Sweepstakes: Win Two Tickets to LA Weekly's Brunch At The Races

LA Weekly is presenting a brunch focused event at Santa Anita Park on October 18th, where you can sample food from some of the city's most popular restaurants including Sonny's Hideaway, Superba Food + Bread and BierBeisl, and sip cocktails / beer while cheering on your favorite racehorse at the live track!

****And I'm giving readers the chance to win two general admission tickets to the event!  Scroll to bottom for sweepstakes details****

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Vital Event Stats

What: AYCE AYCD breakfast and brunch event (replacing Pancake Breakfast)

Where: Santa Anita Park 

When: Sunday October 18th, 2015 11am - 2pm

How much: $45 General Admission presale ($55 at door), $65 VIP ($75 at door)

Drool factor: A fun day out at the track while enjoying good food and drink - can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday in October in sunny SoCal. The races will be happening during the event, and your Brunch At the Races ticket includes access to Santa Anita Park for the day

Event website: laweekly.com/brunch-at-the-races

Tickets Sold here: ticketf.ly/1Je7ceK

[Deal alert: get a general admission ticket for $29 (35% off) at Gilt City through Monday 10/5! Stack the deal by going through eBates first to get an extra 3% rebate (free to join)]

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Enter for your chance to win two tickets below, by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget.

(Yes, you can enter multiple times per day!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note:  Sweepstakes starts September 26th at midnight and ends October 5th at midnight PST (so, night of October 4th).  Winner will be notified via email (so please provide your *correct* email address) by October 5th 11:00pm PST, and is required to respond to claim prize by October 7th at 9pm PST.

*Disclaimer: two general admission tickets are provided courtesy of LA Weekly for prizing.  In addition, two general admission tickets were supplied for One More Bite Blog to attend the event to experience it.

The Church Key: Fun Brunch Spot on Sunset

Sundays.  For some, it's the 'day after', when you pull on your darkest pair of sunglasses to cover up the bloodshot eyes from the so-good-you-almost-can't-remember-a-thing night before, and drag yourself to the nearest feeding station for sustenance.  For us, Sunday IS our Fun day - brunch being a meal to look forward to, our last bit(e) of carefree indulgence - in the culinary sense - before we gear up for another hectic work week.

So my brunching BFF, Curses, and I were excited to get an invite to check out The Church Key, on a sunny afternoon, in a fun WeHo space overlooking Sunset Blvd.  With all the buzz around the dim sum inspired cart service at dinnertime, and creative offerings like Pig's Ear Cheetos - we couldn't wait to see what they would bring to the table for brunch.

As soon as we sat down, we were greeted by the cocktail cart, complete with vintage-inspired PanAm wrap and 'stewardess'. 

The cart was loaded with what looked like hotel shampoo bottles, but were actually single serve drink mixes - to be combined with sparkling wine to create your brunch cocktail of choice.

Just like dim sum carts do, there is a log sheet, which each cart's server marks with their own unique stamp, to track your orders.

Unlike the throwaway tear sheets at dim sum houses, The Church Key prints theirs on card stock with their logo - and you can keep the final sheet as a souvenir if you want. 

And yes, that means there are more brunch carts to come - they roam around the restaurant and you can flag them down if you see something that catches your fancy - more on that later!

We enjoyed our St Germain elderflower sparkling wine cocktails.

Food at brunch is not limited to what's served on the roaming carts - there is a full made to order menu as well, of entree sized offerings.  Our first was the Grilled Asparagus with Sunny Side Up Egg, Smoked Tomato Hollandaise and Crispy Shallots ($15) because Curses loves veggies and I love eggs benedict, so this was our way of meeting in the middle.  Loved the crunchy crispy creamy textures here, punctuated by the smokiness and slight heat of the hollandaise sauce.

Next up was Jeffrey's Biscuits and Gravy ($18) with housemade chicken sausage, sunny side up eggs, and American cheese.  This was tasty, and the portion size was very generous - but was a bit too heavy for us and wasn't a standout in terms of flavor - it wasn't one that we left raving about.

Then came the showstopping Toad in the Hole "Croque Madame" ($18) - with Gruyere fondue and smoked bacon. Every element of this - from the bread sliced to perfect thickness, perfectly buttered and toasted to a golden brown, to the cheese sauce at just the right consistency - light enough not to overwhelm, substantial enough to mark its presence, sprinkled with finely chopped chives for visual and texture contrast - to the strips of bacon skillfully cooked to be crispy yet still juicy, tensile yet not overly chewy...

