Shay Hotel / Etta Restaurant

The main water line burst in my apartment building, so while a few hours without running water is a nuisance, a few days becomes more challenging (in my privileged world of readily accessible clean water piped in for my convenience). The wonderful management company for my building offered reimbursed stays at a nearby hotel, so I chose the newly opened Shay at the Ivy Station.

I opened an account with Hyatt to track my stay and get points for future stays and using the dedicated app for Hyatt made check in and check out very easy. The app also allows you to use your phone to open your door if you wish to forgo the card key for your room. I still prefer human contact so I checked in at the front desk with the very efficient and pleasant personnel.

The room had a view of Platform on one side and the San Gabriel Mountains on the other. The location of the hotel was perfect at the Culver City Metro stop, a bus line in front, and all the restaurants/shops at Platform across the street.

I chose a King city view which was pleasantly appointed in a modern and minimalistic style. Sheets and towels were great quality and the plush robes were a pleasure to wear. Slippers and a computer safe would have been nice, but there were USB outlets on the alarm clock and enough space to sit at a table with a laptop and work. It was a nice touch to offer a Nespresso machine with both regular and decaf capsules in the room. The small fridge had 2 bottles of beer and 2 bottles of water in metal containers for purchase, but none of other usual options. The sounds of the metro and the other guests on the floor could easily be a distraction, so headphones or earplugs might be a good idea. Other things to keep in mind are the nightly parking fee of $42 and $25 resort fee.

I've been wanting to try Etta, so this was a perfect opportunity to do that on their spacious and very inviting outdoor patio with plenty of heat lamps.

Their menu was quite extensive and expensive.

The charred eggplant for $16 with tahini ricotta, hazelnuts, chili and herbs was an interesting medley but I was disappointed that it was not quite room temperature (obvious had been prepared in advance and chilled).  For the price point I expected it to at least be warm....

The little gem salad for $17 with avocado and cucumbers tossed in a creme fraiche vinaigrette was unexciting.

The market haricot vert for $15 had a chill to it, but the vegetables were indeed grilled. Like the eggplant, I was unimpressed and disappointed that the dish was not hot or at least warm.

The lumache pasta for $27 with sun gold pomodoro, basil, and  olive oil was tasty (and warm!) but watching the other tables get pizzas, I almost got a pizza to eat in the room.

As with most hotel restaurants, the prices are higher for the convenience of the location, and I don't mind paying for the ease of walking downstairs to eat good food. Etta barely passed on my list restaurant choices because the service, atmosphere, and ingredients are all wonderful, but I found the expense for chilly vegetables and so so pasta disappointing. The wine choices were good and the pizzas looked very good, so I will try them again and update this post. 

Arth

Having lived in Los Angeles for several decades, there have been times when I've gone to the same address for completely different food as restaurants change ownership, chefs, and personnel all before the devastating Covid 19 restaurant effect. All that to say that it was a pleasure to come back to the address now occupied by Arth in downtown Culver City.

The tree growing through the front patio adored with tiny lights, the clean design, and the fragrant cuisine beckon all those passing by to stop and partake of Indian Cuisine for their 1st or 400th meal. I was very pleasantly surprised by their thoughtful wine list which included a delightful 2019 Sancerre for $16 a glass.

I shared a few meals with several people, so this post is a compilation of my three visits. Their Malai Broccoli for $15 with white marinade was very tasty and a great choice for those who do not usually like broccoli.

The wild Chilean Sea bass in labneh marinade cooked perfectly in the tandoor for $24 was my favorite dish.

If you love chicken wings, get the old man drunken wings for $9 for a sweet rummy finger food.

If you want fried vegetables, their cauliflower will be a way to eat your vegetables without knowing that you ate anything vegetable :)

Their deep fried eggplant in a peanut sesame gravy for $15 was a perfect meal for a vegetarian.

Lobster tail in sweet coconut milk, turmeric and curry leaves for $20 was not only a bargain, but a creamy medley of aromatic flavors.

For meat lovers, the pistachio lamb chops for $19 are nicely moist and charred, but a bit overdone for my taste.

Mango ice cream is a nice creamy ending to a lovely meal with attentive service and very pleasant sidewalk people watching as you enjoy your meal.

Salt Creek Grille-El Segundo

There are several Salt Creek Grille locations, but the one I frequent is in El Segundo, at the end of a small shopping center on PCH. It's a perfect stop with easy parking, calm outdoor patio with artificial grass, and a pond full of happy fat koi. They offer several meat options even though I only ordered the fish dishes.

The House salad for $8 could be a small light meal in and of itself with blue cheese, walnuts, apple, and greens that provide a contrast of textures and flavors.

The ahi tuna stack for $19 is a very generous serving of ahi, but I found it difficult to eat with the provided chopsticks since the slices of both ahi and avocado were so thick. 

I was glad to find the grilled shrimp skewer had a nice char and the shrimp weren't overcooked, so if you want something light this fits the bill.

The fried calamari appetizer was crisp and fragrant with rosemary, needing only the juice of the grilled lemon. I was disappointed by the lack of tentacles (my favorite part) but I understand they cater to the prevailing American preferences.

The Chilean Sea Bass priced at the market price of $42 was deftly cooked and served with a very buttery side of mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrots.

The stuffed king salmon at $32, served with the same sides as the sea bass, was a very generous serving, easily enough to share if your appetite is as small as mine!

Salt Creek Grille can be your reward after a long day of shopping, conveniently located in the same shopping center :)

Cafe Vida

It's wonderful to have a place with delicious and bountiful breakfast and lunch options only a few blocks away in downtown Culver City (they also have a location in Pacific Palisades). Cafe Vida's only drawback is the wait on week-ends, but an easy way to save your place before you get there, is to put sign onto the waitlist on Yelp. Most of the seating is outdoors with plenty of dogs enjoying the company of their parents as they eat :)

Whether you want a light salad or a filling burrito, they offer it here as well as mimosas and smoothies to imbibe as you eat. When I go for breakfast, I usually get the breakfast sandwich with a side salad which is like a BLAT (Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato) with egg and red onion on multigrain or sourdough that has been grilled with cheese for $16.50

My favorite salad is the rosemary turkey burger salad for $17.50 which will satisfy all of you who want less carbs than a burger but still crave burger flavors.

For a purely breakfast plate, I liked the Yucatan egg white scramble with onions, peppers, spinach, mushrooms, cheddar, and chicken sausage, served with tomatillo sauce and guacamole for $16.50 

You can add a side to any salad, like tuna to the caesar for $17.50 for a customized plate.

Enjoying a meal on the patio with the efficient and friendly staff, basking in the Southern Californian sun, while people watching is a local treat any day of the week.