My love for my hometown Culver City knows no bounds so when I read that Laurel Grill of the Laurel Hardware family was opening up a restaurant in downtown, I immediately made a reservation. The restaurant encompassed the entire second floor of the Culver Steps building which also housed Erewhon, Sephora, Salt & Straw, Mendocino Farms, Afuri Ramen and a few other businesses on the first floor.
Walking up the stairs to Laurel Grill, we were welcomed with fire pits at the outdoor waiting area and a balcony with a view of Culver Hotel and the surrounding area.
The expansive bar area encompassed the middle section of the restaurant.
The pizza oven was housed towards the back of the restaurant.
To the left of the pizza area was the open kitchen for the preparation of the rest of the menu’s offerings.
We settled in at the bar and ordered our martinis while we waited for our table.
Once seated, we immediately ordered our dinner selection.
The Chinese chicken salad was on par with Hillstone’s/Houston’s iteration which had fresh greens and cilantro, a light citrusy dressing, tender slivers of chicken and crispy wonton strips interspersed. It was the perfect refreshing start to our meal.
My ribs were fall-of-the-bone tender and incredibly savory with a bit of smokiness. The fries were served piping hot and crispy. The aioli dipping sauce had the perfect thick consistency but without an overpowering garlic aftertaste.
My husband’s tuna melt was perfection. The bread was toasted just right, and it had a perfect tuna/dressing ratio which was packed tightly in between the bread.
The accompanying cole slaw was crisp with a light creamy dressing.
The weakest of the dinner items was the mac n cheese which was was cheesy and had a crisp breadcrumb topping, but the pasta was a bit overdone.
In addition to the mostly amazing food, we were impressed by the entire staff. From the hostess who greeted us, checked us in and advised us there would a short wait, to the bartender who made our drinks, to the other bartender who closed us out and our server Tess who was an aspiring fashion designer of sorts as well as her runners who served our food promptly and the ones who promptly filled up our water glasses, the service was on par with the high end restaurants in Los Angeles.
We’re assuming Laurel Grill will be welcoming a pianist to entertain its guests in the near future.
Laurel Grill is a fantastic addition to the gastronomic scene in downtown Culver City!!
The newly opened 33 Taps has a very different vibe from its former iteration, City Tavern. Under new owners, the local sports bar offers a wide beer selection and a a small but varied food menu. There are two points of entry into the restaurant, from the back on Washington or from the front, on Culver. Upon entering at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, the middle section of the bar was packed with 20-30 somethings excitedly and happily chatting with their group of friends. This was a very different vibe from City Tavern which at 5 o’clock had to entice people with a happy hour menu. I noticed that the young crowd favored drinking to eating and the booths were filled with a slightly older crowd enjoying actual meals along with adult beverages. Upon being seated, my husband was asked for a credit card, requested to order everything by scanning the QR code and ordering through the platform. Once ordered, the beverages and food came out quickly.
Our first starter, the Brussels sprouts, had a slightly bitter smoky flavor but were perfectly cooked, not too crispy and not too mushy.
My husband’s chicken burrito arrived with chips and dipping sauces. The chicken burrito was beautifully presented with a nice nice cilantro sauce intermixed.
My lettuce wrap burger had a perfectly cooked beef patty covered by a thick crisp lettuce leaf and adorned with crunchy tater tots. Though the bacon could have been crispier, the mushrooms on top of the patty were plentiful, savory and silky and the Swiss cheese was melted onto the burger which was seasoned to perfection.
I was hesitant as 33 Taps’ menu seemed limited but what we ordered was expertly prepared and presented so no complaints on that front. 33 Taps is walk in only which could become problematic during peak dining times but if they can maintain the level of service from the kitchen staff to the servers, it will be a quick turnaround on orders once seated. We would happily return to this local haunt and are happy they’ve joined the neighborhood!
Lillie’s is a new addition to the Culver City dining scene. It’s located within the historical Culver City hotel. There had previously been several iterations of restaurants at the same site over the years but after the pandemic, all hotel dining ceased.
We had an opening on our weekend schedule and decided to use the opportunity to stay local and check out the offerings of the restaurant. We were not disappointed.
It’s quite stunning inside the hotel which has been beautifully maintained and restored over the years. We were seated at a partial banquette which allowed for a 180 degree view of the restaurant.
For our starter, we ordered the caesar salad which was crisp, fresh and had a lemony cheesy bite.
The big eye tuna ceviche was equally delightful with a citrusy onion aftertaste.
My steak frites were perfectly cooked. The beef was tender with no marbling or grisled pieces, and the fries were crispy and herbaceous. My husband’s burger was amazing. The bun was light and fluffy and the ground beef was tender and robust with flavor. His side dish of pomme puree was delightfully creamy and the broccolini was smoky and tender.
Of the two hotel restaurants we dined at on this particular weekend, with Ella at the Sixty being the first, Lilies was hands down the winner on every front.
The service was impeccable, the decor could not be beat and the band which played during our dinner service was spectacular. We are thrilled to pieces that this new french restaurant is so close to home as we look forward to many happy returns.
