Foodie Fridays: KTCHN 105

Given KTCHN 105’s obscure location behind a nondescript, gated parking lot in downtown LA’s produce district, it should come as no surprise that the unique eatery is completely off the radar. Visiting the reservations-only spot does take a bit of planning, as it operates on very limited hours, only being open for weekend brunch, and dinner on Thursday and Friday nights. But don't let that discourage you from trying it out...

Make your way down the landscaped walkway and pass the tranquil outdoor patio, and you’ll enter the main dining room, a large, airy loft. According to KTCHN 105’s website, the space “was designed for learning, entertaining, and coming together for the appreciation of food.” As such, the open studio kitchen also plays host to private events and various specialty cooking classes throughout each month.

Love it or hate it, you’ll be taking part in communal style dining, using large banquet tables and benches. Abundant natural light illuminates the restaurant and puts a spotlight on the mouthwatering dishes and refreshing cocktails served.

If the bathroom—complete with bathtub—and open kitchen make you feel as though you’re in someone’s home, it’s because you are— you can even find a bed hidden in one corner! At KTCHN 105, you truly are being served a comforting home-cooked meal.

My brother Viranda (aka the Don Corleone of the FoundTrack empire) and I visited upon the wise suggestion of our friends and downtown dwellers Mike Cruz and Kara Marks, who you might recognize as the savvy team behind the delightful Savor Los Angeles series.

I went for the light, yet delectable house citrus cured salmon lox, which elevated the standard brunch offering to a whole new level. Served atop toasted, yet still chewy baguette slices, the thin slivers of fish were sprinkled with chopped egg and chives. The dish was really brought alive with two robust spreads, red onion-honey mustard and pesto remoulade.

V ordered the cornmeal waffle pear BLT. This was one hell of a sandwich. In addition to the standard BLT ingredients, this indulgent monster was housed in a corn waffle and contained smoked gouda, roasted corn mayo, caramelized onions, and pear maple syrup. In short, it was a sweet and well-crafted take on a typically generic sandwich.

Mike opted for the “Best Part About a Fried Egg,” which was served with home fries, while Kara went for a classic sun-dried tomato scramble. Everyone seemed pleased with their selections.

The gratis chocolate chip cookies which came with the check were a nice touch. Nothing like freshly baked cookies to ease the pain of paying your bill!

Despite serving fantastic innovative cuisine, KTCHN 105 hasn’t received tons of press like other hot brunch spots around town, and remains a hidden gem. So venture downtown and discover one of the city’s best kept secrets—you’re in for a treat!

KTCHN 105, 1250 Long Beach Ave., Los Angeles 90021; 714.720.2260; theivgroup.com/ktchn105, MAP.

NEXT TIME on Foodie Fridays: Our last post together from LA! We'll be revisiting the iconic Pacific Dining Car.

Suggestions? Mail to: foodiefridays at foundtrack dot com

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Ceravelo - Re-inspiring The Modern Gentleman

Hey FoundTrackee's!!! Eman from the FoundTrack Creative Crew here, sharing our newest project with all of you! I've been M.I.A. for a minute working on some other projects but am very happy to report back with a little personal news. The project below is a little special sauce I've been working on (with 2 other amazing individuals) for sometime now and is gaining momentum - Check It Out!

Who says chivalry is dead and men aren't quite the gentlemen of yester-years? Ceravelo is standing up and revoluting against that idea. They are re-inspiring today's Bloc to open doors for ladies, remove hats at the table and put on a coat when you go out to dinner! Ceravelo is an online, clothing accessory boutique based out of San Francisco, California. They specialize in creating custom, contemporary and originally designed ascots made from both re-purposed and new materials. In a time were people are more conscious of where they spend their "Dolla Dolla Bill," Ceravelo, keeps production locally within San Francisco. Not to be confused with Cervélo, the racing bike company, Ceravelo spawned from a combination of two names: Emmanuel Cervantes and Steven Arevalo. They came up with the concept and were inspired by a blog posting from this very site, Foundtrack.


Re-purposed material. What is it? Material that was once used for some other purpose and to which is given another life. Essentially, this means that the materials are rare and the ascots designs are one of a kind. The company guarantee's that the majority of the material they procure and use to design their ascots is re-purposed. The remainder comes by way of local distributors. The use of re-purposed material is not a substitute for perfection. Ceravelo’s mission is to prove that environmentally conscious design can be synonymous with sartorial fashion. Co-Founder - Steven Arevalo (pictured above) describes the collection, " Our style is timeless, classic and relevant. When you feel our product you will experience the quality and understand the care we take to precisely craft each ascot."


Ceravelo will be featuring their entire line of original, hand-made made ascots on December 1, 2011 at the Nordstrom in Hillsdale, Ca. Ceravelo will be featuring their entire line of original, hand-made made ascots on December 1, 2011 at the Nordstrom in Hillsdale, Ca. Make sure to say to our friends, The Ceravelo Team - Jackie Lopez (pictured below), Steven Arevalo and Emmanuel Cervantes. You can also check them out @ www.Ceravelo.com