—by Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil InterculturalStudio City, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/12/17 – Summer is HERE and we can all relax and break out of the box on vacation. One fine place off the beaten track to try is Vegetable, a comfort inspired vegetable based bistro located at 3711 Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City with comfortable food, a comfortable atmosphere, and comfortable service!
This reporter recently completed a series of projects for THE HOLLYWOOD TIMES relating to the PBS American Masters series featuring James Beard, Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, and Alice Waters. The farm to table fresh seasonal vibe of Vegetable provided by chef and proprietor Jerry C. P. Yu extends the national culinary traditions laid down by these legendary chefs.
The Western tongue typically craves dairy-rich foods and sweets as well as meat. Vegetable artfully delivers two out of three with its wide selection of artisan cheeses, creamy soups and sauces, and clever desserts as well as the usual vegetarian salads, sandwiches, and sides.
This reporter and her plus one husband were pleasantly surprised to find most of the dishes they had researched ahead of time online to be on Vegetable’s 3-course fixed price lunch menu for $20. They both had savory bowls of vegetable and lentil soup and bottomless glasses of ginger peach iced tea along with hearts of palm ceviche, cheesy fingerling potatoes, a grilled cheese duo with a cup of tomato basil soup, and focaccia with mushroom gravy supplemented by a sumptuous avocado kale and quinoa salad for $12 which they split. A honey-infused dark chocolate brownie with a small scoop of homemade peanut ice cream ($5.75 plus $2) rounded out this delightful repast.
The piquant salads and subtly sweetened dessert balanced out the richer dishes very well and all portions were quite generous. Not one of the dishes failed to satisfy, and the cheesy potatoes may well become a new obsession for this eater!The sweet little restaurant space with its brick walls, steel chairs, and wooden benches set off this unpretentiously sophisticated menu very well. Beverages were served from bottles and mason jars and all white ceramic dishes allowed the food to take canter stage.
Two caveats only: the restaurant’s location near the confluence of several busy streets and highway intersections makes it better to sit away from the windows, and the overly large soup bowls and overly small salad plates defied logic.
Otherwise, Vegetable definitely delivers on its promise of comfort at a very nice price. They also serve all organic lines of Intellgentsia Coffee, Pressed Brothers Organic Cold-Pressed Juices, and Organic Mighty Leaf Loose Leaf Teas.
Service was pleasant and professional and diners were welcome to take their time and savor the subtle flavors of food prepared at its peak. The artful lettering on the double-sided menus made them intriguing to explore.
If Vegetable ever wishes to expand, this reporter would recommend a spot somewhere near the border of West Hollywood and Hollywood (perhaps on La Brea or Hollywood Boulevard) that would attract foodies in search of a good meal and a good deal.
Vegetable’s hours of operation are Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, please visitwww.vegetablela.com
