Tonkatsu Chicken Sandwich at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

Best Girl | Downtown Los Angeles, CA

December 11, 2017 by Veronica Kablan in Los Angeles Restaurants

While most change happens gradually, there are times when life pulls a Metamorphosis and flips your world upside down overnight. An example: one evening, you may find yourself dining in your hotel’s restaurant, enjoying a few gems found amidst an overall unremarkable menu. It’s not worth writing home about but it’s nothing to complain about either, and the place certainly delivers on the “cooler than thou” vibe that you were promised upon booking your room at the Ace. You go to sleep (maybe you dream about too-tough octopus, what do I know?), and you wake up to a note slipped under your door. It’s announces that the restaurant from last night now has an entirely different name, and an entirely different chef. Oh, and that chef is quite possibly the best in the city. When you wander down for breakfast, the place looks the same and sounds the same, but it now smells of bacon and possibility - and of that rare satisfaction of knowing you got to experience a cool new thing before anyone else did.

For the record, the above example is not at all what happened to us; your faithful Brunchographers were not on the premises the day Michael Cimarusti pulled a Lemonade and transformed the Ace Hotel’s L.A. Chapter into Best Girl overnight. But we are fairly accomplished when it comes to visualization, and we can identify with how exciting that moment might have felt for those who were there. In reality, we rolled up to the Ace about a month after the deed had already been done, fashionably late under the guise of giving the restaurant some time to “get its bearings” (sure, that’s it - our delay had nothing at all to do with the fact that schlepping downtown is such a process). Inside, the restaurant is as hip as you’d expect the Ace’s restaurant to be: cozy without sacrificing design, vintage with just the right amount of modern, and quirky without going over the top. Sure, the pencil-drawn caricatures on the walls may leer at you as you walk to the bathroom, but a pump of the high-end perfumed soap will bring you right back down to earth.

Rainbows over our menu at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

The menu at Best Girl is a departure from what Angelenos might expect from Cimarusti - rather than the elegant seafood-focused dishes he’s known for at Providence and Connie & Ted’s, the fare here reflects the more casual meals that the chef and his family prepare at home. Each item has ties to either Cimarusti or his wife (pastry chef Crisi Echiverri, who oversaw Best Girl’s dessert program) in some way, be it flavors borrowed from their families’ ancestral heritage or a riff on a dish they love to prepare for their son. In some ways, a perusal of Best Girl’s menu is like taking a look into what a great culinary mind’s day off might look like, whether it’s a quick and simple breakfast, a satisfying midday meal, or a relaxed dinner shared with friends.

Cozy seating at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

At brunch, a wide array of Best Girl’s favorites can be enjoyed, with options from both the breakfast and the lunch menus at your fingertips. You may want to begin with a cocktail, like the Lucky Girl, a tart and floral option that arrives with a paper fortune to help you plan your future. If something from a bottle’s more your thing, there are plenty of tempting options on the eclectic wine and beer lists. Or, if it’s one of those days (and it was for me), you may choose to stick with a classic cup of coffee, because it’s Stumptown, and its deliciousness will warm your heart.

Buckwheat Pancakes at Best Girl, Los Angeles, CA

As for food, the Buckwheat Pancakes both confounded our palates and satisfied that persistent craving for something soft, fluffy, and a little bit sweet. While these run a little thinner than the average pancake, their warm nutty flavor and light texture is as pleasant as it gets. On top, the blueberry compote tastes homemade and lends a tart, satisfying punch, while a drizzle of maple syrup offers mellow sweetness. But what truly sets these cakes apart is a mound of creamy butter that’s been smoked, offering a hint of campfire to every bite. It’s at first confusing, and then it becomes a little bit funny, and it finally settles in as charming, warm, and comforting. Hey, if your brunch isn’t sending you on a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster, you’re missing out.

Now, listen very carefully: you will be cheating yourself if you walk away from Best Girl without trying the Tonkatsu Chicken Sandwich. Please trust us on this. Between the two halves of a light and spongy sesame bun lies a flavor combination that is absolutely divine: a crunchy-yet-delicate crust envelops juicy and tender chicken, a swirl of yuzu koshu mayo offers tang and umami all at once, and a heap of miso cabbage is both creamy and tender. If we were doing a top-ten-things-we-ate-this-year list (and after this dish, we thought about it), this sandwich would be on it, and it would be very near the top. So just order it.

It is amazing to consider that a restaurant with a pedigree like Best Girl’s could open without an ounce of fanfare, and that one of L.A.’s most esteemed fine dining chefs could suddenly shift focus to create down-to-earth, comforting, everyday meals — but perhaps it’s this restaurant's sense of rebelliousness and willingness to challenge the status quo that makes the entire Best Girl experience so alluring.

