We had the great fortune of meeting Chef Jason Fullilove when he opened up a pop-up in Culver City just up the street from our home. I likely read about Barbara Jean on Eater or Infatuation and with its close proximity, we decided to give it a try.
The kitchen was open to the dining area, and we watched Chef Fullilove at work, putting together the dishes for his customers. There weren’t many of us dining so initially I had some doubts about the quality of the food. However, after sampling one entree after another, surprising and overwhelming our taste buds, we were sold.
Chef Jason Fullilove came by to ask how our dinner was and we found him to be a truly cool cat. I mentioned that I normally held Honey’s Kettle in the highest regard and placed them on the pedestal of best fried chicken on the Westside but his version completely unseated them. The recipes of all the soul food inspired items we ordered were so upmarket that it didn’t seem befitting for such a casual location. I asked why there was very little advertising or marketing being done on behalf of the restaurant. He said he was experimenting with word of mouth as being the primary method of organic advertising. I was truthfully worried that wasn’t going to be sufficient but I did my part by writing about the pop-up on my blog, posting my review on Yelp and spreading the word to all my friends and neighbors. Sadly, the pop-up didn’t last in the area but for a few months.
Since then, I followed Chef Fullilove’s career on social media. He moved his pop-up to various locations throughout Los Angeles. He even had a stint as the chef at The Magic Castle. When I read that he was one of the rotating chefs at Abernathys at the Music Center, I immediately made dinner reservations as we had Alvin Ailey tickets for a Saturday evening show in April. Then the pandemic struck and everything was cancelled. One restaurant after another was forced to permanently shudder, and it was heartbreaking to read about them, knowing that with each closure, dreams were being shattered.
After months of quarantine, restaurants were finally allowed to reopen for outdoor dining. A few weeks ago, I saw an Instagram post that Chef Fullilove was back on the Westside at an Abbot Kinney restaurant called Neighbor. I looked for Chef Fullilove’s menu on Yelp and Instagram but couldn’t find one. Knowing that Chef was at the helm, we made dinner reservations on faith that it would be just as good if not better than our Barbara Jean experience.
Upon our arrival, we mentioned to our server Candace that we had dined at one of Chef’s pop-ups previously and we would love to say “hi” to him if he was available. He promptly came out to greet us, and he was just as we remembered him. It started off our evening on the right foot.
We began our decadent meal with a quintessential Los Angeles offering. Chef Fullilove’s interpretation of the brussels sprouts included a cauliflower coconut puree as a dipping sauce with a few sprinklings of pomegranate seeds. The brussels sprouts were crispy, slightly smoky and a bit charred but not excessively which would have masked that the starter was actually a vegetable dish. The pops of pomegranate added a bit of tartness as well as a holiday look and feel to the dish.
Next to arrive were the homemade buttermilk biscuits. The biscuits were a prime example of Chef’s southern cuisine expertise. They were piping hot, with a crispy exterior. The biscuits were dense with a hint of cheese and herbs. The pat of butter may have been drizzled with a bit of honey or perhaps liquified caramelized onions. The concentrated concoction had a bit of an unexpected but welcomed fried chicken aftertaste. Adding a bit of heat to the biscuits was the pepper jelly.
The mixture for the chicken liver butter had a base of smoked apple sauce and pickle mustard seeds. It had a very earthy flavor and incredibly smooth texture, oozing into the crevices of the thick pieces of toasted bread.
Arriving simultaneously were the uni deviled eggs which were topped with Santa Barbara sea urchin, yuzu kosho and tobiko. It was an interesting and unexpected combination with a bit of Japanese influence.
The smoke trout rillettes were quite substantial and hearty. The mealy hush puppies sat alongside a thick, creamy mixture reminiscent of a tuna salad topped with trout roe.
After our assortment of starters, our entrees arrived.
My husband’s burger was quite large and came with a generous side of fries. The beef patty was so incredibly tender, it almost tasted as if it was a shredded beef sandwich.
The fried chicken was moist and tender with a very subtle heat, as if it had been marinated in buttermilk and perhaps tabasco. Its batter was light and crispy but tightly packed. The sauce tasted a bit like thousand island dressing which was a nice pairing with the chicken.
