The Pikey | Los Angeles, CA

As the old saying goes, the only constant in life is change. Even things that seem to stay the same don’t really; with time they erode into dust-covered semblances of what they once were. In restless Los Angeles, the rate of change feels somehow faster, the streets morphing as quickly as a time-lapse video of a forest floor in spring. Here, where the oldest landmarks barely surpass 200 years of age, our sense of history is somewhat skewed. Perhaps that explains, then, the uproar that ensued when a dive bar called Ye Coach & Horses shuttered in 2010 after a 73-year run. Its regulars were devastated, creating a passionate Facebook campaign to save the dark, somewhat sticky former hangout of British expats like Richard Burton and Alfred Hitchcock. And, if legend is to be believed, where Quentin Tarantino and Tim Roth scribbled rich, provocative dialogue for Pulp Fiction on to bar napkins. But, like the fallen acorn on the forest floor, Ye Coach & Horses fell victim to the mighty force of change, and - in true Los Angeles style - was born again as a brighter, shinier version of itself.  

Entrance to The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The bar at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

In 2012, Ye Coach & Horses’ doors opened again, this time as “The Pikey.” Just as nostalgic as many of the bar’s regulars were, new owners Jared Meisler and and Sean MacPherson (Il Covo, Roger Room, Bar Lubitsch), took great care in restoring the space and retaining its charming English pub feel. In many ways, The Pikey is strikingly familiar: cozy red booths line bric-a-brac covered walls, a curving wooden bar offers a place to perch and enjoy a pint, a Union Jack presides over the festivities. Meanwhile, quite a few inarguable improvements have been made: a kitchen that was once the next-door Curry Palace is now the workspace of a Michelin-starred chef, a former storage space is now decorated with portraits of Maharajas and offers a place for both dancing and sports-viewing, and of course, those old sticky carpets have been replaced with crisp, clean tile floors.

The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Patio Seating at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Hallway to the Maharaja Room at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The Maharaja Room at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

As we learned on a recent trip abroad, English charm is also subject to the force of change: the food that gave England its once poor culinary reputation has been replaced over time with inventive, worldly, farm-to-table style fare - enough to make Jamie Oliver proud. So it’s only fitting that Meisler and MacPherson chose to hire Ralph Johnson, former Chef de Cuisine at The Spotted Pig - April Bloomfield’s legendary restaurant that, among other things, is credited with popularizing Britain’s gastropub phenomenon in the United States. Hailing from East Dulwich, London, Johnson creates food that proves that the British classics don’t need to be reimagined to be delicious, especially when prepared properly and with high-quality ingredients. His menu features quintessential British favorites from Shepherd’s Pie to Welsh Rarebit, all offered with a tall bottle of tangy HB Sauce on the side. If that’s not enough to make a British expat homesick, there’s even a proper Sunday roast each week, served with stuffing, Yorkshire pudding, and gravy - Hitchcock and Burton would surely be proud. 

A booth at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The bar at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

 Brunch was born in 19th Century England after all, so it’s only appropriate that The Pikey would offer a British spin on L.A.’s favorite meal. While there’s something a little peculiar about walking through a heavy curtain and into a dark bar on your way to your morning meal, once you head to the right, you’ll find that the former-Curry Palace side of the restaurant offers plenty of light by which to sip your mimosa. Or, if you’re willing to accept a bit of noise from Sunset Boulevard, there’s a charming, flower-lined patio out front. On our recent visit, we found a perch in the restaurant side, just under a skylight, with a good view of Chef Johnson’s gleaming white-tiled open kitchen. 

Open Kitchen at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Skylight Cocktail Menu at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Aperol Spritz at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

When brunching at a pub, a cocktail is a must, so we chose from the menu hanging in the skylight just above our heads. The Aperol Spritz was exactly what you’d hope it to be: bright, fizzy, and citrusy with just a hint of bitterness, in the prettiest pink-to-orange gradient. [Side note: can we please nominate this drink as the new Mimosa? It’s light enough that drinking it before noon still feels pleasant, but it’s got some serious depth of flavor - plus, it looks so much more glamorous.]

