Etta at the Shay

After seeing several posts about Etta, I was excited to taste and experience the place for myself. The dining room and patio are both beautiful spaces, very open, light, and appointed with classic clean comfortable furniture. There are plenty of heat lamps on the dog friendly patio, and service was impeccable. 

The menu is varied enough for vegetarians and vegans, with plenty of options for meat lovers. Prices are a bit high but not unreasonable. We chose 2 glasses of the French Chardonnay from Bourgogne for $18 each as we anticipated the vegetarian meal we ordered.

I went with a friend with a dog, so we sat on the patio and started with the eggplant appetizer for $16. Served with tahini ricotta, buttered hazelnuts, calabrian chili and herb salad, this was a pleasant appetizer, but I was surprised that it was not served warm. The crunch of the hazelnuts added a nice crunch to the overly fussy combination of flavors.

I was hopeful that the little gem salad for $17 would be better. Served with avocado, cucumbers, and a Creme Fraiche vinaigrette, this was blandly unremarkable.

Hoping for a knockout vegetable dish, this green bean, mushroom, and corn medley could have been much better if it did not have a refrigerator chill on all the vegetables (for around $16). I don't know why they chose to serve the vegetable sides at room temperature or chilled, but it definitely diminished the flavor of dishes. 

Thankfully the pasta was served warm with fresh basil and tomatoes (around $25) and was done with a light hand in both the preparation and flavors.

It was interesting to eat as a vegetarian and find out if a restaurant does a good job solely based on vegetarian dishes, but I was not impressed by any of the vegetarian food. I think a return visit for some pizza or brunch might sway my opinion to be more favorable. Since I did not taste any of the meat or fish options from the hearth, I might return to see if those options might be better as well. 

Bianca for Brunch and Dinner

Getting a table at a great place to eat brunch on the week-ends is a quest that sometimes leaves me feeling like Don Quixote fighting for an elusive seat at prime spots between 11am-1pm on week-ends. Thankfully Bianca is not only a beautiful place with easy garage parking, attentive service, and delicious food options, but it is also EASY to get a seat on the gorgeous patio by simply walking up at 11am on a week-end! 

Their cappuccino was a harbinger of the beautiful food to come, with perfect crema. 

One morning I chose their simple scrambled eggs for $14 and was enthralled by the creamy texture, perfect salinity, and beautiful toast with home made jam that came as an accompaniment. The plate is deceptively filling, and I was sad to leave a few bites on my plate as I was too full to finish everything.

The eggs Benedict for $19 was very rich and the dish to order for anyone who whose doctor gives a green light to this decadent rendition with gorgeous prosciutto cotto and an unctuous hollandaise.

The salmon toast for $21 is equally rich with scrambled eggs, so pick your vice and use your cheat day.

Their house salad for $18 is a medley of fresh textures that helped lighten up all the rich albeit delicious options. I would order this salad as a stand alone if you want something refreshing, light, and delicious.

The meatballs for $18 are a light and superb rendition that sits atop a marina that I could eat by the spoonful.

The branzino for $36 was presented before deboning and I found the vegetables delectable, but the fish a bit over cooked.

The moules (mussels) for $30 cooked with pastis and plenty of fennel were not only delicious, but a full pound made this a filling meal with the piece of bread at the bottom soaking up the delectable broth.

The grilled prawns for $40 were spectacular on the plate and the larger ones were cooked perfectly, but the smaller ones were a bit over done. The vegetables were marvelous and the quality of the prawns shone through. 

The service on every occasion was on point, friendly, and professional, and the atmosphere is gorgeous on the patio whether you go in the day or at night, so go while you can still walk in for a Sunday brunch and while you can still easily get a dinner reservation.

Pann's Patio

Slowly getting back out to eat, so for my 2nd post Covid meal out, I opted for the patio at Pann's. Originally I was planning to go to Lunetta, but they were packed (a great sight to see), so instead I made a short drive down the packed 405 (seemed like everyone was on the road today just like any pre Covid 19 Sunday) to join a friend for brunch.

