On the Menu

Renovated boutique hotels with beautiful restaurants have been sprouting in Downtown, Hollywood and points west. At times, they join high-octane neighborhoods; other times they are a bright spot amidst city blight. L.A. Proper is in the latter category. The hotel sits on a faceless street, at least at night. When we went there for dinner, the only clue that we were in a bustling city was an enormous line that snaked along an adjacent block from some unseen music venue or club.

Once inside, the lobby is welcoming, as is Caldo Verde, the Portuguese- and Spanish-inflected first-floor restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, the team behind A.O.C. and the late, great Lucques, among other eateries. Large windows face the street, which promises to be busier during breakfast and lunch service. Celebrity designer Kelly Wearstler created a mix of wood, textiles, Judson stained glass and leather — all of which somehow match the comfort of dishes such as $48 piri piri chicken (a spicy dish originating in Africa from Portuguese chile peppers called piri piri in Swahili), the signature dish Caldo Verde, a rock crab, linguica, mussels and potato stew, $72, and the $19 dish aptly named “small plate of salty favorites,” which features Iberico ham, Spanish anchovies and aloreña olives, a prized variety of pickled olives from Spain.

We four were seated in the bar area and, in retrospect, I wish we had pushed for a table in the main dining space which had more atmosphere, although the multicolored bottles of liquor behind the bar held a fascination of sorts. We quickly availed ourselves of some of the offerings, including a $21 mezcal, amaro and nixta elote (corn) liqueur cocktail and a $13 pomegranate fizz from the free-spirited (non-alcoholic) list containing black tea, pomegranate shrub and vegan egg white (probably aquafaba, the liquid in cans of chickpeas or other beans which froths up exactly as does egg white). Food was delicious and beautifully presented, with careful attention paid to balancing colors and textures. We ordered many of the enticing-sounding starters as sides. We began with a plate of persimmon wedges showered with pomegranate seeds, baby greens, spiced pepitas, spoonsful of queijo fresco — a Portuguese fresh cheese similar to farmer’s cheese, only better — and drizzled with brown butter, $19. An $18 hearty, nicely chewy kale and farro dish was amplified with scallion kimchi, cashews and crunchy fried shallots. Is it possible to resist mushrooms and polenta? We happily dug into their version with sautéed chanterelles tossed with rapini on a polenta base and decorated with sieved egg. Sherry vinegar enlivened the taste of the $21 umami-rich dish. Our favorite vegetable side, however, may have been the $16 roasted carrots with green harissa (a Tunisian pepper sauce) and pistachio dukkah (an Egyptian spice blend with nuts and seeds.) We also shared three protein-centric selections. Perfectly cooked prawns with chunks of garlic were stained red-orange from arbol chile and enhanced with salsa verde for $26. The $24 squid stuffed with chorizo made a perfect flavor combination. Piquillo peppers, aioli and mustard greens complemented the dish. The only flavor disappointment of the evening was the $31 bluenose (Antarctic butterfish) with fideo (short thin noodles popular in Spain and Mexico) and sofrito (a Puerto Rican sauce usually made from tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions). The fideo was satisfying, but the fish was bland. Another dining option at L.A. Proper, also from Goin and Styne, is the rooftop restaurant Cara Cara. The menu is short, but the view goes on for days. Caldo Verde, at L.A. Proper Hotel, 1100 S. Broadway, 213-806-1023.

THE WILLOWS

By Simone Meltzer 8th Grade

Soccer was on everyone’s mind a lot in December because of the World Cup. At The Willows, even the non-athletes got involved in the excitement. The whole school was enraptured by the commotion of it all, and people of all grades, including teachers, packed into the science lab at lunch to watch. They talked and argued noisily over each other. This World Cup was especially bittersweet for many dedicated football fans, as it might have been the last World Cup for some of the greats, namely Neymar of Brazil, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Argentina’s Lionel Messi. It seems that everyone has a preference for one of these three legendary players (even though Ronaldo is obviously the best).

The sporting event inspired friendly-yet-heated debate throughout the school. Regardless of personal allegiances, I feel The Willows embraced how sports can bring people together. I bonded with kids and teachers I never would have. Whether we are rooting for the same team, against the same team or engaging in spirited argument, events like the World Cup show that even if you’re not a die-hard fan, you can still get involved and feel like you’re a part of something.

by Helene Seifer