Last but not least were the turmeric pork ribs with toasted sesame seeds. They were tender and moist with a slightly tangy barbecue sauce.
We are incredibly happy that Chef Fullilove is back in West LA and cannot wait to introduce his Southern cuisine which he has expertly fused with a bit of Asian influence. His menu offering is perfect for the ethnically diverse city of Venice Beach. We’re hoping that he makes the Westside his “Neighbor”-hood home for a bit so we can introduce his spectacular cuisine to some of our friends and continue to partake in his sensational offerings.
Neighbor
1031 Abbot Kinney
Venice, CA 90291
It had been a while since we visited The Culver Hotel. Previously, we had been to their upstairs bar for drinks, enjoyed their happy hour with friends and late last year, we celebrated my company holiday lunch in one of their private banquet. The food was always quite good and the architecture and decor definitely hearkened a nostalgic era from the past.
Then the pandemic struck and they ceased all operations. Culver Hotel was closed for a significant amount of time, and I was concerned it might not ever reopen like so many other businesses.
Fortunately, they had the means to pivot and revamp their dining area as well as their menu. They created a beautiful outdoor oasis with potted flowers and plants as well as a mix of eclectic outdoor seating options ranging from garden benches, wrought iron tables and chairs, bar top tables and even a few outdoor living room seating arrangements. It was quite charming and provided a casual chic vibe.
Our server Austin was busy initially, but once he was freed up to help us, the food and drinks came out fairly quickly.
The honey nut squash risotto arrived first. It was quite savory with a light nutty herbal flavor. My husband requested the addition of chicken which they were able to accommodate, and it added a bit more substance to the dish.
Austin had recommended the oxtail and truffle fries for this meat and potato girl, and I am so grateful he did. The meat was tender and moist and packed full of flavor, and the fries had a textured coating and were perfectly light and crispy.
For dessert, we ordered the bread pudding which came with vanilla ice cream on top. The cast iron bread pudding arrived piping hot. It had a slight citrusy custards flavor but was not overwhelmingly sweet and combined with the ice cream, it was truly the icing on our delectable dinner experience.
There are very few restaurants where we can say that the food and the service combined with the ambiance hit every note and we are fortunately able to say that of the newly opened Le Jardin. For $100, we were able to experience a top notch meal in a beautiful, serene and historic location. Le Jardin is truly a neighborhood gem.
Le Jardin
9400 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
Bar & Dining
I have been to Fig many times over the past few years for work functions and parties held at their venue. The food was always exemplary and I expected the same from our outing for their Poolside Cinema events. Sadly, my recent experience was quite the opposite. Service was a bit slow which was understandable as I believe the pool area only had one server attending to all the customers. The alcoholic drinks were very meager in portion. What was worse than the light pour was the quality of the food.
To say that the $29 foraged mushroom pizza tasted like cardboard with arugula on it would be an understatement and kind.
I’m a french fry connoisseur but the $14 plate of supposed rosemary fries resulted in only 3 fries being eaten from the batch. It was as if potatoes were cut and fried but the kitchen forgot to season it.
The $28 rockfish was barely passable as the fish was tender but the fish, squash, eggplant and peppers had no distinguishing flavors.
The only saving grace was the $26 cacio e pepe. It’s as if it was cooked in a different kitchen than the prior three orders. The pasta was perfectly cooked, al dente. The cheese packed a punch of flavor and the black pepper added a bit of heat to the dish. If we were ever to return, we would likely order just that dish, which would satisfy the $25 minimum.
I honestly am appalled by what Fig was allowed to serve us. I asked the family who sat in front of us, and they thought everything they ate was horrible as well and they ordered other items from the menu. I cannot ever recommend Fig to my friends or even to my worst enemy. It’s a hard pass on their food and drinks on a go forward basis.
Fig Restaurant
101 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401
During our visit to Catalina Island, we were looking for a reasonably priced restaurant with a waterfront view, and we found that in Antonio’s Pizzeria. They had an outdoor patio with tables to the side of the restaurant as well as in front of the marina. We were fortunate to have been seated by the latter providing a stunning view for our meal. The service was slightly slower than anticipated, but the food more than made up for it. One never knows for certain what the quality of the food will be when choosing a restaurant randomly, but we truly lucked out with Antonio’s. All of the dishes we ordered were pretty spectacular.