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
After a long work week, we were torn on whether to stay in on a Friday night and order delivery from one of our standbys, The Original Thai BBQ restaurant on Venice, or head out and experience a change of scenery. We opted for the latter but chose a place close by in downtown Culver City. A new restaurant opened fairly recently called Amacita. It sits where the former BacoShop had its two year residency. Over the last fifteen years, the space has had several other iterations including Santa Maria BBQ and coincidentally a different Thai BBQ restaurant.
When we arrived, the restaurant was full including its bar area. In the few times we ate at that location, we had never seen it at full capacity so that was a good omen. We ordered beer and wine and were served a basket of super crispy and addictive tortilla chips which was another point in the restaurant’s favor. Luckily, a table for two was leaving so we were seated inside fairly quickly.
We started with two crispy fried golden tacos with chicken which had the same crispy texture as the chips. It came with a huge dollop of crema, a pile of red cabbage and salsa. The chicken was perfectly moist and savory and each taco definitely had a generous helping of meat.
Next to arrive was the McGrath charcoal grilled baby corn with queso fresco and morita crema. The corn was smoky and the sauce added a layer of creaminess and tanginess. It was quite unique as they were petite baby corn and not the usual plate of corn kernels or an actual corn on the cob giving it a much more refined presentation.
Our last starter dish to arrive was a bowl of Weiser tiny russet potatoes with arbol chile cream, manchego, bacon and chives. That was the dish that made me do a double take and pay attention. All the flavors blended perfectly well and the texture of the potatoes weren’t too creamy but weren’t too roughly chopped either. It was somewhere in the middle so that you could taste the chunks of potato with the bites of bacon and chives subtly blending in.
Sadly, there was at least a 20 minute delay in between the starters and the main dishes so that was disappointing.
My husband ordered the mesquite grilled arbor shrimp in country Rhodes blistered tomatoes and tomatillo. It was delicious, savory, smoky and tender all at once with a subtle hint of tanginess.
I ordered the Peads & Barnett pork collar pibil with roasted pineapple and salsa verde. Sadly, it was inferior in comparison to the quality of the preceding dishes. The pork was dry and lacking in flavor. Unlike the three other dishes we ordered which had depth and complexity, the chunks of pork didn’t absorb any of the seasonings or the flavor of the sauces on top and around it. Somehow there was a strange delineation and separation which is indicative of the parts being cooked separately. Perhaps the pork should be marinaded in a lemon, lime or even grapefruit base to tenderize the meat and give it a bit more acidity in flavor. A bit of black pepper would also give it more depth.
Luckily, I mentioned my dissatisfaction to our busboy who must have said something to the manager as it was removed from our bill.
In addition, to apologize for the long delay, we were given a beautifully refreshing dessert on the house. It was a berry granita with peaches and cream which was a delicious way to end our Tex-Mex experience.
All in all, aside from a few hiccups which management acknowledged and corrected, it was a great dinner at Ama-cita. The presentation and flavors were polished and the vibe of the restaurant is a fantastic addition to bustling downtown Culver City. We will be back!
Ama-cita
9552 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA
https://www.ama-cita.com
I admittedly have never watched an episode of Top Chef so I have zero knowledge of Chef Shirley Chung and her culinary expertise. However, I do enjoy trying new eats especially in my hometown of Culver City and Ms. Chi definitely held a great deal of promise. It is housed in the space of former Korean BBQ restaurant, Hanjip, which got off to a great start but seemed overpriced and overhyped for what it was. Culver City has tried several times to welcome some Asian eats into its hood but most have failed or not been successful enough to sustain themselves in the high rent area of downtown Culver City. This restaurant though might have a shot at longevity. Its roots are Asian but it gives enough appeal to those who have never gone to a Chinese restaurant. For those who don’t know that the red and black covered round bowl with white ladle is the white steamed rice bowl that is served to every table and patron at all authentic Chinese restaurants, this is the place for you to to start your Asian food journey.
Ms. Chi offers a happy and non-threatening introduction to Asian cuisine. The restaurant is not filled with odious scents and live seafood in an aquarium holding your dinner entree hostage. Rather it melds the Americanized Asian fare and bumps it two more notches towards the American palate. The cheeseburger dumplings is the perfect example of American Asian Fusion. It truly tastes like its name and it’s quite wonderfully savory. The tater tots at Ms. Chi aren’t coated with the standard vegetable oil flavoring. Rather it has a slightly sweet red or green pepper aftertaste which seems a bit different but perfectly placed in the restaurant’s fusion cuisine. The Brussels Sprouts with the runny egg is perfectly charred but is slightly softened once the silky yolk is broken and seeps into the smoky crevices. The star of the evening, however, was the Beijing noodle. It tasted like bolognese with thick al dente Asian flat noodles resembling the Italian parpadelle pasta. The flavor explosion was quite complex and unmatched by anything I have ever tasted.
To top off this very unique and exemplary meal, the service was top notch. William was our server and just kept dishing it out which was fairly quick because the kitchen crew did not miss a beat.
Overall, Ms. Chi is top notch and I thank every person who we met tonight who helped shape our dinner experience and now I clearly need to find Chef Shirley Chung’s Top Chef episode(s). 😎
Ms. Chi Cafe
3929 Main Street
Culver City, CA 90232
Grace Gambin
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