Elf

[Guest guest]

Good things in a small package by Lucinda Michele Knapp There’s no phone. There’s no website yet. There’s no sign. But Elf, a pocket-sized vegetarian-Mediterranean-fusion restaurant in Echo Park — near uber-hip clothing joint American Apparel and boho urban fixture the Downbeat Café — is packed with happy eaters. All the stools in the short row lining the kitchen’s tiny counter are taken; every table is busy, with soft golden light issuing from Chinese industrial-style lamps hanging low over each pair of diners, many of whom chat casually with the kitchen staff. Hostess Ween Callas leans in to each table’s guests as though they were her closest friends, sharing details on the day’s specials and helping stow bags and jackets. It’s intimate, cozy and irresistibly neighborhood-y — healthy dining at its most fresh and delicious. Elf — so named for its diminutive digs — is enjoying outstanding word of mouth and the full support of a

vegetarian/vegan community long hungry for this kind of a place to hit the Eastside. And it doesn’t hurt that Elf’s proprietors, servers and chefs are beloved neighborhood fixtures as well: owners and staffers Scott Zwiezen, Ween Callas, Ravi Dhar and Evan Haros are all members of local band Viva K — an eclectic hybrid of electro rock with heavy doses of Indian tabla and sitar. Coming together out of a mutual love for Indian instrumentation, yoga and healthy living, the band named themselves after one of Vedanta Hinduism’s spiritual leaders, Vivekananda. They began playing together in 2002 when Dhar joined Haros in a conversation about George Harrison, whose contribution to modern electronic music they cite as their greatest influence. For a restaurant only a couple months old, Elf is note-perfect. Zwiezen is well-versed in vegan fare; his raw foods company, Back to Life, has been supplying stores throughout LA since 2003. Along with chef Timothy Maloof, he works

the tiny kitchen deftly, turning out delicious and beautiful daily soups and specials. All are vegetarian, and most are vegan or can be prepared as such. On the day we stop in we try Fool Mudammas, a traditional Egyptian specialty made with fava beans, laced with brilliant lemony notes and the vibrant warmth of garlic. A plate of toasty, crispy rounds of herbed bread with potato-garlic dipping puree are enthusiastically welcomed, the puree so tangy and delish that it’s impossible to leave a bite behind. Kale salad with citrus dressing and hemp seeds is a stellar surprise, the nutty richness of fresh, organic kale an eye-opener to those unaccustomed to uncooked greens, hemp seeds adding a subtle buttery undertone to the sweet citrus dressing. For those in the mood for something a bit more decadent, the gorgonzola mac and cheese with baked organic penne is just what the doctor wouldn’t want you to order: rich and buttery, each perfectly al dente noodle bursting with

gorgonzola’s warm, funky flavors. An entrée of roasted beet and braised fennel with aromatic wild rice pilaf is drizzled with a lustrous port wine reduction that’s a natural, intuitive pairing with the beets and an outstanding match against the fennel’s herby, licorice tang. Pair each entrée with heady iced mint tea, or a bottle of wine from the corner liquor store — which Viva K recently convinced to start carrying organic selections. For those who eschew cooked foods, a beautiful plate of raw Middle-Eastern specialties: organic hummus, tabouleh and falafel arrives on a bed of lush crimson cabbage, accompanied by a scatter of delightfully salty olives and crisp flaxseed crackers. Zwiesen’s commitment to organic kitchen basics (flour, sugar, coffee, produce) results in dishes that stand out with flavorful intensity, right down to the simplest detail — the cabbage salad garnishing the raw plate, the decorative herbs on each dish or even the water served to each

table (purified and infused with cucumber). A successful band, a flourishing raw-foods company, and now the irresistible Elf: Viva K and co have a lot to juggle. But they seem to do it all deftly — with a little help from their friends. Elf Café, 2135 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, 90026. Open Wed-Sunday from 6pm - 11pm. No Phone but worth a trip. Peter H

 

Inbox full of spam? Get leading spam protection and 1GB storage with All New Mail.

[Guest guest]

have a friend who was just raving about this place....

