If you like Progressive California cusine, you'll love Chef Nyesha J. Arrington's new place, Leona on Washington Boulevard. How many of you know what "Progressive California Cusine"
really means? PCG means that the cusine draws inspiration from multiple cultures and their cusines. There, that wasn't so hard was it? And now you sound like you know what you're talking about! The menu is seasonally driven and you'll be tempted to order everything!
The restaurants gets its name from the original name of Washington Boulevard, which was called "Leona" before it was annexed. You might recognize Arrington's name from "Top Chef" too. Eat on the patio if you can; it's great for people watching. After brunch
or dinner you can walk a block to the Venice pier. We went for brunch last Sunday. The Brown Butter Pancakes ($12) are so different and creative; my heart be still! Topped with whipped coconut, sea salt, and vanilla butter; they were truly delicious!
The California Benedict ($16) Softshell Crab, Crushed Avocado, and Tomato Hollandaise is one of the most popular dishes on the menu. We enjoyed the creamy sauce and the perfectly cooked eggs. The Grilled Nuseke's Bacon ($7) was the star of the show, and of
course I ate all of it. The thick juicy slabs melt in your mouth. Very creative dishes like Handcut Dutch style fries, Korean latkes, and Tahitian Vanilla-Honey yogurt are making me come back next week. Service is excellent and the staff is super nice! Leona
123 Washington Blvd. Venice (310) 822-5379. Reservations suggested. Hours. Brunch: Sat & Sun: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: Tues.-Sat: 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Sun: 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
Recommended Dishes: Bacon, Vanilla Pancakes, California Benedict.