Brentwood Eateries

Since I live in one of the nicer neighborhoods in Los Angeles, it sometimes becomes difficult to dine at the restaurants close by. My unemployed salary can’t really cover the cost of a four-star meal. Thankfully there are a few hidden gems in Brentwood, along with ways to maneuver around the high price tag.

A popular hot spot for celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal and President Obama, Tavern sets on prime real estate along San Vicente. A dinner at Tavern could put a serious dent in your wallet but to enjoy the experience without the pain, try stopping in for breakfast or lunch. When my parents helped move me to LA back in August, they wanted to eat somewhere close. We set off down San Vicente in search for the perfect breakfast spot, and Tavern just happened to be the first place we encountered. Tavern features a limited menu for breakfast, but each item looked delicious. I selected the stuffed French toast with fresh berries. The toast was crunchy on the outside that went perfectly with the sweet cream cheese filling and drizzle of strawberry sauce. My parents both selected the soft scrambled eggs with fontina and crème fraiche. The next morning, we headed back to Tavern for round two. I selected the eggs this time. The fontina cheese gave the eggs a perfect creamy texture, and the side of fried potatoes added the element of salt and spice. While I haven’t made it there in awhile, I have been dying to try the lemon ricotta pancakes with huckleberry compote. 

Catty-corner to Tavern sits the Coral Tree Café. With a variety of salads and sandwiches, Coral Tree is a great spot for lunch. It uses all organic and fresh ingredients, which makes it worth the price you end up paying for a sandwich or salad. My first time at Coral Tree, I sampled the curry chicken sandwich. Curry seasoned chicken paired with golden raisins, red onions and carrots in between a fresh ciabatta roll. It has just the right amount of curry flavor without being overpowering. I was surprised by how well the raisins paired with the chicken. On another trip, I tried the Chinese chicken salad. Again there was a surprise ingredient that absolutely made the dish- pomegranate seeds. I am a big fan of Chinese chicken salad, but I had never had one containing pomegranate seeds. The light pomegranate vinaigrette reinforced the pomegranate flavor. One of my favorites on the menu is the rosemary chicken sandwich. Next to basil, rosemary is my second favorite fresh herb. The rosemary chicken is paired with pungent Brie cheese and fresh pear slices, which give the sandwich a extra crispness. Needless to say, I am a huge fan on Coral Tree Café, and it takes mounds of self-control to not eat here more often.

The best deal in Brentwood lies just north in the Brentwood Village. Right on the corner in a space that doesn’t even look like it could hold a restaurant is Saketini. After researching sushi restaurants in the area on Yelp, I wanted to give Saketini a try. We were greeted with an welcome surprise informing us that the entrees and rolls were all half-price! What? Ok so the rolls were already not that expensive, and now we only have to pay half of that. At most Los Angeles sushi bars, you are looking to spend at least $20 on dinner, but at Saketini I have only spent a little more than $10 for two rolls! While the roll choice isn’t extensive, the ones it offers are amazing. I settled on the spicy tuna roll and then nervously asked about the lobster roll. I had a bad experience with lobster when I was eight and have only eaten it twice since, and both times were in ravioli. The server told me the lobster roll is one of the restaurants most popular rolls, and if I didn’t like it he would bring me something else. When the rolls arrived, my lobster roll was served in a round bento box. I nervously picked up my chopsticks and plucked a roll from the box. The second it hit my tongue; I knew I had made the right decision. The base is a simple California roll, but the topping of lobster and mushrooms in a semi-sweet sauce was what made this roll. The spicy tuna roll was also delicious, but it had a hard time competing against the lobster roll. I have been back to Saketini more than a few times, and I always order the lobster roll.

If you live on the Westside, I hope I gave you some ideas for eating out! On another note, I signed up for a Yelp account and can’t wait to start writing reviews for all these restaurants!