I first read about the opening of Lustig from an Eater article. It was the replacement restaurant for La Dijonnaise in the Helms Bakery in Culver City. I actually had a reservation before the holiday break which was cancelled due to the restaurant opening being delayed so I rescheduled after the first of the year and set our dinner for the first Friday of January.
It had been a while since we had frequented the Helms Bakery. There were still plenty of free parking spaces on-site. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were immediately seated and our server came to greet us moments later. We had never dined at the former restaurant so we didn’t have a frame of reference what the interior looked like at the time, but Lustig’s contemporary décor was a refreshing change of scenery.
The red walls and tall ceilings set against floor to ceiling windows gave it a very airy vibe.
They also had a beautiful sparkly full bar.
There were four dining areas: an outdoor patio, the bar, the main dining area and a more private section further into the restaurant near the second restroom.
In both water closets, there was a taped poster above the doorway as a nod to Ted Lasso.
After a short chat with our server, we ordered our food, and the starters arrived a few minutes later.
The tuna cannoli was served in a crispy eggroll shell and tasted like an incredibly fresh tuna tartare with avocado but condensed and tightly wrapped.
The croque monsieur pizza was served broiling hot. It was cheesy, smoky, savory and just decadent. Though it was a bit oilier than I expected and the crust wasn’t crispy, the flavors were all there and hit all the right notes.
The chicken was moist and tender. It was served with beans which added a bit of earthiness to the dish. The asparagus which came with the dish was also perfectly cooked. In my haste to sample, I dropped an asparagus and without missing a beat, a hostess scooped it up from the floor. Some of the beans that came with the chicken were slightly undercooked and crispy but still good.
The broccolini was set in a soy, tomato base and was cooked al dente.
Fries were crispy and lightly salted.
The apple streudel was life altering. It was served warm, in a crispy crust, with cinnamon, tart apple with a creamy light sauce and cold ice cream. It was amazing!!
We would definitely return to our neighborhood’s newest gem. The service with the unique and delicious eats made for a winning combination!!
Here’s my secret for finding the new restaurant eats: I subscribe to Eater and Infatuation and I regularly receive emails of openings and reviews. However, and no offense to my fellow foodies, but I have a different standard, and I don’t always agree with their recos. On the Xuntos front, I’m 100% “aligned” which by the way is ad agency/marketing speak, now that I’m professionally back in that sphere.
Xuntos is located in Downtown Santa Monica which, in my teens and 20s, was one of my favorite hangouts. Now part of the area has been surrendered to and relegated to the homeless encampments while the oceanside still caters to the elite. Walking to Xuntos with my Lady Dior from the public parking garage on 4th made me reevaluate my luxury bag choice for the night. However, upon arriving at the restaurant, I was very pleasantly surprised at the upscale environment.
My husband was already seated as I dropped him off to locate parking.
When I arrived, my husband’s wine choice for me was promptly served. It was their driest white wine offering which had a bit of zest and grapefruit tartness.
The complimentary olive starter served with the drinks had a bit of kick with a peppercini flavor.
We started off with the ham and grilled cheese sandwich. The “bikini jamon” was phenomenal! Cheesy, gooey, slightly sweet, with shaved sweet slices of jamon in the center. We ended up ordering two because it was that good!
Next up was the gazpacho which was delicious, refreshing, creamy, tart, a bit sour with hints of the freshness of cucumber, truly unique and perfect for a hot summer day.
Our first main dish was the garlic shrimp which was beautifully presented, steaming hot with sliced baguette on the side. The shrimp had a bit of heat and the oil from the pan served as a nice dipping sauce for the bread. The shrimp was small but plump and tender.
Next up was the squid ink pasta which was creamy, tart from the lemon juice and tomato purée.
The patatas bravas were served piping hot, crispy with a drizzle of sour cream, chives and tomato purée.
The finale was the steak which was lightly salted, tender and juicy, with a bit of chimichurri herbs, caper sauce and rock salt on top.
All the menu items from start to finish were exceptional. It’s been a while since all the notes, from the service to the quality of the food, hit all the right marks. As my childhood piano teacher would say after an excellent performance, three gold stars to Xuntos!
At the beginning of the year, I made a list of local restaurants that we hadn’t dined at which seemed interesting. The list has grown exponentially as restaurants have opened throughout the year. Tapizon was added to the list early on but we somehow never made it there until recently and what a pleasant surprise it was. First, it’s in the pocket of what looks like middle town USA in the heart of a El Segundo. The exterior of the restaurant has an entire wall that was a beautiful colorful mural.
The interior of the restaurant looked like a little jewel box. We came on a Saturday as I saw online that they had live performers. The bossa nova vibes combined with the beautiful decor made it seem like we were whisked away to a more exotic land.
After drinks were ordered and served, our starters arrived shortly thereafter.
The Caesar salad was creamy, cheesy with seeds which added a bit of earthiness to it.
The black bean soup was the better starter between the two as it was hearty and robust with flavor with a bit of tartness.
My husband’s grilled chicken was quite savory, chock full of flavor and tender. The coconut rice was fluffy and mildly flavored.
My fries were herbaceous and crispy. The brisket tasted smoky and was incredibly tender and the brown rice provided a nice bed for the beef juices. The silkiness of the beans and the creamy yolk worked in harmony with the rest of the dish.
