1604 Pacific Avenue
Venice, CA 90291
I get my restaurant tips from many sources. It used to be that I'd read other people's blogs, but there aren't that many people blogging these days, except for yours truly. So that means I usually get my tips from Instagram, local press, and magazines. However, most of my restaurant suggestions come from my readers and people I encounter daily. Almost everyone has an opinion on where the best food is, and they are not shy to give me their recommendations, which is awesome and welcomed.
So who got me off my comfy couch to drive 62 miles north for lunch? It was none other than Phil Rosenthal. If you have not watched Somebody Feed Phil, which airs on Netflix, put it on your list of things to watch. His joy in eating and life is infectious. I usually binge the whole season within the first week of its release. It's that good, and the places he visits are definitely some I'd like to try one day.
Anyways, Phil tweeted a picture of a burger he had, and it looked so good that I decided I had to try it. Both Katie and I had taken a vacation day, and it was the perfect time to visit Great White in Venice Beach. I had never been to Venice before, and with the light midday traffic, we made it up from South OC in under an hour. Parking was no problem this warm early June afternoon as we walked the few blocks to Great White.
Great White is self-described as an all-day, casual cafe focusing on coastal Californian, fresh, and seasonal cuisine. This Venice location opened five years ago, followed by a Larchmont spot just under a year ago. The two Australian owners have created a light and breezy resort vibe in their dining room. Wicker basket light fixtures, white painted walls, and arched entryways are the dining area's focal point, attracting a young, hip, and good-looking clientele.
The menu at Great White has a little bit of something for everyone. They serve breakfast from 8 to 3pm, lunch begins at 11, and the five main entrees are available after 3pm. The lunch menu is broken into six sections; salads, bowls, sandwiches, share plates, pizzas, and desserts. Most items on their lunch menu are around the $20 price point, which is reasonable these days. Let's see if the 50 minutes drive for lunch was worth it.
Up first for us was some Avocado Dip ($14). The smashed avocado was combined with diced red onion, a sprig of cilantro, and some Aleppo pepper, which is moderately spicy, but added a tinge of cumin flavor to this dip. I liked the originality of this guacamole. It was fresh, and the Aleppo pepper made it a bit unique. This was served with some taro chips, which I would usually turn my nose to, but these provided a lightness that let the guacamole shine through a bit more. An excellent and light start to our visit to Great White.
Chicken sandwiches are all the rage right now, and Great White has a very good one. Their Crispy Chicken Sandwich ($18 plus $2 for the sweet potato fries substitution) is not of the spicy Nashville variety. Instead, it's a straightforward version with cabbage slaw, pickles, and a secret sauce added to the nicely crisped breading coating the moist chicken. This was a very clean-tasting chicken sandwich, which was fried well and lacked the greasiness one associates with other inferior chicken sandwiches. The brioche bun held together nicely, but I would have asked for a little more of the secret sauce if this was my meal. Sweet potato fries are not really my thing, but Katie found these to be enjoyable.
Here's why we came up to Venice, the Tremendous Burger ($18) I saw Phil Rosenthal having on Twitter. It was just as good-looking as what I remembered in that photo. The glossy bun with the wonderfully melted American cheese covering the two smashed burger patties is finished with some shredded lettuce, secret sauce, and caramelized fennel. This burger was worth the drive. It reminded me of a higher-quality In-N-Out burger, made with better ingredients and seasoned way better than anything that has come out of the kitchen at the aforementioned overrated fast food favorite. Due to all the cheese, it was a little messy to eat but worth getting dirty for. The fries were crisp, salted, and made even better when I asked for a Side of Garlic Aioli (.50).
With just this one lunchtime visit, it's apparent that Great White is not only a beautifully designed restaurant, but they have some delicious food here too. If we lived closer, I could see us eating our way through their rather extensive menu often. I've heard good things about their breakfast burritos; the fish tacos, pasta dishes, and pizzas look worth trying. We experienced friendly service on this visit, as our server was pleasant but did not make a habit of sticking around our table too long. I'm sure he will never read this, but thanks, Phil, for posting the picture of your burger. I can't wait to see where you are going to eat next.
Out of five beauty school dropouts (because the movie Grease was filmed at nearby Venice High School, and Beauty School Dropout is one of the songs in that movie), five being best to zero being worst. Great White gets 3.5 beauty school dropouts.
For more information about Great White, head to their website by clicking here: https://greatwhite.cafe/
No comments:
Post a Comment