Whenever a friend from out of town comes to visit LA, Venice Beach is always a popular sight seeing destination. It is always fun to watch people go through culture shock as they experience the Venice Beach freak show (by that I mean the entire scene that takes place on the boardwalk). Having grown up in the area has afforded me a certain level of acceptance for all the crazies but also allowed me to seek out some of the great food this area has to offer.
Abbot’s Pizza Company is as much of a Venice icon as the infamous boardwalk. No matter how well known they have gotten, their gourmet pizzas are always a good choice for a meal or a snack. The original location on Abbot Kinney still embodies the laid-back-beach-town-feel while the rest of the street has emerged as one of LA’s trendiest destinations. To be honest, I enjoy getting a slice and people watching on this busy street. True to the culture in Venice, APC does stuff a bit different as “Home of the bagel crust pizza.” The “Bianca” is a tasty combination of red onions, fresh sliced tomato, Mozzarella cheese with olive oil, garlic, Ricotta, and Basil on a garlic pesto sauce. Truly amazing. Want something a little spicy? The “Spicy Chicken” combines Tequila lime marinated chicken, Jalapeno and Mozzarella cheese on a bed of tomato sauce (not too spicy, but make sure to order a drink!). Also, the fact that they are open until 11 has come to the rescue of my late night food cravings on many occasions.
The Firehouse in Venice is a neighborhood restaurant and bar that is a favorite among the locals. True to its name, this place is almost impossible to miss. Located on the corner of Main Street and Rose Avenue, this place originally opened up in the late 80s as a diner before adding a full service bar. As the name indicates, this restaurant is located in an old firehouse that served Venice during a time when horse drawn carriages were used as fire engines. The food choices are so diverse that it would be extremely hard to not find something that satisfies whatever cravings you may be experiencing. Although the trend has been in recession as of late, The Firehouse has served the meatheads (otherwise known as bodybuilders) that flock to the world famous Gold’s Gym only a block away. They even have a specific “body builder” section to the menu. There is nothing like eating breakfast next to a guy whose arms weight more than my entire body, not to mention the spandex! But I digress. The food is always great and most of the menu focuses on healthy and fresh choices at very reasonable prices.
Gjelina on Abbot Kinney has been generating a lot of buzz lately. This is really apparent by the fact that getting a reservation is something that must be done a week or two prior to get in at a reasonable time. Word on the street, aside from serving up some amazing food, is that the service can be a bit bitchy (for lack of a better word). I have heard this from multiple friends who also enjoy this restaurant but I have yet to encounter such attitudes while dining here. Helen, from “I’m Hungry and Proud of it,” recently reviewed Gjelina and also mentions being aware of this reputation. So I guess there may be some truth to it somewhere. Do not let it detour your from enjoying some of the best food this city has to offer. It would truly be a shame for your taste buds to miss out on this experience. They offer a large communal table that is available for walk-ins, but unless you have some time to wait it is most likely easier to think ahead and make reservations. Everything I have tried here has been amazing but I must point to the Gruyere Pizza as a stand out item. Just thinking of the Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, fromage blanc, and topped with a healthy amount of arugula has me reaching for the phone to make another reservation. Seriously, don’t miss out!
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