Culver City - A Secret Gem

Last night I met my friend Colleen for dinner in Culver City.  I never have really stopped in Culver City to explore the restaurants and shops – it’s usually just a place a “drive through” on my way to LAX to skirt the freeway.  I found a restaurant with a menu (and reviews) that piqued my interest – Akasha (http://akasharestaurant.com.)  It’s located in the heart of downtown Culver City, in the midst of Sony Pictures Studios.  The streets are kind of wonky in this part of town, but once you figure out the layout, you can figure out how to get around and find parking, etc. (The city does offer several public garages in the area.)

I had made a reservation for 6pm since I was coming from work.  Of course, never knowing what traffic will be like, I gave myself plenty of time and wound up having 30 minutes to kill once I found the place and found parking.  So I walked around the neighborhood some to check it out, and there are lots of interesting restaurants in the area – of course, it is catering to the studio.

I finally hit the restaurant and got my table while I waited for Colleen (it was still a tad early).  It sits on the corner of Culver Blvd. and Watseka Ave.  There’s a public garage right next to it on Watseka that offers free parking for two hours, then $1 for each hour after – a real bargain!  There is an entrance in the back on Watseka, and the main entrance is on the corner.  When you enter, there is a little café/coffee bar for more casual dining.  Behind that is the main restaurant and bar.  It is beautifully appointed and very open, with high ceilings and dark woods. 

Colleen arrived a few minutes late, but that’s normal given L.A. traffic.  It turned out that on Wednesdays the restaurant offers half-off bottles of wine, so we’re no fools and started asking our server for recommendations.  Colleen prefers white, I prefer red, so I suggested we go for a bubbly instead.  Gina, our server, recommended a bubbly rosé, though we were thinking of a prosecco.  She brought us a taste of each so we could make up our mind, and it turned out her recommendation of the rosé was ideal!

We ordered the Roasted Garlic Hummus as a started, which came with flatbread with caramelized onions on it.  Normally, I am not a fan of carmelized or grilled onions on anything, but they had cooked it so well it was almost a jam, and proved very tasty.  The hummus was very creamy and rich.  Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a picture (yet again), but it was beautifully presented and was incredibly delicious.

In addition to their regular menu, they also had a “specials” menu for the night.  I wound up ordering from that menu since those are items not usually offered, and I really was intrigued by the Rib-Eye Steak on offer.  When it was brought to me, I was surprised at how big a steak it turned out to be – a very generous portion.  I ordered mine medium, so it was nice and pink in the middle.  It sat on a bed of new potatoes and squash, and was stopped with a dollop of pesto sauce.  It was one of the better steaks I’ve had in a while.  It was juicy, grilled perfectly, and extremely flavorful.  And to me, the sign of an excellent restaurant kitchen is how they grill a steak.  I’ve had good, I’ve had bad, and mediocre.  This was excellent.  It bodes well for all their other dishes.  Colleen gave me a bite of her chicken, which I also found juicy and flavorful.

To finish out the meal, they were offering Panna Cotta with raspberry sauce and framboise.  It was very delicate, and a nice finish to a hearty meal – not heavy, but light and sweet. 

Colleen and I both found the restaurant, and staff, very inviting and the menu enticing.  And now that we know that Wednesdays are half price bottle days…..we will definitely be back to explore more of the menu!