Baroo: Pure Imagination in World of Chef Kwang Uh's Creation

The feeling you get when you first pull into the non-descript strip mall where Baroo holds ground, and when you first step into the quaint yet pleasantly unsettling nook, is a version of what I would imagine the kids who won Golden Tickets felt when they first set foot in Wonka's factory.

Except that Baroo is tiny, where Wonka's factory was gargantuan, and Baroo is obsessive with natural ingredients, fermentation and locavorism, as Wonka was about sugar spun confections produced en masse...but it's that core feeling of wonder, and being unsettled in a simultaneously fantastic and unnerving way.  Because you are greeted by things you may not ever have even thought to think of.

When you first step into the 'free-style experimental kitchen', you see a big wooden communal table, barstools by the counter, and a back wall with shelves packed with every-color science-lab-like jars of things quietly fermenting.

You don't see any staff for a while (because the hardworking staff of two are busy in the kitchen whipping up dishes for hungry diners), so you take the time to peruse the jars.  (Yes, most of what Baroo will feed you has to do with mold and foods in various stages of breaking down.  And you'll love it.)

You wander to the fridge, packed with housemade kombucha in flavors from elderflower to rose & passionfruit to yuzu to lemon verbena.  (And tepache (fermented pineapple juice))  Healthy and tasty - though a menu of fermented foods, those not into that intense fermented taste of kombucha may not want to double up.

You read up on the chef, who after spending time in the kitchens of Daniel in NYC, Nobu Bahamas, Noma, Quique Dacosta and Piazza Duomo, and in the halls of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in northern Italy, earning a masters degree in Food Culture and Communication: Food, Place and Identity, that he has decided to pour his passion into Baroo, a place where he can combine natural ingredients and fermentation and let his creativity flow.

But you would never know about his fine dining background, on meeting the owner/chef, as he seems to embody the humble philosophy behind the name of his restaurant: Baroo means "a bowl that Buddhist monks are allowed to possess and use for their meals until their last breath," which also seems to symbolize the minimalist approach to life in order to focus on what's really important: respect, trust in and love to nature and people.  This he channels through food, using local, sustainable and organic ingredients.  He is not a big talker either, but lets his creative dishes speak for themselves.

My favorite seat is at the counter, where you can glance over the collection of cookbooks, dry ingredients, and peek into the kitchen.  Homey, like being invited over to a friend's house for dinner, and checking out their life as a collection of knick knacks on their shelves, while waiting for the party to commence.

And when the food arrives, it's understated but very simply spectacular.  Some dishes are composed of ingredients you'd never heard of, which you excitedly Google.  Some are twists on more familiar favorites.

Though Chef Uh loves all his dishes, when pressed, one standout he and partner Matthew Kim would recommend is Noorook (Koji) ($12) Job's tears, kamut & farro, roasted koji beet creme, concentrated kombu dashi, toasted seeds (sunflower & pumpkin), macadamia nuts, finger lime, and rose onion pickle.  Every grain makes its presence known here, perfectly cooked and clean, distinct, made cohesive with the beet creme and dusted with super finely grated cheese (?).  It has risotto qualities, but is at the same time unlike anything you'd ever tasted, especially with the umami and subtle tartness of koji (edible mold) kombu dashi, crunch of seeds, nuts and exquisite tiny bursts of brightness via finger limes cutting through the grains which are rich yet light at the same time. Confounding in the best way.  The only thing I knew was that a few forkfuls in, I was hooked, and had already decided this was my favorite and I needed to come back for more.

 Gim (Seaweed) ($12) has a similar mix of grains but with different 'toppings' / 'mix-ins': Job's tears, kamut & farro grains with amaju, assorted seaweed compte with shiitake, tofu, spirulina, nasturtium, nori chip, mixed berries, wasabi daikon, lime onion jalapeno, pickle.  I didn't think that berries would go with warm grains (the only time I'd encountered the two together would be in some kind of cold salad) - but the earthiness of the mushrooms, grains and tofu were well balanced by the vibrant juicy sweet/tart of the berries, punctuated by the slight heat of wasabi, jalapeno, and acidity of pickle and lime, and the crisp crunch of the nori chip.

