East Los Angeles — Blog — Brunchographers

A visit to Botanica is a bit like walking through your computer screen into a perfectly curated Pinterest board. It’s positively idyllic: glassware sparkles in a flood of afternoon sun, dreamy florals bring pops of color to patinaed wooden shelving, crusty loaves of Bub & Grandma’s bread beckon from a table loaded with take-home treats, all while impossibly chic Eastsiders catch up with friends over matcha lattes and glasses of rose. As the details within the space unfurl, the impressiveness of this operation sinks in - every object has been carefully curated, from the cluster of glass orb lamps above the bar to the clean, unfussy font on the menus. And just when you think the experience cannot possibly be more beautiful, your food arrives, and there are flowers on it. If the thought of Instagramming this place doesn’t cross your mind at least once, you’ve got to be dead inside.

What is perhaps most impressive about Botanica, however, is that its impeccable aesthetic is backed up with serious substance. Founded by former food writers Heather Sperling and Emily Fiffer, Botanica is not just another vegetable-forward, hip Silverlake hangout (though both “vegetable-forward” and “hip” could be counted among its descriptors); it is a thoughtful, multi-faceted operation that aims to nourish, support, and give back to its community. By partnering with organizations like Empower LA and offering employees benefits like healthcare and maternity leave, Sperling and Fiffer are making a positive impact in both their neighborhood and in the restaurant industry. Through their online magazine, they're able to break the confines of geography by offering Botanica's own recipes to readers all over the world. And by sourcing the highest-quality ingredients possible for their dishes and their small, curated market, they're able to offer remarkably delicious, healthful cuisine to their patrons, while simultaneously supporting local farms and small businesses in their community.

Following a “no rules” food philosophy, Botanica’s menu highlights fresh, seasonal vegetables accented with organic dairy products and sustainably raised meats. There are nods to Sperling’s Lebanese heritage in the form of middle eastern flavors like za’atar and labneh, and dishes that make vegetables sing like only a truly passionate healthy-eater (like Fiffer) could. During the day, options range from sweet fruit and granola dishes to savory eggs and salads, with a tempting list of coffee drinks made with Coffee Manufactory beans. At night, things get more romantic as the candles are lit, and the menu is flipped over to feature heartier, more substantial dishes, complimented by a thoughtfully constructed list of natural wines - not to mention a healthy list of whiskies to choose from.

On a recent quiet weekday, we made the pilgrimage to Silver Lake to visit Botanica - a trip that had felt like a long time coming, even though the restaurant's grand opening was in May. The space was pleasantly full and lively, with enough seats to choose from in both the cool, airy restaurant and on the charming outdoor patio. The waitstaff were friendly and attentive, welcoming us within moments of our arrival with warm conversation. It's no surprise that in the short months since Botanica's opening, a loyal base of regulars has already formed - a few were seated near us during our meal, and their servers had already memorized their favorite dishes.

To begin, we enjoyed some cold drinks, obligatory on a warm July day. The iced latte made with their house-made cashew-date milk is a perfect way to caffeinate without heating up, and the delicate, lightly sweetened nut milk is creamy and satisfying. For something even more refreshing, there is the Cucumber Lemon Ginger Spritzer, a vibrant green concoction that is tart, fizzy, and downright fun to drink.

When a menu boasts something as delightfully alluring as "Cake for Breakfast!," we have little choice but to order it - because who hasn't wanted to indulge in a little bit of cake for breakfast on occasion? This version, a gluten-free, almond-orange-honey cake, is topped with mounds of vibrant roasted fruit, a generous dollop of cream, and a dusting of orange zest. It is the perfect compromise between having your cake and eating breakfast, too - sweet and decadent enough to qualify as cake, nourishing and healthful enough to qualify as a proper breakfast. The fruit is especially delicious when soaked into the coarse crumbs of the cake - a perfect bite was a mixture of both apricots and berries, a touch of cream and a generous bite of cake.

Eggs and vegetables are the most essential building blocks of a perfect brunch, and fortunately the team at Botanica are adept with both. Their "Our Favorite Romesco" dish offers heaps of perfectly cooked seasonal vegetables stacked atop a thick smear of nutty, peppery romesco sauce, dusted with sprigs of fresh herbs and flowers, and crowned with a crispy fried egg. The vegetables, a melange of summer squash, leeks, cauliflower, and potatoes, are roasted to perfection with just a touch of char. The potatoes, especially, are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, offering a burst of flavor with each bite, while that runny egg yolk brings creamy richness to the party.

Finally, to meet our ever-important leafy-greens quota, the fulfilling and flavorful "Niçoise-ish Salad." A work of art in a bowl, this salad came loaded with fresh, crisp greens, tender green beans, savory tomatoes, briny olives, and creamy potatoes. A scoop of hardwood-smoked Blis tuna and a delicate six-minute egg supply a healthy dose of protein, while a coating of delicate mustard-tarragon vinaigrette helps to marry the flavors together. And true to form, the whole ensemble is studded with happy little microgreens and tiny purple flowers.

No trip to Botanica is complete without a stroll through the market, where many of the ingredients from your meal can be purchased to take home with you. The refrigerator is stocked with fresh dairy and eggs and a vibrant rainbow of produce, while long shelves boast organic wines, jars of oils and spices, and house-made coconut cacao granola (which, be warned, is impossible to resist - our little container disappeared in just a day or two). All the components for a Botanica meal are here, and with a quick visit to the recipes section of their online magazine, you're invited to re-create the magic at home.

With both style and substance, and some undeniably delicious food, it's impossible to deny Botanica's allure. The icing on the breakfast-cake? The owners and staff are genuinely kind, wonderful human beings who are happy you've come, and are quick to invite you to their community - a community that we'd be honored to be a part of.

