Larchmont Chronicle Story Archive

Larchmont Chronicle Neighborhood newspaper representing Hancock Park, Larchmont Village
Miracle Mile, Park La Brea Fremont Place in the Wilshire center area of Los Angeles. Local News and
stories about the local Los Angeles Scene. Historical informattion regarding the Larchmont Chronicle and
Hancock Park area. Founded in 1963 on Larchmont Bouelvard, Los Angeles, CA, California

August 1, 2003

Restaurant Review

Brad Kembel

In these hot months when lunch appetites can swing from total disinterest in food to a contrary desire to binge on instant gratification meals, the Larchmont Village area offers a number of quick pick-me-ups that are light on the stomach or as filling as you need.

The sandwich selections at Larchmont Village Wine & Cheese Shop are worthy of mention, among the best in L.A. They offer fine quality meats and cheeses from their deli on sturdy but airy ciabatta bread, liberally sprinkled with balsamic, good olive oil and a few salad greens. There's ham and cheese, a nice light buffalo mozzarella and basil, sopresata salami, and prosciutto, sided with little garnishes of black olives or cornichon.

Paired with an Orangina soda, you've got a quick, reliable lunch-on-the-go, for just around $7.

Larchmont Village Wine & Cheese Shop
223 N. Larchmont Blvd.

I'm also a big fan of the terrific pizza at Z Pizza. This is a chain, but an unapologetically good local one. They make the pizza I prefer: not soggy and loaded with typical soupy tomato sauce and stringy cheese but on a thinner, very tasty bread-y crust with a light coat of intense tomato puree. The list of ingredients runs to the unusual: the Southwest is very good with corn, peppers, etc. and the Mediterranean uses fresh black olives, sundried tomato and feta Z is not as busy as it should be and could use a few more converts.

Z Pizza
123 N. Larchmont Blvd.

If the urge hits for something heftier, take a short side trip to Western and 8th for Pollo a La Brasa's wonderful rotisserie chicken and fries. This is simply the best chicken in town, at unbelievably cheap prices. With its wood-burning fireplace taking up most of the little glass shack on a busy corner, it looks as if it might burn down any moment! The big open spit is continually fed rustic logs which smoke imparts a delicious caramelized flavor to the nice-sized birds. A whole chicken with big side of good oily home fries and a simple green salad feeds three to four and will only set you back a miraculous $12.

Pollo a La Brasa
764 S. Western Ave.

You should have no qualms patronizing two village chains: Jamba Juice and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Jamba's smoothies, most with sherbet bases, are targeted at the fit, health-obsessed young California crowd. You'll find them a virtuous, filling meal in themselves. The real indulgence is that exotic fruits like papaya, mango, peaches and many berries are available at no more cost than the usual strawberries, bananas and pineapple. Add a shot of protein powder, and you have a refreshing meal-on-the-go that has got me through many a busy Saturday running errands.

If you want to wash down any of the above, or just need a light snack-lunch paired with a big muffin, The Coffee Bean makes the best ice blended mocha drinks in SoCal. The secret is their exceptional Dutch cocoa, barely sweet, and so good it's sold separately by the tin. The vanilla blended is also good, only a little more syrupy-sweet.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
135 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Jamba Juice
158 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Larchmont Chronicle
542½ North Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Editor & Publisher: Jane Gilman
Associate Publisher: Irwin Gilman

Admin

Information about the Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, Park LaBrea areas of Los Angeles, california. The larchmont Chronicle provides information, news stories, local events, advertising, real estate information, real estate listing advertisings, Los Angeles area demographics and other neighborhood news.