Last week, I finally made it to Son of a Gun (it's on third street!). I'd been wanting to go for so long. It's a "hot" restaurant right now, but I found it delightfully sleepy at lunchtime, and it didn't disappoint, like so many "hot" restaurants do.
The best lil' lobster roll in in Los Angeles.
In fact, I had the best lobster roll I've had since moving to L.A.--and that's saying something. I've tried a few pale (and very expensive) imitations, but nothing compares to what you can score in New England. Son of Gun's sandwich is only the size of a dinner roll, but it's also only $8, and that plus a salad was just right for lunch.
Afterwards, I had to cross the street to check the good ol' Magnolia Bakery.
I remember visiting Magnolia once in NYC when it was just sparking the cupcake revolution, but I wasn't impressed. My cake was a big, dry, overrated mess. I'm happy to report this was not the case with the Third Street location. I hate to use the word "moist,"--because I hate the word "moist," (go ahead and Google "hate the word 'moist'")--so I'll say it was light, fluffy and delicious.
Third Street is dotted with restaurants and boutiques; walking the stretch from La Cienega to Fairfax makes for a lovely afternoon. Way back when I first visited L.A. in the late 90s while still living in Minnesota, I spent an evening at The Little Door followed by drinks at El Carmen. It was such a quintessential L.A. night out--the Moroccan/Spanish atmosphere of the Little Door, dining next to actors I couldn't quite name but knew I had seen on the big or small screen, the Mexican wrestling kitsch of El Carmen. I was smitten. Utterly seduced. I knew I absolutely I had to live here.
And I've never been back to The Little Door or El Carmen since.
But I do love the Little Next Door, which is much more laid-back than its counterpart, just like a little Parisian brasserie...or patisserie...or both?? I get them confused. But I do like to get breakfast after the Farmer's Market and watch all the people walk by.
And if you do find yourself strolling down Third Street, you have to pop in to Joan's on Third, which is like L.A.'s very own Dean and DeLuca.
My friend, Gerry, who lives just off 3rd Street, invited me over for brunch the other Sunday.
He lives in the classic L.A. screenwriter's pad, one of those beautiful Spanish-style apartment buildings that cover the Fairfax District and Mid-City. I never get tired of their charm.
Gerry's place was sunny, airy, filled with books and accented with vintage typewriters.
And a few sweet doggies running around--which always makes a pad a home.
Brunch was delicious--with everything from the farmer's market on Melrose Place, which is fast becoming one of my favorite, new places, and which we'll explore in an upcoming post.
Egg salad is a whole new experience when it's just eggs mashed
with olive oil on a bed of arugula and topped with fresh figs.
Now that the weather has cooled down (just a little), I've been whipping up more than just gazpacho in my own little kitchen. I'm really enjoying flatbreads. So easy to make, a little lighter than a pizza and just as satisfying.
Flatbread topped with tomatoes, arugula, artichokes and goat cheese.
I also tried out a recipe given to me by my friend Kaiza. Polenta, it's nice to meet and eat you again.
1-2-3!
It's as easy as it looks in the photo. A simple tomato sauce with carmelized onions, pan-seared polenta, topped with wilted Swiss rainbow chard.
I've been really trying to get up into the Hills as much as I can before Daylight Savings Time. I cam across this super-cool dog statue standing guard outside some gloriously ostentatious mansion.
We see lots of cool things in the Hills. And we're heading up there right now.
Good night, Hollywood.
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