I requested the fish and chips. The batter and fries were crispy and seasoned perfectly while the fish surprisingly remained moist inside the batter. My husband’s chicken and penne pasta tasted as if it was cooked by an Italian grandmother.
The dish that stole the show, however, was Antonio’s cheese crisp which was a thin, crispy crust pizza brushed with garlic and butter topped with five cheeses, chopped pepperoncini, chopped pepperoni and salami. It was the perfect combination of a crunchy, garlicky, savory bite.
The restaurant is truly a gem. They understand how to put their best foot forward with their authentic Italian recipes. We would happily recommend Antonio’s Pizzeria & Cabaret to anybody visiting the island.
Antonio’s Pizzeria & Cabaret
230 Crescent Avenue
Avalon 90704
I’m always looking for restaurants to visit and help economically during these challenging times so we headed to Joe’s Crab Shack as its outdoor patio finally reopened. We had 5 p.m. Open Table reservations but waited 30 minutes and later saw on my email that my reservation was cancelled at 5:57 p.m. after we were seated.
On arrival, we noticed that the host and manager weren’t keeping track of who had reservations and who placed their names on the waitlist. One woman who had reservations had been waiting over an hour and had not been called to be seated.
After nudging, we were finally seated at our table of choice. We were initially led to a table that wasn’t next to the marina so we requested to sit at one which had recently been vacated. We watched as the busboy slowly cleaned off the table. It took at least a good 5-8 minutes, demonstrating he had no sense of urgency despite a huge line of people outside waiting.
Once we were seated, there was some confusion as to who was serving us. Initially, we were approached by Stephanie who took our drink order. Then we were approached by Troy who said he was our server.
Once Stephanie was identified as our actual server, we ordered a cup of each of the clam chowder and seafood gumbo. Between the two, the chowder was the clear winner. It was creamy, thick and flavorful. The gumbo had a nice savory flavor, but it was more of a broth and not as rich, complex or dense like the chowder.
After 19 minutes, my husband’s entree of red fish arrived. I was given a plate which was not my order. I sent it back untouched. I had asked for the shrimp sample which included 6 breaded shrimp, shrimp scampi, grilled shrimp skewers, seasonal vegetables and crispy French fries substituted by me for the rice. I was initially served the shrimp trio which was a plate of crispy, coconut and fried shrimp as well as fries. It was a plate of artery clogging fried food.
When my real order arrived, the crispy fries were missing and some stale, crunchy, undercooked rice was on my plate.
When I requested the correct substitution, the runner assigned to our table brought cold, stale fries. Stephanie made it right by bringing piping hot, crispy fries.
For the sake of clarity, our actual server, Stephanie, was super helpful. However, the rest of the service staff needs help and perhaps a tutorial. The hostess stand needs at least 2 other people on busy weekend evenings. They should be trained to understand that reservations should take precedence over walk-ins. The phone should never ring 10-20 times without somebody picking up. There should be sufficient and well-trained busboys and runners who know what orders belong to which tables for the outdoor patio and adjoining tent.
Also, the bartender should be well-versed in the drink lingo and understand that a martini “up” no vermouth with a lemon twist is a martini not a 2 ounce glass of no ice room temperature vodka. We want to be helpful and eat at local restaurants to help them stay in business but the upcharge of the alcohol is nearly criminal (see receipt) and the staff needs to be replaced or be admonished for their failings.
We are very fond of Stephanie and the cooks did a nice job on our dinner, but the host, manager, bartender and singular busboy have all failed to meet the expectations of a $110 meal. I doubt we’ll be returning though the view from the outdoor patio was quite pretty. However, the overall service and value of the restaurant aren’t compelling enough to make the investment in time and money. The receipt didn’t even have our correct server’s name. This restaurant gets an F in my book.
Public School opened in Culver City in 2012 and is one of the popular gastropubs in the city attracting visitors near and far.