Aperol Spritz at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Crumpet with Honeycomb & Clotted Cream at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Biscuit with Maple Butter at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Crumpet with Honeycomb & Clotted Cream at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

To begin, we’d wholeheartedly recommend a house-made pastry. For those missing the U.K., the Crumpet with Honeycomb and Clotted Cream is a must, if for no other reason than the dollop of absolutely luscious homemade clotted cream on top (why is clotted cream not a thing in the U.S.?). The pillowy crumpet comes to the table warm enough to soften the honey and cream on top, and the gently salted dough becomes a perfect sponge for all that sweet, creamy topping. If crumpets aren’t your thing, you can’t go wrong with the Homemade Biscuits with Maple Butter. While biscuits and butter feel more typical of an American brunch, The Pikey’s version is not to be overlooked: these are surprisingly crisp on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside, and are served with a hearty helping of creamy, salty-meets-sweet whipped butter. 

Biscuit with Maple Butter at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Biscuit with Maple Butter at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Full English Breakfast at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

British Expats will appreciate the impressively authentic Full English: an absolutely gorgeous mess of fried eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, roasted tomato, and mushroom, served atop a thick slice of toast. The perfect bite has just a bit of everything - firm beans in a gently spiced tomato sauce, juicy sausage packed with fragrant fennel, perfectly crisp and salty bacon, tender roasted vegetables, runny egg yolk, and a bit of sweet, soft bread. Sure, there’s no black pudding, but we have a hard time imagining an Angeleno going for black pudding, anyway. 

Full English Breakfast at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Full English Breakfast at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Full English Breakfast and Fish & Chips at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Fish & Chips at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

We couldn’t walk out of The Pikey without sampling the Fish & Chips, perhaps the most wonderful of British innovations (after the invention of brunch, of course). This version lives up to the best of what we tasted in London - the thick breading was light and not at all greasy, and the fish inside was flaky, tender, and moist. On the side is a deliciously simple tartar sauce and a heap of wonderfully crispy thrice-cooked chips (rumored to be Heston Blumenthal’s recipe). We even loved the lightly dressed spears of romaine propped somewhat perplexingly on top - a bite of cool, crisp lettuce is somehow exactly what this indulgent plate of fried food needs. 

Fish & Chips at The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

Sure, the bar stool that Hitchcock once perched on is probably in a dumpster somewhere, and the napkin that played canvas for a bit about a Royale with Cheese is surely gone, but there’s still a palpable sense of history at The Pikey - enough to satisfy even the most nostalgic of Angelenos. Change may be unstoppable, but perhaps we can meet it somewhere in the middle with a cold pint of beer and a heaping plate of chips, under the storied ceilings of The Pikey.

The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The Pikey, Los Angeles, CA

The Pikey
7617 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046

a.o.c. | Beverly Grove, CA

It’s important to have a lottery plan, so that if you're ever fortunate enough to hit it big, you'll know exactly what to do with all that newfound cash - otherwise, you may find yourself aimlessly buying Ferraris with nowhere to put them. It should come as no surprise that my lottery plan does not include even one Ferrari, and instead involves abandoning the hustle and bustle of city life and moving into an ancient farmhouse in Provence. I’d wake up with the sun each morning, learn how to grow my own food, drink lots of wine, and practice my French until it was flawless. Over time, I'd be able to convince my neighbors to invite me over for dinner (I’m a dreamer, but I’m not completely out of touch - I’d need to win them over, of course), and we'd enjoy incredible home-cooked food in their picturesque garden, sipping wine under the stars, to the soundtrack of a bubbling fountain. Sure, this plan is basically the plot of one of my favorite books, but I never claimed to be original - I’m a basic American Francophile, and I’ve made peace with that. 

While my odds of winning the lottery remain painfully low, taking a mini-trip into my French garden dream life is completely feasible - in fact, I recently discovered that it’s as simple as booking a patio table at a.o.c. in Beverly Grove. The dreamy outdoor space at Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s Mediterranean small plates and wine bar concept is like something out of an impressionist painting: white stucco walls covered in vibrant green ivy are accented with warm red brick, clusters of elegant cushioned metal chairs surround simple wooden tables, French-style windows and doors are propped open to let the late-summer breezes flow. Here, you are transported away from the hectic, congested streets of Los Angeles and into the pastoral European countryside, where time passes slowly, good wine flows freely, and food is impossibly fresh and delicious. 

