Santa Monica Bike Campus: Bike Box

Tour De Feast: Shaka Shack Burgers

Tour De Feast: Brew Coffee Bar!

Tour De Feast: Brew Coffee Bar (CityTV Version)

D.K's Donuts

Tour De Santa Monica: Reclaimed Frame

Barney's Beanry

Holiday crunch time on the 3rd Street Promenade certainly brings elevated levels of shopping mayhem. All of the congestion, large crowds, and seasonal cheesiness does indeed bring out the grinch in me. Therefor, I try to stay as far away from the insanity as possible.  But alas, I found myself getting sucked into the epicenter like a helpless vessel in the clutches of the Death-star’s tractor beam. Fortunately, I did find solace in not one, but five bowls of chili at Barney’s Beanery.

Word on the street was that The Beanery did a little overhaul to their menu, so a closer look was warranted. The menu was infamous for being about the size of a newspaper. They decided to make it more manageable by taking off many of the things people were not ordering.  Fear not, if one of your favorites did not make the cut, chances are it is still available, it is just off-menu.

It is almost comical to think 8 item-crammed pages is scaled down. The reality is you can still belly up and order a burrito, chicken parmesan, french toast, a bottle of Dom Perignon, a slab of ribs, and a serious side of indigestion.  And while quantity usually does not translate into quality, Barney’s does a serviceable job when it comes to their food across the board. However, there are some offerings on the menu that Barney’s is known for, most notably their chili.

It was at the original Route 66 roadhouse in West Hollywood where their chili gained its fame. Nine decades later Barney’s has five locations and five varieties of chili as well. Ordering the chili sampler certainly was the way to go to get a taste of them all. The sampler came with their Classic All Meat Chili, Texas Chili, Vegetarian Chili, Turkey Chili, and the newest Fireman’s Chili. Each offering comes in a manageable bowl, accompanied with all your chili accouterments, and served on a pizza tray. It is quite a display.

Sizing the chili’s up against each other is a great way to distinguish which ones make the grade, and which ones fall flat. For me the, the vegetarian chili lacked flavor and depth. Perhaps it could have used some spices, or some greasy meat. The Texas Chili was very good, but I was expecting it to be as hot as advertised. You certainly cannot go wrong with the Classic All Meat Chili as 90 years of history will tell you. But my favorite was an award winner, The Fireman’s Chili. Earlier in the year, Barney’s West Hollywood held a Firefighter’s Chili Cook-off fundraiser. L.A. County Fire Station 7 and their Tri-tip Black Bean chili won the honor being on Barney’s menu. Slow cooked cuts of Tri-tip, beans, and spices simmered to perfection was a winner in my book as well.

With the winter months ahead and temperatures plummeting into the low 60’s, Barney’s Beanery is a great place to warm up with a hearty bowl of chili, or one of the other 9,000 offerings that they have on their menu.

Z-Garden

Like any new business Z Garden is indeed working out some of the unexpected yet unavoidable kinks. Co-owner Shadi Abed, posts himself close to the entrance working partly as a greeter and also as the guy who has to shut the faulty door that wants to constantly stay open. The dining area still awaits the Santa Monica’s Farmers Market hook-up who promised foliage to accompany their brand new wood furnishings. And the landscaper still has to do an overhaul of the exterior to truly make a garden out of Z-Garden. Meanwhile in the kitchen, the other owner Nasar Nasir mans the grill and seems to have a handle on the light mid afternoon crowd.

Z Garden opened up about two and a half weeks ago in the space that used to be Tom’s #1 Family Restaurant for the past 21 years just east of Cloverfield and Pico. Apparently people still walk up to the counter attempting to order a burger not even realizing that a change was made.  I was compelled to stop in after riding my bike down Pico, doing a double take, and realizing that the old greasy spoon had bitten the dust. 

A story of friendship, serendipity, and love for food led these two long time friends out of their homeland of Tunisia, and into Z Garden. Nasar spent many years cooking for a Saudi prince and traveling the world. Shadi, moved to Los Angeles and worked in hookah sales. Most notably, he was the man to embellish the well known Gypsy Cafe in Westwood with their smoking supplies. Both men reunited in Santa Monica and started Green Taxi in 2008 which they recently sold to buy Z Garden. Nasar married Shadi’s sister, and now these two friends and business owners are now brothers. What a whirlwind!   

