Moving Day

Moving Day

Going to recuperate from the move at an Air BnB and then move into a new place after the holiday :)

Return to Le Pain Quotidien

I'm slowly beginning to go back to all the places I went to regularly pre Covid 19, but I must admit that I still prefer eating at outdoor patios, so Le Pain Quotidien in Marina del Rey was an easy breakfast choice. The jars of house jam are now individual containers, and the servers all wear masks. 

I was so impatient for my first sip of oat milk cappuccino that I forgot to take a picture before I sipped :)

One of the mornings when I wanted something light, I chose the fruit, granola and Greek yogurt parfait with perfectly ripe berries, tasty crunchy granola, and a rich smooth Greek yogurt.

Their breakfast sandwich is a nice brunch choice.

The classic ham and cheese omelet served with their organic bread and side salad

or their mushroom and goat cheese omelet are for the days when something more substantial is needed. I have never been able to finish their omelets, but I always make a valiant effort! My favorite server, Ashley, had just returned from Senegal so we caught up on what we had been doing during the last 18 months in French! It made me nostalgic for the Pain Quotidien outposts in Belgium (original) and Paris. It was a good appetizer for traveling to Europe again....

Hatchet Hall

Hatchet Hall has inhabited the space it occupies for 6 years, but I did not make the 3 mile trek to eat there until this week-end. 

The huge patio opens at 5pm, and since they do not take reservations, if you wish to be sure to score a seat, arrive at opening time to eat a very late lunch or early dinner. By the time it was 7pm, there was a line down the block. Keep in mind that with new Covid-19 rules effective next week allowing more capacity, you may find it easier to get a seat in either the indoor covered patio, the outdoor open patio, or the indoor space.

I went for a birthday celebration on the outdoor patio at 5pm on a perfect Southern California blue sky 72F afternoon, and even with a bit of a breeze, the warmth from the last rays of sun made it feel like it was a late afternoon brunch.

My dining companions ordered mocktails, one of which was enjoyed and the other found too sweet. We shared every plate, so we told them to send them out as they were done. First up was the Garden of Little Gem wedge with creme fraiche, tomatoes and lardons for $15. It was a refreshing way to start the meal and everyone loved the decadent lardons that were like finding treasures in the salad. 

The birthday guest loves lamb so we got the lamb sirloin with tonnato, salsa verde, and breadcrumbs for $33. A squeeze of the grilled lemon on top gave the meat a nice acidic zing that made this one of the crowd favorites.

I asked the waitress what she would choose if given the choice of the pork chop or quail and she said the pork chop, so I went with this paprika and fennel grilled chop for $35. The meat was perfectly prepared, still juicy and just barely well done, but the seasoning was very light and I ended up dipping the slices in the lamb salsa verde for some extra flavor. It was a very generous portion, easily enough to share, especially when ordering other dishes.

I loved the sautéed bloomsdale spinach with green garlic and lemon for $12. I could have easily eaten this side by myself.

Everyone loved the trout almondine with brown butter and almonds served with green beans for $27. This was a huge portion, and if we had not all been very hungry, we could have easily skipped one of the other proteins and just eaten this with some vegetable sides. We also got the grilled asparagus with pine nuts and lemon for $17, but I was too busy eating to take a picture :) As an asparagus lover, it satisfied my desire for a vegetable, but I found it a bit bland and expensive for 4 stalks, which is probably why I forgot to take a picture of it...

Since it was a birthday celebration, we got the strawberry rhubarb crisp with pecans and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for $15 to share. It was neither overly sweet nor overly memorable.

Please note that they add a 20% gratuity to all checks, so you do not have to tip more on your check unless you wish. Overall we enjoyed the food, service, and atmosphere, but for an average of $90 per person without alcohol, it was a bit pricey. The ingredients were all top notch, and after being sequestered for over a year, being able to share a meal on a nice patio close to home in celebration of a special occasion made it all worthwhile.

Newport Seafood

My friend Georgia and I always celebrated her birthday with lobster, but with Covid 19, we had to settle for a remote greeting and a gift certificate. Since we are now both vaccinated, we ventured out to Newport Seafood, which is now open for indoor dining with masks and social distancing rules still in place. I had never been, but Georgia had, so the birthday girl got to choose the restaurant and the menu :)

We had the beef Loc Lac, basically a sauté of tender beef plated over raw onions, 

pea shoots with garlic

and their renowned small (4-5 lb) house special lobster.

The meal was pricey but the gift of a 30+ year friendship enjoying great food and wine is priceless.