AR Cucina | Culver City, CA

While we may not know her personally, we feel a little bit like Akasha Richmond is an old, dear friend of ours. Throughout our years in Culver City, she’s always been there, in a beautiful brick building on the corner of Washington and Watseka, ready to serve up breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee, or dinner. Her food is both delicious and healthful, with plenty of options no matter what your current dietary restriction might be. Akasha is a mainstay in the ever-changing landscape of the Culver City restaurant scene - even if the place you were planning to try suddenly closed, or if that other place that your coworkers were talking about has a line out the door, Akasha is there for you, and her food’s probably better than that place with the line, anyway. 

So when your old friend Akasha opens up a new eatery just a stone’s throw from the original, there’s cause for celebration. Such was the case when Sambar, Akasha’s upscale take on Indian food, opened up shop. With fun, funky cocktails, wildly flavorful sauces, and a pillowy turmeric naan that could knock your socks off, the celebration was real. But in just over a year, Sambar caught the dreaded Culver City restaurant flu and disappeared. Fortunately, the morning period was brief, because just as soon as Sambar disappeared, AR Cucina materialized, swapping masala for margharita. At first glance, not much had changed (it underwent a very minor makeover in which some of its quirky Indian decor was swapped out for a more rustic, Italian look), and the restaurant’s biggest draws remained in tact - a spacious covered outdoor patio for an al fresco happy hour, a massive bar with creative cocktails, and a tempting menu with options for just about everyone. 

AR Cucina pays tribute to Akasha’s extensive time spent traveling throughout Italy, where she studied the craft of Italian cooking and food production. The tenets of classic Italian cooking pair perfectly with Akasha’s cooking philosophy - as with her namesake restaurant, offerings at AR Cucina change seasonally and are made with the highest quality ingredients possible, either sourced locally or thoughtfully imported. Another carry-over from Akasha is a wealth of options for those following a specific diet, including plenty of vegetable-forward meatless dishes, a couple of vegan cheeses, and gluten-free pastas and pastries. To tie it all together, AR Cucina offers a lively cocktail program headed up by beverage director Clare Ward, which most notably features six different takes on a Negroni and a rotating menu of fun, seasonal tipples. 

In classic Akasha Richmond style, AR Cucina breaks the rules and has its own version of Italy-meets-California cuisine, a blend illustrated perfectly by the brunch menu. To start, pastries, bruchettas, and salads highlighting California staples like avocados, beets, and figs. Next, a section for classic American breakfast lovers: "piatta all' uovo," or "big plates with eggs." Then, sandwiches, pastas, and pizza, for the brunchers who really just want a big Italian lunch. There's dessert, too, of course, but we'll get to that later. 

We began our brunch with a cocktail, because with names like "Sophia Loren," "Italian Stallion," and "Francesca Verde," we were too charmed to resist. We opted for the "Sorrento Spritz," a rose-colored beauty with aperitivo, limoncello, strawberry-basil shrub, rosé, and seltzer. This was bright, flavorful, and refreshing - a great way to ease into a slow summer morning. 

Even with two dairy-allergic brunch dates, we found that there were plenty of options for everyone. For a starter, we sampled the Bruschetta, which is essentially AR Cucina's Italian version of toast: slices of toasted ciabatta topped with strawberry-rosemary jam and almond ricotta. It's a crunchy, tangy, shareable riff on Sqirl's famed ricotta toast, and it also happens to be dairy-free. Just like the varieties that are so popular next door at Akasha, the strawberry-rosemary jam is tart and packed with flavor, and it pairs perfectly with the creamy almond ricotta. 

For brunch purists, there is the Two Eggs and Toast, served with either chicken sausage or bacon. We opted for the house-made chicken sausage, juicy, hand-molded patties that had just a bit of a kick. For something with a bit more color, the Polenta Cake & Short Rib Ragu is sure to please - with triangles of soft, creamy polenta, a heap of crisp, colorful salad, and perfect runny eggs atop a rich short rib ragu, this dish manages to maintain balance between light and heavy. 

When comfort food is in order, the Porchetta Hash is the way to go. Tender fingerling potatoes absorb the juicy flavors of succulent, herb-roasted pork, are topped with two runny fried eggs, and are served alongside a few slices of rustic toast. That last bit is crucial, really - the rich, decadent combination is begging to be sopped up with some crisp-yet-absorbent bread. 

Finally, the Brunch Pizza offers a chance to satisfy your need for both breakfast and lunch, whether viewed through its half-breakfast, half-lunch components or simply its double-meal-worthy size. It looks a bit like a work of art, with pizza dough for a canvas, dotted with hunks of house-made sausage and a creamy baked egg, painted with vibrant tomato sauce and melted cheese, accented with wilted spring onions and curly arugula. The crust's edges are crisp and kissed with char, and the egg's yolk is creamy and smooth. It's certainly enough to share, but no one would judge you if you chose not to. 

If brunch-dessert is your thing, you will not be disappointed - Akasha's popular homemade ice creams and cookies are available here, alongside more formal desserts like tiramisu or olive oil cake. We sampled the delicious seasonal peach crostata, with two flavors of ice cream on the side (because the lactose-intolerant deserve some dessert, too). The crostata is simple, buttery, and not too sweet - just what you'd hope a good summer peach tart would be. Sea salt caramel gelato provided a creamy, almost savory accompaniment to the crostata, while the dark chocolate sorbetto offered a rich, darker opposition. 