 

peter VV Jan 6, 2007 5:30 AM Re: Elf

Good things in a small package

by Lucinda Michele Knapp

There’s no phone. There’s no website yet. There’s no sign. But Elf, a pocket-sized vegetarian-Mediterranean-fusion restaurant in Echo Park — near uber-hip clothing joint American Apparel and boho urban fixture the Downbeat Café — is packed with happy eaters. All the stools in the short row lining the kitchen’s tiny counter are taken; every table is busy, with soft golden light issuing from Chinese industrial-style lamps hanging low over each pair of diners, many of whom chat casually with the kitchen staff. Hostess Ween Callas leans in to each table’s guests as though they were her closest friends, sharing details on the day’s specials and helping stow bags and jackets. It’s intimate, cozy and irresistibly neighborhood-y — healthy dining at its most fresh and delicious. Elf — so named for its diminutive digs — is enjoying outstanding word of mouth and the full support of a vegetarian/vegan community long hungry for this kind of a place to hit the Eastside. And it doesn’t hurt that Elf’s proprietors, servers and chefs are beloved neighborhood fixtures as well: owners and staffers Scott Zwiezen, Ween Callas, Ravi Dhar and Evan Haros are all members of local band Viva K — an eclectic hybrid of electro rock with heavy doses of Indian tabla and sitar. Coming together out of a mutual love for Indian instrumentation, yoga and healthy living, the band named themselves after one of Vedanta Hinduism’s spiritual leaders, Vivekananda. They began playing together in 2002 when Dhar joined Haros in a conversation about George Harrison, whose contribution to modern electronic music they cite as their greatest influence. For a restaurant only a couple months old, Elf is note-perfect. Zwiezen is well-versed in vegan fare; his raw foods company, Back to Life, has been supplying stores throughout LA since 2003. Along with chef Timothy Maloof, he works the tiny kitchen deftly, turning out delicious and beautiful daily soups and specials. All are vegetarian, and most are vegan or can be prepared as such. On the day we stop in we try Fool Mudammas, a traditional Egyptian specialty made with fava beans, laced with brilliant lemony notes and the vibrant warmth of garlic. A plate of toasty, crispy rounds of herbed bread with potato-garlic dipping puree are enthusiastically welcomed, the puree so tangy and delish that it’s impossible to leave a bite behind. Kale salad with citrus dressing and hemp seeds is a stellar surprise, the nutty richness of fresh, organic kale an eye-opener to those unaccustomed to uncooked greens, hemp seeds adding a subtle buttery undertone to the sweet citrus dressing. For those in the mood for something a bit more decadent, the gorgonzola mac and cheese with baked organic penne is just what the doctor wouldn’t want you to order: rich and buttery, each perfectly al dente noodle bursting with gorgonzola’s warm, funky flavors. An entrée of roasted beet and braised fennel with aromatic wild rice pilaf is drizzled with a lustrous port wine reduction that’s a natural, intuitive pairing with the beets and an outstanding match against the fennel’s herby, licorice tang. Pair each entrée with heady iced mint tea, or a bottle of wine from the corner liquor store — which Viva K recently convinced to start carrying organic selections. For those who eschew cooked foods, a beautiful plate of raw Middle-Eastern specialties: organic hummus, tabouleh and falafel arrives on a bed of lush crimson cabbage, accompanied by a scatter of delightfully salty olives and crisp flaxseed crackers. Zwiesen’s commitment to organic kitchen basics (flour, sugar, coffee, produce) results in dishes that stand out with flavorful intensity, right down to the simplest detail — the cabbage salad garnishing the raw plate, the decorative herbs on each dish or even the water served to each table (purified and infused with cucumber). A successful band, a flourishing raw-foods company, and now the irresistible Elf: Viva K and co have a lot to juggle. But they seem to do it all deftly — with a little help from their friends. Elf Café, 2135 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, 90026. Open Wed-Sunday from 6pm - 11pm. No Phone but worth a trip.

Peter H

 

 

 

Inbox full of spam? Get leading spam protection and 1GB storage with All New Mail.

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know, it's what we know for sure that just ain't so.

- Mark Twain