Michele StuevenIt’s going to be a hot weekend and we have six great excuses to stay out of the kitchen. And you don’t have to leave the pooches home, either — they are welcome at Panxa Cocina in Long Beach for the Mimosas & Mutts brunch on Saturday next to Rosie’s Dog Beach. Feline fans can head over to the Hungry Cat in Hollywood for David Lentz’s crab fest.
To celebrate the year of the dog in the Chinese lunar calendar, Panxa Cocina presents its Mimosas & Mutts brunch the third Saturday of every month. Diners are encouraged to bring their four-legged friends for a custom canine menu that includes sweet potato, brown rice or vegan black beans, or the Hungry Puppy Combo, which offers all three. All doggie dishes come with free triple-filtered Vero water.
For two-legged companions, chef Arthur Gonzalez offers New Mexico–style stacked enchiladas, chilaquilas roja, blue corn pinion pancakes and the Broadway Bloody Mary, made with house-made Hatch green chile–infused vodka. The monthly mutt meet-up also includes a free juice flight to accompany bottles of Champagne.
“Long Beach has always been a dog-friendly city,” chef and owner Gonzalez tells L.A. Weekly. “We are home to Rosie’s Dog Beach, the only dog-friendly beach in Los Angeles, and we have a lovely outdoor seating section at Panxa.”
The Bulldog Beach Party at Rosie's Dog Beach, starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 22, is a convergence of bulldogs and their owners on the beach. At 10:30 a.m. everyone will gather for a group picture.
Brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (doggie brunch only on Saturday), Panxa Cocina, 3937 E. Broadway, Long Beach; (562) 433-7999, panxacocina.com.
Crabfest; Credit: The Hungry Cat
Fish lovers can head over to the Hungry Cat in Hollywood for its annual crab fest. A $75 prix fixe, four-course menu features Maryland crab soup and beer-battered soft-shell crab served with remoulade, iceberg and herb slaw, heirloom tomato, brioche bun and grilled corn with butter, lime and chili salt. A generous amount of steamed blue crab comes next, followed by buttermilk panna cotta and summer berries for dessert.
Brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Hungry Cat, 1535 Vine St., Hollywood; (323) 462-2155, thehungrycat.com.
Montresor Omelet; Credit: Cathy Arkle
Montrésor in Studio City, opened in February, is a whimsical taste of a 1920s French bistro, overlooking Ventura Boulevard, from Valley locals Lisa Long and Ann Booth Luly.
Appetizers include berries and honeycomb prepared with pine nuts, biscotti crumble and Chantilly cream, and a sinful foie gras torchon served with black cherry, moscato and brioche. For the entrees, there are indulgences such as a black truffle omelet made with winter black truffles, truffle brie and baguette, and a lobster omelet served with Maine lobster, tarragon béarnaise and baguette.
Brunch Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Montrésor, 11266 Ventura Blvd, Studio City; (818) 760-7081, Montresor.LA.
The Wood at MiddleBar; Credit: Michele Stueven
Home of the award-winning MiddleBar Mary made with custom-infused herbal vodka, MiddleBar in Inglewood is a friendly and relaxing choice for a soulful jazz brunch with live music. It’s a convenient rest spot on the way to LAX or the Forum or after church.
Try the Wood, a generous portion of house-cured, thinly sliced salmon, tomato, red onion and cucumbers on top of a freshly baked bagel with a slice of one of their house-made pickles.
Their thick specialty bacon is featured on the LG-BLT, made with Santa Monica Farmers Market tomatoes, Baby Gem lettuce and smoked paprika aioli. Look for fresh peach dishes this weekend, maybe in the signature Pan-crepe, a ricotta pancake filled with cream cheese and seasonal fruit compote.
Soulful Jazz Brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., MiddleBar, 129 N. Market St., Inglewood; (323)454-7577, middlebar.com.
Lunetta All Day eggs; Credit: Ashley Yi
A perfect weekend brunch is never without its cocktails, and Lunetta All Day has you covered with its bloody mary, prepared with Wheatley vodka and house-made charred bloody mary mix, or the refreshing watermelon mimosa with Fleuraison Brut and fresh watermelon juice.
With cocktail firmly in hand, start the day with the avocado toast with grilled organic olive bread, fresh olive oil and a cucumber relish, or the pastry board with a freshly sliced chocolate loaf, croissant and lemon scone with cultured butter and strawberry jam.
Executive chef Raphael Lunetta features egg dishes such as polenta and eggs, prepared with poached eggs, creamy polenta, shiitake mushrooms, blistered tomatoes, thinly sliced ham and arugula; and the breakfast bowl with stir-fried wheat berries, freekeh farro, marinated greens, blistered red onions, lemon-herb vinaigrette, roasted butternut squash and pepita romesco, topped with a poached egg.
For those with a sweet tooth, lemon ricotta pancakes and banana chocolate chip loaf also are on the menu.
Brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2420 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 581-4201, LunettaSM.com.
If you’re in the mood for dim sum, Lunasia Dim Sum House, in Pasadena or its original Arcadia location, is a local Hong Kong–style favorite with a modern twist.
The selection is huge. Steamed selections include jumbo shrimp hargow, scallop dumplings, beef tripe with scallion sauce and the delightful steamed sausage turnip cake.
Baked and fried specialties worth a try are the baked BBQ pork bun, deep-fried Chinese doughnut and deep fried tofu with abalone sauce.
For bigger appetites, there’s Hong Kong–style roasted duck, Macao-style roasted pork belly, Mongolian cumin lamb chops and poon choi.
There are ten traditional dessert items on the menu, with the plum paste–stuffed sesame balls a delightful favorite.
The tea selection pays homage to the yum cha tradition with white, green, black, roasted and chrysanthemum choices.
Open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Lunasia Dim Sum House, 239 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 793-8822; and 500 W. Main St., Alhambra, (626) 308-3222; lunasiadimsumhouse.com.
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