Mediterranean at heart, Z Garden could best be compared to Zankou Chicken, but more personable and stylish (especially once the plant guy delivers the goods).  The menu offers all of the staples and standards including shawarma, kabobs, falafel, vegetarian plates, and salads. Sandwiches range around $7 and entrees are about $10. Both options include sides making the prices very reasonable.  They pride themselves in making everything in house, and fresh to order. The falafel I tried had a seriously crispy shell but the inside was soft, aromatic, and ultimately very good. I noticed more than a few people ordering the chicken shawarma. Shadi informed me that the chicken shawarma is their most popular item as I will be inclined to check it out my next time around the block.

Any new restaurant, while tempered with uncertainty, reaps great rewards when it is a success. Hopefully Z Garden will become a mainstay in the Pico area that has seen much improvement over the years. They already have a steady flow of locals, curious newcomers, and people not realizing Tom’s #1 has gone out of business. It is certainly worth a look if you are in the mood for some good Mediterranean food.

Books and Cookies

Milo and Olive

For me, any which way you slice it, pizza can do no wrong. Wether it is the 3a.m. microwavable abomination at the gas station, or a pie hand tossed by Wolfgang Puck himself, if there is melted cheese on some form of bread, I am a fan. Admittedly, I am not the toughest of customers. However, after tasting Milo and Olive’s version of the pizza pie, it had me asking myself, “Do you think that piece of cardboard and mozzarella you had delivered the other night is still acceptable?”

To be fair to the ma’ and pa’ pizza parlor, or even Domino’s for that matter, Milo and Olive is not the place to call if you need ten large cheese and ten large pepperoni’s delivered to your house Super Bowl Sunday. Nor is it the ideal place to bring 15 screaming little leaguers after a big victory. It is a pie of a higher calling. Being from the same folks that brought us the popular Huckleberry and Rustic Canyon restaurants, if you have of heard of these two places, you will know what I mean.

For owners Josh Loeb and his wife Zoe Nathan, the idea behind opening up a third restaurant on Wilshire meant two things. For Josh, it was to bring a better pizza to the Westside. For Zoe, it was to have the ability to bake a higher and wider variety of breads which was not doable with their limited space at Huckleberry. Josh and Zoe’s proverbial move to the suburbs put them in a larger property with bigger ovens, and a sizable yet inviting dining area too. The new space which is outfitted with a large convection oven, rotating deck oven, and wood burning oven, is ideal for firing up plenty of pastries, breads, and of course pizzas.

Zoe, a seasoned baker, collaborated with Rustic Canyon’s Executive Chef Evan Funke, who specializes in rustic Italian cuisine, to come up with Milo and Olive’s menu. This translates to an eclectic mix of homemade bagels, baguettes, and breads in the morning and a handful of daily pizza offerings in the afternoon, and well into the evening. Of course they focus on locally made cheeses, farmer’s market produce, and small wine and beer bottlers showing that life long Santa Monica resident Josh Loeb knows how to keep it real.    

My first bite of their mixed mushroom pizza conjured a mixed bag of emotions.  The first being the kind of happiness only melted cheese and crisp chewy crust can deliver.  Nostalgia set in because of how the oils from the melted fontina and parmesan cooked the crust rendering it quasi-fried similar to the fried dough my grandmother used to make years ago. Finally jealousy reared its ugly head by the perfection of the crust in both flavor and texture. To elaborate on my spite, a passion of mine has always been pizza making and for years now I have toiled with different recipes, techniques, and ingredients. It was explained to me that after much experimentation their pizza dough recipe it all came together two weeks before their grand opening in the beginning of December.  Thrown off by the wood burning oven the pizzas are not Neapolitan style. Neapolitan pies are super thin and cook super fast which can result resulting in crust like a politician, no integrity and soggy in the middle. Conversely, it is a slow bake dough resulting in a magical sweet spot of not too thick, thin, crispy, or soft crust. I suppose I should leave the real pizza making to the experts, and I will stick to eating it.

For Josh and Zoe, it appears the trilogy of restaurants on Wilshire is complete. I asked Josh what was the next venture, sushi, fondue, Brazilian BBQ?  In which he responded, “rest.”

