PICO NEIGHBORHOOD — “We buy ‘em, we roast ‘em and we sell ‘em!” barked Ted Galvan, manager of the Saturday Pico Farmers’ Market, as he stood near a cast iron barrel loaded with green peppers being roasted by vendor Chili Asado.
The passing of Labor Day in Santa Monica means many changes but no more noticeable than down by the Santa Monica Pier. The Twilight Dance Series has come to a close, the beaches are much less crowded, and the leaves on the palm trees started to turn (well not really).
With hot new restaurants opening up all the time, we tend to forget some of the old standbys that have stood the test of time. If a restaurant has been in the same location and under the same management for 20 years or more, it must have something special.
DOWNTOWN — In the mood for some freshly baked bread, handmade salted caramel ice cream or a sip of northern Italian style espresso? Bike, bus or walk to a Farmers’ Market near you and enjoy.
Whenever I write an article claiming one thing is the best, I get a number of e-mails suggesting I try another place. So after my hamburger article I received about six e-mails from PR people suggesting I try their client’s hamburger, and one of those was an invitation to the Daily Grill.
Sonny McLean’s serves food? That was my initial reaction as I bellied up to the bar for a cold one. The barkeep enthusiastically showed me a menu and pointed to a bunch of cooking trophies behind the bar won by their head chef.
A lot of people I know were disappointed when they learned that Chez Mimi, one of the few remaining authentic French restaurants in our area, closed and that another Italian restaurant would open there.
Eating good pastrami in Santa Monica does not involve much more than a quick bike ride up Wilshire Boulevard to Izzy’s or Fromin’s. Both establishments are classic Jewish delis with great family friendly atmospheres, and excellent pastrami.
Only steps away from tourist magnets like the Santa Monica Pier and the remodeled Santa Monica Place, Fritto Misto seems to mostly go unnoticed among the hustle and bustle of summer sightseers.
BBQ is a culture like sushi, or Menudo. People will drive hours to find it. It’s a multi-geographic culture. There is Texas BBQ, Memphis BBQ, North Carolina has its own version and is famous for 12-hour cooked pulled pork shoulder, and of course L.
Biking and dining the Santa Monica scene can be fun and diverse, but not necessarily ambitious. While the bounty of restaurants in this city could keep a food writer’s plate full for years, the cycling dynamic falls flat in the process.
Centrally located on the southeast corner of Overland Avenue and Palms Boulevard in a small, unassuming shopping center, Sushi Central is a real find for any true sushi lover.
