Satiate The Curious Palate in Mar Vista

My July 4th celebration started with an early surf in Venice followed by the usual desperate search for breakfast afterwards. I wanted to hit up new crepe place La Petite Creperie in Mar Vista by the Sunday Farmer's Market, unfortunately the wait was almost an hour. Sigh, it was only 10am and the restaurant had only been open for an hour.

My favorite farmer's market buy is figs and I was surprised to see that it was already in season. One basket of plump, sweet figs for $4.50 made a great afternoon snack.

Due to our breakfast crepe failed attempt, we headed down the street to The Curious Palate, a cafe/gourmet market. I have been meaning to check it out because I've heard about their sandwiches and salads, perfect to pick up for Hollywood Bowl picnics. The cafe sources its fresh ingredients from local, sustainable farms and markets.

Unfortunately, they do not serve alcohol so I couldn't have my obligatory post-surf mimosa. It was also still breakfast hours so I was unable to order from their vast selection of sandwiches.

In the corner of the cafe, they have shelves of goodies including gourmet chocolates, jam, pastas, olive oil and Carmela ice cream. They offer a selection of artisan cheeses and meats in the display case.

Fresh strawberry juice. It was a rather thick puree so you know they don't skimp on the strawberries.

One very large croissant which I asked for it to be warmed up.

I really love croissants and believe me, I am somewhat of an expert on what makes a good croissant. And this, my friend, is a darn good croissant. I do love the overly buttery croissants from Bite Bakery that leave a buttery smell on your fingers for hours, but I also appreciate one that has the right amount of butter but is still flavorful such as the one at The Curious Palate. It's baked fresh daily and was flaky.

French toast soaked in farmer's market fresh free range eggs, orange zest and cream, served with McLure's organic maple syrup
The bread used was a thick slice of fresh brioche bread. This is not your typical french toast that is dripping in egg mixture. It had a very crunchy exterior that softened as it absorbed the maple syrup. The french toast was soft in the center, similar to bread pudding. Usually I'd like to order a side of potatoes with french toast but this dish was very filling.

Ham, mushrooms, onions and Gruyere omelet
My friend Nate, who is very knowledgeable about cooking (he came in 1st place for his dessert sandwich at the Grilled Cheese Invitational a couple years ago), was extremely impressed with the preparation of his omelet. Apparently according to Escoffier, the whole omelet is supposed to smooth and soft, slightly scrambled inside and is not supposed to be browned on the outside. Who knew? Well, not this foodie *embarrassed* He really enjoyed the combination of the sweet caramelized onions and the savory ham and mushrooms. He also commented on the good quality ingredients that were used.

The girl at the counter was friendly however our food took quite some time to be served. It's not a cheap breakfast, close to $30 excluding tip and sans booze, but you're paying for quality ingredients. I'd like to return for lunch and order the pulled pork or the chicken satay sandwich. The Curious Palate is a good breakfast/brunch spot that shows you that healthy food can still be cooked right, taste good and offer many exciting selections.

Hits: fresh ingredients, omelet
Misses: service a bit slow, no alcohol
Rating: ***

The Curious Palate
12034 Venice Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 437-0144
www.thecuriouspalate.com

Celebrating Burger Month @ Rustic Canyon

Apparently May is National Burger Month. Not sure if it's legit because I can't seem to find anything official online- no information about what the history is and how it came about. Perhaps it was concocted by the beef or fast food industry. In any case, it's a good excuse to eat a burger. Unfortunately, I'm not more of a burger lover. I've tried the burgers at Umami, Bowery, Comme Ca, Tommy's, Brentwood Tavern (love love love their pork burger) among others, but (don't scoff) my heart still belongs to Micky D's cheeseburger. Yeah.. puke you say, yummy I say. There's something so comforting about that teeny tiny cheeseburger that conjures up memories of my childhood. It was the ungettable at my household. Somehow grandpa would never let us order the cheeseburgers, we were only allowed the filet-o-fish. Dunno why. But I digress.. So yes, restaurant burgers don't really do it for me, but my dear friend Diana was on a burger rampage. After reading the thoroughly researched entry about best burgers in LA by food blogger exilekiss, we decided to hit up Rustic Canyon so that Diana could get her burger fix while I would still be able to order a nice, regular non-burger meal. Unfortunately we weren't there for Burger and Beer Mondays when Chef Evan Funke offers up two new burgers (in addition to the restaurant's signature burger) paired with craft beers.