For our dinner selection, we had both the recess happy hour and DineLA’s restaurant week dinner menu.
We started off our evening with our favorite beverages, a Moscow mule for Troy and a vodka martini for me.
The first of our dishes to arrive were the savory bacon cheddar tots that we all wish had been served at our elementary school cafeteria.
The crispy naked chicken wings arrived shortly thereafter. They were perfectly cooked, moist and lightly seasoned, served with a side of blue cheese and super spicy buffalo sauce.
Next on deck was the decadent chorizo mac and cheese sprinkled with bits of salt & vinegar potato chips, kale and mornay sauce.
We also also ordered the Brussels sprouts which were served with a bit of kimchi and slivers of bacon intermixed with a citrus gremolata.
For our main entrees, we ordered the Moroccan harissa salmon which was plated with cannelloni beans, zucchini, kale and roasted tomatoes, one of our favorites on the menu.
I ordered the steak frites, which was a grilled flat iron steak, served with charred green onion chimichurri, truffle aioli and Parmesan truffle fries.
For dessert, we were served warm, crispy churros with spiced chocolate sauce drizzled on top and filled in the middle which oozed out with every bite.
Our other dessert was the vanilla cheesecake with macerated strawberries and whipped cream. It was perfect, not too sweet, not too dense, a great way to end a fantastic meal.
A toast to Public School for their delicious food and fantastic service. Until next time!
Public School 310
9411 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
PS310
Koobide Kabob is a great family-owned Mediterranean restaurant in Culver City. Our favorite takeout order is their family platter which comes with a shirazi salad, basmati rice, two chicken kabobs, one ground beef koobideh, one filet mignon kabob and grilled veggies consisting of tomatoes, peppers and onions.
The salad had a subtle citrus dressing and was sprinkled with some diced tomatoes and cucumbers.
Their rice was light and silky, and it paired beautifully with the three types of meat on the platter. The grilled filet kabob was generous and substantial, the chicken breast kabob had a bit of char and yet was quite juicy, but the star was the seasoned ground beef koobideh which was perfectly cooked and had an earthy, citrusy flavor. We also had a side of hummus which had a very strong but delicious garlic aftertaste. Our perfectly sized desert was their delicious baklava which consisted of a crispy buttery phyllo dough soaked in a combination of sugar, honey and pistachio creating a sweet, moist and chewy bite. It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.
The family platter was a great value for the amount of food we received. We would definitely recommend the restaurant and all the dishes we ordered as they were delicious and authentic. We’ll be back!
Koobide Kabob
11800 W. Jefferson Boulevard, Suite A
Culver City, CA 90230
Home
Costa Rica is a beautiful lush country in Central America which offers a bounty of options for adrenaline junkies as well as laid back beachgoers. For our trip to this paradise, we chose the Pacific Ocean side in the region of Guanacaste as it offered a stunning backdrop of towering lush verdant mountains alongside a wide expanse of pristine beaches.
We opted to stay at a resort in Playa Flamingo which has since changed ownership and has been rebranded by the Margaritaville hotel chain: https://www.margaritavillebeachresortcostarica.com.
The beach resort had an on-site restaurant and bar, a large pool and swim-up bar and a small fitness center overlooking the pool. Initially, we were booked in one of the lower level rooms, but it was the rainy season, and the room was small, smelled dank and quite mildewy so we upgraded to one of the large ocean front view suites with a king bed.
It was a fantastic decision as the suite had a kitchenette with a large refrigerator and microwave as well as a sink and wet bar
adjoining a decent sized living room which led to a wraparound balcony overlooking the resort on one side and the beach on the other.
The bedroom was in a separate room facing the ocean which allowed for natural “white noise” from the waves crashing onto the shore.
Every morning, we ate our first meal at a quaint restaurant across the street from the resort called Marie’s: http://mariesrestaurantcostarica.com. The prices were reasonable and the food was quite good. It was also a great place to meet others staying in the area.
About a ten to fifteen minute beach walk south of the resort was Coco Loco: http://www.cocolococostarica.com which had an outdoor beachside restaurant. It had a pseudo beach club vibe with upbeat dance music playing in the background. Despite the rainy season, most of the tables were filled and as a result, the service was a bit slower, but the view and the fantastic food and drinks made up for the extended wait.