Then there were new takes on dishes familiar to LA food lovers: my favorite is the Kimchi Fried Rice ($9) pineapple fermented kimchi, amira basmati rice, 63 degree sous vide egg, gremolata, pineapple jalapeno salsa, purple potato chips, roasted seaweed, toasted buckwheat & quinoa, and micro greens (option to add slab bacon for $2)

Changing up the rice to basmati apparently makes a huge difference! Again, many ingredients and tastes you wouldn't think to combine, come together to blow your mind.  This one, like Chef Uh's other dishes, also pay amazingly detailed attention to balance of levity and density, juicy, crunchy, crisp, sweet, sour, spicy, savory all in harmony - and again every grain of rice is clean and distinct.  Chef Uh's Kimchi Fried Rice is the new crack.

Then there is Baroo's Ragu Style ($15) spicy oxtail faux ragu, tendon puff, gochujang gremolata with cherry tomatoes, krout powder, three years aged parmigiano reggiano with handmade pasta.  With mostly recognizable ingredients, this dish may seem the least exciting of Chef Uh's limited menu, but you'd be remiss to skip it - it may be one of the most flavorful, and again shockingly rich AND light at the same time of any pasta dish you've had.


And then will also make you realize that most of the other dishes don't have any meat in them: and you never even missed it, because the flavors and textures are so amazing.  And when you get up from a meal at Baroo, you are fully satiated, but not lethargic like you might be at a gluttonous meal at many other restaurants in town.  I love that the taste is amazing first, and that the 'health' aspect makes it even better (and there is no 'sacrifice' or forced abstinence of any sort).

Baroo's dessert menu consists of baked goods and one fancier option.  Don't overlook the goodies under the glass dome on the side counter - they are incredible, like the savories.

The Classic Shortbread ($2) 84% butter cacao nibs and citrus bursts is probably the best, most clean crumbly piece of shortbread I've had in recent memory.

The Caramel Pearl Chocolate & Oat Cookie ($2) 70% Valrhona chocolate, nocciola is delicious and fun to eat with the chocolate and white 'pearls' sprinkled throughout.

The fanciest dessert on the menu is the Passion Fruit Tart ($7) vanilla bean tart, macha yuzu chiffon, passion fruit curd, elderflower meringue.  Elegant and decadent.  Definitely do not leave without trying this tart.

Jonathan Gold referred to Baroo's cooking as "a taste of the future".  Along those lines, I think that when looking ahead, and considering mass nutrition needs of the species, and moving to vegetable/grain-based diets, some people choose to reduce the things that inhibit efficient energy use and food production, and in doing so remove the human element (Soylent for example seriously makes me think of the slop they funnel through feeding tubes to human incubators/battery farms in The Matrix).  Others, like Chef Uh, choose to celebrate the beauty of nature and pushes in all their efforts with their vision to sustain it.  For the sake of humanity, I hope that Chef Uh's way is the winner.  Please 'vote' for that future by supporting his restaurant :)  Thank you!

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 7 bites  
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 7 bites
Ambience -  5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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Baroo
5706 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038
Ph: 323.819.4344

Website: baroola.strikingly.com  
Parking: free, in attached strip mall open air parking


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Le Comptoir: At the Root, Of the Heart: Simply Extraordinary

Last Saturday, we had one of the most amazing meals we've ever had in LA. And it involved all manners of vegetables - yes, you read that right - by Chef Gary Menes, at his pop-up Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe downtown.

Foodies had been flocking to "the counter," (translation of French name Le Comptoir) and I'd gathered that Chef Menes was doing something extraordinary - with vegetables. So at first, I was skeptical - to me veggies are for the health conscious, those in detox, or far more upstanding souls than I (I who love to consume almost any and all parts of anything that moves), or are at best garnish or a culinary 'gift with purchase' - something extra thrown in with the thing you really want to eat.  i.e. - Not something I usually enjoy. 

And a veggie-focused meal for $52, even if 5-courses, seemed a bit pricey - options with protein require supplemental cost. But Chef Menes has an impressive pedigree, with stints at Patina and THE French Laundry (which I will probably never be able to afford).  And rave reviews kept coming in, from people whose palates I trust.  And then I tasted Chef Menes' sous vide quail egg with coriander flowers - simply perfect - at Gold Standard 2012, and resolved to get it together and make my way downtown to Le Comptoir, asap.

An eclectic little spot with a sophisticated storefront, Tiara is located in the Fashion District in Downtown LA, across from the epicenter of the local industry - California Market Center - a space that serves cafe fare during the day. Despite the location, Le Comptoir is far from being trend-focused.