When a.o.c. first opened its doors 15 years ago, those doors were actually about one mile east of where they are today. After finding success in their first collaboration, Lucques, Goin and Styne felt the itch to create something new - this time, a menu designed for the grazer: a long list of market-driven small plates to be shared with the table, paired with a robust list of wines by-the-glass perfect for sampling. The concept was well-received, and is credited with launching the small plates trend that continues to sweep the city. After ten years in a small location near the Original Farmers Market, a historic and beloved restaurant space became available (beloved especially by Styne, who frequented the space with her mother back when it was the power-lunch spot Orso), and a relocation felt like it was meant to be. New life was breathed into the restaurant, and its alluring patio opened up an opportunity for the addition of lunch and brunch service. Today, a.o.c. can be found on nearly every list of top Los Angeles brunch destinations, revered not only for its enchanting atmosphere, but for its inventive and distinctive cuisine. 

If you’re a frequent visitor to our blog, you’ll recall that just a few weeks ago, we visited another of Goin and Styne’s restaurants: a.o.c.’s younger sister, Tavern. Details like flawless service, a sprawling biodynamic wine list, and Goin's signature French-meets-California cooking style make the two restaurants’ shared parentage somewhat obvious, but they're also each distinctive in their own way. While Tavern achieves a refined and quiet elegance, a.o.c. feels decidedly more familial and bucolic: perhaps it's the small shareable dishes that make their way around each table, or the casual plate lunches piled high with cheese, roasted vegetables, and slabs of rustic bread, or maybe it's the ever-present large groups laughing together over a bottle of wine. If Tavern is the sister who invites you up for brunch at her impossibly luxurious penthouse in the city, a.o.c. is the one who invites you to spend the week in the European countryside with her entire family, cooking meals together and drinking the local wine. 

About that wine... our recent meal at a.o.c. made us realize: why aren't we drinking more wine at brunch? With our server's expert guidance, we sampled several wines that were begging to be sipped alongside brunch fare. Our choice, a Sciacarello rosé from Corsica, was crisp and bright with a subtle, earthy complexity that paired particularly well with the roasted vegetables in our meal. Try getting that from a citrus-drenched mimosa. 

While the small plates mentality is king during dinner service at a.o.c., it can either be politely ignored or warmly embraced at brunch. We, of course, cannot help ourselves when presented with the opportunity to sample as much as possible, so we ordered a few items to share. We began with a "Plate Lunch": a board of cheese, meats, dips, bread, and other small bites perfect for sharing. Ours was the Farmer's Lunch, a vegetarian spin on the concept that included beautifully roasted peppers and eggplant, a cloud of soft burrata cheese, mounds of savory muhammara and chickpea puree, and expertly-dressed fresh greens and tomatoes. On the side were two thick slices of lightly charred sourdough, just waiting to be piled high with toppings. While this dish is simple in concept, there's something incredibly satisfying about being able to create a new flavor combination with each bite: some were soft and mild, others intense and spiced. The muhammara was absolute heaven; we would have taken a gallon home with us if given the chance. 

For a breakfast that truly evokes the feeling of a quiet morning in the country, there is the Grilled Asparagus with Polenta. At the base is a hearty serving of thick, creamy polenta, perfectly seasoned and buttery. On top, a mound of roasted vegetables and greens, long spears of asparagus, a halved boiled egg with soft jammy yolks, a touch of cream, and a sprinkling of bright green chives. We especially loved how the rich, caramelized flavor of the roasted vegetables paired with the soft, velvety quality of the polenta and eggs. This is heartwarming food, immensely satisfying in both flavor and texture - the sort of thing you'd make at home if you could cook as well as Suzanne Goin. 

Finally, there was the dish that knocked our socks off: the Vanilla Bean French Toast. As certified brunch experts, we have tasted a lot of French Toast in our careers. And while we're certainly fans of good bread soaked in a sweet, eggy mixture and fried until crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, it's a rare day that a bite of French Toast produces an audible reaction from either one of us. Maybe it was the light and creamy whipped mascarpone, or perhaps it was the subtly sweet mixed berry compote, or the satisfying crunch of chopped marcona almonds. Whatever it was, we were giggly with joy as we slowly savored each vanilla-scented bite, hoping to commit its exquisiteness to memory. If a sweet brunch is your thing, this is an absolute must-order - we're currently working out an excuse to return as soon as possible and devour it all over again. 