Best Girl
927 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Fancy French Toast with Blueberry Sauce & Whipped Cream Cheese

November 28, 2017 by Veronica Kablan in At Home

December is nearly here - which means, the time for fancy food is upon us. Between the holiday soirées with intricate canapés and cocktails and the marathon family dinners that take days to prepare, people tend to go a little overboard with sensory delights at this time of year - and we love it. Especially when that overboard attitude is applied to brunch, like in this recipe for Fancy French Toast. Can you think of anything more over-the-top delightful than orange-scented French Toast with not just one ooey-gooey delicious sauce, but two? We surely can't. (Unless, of course, you were to pair that French Toast with a fizzy Mimosa.) So naturally, this is our new go-to recipe for a homemade holiday brunch.

To keep our holiday to-do list to a manageable length, we employed one of our favorite shortcuts for this brunch: ordering groceries from Milk & Eggs. Having farmers-market-quality groceries dropped at our doorstep feels a little bit like getting a visit from Santa himself - fortunately, these gifts are available year round.

Whether you make it for a crowd or for yourself, this decadent brunch treat is exactly the right amount of fancy to celebrate the season. Happy Brunching!

Fancy French Toast with Blueberry Sauce and Whipped Cream Cheese

Ingredients

For the French Toast
1 loaf challah or brioche, cut to 1" thick slices
4 eggs
1 1/4 c half & half or milk of choice
1/4 c fresh orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 c sugar
pinch of ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
butter or neutral oil for pan-frying

For the Blueberry Sauce
2 c fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 c fresh orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved into 1/4 c water

For the Whipped Cream Cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c cream or half & half
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Begin by preparing the whipped cream cheese. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the cream cheese and cream or half & half. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until just combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Next, prepare the blueberry sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups blueberries, orange juice and zest, sugar, and 1/4 cup water. Stir gently, and bring to a low boil. Once the mixture has reached a boil, stir in the dissolved cornstarch mixture and simmer for about three minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup blueberries and remove from heat. If mixture is too thick, add more water to achieve desired consistency. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
In wide mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add in the half & half or milk, orange juice and zest, vanilla, sugar, ginger, and salt and whisk until well combined.
Working in batches of two, soak bread slices in egg mixture for 1-2 minutes per side or until soaked through.
Meanwhile, melt one tablespoon of butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is hot and bubbling, place the soaked bread slices in the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp on the edges.
While the first slices are cooking, heat the oven to 250 degrees F, and begin soaking next two slices of bread. Once first slices are done, remove from pan and place on a baking sheet in the heated oven to keep warm. Repeat frying process with remaining slices of bread, replenishing butter or oil in frying pan as needed.
To serve, top each serving of hot French Toast with a generous drizzle of warm blueberry syrup and a large dollop of whipped cream cheese. If desired, garnish with fresh blueberries, powdered sugar, or orange slices. Enjoy!

Groceries for this post were kindly provided by Milk & Eggs, our favorite grocery delivery service! All opinions are our own.

Barbara Jean LA | Los Angeles, CA

November 12, 2017 by Veronica Kablan in Los Angeles Restaurants

There’s no denying it: life in the Information Age is exciting. Nearly every element of our daily lives has been transformed in some way by the Internet; from the obvious (light-speed communication) to the mundane (“life hack” videos showing us how to more efficiently fold t-shirts). For many, the most impactful changes have been through an internet-prompted progression in career: aside from a flood of new jobs in social media marketing, the path to success in nearly any profession need no longer follow the cut-and-dry avenues of our parents’ generation. It’s clear that this modern culture of connectivity challenges the structures that have long defined how our society functions, and for some, offers an opportunity to escape the bounds of a traditional career. The world can be anyone’s oyster, especially for those willing to get out there, break with tradition, and put in some hard work (though it must be said that unfortunately, some will have to work harder than others).

True to history, the revolution is led by artists - by and large, it’s the creators who are stepping outside the bounds and trying something new. In the world of food, chefs rebel against the pomp and circumstance of fine dining, replacing crisp white tablecloths and mood lighting with food from the heart served in unconventional locations. At pop-up dinners organized with the aid of the internet, some of the country’s most compelling meals have been served outdoors atop milk crates or in a willing participant’s cozy home kitchen. Yes, traditional fine dining still holds its own, but it is the new crop of modern rebels who are making the headlines. Take Chef Jason Fullilove, whose series of successful pop-ups featuring his modern and meticulously crafted take on soul food recently morphed into a permanent (if unconventional) setup on a bar’s back patio in the Fairfax district.

