Brunch Is Back at Sunny Spot

Simply stated, Sunny Spot makes me happy. With its open air atmosphere, brightly-colored decor and, of course, chef Roy Choi’s island-inspired food, the place just feels like home. While perched atop a floral-patterned stool, bobbing your head to Bob Marley, you feel as though you could easily be on the North Shore of Oahu rather than a busy stretch of Venice near a laundromat, and that, braddah, is choice.

On Saturday, with warm weather on the horizon and the cold on its way out, Sunny Spot re-launched its weekend brunch. As a super fan of both Sunny Spot and Chef Roy (seriously, the man can cook no wrong in my eyes), I was thrilled to be invited to a tasting of their brunch menu.

Muh-F’k’n Mofongo and Eggs: 2 fried eggs, ripe plantains, applewood bacon, fennel, garlic, fresh herbs and ginger oil ($11.00)

Hangover Plate: 2 fried eggs with rice, black beans, avocado mash plantain chips and diablo sauce ($15.00)

Egg Plate: 2 eggs any style, jerk potatoes served with hangar steak (or pork belly) ($15.00)

Roasted Veggie Omelette: Fingerling potatoes, brussels sprouts, cipollini onions and goat cheese ($12.00)

Blueberry Pancakes: Homemade batter with sesame seeds and blueberries ($12.00)

Banana French Toast: Served with maple syrup and rum cream ($12.00)

Diablo Shrimp and Grits: Spicy rum sauce, garlic butter and herbs with 2 fried eggs over grits ($12.00)

Sunfire Chicken Salad: Jerk chicken, butter lettuce, radicchio, arugula, cauliflower, grapefruit, goat cheese and chili vinaigrette ($13.00)

Two-Fisted Cheeseburger: Brioche bun, tomato jam, red onion, arugula, cheddar and herb mayo. You can also add an egg for $1.00! ($13.00)

Cuban Torta: Pork terrine, prosciutto, provolone, pickled jalapeno and mustard ($13.00); Yucca Fries ($5.00)

Steak Sandwich: Grilled skirt steak, avocado mash, jalapeno vinaigrette, mayo and pickled red onions on toasted ciabatta ($16.00); Yucca Fries ($5.00)

Home Skillet Bread Pudding: Ciabatta bread pudding with pears, raisins and coconut, topped with vanilla ice cream ($8.00)

Coconut Creme Brulee: With tarragon lime syrup ($8.00)

Hot Fudge Sundae: Vanilla ice cream, candied peanuts, whipped cream and a luxardo cherry ($6.00)

For brunch, Sunny Spot offers $10 bottomless cocktails. The best news: you can mix and match! Bloody Mary AND mimosa, anyone?

Bloody Mary

Rum Punch

While everything was delicious, the unique touches to the pancakes and French toast transformed them from standard brunch fare into standouts. Similarly elevated by its components was the Sunfire Chicken Salad, which my table mates and I piled onto our plates even with heavier options nearby. Also not to be missed are the Steak Sandwich with perfectly crusty ciabatta and the juicy Two-Fisted Cheeseburger. Oh, and all of the desserts. So, like I said, everything…

Thank you to Chef Roy and Natasha Phan for the fun afternoon and the ono-licious grinds!

*Food and drink were hosted.

Sunny Spot

www.sunnyspotvenice.com

822 W. Washington Blvd. 

Venice, CA 90292

(310) 448-8884

Sqirl with G & B

Sqirl with G & B has been on my to-eat list since its opening and so, on a sunny LA morning with the day off work, I heeded its call.

Several years ago, Jessica Koslow founded Sqirl and started making exquisite jams, jellies and marmalades with fresh produce from local, sustainable and certified-organic farms. If you’re curious, “local” means that everything comes from no farther than 350 miles from her kitchen. Sqirl used to be available around town only at farmers’ markets and shops such as Proof Bakery, Farm Shop and Paper or Plastik, but Jessica recently partnered with Kyle Glanville and Charles Babinksi (G & B Coffee) and Ria Wilson (formerly of Canele) to open Sqirl with G & B in Silverlake.

I was prepared to face the long lines I’d heard so much about but, happily for my stomach, the wait was minimal.

Menu board

Fresh pastry case

Coffee time!

