Hopefully this isn't getting too repetitive (it isn't for me, at least), but we took a family friend to Gjelina for lunch on Tuesday. We considered Joe's, 3 Square, Jin Patisserie and 26 Beach, but ultimately went with Gjelina as both my dining companions hadn't been before. It's a nice place to take out-of-towners; the patio is rustic and relaxing, the crowd is a good LA mix, the food is local, seasonal and very Californian; it's a nice way to spend a leisurely early afternoon lunch outdoors in the middle of November. We ordered completely different menu items from the previous two visits (here and here) in the last month; that's the great thing about the long menu, there's always more to explore:
Grilled pears with burrata, grilled treviso and speck
Diver scallops with romanesco and brussel sprouts with bacon
Niman ranch lamb burger and fries
Wood roasted baby parsnips with brown butter and pistachio gremolata
Pumpkin and bittersweet chocolate bread pudding
The seasonal grilled pear salad was similar to the grilled peaches salad I had about a month ago and equally delicious, although a little skimpier on the portion size. I am going to try recreating this dish tonight (no skimpiness at home); I bought some Gioia burrata from the factory, radicchio, and Bartlett pears to try. Bartlett pears have been so good this season; we've been eating lots the last few weeks. The lamb burger, which was recommended by a Gjelina regular that we sat next to during our previous visit, was so good: so juicy and flavorful. I really liked the two sauces that accompanied it (harissa aioli); I dipped the fries and the burger in both sauces. It's also one of the more substantial dishes on the menu (finally); you could eat the whole plate and be satisfied. The parsnips were really good; I wanted to order it because I wanted to experiment with cooking parsnips at home this fall / winter. It was very rich with the brown butter and gremolata; I probably would have ordered something different had I known my burger came with fries since they were somewhat similar, but it was still very good. The bread pudding was just wonderful rich and indulgent; warm, oozing, delicious with just the right amount of sweetness. Service was a bit abrupt this time; I felt like it was better in my previous two visits this month. Nevertheless, it was still a good meal.
Gjelina 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd Venice, CA 90291 (310) 450-1429
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