Tag Archive: brunch

Blog Bite: New Breakfast Items at La Grande Orange

Venice Beach Burrito

I haven’t been to La Grande Orange in Santa Monica for ages so was really happy to revisit it for brunch this weekend. And it was a good thing I did cuz they added a bunch of new items to their breakfast/brunch menu. I don’t know how new they are but the server seemed very excited to tell us about them.

Now there’s steak and eggs for the famished, as well as a spicy version of their popular commuter sandwich, thanks to chipotle mayo. They’ve also added an arugula salad; and their weekend favorite, the apple pancake, is actually now available on weekdays, too.

But even with all these new goodies, I went for the Venice Beach Burrito (pictured), which has tofu chorizo, corn, spinach and egg whites and is wrapped with a whole wheat tortilla. That tofu chorizo is so spicy and savory but I still wanted to add some hot sauce to it.

Another reason this is one of my new fave breakfast destinations? They serve Intelligentsia coffee here. My must-have coffee beverage is their Havana Latte, made with sweetened condensed milk. Sweet and creamy. If you prefer a brunch cocktail, they offer $5 Bloody Marys and Mimosas.

The restaurant is a nice and airy place to enjoy weekend brunch. Seems like running groups like to come here after their run along the beach, as well as young professionals and locals with their dogs. Very chill.

La Grande Orange
2000 Main Street
Santa Monica, California 90405 (map)
(310) 396-9145

Fig’s New Taco Bar Brunch + Lots of Bacon

Chicaron taco

Chicaron Taco

Tacos for brunch, the perfect hangover cure, I say. Fig in Santa Monica gets that and has just added a brand-new taco bar to its Sunday brunch. It officially debuts this Sunday the 13th but I got a chance to check it out last week courtesy of the restaurant.

The Fig's Patio

The taco menu features a wide variety to choose from, usual fare like chicken, carnitas and steak to those you don’t see too often, if at all, like lengua and chicaron. And everything is $3 a piece, that includes other taco menu items like sides queso fundido (naughty!) and nopales and even drinks sangrita and horchata. A nice deal in such a swank-looking setting like the fancy Fairmont Hotel’s restaurant.

For the hosted brunch, my friend Jules and I were sat at a table looking out at the pool which was surrounded by palm trees. This area of the restaurant is well lit thanks to the white tiles and white marble tables and the huge windows. Perfect for taking food pictures!

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