One of my newly discovered areas in Los Angeles is the Arts District. It is located outside of the buzzing corporate scene downtown and encompasses its own trendy vibe. There are a bounty of coffee shops and cafés, as well as new apartments and stores. When I first came upon this area I was surprised that I had not known about it sooner. One of my favorite restaurants in the area is Zinc, a vegetarian café and market. I love that once again, I am able to choose any item from the entire menu. This restaurant is different in that it is the first one I have been to that is solely vegetarian, they serve cheese and eggs! I love this as it truly never feels like breakfast without the two.

Last night I went to Zinc for the first time for dinner! I have gone many times for brunch and had several of their egg dishes. For dinner we were promptly seated outside in their charming courtyard and served right away. This was different for me as when I have come during breakfast it has been very crowded and sometimes slow. It was chilly last night so I ordered a hot green tea to begin my meal. While enjoying my tea I couldn’t help but feel as if I was in Venice not downtown Los Angeles. After searching through the menu I chose the Brussels Sprouts and the Thai Salad. In addition, my friend ordered the goat cheese and crostini’s as an appetizer and the Chef’s Salad for her entrée. Our appetizers arrived very quickly and we happily began our meal. My Brussels’s Sprouts were slow roasted and very tender with sweet balsamic. The goat cheese platter was simple, goat cheese, honey, grapes, and crostini, however, the cheese was delicious and creamy. Our entrées then arrived and I was shocked at how large my salad was. At the base my salad consisted of brown rice, then topped with shredded Napa cabbage and carrots, and braised tofu. The salad was light and as a made my way towards the bottom I was able to use the leftover lettuce leaves as cups and create Thai lettuce wraps. The best part of my salad was definitely the peanut dressing that tied each ingredient together, creating a cohesive dish. I was more than pleased with my Thai Salad. The other entrée, the Chef’s Salad, was not as expected. It was more of a platter of salad toppings on top of some frisée with light balsamic dressing. Although it was beautifully plated, it did not seem too filling or of the salad nature. There are so many options on the menu that it is easy to get lost and not know what to choose, however, one tip I would give is to look around at what the servers are bringing out so you can visually see what the entrées look like plated versus the simple description. If the restaurant is not busy, I always go for my go-to Yelp! for pictures and reviews! I know that I will be back at Zinc soon and can’t wait for my next meal!

Location:

580 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(323) 825-5381

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