Botanica
1620 Silver Lake Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026

There are a lot of things to love about brunch. You get to sleep in. Coffee flows freely. Foods that should rightfully be dessert are served as an entrée, and a lot of things come topped with a fried egg. You get to hang out with your friends for a few hours in the daylight and talk about stuff other than work. But there's one really important thing about brunch that we don't celebrate here on Brunchographers quite as often as we should: Day Drinking (and yeah, I just capitalized that).

Bar area at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Brunch at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Day Drinking isn't always on the forefront of our brunching agenda - the need for both responsible driving and budgeting generally deter us, and, let's be real, we'd usually rather spend our money on a loaded waffle than on alcohol. But there are some places that were made for Day Drinking - where you can kick back, relax, and laugh the day away with your friends, and where the drinks are good enough to spring for an Uber. Salazar is one of those places.

Brunch Menu at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Located in a former auto body shop in L.A.'s Frogtown neighborhood, Salazar's dining area is almost entirely outdoors in what was probably once a parking lot. It feels well-worn and comfortable, kind of like your grandma's backyard, with faded multicolor school cafeteria chairs and simple wooden tables arranged beneath a few trees and a pergola, with potted cacti and succulents lined up atop bright blue painted walls. It's packed with young, hip Westsiders and their dogs and/or children (we spied a few attempting to climb the trees - oh, to be a kid again), yet it is somehow unpretentious and welcoming. This is the sort of place where you want to spend an entire day, slowly sipping tequila and enjoying the sunshine while you nibble on tacos and street corn.

What was once the auto body shop's garage now holds a colorful bar area, while the office has been transformed into a kitchen with a view - thanks to huge windows around the outside, you can watch the experts barbecuing meats over a grill and making homemade tortillas by the dozen. This wood-fired grill is what chef Esdras Ochoa had been dreaming of as his next venture after making a name for himself with the wildly popular Mexicali Taco & Co. (which is so good, it's a standard on just about any "Best of L.A." list). Even at brunch, you can enjoy large portions of his expertly grilled steak, pork, fish, or vegetables, though with all the tempting starters, breakfast options, and tacos, you may not make it that far down the menu. The offerings here are Sonoran-style Mexican food, a cuisine that is not commonly seen here in Los Angeles, but will be familiar to those from Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Calexico, CA, where Ochoa was raised.

In the Kitchen at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

The concept of making a reservation at Salazar is perplexing, particularly because as is stated on their amazing website (please, do yourself a favor and click that link), there is "NO PHONE YET." Thankfully, you can get by without a reservation just as easily. The wonderful cocktails from the bar will make you forget that you're waiting for something other than another margarita, and there's plenty of room for you to lounge around outside and shoot the breeze with your friends while you wait for a table to open up. Oh, and in case you've got a hangry person in your party, you can always order up a few snacks at the bar.

Cranberry Spritz at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Prickly Pear Margarita at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

To kick off our Day Drinking, we sampled the Prickly Pear Margarita and the Cranberry Spritz. Both were gorgeous in color, especially the almost neon pink margarita - which was also the more fun and flavorful of the two. It was tart, sweet, and all around a fun cocktail. We were hoping for a bit more of a tart punch with the Cranberry Spritz, but it was still tasty and it certainly packed a wallop.

Prickly Pear Margarita and Chips and Salsa at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Guacamole at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

At around midday on a busy weekend, the wait for our table wasn't long as we expected it might be (we hadn't even finished our first round of drinks), and the short amount of down time offered us a chance to peruse the menu. We started with some guacamole (because why not?) and the Carne Asada Fries. The guacamole was just as delicious as you'd expect; topped with creamy queso fresco and some pumpkin seeds for added crunch.

Carne Asada Fries at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

The Carne Asada Fries are a perfect bar food: a huge pile of deep fried potatoes, topped with heaps of meat and drizzled with sauce - basically, exactly what the doctor ordered to accompany some Day Drinking (or perhaps to help you recover from whatever Night Drinking you did the day before). They're decadent, rich, and oh-so-satisfying.

Green Eggs & Yams and Carne Asada Fries, Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Green Eggs & Yams at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

From the desayuno portion of the menu, we chose the Green Eggs & Yams and Chilaquiles. Green Eggs & Yams were another classic L.A. "all-my-favorite-things-in-a-bowl" moment: a base of vibrant purple kale topped with yams (a.k.a. camote), cheese, pepitas, and a gloriously crispy fried egg. There was a fun play on flavors between the sweet yams and the salted dressing, and the eggs and cheese added some creaminess into the mix.

Chilaquiles at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

The Chilaquiles were exactly what you'd want them to be: a big bowl of once-crisp tortilla chips, made soft with gobs of deliciously spicy sauce, cooled off by a heavenly combination of cotija cheese, crema, and avocado, and of course, all topped with a fried egg that was crispy on the edges and runny in the center. This dish is a heartwarming bowl of goodness that will satisfy even the hungriest of tummies.

Carne Asada Fries, Guacamole, and Tacos at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Tacos at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

And because we couldn't resist (who would want to?), we ordered up a few tacos, too. While simple, these were really delicious and full of flavor. Each was accented with a robust, smoky salsa and some pickled onions for acidity, and was wrapped in those soft, heavenly handmade flour tortillas. The standout filling was the Al Pastor; its perfectly cooked meat showed off what that Santa Maria-style barbecue could really do.

Salazar is a little bit like a home-away-from-home, as comfortable as your own backyard, but with significantly better food. Bring your kids, your dog, your mom, your dad, or your great uncle. Here, everyone will find something to love - especially if they're into tacos or Day Drinking. And who doesn't like at least one of those wonderful things?

Salazar
2490 Fletcher Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Botanica | Silver Lake, CA

Salazar | Los Angeles, CA