Locanda del Lago

With the holiday season underway The Third Street Promenade gets even more crazy with a flurry shopping madness. Locanada De Lago, which is situated in the middle of the mayhem, is offering some pretty enticing drink specials that are certain to appeal to weary shoppers looking for a little break in the action. The deal is, come into the restaurant with a receipt proving that you bought something in or around the Third Street area that day, and get a discount on any of restaurant’s seasonal cocktails. High end drinks with designer names are the general theme for this promotion. Wether it is the mixed berry mojito called The Versachi, or a pumpkin vanilla martini named The Prada, just show the receipt and get a drink for $9 instead of $14, or a 1 liter carafe for $20 instead of $34. Buy a pair of Dockers, and wash it down with a Gucci. With each libation offering up ingredients bought from vendors at the Downtown Farmers’ Market, and the deal being based off people buying local, it is good business for everyone. And with the high levels of shopping commotion, finding solace in a $20 carafe is not a bad option. Armani, Gucci, Missoni, take your pick. Rest assure these drinks are no knockoffs, not to mention Locanda De Lago has been cooking up great Northern Italian inspired cuisine for 20 years plus.   

 

Premier Segment of TOUR DE FEAST for Santa Monica City TV

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

With a kaleidoscopic arrangement of food trucks, trendy clubs, and upstart restaurants, Abbot Kinney street in Venice, just on the peripheral of Santa Monica, is a great place to venture out to try something new. Catching wind of a restaurant opening, was enough to ride the bike over to see what was going down.

The name of the restaurant, in a total departure from the uber trendy, one word, one syllable, seemingly obligatory spectacle that has overtaken the restaurant and club scene, business partners, head chef’s, and long time friends, Brian Dunsmoor and Kris Tominaga went with something totally opposite - Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing. The cuisine is a departure from both chef’s backgrounds as well, which is in fine dining. Both chefs agree that foams and purees in the shape of swans are not in this restaurant’s future. 

Chef Brain explained to me that Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing can be best described as non pretentious, country style comfort food, as he breaded a piece of head cheese ready for the fryer.

“It’s not fat kid food, either!” chimed in Chef Kris

He elaborated having a good relationship with local growers, farmer’s market vendors, and never flying in produce is essentially Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’s mantra. With almost almost all of their wine and beer coming from California, the restaurant is keeping their libations in state as well. 

  

“The soul of our food is good simple ingredients, and keeping it super local” explains Chef Brian.

Over countless coffees, beers, and years of collaborating Chef Brian and Kris’s dream has finally come to fruition. For these two Venice natives it was really Abbot Kinney Street or bust. With the soft opening, November showcases a taste of what is to come. Their full menu and official opening will happen in December. If you want to take a bite out of Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing, come on down to Venice and they will be happy to find you a seat.  

California Monster Salad

Pinkberry meets The Farmer’s Market, at California Monster Salad you will feel like a kid in a candy store- a very mature, healthy, sugar free candy store. Fun none the less!Proprietor Daniel Radell has certainly created something special with the one and only California Monster Salad just east of the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd. and 4th Street. Essentially, California Monster Salad is a high-end, create your own salad place. They boast an array of unique as well as standard salad toppings, and also offer a collection of signature Monster Salads too. While it may seem commonplace to have a green eatery in the middle of the high food IQ city of Santa Monica, it is the details that separates the California Monster from your standard salad store.

From the eco-friendly paint down to the bio degradable forks and salad bowls, lettuce is not the only thing that is green at California Monster Salad.  Another nice touch is, as you enter, it is almost a guarantee you will be offered a sampling of one of their daily made juices. Some of their beverage mainstays are iced teas, kale lemonade, and my favorite, the cucumber mint lemonade. The California Monster Salad also offers a delivery service. So no more ordering salads from Domino’s Pizza, a better option has arrived in town. The restaurant also offers homemade breads, soups, and organic gluten-free desserts. Aside from fresh drinks, soups, and desserts the real meat and potatoes at this place are their salads. Offering ten or so signature salads with fun names like the Greek Bikini, Kalifornia Kale, and Mermaid Medley are all tempting options, but it is the create your own Monster Salad which is a customer favorite.  

The first step is to select one of five different greens, which are all stowed away in large salad style humidors. From the popular Romaine to the hearty Kale, you also have the option to mix and match your greenery. Step two is select up to five different toppings. With almost fifty toppers to choose from, this is your opportunity to really get nuts, literally. The third and final step is to select your dressing. Knowing that a dressing can make or break a salad, California Monster Salad puts a great deal of emphasis in making things right.