The interiors of the playful space can only be described as  Art-Deco-meets-Titanic-for-the-Proles-meets-Japanese-Diner-Cafe-Kitsch.  It definitely didn't take itself too seriously, with quirky statues of fictional creatures placed randomly in the dining room - and a wall of brightly colored plastic figures on the cafe side: yet the flow of the space, with its blue upholstered, gold-gilded booths, was at the same time strangely elegant. 

This was the setting for Le Comptoir - which literally involved 12 seats at the counter bridging to the open kitchen, the better for guests to see exactly how their food is prepared, and to be able to interact with chefs while they are doing it.  Perfectly in line with Chef Menes' philosophy that people should know where their food comes from. The setup of Le Comptoir takes that all the way through to 'the end'. The buzz phrase everyone is using now of "farm to fork", means much more here - Chef Menes not only takes utmost care in knowing the farmers who supply every element in his dishes - but really lets you in on the whole process, even in every part of how it's prepared before it arrives to your fork.  

We couldn't wait to taste it all. To start, an amuse bouche: Mushroom Croquette.  This was unfortunately to us not any indication of the meal to come - while the mushrooms we could taste as being incredibly fresh, we didn't love the flavoring and thought the individual elements were bland, while the whole was single note - oversalty.

For the main meal, there were two options for each of the 5-courses.  For our first course, we had a choice of Okinawan Sweet Potato Veloute, yogurt, green garlic, farinette, herbs or French Foie Gras Terrine, Dried Cherry Compote, Saba. While almost the entire population of food bloggers in LA were raving about the veggie pancake w/ sauce, 'Teech' and I both love foie and were conscious of the countdown clock on it being served in CA - so we both went for the carnivore option ($18 supplement).  It was Hudson Valley foie, smooth, rich and creamy and paired nicely with the sweet/tart dried cherry compote and grape syrup. But not something that seared into our brains for all eternity.

In between courses, we received a dish of Chef Mene's great bread made from his own 18 year old starter.  Delicious. And made us ignore the toasts that came with the foie terrine. 

Then came our first courses featuring veggies: Course 2a: Sunny Side-Up Egg, Young Lettuce, Herbs, Jus Vert.  This was a fun, interactive dish where you let the sizzling egg cook a little in its cast iron Staub mini-skillet, then, as chef instructed, add in other ingredients from bright flowers to herbed butter to lettuce leaves carefully selected so that what ends up on the plate is flawless. I actually found myself loving the veggie elements more than the protein! The egg was a little overcooked at the bottom - perhaps it was because we had been late for our reservation, so the second courses pushed up against the first - they arrived while we were only halfway through the foie, so did sit for a while on the side.  Our fault on that one.  But the flavors were amazing - I would have never thought to use that combination of ingredients as toppings for a fried egg, and they were not only beautiful to look at, the mix of fragrant, incredibly fresh herbs and creamy savory butter with the 'liquid sun' of the egg seemed like they were made for each other - just waiting for Chef Menes to come along to bring them together for their date with destiny.

  

The other option, for Course 2b: Asperge Vert et Oeuf Sur La Plat Reggiano, Beurre Noisette, Citron ($8 supplement) - as the chefs were preparing the dish, comforting aromas of butter in pan that somehow reminded me of home even though I don't cook very much, permeated the restaurant and heightened anticipation. Giant stalks of asparagus, possibly the biggest I've ever seen, were grilled, chopped and plated with a fried egg and cheese croutons, with lemon and pepper.  Every time I have asparagus, I always wonder why I don't eat it more often - but I never remember to crave it. But I have been dreaming of these long after the meal - each piece of asparagus was perfect - skillfully sized and cooked so that it has the perfect balance of crunch and delicious smokey char from the pan fry, but enough...don't know how else to say it...girth...so that there's that relatively untouched core of stalk which counterbalances that smokiness with its retained natural flavors, and was almost juicy inside without losing crunch. The citrus then cut through the rich fattiness of the butter nicely.  Loved this simple yet fantastic dish. Wish I thought to ask why it was the only one that was graced with a fancy French name (the others were very authentic, 'grounded' so to speak, titles highlighting essentially key ingredients, in English).