...all yielding to the beautiful egg cooked right into the center of the toast, with its gorgeous, sunny, runny yolk.

This one made me want to lock down our next brunch excursion to The Church Key before we had even finished eating.

Throughout our meal, the carts kept roaming around (all carrying off menu items for that fun element of surprise!), and we had spied lovely pastries that we definitely needed to try.

I love cart service in that you get to 'browse before you buy' and you feel like you get to choose 'the best one' of whatever it is that your heart desires. It's also a great conversation piece, especially helpful if you're eating with people you don't know very well - note to self for the next Meet Up.

After our savories, we were finally ready, and flagged down a friendly server to guide us through the offerings.

There were pain au chocolate, cinnamon buns, all fresh out of the oven.  But I'm a sucker for Monkey Bread, which you don't see all that often on LA menus.

This version is nothing short of fantastic.  It's served hot, pillowy, and despite the delicious all over glaze of caramel and cinnamon, the different sections pull apart very easily.  So incredibly delicious, and another item that I would say is a 'must get' at The Church Key.

Aside from the food and service, we loved the ambience as well.  The design aesthetic kind of reminded us of Hamptons meets Restoration Hardware.  It's airy, bright and cheery in the front dining room...

...with a lovely communal table for those in a big group, or just feeling social.  Definitely some great people / car watching as well over the Sunset Strip.

In the back area, the refined whimsy is more pronounced, with leather couches where you would normally expect chairs, and a random vintage telephone booth in the very back.

Mismatched dishware add pops of color to the design scheme to keep things from appearing too serious.

Sometimes, when a place is known for introducing a relatively new way of doing things (western food served up in carts), people worry that the food becomes secondary to the 'marketing hook'.  I would say that The Church Key strikes a balance here: fun dining experience, paired with some really good food!

All in all, a great new brunch spot that we hope to visit again very soon!

*Disclaimer:  This meal was hosted.

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The Church Key

8730 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph: 424.249.3700

Website: thechurchkeyla.com

OpenTable: Look for reservations (and points!) here

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Superba Snack Bar: Brunching Beyond Abbott Kinney, Venice

Venice, CA can seem like a tale of three cities to a non-resident: the grungy, need-a-shower-desperately-after, only-ondemand-by-outoftown-visitors side pretty much all along the boardwalk; the post-college, now-in-possession-of-disposable-income-yet-still-very-indie-spirited-locavore side on boutique-filled artsy Abbott Kinney; the semi-suburban-but-heck-no-we-are-not-cookiecutter-Santa-Monica side pretty much the remainder of Venice.

Superba to me fits in somewhere between that second and third city. One of my dear friends subliminalrabbit recently moved to an apt a few blocks from there.

A few weekends ago we decided to get together for brunch, along with subliminalrabbit's hubby and Ms Sassy - and when I posed the all important question of where to eat, to the general Twitter population - Superba came recommended by almost every person who answered.

The only problem with Superba was, they don't take reservations for brunch (because chef Jason Neroni's inspired take on casual Californian has justifiably driven reliably large crowds every weekend) - my friend is in her 3rd trimester, and we didn't want her to be on her feet waiting around the notoriously packed brunch seekers here for a table.

That's when Wagstaff, Superba's PR agency, came to the rescue - they had seen my tweet and very kindly reached out to help set up a reservation (thank you Wagstaff)!

The open, airy casual chic space immediately set us at ease - and because it was the morning of St. Patrick's Day, the place was actually uncharacteristically laid back - only a few tables were occupied when we arrived.

I started with a Hibiscus Iced Tea which was delicious served with simple syrup on the side!!! (Yes, I am a bit obsessed with this:  there are two types of iced tea servers in the world: those who know who to serve it properly (with simple syrup) and those who are too lazy to boil water with sugar (serving as they have for decades, sugar packets which for the ^&*^%th time, does not melt into COLD tea no matter how much you stir - YES this is a pet peeve...).  So count me impressed with Superba's iced tea service, from the start.

Ms Sassy went for the eggs benedict, poached eggs, broccoli leaves, buttermilk biscuits, smoked ham, herb hollandaise ($15) - beautifully plated with the ham and the sauce very much more refined, lighter than many other restaurants that serve this brunch staple - which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Subliminalrabbit, happy that Superba has vegetarian friendly options, went for the salad of black kale, jalapeno pickled raisins, pine nuts, pecorino & crouton  ($12) - a skillful balance of textures, colors and flavors.