Similar to it's menu, the decor at Rustic Canyon is simple and clean, with wooden tables and chairs, and wide windows that overlook Wilshire Blvd.

Rustic Canyon Wine Bar is located in Santa Monica and prides itself with a seasonal, changing Farmer's Market inspired menu, made with ingredients from sustainable farms. In addition to wine and beer, the restaurant also offers various sparkling cocktails.

A bowl of olives was set down. Wish they offered a bread basket instead. After all, owner Josh Loeb also owns nearby Huckleberry Cafe with his James Beard nominated Pastry Chef wife, Zoe Nathan. Perhaps they could have thrown in some of Huckleberry's freshly baked cornbread into the mix. One could only wish.

We ordered a round of drinks of Prosecco, Terlano Pinot Bianco and Red Seal Ale.

Crispy white polenta with wild Oregon morels, sunny side up egg and Parmigiano-Reggiano
I thought this was the winner of the night. The polenta had a crispy crust but was soft and semi-creamy inside. The runny yolk held everything together. The mushrooms were well seasoned and worked well with the salty cheese that was sprinkled all over the plate. I thought all the components worked well together for a perfect rich and salty bite.

Mussels with garlic, chili, tomato, lemon and basil
This was from the starter menu but was a decent size especially after you're done consuming the deliciously thick slices of toasted buttered bread. The mussels were perfectly cooked which can be a feat at most restaurants. I enjoyed the sauce which had a taste similar to romesco sauce. It was a nice departure from the traditional white wine or cream based sauce.

Mandilli Pesto Rosso pasta with crushed almonds and pecorino
Beware, pastas are primi dishes so they are a rather small serving. We had expected the luscious greenness of pesto but our waiter advised us that pesto is really a technique that involves crushing oil with garlic, pine nuts and traditionally basil, but in this case, they used roasted tomatoes instead. I didn't think there was anything special about this dish. It tasted almost like an ala vodka dish to me. Although the pasta was fresh, it didn't appear to be the correct choice as it was too soft and congealed with the sauce.

Ninman Ranch burger with sharp cheddar, onion fondue, bread and butter pickles and herb remoulade, served with handcut fries

The burger was supposed to be cooked medium rare but it was bordering medium. The patty itself seemed to be seasoned on the outside and was not all that flavorful inside. Perhaps they felt that a lightly seasoned patty would work better with the condiments. The onion fondue and pickles were a nice addition. The latter added a combination of sweet and tart to the burger. I also enjoyed the brioche bun which tasted fresh, was buttery and really held its own and didn't get mushy from the remoulade. The fries were just alright. They tasted a little starchy, perhaps they weren't soaked long enough. When there's half an order of fries left on the plate, you know there is a problem.

Sprouting broccoli with garlic, chili and lemon
This was a good side to pair with our heavier dishes. Pretty tasty too.

Hot cinnamon donut with Vahlrona hot chocolate
You gotta wait 15 minutes for this as they fry it up fresh for you. Many reviewers raved about this and it did not disappoint. The donuts were fluffy and soft, and tasted almost like a churros. The warm, decadent hot chocolate slowly absorbed into the donut. A great end to the meal.

Overall, the food was good but the burger did not live up to its hype, IMO. I suppose it's all a personal preference but I think ultimately, the under seasoned and slightly overcooked patty knocked this burger off our list. The polenta however made up for everything. Oh if I could get another bite of that crispy, creamy goodness with runny egg yolk. How about we make June National Crispy Polenta Month!

Hits: polenta, mussels, donuts
Misses: burger and pasta were mediocre
Rating: ***

Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen
1119 Wilshire Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310) 393-7050
www.rusticcanyonwinebar.com