Next up: the deceptively simple-named "Veggie Plate," which drew disproportionate praise - and which I couldn't wait to try, as something that normally wouldn't appeal to me at all and would feel more like a temporary, necessary evil to enable my body to stay healthy enough to handle my next gluttonous meal of incredibly delicious creatures of the land, sea or sky. I knew that everyone who has tried it were blown away by it (not just vegetarians) - and I wanted to see what it was all about.  And the counter stock, plus the lineup of plates being prepped for this course, already had us drooling - it was a visual feast that sparked enormous excitement for the impending tasting.

And Course 3a was monumental: "Veggie Plate" consisted of Squash, Carrots, Pickled Onion Petals, Turnips, Kohlrabi, Pears, Tangerine Fava Beans, Celery, Celtuce, Grapes, Fingerling Potato, Cauliflower.  I loved that Chef Menes took the care to list each one - because each one was its own work of art, that all came together to form a masterpiece. 'Teech' said it best - the gorgeous plate reminded her of a Kandinsky painting. It was almost too beautiful to eat.  Almost - that's what I love about art on a plate - it's multisensory. We first enthusiastically admired the  impeccably curated and perfectly prepared collection just aesthetically - then dug in to experience it with our taste buds.  And though Chef Menes elevated humble vegetables with his artistry - it was never intended to be some lofty, inaccessible form - it's a celebration of the higher beauty of simple ingredients.  

Ever watch that movie 'Like Water for Chocolate', where what the chef was feeling at the time, poured into the food she was making, and diners could experience those intense emotions as they taste the food?  Well that's what this plate reminded me of - it was his heart and soul, that Chef Menes put on this plate. You could feel the intense love for every single element, and their sum, expressed in every bite.

[I had to look up a couple of the veggies too: "Kohlrabi" is apparently an Italian turnip, and "Celtuce" is as it sounds - a celery lettuce.  Both, like everything else on the plate, were amazing.]

And Chef Menes was very passionate in explaining to us the need to know where his food comes from - he knows and is great friends with every single farmer who produces every item he serves up,  so that he can rely on the care that was taken in their growth, and from that the quality of the ingredients.  That is sort of the reason why his food is currently veggie-focused, not due to any sort of anti-meat philosophy - just that he doesn't have as many strong relationships with meat farmers, and if he did have sources for high quality meats, he would serve it more.  So attention, quality meat farmers!!! :)

Some might see all this attention to detail as obsessive - but for us that's what makes him an amazing chef/food artist, one that can achieve the extraordinary with what is seemingly very simple.

The next dish involved one of my favorite ingredients in the world: truffle. But I almost didn't get it as it didn't seem as exciting as the other dishes, in writing anyways - 'just' truffle shaved over pasta.  But it was 'only' (everything is relative, right?) a $20 supplement, less than half of what other restaurants would charge - so we went for it.  Chef Menes personally prepared every element of this dish, we watched him cook the pasta right in front of us, watched him take meticulous care in shaving paper-thin black spring truffle over it, right in front of us. Loved it before it ever hit my fork.

So without further ado: Course 3b: Tagliolini with Black Spring Truffles ($20 supplement).  Teech wasn't as impressed with this, but I loved it - not for mind-blowing innovation or creativity (but it was never intended for that), but for being a classic, extremely well executed.  The pasta was perfectly balanced - so tender and creamy it could make you cry, but still al dente - the cream was carefully controlled so as not to be too heavy nor overpower the whole.  The truffle was intoxicating in fragrance and in beauty - the thin slices fluttered over the pasta, looking light but packing heavy-hitting flavor.

Chef Menes did say that we would be surprised by how satiated we will be, even just on veggie-focused fare - and he was right - we were pretty much full by end of course 3.

But of course we didn't want the meal to end.  Course 4a: English Peas, Hearts of Romaine, Pea Tendrils, Stone Ground Grits, Spring Onions, Jus, Truffle Froth this was a spring appropriate dish with fresh greenery, especially the peas which were perfectly cooked (I usually detest peas as they're either too mushy or like tiny green pebbles), the grits a nice balance of light and lush, with the truffle froth adding a nice subtle bit of earthy flavor in airy form.

Then a protein course: 4b: "Poitrine de Porc", slow-braised heritage pork belly, barley, apples, broccoli, blueberry relish ($8 supplement).  This was a victim of being overshadowed by its 'grounded' cousins - while the pork belly was beautifully cooked, tender and rich with flavor and juice, it just didn't measure up to the spectacular veggie dishes (I never thought I'd ever say that!).  The apple was a nice (and possibly most delicious apple) bite with subtle tinge of cinnamon.

