Los Angeles, CA

After a recent signing event for my cookbook, I found myself with 72 hours to explore and enjoy the kosher food of the city of Los Angeles. I landed early in the morning and went straight to the farmer’s market at The Santa Monica Pier, one of the biggest in the country. Chefs and restaurant owners from all over the area vie to get the latest picks at the height of the season. After that I walked out to the scenic pier and enjoyed California’s warm winter climate. I also visited the Runyon Canyon Park, and hiked up to the top of the mountain for a beautiful 360-degree view of the Los Angeles area. And, of course, I checked out my favorite LA eateries. 

Delice:

This is a wonderful breakfast or brunch option. Under the new owners, Fabrizio Ghanem and Franck Perez, the bakery prepares fresh French pastries, breads, cakes, and crepes daily. It also offers salads, sandwiches, and breakfast specials that should not be missed. Every time I go to Los Angeles, I visit Delice and order the Eggs Benedict. Shiloh’s: The beautiful decor in this upscale restaurant in the middle of Los Angeles sets the tone for an absolutely elegant meal. Their signature appetizers — Tart Flambé and Salmon Carpaccio — were gorgeous and delicious.

Jeff’s Gourmet Sausage Factory: 

A fast-food family restaurant, Jeff’s makes delicious gourmet sausage sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and deli specialties. Everything is made onsite, from herbs to wine, using local highquality ingredients. My go-to order is the Western Burger, covered in the restaurant’s Western sauce and piled high with fresh onion rings.

Charcoal Grill Bar:

I went with a few local ladies and we had some late-night cocktails, along with tapas, lamb tacos, charcoal cauliflower, and charcoal eggplant. To end a delicious meal, we had a mind-blowing halva tiramisu.

Tierra Sur:

I have eaten at Tierra Sur many times, and the food never disappoints! We were served many courses that were paired with incredible wines from the Herzog Winery. Executive Chef Gabe Garcia uses fresh seasonal ingredients from local farms to create new menus for each season. Our favorite (which was so hard to choose!) was the Ono Fish, served with lotus root, trumpet mushrooms, and orange segments.

Bodhi Kosher Thai:

As a big fan of Thai cuisine, I knew I had to try this place. I’d been to Beverly Hills Thai, a meat restaurant, and loved it, but now I wanted to try some vegan options. We ordered a selection of appetizers, noodle dishes, salad, and soup. I loved it so much, I even took a noodle dish with me for my flight home!

Fish Grill Malibu:

On my drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, I was joined by my good friend Naomi Elberg (aka Naomi TGIS), and we stopped to watch the beautiful sunset at the kosher fish shack, Fish Grill Malibu. We each ordered a fish taco and watched the sun set over the beach.

Pat’s:

I couldn’t leave LA without trying the Bread Pudding from Pat’s. It definitely lived up to the hype! Warm, gooey, and chocolaty, this is everything a dessert should be. You have to order it at the beginning of your meal because they make each one fresh to order and it takes 35 minutes, but it’s well worth the wait.

Deconstructed Tartar Sauce

Recipe by Gabe Garcia

Serves 6

• 2 large shallots
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup capers
• ¼ cup cornichons, minced
• bunch of dill
• bunch of tarragon
• bunch of parsley
• 6 finger limes or
• 1 lime supreme
• extra-virgin olive oil
• Maldon sea salt

Mince shallots and pickle them in honey and vinegar with a pinch of salt for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. In boiling water, cook eggs for 7 minutes, then immediately place them into an ice bath for another 7 minutes. Peel the eggs and separate the whites from the par-cooked yolks. Sieve the egg whites. Fry capers in 350° oil until they pop, around 2 minutes. Mince cornichons. Cut finger limes in half and separate the pearls from the skin.
Plate the dish starting with the egg yolk, sieved egg whites, pickled shallot, fried capers, minced cornichons, fresh herbs, and finger limes. Finish with some olive oil, the pickling liquid, and sea salt.

(Originally featured in FamilyTable, Issue 640)