Grubtrotters

Well, that was quick. Chef Conny Andersson’s AK Restaurant + Bar on Abbot Kinney in Venice is closing after just seven months, citing creative differences with his financial partners. The restaurant got a nice review from the LA Times, but we had mixed feelings about it after an uncomfortably cold night there and haven’t been back.

Apparently, Andersson is ankling, but “the restaurant will continue to be open under a different name and menu,” he said. “The only thing that’s certain in life is change.”

Andersson is currently searching for a new location to open AK in the Los Angeles area, which is a little odd, given that the name AK clearly comes from Abbot Kinney, the street where the restaurant is located. Stay tuned.

The uber-chic new Venice outpost of the Chicago-based Intelligentsia coffee bar — already well known to the caffeinated Silver Lake crowd — officially opened on Abbot Kinney today, just in time to satisfy my need for an afternoon pick-me-up. I gave up coffee a year ago, and it’s damned hot today so I opted for a chilled organic osthmanthus silver needles white tea from the (mysterious, according to Victor) Fujian region of China. White tea has less caffeine than any other real tea, and Intelligentsia doesn’t actually heat the tea and add ice. Instead, they cold brew it by letting it steep overnight and serve it without ice. How’s that for haughty?

OK, so I’m being a little hard on the place, which is getting a ton of buzz among foodies. As a Venetian for more than a decade, it’s been drilled into my head to resist the dreaded chain stores. And yes, Intelligentsia is a chain. But Pinkberry long ago invaded the neighborhood so I should probably just give it up and admit that Intelligentsia is seriously into quality. The flavor of the white tea was fantastic, and frankly, I hate ice in my drinks. They know what they’re doing here, and if you’re a brew connoisseur, this is among the best you’re going to find. They’re also into “direct trade,” which is like fair trade plus.

My yoga buddy Kathy ordered an iced coffee, and we shared two desserts, a lemon tart and raspberry breton. I thought the lemon tart was delicious, very soft and lemony and, well, tart. The raspberry dessert had fresh raspberries and pistachios, which I love, but the crispy bottom of the dessert was a little too hard for my taste. I like a dessert that’s easier to eat without a knife. The bill came to $19.25.

The cafe itself is sleek and airy and bright, but it’s a little strange, too. The bar is round. You step through an arched corridor and order before moving around the bar to another person. You keep getting passed off, it seems, around the circle. Everyone is knowledgeable and happy to explain how the coffee and tea are special so it’s not a big deal. But then there’s the seating. There are only a couple of tables outside, and the rest are bleacher seats, inside and out. It’s a little tough to eat a tart on bleachers. It’s not like there’s some sort of sport to watch, unless you consider checking out the attire of the local hipsters a sport.

Frankly, I’d rather brew my white tea at home and relax at the local cafe Abbot’s Habit if I want a place to hang out. That’s a comfier environment, less of an industrial feel. But if you’re a die-hard coffee or tea drinker and don’t care to stick around, Intelligentsia might just be the place for your morning fix. –Jenny

Intelligentsia, 1331 Abbot Kinney in Venice.

Love it or hate it, communal dining is the latest “big thing” to hit L.A. I have a piece on Dinela.com discussing this trend of tables where strangers sit side-by-side, striking up conversations and occasionally sharing a slice of pizza. Personally, I love the serendipity of it all. I also love the fact that I don’t need a reservation. I can walk into Gjelina or AK or Bar Centro at the SLS Hotel on a whim and find a seat.

Los Angeles has a pretty entrenched reputation for isolation. Everyone gets into their hermetically sealed cars and drives to a specific destination. Only in neighborhoods such as Venice and Los Feliz do pedestrians actually walk around and run into one another. Not surprisingly, those are the neighborhoods where communal tables work best. Yet, I think we all crave community and connection, even if we’re a little afraid at first. And fear is a huge impediment. Here’s Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW’s “Good Food,” on the response to her experiment with family style dinners at Angeli Caffe:

“Some people would walk in and then immediately turn and start to walk out — I’m not sitting by somebody I don’t know. We’d have to sort of cajole them to sit down. And then they’d sit but leave spaces between them.”

However, some of us like a little danger. If you open yourself up to the unexpected, you never know what might happen. Joan McNamara, chef/owner of Joan’s on Third, calls her communal table “magical.” Strangers have met there, fallen in love and gotten engaged.

