Category: Food & Drink

Sam’s Crispy Chicken and Umami Burger debut new menus By Kamala Kirk Recently, Sam’s Crispy Chicken and Umami Burger from C3 launched new food and beverage menus that feature a combination of old favorites and new creative items. C3 is a cutting-edge food and beverage platform that capitalizes on ghost kitchens, mobile delivery and food halls. Industry veteran Jason Jeffords also joined the C3 team as beverage director and one of his first projects was the creation of a new drink menu at Umami Burger, which includes a variety of innovative milkshakes with elaborate and fun add-on toppings to accompany the savory menu items. Alcohol can also be added to milkshakes for an adult-friendly drink. Milkshake flavors include Banana Matcha, Piña Colada, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Rocky Road. The “Newmami” menu returns to the roots it was founded on in 2009 and brings back classics from the original Umami Burger selection with updated buns and patty recipes, Impossible “meat” options, sides, appetizers and desserts. It also introduces new creative items and combination boxes with signature items such as the Truffle Burger, Pastrami Burger, Sunnyside Burger with bacon strips and fried egg, and more. Sam’s Crispy Chicken’s new menu includes new appetizers, salads, sides, combo boxes, assorted fried chicken sandwiches and Tender Dogs – the ghost kitchen concept’s take on a fried chicken hot dog. Signature menu items range from...

East Coast eatery Alfalfa opens in Santa Monica By Sofia Santana Santa Monica’s newest dining experience on Main Street, Alfalfa, originates from a farmers market on the East Coast, inspiring joy through balance and creating a positive environment for customers. After noticing a lack of healthy food options in Hoboken, New Jersey, childhood friends Daniel and Ben Sobsey, Andrew Arrospide and Daniel Londono started a salad tent at a nearby farmers market. After a successful run, a local restaurateur invited them to run a pop-up at his luncheonette. Soon after, they took over the space and the first brick-and-mortar Alfalfa location opened in 2019. After two years, the founders fulfilled their dream of expanding to the West Coast. Alfalfa’s commitment to a balanced lifestyle and a happy customer was the inspiration for its unique menu that evolved after the opening of the first location. The menu includes everything from its signature salads and bone broth to doughnuts and breakfast burritos. “All of these elements combined fit more of who we are personally,” Daniel said. “While we like to be healthy and eat salads, we also like to indulge, so that’s where the doughnuts and the rest of the menu come from.” One of the newest menu items is the honey matcha doughnut, which was created in collaboration with Alfalfa’s nonprofit partner, Bring Change To Mind (BC2M), an organization that...

Local CBD cookie dough brand offers a new way to indulge in self-care By Kamala Kirk Marina del Rey resident Sammy Davidoff always wanted to start a business with her sister, Maddy, who is a chef. Early last year, the two began to brainstorm ideas for potential food products they could create. As a result, C.B. Dough was born – a line of CBD-infused cookie dough that combines artisan-produced, culinary-inspired baked goods and the calming effects of CBD to deliver a new way to indulge in self-care. “I had experience in social media and marketing, and was living in California where the CBD craze was on the rise,” Sammy said. “We explored a variety of different ideas and eventually landed on ready-to-bake CBD cookie dough because it not only hadn’t been done before, but it also allowed us to combine our talents and experience to create a product that could help people feel good in every way.” C.B. Dough is available in three varieties: the OG (chocolate chip); the Reverse, which features a chocolate cookie dough base with white chocolate chips; and the vegan, made with old-fashioned rolled oats, almond flour and almond paste. The OG is the most popular, delivering on the nostalgia of a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with the added benefits of CBD. “When it comes to ingredients, quality is our north star,” Sammy said....

From egg hunts to brunch cruises, check out these family-friendly offerings By Kamala Kirk Hippity Hop Egg Hunt at RUNWAY. On April 3, enjoy a hunt for over 1,200 eggs hidden throughout RUNWAY and find the golden eggs for special prizes. Huzzah Toys and Micro Kickboards will have extra surprises in store, so be sure to stop by. After the egg hunt, there will be a storytime with the Easter Bunny. RSVP required, bring your own baskets for filling. The egg hunt begins at 10 a.m. sharp, followed by the storytime at 10:30 a.m. runwayplayavista.com Easter Brunch Cruise. No matter the occasion, a two-hour Easter brunch cruise with Hornblower Cruises and Events in Marina del Rey is a nice way to celebrate on the water. Experience a plated brunch cruise and dine the day away with friends and family while soaking in the Marina del Rey skyline views. Semi-formal attire is encouraged. Photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny will be available. Departs from Fisherman’s Village Marina. To purchase tickets, visit hornblower.com/marina-del-rey/easter-brunch-cruises Primo’s Easter Donuts. In honor of Easter, Primo’s Donuts, a family-owned LA staple since 1956, will serve an assortment of festive, pastel-colored donuts topped with pretty pearls and sprinkles along with coconut-covered “Easter Basket” donuts filled with jelly beans. Vegan options available via special order. Available through April 4. Reserve now at primosdonuts.com Easter Brunch & Dinner at...

Santa Monica’s Interstellar is a melting pot of culinary influences By Holly Jenvey When Angie and Daniel Kim opened Interstellar in Santa Monica, they wanted to create a unique and comfortable space where they could embrace Korean and American cultures rather than pick between the two. For the couple, food and drink always created a comfort and bridge between people, and Interstellar was designed to offer a place for coffee, food, wine and cultural embrace. After two years of construction, Interstellar opened its doors last March when the pandemic hit. What was supposed to be a long-awaited grand opening changed course quickly. The Kims switched up their menu in favor of items that were more convenient for delivery. “Our initial menu looked a lot different than our menu does right now,” Angie said. Angie was in charge of putting together the food items, while Daniel came up with the distinctive coffee menu. Even though Interstellar’s menu is inspired by American and Korean cultures, they also serve dishes that feature Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Mexican influence as well. “We see Los Angeles as a melting pot for a lot of different cultures,” Angie said. The Buffalo Chicken Wings, which combine sweet and sour flavor profiles, are from a recipe that Angie was given by her mother-in-law. An example of Mexican culinary influence is the Breakfast Burrito, which is made with...