“You can make a beautiful salad and it can be ruined with a dressing. We make sure everyone taste the dressing so it is exactly what they want.” Explains owner Daniel Radell

With no added salt, sugar, mayonnaise, California Monster Salad whips up their dressings daily rather than using any bottled brands. Ironically enough, due to great popularity, the restaurant will be bottling their stuff in the near future.

With so many salads to choose from, in an ‘only in Santa Monica’ moment, I went with the salad in a bread cone option. Chef Stacey tossed up their signature Coastline Chicken salad, pouring it into a cone-rolled flatbread. In that moment holding my salad-cone, I was that 31 year old yoga practicing, documentary watching, bill paying kid in the health conscience, eco friendly, high fiber candy store. It was one of the best salads I have ever had and certainly the greatest salad cone I have ever eaten in my entire life. The California Monster Salad is truly a new gem here in Santa Monica.       

Earth Wind And Flour

It was thirty years ago that Dennis Klempner and his business partners were sitting around a table banging their heads together trying to figure out a name for their new restaurant on Wilshire blvd. Through the ordeal, a song by Earth Wind and Fire came on the radio, the proverbial lightbulb flickered on, and Earth Wind and Flour was born.  Pizzas and pastas being the featured items on the menu, flour is indeed the foundation to this Santa Monica staple. 

Dennis gained an affinity for Italian eating from his upbringing. Surprisingly enough, origins of the Klempner name are not Calabrese, Neapolitan, nor Florentine. Dennis is not from ‘the old country’ but when he was fifteen, he learned a thing or two while working at an Italian restaurant in The San Fernando Valley called the Pizza Peddler.  Fast forward to today, and you will find Earth Wind and Flour loaded with Italian-American offerings. 

Besides the obligatory pizza and pasta specialties, Earth Wind and Flour also has a variety of sandwiches, salads and burgers. They also have a full service bar adjacent to the dining area, and advertise $5 fru fru Martinis as well as your standard selection of beers. The pizza is made ‘Boston Style’ which can probably be best described as a cross between New York thin crust and a Chicago style deep dish. It is baked in a pan, so the outside crust rises high, but the middle is not quite as thick. I will be very inclined to give it a shot next time around. 

Going with one of the pasta specialties I indecisively felt like I was picking out of a hat. From pasta primavara, to lasagna, to eggplant parmesan, I randomly selected the chicken scallopini. The chicken was tender and covered with plenty of garlic, capers, and thin lemon slices. It was served with lightly steamed veggies all on a bed of linguine which was plain but al dente. Accompanied by a basket of warm sourdough rolls that I drowned in a dish of olive oil the meal was satisfying and reasonably priced. Individual pasta plates range from $9.99-$13.99 and family-style portions that serve 2-3, are $15.99-18.99.

With saw dust on the ground, hundreds of playing cards stuck to the ceiling, and floral paintings that looked like they were purchased at the Holiday Day Inn garage sale, the decor is indeed an amalgamation of funky furnishings.  Like Lady Gaga, this restaurant was born this way.  All the more reason to come as you are. Plus, every Sunday night from 5:30-8:30pm is magic night with Johnny Ace Palmer (which explains the playing cards stuck to the ceiling). 

This is prime example to why you should explore the neighborhood and seek out something never before experienced. You just might like what you discover. Start with a super casual scene, add some interesting art, fine pizza and pasta, and sprinkle in some Sunday night magic, and you will have yourself the best named restaurant in Santa Monica, Earth Wind and Flour. 

O.P. Cafe

East on Ocean Park boulevard boasts a variety of great restaurants, burger joints, and local eateries, but no place personifies your ‘neighborhood nook’ better than the Ocean Park Cafe. Pitted up against the intersection of Ocean Park and 31st., commotion runs high with traffic, noise, and seemingly endless construction. The O.P. Cafe is indeed a haven from the outside madness offering patrons a fail safe combination of great food at affordable prices.

We all know there is no such thing as a free lunch, but The O.P. Cafe could serve up one of the best breakfast deals in town. Their 2-2-2 breakfast which consists of two eggs, two bacon strips, ham slices, or sausage links and two pancakes is only $3.99 if you get there between 7-9am. Or if your are really hungry you can double down and get a 4-4-4 for $7.98, or 6-6-6 for $11.97 and so on and so forth.

