huckleberry –
When Steven was “wooing” me to move to LA, he knew the way there was through my
stomach - he’s read this blog…he is no dummy! One afternoon, we went for lunch
at this little café in the heart of Santa Monica called Huckleberry. The line
twisted around to the back, and seats were scarce so I knew that 1) This would
be GOOD and 2) Ugh this LINE! But I’m in LA so everyone was eerily happy and
patient. The menu consists of homemade, locally sourced dishes and bakery items
that can either be whole meals, just snacks or dessert (two words: BANANA
PUDDING). For lunch I ordered the BLTA - minus the T…sorry I’m just not a huge
tomato person. This “goddess” of a sandwich layered “Niman Ranch” bacon (not
sure what that is…but carry on Niman!), avocado, arugula & aioli on the
largest slices of hearty country bread I’ve ever seen. The toast was warm and
crusty, the bacon savory and the avocado and aioli added a creamy smoothness. I’ve
since been back several times and have never been disappointed!
In short my foodie friends, while this girl may not be
posting from NYC anymore, I still want to share this blog with my great friends
who love to eat and write about food. Just call me the new “LA Correspondent.”
Here is the contact info for the restaurants mentioned.
Please visit if you are in LA and let us know what you think!
12 West Washington Blvd.
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
310.577.2589
1517 Lincoln Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.395.8279
1014 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
301.451.2311