Fullilove’s modern rebel project, called Barbara Jean, is named for his mother - a rebel in her own right, who spent much of her life providing for underprivileged children in war-torn countries. The food that Fullilove shares with us at Barbara Jean honors traditional American soul food, and imbued with his years of experience cooking in fine-dining restaurants, offers a perfect middle ground between down-home comfort and elegant sophistication. Yes, these flavors will evoke memories of soul food in the south - the hush puppies brought me straight back to memorable meals of my childhood - but they will also challenge and delight the palate as much as a good fine-dining meal would.

Brunch at Barbara Jean begins with a selection of creative cocktails from the front of the house, leveraging off the restaurant’s roommate: a speakeasy-inspired bar called the Melrose Umbrella Company. With charming names and unconventional garnishes, it is difficult to pass up a pre-brunch tipple. We enjoyed a rainbow of sips: the Romance without Pressure, made with gin, passionfruit, and grapefruit; the Melrose Mule, a delicately sweet stunner garnished with a slice of dried blood orange that glittered like a stained glass window; and the Mezcali Me Banana, a fruity concoction brought down to earth with a smoky branch of charred rosemary.

The list of starters and sides at Barbara Jean may leave you dizzy - who could possibly choose between hush puppies and buttermilk biscuits? - but for the portion and price, sampling a healthy cross-section is well within the realm of possibility. Fullilove’s Buttermilk Biscuits are crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside, made substantial with hearty whole wheat flour and paired with a quenelle of fluffy-sweet butter. Hush puppies arrive in an artful wreath, placed atop a delicate, fragrant, and completely unexpected truffle honey sauce. They’re better than what I remember eating as a child; crisp like a well-fried donut outside, broken open to reveal a piping-hot, pillowy, sweet corn center. For a vegetarian alternative to Fullilove’s much-loved Curry Fried Chicken, there is a cauliflower version of the same dish. Crispy fried nuggets of tender cauliflower are arranged artfully atop a spiced aioli, and are decorated with tangy house-made pickled vegetables, creating a varied and compelling coterie of flavors that somehow achieves careful balance.

Brunch mains run the gamut from breakfast staples to hearty midday fare. Our table was drawn to the savory options, though both pancakes and waffles nearly managed to capture our attention - there’s always a next time, I suppose. For our vegetarian friend, there was the Omelet of the Day, packed with vegetables, sweet winter squash, and cheddar cheese. While this dish is normally served with a side of bacon, avocado made for a pleasant meatless alternative. At the opposite end of the food spectrum, there is the Heritage Pork Belly: a yam latke topped with succulent chunks of pork belly, soft poached eggs, roast apple sauce, and sweet maple mustard. A perfect bite from this dish hits the flavor quaternity: salt, fat, acid, and heat - with a little bonus sweetness to bring it all home. Finally, we couldn’t have a comfort food brunch without sampling the Shrimp and Grits. Fullilove’s presentation is playful; the shrimp’s head and tail cheekily poke out from each end of the bowl as if it’s swimming through the creamy pool of grits. A plump tomato and whole clove of garlic poached in olive oil provide both earthiness and acidity, while a vibrant green drizzle packs in herbaceous flavor. The combination is comforting, complex, and satisfying.

At Barbara Jean, Jason Fullilove and his team are not bound by convention. They are flexible, adaptable, and free to have fun with food; a shining example of the innovation and originality that the Information Age can inspire. And hopefully, a labor of love like Barbara Jean is a herald of the food world to come: a welcoming environment replete with creativity, cultural and gastronomic diversity, and a serious appreciation for good food.

Barbara Jean LA
7465 Melrose Ave,
Los Angeles, CA 90046

The Lazy Girl's Brunch

November 03, 2017 by Veronica Kablan in At Home

It's true: we love throwing beautiful, over-the-top brunches for our friends. All those hours spent flipping through the glossy pages of Martha Stewart Living are probably to blame; we are forever enchanted by idyllic soirées in which everything - from the napkin rings to the croquembouche - is handmade. But as wonderful as a picturesque Martha-worthy brunch can be, sometimes, you need to keep it simple and hang out on the couch in your yoga pants. And so, The Lazy Girl's Brunch was born.

There is only one rule for throwing a Lazy Girl's Brunch: keep the effort to a minimum, for all parties involved. Invitations must be web-based (don't you dare use a stamp); a text message chain is even better. Friends should roll out of bed and wander over to the party makeup-free and with hungry tummies, ready for some late-morning relaxation. The host shouldn't do much more than a quick vacuum or tidy, and can acceptably use (compostable) paper plates and utensils to avoid doing extra dishes. As for the food, the less cooking, the better - and bonus points for ordering online and having groceries delivered to your doorstep.

