OFF DI-VINE INSPIRATION
By Steve Coulter
For dineLA.com
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Every Saturday Angeli Caffé chef/owner Evan Kleiman hosts “Good Food” on KCRW, a one-hour celebration of culinary culture. In a popular weekly segment, Kleiman sends reporter Laura Avery to check in with vendors at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market and see what will soon be cropping up on menus around LA.
“The Market Report” easily dishes out some of the most informative few minutes of radio programming in LA, and it has helped expose countless foodies to the world-class Westside market. But the skyrocketing popularity of both the Wednesday and Saturday Santa Monica markets has left some chefs — and their ravenous devotees — hungry for something a little more low-key.
“The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market has become a meeting ground for chefs, but I think it’s getting a little inundated with the produce companies and it’s pretty crowded,” said Eric Greenspan, chef/owner of The Foundry on Melrose.
These days Greenspan spends more time at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market where he often plans his popular Sunday night prix-fixe menus. Because of the proximity to his restaurant, the star-studded Sunday market allows Greenspan to easily grab a couple of fresh items between brunch and dinner.
Of course, crowds aren’t the only thing keeping some chefs away from the Santa Monica markets. In a town where six miles can seem like the other side of the planet, making the trek to the Westside can be daunting for chefs based east of Sepulveda.
“The Santa Monica market is the gold standard, but for convenience sake I usually hit the local markets,” said Greg Bernhardt, consulting chef for 750ml in South Pasadena. Bernhardt is opening the “classic French bistro” Church & State in Downtown LA at the end of July.
“We’re going to serve the same menu all day long, with a focus on farmers’ market vegetables and all-organic and free-range meats,” Bernhardt said.
One farmers’ market close to Church & State is the Friday lunchtime affair at the Bank of America building. Catering primarily to business people who work in the iconic high rise, this market features fruits, vegetables and flowers as well as prepared lunch foods.
Similar small- to mid-sized neighborhood farmers’ markets have grown in popularity all around LA in recent years. The cities of Torrance, Norwalk and Baldwin Park host markets every Tuesday, while Mar Vista, Watts, Burbank, Chatsworth and West Covina markets happen every Saturday.
Cooking demonstrations have also become popular attractions at some of these smaller farmers’ markets. The Atwater Village Sunday market recently featured local chef Corina Weibel of Canele restaurant who prepared a seasonal dish using locally grown ingredients. Another popular Sunday gathering is the Montrose Harvest Market featuring everything from organic produce to pony rides and a fabulous flea market.
Four new restaurants – The Fat Dog, Café Montrose, Pepe’s and 3 Drunken Goats – recently opened along the same stretch of Honolulu Street that houses the Montrose market. The result is the ultimate food-lover’s paradise where residents can watch their favorite local chefs assemble ingredients right before their eyes.
3 Drunken Goats, 2256 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, 818.249.9950
750ml, 966 Mission St., S. Pasadena, 626.799.0711
Angeli Caffe, 7274 Melrose Ave., LA, 323.936.9086
Cafe Montrose, 2270 Honolulu Ave. Montrose, 818.248.9200
Canele, 3219 Glendale Blvd., LA, 323.666.7133
Church & State, 1850 Undustrial St., LA, phone TBD
Pepe's Mexican Restaurant, 2272 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, 818.790.3670
The Foundry on Melrose, 7465 Melrose Ave., LA, 323.651.0915
The Fat Dog, 2265 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, 818.236.4810
Farmers' Markets:
Atwater Village, Sunday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., 3250 Glendale Blvd.
Baldwin Park, Tuesday, 4–9 p.m., Cesar Chavez Dr. and Ramona Blvd.
Burbank, Saturday, 8 a.m.–12:30pm, E. Olive Ave. and N. Glenoaks Blvd.
Chatsworth, Saturday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Devonshire St. and Topanga Cyn. Blvd.
Hollywood, Sunday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Ivar Ave. and Selma Ave.
Mar Vista, Sunday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Grandview Blvd. and Venice Blvd.
Norwalk, Tuesday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Alondra Blvd. and Pioneer Blvd.
Santa Monica, Wednesday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Arizona Ave. and 3rd St.
Santa Monica, Saturday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Arizona Ave. and 3rd St.
Torrance, Tuesday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., 2200 Crenshaw Blvd.
Watts, Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., 103rd St. and Central Ave.
West Covina, Saturday, 8 a.m.–2 p.m., West Covina Pkwy. and California Ave.