Between the delightful cocktails, a perfect outdoor perch, and spot-on flavors throughout the meal, our old friend Akasha did not let us down with her take on Italian brunch. Here's hoping that AR Cucina will remain in our regular Culver City rotation for many years to come. 

AR Cucina
9531 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

Primo Italia | Torrance, CA

It's no secret that the breakfasting habits of Italians and Americans are wildly different. A traditional breakfast in Italy is little more than a croissant and a cappuccino, while in the States, we stereotypically tuck into enormous plates of fried eggs, hashbrowns, toast, and bacon. Yes, these may be exaggerated versions of the truth (I don't know about you, but you won't often catch me eating diner-style breakfast on an average weekday morning), but they are at least partially based in fact. To put it simply, food before noon is done differently in Italy, and brunch is not high on their priority list. There are a few things, however, that we can all agree on - for one, we all love Italian food. For another, we can all appreciate the time-honored concept of a grand Sunday meal. Whether it's the Americans' leisurely mid-morning mashup of breakfast and lunch with friends or the Italians' abundant multi-course family affair that stretches into the late afternoon, everyone can agree that Sundays are best spent eating delicious food and enjoying the company of loved ones. 

How best can we celebrate this overlap in the cultural Venn diagram of our two countries' eating habits? Why, by partaking in a long, leisurely Italian-inspired Sunday brunch, of course. Fortunately, the concept of Italian restaurants serving brunch is not foreign to Southern California, so finding that beautiful marriage between vibrant Italian flavors and comforting classic brunch is completely within your grasp. Especially if you live near Torrance - where you will find the delightful Primo Italia, nestled on the top of a little hill. 

What is most evident about Primo Italia upon entering is its unique blend of elegance and coziness; displays of tchotchkes and knick-knacks are paired with luxurious contemporary seating and a sleek marble bar. There's a baby grand piano and an old-fashioned microphone situated by the entrance, inviting you to come back in the evening for a live performance that will undoubtedly transport you to another place and time. Framed old photos tell the stories of charismatic owner Lou Giovannetti's Italian-American family, who worked hard to provide a comfortable life for their children back in New York, and who appreciated the importance of spending time with family and sharing good food. 

A sense of reverence for the past is tangible here, and it extends well beyond the decorating philosophy and into the kitchen. Chef Michelangelo Aliaga, who Giovannetti calls "a true heritage-based Italian cook," moved to the States at the age of 19, and worked his way up through some of the most loved Italian restaurants in the country. His strong culinary background and his passion for history shine through in his extensive dinner menu; each dish tells a story about a place and time in Italian history. The brunch menu is similarly substantial: its upper half is devoted to Italian takes on breakfast classics, and its lower half features some lunch-appropriate favorites from the dinner menu. 

As tempting as the lower half of the menu was, as brunch enthusiasts, we were naturally inclined toward the top half of Aliaga's menu - specifically toward dishes that combined some of our favorite things: eggs and tomatoes. First was the Uova in Purgatorio, or Eggs in Purgatory: two eggs baked in a cast iron skillet with a spicy tomato sauce, served with crusty bread and soft, creamy cheese. The dish was piping hot (even after we'd spent several minutes photographing it) thanks to the skillet, yet the egg yolks remained perfectly cooked and runny. The flavorful sauce highlighted the tangy tomatoes, and supported their bright flavor with a satisfying, subtle spiciness. Bread is a must in a dish like this, and this airy Italian loaf was the perfect vehicle for the saucy, yolky, creamy meal - next time, we'll ask for an extra slice. 

Next was the Omelette di Burrata Pomodoro e Basilico, a fluffy omelette stuffed with Italian staples like creamy burrata cheese, fresh heirloom tomatoes, and aromatic basil. This dish is a perfect example of the Italian tradition of combining just a few simple, high quality ingredients to create something delightfully uncomplicated. It's served alongside some well-cooked potatoes and crunchy bacon, with a few extra slices of those divine, in-season tomatoes as an extra treat. 

A dessert course is an important part of a leisurely brunch, so something sweet was in order to end our meal - the Ricotta Pancake. This dish, while not what you'd normally expect from a pancake, fits its description perfectly: it is a super-dense, creamy cake, baked and served in a cast-iron pan. So yeah, a literal pan-cake. Topped with baked apples, a generous dousing of house-made honey syrup, and a dollop of ricotta, this was a sweet and satisfying end to our meal. Make sure you get a top-up on your coffee before this dish, too - the combination is delightful. 

While the Italian tradition of a big, Sunday meal with family may not exist in most of modern America, it's clear that many of us still yearn for the warm, comforting, nostalgic feeling that such a meal inspires. Perhaps our new tradition of brunch is a response to this need, a way to establish human connection and bonding over an activity that everyone enjoys, on a day that is meant for rest and reflection. Primo Italia offers the perfect environment for embracing this practice - with heartwarming food, a kind and welcoming staff, and a relaxed, beautiful space, you'll feel like you've come home to your big, Italian family just in time for Sunday supper. Mangiamo!

Primo Italia
24590 Hawthorne Boulevard
Torrance, Ca 90505