Wood Spoon

07/09/08

Great little casual place in downtown LA

by martinikitty13 at Citysearch

I decided to try this place mainly because Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly) gave this Brazilian restaurant quite a good review, and it?s always a pleasure to find a restaurant where food is not only the main focus, but a labor of love. At the Wood Spoon, the owner (with the bright smile) has created a delightful little restaurant, in the middle of an admittedly shady area of downtown LA. The decor is a mix of white and yellow, with bright plastic sunflowers in the windows. The service is friendly, and the menu straightforward and simple. My friend and I started with the complimentary cinnamon water ? very crisp and refreshing; an appetizer sampler with the Pastel Portuguese (fried dumpling with shrimp and coconut sauce)(our fav appetizer, crispy and tasty), Portuguese Croquette (fried ball of potato and salted cod)(our least favorite, a bit bland and the cod was strangely absent), Coxinha (fried ball with chicken)(ok, but not fantastic). We had read that the 2 house specialties were the pork burger and the chicken pot-pie (odd for a brazilian place), so we ordered those to share. The pork burger was phenomenal; juicy, flavorful with braised cabbage. The waitress suggested we eat it with the mustard, and it was an amazing complement. The pot-pie was also quite good; very meaty, with corn, but I felt it needed a kick of some sort? maybe salsa, jalapeno? something. We ended this satisfying meal with homemade chocolate truffles, rich and thick, almost chewy. All in all, we enjoyed the food and casual ambience. We would definitely return for the pork burgers and the truffles. This restaurant doesn?t serve alcohol, but Broadway Bar is right around the corner within walking distance if you need an appertif or a nightcap.

• Pros: Delicious, fresh food; Friendly Service
• Cons: Slightly bad neighborhood

06/26/08

The Unbearable Lightness of Cooking

by nadiadrec at Citysearch

A friend had told me he wanted to take a few of us to dinner at his friend's Brazilian restaurant downtown.

My first thought, as a food snob, was: Heavy, greasy, unrefined, like a number of Brazilian restaurants across town (not the wonderful foods of Santa Theresa in Rio) . Well, I was in for a surprise.

The interior (high ceilings, cream walls, with a brown one in the far back, simple wooden tables, Bertolini chairs in pale yellow and orange and white pendants ) is, at first glance, very simple, yet quite refined just like its food.

And light. That is what is so incredible.

We told Natalia to surprise us: We started out with a salad of tomatoes with avocados and beets in a vinaigrette with a little parsley; I started to cry. The rest was as good. The tilapia was one of the most fragrant I ever tasted.

Natalia is gracious, warm, humble about her cooking: That was refreshing. She cooks from the heart, not from her ego. I felt like I was eating at a friend's house for dinner: The purity (most chefs at restaurants tend to"layer" their dishes and hide their flavors) and soulfulness of her food was extraordinary.

I am still crying at the unbearable lightness of her cooking.

01/16/08

KID FRIENDLY DINNER! :) Tasty food, good service, cozy (in a good way)

by bellamusa at Citysearch

Just went last night for dinner. We were looking for a kid-friendly restaurant around downtown at about 8 pm. This place is great! They welcomed us, made recomendations for the girls (ages 2 and 3), offered an extra plate for them to share (unheard of in restaurants!). They were acommodating, friendly and best of all the food was wonderful. We had the grill with the grilled veggies and the grill with the fish option. I can honestly say that everything on my plate and that of my entourages' was satisfactory to every taste bud on my pallette. I will definitely go back, sans the kids! :) The guarana is refreshing!! Kudos on your great service!!

• Pros: Friendly, Great Food!!!

Charming Brazilian cafe brings South American specialties to L.A.'s busy Fashion District.

by Martha Burr at Citysearch

In Short
This airy vintage storefront creates a pretty downtown oasis with a tropical Latin twist. The intimate high-ceilinged room has been updated with pale walls, cheery banana-yellow chairs, blond wood, contemporary Latin oil paintings and fresh flowers. An eclectic crowd stops in for traditional Brazilian fare like potato and salt cod croquettes, Portuguese dumplings stuffed with shrimp and coconut sauce, pork burgers with roasted cabbage, and beet and avocado salads. Brazilian grilled plates--lamb, beef, chicken fish or sausage--come with rice, beans, plantains and collards.