For a bit more high end dining, we ventured across the street from the resort to Angelina’s: https://www.angelinasplayaflamingo.com which specialized in Italian food and seafood.
The service was impeccable and the food and view from the second floor were pretty spectacular.
For all our excursions, we booked with Flamingo Adventures: https://flamingoadventures.com. Conveniently, they were also across the street, in an outdoor hut just steps away from Marie’s.
Sal, our guide for the week, was an older gentleman but quite lean and spry and participated in every adventure.
From the ATV up the mountains and back down to the beach, to the combined horseback riding and zipline adventure and
finally for whitewater rafting, rope swing and cliff diving, he was game and beyond fearless.
To ease the tension and muscle aches from all of our adventures, we took the time to pamper ourselves. I read about Beach Massage by Orfa on TripAdvisor and was happy to find she was set up on the beach just in front of our resort. At the time, a 90 minute massage cost each of us $55.
Being massaged beachside hearing the crashing of the waves seemed blissfully indulgent.
Another stress relieving venture came at the tailend of our horseback riding and ziplining adventure at Borinquen Resort: https://www.borinquenresort.com/gallery.php.
After a hair-raising few hours, the mud bath and hot springs were the perfect antidote for the rigorous and stressful excursion we had just endured and survived.
Costa Rica is a fantastic and budget friendly option to tropical destinations like Hawaii and Florida as the travel time is quite similar. Alaska and Delta now offer direct flights from Los Angeles to Liberia making it literally just one flight away. Our time on Playa Flamingo and Guanacaste definitely exceeded our expectations and stands out as one of our most exciting and memorable vacations. Costa Rica is the perfect spot for those willing and courageous enough to step outside of their comfort zone and head blindly to spine tingling adventures in the great outdoors. Pura Vida!
Fiji is one of those faraway romantic places one dreams of when bogged down the day-to-day grind of life, a reverie of a place to escape and unwind in the midst of tranquility. Little did I know how accurate my vision would be of our actual getaway.
Fiji comprises 300 islands in the South Pacific. Deciding which island or islands to visit proved a bit daunting. The international airport was on the main island and to reach other islands involved either smaller planes, boats or helicopters, all of which added a significant cost in time and money to the trip. I opted to search for accommodations on the main island and decided on Wananavu Resort on the sunny north shore. It was a 3 hour drive from the airport and combined with the 11 hour flight was the shortest in duration with respect to travel.
We arrived at Nadi airport in the wee hours of the morning, so we spent the ride to the resort catching up on some much needed rest and sleep.
Upon our arrival and after a brief check-in, we were ushered to the dining area for breakfast which was happily a traditional American fare of bacon, eggs, hash browns and pancakes.
Nourished and reenergized, we headed to our beachfront bure which was a fairly nice sized room.
It had a front outdoor porch and inside, there was a king sized bed with an air conditioning unit directly above it.
There was also a sitting area on the side of the room and the bathroom with a walk in shower was directly behind it, adjacent to the bedroom.
We immediately unpacked our bags, grabbed our swimsuits and headed to the water.
I was shocked at how remote and isolated our location was.
It was very quiet, and there was nobody on the beach or in the ocean. It was as if we had the entire resort to ourselves.
For the next week, we swam in the ocean as well as the pristine pool on-site,
practiced yoga on the front porch of our bure, worked out with our TRX in the room, walked on the beach,
had many refreshing drinks and were served beautifully presented food.
The resort provided an eclectic selection of meals with some being the traditional American fare intermingled with Indian inspired dishes, paying homage to the commingling of cultures on the island.
In addition to the resort activities, we partook in a few off-site excursions. My husband went on one full day dive trip and on the other days, we snorkeled, went on a picnic at a neighboring island and
took a tour of the outdoor farmers market.
We learned a bit about the Fijian culture and was shocked to hear that cannibalism was in fashion for some time and that Indians were once brought over as indentured servants to work the fields. After a period of time, the Indians were given their freedom, and they used that opportunity to start their lives and through hard work and perseverance, successfully surpassed the Fijians in monetary success, causing a bit of resentfulness amongst the natives.
