Gjusta
Organic Spinach, Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts Salad:
This might sound kind of plain, but… wow! The Organic Spinach they had was so fresh! Seriously nothing like the taste of packaged “Spinach” you get at the supermarket. There was a really pure, “fresh picked from the ground”-type of vibrancy. Really, really fresh Spinach. That really made the salad. 
And the Goat Cheese was fabulous, as were the fresh toasted Pine Nuts.
Gjusta
320 Sunset Ave.
Venice, CA 90291
Tel: (310) 314-0320
Broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage at luv2eat
LE COMPTOIR in K-Town. This will be long.
I’m not really a tasting menu kind of girl. In my younger days we made fun of fussy food - insert scene from L.A. Story. Now… maybe because I’m a better cook and from SoCal where sourcing and preparations are important… Or, maybe because the chefs look like they came to work on a skateboard, instead of wearing an obscenely pretentious, tall white hat - I’m digging it more. Anyway, you have to appreciate a guy who puts it all on the line at a 10 seat counter, 2 seatings, 4 nights a week, while sourcing most of the product from his own small farm.
It is theatre. You show up front at the precise time, a greeter escorts you to the lounge in the restored Hotel Normandie, later returns to escort one party at a time thru the back door to The Counter.
…Theatre doesn’t end there. The dialogue, descriptions, preparations, music, even the pre-med student “apprentice” is all calculatingly planned.
We just wanted to enjoy the evening and didn’t take pictures. But here’s a menu and photos very similar to what they prepared.
Kale Chips w/Aioli
Our Velouté was made with Castelfranco and was green. I wanted to lick the bowl then jump over the counter and demand a Viking size serving.
The different preparations and flavors that went into the "Vegetable Fruit Plate " and watching it prepared was a revelation.
Poached Egg, Beurre Noisette
Similar to the Fava Bean, Shroom, Pommes Purée… Delicious.
Squash & Farro
Sweet Potato Fed A5 Wagyu Beef
Orange flavored Sourdough Donut
Cheese!
We tried all of the supplements and the wine pairing… Why not? Don’t ask me about the wine - really not my area. But, the guy next to us shared some tasty Keller dessert wine.
Great evening!
Beet Tartar (Mustard Greens, Almond, Preserved Lemon):
Visually it’s playful and stunning. It looks like a “Beef Tartar” dish, even with the “Egg Yolk” on top. But upon closer inspection and biting into it, it’s clear that this a fresh Chopped Beet Salad LOL, earthy, delicious, with the Beets’ sweetness countered by the Preserved Lemon Sphere (definitely some molecular gastronomy here), and the slight bitterness but amazing vibrancy of the Mustard Green Frills. I’d say this is a true celebration of California produce. It was a fantastic salad!
Asparagus and Nettle Soup (Chantilly, Potato Chip):
As @LAgirl said, it is a beautiful presentation because it starts out with the dry ingredients in the soup bowl, wonderfully and artfully presented, fresh California Asparagus, edible Flowers and a Housemade Chantilly Cream. They then pour in the pureed Asparagus and Stinging Nettle Soup over the ingredients.
This is a celebration of Asparagus and it is almost great: The Asparagus Soup is fresh and interesting, but the the Chantilly Cream is too tart. If they provided maybe 50% of the amount of that cream, it would’ve been spot-on, but with the full amount they provided the tartness started to overtake the Asparagus. It wasn’t bad (it was tasty), but undermined by the sour notes.
Cavatelli Pasta (Arugula, Creme Fraiche, Local Peppercorn):
Really delicious! The Housemade Cavatelli Pasta had a more satisfying mouthfeel than Knead & Co’s version, but it was their subtle Creme Fraiche mixed with the Fried Arugula that elevated this dish. The Arugula was so delicious! Crisped, maintaining a touch of the inherent bitterness and the Peppercorns give it a nice little peppery punch. Wonderful!
Kali is one place I’d be glad to return to. I can’t wait to see what else Chef Meehan is cooking up.
Kali
5722 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Tel: (323) 871-4160
Pok Pok
Yam Samun Phrai (can be pure Vegetarian upon request) (Chiang Mai Thai Herbal Salad - White Turmeric, Carrot, Parsnip, Betel Leaf, Basil, Lime Leaf, Lemongrass, Sawtooth, Fried Shallots, Cashews, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, Dried Shrimp, Ground Pork & Thai Chilies, Mild Coconut Dressing):
I’ve been avoiding Pok Pok for a while, but had a friend who really wanted to go, and I heeded @Porthos warning and stuck to some recommendations. 
This Salad was actually the best thing we had that night. It was salty, tropical, nutty, piquant and umami and a touch sweet. The vegetables and herbs were really well-combined. Really liked the combination of Carrot, Parsnip, Betel Leaf, Basil and Lemongrass in particular. And the Fried Shallots and Sesame Seeds were delicious.
Little Sister (Downtown L.A.)
Myanmar Okra Curry (Fried Egg, Tomato, Tamarind, Cilantro, Six Spice):
Loved the Okra, and the Tomato, Tamarind pairing was fine. The Myanmar Curry sauce was unique, but I think it overpowered the dish a bit. Overall a good Vegetable Curry dish if you’re in the mood for something different, but I wished they let the veggies sing a bit more.