While a idyllic setting or a superb meal can each be evocative and compelling in their own right, a.o.c. proves that when combined, they have the power to transport you to another place - a place of comfort and calm, where the allure of your lottery plan is somehow dwarfed by the promise of a nice glass of rosé, a cozy perch by the fountain, and a heaping pile of French Toast. 

a.o.c. 
8700 W 3rd St. 
Los Angeles, CA 90048
 

Crossroads Kitchen | Los Angeles, CA

Ten years ago, Los Angeles looked a little bit different. The differences weren’t drastic, but it was decidedly not the vibrant food lover’s playground that we know and love today - and it was a lot less friendly to those with dietary restrictions. Dining out as a vegan in those days meant one of two things: either you’d order a disparate collection of side dishes (holding the butter, of course) while you watched your pals chow down on meaty entrees, or you’d drag your open-minded friend to one of the handful of vegan Thai restaurants in town and have yourself a soy- and wheat-laden feast (orange crispy “chicken” still haunts my dreams in all the best ways). And while a fine dining experience was available if you were willing to travel, celebrating a special occasion with a memorable meal was a very rare occurrence - and in many cases, that same restaurant would be gone by the time you were ready to return for your next birthday (RIP Ubuntu, Cru, Madeline Bistro). More often than not, a vegan foodie was forced to rely on the good graces of a chef at a “regular” restaurant to create something free of animal products for them, silently hoping that someone in the kitchen actually knew what vegan meant, and that their meal wouldn’t contain any hidden chicken broth, gelatin, or fish sauce. 

As a former vegan, memories of meals like those flooded back as I eyed the menu at Crossroads Kitchen, L.A.’s first full-on-fancy plant-based restaurant. It’s easy to imagine how refreshing a visit to Crossroads must be for a longtime vegan; here, the world is your [artichoke] oyster, and the entire Mediterranean-style small plates menu is fair game. And that menu is exciting: by applying traditional French cooking techniques to healthful vegan ingredients, founder and chef Tal Ronnen's cuisine breaks free of the dreaded "hippie food" reputation that most vegetarian cuisine suffers from. Complete with a robust cocktail program and glamorous old-Hollywood style interiors, Crossroads provides an opportunity for vegans to indulge in the same decadent nights on the town that their carnivorous friends do. The icing on the cake? The food is delicious enough that said carnivorous friends will gladly come along for the ride, if they’re aware at all that their entire meal is animal-free.

While plant-based dining options are becoming more abundant as the movement gains traction, a satisfying vegan brunch still remains somewhat elusive. Casual cafés with avocado toasts and almond milk lattes are a dime a dozen, sure, but what of those beloved leisurely brunches spent sipping mimosas with good friends? To enjoy such a luxury, a vegan is often relegated to a bowl of plain oatmeal and fruit, or a bagel if she’s lucky. Fortunately, Crossroads offers reprieve on weekend mornings, as well, with a brunch menu replete with vegan versions of all the good stuff: Bloody Marys, “Chicken” and Waffles, French Toast, Shakshuka. 

Crossroads’ small-plates concept carries over to its brunch offerings, which, if you share our point of view, really just translates into a good excuse to try more dishes. For something sweet, we began our meal with the Kolache, a Czech sweet bread stuffed with jammy blueberries and drizzled with a bright lemony icing. As much as this little beauty may look like a donut, do not be fooled: the Kolache’s dough is dense and almost bread-like, which while surprising at first, offers a satisfying counterbalance to the sweet, almost syrupy filling. 

The Savory Crepe was certainly the most visually impressive of the group, stuffed with vibrant green peas and drenched in a luscious, creamy sauce, then sprinkled with micro greens and chopped herbs. A traditional crepe’s eggy, elastic quality is absent here, but is not missed - this version’s crisp edges and thick, savory center recall a chickpea socca, and offer an absorbent canvas for the cheesy Chardonnay sauce. Inside are mounds of crisp English peas, delicate pearl onions, and soft, nutty morel mushrooms, offering both depth of flavor and a lively contrast in texture. 

For reformed fast food lovers, there is the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich: a vegan answer to the Egg McMuffin if there ever was one. Palm-sized, portable, and immensely satisfying, this is the kind of thing we’d dream of eating on our way out the door in the morning (pssst, Tal, consider setting up a grab-and-go breakfast café - we’ll be first in line!). The sausage patty is by far the most convincing meat substitute we’ve encountered (which is no surprise, considering the hype surrounding the Impossible Burger), and the crisp layer of chickpea panisse is reminiscent of a deep-fried hashbrown. To seal the deal, a thick slice of vegan cheese (one of Ronnen’s many fortes), melts gently below a fresh, soft English muffin. 