We all wanted to try to the Short Rib Hash topped with fried eggs so I got that as a 2nd entrée...not realizing that Mr. Subliminalrabbit had already ordered the same.  In any case, the tender, juicy, flavor packed short ribs were perfectly tempered by the fried eggs, especially its liquid gold centers!

So what was my 1st entrée then? Something unexpected for brunch (also available on lunch and dinner menus): wakame spaghettini, uni, Dungeness crab, miso butter & pickled jalapenos  ($18) - delicious waves of briny umami enfolded seaweed infused pasta that you can taste is fresh made (once you go fresh made pasta it's unimaginable to have it any other way), with the sour-heat of the pickled jalapenos coming through as a pleasant surprise.  I loved that there were hefty chunks of fresh crab in there as well - brunch of champions.



All in all, a fantastic brunch and we will definitely be planning a trip back soon!


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Superba Snack Bar
533 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
Ph: 310.399.6400

Website: superbasnackbar.com

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Manhattan Beach Post: Brunching by the Beach

The lure of Chef David LeFevre's by now infamous Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits at MB Post

was near irresistible - but the 'long' drive from the SFV (when I had to do a Valley to West LA commute 5 days a week already) curbed my foodie cravings...until a few weeks ago, when my brunch lovin' friend Curses reminded me just how long this has been on our To Do list.

So we made the trek down - and the 'tagline of "a social house" is very appropriate - the sunlit dining room was upscale yet very laid back, with a 'neighborhood gem' vibe - though of course the place is by now very well known - and there was a long communal table for those open to making new friends.

For us of course the Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits ($5, 2 biscuitsper order) were our first order of business!  They definitely lived up to the hype - buttery, flaky mounds of cheesy, salty, bacon-y deliciousness taken over the top in a good way by the lightest maple butter.

MB Post also has a great craft cocktail selection, even for brunch. I got the Old George ($12) salty dog with chopin, grapefruit, basil and raspberry pepper jam as I was intrigued by the addition of the tart/sweet/spicy jam.  A bright, cheery looking drink despite the name - I loved the refreshing interplay of flavors that definitely was not a run-of-the-mill brunch drink.

I can never turn down poached eggs and/or polenta any time of day, and MB Post delivers a lovely version with a sort of surprise twist: Poached Egg, Tomato & White Bean Ragout, Creamy Polenta, Bianco Sardo ($13) It goes without saying that the liquid sun of runny yolk and rich, smooth polenta were made for each other - but the tomato added a nice bright burst of acidity and splash of bold color to the dish, while the white bean and other veggies in the ragout provided textural interest.  The sheep's milk cheese also lent a nice richness to the dish.

For a side, Nueske's Bacon with rosemary, brown sugar and chili ($8) came in an adorable mini Staub pan.  It's commonplace to see sweetened bacon, but we loved the addition of chili for a bit of heat that made the interplay of flavors much more interesting (and addictive)

Curses was the one who spotted the Truffle Honey Laced Fried Chicken, kholrabi slaw ($15) and knew they had me at truffle.  We thought the honey was fantastic, but the chicken was disappointing - we expected it to be juicier, more tender and flavorful meat inside with crisper batter outside, but it was just passable in texture and flavor.  (Plan Check's fried chicken is still my fav...)
 

The Pineapple Lemon Skillet Cake with vanilla maple syrup ($11) was essentially a thick pancake in a skillet - with a lovely spread of fruit on top that made it very photogenic.  We loved the first few bites when it was steaming hot - and it may have been that we just ordered way too much food, and had filled up by the time we got to this one - but we thought it was just a little too thick and too much batter with too subtle flavor, and the dish overall did not have enough texture contrast, to hold our interest to the end.

All in all though, a great brunch and the biscuits alone were worth the trek.  But the bonus came after brunch: since MB Post is literally 2 very short blocks from the perfectly manicured, tourist-free gorgeousness that is Manhattan Beach - we had a great time walking off our brunch along the sunny path, and admiring the architecture of multi-million dollar homes along the stretch. (Although parking can be a pain in the area, and MB Post does not offer valet, once you do find a spot though in the lots 1 street above or below the restaurant, you can stay for 2 hours up to 5 hours depending on the lot, so that's convenient for those who want to stay and make an enjoyable afternoon of it on the beach or shopping at the boutique stores along the main stretch of Manhattan Blvd.)

