La Grande Orange

Main Street has a new restaurant that is worth taking a special trip. La Grande Orange located at 1000 Main Street is one of the best places I have been to on this street.
It’s a lonely section of Main with very few commercial properties except Santa Monica Yoga Works. Therefore there is plenty of street parking and the space is easy to find with its large orange awning.
We arrived at 6:30 on a Friday night and were seated right away. There is plenty of outdoor seating with comfortable banquets and heat lamps that turned on when it got chilly. The large indoor dining room was also appealing with a small bar and lots of light coming in the windows.
Our server was very friendly and well informed and we never needed anything for more than a second before someone came to clear, ask us about what we wanted and suggest different items on the menu.
The food was fabulous- we ordered sushi rolls to start that were perfectly executed and beautifully presented on white dishes. We shared a large salad of butter lettuce with roasted beets, toasted almonds and chevre that had a delicious vinaigrette. I ordered their halibut entrée that came on top of a bed of caramelized fennel- to die for! The texture of the fennel was creamy and smooth paired with the crisp outside of the halibut it was a winner. The portion was just right and also beautifully presented on a large white plate. My husband had their Ahi tuna burger that came with a wonderful homemade coleslaw and had avocado, tomato and lettuce on the bun. We both enjoyed our food immensely.
The atmosphere is very pleasant whether indoors or out and the place was bustling by the time we left at about 8 pm.
They also have a to-go part that is busy during the day that serves baked goods, coffee and items from the menu. Before we left we checked it out and had one of their homemade chocolate chip cookies right from the oven that was finished with a sprinkle of sea salt, fabulous!

I highly recommend La Grande Orange for any type of occasion and hope they will continue to serve such high quality food at great prices.

In case you would like my version of a roasted beet and chevre salad try this and enjoy!


Warm Beet Salad with Endive and Goat Cheese
Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds beets, washed and quartered
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt, pepper, to taste
6 Tablespoons minced mint
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 heads endive, sliced into thin julienne strips or 1 head frisee can be used
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed
5 oz. goat cheese

Procedure

1. Heat the oven to 400. Place the beets on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, mint and lemon zest in a medium bowl and whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning. Reserve 3 Tb. of the dressing in a medium bowl.
3. Dice the beets and add to the reserved dressing, toss.
4. Add the endive and watercress to the larger bowl of dressing and arrange on salad plates. Top with the beets and crumble the goat cheese over the top, serve warm or at room temperature.

Tender Greens

Tender Greens in Culver City

"What a perfect place for a healthy, fresh meal done in front of your eyes and with yummy ingredients.
This is the kind of place you can go over and over and never get sick of because the menu is varied enough and even having the same thing is cool because it's so good.
I always have the tuna Nicoise which is one of my all time favorite salads and is cooke perfectly.
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the atmosphere is sooo casual and you have to find a table and there is sometimes a long line, but other than that- they deserve 5 stars.
One of my fav's"

But in case you might want to make a main dish salad here is a great recipe that many have enjoyed in my kitchen.


Arugula, Watercress Salad with Grilled Chicken and Blood Oranges
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 bunch arugula, washed and dried
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed
1 whole boneless, skinless, chicken breast, halved, trimmed, pounded
1 Tablespoon chopped thyme
1 lemon juiced
¼ cup olive oil
Salt, pepper
Dressing:
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garnish:
2 blood oranges, segmented
1 ripe avocado, sliced

Procedure
1. Combine the arugula and watercress in a large serving bowl and set aside.
2. Marinate the chicken in a medium bowl with the thyme, lemon, olive oil salt and pepper for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile blend the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Heat a grill pan and grill the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and slice thinly on the diagonal.
5. Toss the salad with some of the dressing. Mound the salad on a platter and scatter with the oranges and avocado. Arrange the chicken on top and drizzle some of the dressing over the chicken.
6. Pass the remaining dressing in a small bowl.