All in all, Wananavu was a wonderful place to decompress and get off the grid. The lush landscaping, the rustic bure and the serenity of the resort provided us an opportunity to recharge our batteries.
We have very fond memories of the one place in our travels that gave us the freedom to live a slower pace of life by providing us an environment in which we could immerse ourselves in the beautiful, peaceful, natural surroundings that we have come to know as Wananavu.
Wananavu Resort
Volivoli Road
Sun Coast, Fiji
My first trip to Cancun was a present from my father to commemorate my college graduation. My roommates and I chose Club Med for our celebratory vacation, because it was a direct five hour flight from Los Angeles, was all-inclusive and reasonably priced. At the time, alcohol was excluded, but all the meals and activities were part of the package.
Being on a limited budget, we opted for many of their on-site offerings which included snorkeling, windsurfing and sailing lessons.
During that trip, we met a couple of guys from Los Angeles who had previously visited the resort and knew their way around the town. They led us to the bus stop which was accessible by way of the resort next door, and we spent a few nights on the strip, exploring restaurants and the local club scene.
The bar for all future vacations had been set.
Eight years later I returned for my second visit. By then, I was gainfully employed so I was able to afford other outings which were not financially feasible on my initial trip.
There were day trips to Coba and Chichen Itza as well as outings to Tulum and Xcaret.
Of the three Mayan ruins, Coba was the oldest of the archaeological sites built primarily with a network of stone paths and structures.
People moved into the area between 50 BC and 100 AD.
Hundreds of years later, around 600 AD, Chichen Itza was established.
In contrast to Coba, Chichen Itza was quite expansive and very well developed with distinct architectural styles.
The Mayan ruin of Tulum was the newest of the ruins estimated to have been constructed between 1200 and 1450 AD.
It was also the smallest of the three sites but had the best location, jutting above the turquoise seas of the Yucatan Peninsula.
My favorite excursion was my visit to the ecological park, Xcaret, where I was able to explore caves and stalagmites while floating on an underground river.
The park also offered a few cultural shows, giving an insight to the Mayan traditions and historical background.
One of my fondest memories was lounging on one of Xcaret’s beaches, ensconced in a hammock, being lulled to sleep by the warm rays of the sun, the hypnotic rhythm of the waves and the gentle caress of the breeze.
By my next two visits in 2009 and 2014, Club Med Cancun had segued from an adults only resort to a family-oriented destination.
As always, there were theme nights, ranging from White nights which required being garbed in all white attire, to Elegant which ranged from cocktail to formal attire, to “45,” which required guests to buy “45” Club Med t-shirts from the gift shop.
The significance of that number was the celebration of the 45th anniversary of Club Med which was a successful celebration, generating added revenue prompting management to continue the evening theme on a go forward basis.
With the segue from adults-only to families, there was definitely a shift in the entertainment at the resort.
Long gone were the days when dinners made way for heavy imbibing and hedonistic dance parties.
The resort switched gears and focused on comprehensive family entertainment which involved the staff rehearsing for hours, days and weeks at a time, much like for any Broadway or Cirque du Soleil performance.
The nights were replete with choreographed dances and musicals in the indoor theatre, skits at the makeshift outdoor theatre,
trapeze performances and family friendly beachside dance parties.
The resort still had the infamous foam parties, but in lieu of the late night indoor scantily clad adults writhing to the beats of the DJ’s mixes on-site, the party morphed into a daytime, G-rated BBQ party, surrounded by families on beach beds, guests playing beach volleyball and kids building sand castles.
I have visited Club Med Cancun at various stages of my life, but it was the place for many of my “firsts.” It was my first trip out of the country, my first vacation after graduating from college, the place where I learned to snorkel and where I had my first drink.
Of all the places I have been, Club Med Cancun stands out amongst the rest, and its turquoise seas, warm sandy beaches and clear blue skies will always have a special place in my heart.
Club Med Cancun
https://www.clubmed.us/r/Cancun-Yucatan/y?CMCID=SNN82930636056
Grace Gambin
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