For the grand finale: we could choose from either a cheese plate or pound cake. I'm not a big fan of cheese plates at restaurants, just because I feel like I can get gourmet cheeses from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills or Wally's Cheese Box. And would rather focus my limited funds on experiencing the culinary creativity of chefs via their cooked/baked dishes.  Knowing of course that chefs likely have access to better cuts and varieties of cheese and will often serve them up with perfectly paired accompaniments of housemade preserves etc. But I just would rather experience cooked/baked dishes. And at Le Comptoir, I didn't want to go for the $12 supplement for cheese. 

So both Teech and I went for course 5b: Pound Cake, Chocolate, Orange, Sour Cream, Almonds, Graham Cracker.  The pound cake was fine, but it was the accoutrements that really impressed us:  with the softly crunchy marcona almonds counterbalanced by the perfectly ripened, bite-sized piece of orange, punctuated by the tart/bittersweet dots of raspberry and chocolate reduction.  Fresh sour cream and graham cracker crust and bit of candied orange rind added textural contrast.  A nice finish to a meal that left us, as Chef said it would, satiated but feeling good - not uncomfortably full and ready to fall into a food coma as usual after a large meal.

After the amazing dinner, we were made an offer we couldn't refuse, even though we were not big coffee aficionados: Handsome Roasters Coffee single origin pour over coffee from Columbia.  Chef Menes takes the same care with coffee, as he does with his food.  The coffee station looked like a science lab with its digital scale, jars, funnels, timers (and I thought I saw a thermometer too?!) - all to ensure precision resulting in consistently high quality cups of joe.  Again we are not coffee connoiseurs, but loved the sips we took of the incredibly smooth, fragrant and naturally sweet coffee that didn't even require any cream or sugar. 

All in all, one of the best meals I've had in LA, ever.  Especially with things that don't normally appeal to us.  All rooted in love and respect for his ingredients, fueled by a core of inspiration, passion and utmost dedication to his craft. Chef Menes accomplished the near impossible with us that day: he changed our perspective on veggies as things that we 'need', into things that we 'want' - and beyond that - even crave.

Looking forward to Chef Menes getting a place of his own so that we can make these mind-blowing meals a regular occurence!
 
In the meantime, if you haven't gone yet, Le Comptoir at last check runs Thursdays-Saturdays through May.  Contact the restaurant for details (info below).

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%
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Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe
127 E 9th St., Los Angeles,CA 90079

Thursdays-Saturdays through May (contact below for details)
Website: lecomptoirla.com

For reservations: lecomptoirla@gmail.com or check Urbanspoon Rezbook

Twitter: @garymenes 
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Farmshop - Brunch of Champignons

Farmshop has one of the best brunches I've ever had in my life. 

On a bright Sunday morning, my brunch buddy "Curses" and I headed out for the first time to the restaurant slash marketplace in the heart of Brentwood Country Mart - which would feel like a place straight out of Napa Valley, or some quaint little semi-rural gathering place in the South of France, if not for its population of characters who look like they just came from the set of The Hills (complete with costumes), a photoshoot for Anthropologie, or some unaired pilot for the Real Househusbands of Brentwood.

The space itself, we loved - airy and awash in natural light, rustic with wooden tables and trim, while sophisticated and chic at the same time with cool exposed bulbs hanging from lush woven silk ropes and carefully placed, minimalist greenery.  It almost made us forget the 15 minute wait (even with reservations...) and people passing us by, who we thought had arrived after us.  But within minutes of tasting the food, we would see why this place is always, always packed.

We started off with the Pastry Basket choose three pastries, seasonal preserves & spring hill butter ($12.50) - actually Curses wanted to get this and at first I objected, as the 'hot' menu items seemed so much more exciting and I wanted to save room for that.  But Curses is much wiser than me - you can only have so many egg dishes - and the pastry basket (well, really, pastry plate) turned out to be mindblowing.  We went with our servers' recommendations, and they were all unbelievably fresh and delicious - we had the Huckleberry Pear Danish ($3.50 a la carte):  Lemon Yogurt & Preserve Muffin ($3 a la carte): Herb Goat Cheese Scone ($4 a la carte).  

