Although we are very sad to be leaving some really good friends in NY, we are extremely fortunate that we aren’t moving 3,000 miles away without knowing anyone; Mr. Mari and I have a bunch of really good friends that already live in LA. You know what that means, right? That means for at least the first few months, I don’t have to find any restaurants - they’ve already gone and done the research for me!
One of those people I know in LA happens to be my very good friend and first roommate in New York, Jane and her husband, Andre.
While Mr. Mari and I were home hunting in LA, we met up with Jane and Andre at Sqirl in East Hollywood. Fantastic! Everything we ate was amazing. What I love most about the Sqirl story is how Jessica Koslow, the owner, started out by making and selling preserves. Really really good, locally sourced preserves. Her preserves became known and because of their popularity, she was able to open a small café serving breakfast and lunch. Awesome! I love the bootstrapping, I-can-do-this attitude.
Everything we ate tasted pure and uncluttered. Creating food from a jam-maker’s perspective must be really interesting. When I cook, I usually think about the protein first and then how I'm going to dress it up. In Jessica's case, I wonder if she starts with the dressing for the protein and works backward. Case in point: her desert buckwheat honey, hazelnut/almond butter, and Meyer lemon zest on toasted bread sandwich. It is so simple in concept yet the texture and brightness contrasts were just the opposite of simplistic. The star is the hazelnut butter but by adding the soft spank of Meyer lemon to the top, she sent this sandwich into ‘big-eyed, OMG, I need more’ territory.
Can't wait to see what else my old friends are going to show me in this new city.
(Images, from the top! Spaghetti squash with New Zealand spinach, homemade ricotta with a brown butter vinaigrette; Olli prosciutto, sliced black radish, arugula and double Devon cream butter; The menu board; Roasted purple sweet potatoes, heirloom carrots, flat-leaf parsley and cumin labneh dressing; Crispy Kokuho brown rice with cilantro, chili and fried egg; Homemade rhubarb lemonade; Seared Brussels sprouts with sherry, poached egg and chicharrón "snow"; Malva pudding cake; desert buckwheat honey, hazelnut butter, and Meyer lemon zest on toasted bread.)