Lunch at Eva Restaurant

Chef Mark Gold's Eva Restaurant offers a 3 course lunch for $22. Javier from the blog Glutster and I had lunch there this week and had a tasty meal amidst the crowds of customers who were looking to cash in their Groupons.

The 3 course meal was corn soup or gem salad, short ribs or halibut and donut holes or melon. We both opted for the little gem salad and the halibut and I chose donuts while Javier was virtuous and had the melon.


The little gem salad was a refreshing way to begin the meal. The salad had the greens, halved cherry tomatoes, green onions, diced onions a lightly dressed sauce. The salad (pictured above) was attractively plated and was portioned appropriately for a three course meal.



The halibut was served alongside a bed of rice with grilled root vegetables and a light creamy sauce. The halibut was well cooked and flavorful and was also appropriately portioned. The rice absorbed the sauce as well and was a starch that did not overwhelm the fish.



I finished with the donut holes from Bob's donuts. These were gone from my plate in a matter of seconds. Although I don't have a sweet tooth I do have a weakness for good donuts and these were rather good. The dessert was just a touch of sweetness before you went on your way. I had heard that Eva may bring on a pastry chef, although that is unconfirmed at this time.

Service was friendly and efficient and they were able to get us through the meal in a reasonable amount of time, a key consideration at lunch. The Eva website reports that lunch is now served Fridays only, so plan accordingly.

Eva is located at 7458 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles. Phone: (323) 634-0700. Website: evarestaurantla.com

Sushi Gen - classic lunchtime bargain

Some compatriots and I tried and failed to eat dinner at Sushi Gen prior to the Radio Room at the Edison on Tuesday night as they were booked solid the rest of the evening. We made do with a very eh meal at Manten, a Japanese take on Chinese cuisine, across Honda Plaza, which I recommend be avoided.

This reminded me of Sushi Gen's well known Sashimi Lunch Special: a platter of sashimi, a bowl of miso soup, a dish of sunomono a bowl of rice and a bowl of tofu in a beef broth all for $15. I had not had this deal in a few years and was curious to see if it was still good or was coasting on its reputation so stopped by for an early lunch on Friday.

The menu was on the menu when I sat down and a waitress came by to take my order within two minutes before I had even had a chance to look at the menu. Fortunately I knew what I wanted - the sashimi lunch special. After ordering the lunch special ($15) and a hot tea ($1.50) the waitstaff set a land speed record for delivering waiter ordered food to the table. Not two minutes later the sashimi platter, miso soup, sunomono and tofu all arrived at the table, followed by the bowl of rice a minute or two later.

The sashimi platter is generously portioned and included tuna, yellowtail, toro, spicy tuna, diced yellowtail with scallions and cooked salmon among others. While the fish is plentiful, some of it is cut more like scraps than like sushi, so purists be aware. The toro was rich and buttery, full of fatty flavor and mouthfeel. Toro is not something I expect to see on a combination or special plate, let alone one priced at $15, so that is even more of a special treat.

The tofu is cubed and cooked and arrives in a broth in a bowl, like Agedashi Tofu, only not fried. It is a fine prelude to the main event but not especially flavorful or interesting. The miso soup was piping hot.

The overall verdict was that the sashimi lunch special at Sushi Gen is not only a great value but a great lunch. The deal is no secret so crowds begin to form from 11 am onwards through the end of the lunch hour and expect a wait of ~30 minutes or longer at peak times and ~15 minutes early or late. They turn the tables quickly here, so this is not the place for a leisurely lunch to catch up with friends you haven't seen in a while. I was probably at my table for about 30 minutes and when I left the line to get in was longer than when I had arrived. The fast turnover accounts for both the fresh fish and the lickety-split arrival of the food.

Note that the sashimi lunch special (and all lunch specials) are only available at tables, not at the bar. The bar requires a minimum of four orders of sushi/sashimi.

Sushi Gen is located at 422 east 2nd St @ Central, in the Honda Plaza minimall. Parking is available for $1.50 with validation at lunch time ($2.50 at dinner time). Telephone: (213) 617-0552