I always say it’s hard to beat fresh, homemade bread. But throw some sandwich fixins between two slices of said delicious bread, and you’ve got yourself a pretty dang satisfying, yet simple meal if I do say so myself! I discovered Wax Paper Co. soon after moving to our neighborhood, and boy am I glad that I did. This tiny spot right along the LA River churns out some mean sammies, and the Bub & Grandma’s bread they use only helps take them to another level of deliciousness. There’s something for everyone here (although less so for my gluten sensitive friends…)- from a unique take on a banh mi with roasted, shredded pork, miso aioli & pickled carrot & daikon, to a scrumptious vegan option with shaved & marinated seasonal veggies & a pecan pesto, I’m sure you’ll find something up your alley. My personal fave is a roasted turkey on focaccia with jalapeño cilantro radish slaw & hominy. The bread is so perfectly chewy and fluffy- yum! I can’t forget to mention one of the best parts about Wax Paper Co. - the names of their sandwiches! Each one is named after an NPR personality, from Ira Glass to Larry Mantle to Terry Gross! Love the creativity there ;) And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, they recently started serving classic, old fashioned soft serve ice cream as well. All the more reason to return soon. But just a heads up, you better go early, because they sell out almost daily. Consider yourself warned!
restaurante tierra caliente
There’s not much better than a consistently good neighborhood joint. You know the place. The one you can pop in anytime, and while you aren’t expecting to be blown away by anything super out of the box, you can pretty much guarantee a delicious, satisfying meal. In our old hood in Brooklyn, that was Cafe Mogador, and we still make it a point to go back anytime we are in town. Our new neighborhood of Mount Washington has less going on food-wise, but just down the hill in Cypress Park, you’ll find a ton of tasty, authentic Mexican food. Restaurante Tierra Caliente is one place we keep returning, and what’s better is that we can walk there! A bit of Brooklyn in LA ;) This tiny spot has a chalkboard menu up on the wall, and only a few small tables. We like to sit outside amongst the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood, and enjoy our tacos al fresco! Our fave time of day to come eat at Tierra Caliente is in the early mornings before they get busy, as they make a killer breakfast! My huevos a la Mexicana never disappoints, and those homemade tortillas are super fresh and hot off the press! My husband is a fan of the chilaquiles and smothered burritos (among manyyyy other things), but I think next up I need to try the tamales and pozole verde now that the weather is cooling off! So grab yourself a horchata con cafe, why don’t ya, and dig in!
triple beam pizza
Triple Beam Pizza, “the place where they weigh the pizza”, is a casual joint in Highland Park serving up classic Roman-style pies. That means you walk in to a mouth-watering view of several slabs of freshly made, thin crust pizza, and show how much you want of each with a simple hand gesture. The guys behind the counter grab the scissors, and cut you just the right amount. Pizza here is weighed by the ounce, so get as much or as little of each kind as your heart desires! I’ve been a few times, and I must say, I truly love this no frills approach. You can also eat it Roman-style (straight from the counter), or get it American-style, so it’s reheated and crisped in the oven for a few minutes. Plus, knowing that Nancy Silverton is the mastermind behind this spot, you know the pizza is going to be totally legit. There’s always a great variety available, from the uniquely delicious acorn squash with honey, to more classic options like margherita or sausage with mushrooms. Yum! The focaccia is also fluffy, chewy, and baked to perfection if you’re wanting a more bready, less cheesy option. I’ve heard they’ll even do a made-to-order vegan pie, so I’ll have to try that out soon as well! Definitely stop by next time you’re in Highland Park!
inday
There's a ton of fast-casual, grab & go places in NYC these days, many of which offer fresh, healthy, and seasonal American cuisine. There are far less options, however, when it comes to fresh, healthy, and seasonal Indian fare (other than Babu Ji... RIP). I love Indian food, but I most commonly eat when ordering from my local spot off Seamless, and while it's always delicious, sometimes it can feel a bit heavy. Inday is born from the belief that food should provide nourishment for your body as well as balance for your life. Their food is both delicious and exciting, as well as mindful and nutritious, which is practically everything I want in a meal! The menu offers nutrient-dense, balanced dishes with both meat and vegetarian options, that just happen to be completely gluten-free! Inday follows the bowl-concept, so pick from one of their many unique and flavorful options, or create your own! I got a rainbow veggie mezze bowl with super greens, turmeric slaw, red cucumbers, chana masala, blackened eggplant, chickpea ranch, fermented carrots, and a lentil crisp! Talk about a mouthful- but I loved each and every component! I'm looking forward to trying some of their new seasonal offerings, as well as the delicious sounding beverages and sweets. The chaga charcoal chai, golden mylk chai, and the avo cocoa dessert are most certainly calling my name- a return trip is in order very soon!