For our brunch groceries, we turned to Milk & Eggs, a local service that delivers all of our favorite products (including the natural and organic stuff that we usually have to go to specialty stores to find). The website is packed with goodies both from local farms and suppliers and from big-name health food brands - it feels kind of like what would happen if you married a farmers market with a natural grocery store. Truthfully, the process could not have been smoother - we placed our order online, chose a delivery date, and woke up that morning with the carefully packaged order waiting at our front door.

To keep with our lazy theme, we chose brunch items that would require very little preparation: plenty of seasonal fresh fruit, cups of yogurt with granola, a bagel bar with all the fixings, and a loaf of banana bread for a little something sweet. For drinks, we chose Califia Farms' orange juice and Black & White Cold Brew (not only the easiest way to serve cold brew, but also the most delicious - I'm hooked for life).

Friends could choose to dress up their bagels as either sweet or savory (or, in most cases, one of each). Some went for the classic cream cheese, smoked salmon, pickled onions, and capers combination, while others turned their bagels into circular avocado toast topped with egg and tomato. An adventurous friend layered her bagel first with cream cheese, then with Justin's peanut butter, banana slices, and honey - a combination so surprisingly delicious that we wouldn't be mad if it became the new toast trend.

Using organic Greek yogurt and Kesson's Kitchen's delicious, grain-free granola, some guests made pretty parfaits topped with sliced fresh fruit. Or, for something a bit sweeter, we sliced into Bread Lounge's banana bread with chocolate chips and pecans - smeared with yogurt and a little honey, this was a filling and scrumptious treat.

With all the impending holiday hubbub, we can't think of a better way to kick back and relax than with a Lazy Girl's Brunch - it's the perfect marriage of all the best parts of brunch: leisurely time spent with friends over coffee and delicious food, without ever having to change out of your comfy clothes.

This post was created in collaboration with Milk & Eggs, who graciously provided the groceries for our brunch. All opinions are our own.

View from Beachside Restaurant & Bar, Marina del Rey

Where to Brunch by the Beach in Los Angeles

October 22, 2017 by Brunchographers

To the dismay of many Angelenos, fall weather continues to elude Southern California. While our friends back east get to snuggle up next to a roaring fire in their cozy sweaters and socks, we're still flip-flopping around town and cranking the A/C in our cars to help combat the unrelenting summer sunshine. And yes, I hear how sad that sounds - blue skies and warm weather all year, and we're still complaining? We're basically the worst. So, in an effort to start appreciating the seemingly endless summer weather here in L.A., we'd like to make a motion to spend less time sweating through your sweater at the "pumpkin patch" (read: the dressed-up parking lot full of hay bales and pumpkins that were grown hundreds of miles away), and more time kicking back at the beach. And what better way to start a day at the beach than with a beachside brunch?

Here are a few beachside brunch spots that have received the Brunchographers stamp of approval, and are perfect for kicking off a day by the water!

Beachside Restaurant & Bar, Marina del Rey

You can't get more beachside than Beachside Restaurant & Bar in Marina del Rey - nestled inside the charming Jamaica Bay Inn overlooking Mother’s Beach (a picturesque, surf-free little beach in Marina del Rey), brunch here feels like a vacation. Grab a table on the patio, order up a craft cocktail, and spend the day soaking in that gorgeous view. And if you're bored on a Wednesday, you're in luck - Chef Victor Gonzalez’s popular brunch menu is served on weekdays, too.

Favorite Dishes: Breakfast Enchiladas, Fried Chicken & Frangelico Custard French Toast
Pro Tip: Unlike pretty much anywhere else in the Marina, parking is free when you visit the restaurant - so unless you're planning to imbibe, you can skip the Lyft fare.
Check out our blog post from Beachside here.

Malibu Farm Pier Café, Malibu

Located at the end of the end of the Malibu Pier, Malibu Farm Pier Café is perhaps the ultimate beach-view brunch spot. There's nothing more magical than enjoying Helene Henderson's excellent farm-to-table fare with a 360-degree view of the Pacific. Whether you keep it healthy or indulge a little, the bites at Malibu Farm Pier Café are a treat, and we especially love the delicious coffee from Caffe Luxxe.

Favorite Dishes: Swedish Mini Pancakes, Fried Egg Sandwich
Pro Tip: If you're going to drive all the way to Malibu, we recommend making a day of it - reserve a (free) ticket to the Getty Villa for after your brunch, and enjoy an huge collection of Greek and Roman antiquities in an unforgettable setting.