Our hands down favorite was the Herb Goat Cheese Scone - this was so light, fluffy and buttery it was more like a biscuit than a scone. Served steaming hot like it just got pulled from the oven, and fragrant with herbs so fresh we could imagine it being plucked from the garden minutes before.  So, savvy saveurs might say wait, the prices of the individual pastries add up to less than $12.50...I guess the extra charges are for the freshmade, gorgeous golden preserves (yes, you can taste the sun peeking betwen the oranges on the tree before they made it to your plate) and luscious slab of butter sprinkled with coarse sea salt (do they keep a cow in the back?)

As our second 'appetizer', I just had to have the Deviled Eggs once I read the description - it's served with smoked Idaho trout, upland cress & tarragon ($8) a bit of an unusual combination, and turns out the fish is worked into the hardboiled egg yolks for a tasty, stepped up, surf & turf inspired, brilliantly glammed up version of a classic egg dish.  For those who might balk at fish for breakfast - the taste of trout is very subtle.

I'm a huge seafood and mushroom and egg lover, and Curses already predicted before we even set foot in the place that I would dive right in for the Coddled Eggs as my main - served with smoked salmon, mushroom conserva, toast ($14.50).  This may have become one of my favorite brunch dishes of all time.  Eggs (that tasted like they just came out of a hen) were mixed with water and steamed into an incredibly smooth, light custard, then topped with beautiful mushrooms and chives for counterbalancing crunch and rich, earthy flavor.  The refined / restrained taste of the egg dish is then offset by lush slices of salty smoked salmon.  I was in heaven with every bite. Didn't even get to the toast - which I totally ignored.  LOVED the egg, and I wanted 10 more bowls... 

We must have been on some unspoken mushroom + egg kick, as Curses also decided on a funghi focused dish for her main: Frittata roasted wild mushrooms, melted leeks, drake family farm chevre, za'tar oil ($18).  This also blew our minds.  With this and the coddled egg dish, Farmshop manages to infuse creativity into breakfast/brunch, a meal that is not known for innovation - and unexpected world cuisine influence as well, with the oil made with za'tar, a middle eastern blend of spices, sesame and salt, and the preparation of coddled egg reminding me of a Chinese classic home cooked dish, steamed egg.  And leeks, with eggs? Genius.  Loved this dish.  Some may say $14-$18 for egg dishes is pricey - but I would say those people have not tried these eggs.  They're worth every penny.

We were also entertained by the couple next to us - the guy (complete with bold scarf and non-prescription glasses) was shocked, and possibly outraged, when in answer to his question, the server said the ingredients of his dish would be organic, but not sustainable.  It must have been with great restraint that he was able to bring himself to settle for the 'unethical'.  Thus, the concept of costumed brunch was born - looking forward to the next venue selection with Curses and what roles we would play for the meal.

Anyways, after our fab brunch, we were excited to walk it off by strolling through the open marketplace attached to the restaurant.

There was the bakery counter with perfect little croissants and meringued tarts, case of gourmet cheeses, and of course a small section to earn its name - farm fresh produce.  They had some gorgeous chanterelle mushrooms as well as beautiful green beans, onions, shallots... 

...and a perfect stash of multi-colored carrots.  Next to gourmet bags of beans and grains. 

The cured meats section looks amazing as well!

I felt like a kid in a candy store, with the selection of gourmet goods spread around the market as well - from Duck Rillette in a jar, pates, Straus ice cream in the freezer, all kinds of gourmet salts...  

...and my love for Farmshop was cemented, when I spotted little jars of SQIRL jams and preserves on a shelf.  (They even had my all-time fav: Nagami Kumquat & Chamomile preserves!!) So appropriate as SQIRL preserves are as farm fresh as you can get - they are literally sunshine preserved in a little jar.

Outside of Farmshop, you can also enjoy a leisurely morning strolling through the cute little boutiques at Brentwood Country Mart - there's a great book store, handprinted paper goods store, a few clothing stores, a candy store and nice spots for coffee or gelato.

Yes, Farmshop (and Brentwood Country Mart) definitely makes me feel like I'm on vacation without huge expense.  A staycation spot, if you will.  A little taste of the gentrified countryside, without ever leaving the city.  Amazing food and people watching.  I can't wait to make another trip.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Farmshop 
Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th St., Suite 25, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Ph: 310.566.2400

Parking:  Park in strip mall lot attached to restaurant
Website: farmshopla.com

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