sunday in brooklyn
I'm all about a neighborhood spot that offers both a feel-good, casual atmosphere as well as fresh and delicious food. Sunday in Brooklyn strives to do just that with a welcoming restaurant, market and coffee counter in South Williamsburg. The owners have taken their favorite day- Sunday!- a day of comfort, adventures, and family, and made it the mission of the restaurant. I was a big fan of Isa, the previous restaurant in this location, so SIB had big shoes to fill in my book. My husband and I stopped in for brunch recently, and are already looking forward to a return trip soon. We started with cappuccinos and a warm, freshly baked pecan sticky bun, which pulled apart in perfect ooey, gooey layers. Since it was Sunday, after all, we indulged in a bloody Mary and spiked hot cider, which were perfectly spicy and sweet. It was hard to decide on entrées as we were tempted by several dishes- the malted pancakes, biscuits & gravy, plus a variety of sweet and savory sandwiches all sounded delicious. We decided on the grain bowl and patty melt, which did not disappoint. And how pretty are the marbled ceramic plates!? Scroll through the photos to see more descriptions of each item. Even better, at SIB it's Sunday every day, so brunch is served seven days a week! Pop into the cute market shop for some ready-made pastries and pantry items, or grab a coffee to-go.
I've also had the opportunity to enjoy dinner at Sunday in Brooklyn, and the meal was fantastic (see below!). I love that they've utilized the upstairs dining area- a space that Isa reserved for private events- because it has such a lush and cozy feel to it that makes it seem like home. Plus the rooftop garden and sidewalk café are open in the warmer months, which is clutch for any NYC restaurant! The spring menu was so fresh, vibrant, and über colorful- the chef knows how to put the season's bounty to good use in the tastiest ways imaginable. Some dishes, like the radishes with koji butter and the beets with nuts & seeds, were truly works of art and just begging to have their photo taken (I was more than happy to oblige, of course). The roasted cabbage with fermented black trumpet mushrooms had such a unique and interesting flavor profile that kept us coming back for more. I'm not even a fried chicken person (I know- who am I?), but the housemade togarashi blend coating the drumsticks really took these babies to the next level- totally addicting! If you can believe it, I didn't get a good photo of our desserts. I'm actually surprised this doesn't happen more often considering how little discipline I have around sweets. But I can assure you that both the goat ice cream with date molasses & bitter chocolate AND the warm devil's food cake with peanut butter ice cream & cocoa nib praline are to die for! I'm already looking forward to returning soon for an afternoon cocktail in the rooftop garden!
sqirl
Whether you live in Los Angeles or not, you've most likely heard of Sqirl. What began as a preserves company five years ago is now one of the most popular breakfast and lunch spots in LA. Sqirl serves a market-driven menu, with reimagined classics as well as super creative specials, all in a tiny space in Silver Lake. My husband and I stopped by on a recent trip to LA, and there were so many intriguing things on the menu we wanted to try. We ended up ordering mostly breakfast, and began with perfect cappuccinos and the highly acclaimed (just browse through Instagram!) brioche toast: a thick slab of freshly baked bread, smothered i just-milled almond hazelnut butter and homemade olallieberry & aprium jam. Talk about a mouthful, and it was so satisfying and delicious. The smoked whitefish tartine was such a unique and complex use of flavors- with smoky eggplant and cilantro powder- I couldn't get enough! For a hearty vegetarian option, the chickpea flour "pancake" is a solid choice, and is perfectly balanced with the creamy labneh and fresh celery salad. Sqirl is also known for their baked goods, and while I surprisingly didn't try any this time, the Malva pudding cake, Sqirl power balls, and Valrhona & Fleur de Sel cookies looked particularly tempting. I look forward to getting a few next time I'm in town, as well as trying out the lunch menu!