Another popular breakfast item amongst the regulars is the Diablo Burrito. It is a breakfast burrito consisting of eggs, chorizo, bacon, black beans, and home fries, in a tortilla with the house made spicy Diablo sauce. The crisp fries and bacon mixed with the heat of the chorizo and Diablo sauce, is a great blend of flavors, textures, and ample spice. While the Diablo Burrito may seem sinful, it is paired with a side of fruit for a nicely balanced meal.


Along with a selection of burgers and salads, the lunch menu offers up a list of panini’s and wraps. Many of the sandwiches can be converted into wraps and vice versa. The simplified menu is appealing, easy, and a nice departure from restaurants that seat you and hand you a phone book of menu options. There is something unappetizing about being able to order a frittata, spaghetti, and a side of egg rolls all in one sitting.

Along with outsourcing Chef John Fanali to makeover the menu, proprietors Mark and Lani Verge reached out to Ricky Kline to give the cafe a much needed face lift. Recipient of the James Beard award in restaurant design, Ricky Kline is responsible for overhauling noteworthy downtown hotspots such as Cole’s and The Varnish. Taking his talents to the westside, Mr. Kline has done an outstanding job with revamping The O.P. Cafe.  

The rebranded logo was inspired by an old aviation base which stood on the very grounds of the cafe, long before it was built. The exterior truly stands out with a captivating, bright yellow and blue accented facade. Since lifeguarding in Santa Monica runs deep in the Verge family, the 1940’s beach theme, seems authentically nostalgic, rather than another restauranty gimmick. Friendly service is another plus that makes this place popular amongst locals.

Change is good in the case of The Ocean Park Cafe. The restaurant has had its fare share of owners, makeovers, and menus. But in its 30 plus years of existence, it is safe to say things are looking, feeling, and most importantly, tasting better than ever at the O.P. Cafe.  

Wurstkutche: Venice

The uber popular restaurant, Wurstkuche has made its way here to the westside. The “purveyor of exotic grilled sausages” which has enjoyed great success at its downtown location has opened its doors at a second stop on Lincoln Blvd in Venice. With no shortage of hype, long lines, or savory delectables, Wurstkuche has taken the Venice encased meat scene by storm. With Octoberfest in full swing and the initial grand opening buzz starting to dissipate, now more than ever is a good time take a stroll down Lincoln to see what Wurstkuche is churning out.      

The long lines resemble something outside L.A.‘s hottest nightclub scene more than anything else, so avoiding peak hours is advised. From the entrance, you enter into a small room containing a showcase of Wurstkuche’s gourmet sausages, and a long line of tapped beers. Sausages range everywhere from your classic brat and bockwurst, to the higher end mango jalapeno, to more exotic flavors like rattlesnake and rabbit, or alligator and pork Andouille. The beer selection is eclectic and exclusively Belgian and German, with the exception an Old Rasputin and the hipstertastic PBR.    

After you select your sausage, toppings, and beverage, you pay at the register, are given a number, and proceed down a long corridor to the dining area.  The dining room is a large open space that seems like a cross between a German beer hall, and a hipsters loft. Long rows of tables and benches meet an industrial chic design. Filtered light softly fills the dining space. A d.j. booth and an additional bar area hint that this place indeed gets a bit raucous during the later hours.

Not leaning on the side of cation, I bypassed the more traditional bratwurst and went with the highly recommended and exotic duck and bacon with jalapeno topped with caramelized onions and sweet peppers. Admittedly, my palette is not quite astute enough to discern each ingredient. I can say after a couple big bites, it was determined that my selection was delicious. Another plus were the Belgian double dipped fries. Double dipped is a nicer way to say that they were deep fried twice. The second bath in the frier rendered a crispier outside but maintained a smooth rich interior. Big points on chipotle aioli for not being too overpowering or mere mayonnaise, but a great accompaniment to the twice fried fries. Washed down by a Spaten Oktoberfest made the meal a full bodied experience.  

By ordering more exclusive beers, exotic sausages, and all sorts of other add-ons, it is easy to run up a big bill at Wurstkuche as I found myself doing. For the high end beer connoisseur and sausage sommelier, it is a dining experience that is certainly worth it.  Wurstkuche today is like David Hasselhoff in his prime- German meat with L.A. attitude. 