If you’ve got room for dessert (and we almost always do, let’s be honest), the Cookies and Milk is a charming throwback to a favorite childhood treat. Our plate included a decadent fudgy brownie, a cacao-chip cookie with a spot-on ratio of salt to sweet to bitter, and crumbly fig fennel thumbprint cookie that was just a little bit salty and absolutely melted on the tongue. For dipping, it came with a little glass of vanilla coconut milk that made for a delightfully creamy accompaniment. 

If a trip to Crossroads Kitchen can teach us anything, it's that brunch needn't include eggs and bacon to be satisfying. So every once and a while, do your vegan friend a solid, and take her to a place where she can order something other than oatmeal - you may just enjoy it yourself, too. 

Crossroads Kitchen
8284 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Paramount Coffee Project | Los Angeles, CA

If there is one thing I have learned recently about the Aussies (and the Kiwis, for that matter), it's that they take their brunch and coffee very seriously. Their café culture is quite unlike ours - and in all the right ways. They don't rush things, they don't stand in line, they prefer independent coffee shops over chains, and they tend to actually interact with other humans when they visit their favorite café. And, they serve healthy, delicious food, presented in jaw-droppingly gorgeous fashion (remember Bondi Harvest? So pretty). Luckily, a some of that Aussie magic is slowly working its way to our shores - and it's strongly evidenced in the charming Paramount Coffee Project (a.k.a. "PCPLA") on Fairfax. 

Inside, PCPLA is modern and beautiful, decorated in bright greens and fresh foliage, with a wonderful indoor-outdoor vibe happening on the adorable little back patio. It's just a stone's throw from several other well-regarded coffee shops, but that doesn't seem to deter its popularity. The thoughtfully designed café attracts hordes of creative types, coffee enthusiasts, and foodies, all of whom seem to have nothing but good things to say about it - in fact I overheard more than one group discussing just how much they "loooove this place." 

PCPLA was founded by three Aussies with impressive coffee backgrounds: Jin Ng of Paramount House, Mark Dundon of Seven Seeds, and Russell Beard of Reuben Hills. The trio teamed up to open the original PCP location in Sydney in 2013, and after it proved successful, they opened their L.A. outpost on Fairfax in 2015. The same philosophies that worked so well in Sydney run true in L.A.: the team emphasizes experimentation and education in coffee roasting and brewing, focuses on creating the most delicious food and coffee possible, and strives to provide top-notch customer service. The coffee offerings are varied and unique - their beans come from around the world, many from roastaries we Angelenos haven't likely come across before. 

I stopped in PCPLA recently on a weekday just after the lunch rush, and was pleased to find that it wasn't too crowded. I was surprised at first by the unusual ordering system - indeed, you do not need to wait in line here if you plan to dine in. Instead I was instructed to take a seat, and informed that someone would come by to take my order (side note: why does table service feel like such a luxury these days? Is this a dying concept?). I got cozy on the back patio, a comfortable indoor-outdoor space with a large communal table as well as several small tables. They've also extended the space into the parking lot a bit, adding some wooden picnic tables and plenty of lush greenery (ensuring it feels more like a garden and less like a parking lot). My order was taken quickly, and the coffee came out before I could bat an eye. The service was truly top-notch - every staff member I spoke to was friendly, welcoming, and conversational. 

My cappuccino was served up in a simple-yet-satisfying matte ceramic mug - the kind you just want to wrap your hands around on a rainy L.A. day. The espresso's flavor pleasantly mild, and tasted nutty and creamy, and a bit like cocoa. It was beautifully smooth, and sipping it was almost like enjoying a decadent dessert. 