“I don’t think people want to feel isolated, especially in this economy,” says McNamara, who had an elderly friend once tell her the Great Depression wasn’t so terrible “‘because we were all in it together.’ Maybe that’s what people are finding now. If you were sitting at two separate tables, you would almost never hand food to someone else.”

Much has been written about the so-called Millennial Generation that helped sweep President Obama into office. They’re less into dating and more into hanging out with groups. They like cooperation, which might explain this new trend. Not to stereotype my own people, but Gen Xers may be just a tad more cynical. Here’s my friend Julia:

“I loathe communal tables. I also hate small plates. I like old fashioned dinners where you eat your own food with people you already know.”

As Victor often says, it’s a large and free nation. Each to her own. But in my book, interaction is good, and the unknown is worth exploring, even if you have to suffer through a few awkward moments. What do you think? An introvert’s worst nightmare or a whimsical delight? — Jenny

Victor and I had the pleasure of checking out AK Restaurant + Bar this week, another relatively new hot spot on Abbot Kinney in Venice from former Four Seasons chef Conny Andersson.  We enjoyed a cool beer tasting featuring a selection of brews from around the globe paired with various dishes. I’m more of a wine gal, but Victor, given his many years as a sports reporter (and now editor of the website SportsFanLive.com), is definitely a beer guy. Beer snob may be a better term. He won’t let me touch his collection of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ales. In any case, we both thought the concept of beer pairing was an entertaining change of pace.

My favorites were the complex German pilsner Konig paired with a chilled seafood appetizer, and the Japanese Hitachino Nest white ale, a light, bright and citrusy compliment to the perfectly cooked duck breast in a black pepper honey gastrique. Vic was partial to the Cupaca Mexican pale ale,  which he described as “fruity and hoppy.” The Sing Ha lager was decent, but nothing special, given that I’ve had it at dozens of Thai restaurants before. The Vietnamese pilsner Hue just didn’t hold up in this crowd when it came to flavor, strength and complexity. And the Belgium ale Maredsous 8 was too sweet when I first took a sip but tasted great with a bite of mac & cheese.

Our first reaction to AK as a whole was mixed. Given the timing of its opening, the similarities and proximity to Gjelina, I couldn’t stop myself from comparing the two. It didn’t help that it was a frigid night, and we sat close to the door, which wouldn’t close all the way on its own. We were cold. While drinking cold beer. Vic kept getting up and shutting the door himself. The overall feeling of the place left me cooler than Gjelina, even though it was hopping. Perhaps it’s the mid-century modern design. The original Earo Saarinen chairs are incredibly stylish and comfy. And the glass walls overlooking bamboo, the glass-enclosed fire feature, the communal tables in the bar are all very lovely. But I found the spare, clean lines of mid-century modernism a bit chilly on this winter night. The little upstairs nook of a terrace looks a lot cozier and more private, and I think I would have preferred it.

The food, too, was up and down. Both of our entrees were wonderful. The duck and the king salmon with grilled fennel and a honey mustard glaze were both outstanding –  moist and tender. The plating was gorgeous, the flavors divine. However, the steamed blue mussels starter was disappointing. Not terrible, but again, the ones at Gjelina are such much better. The dish needed something, maybe garlic? Spanish chorizo in the sauce was a little tough and chewy, although I have to say the tiny toasts covered in pistachio parsley pesto were a great idea. The buratta cheese and prosciutto appetizer with marinated peppers is always a favorite, and the cheese was silky and smooth. But it just didn’t wow me. And while the mac & cheese with chorizo, ham and manchego was yummy, the ricotta gnocchi was just bland. The crunchy texture of the chestnuts didn’t help the dish at all. Again, I couldn’t help but compare it to Evan Kleiman’s amazing ricotta gnocchi at Angeli Caffe, which we served at our wedding. Her buttery gnocchi is so wonderful that eating it is almost an orgasmic experience. This gnocchi inspired in me a Larry David-like expression of ambivalence, which frankly, I don’t know how to spell. “Eehhhh?” That’s the closest I can get.

Of course, I’d rather have a mediocre starter and side dish than a bad entree, and the entrees definitely delivered. So did the desserts. The chocolate obsession was filled with a river of gewey molten chocolate.  Mmmm, mmmm. It was almost identical to a dessert I ate at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora two weeks ago after winning a four-night stay there as a door prize at a party. (Mom always said I was lucky.) Given Andersson’s Four Seasons background, I suspect he knew he had a winner on his hands with that one. The raspberry sorbet was also delish.