And as an added bonus, today Wurstkuche will be holding a Belgium Trappist Beer Event. They will be showcasing beer brewed by the monks of Belgian Trappist monasteries. It is a tasting of fine Trappist beer paired with sausage, cheese, and desserts for $40 at the door from 2-5 p.m. today October 22nd. It is not everyday that the monks belt out their brew, so if you want to sample some celestial suds straight from God’s keg to your lips come check out Wurstkuche today and today only. 

Tender Greens

For as long as I can remember the corner of Arizona and 2nd Street laid home to The Lighthouse Seafood Buffet. For me, all you can eat seafood lost its luster somewhere between a bad experience at the Tropicana buffet table, and the documentary The Cove.  For many Santa Monicans, organic, hormone free, and portion controlled cuisine has become more than just a trend, but rather a way of life. With many people changing up their eating habits, it was only a matter of time that The Lighthouse indeed went dark. But out of the vacant Lighthouse sprouts up a new restaurant with fresh fare and ideas, as Santa Monica welcomes in Tender Greens.

This being the newest of its seven California locations, Santa Monica seems to be a good fit for the franchise, and is more of an extension of the Santa Monica Farmers Market, rather than an imposing chain. Chef turned Tender Greens manager, Rian Brandenburg admits that the food is his priority at the 2nd Street location. Much of the ingredients are purchased at the Farmers Market happening right outside Tender Greens front door every Wednesday and Saturday. Fresh local grown produce going from the stand to the kitchen in five minutes is one of the perks of the restaurants prime location. 

Natural, antibiotic free, and sustainable fare is certainly a draw for people trying to eat right. With a menu that boasts a variety of salads, as well as hot plate items, at a flat rate of $10.50, sustainability on the wallet is another plus. Although with add-ons and some really tempting desserts strategically placed by the cash register, it can be easy to go above that mark.

The salads range from your classic Cobb, to the more creative Grilled Octopus and everything in between. The hot items are your choice of marinated steak, chicken, albacore, or grilled veggies presented on a hot plate or sandwich both accompanied by sides. You can pick your protein on a simple salad as well. There is nothing too complex about the menu, just quality ingredients that are able to stand on their own rather than being masked by over seasoning or drowned in sauce.

This was the case with the Chinese chicken salad I ordered. The sesame dressing was very light and was more of an accent rather than a gloppy mess. Most notably, it rendered a serious crunch from the carrots, wontons, and roasted peanuts. Upon finishing I was very much satisfied but not rolling over and slipping into a food coma. 

With windows everywhere, the dining room is bright and inviting. Recycled tables, microfiber organic carpet, compressed hay ceiling seem more expected than anything with the franchises all natural, eco friendly mantra.     

With the name Tender Greens, salads are obviously going to be a staple, but it appeared that the hot plate items were just as popular with the customers.  As the weather starts to cool down, it is nice to know that there is some healthy, fresh, and easy access comfort food amongst mayhem of the 3rd Street Promenade.

Komida Opens In Hollywood

It is certainly a nice compliment to get invited to the grand opening of a new Hollywood hotspot. Either that, or an e-mailer went out to me as well as 100,000 other people. Either which way, with my ego fed, it was time to venture out to the heart of Hollywood to fill my stomach for the launching of the newest Asian fusion eatery- Komida.

Biking out of the friendly confines of Santa Monica up to Hollywood can be a harrowing yet rewarding experience, especially if you decide to take Santa Monica Blvd straight through. There is the good- Long stretches of bike lanes in West Hollywood, as well as Century City. There is the bad- Poorly paved and scarcely lit, Santa Monica Blvd takes a turn for the worse through the length of Beverly Hills. And then there is the Ugly- Gridlock engulfs Santa Monica Blvd from 26th to the 405 during the early evening rush hour. While cutting through the congestion on my bicycle is great, using the bus line which I sometimes do, was completely out of the question. 

I try to avoid touristy areas, so venturing to Komida in the Kodak Center on Hollywood Blvd was like riding straight into the Death Star of tourist traps. But tucked away on an unassuming wing of the mega structure, Komida is thankfully off the beaten path of trinket filled kiosks, hoards of tourists, and creepy vagrant looking super heros. While this scene embodies the area, Komida rises above the riff-raff with their cuisine.   

Achieving much acclaim as head Chef at Yamashiro, Brock Kleweno made a name for himself as an elite taco creator at the Yamashiro weekly farmer’s market sum two years ago. Now his heavy cult following, sightseers, and everyone in between can enjoy Chefs Brock’s creations.  

