One of my favorite places to visit is California. It’s fun to slow my East Coast pace down a bit and enjoy the sunshine, cuisine and different terrain. During my most recent trip, I spent time in Los Angeles before moving on to the accurately named Desert Hot Springs.
Post-Arrival Lunch
The flight from Philadelphia to L.A. can definitely be a drain. Upon my arrival, my friend Carrie suggested the amazing eatery Urth Caffé in Santa Monica, where we enjoyed a healthful lunch. I’ve been limited to both gluten- and dairy-free dining, but at this cafe, that was no problem! I had the delicious Urth Pot Roast Sandwich, with slow-roasted, all-natural beef with juices on a gluten-free roll. The meat was tender and its richness was enhanced by homemade horseradish sauce. The sandwich, which was accompanied by a locally grown mixed-greens salad, was a treat since it was dairy-free and the roll had more lift and airiness than gluten-free bread I’ve had in the past. To drink, I ordered an almond milk latte, which perked me up and helped me get ready to begin some shopping.
Carrie doesn’t eat meat, so she enjoyed the Caravan Kale salad, which included organic Tuscan kale, organic red quinoa, Persian cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, roasted yams, red onion, pita chips and fresh mint tossed in pomegranate vinaigrette and topped with ricotta salata cheese. She said it was delicious! 2327 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 314-7040
Afternoon Ice Cream Break
What’s a mini vacation without a few sweets? Venice Beach is the home of Kippy’s organic, non-dairy ice cream shop. Each delightful flavor is made up of only five ingredients: coconut cream, coconut water, fresh organic fruit and raw honey or dates. I opted for the vanilla cappuccino with berry sauce. While the texture was a bit different than dairy ice cream, it was smooth and the coconut provided a similar mouthfeel to cream. The berry sauce was rich and you could really taste the raspberries; thankfully, the natural sweeteners didn’t overpower the fruit flavor. Carrie selected the Kosmic Matcha and chocolate, two of her favorites. 245 Main St., Venice, 424-387-8765
Dinner
Wrapping up a lovely evening walking around the Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica’s open-air mall, we had an amazing dinner at Locanda del Lago. We started out with cocktails. I had the raspberry lemon drop—the berry complemented the lemon nicely, so it didn’t need any simple syrup to go with the True Lemon Vodka. Carrie had the sage mist, made with sage, Hanson Organic Cucumber Vodka and Prosecco. She reported that the cocktail was delectable, and the three flavors were in perfect balance. The sprig on top made for a lovely presentation.
The restaurant offered gluten-free penne as an alternative, which I enjoyed with divine bolognese sauce, made with Creekstone Farm all-natural Angus beef. Interestingly, the sauce didn’t have any tomatoes, but it was still savory. Carrie ordered the ravioli di magro, which included spinach and ricotta ravioli in a butter-sage sauce. There were no leftovers. 231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 451-3525
Sightseeing: Art and Tar Pits
While in L.A., I hit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This amazing venue has several buildings where you can enjoy contemporary art as well as a selection of Egyptian and Japanese art. I spent a few hours there and only saw a fraction of its impressive collection.
I enjoyed lunch at Ray’s and Stark Bar. The weather was perfect, and I started off with a thyme elderflower gimlet, which contained St-Germain, Grey Goose Vodka, lime and thyme. This delicate combination was superb. I have really become of fan of fresh herbs as ingredients in cocktails to provide layers of fragrant complexity. To eat, I opted for the fennel and organic strawberry salad, with honeycomb, bee pollen and a rhubarb consomme. The kitchen kindly omitted the goat cheese at my request. The fennel and strawberry were a delectable pairing, and the bee pollen added a bit of texture. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 857-6180
Fonut? For Sure!
Another excellent spot to take a break is Coffee and Milk, which features our favorite bean-based beverage as well as teas and sparkling beverages. They also have some yummy bakery items and, happily, I was able to get a chocolate coconut fonut—gluten-free and vegan—and an espresso. The fonut had a slightly denser texture than a traditional donut, but I was thrilled to indulge, and I was a fan of the chocolate and coconut pairing. There was indoor and outdoor seating available. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 857-6010
Right next door are the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, and if you enjoy archaeology, I highly recommend a visit! One of the amazing things is that there are active digs right on the property—in downtown L.A.! You can walk around outside to see the tar pits bubbling away. The museum walks you through the evolution of the fossil record. Game of Thrones fans: keep an eye out for those Dire Wolves! 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 763-3499
On to the Desert
We picked up another friend, Mary, as we made our way to the desert to visit Two Bunch Palms, a true oasis. After enjoying a dip in the cooling pool, we had a lovely dinner at the resort restaurant, Essense. We enjoyed a bottle of crisp, dry white wine, and I had a seared salmon entree. The next day, the chef adapted the normal brunch to accommodate my food sensitivities, so I had bacon, papas bravas (potatoes in a not-too-spicy sauce) and a fruit cup.
After the spa services, I went to the lounge for a quick bite. The lounge menu had bacon-wrapped golden girl dates, mixed greens with basil oil and a balsamic glaze. Normally, it comes with pecorino cheese, but I ordered without. The dates created a scrumptious center for the crispy bacon. I followed that with a seared salmon salad with a sweet basil vinaigrette. Mary had a standard salmon Caesar (with crunchy romaine, olives, sundried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing). She happily shared that it was fantastic, that the tomatoes creating a nice counterpoint to the cheese.
Jeremy, the bartender, whipped us up a beverage that wasn’t on the menu, which included muddled berries, sparkling wine, vodka and a few secret ingredients. It was crisp, refreshing and left me wanting a second. I was sorry to leave Two Bunch Palms, and I hope to return someday. 67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, (800) 472-4334.
Spending time among beautiful palm trees, rejuvenating waters and enjoying the buzz of L.A. provided a welcome break. It was also nice to visit somewhere that is so welcoming to those with dietary restrictions. If you’re looking for an escape from the Philly region, go West!
- Photos: Diane Cooney
