m.georgina

I’m so excited that the days of dining out are slowly but surely returning to us. My reviews of tasty spots became far less frequent over the last year, and it was honestly such a bummer. While drooling over the endless foodie photos on my phone, I came across our last dining out experience right before the pandemic hit. My husband and I hit up M.Georgina for a date night, and I have to say it’s almost as if we knew we weren’t going to be able to dine out for quite a long while after that. We really did it up big, and everything was super delicious! M.Georgina serves up seasonal Cali fare using fresh produce, grains, fish, and meat from local farms, and even bakes sourdough bread on site! The atmosphere is great here as well- I love the open kitchen, and getting to watch all the chefs in action creating magic on the plate.

The oysters and kampachi crudo were super fresh, and the perfect light start... along with freshly baked house levain and cultured butter, that is. I was also a fan of the Monterey squid with house togarashi- so flavorful! The chefs incorporate red fife (an ancient grain) into their campanelle pasta with cotechino ragout, and I loved the little something extra it gave to the dish. We went veggie and meat heavy with entrees, ordering the chard saag with romancesco and the Liberty Farms duck for two! As if that wasn’t enough food, we finished with three desserts, because why not finish on a (sugar) high note, am I right?! I love how M.Georgina celebrates the farms and seasonality of Los Angeles in their approach to cooking. You really can taste the quality difference in each and every bite. Check out the rest of our meal in the slideshow above, and get ready to drool! Out of an abundance of caution and to keep guests and employees safe, M.Georgina has temporarily closed during the pandemic, but I look forward to the day they open their doors again soon!

loring place

 
 

Loring Place had been on my must-visit list before it even opened, and I’m actually embarrassed how long it took me to get there. Alas, my parents were coming to town, and in my opinion, that’s the best excuse to make a reservation at the new hotspot in town. Chef Dan Kluger, who previously ran the kitchens at the highly successful ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina, branched off on his own to open his own place where seasonal, local, American cuisine shines. Loring Place truly is a celebration of all things local- you’ll find ingredients from New York all over the menu. Kluger has built relationships with many farms and farmers over the years at the Union Square Greenmarket, and it’s so great to see their bounty on offer at the restaurant.

I really enjoyed the wide range of market-driven dishes, just bursting with flavor and creativity. Fruits and veggies at their peak ripeness really stood front and center to me- I love that they’re such a focal part of the menu! The grilled strawberry salad with sungold tomatoes, and carrot-hazelnut romesco with roasted eggplant and pita really impressed, as did the roasted corn with shishitos and basil. The wood-fired grill and oven lend themselves to some freshly baked bread and pizzas (all the grains are milled in-house!), as well as some tender, juicy cuts of meat. The savory duck was perfectly balanced by sweet & tart cherries and crunchy pistachios. We ordered plenty, but obviously still finished with dessert- a trio of deliciousness that I won’t soon forget. A fancy take on a DQ Blizzard?! Yes please! Click through the slideshow for more details on our meal. My husband and I are already planning a return trip specifically for pizza, because we just couldn’t fit it in this time! Too many tempting dishes, which is a great problem to have- well done, Chef!

olmsted

Olmsted has been on my must-try list for some time now, so I was excited when my husband and I finally made it there for my birthday dinner! This Brooklyn hotspot has been getting rave reviews for its seasonal, ingredient- driven menu. They even have their own backyard garden and living wall, which provide produce for the dishes. Chef Greg Baxtrom, who has an impressive list of restaurants on his resume including Per Se and Alinea, partnered with farmer Ian Rothman to create a vegetable-forward restaurant with a strong focus on sustainability. Talk about right up my alley!

The menu draws inspiration from many different types of cuisine, and even has a secret "menu within a menu" called the Yakitori Olmsted. Ask for it for a fun departure from your typical neighborhood restaurant menu! We stuck to some of the classics, and were not disappointed. The duck chakna, while not something I would typically order, was so full of flavor, and the accompanying red lentil naan was like a fluffy pillow of doughy goodness! The rutabaga tagliatelle was a creative take on pasta- the ribbons of rutabaga giving us that perfect al dente bite! The highlight of the meal for me, and something I was looking forward to before we even arrived, was dessert (shocker, I know). At Olmsted, guests can roast their own s'mores, complete with homemade marshmallows and artisan graham crackers, right outside in the backyard. How fun, and something you don't typically see in New York City! My husband, being the wonderful man that he is, had them surprise us with all the desserts on the menu, so in addition to our freshly roasted s'mores, we got to indulge in caramel apple donuts and chocolate mousse as well! Click through the photos to read about the rest of our tasty dishes. Sounds like a dream meal to me!