I’m not going to be too quick to judge AK just yet. Andersson is Swedish, and I have yet to try his Swedish dishes, such as the meatballs and the salmon gravlax — both of which the Los Angeles Times food critic raved about in her recent review. So I’ll be back to AK, I’m sure.  On a warmer night next time. And perhaps I’ll try the wine. — Jenny

AK Restaurant + Bar: 1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, 310-392-6644.

Vic and I finally checked out the newest hot spot on Abbot Kinney in Venice, Gjelina, which opened over the summer. We walked in without a reservation at 7 p.m. on a recent weeknight and had no trouble snagging a seat the the communal table. (If we had arrived an hour later, we would have been among the masses hovering behind us… waiting.) I enjoyed the rustic communal table because we actually got a chance to meet and mingle with some of our neighbors. In fact, the couple sitting next to us offered us a slice of their gruyere, arugula and carmelized onion pizza, which was delicious. Not Mozza delicious, mind you, but tasty nonetheless. “Very French onion soupy,” as Vic put it.

In fact, everything we tried at Gjelina was satisfying, and I loved the experience of the place almost as much as the food. It was full of artists, casual chic Venice hipsters, even a couple families with kids. One of the guys down at the other end of the communal table compared it to AOC. It reminded me of being in New York. A real neighborhood spot. The design of the place is gorgeous. The floor is made of brick, while the ceiling is reclaimed wood from a barn. The walls are painted and decorated with a delicate, laser-etched design. There’s a beautiful back patio with a fire pit and a window onto the kitchen. Next to that is a tiny nook of a lounge with a lamp made from wine bottles. Even the bathroom fixtures are cool. Guys behind the bar chop vegetables plucked fresh that day from the farmer’s market and make salads beneath an unusual lamp featuring an variety of odd-sized lightbulbs. The restaurant is mainly lit by candles in the evening, giving it a nice glow.

We started with a bottle of organic French Syrah, a Chateau Messiac Minervois from 2006. At $42, it was actually the least expensive bottle on the list. The only bottle they offered for less ($38) was sold out. In this economy, they really should have a few more affordable bottles (and glasses) for those who have seen their 401Ks cut in half. The restaurant is still doing such a brisk business, they probably don’t feel the need to cut anyone a break. (Note to Gjelina, it’s tough to stay the hot spot forever. We’re in an economic crisis, dammit. Wake up, and help us out a little, here.)

For dinner we ordered the grilled raddichio, bacon, fontina and tomato confit pizza from the wood-burning oven. A guy sitting at the far end of our communal table described it as “a saltine of a pizza,” and I must admit, it did have an impossibly thin crust. I could practically see through it, and I suspect that even the strictest low-carb dieter could eat this pizza. It was served with a side plate containing small piles of crushed red pepper, grated Parmesan cheese and dried oregano. The flavor was wonderfully smoky, both from the bacon and the wood-burning oven. (Beware: The couple sitting next to us mistook a woodchip from the embers that made its way onto their plate for a French fry and bit into it.)

Vic and I also shared the Sonoma duck leg confit with cavalo nero, lentils and currant vinegar. The duck was sweet and juicy and the lentils quite vinegary. It was an unusual combination, but it worked. When we finished, Vic was still hungry so he tried to flag down the waitress to order more. By then, the place was so packed that it took at least 10 minutes to find her. We capped off the evening with Jidori chicken livers and onions on grilled bread. It’s not the traditional way to end a meal, but Vic is carniverous and needed a little more meat on his bones. He actually grew up eating liver and onions, and while I find chicken liver a little mealy, he gave the dish — and the entire evening — a big thumbs up.

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We made our way back for a second Gjelina visit last week, when my parents were in town. This time, our group of six arrived even earlier and took over most of the communal table. My sister looked at the menu and complained that there wasn’t a single item except the pizza that contained a word she didn’t know. Pretentious, was her thought. Personally, I don’t mind an interesting menu because I like to ask questions and learn something new. But she does have a point. There’s also no sign outside the restaurant, which always seems pretentious to me.

