Art Bites: Sit Back and Relax
Southern California Food and Art: A Perfect Pairing around the Pacific Standard Time Performance and Public Art Festival
Krista Simmons pairs events from the Pacific Standard Time Performance and Public Art Festival Itineraries with nearby eats.
Andrea Fraser
Tonight’s exhibition was all about girl power, and your dinner should follow suit. Luckily, Downtown is home to a few badass lady chefs. Native Angeleno chef Megan Logan is turning out some serious dry-aged steaks over at Nick and Stef’s, and Monica May had made a name for herself at Nickel Diner for her updated comfort fare. The Southeast Asian-inspired Spice Table and shwarma-slinging Spitz are closer to the show if you’re in the walking mood. Their chefs aren’t chicks, but their food is worth veering off theme for.
Nick and Stef’s, 330 S. Hope St., Downtown
Nickel Diner, 524 S. Main St., Downtown
The Spice Table, 114 S. Central Ave., Little Tokyo
Spitz, 371 E. 2nd St., Little Tokyo
Nobuko Miyamoto at LACE
Make it a historical Hollywood evening and head to the 88-year-old Yamashiro for Asian fusion with sweeping views of the city. After the show, stop by Musso and Frank for one of the best martinis in the city.
Yamashiro, 1999 N. Sycamore Blvd., Hollywood
Musso and Frank, 6667 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
Single Wing Turqouise Bird at Edythe Broad Art Center
At Ninethirty, ‘Top Chef” contestant Dakota Weiss puts a contemporary twist on the classics like foie gras sliders and spaghetti squash lasagne. The bar makes solid cocktails too, and is a good pit stop for before or after the show.
Ninethirty, 930 Hilgard Ave., Westwood
Maren Hassinger, Senga Nengudi, and Ulysses Jenkins at the Hammer
Mellow out and smoke a fruity bowl of shisha at Gypsy Cafe while sipping on some sweet Persian tea. Then pop over to Diddy Riese for one of their customized cookie sandwiches. It’s sad that the days of the $1 pricetag are gone, but hey, $1.50 isn’t a bad deal either.
The Particles by William Leavitt at the Annex
Loosen up with a whiskey from Wood & Vine, then head to the Annex. If you’re in the mood for mezzes afterwards, Cleo has great food and good vibes. Don’t miss out on the fried brussels sprouts.
Wood and Vine, 6280 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
Cleo, 1717 Vine St., Hollywood
Elanor Antin’s Before the Revolution at the Hammer
After all the drinking, eating, and art-ing, it’s time to detox a bit, and Native Foods is just the spot. All of the plant-based vegan substitutes are made fresh in-house daily. Opt for well-spiced Rockin’ Moroccan Bowl or the super-savory Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger made with seitan. Great vegan food, who’d have thought?
Native Foods, 1110 Gayley Ave., Westwood
By Krista Simmons
Krista Simmons is a Los Angeles-based food and travel writer. She has contributed regularly to the Los Angeles Times Food, Travel, and Calendar sections, and served as the editor of theTimes‘ alt weekly publication, Brand X. Prior to her tenure at the Times, she was the restaurants editor at Metromix Los Angeles. Simmons has also contributed to the Edible Communities, CBS Watch, and Wandermelon. She has hosted culinary videos for several of those outlets as well. Follow @KristaSimmons on Twitter and view her website here.