Just wish that we had brought down bikes - as there are no rental spots along or near the path (which I think makes a difference in a good way versus Santa Monica or Venice - in keeping the vibe very local / community versus commercialized and touristy).

Will look to come back next time I'm craving beach time, which I'm sure I will this Spring/Summer!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites  
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience -  6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 90% 

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Manhattan Beach Post
1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach,CA 90266
Ph: 310.545.5405
Website: eatmbpost.com

Parking: public lots available on Ocean or Highland (no valet parking :( )

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The Hart and the Hunter: Bountiful Brunch at the Palihotel

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing was the name of the pop-up in Venice, now closed (not to be confused with the recently opened permanent restaurant of the same name), whose chefs birthed The Hart and the Hunter.

Both restaurants' names seem to have their origin in Aesop's fables. I have not had the opportunity to get the scoop from chefs Kris Tominaga and Brian Dunsmoor on how these intriguing fables apply to the culinary realm  - so I may be completely over-reaching here.  But the fable of The Hart and the Hunter is about a deer who was admiring his own reflection: in particular, his 'noble' antlers, and despising his unsightly legs, when a Hunter approached and shot an arrow his way. While the Hart's legs nimbly carried him nearly out of line of fire, his antlers got caught in some low hanging branches, which allowed the Hunter to catch up with him. The moral of the story? We often despise that which is most useful to us.

My guess as it applies to food: in an uber-image-conscious town, where often (for non-foodies anyway) it's more about what NOT to eat, could the guys mean that we often despise ingredients (like animals with fat, butter, etc.) that make food not just something you consume to be alive, but a reason to stay alive, and to enjoy it?  And that basically, we should be celebrating, not despising because it is what fuels our lives (and souls)?

On a sunlit Sunday before the holidays, dorkyfoodie and I decided to go check out The Hart and the Hunter for brunch, which they had just started serving that weekend.

Nestled inside the chic-lodge-style Palihotel on Melrose, The H&H is a tiny nook of a space whose layout is more laid back cafe than buzzing hotspot of a restaurant that it is. There is the counter in the very back where you place your order, then go to seat yourself in the front dining room,

whose walls are covered in pale blue tiles, in a yet airy space awash in sunlight, with a few carefully decorative items to evoke the hunting theme - like the bronze deer centerpiece at the communal table, and the 'gold' rabbit statues at each of the 'booth' tables.  

I rarely drink coffee (love the smell and taste, but unfortunately prone to caffeine headaches) but couldn't resist when I saw Handsome Coffee Roasters beverages being served...by the barista from Handsome Coffee Roasters.  Dorkyfoodie got a mocha, and I got the Eggnog Latte - both delicious, and served in massive bowl-like mugs. 

The food here has been described as Californian meets modern Southern fare.  At brunch you can order from either the Breakfast or Brunch menus: both feature a few fan favorites from dinner, so if you're not one for crowds or long waits, brunch may be the way to get your fix of select signature items.

We started with the Smoked Trout ($5) a perfect example of how the dish titles here may be deceptively simple - while the food is anything but. Incredibly fresh, tender smoked fish is layered with fresh avocado, capers, herbs and pops of pink pickled onion for a complex yet unfussy interplay of smokey, salty, sweet, sour, juicy, crunchy deliciousness - on hefty pieces of bread.
This dish is held up as a crowd favorite, and justifiably so - it's also a great portion size for $5.

Next up was something from a category I normally despise: salads, but ended up like The Hart, learning otherwise. Thankful dorkyfoodie was there to school me. Roasted Cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts, Arugula, Golden Raisins, Turmeric Vin ($8) - which was supposed to be served with almonds, but the chef wasn't happy with the almonds they had that day, so they asked if they could substitute hazelnuts instead, which worked perfectly. There was slices of radish in there too for a different type of crunch.  I was so in love with this dish I couldn't believe there was no seafood or meat in there. It really just tasted like The Best of Mother Nature - every element tasted like it was just plucked from the ground moments before it ended up on your plate - elevated with skillful hands, playing with textures and flavors until the perfect balance was achieved.

Then another crowd favorite and The Dish that You Cannot Leave H&H Without Trying: the again simply named: Biscuits and Condiments ($6).  These might be the best (buttery-est, golden-brownest, flakiest, lightest yet most substantial, most flavorful) biscuits I've ever had.  And the accoutrements that come on the plank with them are also fantastic - pimento cheese, persimmon preserves and honey/maple butter.  Of the three, my favorites were the honey/maple butter and persimmon preserves. Everything though again tasted farm fresh.

