Ordered: Crab salad (not vegan), Pomodoro and Mixed Mushroom pizzas
Opinion: VERRRRYYY IMPRESSED. First off, a friend had been telling me about this place... how it's THEE place to be, long lines, difficulty getting seated, etc. This description... to me? Not appealing! After months of hearing about Gjelina, I finally relented. Luckily, we went at an off time and were seated straightaway. We sat in the lovely courtyard underneath pretty umbrellas with birds a-chirpin' and iced teas a-sparklin' under the sun.
We ordered the salad special to start. A good chunk of beautiful snowy crab lightly dressed in a tangy yogurt dressing atop the crispest endive I have ever laid these lips upon. I didn't like endive until I had it here. When it's fresh, it is INCREDIBLE. Until that moment, my endive experience could have been summed up in two words: stale and bland. I really want to know who their brilliant purveyors are. I want to know badly. The folks at Gjelina clearly take great pride in the ingredients they use.
Now, for the pizza. They are known for it, and I can totally understand why! Super thin wisp of a crust, with charred bubbles of dough and a light sprinkling of super fresh ingredients you can count on one hand. Accompanying the pizza is a pretty little plate that looks like a painter's palette with dried oregano, chili flakes and parmesan cheese. While the crust is very thin, it's got a substantial crispy chewiness going on. The tomato topping is slightly sweet and perfectly balanced. It's hard to believe that bread, tomato and a couple of herbs can taste so heavenly. The mixed mushroom rosemary pizza was delicious too... same beautiful crust, only this time with woodsy, earthy flavors and really good olive oil. The pomodoro, to me, was the standout between the two. Please go and try it. Please. It's relatively simple for vegans to eat well here, although this is by no means a vegan restaurant. The prices are reasonable, the location chill (especially outside), and the ingredients fresh and local. I think I'm in love.
Restaurant: True Food Kitchen (Santa Monica)
Ordered: Vegan Pizza
Opinion: I reallyreallyreally LIKE this place. let me tell you why...
1- soothing, modern ambience... i don't feel like i'm in a mall at all2- warm, knowledgeable and honest service
3- yummy food. While the ingredients in the vegan pizza are kind of odd (jalapenos and broccoli), I found the pizza to be very tasty with a good garlicky tomato sauce and thin crisp crust. While it wasn't quite up to Gjelina standards, I find myself craving it now and again. Not an easy feat for True Food to have accomplished considering I had just been to Gjelina.
4- there's a little napkin dispenser right next to the bathroom door so you don't have to worry about touching a dirty door handle after you've just washed your hands.
** That last bit was what made me truly fall in love with the place... it's all in the details!
Restaurant: Seed Kitchen (Venice)
Ordered: Mediterranean Burger, Indian Chickpea Curry, Almond Jam cookie
Opinion: This place was clearly modeled after M Cafe. From the similar packaging right down to its macrobiotic inclinations. Fine with me, just not nearly as thought out or good (and I don't think M Cafe is anything to write home about). Me and a pal ordered a couple of dishes and shared. The iced barley tea is a MUST TRY. It's all roasted nutty goodness, and perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day. Somewhat similar to kukicha, only better! I thought the food was alright. Not at all memorable. I enjoyed it, because I was hungry and because there was an aioli slathered all over the burger that was reminiscent of Thousand Island dressing. Put Thousand Island on a foot and I'll eat it and say "Mmmmm". OK, gross. But that gives you an idea of how much I love it! The bean and grain burger tasted fine, nothing special. It was falling apart and seemed homemade... like when I attempted veggie burgers at home and wondered what restaurants do to make the burgers stick. Guess the chef at Seed is wondering too. The Indian Chickpea Curry was good. I found it flavorful and satisfying, but not memorable. The veggies were overcooked. My friend was much less forgiving, saying the entire meal felt like something one might whip up at home with leftovers. The more I think about it, the more I tend to agree. For dessert, I had the flourless cookie made of almonds and sweetened with brown rice syrup. I found it to be dense, chewy and wholly satisfying. My friend? Not so much. He thought it tasted stale and "didn't get the point". For me, the highlights of this meal were the cookie and the barley tea. Even my discerning pal liked the barley tea... it's THAT GOOD.
Reviews on Four Cafe in Eagle Rock and Cafe Gratitude Larchmont coming up... keep your eyes peeled!!!
