What’s new on the L.A. food scene
Egg white frittata with tomato, spinach, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, avocado and tender greens
Millie: I haven’t been back to Los Angeles since I was three years old and it’s good to be back to see what’s new on the food scene. I’m told what’s in are the “fixed price menu” and “meals for sharing” so, like family type meals, they’re more casual and less fancy, I guess, which is good.
Aside from that, I’ve noticed that avocados are very popular and that’s great because I love avocados! They are nutritious and high in healthy fats, contain lots of fiber and are rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B, K, E and C, potassium, copper, and I learned that eating avocados decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
My cousin Pol Chavez took me to Montage in Beverly Hills for a late lunch at the Rooftop, where we were welcomed with bottomless Bellinis — that’s champagne and apricot. Pol’s sister Gigi ordered tuna tartare and cilantro-lime guacamole served with house-made tortilla chips to munch on and I almost completely devoured the whole appetizer! The avocado was so smooth and creamy in texture and the tuna was so fresh.
For my main entree I ordered the teriyaki-glazed Scottish salmon with fresh avocado slices, yuzu yogurt, crushed peanuts, fresh green asparagus and quinoa. Gigi had the egg-white frittata with tomato, spinach, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, avocado and tender greens, while her boyfriend Greg Stoddard had a healthy salad with tiger prawns, olives, feta cheese, tomato, garbanzo beans, cucumber and red pepper. Pol had the Angus prime burger served with bacon jam, Muenster cheese, live lettuce, tomato and red onions.
After that, we headed for Teuscher, Pol’s and my favorite chocolatier in Beverly Hills, where we could not resist buying a box of milk chocolate truffles and sat outdoors while enjoying a cup of delicious hot mocha.
For dessert, we moved on to The Grove, where we sat in the park al fresco and enjoyed our delicious French desserts of eclairs and profiteroles from Laduree, the famous Parisian patisserie founded in 1862 renowned for its tasty macarons.
Karla: While the adults were having lunch at Beverly Hills, the kids, including me, spent the day at Universal Studios Hollywood. It was my first time to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the first thing we did when we got there was to sit down for lunch at Three Broomsticks. It had a tavern-like feel with English specialties on the menu like bangers and mash, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, ribs, etc.
The first thing that caught my eye was the butterbeer — of course we had to have one. It was a bit too sweet for me and I could barely get through half the glass, but kids seem to love it. My cousin Cookie ordered the English ale cheese soup with a side salad. Cammy ordered the bangers and mash, grilled English sausage with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted tomatoes, sautéed onions and cabbage, minted peas and gravy. Carlo ordered the beef Sunday roast or a thick slice of prime rib with roasted russet potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, buttered vegetables and gravy. Dandan ordered the sautéed jumbo asparagus platter with creamy mashed potatoes, cabbage and minted peas, garnished with a roast plum tomato. I ordered the lamb and beef Guinness stew served in a bread bowl. We each had butterbeers and shared a butterbeer potted cream.
The food was better than the usual theme-park food of chicken fingers and fries. The ambiance itself is its own experience. All the employees were in costume, which made you feel like you were really part of this wizarding world. I hear that Three Broomsticks also serves breakfast. My cousins wanted to go earlier to catch the breakfast, specifically the traditional English breakfast with fresh scrambled eggs, sausage links, bacon, ham, baked beans, baked tomato, sautéed mushrooms and breakfast potatoes served with a butter croissant and black pudding. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in time and had lunch instead.
Millie: We did some light shopping at Nordstrom’s, one of my favorite department stores and walked around The Grove until it was time for dinner. Gigi took me to Monsieur Marcel’s gourmet market and restaurant, where they sell a wide selection of French cheeses, delicatessen items plus books and knickknacks.
Since we were already in the Farmer’s Market area, I knew instinctively where to go for eats without having to toss a coin. Off to Magee’s I went for my traditional boiled corned beef and cabbage delight while Pol, Gigi and Greg followed suit. This is one place I must go to every time I visit Los Angeles and it never fails to bring a smile and a big burp!
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