The Curious Palate: Local and Fresh

When you walk into The Curious Palate on Venice Boulevard, you immediately feel welcomed by the friendly staff and warm, natural environment. Besides offering delicious farm-to-table meals, it sells gourmet, specialty items from around the world, including sinful artisan chocolates. It’s the kind of place that invites you to hang out and stay awhile, as a neighborhood joint should.

You’ll find breakfast items such as house-made granola, omeletes, buttermilk pancakes, French toast, applewood-smoked bacon and Russian fingerling roasted potatoes. Lunch calls for rustic soups, organic veggies and salads, hearty pastas and slow-roasted meats. Savory entrees are available after 3 p.m.

Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Try a latte and almond croissant, which is perfectly moist and delicious.

“We keep it as local and fresh as we can get,” says Morgan Elzey, manager. The owners go to the local farmers’ market four times a week, where they get about 90 percent of their produce.

Having traveled and lived around the world, Elliot Rubin and Mark Cannon, co-founders and owners of The Curious Palate, share a passion for good food and taking care of the earth. After years of working day jobs—Elliot as an agricultural engineer and Mark as a television producer—they decided to dive into their own culinary adventure and opened The Curious Palate in December 2008. Rubin oversees the technical day-to-day operations of the store and executive chef Cannon, oversees the kitchen and is the official “taster.”

They strongly believe that cooking is about connecting with people. Local suppliers provide them with fresh, sustainable ingredients, which Cannon turns into sophisticated comfort food. He runs a collaborative kitchen, working together and sharing ideas and suggestions among the staff. “Both owners have such a love of food,” says Elzey, who also likes the fact that The Curious Palate is very community-oriented.

“We’re not the kind of place that refuses to give someone change for the meters or use our restroom unless they buy something,” says Elzey. “I want to provide people with a neighborhood hangout. Our food is good and our employees are friendly, greeting people with a smile.” Some customers come in three times a day, he says.

Elzey often puts in 14-hour workdays. “It’s important to have a high work ethic, but we know how to be happy. Happy workers make happy food and leave customers feeling happy.” I’d say this gives the term “Happy Meal” a whole new meaning.

Being eco-friendly is important to the owners and they aim to be as green as possible, using reclaimed wood in the construction of their store and recycled and biodegradable materials for their takeout bags and boxes. They also encourage customers to bring in their own mugs and containers for them to fill with love and food.

Free Wi-Fi is available thanks to Open Mar Vista. Make The Curious Palate your new neighborhood hangout. With so many culinary delights to enjoy, I know I’ll be back soon.

The Curious Palate, 12034 Venice Blvd., Mar Vista, CA; (310) 437-0144

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