Friday, 02 December 2011 13:40
Lovin' Larry's: A Visit To Venice's Superb New Outdoor Eatery
I've lived in and around Venice, CA, for going on 12 twelve years now, and I must say, things have really changed around here. The gentrification began in earnest a decade and a half ago, and now this once untamed and downright treacherous territory has become a haven of tranquility for the bourgeoisie. That's not to say that Venice is totally devoid of the threat of real street violence, mind you. Just swing by any of the trendy eateries that dot Abbott Kinney Boulevard on a weekend night and you're likely to find some well-heeled bohemians at each other's throats trying to secure a table. I once saw a guy outside Gjelina try and strangle a dead-ringer for Tim Robbins with a wolf scarf from what appeared to be the Tom Ford collection. It was chilling. Tim Robbins really does have a scary, gigantic head.
Make no mistake, the denizens of Venice take their local dining scene seriously, and so it is that each new restaurant that comes along (and they're opening at a pace of about one per week) comes under immediate and intense scrutiny. Often times, this happens before the place even fires up the ovens for the first time.
Make no mistake, the denizens of Venice take their local dining scene seriously, and so it is that each new restaurant that comes along (and they're opening at a pace of about one per week) comes under immediate and intense scrutiny. Often times, this happens before the place even fires up the ovens for the first time.
Published in
The Imbiber Blog