The owners live across the street from me, so it was a chance to not only support a neighbor, but also enjoy some company in a very airy, well spaced out patio. It was also a time to indulge in some fried goodies, and of course that included a side of bacon:)

Their cole slaw and potato salad would fit right in at any Sunday picnic

and their tuna melt with a great pickled jalapeno pepper and pickle is the kind you would make at home if you had the time and ingredients to do it properly.

I came for the fried chicken wings and since it had been so long since I've had non curbside pick up orders, I got some onion rings too; a reminder that some freshly fried fragile foods are best when eaten as soon as possible. Of course I had to get some spinach too just to be a little healthy ;) 

I finished everything except the biscuit and one wing drumstick, so it was handy to have the plastic serving containers double as take out trays. Hmmm that reminds me I still have that biscuit and wing in the fridge....

 

Serendipity at Cerveteca

Sometimes an intention is all that is needed when you head towards a goal. My intention was to eat lunch at a nearby place which served local or organic ingredients in creative and tasty combinations. I've been meaning to try Gratitude Cafe and Superba Snack Bar for quite awhile, so I simply parked on Rose and walked around figuring I would choose a place to eat lunch once I got to the area. Superba was closed and Gratitude was just a block too far to walk to in the 90 degree heat.
 
Serendipitiously, I ended up at Cerveteca. They have a large enclosed patio, so you can enjoy sunny Southern California beach weather even when the beach (six blocks away) is overcast.

This marvelous place serves some of the best Latin inspired food I've ever eaten. They use free range chicken, wild caught salmon, and organic mixed greens for their salads, so quality is paramount. The fact that they use handmade tortillas speaks volumes about how much they care about their food. It's the equivalent of using bakery bread rather than using cellophane wrapped supermarket bread when you are making a sandwich.

Since their Happy Hour lasts from 3-7pm, you can get here earlier for drinks and appetizers before your dinner, or make your dinner from the Happy Hour menu which offers smaller bites of the menu items.

Mama's ceviche, made with lime cured fish, tomato, cilantro, radish, jicama, mango, and cucumber for $9 at Happy Hour ($16 regularly) is a fresh citrusly medley of ingredients. We added some of the pickled relish from the table to perk it up with some jalapeno, but for those who want no heat, it is good by itself. The accompanying chips are made from the handmade tortillas, so they can be addictive.



Since we couldn’t decide whether to get the barbacoa beef or pulled pork slider, so we got one of each for $6 at Happy Hour ($14 regular). The five spiced beef was the clear winner of the two with a marvelously subtly smokey spice (but not hot) flavor.



The Baja taco was the best fish tacos I've ever eaten. Period. For $4 at Happy Hour or $12 (for three) on the regular menu, the beer batter dipped and fried cod with slaw, crema, salsa, and aji sauce was the perfect combination of soft, crunchy, warm, creamy, and  spicy (if you add the sauce served on the side). If anyone you know does not like fish or tacos, I would bet that after a bite of this taco they would change their minds (and I'm not a gambler).



The special of the night was seared Diver scallops on a bed of Romesco sauce with grilled and raw asparagus. The scallops were perfectly seared and slightly under done, so it was almost sashimi. The Romesco sauce added a nice flavor with a counterpoint of creamy texture to the scallops and asparagus. If this is on special when you go and you like scallops, make sure you save room for this dish.



I chose the Herb and Garlic Basted Game Hen for $18, made with achiote, tomato, thyme, rosemary,  arroz ajillo, with a side (I chose the brussel sprouts with bacon), and tortilla. This game hen was one of the best versions I have ever eaten, with the skin and meat both infused with achiote and perfectly roasted. The brussel sprouts had incredible chunks of thick bacon, but it was a bit overwhelmed by the cider finish. The Arroz Ajillo was delightful, with just a hint of flavor that complimented the game hen perfectly.



Serendipity is defined as a "lucky coincidence"; I'm glad my luck was good enough to end up at Cerveteca.