We were disappointed when we discovered that EnjoyEat, our favorite Italian restaurant in Culver City, had closed until further notice on January 1, 2019, after months of only having been open for dinner, not for lunch. When we contacted the owners, who still run their original restaurant, Eatalian in Gardena, they replied with the comforting news that they are working on a new concept and will hopefully reopen soon.
We always thought EnjoyEat was cursed with a bad location, in an alley next to the Arclight Cinemas, that is off the beaten path. But then in mid January the newly remodeled Palihotel opened in an historical 1923 building, across the street, on that same Van Buren Place (as we posted on Nextdoor on January 10), so now more people will likely discover this location.
A French restaurant, Simonette, opened at the lobby level of the Palihotel, with outdoor seating in an inner courtyard, the tables surrounding a mature tree. Their brunch menu includes Moules Frites, a Belgian specialty of mussels and fries.
Late last year Roberta’s Pizza had opened at Platform, the fancy shopping mall at 8850 Washington Blvd, across the street from the Expo Line Culver City station. We had eaten there and posted on Nextdoor (December 1, 2018). We had written a blog post on their 2017 Pizza Pop Up experiment, and a review of Platform in 2016.
Today we tried a new restaurant, Margot, that opened at Platform on December 19. It is described as a mix of Spanish and Italian cuisine, so we ordered a focaccia sandwich of the typically Italian cold-cut, mortadella, and a frisee salad that came mixed with spicy olives. Both dishes were tasty but too salty. We didn’t care for the loud music, but the large and bright restaurant was comfortable.
If you want to eat authentic Italian food, try Pasta Sisters that opened their cosy restaurant at Helms Bakery last March. Read our article here.