To kick start the morning, my friend ordered a Colombian Perdomo coffee ($5.00). For grubbing, he chose the B5– brioche with a choice of jam ($4.50)– with strawberry rose geranium jam. Far from your run-of-the-mill breakfast toast, Sqirl’s version consists of a thick slice of Proof Bakery brioche slathered with a generous layer of jam befitting its hefty base. The simplicity of the dish perfectly showcased the both jam’s unique and pristine flavors and Jessica’s craft and dedication to her product.

For my caffeine kick, I opted for the Almond Milk Cappuccino ($5.50), which was so frothy and delightful that I wished it was a tad bit larger.

Brunch demands eggs, and the B3 fit the bill. In this savory incarnation, the crusty brioche was topped with a blanket of greens and a layer of tomatillo puree and lacto-fermented hot sauce and was capped with a fried egg ($7.50).

The brioche soaked up all the hearty flavors of its toppings and provided the perfect vessel for mopping up any leftover goodness. It is difficult to express just how much this hit the spot.

My inner glutton got the best of me, and I ordered not one but two brioches. In the B2, burnt brioche was slathered with a dense, beautifully imperfect layer of house ricotta as well as a rhubarb blood orange marmalade ($7.00). Sweet and savory flavors melded in each bite, and the slightly charred edges added a nice textural element.

After my visit to Sqirl with G & B, it’s safe to say: this place is my jam.

Sqirl with G & B
www.sqirlla.com
720 N. Virgil Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(213) 394-6526

A Few of My Favorite Things: Macaron-Inspired Miscellany

I’m hard-pressed to come up with a dessert that’s cuter than the bite-sized, brightly-colored macaron. Not to be confused with your Bubbe’s macaroons, a French macaron consists of flavored filling sandwiched between two meringue-based cookies. Macarons have become rather trendy of late and are making an appearance in adorable non-edible forms, which I’ve been snatching up.

If you’re also a Laduree-lover (or ‘Lette…or Bottega Louie…or Pierre Herme…), here’s how you can get your fix:

These tea towels (set of 3, Paper Source) really brighten up the kitchen. I’m using them for decorative purposes only, of course! I couldn’t stand to dirty them.

This lip gloss (also Paper Source) may be thicker than my powder compact, but its cute factor more than makes up for the space it takes up in my make-up bag. The lip gloss is a sheer, shimmery pink that’s perfect on its own for a natural look or can top another color to add sheen.

The piece de resistance, however, of my recent macaron-related purchases is this dainty box (Urban Outfitters). These macaron boxes have been sold out for months (frustrating me to no end) so, now that they’re back in stock, I ordered a few, and they’re great jewelry holders and a lovely addition to my bedroom tray.

What other food-inspired trinkets do you love?

Weekend Eats: The Boyfriend Birthday Edition

This weekend marked my boyfriend’s birthday and we, naturally, celebrated in the most delicious of fashions. On Sunday morning, we headed down to Manhattan Beach to brunch at what’s quickly becoming our favorite restuarant, MB Post (previous full post on the scrumptious spot here). Even though Manhattan Beach is a mere 20-25 minutes from LA, something about its ocean views and crisp air make even a quick trip or meal feel like a mini-vacation.

Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits with Maple Butter

Sticky Buns with Pecans and Brown Sugar



Eggs Benedict with Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits, Arugula, La Quercia Tamworth Prosciutto and Hollandaise

Corned Beef Cheek Hash, Fried Egg, Sherry Vinegar and Gremolata

Poached Egg with Tomato, White Bean Ragout, Creamy Polenta and Bianco Sardo



Pineapple Lemon Skillet Cake with Vanilla Maple Syrup 

A few hours after rolling ourselves out of MB Post, we continued the birthday festivities with friends at Beer Belly in Koreatown, a craft beer bar owed by our friends which was recently featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

My James Bond-themed table set-up



Garlic Truffle Fries with White Truffle Oil and Chicken Skin Aioli



The Beer Belly Grilled Cheese: Quad-Deck 4×4 with Cheddar, Asiago, Gruyere, Goat Cheese, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Maple Syrup

I’m hard-pressed to come up with a more indulgent weekend in recent memory, but it was worth it! Happy birthday, Justin!

MB Post

www.eatmbpost.com

1142 Manhattan Ave.

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

(310) 545-5405

Beer Belly LA

www.beerbellyla.com

532 S. Western Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90020

(213) 387-2337