With the score at 3 for 3 'on target' thus far, we couldn't wait to try the Grilled Steak Bowl, Roasted Vegetables, Arugula, Salsa Verde ($12) - which closed out the meal in top form.  It was a celebration of nature's bounty, in a beautiful real china bowl (have I mentioned how much I loved the very southern formal diningware?).  The steak was perfectly cooked (medium/medium rare), super flavorful, and in perfect proportion to the amount of roasted veggies. Underneath them was a bed of farro and super juicy mushrooms : grains to catch the rich juices from the steak and veggies, and mushrooms to add element of earthiness and sweetness. We almost wanted to lick the bowl clean.

Unfortunately we loved the main meal so much we didn't leave enough room for dessert, but H&H does have a nice selection of pastries which I would love to try when I go back - from apple dumplings (with option to go East Coast style with cheddar!), lemon bars and more.

We walked off our meal - no, not in the nearest forest, but the jungles of Melrose vintage boutiques and wildly festive Christmas sweaters -then swung back to hang out and chat on the narrow but relaxing open patio outside H&H for a while, glutted and self-satisfied that we (at least for the time being) can keep ourselves from bemoaning what's perceived as lacking, but revel in all that we have, and are.  Awesome time and I hope to be back again very soon!!!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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The Hart and The Hunter
Palihotel 7950 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles,CA 90046
Ph: 323.424.3055

Parking: Street meters

Website: thehartandthehunter.com
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The Pikey: Gastropub with Brilliant Brunch in Hollywood!

I'd never been to Ye Coach & Horses, the historic dive bar that was on Sunset in the space that has now been transformed to the two month old British-American gastropub The Pikey Cafe & Bar, so I have no basis for comparisan, but the new space is fantastic, as I found out this weekend. 

When lifestyle blogger Whitney Lader sent an invite for a media tasting, to check out their newly launched brunch service - I couldn't resist. Girl has mad talent picking places that have the perfect storm of cool venue, great cocktails, and fab food - and The Pikey is no exception.

The new space, as the name states, is a hybrid of cafe and bar - divided into three sections: sunlit dining room, adjacent to the cavernous main bar with red booths, and private bar in the back.  The cafe area has a cool retro-luxe Manhattanite vibe with huge ornate gold-framed mirrors, rustic wood tables and chairs, and green booths running the length of the dining room, leading up to an open kitchen in back.  Where Chef Ralph Johnson, former executive chef of New York's 1-Michelin-starred The Spotted Pig (who has also worked with Chef Heston Blumenthal of London's famed 3-Michelin-starred The Fat Duck, and was named one of Zagat's 30 under 30 in New York last year), is at the helm.

The Pikey prides itself on using organic, local, farm produce and free range, cruelty-free meat - and quality of ingredients really shone through in all the cooked dishes we tasted (with a party of ten, we were able to try a lot of the dishes on the brunch menu)! 

We started with housemade pastries: Coffee Cream filled Donut, and Sticky Bun.  To be honest, I didn't really love these - the donut was a bit too chewy, and the coffee cream was runny and not very flavorful.  Then again, I did arrive a little late, so that might have been a factor in texture.  The Sticky Bun was quite good - it's apparently a two-day process to produce! - but not mind-blowing.

The cooked dishes though, were amazing - unexpectedly high-end fare in a decidedly unstuffy setting - and what will definitely be bringing me back soon!

Brioche French Toast with stone fruit & creme fraiche ($11) this was one of the best french toast dishes I've ever had - the toast itself was nice and fluffy with slightly crisped sides - but it was the toppings that stole the spotlight.  The combination of super fresh sweet-tart peaches, cherries, lovely, smooth creme fraiche and super fragrant basil was pitch perfect.  As was the ratio of 'toppings' to toast.  Love that they didn't do the standard syrup or berries.

With a full bar, The Pikey has a great cocktail list  - Bloody Mary caught my eye as it is made with housemade Vegemite (paste made from yeast extract)! So...Australian (fine, it is a British colony).  I usually don't enjoy Bloody Marys as they are too thick, like drinking tomato sauce - which isn't that appetizing first thing in the morning.  But The Pikey makes theirs nice and light - it was actually a very refreshing drink, with a bit of heat - and a giant stalk of celery for garnish (and snack...).