(Recap from other thread)
Hungry Cat
Curried Cauliflower (Pine Nuts & Raisins):
Curried Cauliflower seems to be popping up on a lot of menus, but The Hungry Cat’s version is solid. Aromatic curry spicing, the distinct Pine Nut scent hitting you with the sweetness of the Sauteed Raisins. Great veggie side dish.
Aburiya Raku
Asparagus with Bacon:
Another classic Yakitori skewer, Asparagus wrapped with Bacon and slowly roasted over their Binchotan charcoal. Excellent.
Beautiful!
Behold the 'Shroom Burger and crinkle cut fries from Shake Shack. Warning, graphic content: vegetables were battered in the making of this meal.
Beef muchim @ Gonjinam. Salad comprised of minari/water drop wort, onions and scallion. The minari adds a nice herbaceous brightness
Crudite with their house ranch @ Ledlow from a couple weeks ago. While perhaps not the greatest QPR, it makes for a fantastic side next to heavier dishes.
Recent visit to Animal. Some great Vegetable highlights.
Winter Citrus (Endive, Avocado, Macadamia, Yuzu Kosho):
A seemingly simple Citrus Salad of Endive, Winter Citrus Fruit is mixed with Avocado and Macadamia Nuts, but the brilliance is in the Yuzu Kosho, which is a traditional Japanese mixture of Yuzu Citrus Rinds and Chilies. It sounded kind of basic on paper but when I took a bite…
WOW! It was refreshing, it was so unique, and at the same time familiar. The Yuzu Kosho infuses each bite of Endive with the bright, springtime flavor of the famous Japanese Citrus Fruit. And then the fresh Winter Citrus slices serve to reinforce the taste, like a harmony of fantastic flavors.
It’s a brilliant concept that could belong in any of the top Izakayas, except none of them have this dish. Easily the BEST BITE I’VE HAD ALL WEEKEND! 
So good!
Flora Bella Arugula (Walnut Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese, Date, Sunchoke):
Initially, the first bite is a bit salty, but nutty from the Walnut Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese. But then we saw the bed of housemade Date Puree (sort of like a fresh Apple Sauce in texture) on the bottom of the plate. Mixing in the Date Puree, and it all came together. A touch of salt, a nice sweetness from the Dates, the slices of Sunchokes were excellent as well! Like a lightly sweet Apple in some ways.
The only complaint we had was that it was overdressed. But otherwise, the vibrant nature of the Flora Bella Arugula (really fresh!) and the Date and Sunchokes really stood out.
There was one amazing source of Vegetables we’ve been enjoying for the past few years, and I finally remembered to take some pictures for it.
The Garden Of… (Organic Farm)
Run by farmer Shu Takikawa and his family, they have a Certified Organic Farm out of Santa Ynez, California.
The first thing that struck me about Shu Takikawa’s stand was the absolutely gorgeous, stunning Organic Lettuces. He usually brings at least 5+ varieties each time we see him at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. Just look at these beautiful veggies -
It’s like a flower. 
I really like the Red Oak and Green Oak Lettuces, but really they all have subtle differences. Some slightly more peppery, some softer. He has heirloom varieties of Butter Lettuces as well.
Organic Japanese Momotaro Tomatoes:
A couple weeks ago, he brought in the last batch of their Organic Japanese Momotaro Tomatoes, and they were fabulous! A real balance of tart and bright sweetness, deep tomato-y flavor!
Their Cherry Tomatoes were also wonderful that day as well.
Organic Squash:
We really like their Organic Squash as well. So easy to cook up and they have great flavor.
Organic Chidori Kale:
These were just stunning last week!
Organic Radishes:
Lightly peppery, crisp, refreshing! They were great in a quick salad we put together.
The Garden Of… (Organic Farm)
(@ Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)) (North of the Arclight Cinemas)
1600 Ivar Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
Day: Sunday
Hours: 8:30AM - 1:00PM
I don’t know if I’ve had better veggies than from The Garden Of. Amazing examples of organic produce.
Hi @bulavinaka,
Definitely agree. 
Now I’m sad Tomato season is over, but when it’s in season again, make sure you get Takikawa-san’s Momotaro Tomatoes. They’re wonderful.
He also had one type of Japanese Radish last week that was amazing! (They had samples, fresh cut, raw.) Great on Salads or sauteed according to the family.
Their lettuce heads are so perfect and uniform - no bug damage either. And so so fresh. The only fresher lettuce I’ve had was direct from a friend’s veggie garden.
They used to be at the Sunday Mar Vista FM for a while, then disappeared. My guess is they found the Hollywood FM more lucrative do to its popularity and niche. I do see them at the Saturday FM in Arizona.
I’ve never had their tomatoes. The momotaro is favored by the Japanese palate because of its lower acidity and full flavor. Thanks for the heads-up - I will look for those next year. Props to The Garden Of… for their mastery of organic farming.
Hi @bulavinaka,
Bummer that they’re not longer at the Mar Vista Farmers Market. But good to know they’re at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Saturday. I wonder if they’re also at the Wednesday Farmers Market (Santa Monica)?
Definitely try their Momotaro Tomatoes next year.
