Some people are Looking For Love, the next best thing, the hottest new destination spot…I am food driven. I am always looking for the next great dining experience and sacrificing my body for my weekly restaurant reviews.
Being a hunter and gatherer I heard that one of my favorite chefs, Josef Centeno, opened Ledlow, his fourth restaurant in downtown LA, all within one block of each other in the Old Bank District.
Ledlow originally opened as Pete’s in honor of its’ predessessor, Pete’s Cafe and then morphed into Ledlow Swan, the name was inspired by Josef’s grandparents and finally, Ledlow…that should do it.
Ledlow showcases southern, french and American influenced dishes as well as market-driven vegetable dishes which are featured as Chalkboard Specials.
We have been following Josef since his days at Lazy Ox. I must say that Orsa & Winston is one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles. I need to revisit Baco Mercat because we dropped by opening week and we did not have a great meal. Bar Ama is next door to Orsa & Winston and has delicious Tex-Mex cuisine and a fun Super Nacho Hour.
We decided to head downtown on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in January.
The Ledlow has been transformed into an open airy, sleek space.
Lunch was superb. The flavors outstanding and memorable.
We sat outside as the weather was stellar.
We kicked things off with the chopped salad. It was generous and not your traditional take on the chopped salad. We loved the saltiness of the olives and pepitas, fresh beans and the addition of crisp apple chunks and the sweetness of tangerines ($14).
It took some time to select items from the brunch and lunch menu. We went for a combo of avocado and cream cheese on killer rye toast with olive oil, sea salt, red onion and topped with smoked trout that tasted like sable from Barney Greengrass in NYC. ($11).
I order moules and frites. The mussels were medium size Prince Edward Island and were sweet and prepared with fennel, shallots, cream and garlic ($24). Two large slices of bread were dipped into the sauce and that’s went the food orgasm began. If sex was this delicious I would never get out of bed.
The fries were crispy and thick cut…delectable.
The brunch menu offers a potpourri of choices from ricotta-cornmeal pancakes ($10), to shrimp & grits ($32) and a griddled hamburger and fries…single patty ($14), double ($16) and triple ($18) accompanied with cheese, pickles, red onion and garlic aioli.
“Liesl”our server was the only drawback. She was straight of of central casting from Sound of Music and needed to be present in reality. On the other hand, Kevin the bartender was a delight to talk to and we had an in depth Los Angeles restaurant review conversation. He is usually found mixing up fabulous cocktails next door at Baco Mercat.
The manager, Christian did a drive by and he was charming and sociable. He graciously sent over a bread pudding dessert that was outrageous…not too sweet, crispy corners, succulent raisins and a delicious sauce.
Bread was the central theme of the meal. After a 70 minute Indo-Row class my body was happy to engage with carbs. I indulged and enjoyed every bite.
Ledlow is a gem and a perfect sport for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Centenoville which should soon earn its’ own zip code.
Ledlow 400 South Main Street in downtown Los Angeles. Open daily Monday-Thursday 8am-3pm and 5:30 to 11pm. Friday and Saturday 8am-3pm and 5:30 to midnight. Sunday 8am-3pm and 5-10pm. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm. Cinq A Sept specials are available at the bar only Monday-Friday 5-7pm and 10pm to closing. Reservations on Ureserv online. Metered street parking is available and there are nearby lots including the Old Bank District Parking Garage at 415 Main St. Valet parking ($9) after 6 p.m.
