tag: venice brunch

Isn’t it so gratifying to find a kindred spirit? When Jessica of Thread and Bones reached out to me for an impromptu brunch while she was in LA, I had just the spot in mind — Gjelina in Venice, the much-hyped, reservationless spot on Abbot Kinney that’s held the food scene in thrall for years.

Over coffees, cocktails, and the clickety-clack of our cameras, under the wary eyes of the desperately hip front-of-house staff, we discussed our paths and passions and Paris — we had both been in the city at the same time and somehow managed not to meet, despite having similar haunts.

To ground the ephemerality of a friendship in its first flutterings of being formed, we had earthy Moroccan baked eggs and sturdy polenta studded with kale and bacon. And cocktails to loosen tongues, bien sur, not that we ended up needing them. We needed another hour or two of meandering through the Venice shops to try to talk ourselves out, and we were still yet unsuccessful. To be continued.

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Posted in: dining out, los angeles, Uncategorized | Tags: bloggers, brunch, california, food, food photography, gjelina, gjelina venice, la, los angeles, los angeles restaurant, photography, thread and bones, venice, venice brunch, venice restaurant | 8 COMMENTS

I have a deep and abiding love for brunch. I know from reading Anthony Bourdain that cooks hate working weekend brunch, and that most of it is derivative, overpriced slop, often cobbled together from whatever’s left over from the week’s dinners. I know all that, and yet, I can’t get enough of the soft light and copious coffee and bloody marys. And hopefully, if I’ve done my research, I find a place like The Tasting Kitchen that takes brunch as seriously as I do.

Three different kinds of bloody marys, people. You have the option of having your waffles (which are paired with ridiculously most, flavorful, crunchy fried chicken) stuffed with bacon.

I went with my buddy A of party bus fame and ordered enough food for four people. And then he ordered half a grapefruit. Unironically.

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Posted in: dining out, los angeles | Tags: abbot kinney, bloody mary, brunch, california, coffee, food photography, los angeles, los angeles brunch, photography, sunday brunch, the tasting kitchen, the tasting kitchen venice, venice, venice brunch, weekend brunch | 3 COMMENTS