Komida offers a collection Asian Fusion inspired tacos with premium contemporary fare. Old school meets new school as family honored recipes are fused cohesively with an Asian inspiration. Menu items include Japanese Miso Sake Black Cod, Korean Braised Short Rib, and my favorite of the evening, Chinese Hoisin Duck Confit. The Duck Confit taco was paired perfectly with the nectarine agave salsa. The spicy surprise of the night was certainly the Wasabi Guacamole which in my opinion is the best use of Mexican-Asian fusion I have had.

Coming into an existing space, Komida has a brighter more cheerful interior than the previous digs of the H Wood lounge thanks to paintings and murals contributed by local artists. Operating as a ‘fast casual service” restaurant, orders are placed at the counter and table delivery is provided. Komida was able to retain H Wood’s liquor license offering a variety of beers as well as a very refreshing white-lychee fruit sangria.   

The taco prices range from $4-6, which is a big difference from you $1 taco truck offering. However, the tacos are twice as big and three times as fancy so if you do the math it still makes for a very worthy experience. I realize Santa Monicans are not going to be spending their free time meandering about on Hollywood Blvd, but if Auntie Barbara is in town and just has to see Madame Tussauds Wax Mueseum, or you find yourself in the area for any other reason, you may want check out some great Asian infused tacos at Komida.

Santa Monica Breakfast Burritos

The breakfast burrito: quick, convenient, and quintessential. While the burrito is inherently Mexican, the bacon, egg, cheese variety is as American as the hard shell taco, or the sizzling fajita platter. Not necessarily authentic as Huevos Rancheros, the ‘gringo’ variation, as it is often referred to as, is probably the most popular. The breakfast burrito is by no means the most sensible morning offering, but more a first meal treat. So I guess I treated myself across the west side trying to find the best of the best. I covered many miles on the bike, went to a variety of restaurants, and of course ate my fair share of breakfast burritos. Rome was not built in a day and neither was my mass consumption of breakfast burritos. These are my findings...

Thoma’s on Lincoln and Rose had a decent offering but with a high flow of vagrant traffic the dining experience is somewhat sketchy. Right next door the Whole Foods has a breakfast burrito with premium ingredients but the price tag can set you back. Staying on Lincoln, Pancho’s breakfast burrito was hitting on all cylinders, but not being able to discern their salsa from tomato juice marred the experience. I enjoyed the Original Tommy’s variety on Lincoln and Pico, but it is tough to bounce back on the day after a chili injected breakfast burrito. Tom’s Family Restaurant’s breakfast burrito was all show and no go. It was humungous and rather cheap, but the the potato was too plentiful and the bacon was scarce.

Traversing Santa Monica trying to find the best breakfast burrito is admittedly daunting.  I did my best sampling a variety of different restaurants that hand some real merits as well as some pitfalls. There were a few surprises and few places that excelled in atmosphere and of course the food.

The best tasting breakfast burrito may have been from Tacos Por Favor situated on Olympic Blvd. Tacos Por Favor is the Mexican version of Bay Cities Deli in the sense that everything on the menu is very good, dare I say exceptional? With seemingly fresh ingredients, crisp bacon, and a fantastic salsa bar, the Tacos Por Favor breakfast burrito was on point. The only stipulation is that everything at Tacos Por Favor is a bit pricy, including the breakfast burrito.

The Bagel Nosh, on 17th and Wilshire, offers a pretty pedestrian breakfast burrito at best. Served up with a small bowl of El Paso, Tostitos, or some other store bought ‘jug-o-salsa’ solidified the meals mediocrity. But the Bagel Nosh gets five stars, two thumbs up and the blue ribbon for ambiance. The dining room is clean, comfortable, and inviting. The Bagel Nosh is certainly a fine dining experience, even if the burrito was just so so.  

                                  

The biggest surprise came from D.K.’s Donuts on Santa Monica and 16th. The eggs are not scrambled but over-hard, which was a first. The burrito also contains a preformed deep-fried hash brown patty. The kicker is they throw the hash brown patty in the donut frier. Each bite has a sweet donutty accent making this version one of the more unique breakfast burritos I have had. Not making the breakfast burritos fresh to order are set backs but understandable coming from a donut shop.  

So many breakfast burritos, so little time. All of them found their way to my stomach. And some of that bacon grease found a little place in my heart. All the more reason to  keep biking, and keep exploring what Santa Monica has to offer.