As it was past the lunch hour, and the menu was oh-so-tempting, I also decided to order up some food. This menu was absolute torture - just about everything sounded delicious. Since I've craving grain bowls lately (or as Jonathan Gold might say, "Things in a Bowl"), I chose the Superfood Bowl - quinoa, candy beets, roasted carrots, sunflower, cocoa, blueberry, lebni, and two poached eggs. If that description sounds a bit like a mishmash of things that don't really go together, you're not wrong - and yet, somehow, the magicians at PCPLA made it all work harmoniously. Imagine that! Eggs and blueberries in the same dish? Strange, yet so wonderful. The juxtaposition of textures in this dish was a delight, and each of the flavors complimented one another nicely - especially the tangy lebni with the sweet roasted carrots and the strong spice mixture sprinkled on top (which I assume to be dukkah). A little unusual, so satisfying, and so delicious. 

Truthfully, I cannot wait to come back and try more of the treats on this menu and enjoy the relaxed vibe that this team has created. And that's saying something - because there are a lot of good coffee shops in this city. Maybe even enough that you could keep trying a new one each week without repeating for the rest of your life. But there's something so genuinely appealing about PCPLA - their creative cuisine, their commitment to excellent coffee, and their sincere friendliness - that makes it worthy of a repeat visit. 

Paramount Coffee Project
456 N Fairfax Ave
LA 90036

Mardi | West Hollywood, CA

Los Angeles is, in some ways, a place to see and be seen. Many restaurants are designed with visibility in mind, perfect spots to debut your new arm candy or your fresh balayage dye job for all the world to see. Or, for us normal folks, perfect spots to sit around and gawk at wannabe celebrities (and occasional actual celebrities). This kind of overexposure can, however, be exhausting, leaving you longing for a little peace and quiet - but not without sacrificing a bit of Los Angeles luxury, of course. When the reclusive mood strikes, look no further than Mardi, a secluded indoor/outdoor restaurant tucked inside the Palihouse hotel in West Hollywood. Its garden setting is Parisian chic and California bohemian all at once, mixed with an old-world charm. It's luxurious and exotic - pretty much what you would imagine your second home in the South of France would look like. 

Part of Mardi's appeal is how secluded and quiet it is; even at prime brunch hour on a weekend, it's mostly open, offering a sense of ease and comfort (and eliminating that fear that your server's silently judging you for lingering over your mimosas for too long).  But be sure to appreciate its sense of calm now, because with so much delicious food and so much Instagram-worthy decor, the secret's bound to get out sooner or later. 

Mardi is helmed by Kris Tominaga, famous for his work at The Hart and the Hunter, a very popular restaurant serving up seasonal Southern cuisine inside the Palihotel Melrose. Mardi is relatively new on the scene at less than a year old, but has received much positive feedback for its European-style cuisine and family-style dinners. And as it's officially a hotel restaurant, Mardi is open for three meals a day, making it a lovely spot for weekday breakfast, as well. The weekend brunch menu features a wide variety of delights sure to please even picky eaters - from healthy dishes like salads and avocado toast to more indulgent fare like eggs benedict or steak and eggs. There's a lot to choose from, and it's all delicious.

We took advantage of the varied menu and sampled a wide range of dishes. To start, we shared the Pulled Chicken Salad, a light, refreshing dish with subtle fresh flavors - it was a excellent excuse to sneak in a few extra greens. Next, the chia seed overnight oats, which were light, creamy, and sweet, and the perfect option for those who prefer a lighter start to their day. We especially enjoyed the coconut flavor in this dish, which paired so nicely with the fresh berries. 

For main dishes, we were all feeling a bit savory - we went for the grilled salmon, baked eggs, and the pork chop. The grilled salmon is a great choice for those who are looking for something filling, but also healthy - paired with potatoes, fennel, and greens, this was simple yet flavorful, and very satisfying. For those looking for something a bit more indulgent, consider the pork chop: smothered in sauce and topped with two sunny side up eggs, this exactly the type of thing that makes weekend brunch so magical. Finally, the baked eggs. Served in an adorable little cast iron skillet and with a generous side of crispy toast, these were perfectly cooked and decadently creamy. The inclusion of the mushrooms is unexpected and delightful, and loads of fresh parsley add a bright, fresh flavor. 

Mardi was a lovely spot to rest, catch up with friends, and linger over delicious food. It's a perfect hideaway from the hustle and bustle of West Hollywood, offering some beauty and calm in a secluded environment. Like splurging on a fancy hotel for a night, a brunch at Mardi will infuse your normal, mundane life with a little bit of luxury! Enjoy it - you deserve it!

Mardi - at Palihouse, 8465 Holloway Drive, West Hollywood, CA 90069