Playa Provisions, Playa del Rey

Playa Provisions, the fourth culinary venture of Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson and husband Nick Roberts, is an ambitious beachside concept that hits all the marks. Four unique dining concepts are housed under one (minimalist chic) roof: an ice cream parlor, a casual food counter, a whisky bar, and an upscale restaurant. During the week, we love to pop in to King Beach and order a coffee and a sandwich at the counter. On the weekends, Dockside - the full-service restaurant - is the place to be, especially if you happen to catch the occasional Saturday Jazz Brunch.

Favorite Dishes: Biscuit Bites with Dulce de Leche, Pretzel Croissant, Smokey Tomato Stewed Beluga Lentils
Pro Tip: If you're a cyclist, be sure to stop in here on your way down the coastal bike path - Playa Provisions offers 10% off for cyclists who "pedal in wearing their kit."
Check out our blog post about Playa Provisions here.

R10 Social House, Redondo Beach

If marina views are more your speed, you can't do much better than R10 Social House in Redondo. Located smack-dab in the middle of the marina, there's not a bad seat in the house for taking in the ocean breezes and beautiful scenery (although next time we'll be vying for a spot on the upper deck under those cute red umbrellas). The menu is packed with crowd-pleasers (and a few good puns, which we appreciate), and we loved their creative takes on Mimosas.

Bacon-Sweet Potato Hash, R10 Social House, Redondo Beach

Favorite Dishes: Bacon-Sweet Potato Hash, So Farro, So Good! Salad
Pro Tip: If you manage to save room, be sure to try the "Wanderlust Dessert," a rotating weekly special inspired by flavors from around the world.

SALT, Marina del Rey

When you're looking to entertain out-of-town guests, SALT is a no-brainer. With its sprawling patio, upscale modern vibe, and sweeping views of the marina, a meal at the Marina del Rey Hotel's restaurant will easily fool your relatives into believing that you're leading that glamorous L.A. lifestyle they saw on TV. The menu is vast (perfect for your cousin's food intolerances or your uncle's strict half-grapefruit-and-a-side-of-plain-egg-whites breakfast habit), the cocktails are delicious, and the coffee is bottomless. Follow it all up with a stroll through the marina, and you'll be stealing Aunt Lynn's title of official family travel agent before you know it.

Favorite Dishes: Toast, Croque Madame, Avocado Hummus
Pro Tip: Parking at SALT is valet-only - so now may be the time to splurge for that Lyft ride.
Check out our blog post about SALT here.

Surfside, Venice Beach

What with the mobs of confused tourists, the scantily-clad rollerbladers zipping through foot traffic, and the exorbitant price of parking, Venice Beach can be kind of terrifying. Fortunately, it's not without solid brunch options - if you can find a place to put your car, of course. Surfside is a relaxed, breezy spot just steps from the sand, located on historic Windward Avenue (home to the famous "Venice" sign). The menu features plenty of California breakfast staples (including plenty of choices for those trying to keep it healthy) and a host of fun, beach-day-worthy cocktails.

Favorite Dishes: Pipeline Burrito, Black Kale Salad
Pro Tip: Surfside is a perfect spot to take a break from the hot sun, especially if you've got a sports lover in tow - there are plenty of TVs to keep them up-to-date on all the latest scores.
Pro [Coffee] Tip: Enjoy the tasty cocktails at Surfside, but save the coffee for Menotti's across the street - it's some of the best in the city, and is conveniently located for a post-brunch pit stop.

Enjoying coffee on the balcony at Terranea, Rancho Palos Verdes

Terranea + Catalina Kitchen, Rancho Palos Verdes

Whether you're staying at the enormous, swanky Rancho Palos Verdes resort or not, Terranea's many restaurants are worth a visit (especially mar'sel for a fancy dinner with a great wine selection). For brunch, Catalina Kitchen can't be beat; its atmosphere is comfortable yet stylish, and the menu features dishes that range from the crowd-pleasing classics (Shrimp & Grits) to the creative and fun (Caramel Banana Granola Crepe). Be sure to take a stroll around the grounds or make an appointment at the luxurious spa - Terranea feels like an island getaway in our own backyard!

Steel-Cut Oatmeal at Catalina Kitchen, Terranea, Rancho Palos Verdes

Favorite Dishes: Smoked Salmon Mushroom Scramble, Steel-Cut Oatmeal with Fruit
Pro Tip: If you're staying at the resort, be sure to let them know if you'll be celebrating a special occasion - when we went for a birthday, we were treated to complimentary champagne and cupcakes in our room!

What are your favorite beachside brunch spots? Let us know!