We also received a complimentary dessert. The injera style flatbread was a bit chewy, warm, almost had an English muffin texture. It was served with ice cream, berries in the middle, chocolate drizzled on top and some whipped cream on the side, definitely unique and a dessert unlike no other and not overly sweet.
Tapizon is definitely a great value dinner experience, and we would jump at the chance to return. The owner, Eric, came by and chatted with us for a while.
He had a military background and flew planes which explained the plane fountain at the front of the restaurant. Eric was a New York transplant and had previously not been familiar with El Segundo but all that changed when the property became available and he decided to set up shop. We didn’t discuss how he came up with the restaurant’s concept but we are sure glad he decided to make El Segundo and Tapizon his next project as it was definitely a hidden neighborhood gem that we are happy to share with as many people who will listen.
I had been wanting to try out Granville and even made a reservation or two only to cancel and push to a later date. At long last, we finally made our way to the WeHo establishment one Friday evening. It took us about 25 minutes to drive to the establishment and another 2 minutes to locate the valet parking which was behind the restaurant.
In Granville’s former life, it housed the now defunct Jerry’s Deli. On my last visit, Jerry Seinfeld was sitting in a corner booth, cracking jokes loudly for all to hear. Today, Granville is an expansive beautiful elevated casual restaurant with a gorgeous bar in the section where Jerry was ensconced with several areas allocated for dining.
Upon checking in for our reservation, we were asked by the hostess to wait while two other parties were seated. It only took a few minutes before we were escorted to our table.
Our server promptly greeted us and asked for our drink orders. When it was time to place our dinner order, as we were torn between a few dishes, we asked for her recommendations.
The first reco was the cheese toast and when dipped into the accompanying tomato bisque, it reminded me of happy childhood dreams. Even though we had asked for no onions, the grilled cheese sandwich was served with them, but somehow we didn’t mind as it gave the toast a bit of a sweet aftertaste. The tomato bisque had little chunks of tomato and was very mildly seasoned.
The next starter was the Brussels sprouts which had a dense center and a silky layer with a smoky, bitter aftertaste, served with slivers of almonds which added a bit of nuttiness to the dish. There was also a hint of citrusy sweetness which softened the bite of the dish.
The next recommendation was the bacon cheeseburger. I opted for a lettuce wrap. The smoked mozzarella was melted onto the medium cooked beef patty which was incredibly juicy and flavorful. The bacon was thick and well done. A small brown bag of uber crispy chips was served alongside the burger and was one of the best iterations of homemade chips I’ve ever tasted at a restaurant.
The third recommendation, which was the best of the bunch, was the ahi tuna dish. It arrived beautifully presented. In the center of the dish were two thick tuna filets which were beautifully pink in the middle and seared on the outside which was evenly coated with sesame seeds. The noodles added a nice soy flavor to the dish as well as a bit of heat. It was a delicious savory dish.
Granville is an elevated casual eatery. As their menu states, “come as you are.” They welcome a very attractive upwardly mobile but understated clientele. If that suits your mood, then we would highly recommend a dining experience for you at Granville. It can’t be beat!!
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!
The Reunion at Neuehouse looked and felt like a little jewel box in the midst of the pseudo gentrified, partial homeless encampment area known as Venice Beach. Its location was one of the more polished areas of town, and upon arrival, we asked the doorman where to park and he pointed to the parking lot halfway down the block to the left. I honestly can’t recall if the parking was $20 or $40 as we were running late, and I couldn’t be bothered to look for a “safe” free or inexpensive lot which inevitably would have led to being subjected to the skunk smell of pot or the putrid smell of urine in some seedy alleyway of the city.
Once we entered the building, it felt like we had been transported to a lavish resort in the Mediterranean. Every individual we spoke with was polished and well-mannered. That’s when I remembered the Neuehouse was first and foremost a members only social club, and it definitely showed in the service we received. Even the restroom attendant was beyond apologetic for having to service the restroom while patrons were using the facilities. We were directed to check in with the front desk who escorted us to our outdoor patio table.
We were quite pleased with the clientele as everybody looked established and refined albeit dressed in California casual chic attire. The patio was covered and had heat lamps so we were shielded from the elements which was quite lovely and made for a very comfortable dining experience.
Our server greeted us and took our drink orders which frankly took a bit longer to receive than one would have anticipated and on arrival of my martini, I was disappointed at the diminutive portion I was served, akin to all my drinks in London or in Utah, though I’ve never been to the latter.
Fortunately, the rest of the meal was quite delightful.
The bread basket had an array of various bread options, from a crispy breadstick, pre-buttered and toasted sourdough slices and doughy warm focaccia.
We ordered the organic arugula salad which had a tart, lemony, cheesy layer which balanced out the arugula’s natural bitterness.
The chicken parmesan was served piping hot, lightly breaded with traditional breadcrumbs under a thin layer of tomato based sauce and melted cheese.
Our mushroom pasta was quite savory, earthy with a hint of worcestershire sauce mixed in and sprinkled with cheese.
The potatoes were crisp and cheesy, with a hint of smoke.
Overall, we enjoyed our evening at The Reunion and we would happily return and recommend it to friends. It’s a nice upscale pocket in the heart of an otherwise unsavory part of town.
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.
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
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
Grace Gambin
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