Next up was my absolute favorite of the meal: Curry on Toast with a Fried Duck Egg ($10) - it was shockingly sophisticated / original for brunch much less at a pub!!! The curry was intoxicatingly fragrant, and perfectly tempered for the just awakening stomach / sense by the toast and soothing mild flavors of the duck egg and its lovely runny yolk. I don't think I've seen such a dish at any other brunch spot in LA...A bloody brilliant dish that I will definitely come back for!

Apparently Chef Johnson knows quite a bit about meats, especially pork. He house cures / smokes his bacon and sausages etc., and the House Smoked Bacon ($5) was delicious - spot on fat to meat ratio and just the perfect hint of sweet.

The Cured Arctic Char with Scrambled Egg, Biscuit, and Hollandaise ($14) was a beautiful sight - though this one doesn't strike you as immediately original as the others, this was a nice meeting of three classic breakfast items that you wouldn't normally see together: scrambled eggs + cured fish (inspired by lox?) + hollandaise sauce (normally served over a poached egg on eggs benedict).  A very well-executed plate - the scrambled egg was beautifully pillowy and still wet around the edges, the way I like it.  The fish added a smooth, cool blast of salinity while the hollandaise held it all together with creamy deliciousness.

One of the ladies at our end of the table, Sam Durbin, loves and requested Egg in the Hole with House Smoked Bacon and 100% Pure Maple Syrup ($12) - I wasn't very familiar with the dish, but it is pretty much self-explanatory - it's an egg cooked into a hole cut out in bread.  And, as Sam pointed out, what V made for Natalie Portman's character for breakfast in V for Vendetta - that is what sparked her interest in the dish, and she had set out to try it at every place she could.  This is why I love meals with food writers.  The Pikey's version of Egg in the Hole though was I think overshadowed by the epic creativity and taste of the others.

The kitchen very generously kept sending out food! We also tried Slow Roasted Pork Belly Sandwich with horseradish cream, cornishons and watercress ($13) - this was more like hamsteak in taste and texture, but I did love the use of horseradish cream for a kick that cut through the pork flavors nicely, and cornishons chopped up and slid right into the sandwich that punctuated bites of meat with bursts of sour-sweet juicyness.  The fries on the side are also noteworthy - they're 'thrice cooked', which makes them super crispy outside and deliciously soft and yieldy inside.  We didn't leave a single fry on the plate.

Last up of the cooked dishes is the Fried Eggs, Pork Sausage, Bacon, Beans, Roasted Tomato & Mushroom with Grilled Toast ($13) which our informative server let us know is actually called "Full English Breakfast" - but they broke out the elements on the menu as most people here wouldn't know what Full English Breakfast means.  I thought the best thing on this plate was the housemade pork sausage, so soft, tender and fresh.

Before we finished, fellow foodie Narmar ordered Pimm's Cup made with fresh berries, and having established that we were both huge fans of Matt Biancaniello of Library Bar, I trusted her recommendation on this drink - and she was right, it tasted so fresh and light yet flavorful with fresh muddled berries.  Would order this again on my next visit, for sure.

All in all, a fantastic meal that exceeded all (already high because it's a Whitney event) expectations. Exciting, delicious food in a lovely space for reasonable prices - it's a winning combination.

The Pikey also has a pretty intriguing dinner menu that includes Welsh Rarebit, Seared Squid with Curried Chickpeas, and pig ear salad - have made a note to self to go back soon to check that out, especially since they offer that menu for late night dining (last call 1:30am, restaurant open til 2am), and there aren't many places with food this interesting and good that operates those hours!

In the meantime, adding The Pikey to my list of favorite spots for brunch.  Glad we got to go before it blows up into a 'hotspot' with a 'scene' (apparently Michael C. Hall, star of Dexter was also there at a table behind us for most of the morning - single girls around the table bemoaned that no one pointed that out to us the whole time til he'd left!).  The name may reference British slang for 'gypsy', but judging by the quality of food we had yesterday, it's definitely one that will quickly leave its mark on the culinary map of the city, as one that is here to stay.

Cheers to Whitney for organizing yet another fun and delicious event!

[For more photos from The Pikey, as well as other hot brunch spots around the city, check out my Facebook album here.]

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

*Disclaimer: This meal was hosted.
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The Pikey Cafe & Bar Hollywood
7617 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles,CA 90046
Ph: 323.850.5400

Parking: Metered street parking on Sunset (1 hour max - check signs), Valet $7

Website: thepikeyla.com/
Twitter: @thepikeyla
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