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Cafe Bolivar
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a teenager in possession of a cellphone of decent quality and an Instagram account, must be in want of attractive food to photograph. Many teens turn to places such as Urth Cafe, Umami Burger and Sweet Rose Creamery, and as a result, standing out in the sea of drool-worthy photos that plague social media websites has become nearly impossible.
Enter Café Bolivar: a cute, casual and cultural alternative to the regular hangouts. This South American café is discreet from the outside, but upon entering, you cannot help but pause for a second to inhale the delicious scents that greet you at the door. Bolivar presents the atmosphere and comfort of a home, while providing food for any occasion. Whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert or tea time, the café has something delicious to offer your taste buds, at any hour of the day. At Bolivar, the clock does not dictate the meal.
Its sandwiches, salads and soups are all stellar, but the real artistry in its food comes in the form of its arepas — a corn-inspired, South American dish. Small circular sandwiches, these bite-sized morsels are nothing short of heaven. I highly recommend the premium cooked ham and the black beans, but much like everything else at Bolivar, it’s hard to order incorrectly.
Bolivar continues to exceed expectations with its drinks. Both its coffee and tea are delicious; it crafts a mean Mocha Oaxaqueno, which you should not leave without trying.
You’ll leave Café Bolivar with more than a few photos to post online. But more importantly, you’ll leave with a happy stomach and the vague feeling that you have stumbled upon a café that proves that you can buy happiness. You’ll be leaving with the knowledge that you’ll be returning soon.
Where: 1741 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Open: Monday to Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m.-7p.m. Closed Sundays
Price Range: $$
Plan Check
As an American alternative to the typically Asian cuisine found on Sawtelle Boulevard, Plan Check Kitchen + Bar is an artisanal burger joint that is guaranteed to whet your palate. On the less populated north end of the Sawtelle strip, this modern restaurant offers comfortable indoor seating and a heated outdoor patio to dine in. Although you have a chance of being seated at one of the two communal tables next to complete strangers, the live basketball, football or baseball games that are on the televisions decorating the walls serve as great conversation starters. Luckily, if small talk isn’t your forte, plenty of individual seating is available. However, the focus of the restaurant isn’t where you eat, but what you eat.
Straying from the typical “American” burger, some of Plan Check’s zanier ingredients include the oft-questioned ketchup leather (think ketchup flavored fruit leather), pig candy (crystallized bacon) and smoky fried jidori chicken (Japanese-style chicken). Although menu items include side dishes such as sweet potato fries, stuffed mushrooms and a variety of salads, the reinvented burgers are truly the highlight of the experience. The simplest of the burgers is the signature Plan Check Burger (PCB) consisting of Americanized Danish cheese, ketchup leather, schmaltz onions and mixed pickles all delicately placed on top of a tender medium-rare burger. Placed in between the deliciously unique “crunch bun,” this burger is the perfect balance of all the flavors, including umami, and will leave you saying, “Ohhh mami!”
Another option is the famed “Chef’s Favorite Burger,” which is served with a blend of cheese two ways, bacon two ways, ketchup leather, a sunny fried egg and hot sauce. If you believed that a burger can’t be considered art, this masterpiece is sure to make you reconsider. A burger with a hint of breakfast, there is no reason not to eat this at all times of day.
Plan Check is a uniquely delicious, if a bit pricey, meal. It tends to get crowded at the usual dining hours, so be warned. However, if you are willing to wait it out and spend a bit of money, this burger will leave you full and feeling fabulous.
Where: 1800 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Hours: Sunday - Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Thursday: 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday: 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Price Range: $$$
Gjusta Bakery
When walking into Gjusta, you might be struck by one of the bakery-delicatessen’s many different attributes: its bright, hectic atmosphere, wide array of hipsters or the expansive kitchen space that allows you to observe all the kitchen’s chopping, stirring, squeezing, juicing and cleaning. The Gjusta Bakery, opened by Chef-Owner Travis Lett and his team in late October, is essentially a large open kitchen. It sells a vast selection of unique foods, including everything from blood orange cornbread to oil-cured sardines, all housed in a beautiful long display counter that runs the length of the restaurant. However, Gjusta falls flat when it comes to organization and seating: plastic produce crates and crudely made benches placed along a marble counter facing the kitchen and on a makeshift patio outdoor. While Gjusta might have a kitchen that produces beautiful and delicious foods, your meal might best be eaten at home or in a different comfortable place.
Where: 320 Sunset Avenue, Venice, CA 90291
Open: 7 days/week. 7:00 a.m.– 7:00 p.m.
Price Range: $$$
La Playita
Sitting inconspicuously next to a discount tire store on busy Lincoln Boulevard is La Playita is an inexpensive and authentic Mexican experience. La Playita isn’t quite a restaurant; instead, it’s a windowed counter with a food-truck sized kitchen. La Playita’s lack of grandeur is not a contrived attempt to appeal to hip foodies but actually just a practical way to feed the line of patrons that can sometimes extend down the block. I ordered an array of tacos including carne asada, pollo, carnitas and shrimp. For those a little daring, pork stomach and beef tongue are also available. The tacos are addicting and perfectly-sized, allowing you to sample many different kinds during each visit. Like the restaurant itself, the food is palatable but not overbearing. La Playita’s seafood cuisine however, is what really sets it apart from the competition. I ordered the “Pulpo” (octopus) — one of Playita’s four seafood cocktails — but “Camarones” (shrimp), “Jaiba” (blue crab) and “Pescado” (fish) are also available. The cocktails are served in a large clear plastic cup with lime, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and Playita’s signature chilled seafood broth. The Pulpo is fresh and tender. The decor and nature of La Playita might make you a little bit weary of the seafood, but try and get past your inhibitions because this is one of the best Mexican seafood places on the Westside.
Where: 3306 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Hours: Monday - Sunday: 9:00 a.m. -10:30 p.m.
Price Range: $