whenever i have friends in town from various places, i really do my best to try and meet them (for a meal, a drink or both) close to wherever it is they are staying.  la is not the easiest to navigate, and i say that as someone who has only ever lived in california.  so when my friend taylor told me she was going to be in marina del ray over labor day weekend, i quickly scanned my mental rolodex and knew just where to take her…wildcraft.

 

wildcraft is this amazing modern italian restaurant in culver city (which is just a few miles from where tay was staying).  i have been for brunch, happy hour and dinner and have a great experience every single time.  from the food to the drinks to the ridiculously knowledgeable and friendly servers, i cannot recommend it enough.

 

we went for brunch and instead of going crazy with their bottomless mimosas (which i would recommend if you do not have plans directly afterwards), we had the le grand courtage with brut rose.  it is an infusion carafe with fresh fruit and mint – you get to choose what sparkling goodness you want inside (prosecco, brut or brut rosé).  as tay said, we are all about the rosé all day life so it was a no brainer.

 

 

while their brunch menu is online, the brunch cocktails are not included so i have added a photo below for your convenience.  i know for me, the cocktails being served at brunch are just as important as the food.

 

 

we started started with the rosemary bread and wild arugula salad.  naturally, i had to get a side of avocado for the salad.  i will admit, i thought our server may have been exaggerating about how much her mom loved the rosemary bread but once i had it, i understood the obsession.  i mean, who says no to honey ricotta and homemade jam?  the flavor profile was unreal.  tay and i both loved the salad and i just feel like a meal is incomplete if there is not something green being consumed.

 

 

for our main course, tay and i were both struggling between a couple of the pizzas.  so we decided to each get one the other liked enough to swap a slice or two.  she got the burrata pie and i got the bacon fontina.

 

 

what sets their burrata pie apart from others are definitely the squash blossom and orange oil.  their bacon fontina is just perfectly done and the crust is thin, crispy around the edges and doughy in the center.  i ordered a side of garlic aioli to dip it in and was in heaven.

 

if you want to go to wildcraft, i would suggest making a reservation via opentable.  you will be happy you did.

 

xoxo,

k. tap

being that i work somewhere that often requires me to see clients back to back to back, there are times where i do not go outside for seven hours at a time.  with that being said, there are few things that compare to having a great meal and some pretty cocktails with a view with people who started off as coworkers and have become some of my closest friends.  if you haven’t already been, you have to add this place to your list of places to go in downtown la – perch.

 

prior to today, i had only been to perch in the evenings.  at night, the vibe is dark and sultry.  seeing it during the day presented an entirely different vibe – it was warm and inviting.  my girls and i sat outside on the covered terrace for brunch and started with some cocktails.

 

 

the berry la was pretty much made for me.  it had vodka, st. germaine, berries, lemon and rose and is light, subtly sweet and refreshing.  both amanda and rebecca started off with the penthouse passion which is tequila based with mint, lime and passion fruit puree and described it as tart with a little kick at the end.  we also ordered a bottle of the poema cava brut and i just decided to keep my first glass with the ice and berries because it was getting a little toasty on the terrace + because i love fruit that has been sitting in bubbles.  is there anything better?

 

we shared the baked brie and it did not disappoint, especially with the freshness of the apple pecan slaw.

 

 

their take on huevos rancheros was beautifully plated and thoroughly enjoyed by amanda.

 

 

i am a sucker for a burger at brunch so i had to try it.  the burger was so juicy and who doesn’t love gruyere cheese and a fried egg?  because i am obsessed with avocado, i had them add it.  the burger is served with fries or a salad – i am going to keep it 100, i pretty much never say no to fries.   i have no regrets whatsoever.

 

 

instead of dessert, we opted for another cocktail.  this is easily one of the best drinks i have ever had.  as a blogger, i found it both hilarious and ironic that it is called writers block.  it has grey goose la poire vodka, st. germain, lemon and sparkling wine.  absolutely delicious.

 

 

once we wrapped up the eating portion, we headed to the rooftop and met easily the most hilarious security guard i have ever encountered in life.  he also took like 15 pictures of us from various angles when we asked for one which made me so happy because i love an option but don’t want to be the annoying customer that is like, “can we please get some standing shots as well?”  it was such a clear day and the views were gorgeous.

 

 

whether you go during the day for brunch, at night for dinner or just to the rooftop at any time for cocktails, this place is an absolute must.

 

i wouldn’t go without a reservation but opentable makes that ridiculously easy.

 

have you been to perch?  what’s your favorite dish on the menu?  and more importantly, your favorite cocktail?

 

xoxo,

k. tap