Starting with the charcuterie plate (pictured above), we enjoyed duck prosciutto, sweet soppresatta and bresaola that were all so thinly sliced, they melted on your tongue. Split between six people, the portions could have been more substantial, although we ordered so much it didn’t matter. We followed that with a divine salad of arugula with marinated tomato, bacon and ricotta salata. All I can say is, yum. This is not your typical skinny gal salad. Next we tried three more pizzas: a margherita with gioia mozzarella and burrata, another with mushroom, goat cheese and truffle oil, and finally one with lamb sausage, zucchini, tomato, asiago and pecorino. Mom’s clear favorite was the mushroom (pictured below), although I thought the smell of truffle oil was so overwhelming that the taste was almost a letdown compared to the scent. The lamb sausage was my top pick, and Vic chose the margherita. So you pretty much can’t go wrong with the pizzas.

On to the vegetable section of the menu, the braised collard greens with smoked tomato were too salty for Mom, although just right for someone with a salt tooth like myself. In fact, on the second visit to Gjelina, I realized one of the reasons I liked the place so much is that almost every dish is finished with a liberal dash of sea salt. The grilled raddichio with balsamic and sea salt was a smoky, salty winner all around. Even our decadent butterscotch pots de creme for dessert had sea salt on top to cut what otherwise would have been a cloying degree of sweetness. For those who are salt sensitive, prepare for swollen ankles.

My sister’s favorite dish of the night was the roasted beets with greens, walnut oil and goat cheese — pungent and vinegary. My father and my sister’s boyfriend voted for the PEI mussels (tiny, but nice and plump) with chorizo, tomato, white wine and grilled bread. The dish had a garlicky bite, and again, the flavor combinations were a little odd, but that wasn’t a bad thing. I also enjoyed the wood roasted brandade — one of those pesky words that needed an explanation. It was basically a salt cod dip with cream and potato whose flavor the waiter described as similar to clam chowder. This comfort food dish was a bit heavy for some on Thanksgiving week, but I enjoy anything that’s the food equivalent of a soft blanket. We washed it all down with a 2005 Red Rhone and capped off the evening with a cranberry apple tartin that had firm chunks of fresh fruit. Not too cooked and not too sweet.

I’d be remiss not to mention that my mother thought our server was extremely appealing.  “Did you get a look at our waiter?” she asked halfway through the evening. “Soooo cute!”

“I didn’t think he was so cute,” my Dad huffed. Nevertheless, we all walked out feeling fat and happy. – Jenny

Gjelina, 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd., 310-450-1429

Feeling a bit under the weather, I ordered the spicy chicken soup ($9) for lunch at Axe on Abbot Kinney in Venice. Made with white chicken and rice in a simple, clear broth, it tasted clean and healthy. I’m not usually a huge fan of cilantro so I asked for the spicy relish on the side. But after tasting the onion-heavy mix, I dumped the whole batch into my bowl to kick it up a notch. One question: Would it kill them to add a few veggies?

Axe (pronounced ashay) has always been a top choice for a local lunch, namely because it never sends me into an afternoon food coma. The dishes are light and healthy, a simple mix of soups and salads made with fresh organic ingredients from local farms. The lentil sausage soup with tomato onion relish is a wonderful and hearty choice for cloudy beach days.

I was a little surprised, however, to see the “fall salad” (with chicken, apple, potato and celery) still on the menu in April, given that Axe touts itself as seasonal. When I inquired, the hostess said they switched the dinner menu but won’t have a new lunch menu for another few weeks. Fall ended more than three months ago. How seasonal can it be?

The bottom line: If you’re a vegetarian or just someone who enjoys simple food that won’t hurt your waistline or the environment, you will probably dig Axe. (This place sends its kitchen scraps back to its farm suppliers for composting.) If you’re looking for inspired, high-concept cuisine, go elsewhere. Axe is essentially a minimalist’s paradise.

The basic rice bowl, which I always order with brown rice, bursts with beans sprouts, carrots, cucumber and onion, radicchio, peanuts and huge sprigs of basil and mint. You can add “mostly wild” salmon (whatever that means), chicken, tofu or a hard-cooked egg. You can also construct your own salad plate with choices such as beets, hummous, quinoa, goat cheese and greens of the day.

The dinner menu is more substantial, with soy braised beef short ribs, porterhouse pork chop and sake marinated filet of beef. But whatever you order, be prepared to sit on hard benches amidst bare white walls and artsy Venice types. It can get crowded and loud, and yet I keep finding myself coming back again and again.

Axe, 1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA; 310-664-9787.