Michele StuevenWhile the Penmar Municipal Golf Course has been a favorite of westside families since 1962, the nine-hole public course is probably most famous for serving as an impromptu landing pad for Harrison Ford back in 2015 when the single-engine, World War II-era training plane he was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff from the Santa Monica Airport.
What it was never known for was the food at the coffee shop overlooking the green and its towering pine trees. An idyllic spot on the 55-acre parklike setting had always been a missed opportunity for a hidden neighborhood hangout. Longtime Venice resident and Rose Ave. restaurateur Oscar Hermosillo has changed that.
Lunch on the fairway (Michele Stueven)
Hermosillo has transformed the old coffee shop into The Penmar , with an airy and friendly outdoor patio for breakfast (all day) and lunch until about sundown. Sipping a mimosa while watching the squirrels race up and down the trees and the golfers leisurely teeing up is a Zen-like experience. The vibe is super welcoming, relaxed and therapeutic for a happy hour beer at sunset at one of their custom granite couples’ tables in the updated space.
Gone are the dried out sandwiches and stale coffee – the food is definitely above par.
The menu offers a healthy and extensive breakfast selection that includes Mama’s Mulligan Huevos Rancheros, made with hand-pressed masa shells, black beans, two sunny side up eggs, topped with ranchero sauce and queso fresco crumble. There are plenty of pancakes and parfaits, and the oatmeal comes with walnuts, coconut flakes, whipped butter and honey, served with multigrain or sourdough toast and jam.
Cali Citrus Bowl (Michele Stueven)
For lunch, try the Cali Citrus Bowl. It’s a rainbow of at least six seasonal vegetables in a warm and cold combo that includes butternut squash and Brussel sprouts on a bed of quinoa and wild rice plus avocado and arugula. There are burgers, burritos and tacos with your choice of corn or flour tortillas, proteins including grilled achiote chicken breast and guacamole, pork carnitas with pico de gallo, or grilled shrimp with lettuce, pico, aji amarillo sauce, and avocado crema.
No golfing skills needed here. It’s a breezy and quiet spot to linger and lose track of time.
Happy hour mimosas (Michele Stueven)
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