Plant Food and Wine – Venice, CA {Oil-Free Brunch Options}

January 20, 2016

By: Jasmine Briones

Sundays mean brunch, and what better way to do it than at Matthew Kenney’s newest establishment, right by Venice Beach. I had visited this spot once before, but this was the first I had been for brunch. Let me just say, it will not be my last.

Plant Food + Wine 1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd Venice, CA 90291

Plant Food + Wine is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The menu includes locally sourced and seasonal items, with a fusion of both raw & cooked vegan foods. The restaurant is somehow able to manage being minimalistic in design yet still refined and sleek in its delivery. They offer indoor and outdoor seating, and although the indoor seating should not be overlooked, if possible, I recommend requesting a seat in the outdoor patio and garden, filled with fresh produce, trees, and a comforting feeling of nature. What I loved is the fact that there were fresh herbs, greens, citrus and even a fig tree thriving on their property, from which they source ingredients for their dishes.Plant Food + Wine also houses the Venice location of Matthew Kenney Culinary, a raw and vegan culinary school. Although I was not able to photograph the location at this particular visit, I did have the chance to do a walk through during my previous visit, and I am certain I will, someday again be able to attend the school and refine my skills in the kitchen. I actually attended two weekend intensive courses at their Santa Monica location (now closed), and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I probably have ever had. You can check out my full summary of the experience in this blog post. Not only did I learn so much from being immersed in knowledge of plant-based cooking, I was also able to connect with chefs and students of all ages and backgrounds who are pushing for the same plant-powered movement I am a part of and promote here on my page.

The restaurant was more than willing to accommodate for my oil-free preference, and I encourage you to, even if not at this restaurant, consider seeking out that option wherever you go. Although I have in fact come across a few restaurants in LA that will not accommodate, I have found that more often than not, restaurants are willing to do all that they can to satisfy and comfort their customers. For me, this brings a bit more ease and enjoyment in eating out with friends and family and I hope it will do the same for you, too!

Oil-free brunch options:

>>Radish toast on spelt bread w/ smoked almond ricotta, sea beans & herbs: the smoky flavor of the rich and creamy ricotta won me over, and this was my favorite dish of the three that I tried, I definitely recommend it!
>>Ancient grains bowl w/ heirloom beans, greens, roasted squash, sea beans, squash puree & green tahini. This was my kind of meal, the perfect macrobiotic bowl. The tahini and beans created the perfect creamy texture to balance off the bite of the greens and grains. This dish was simple, yes, but the flavor was not compromised. I was able to finish this meal without feeling heavy or overly full and I was completely satisfied.

>>Smashed avocado w/ raw fennel crackers (in place of the za’atar flatbread), herbs, capers & lemon {pictured in first image of this post}. Capers are usually not my thing, but they brought the salty bit this dish needed, and balanced the whole dish out. The crackers were not as crunchy as expected, being more bread-like than a cracker, but they brought forth their own pizzazz and were even great on their own.

>>MK salad w/ mixed greens, sprouts, avocado, dulse, hemps seeds, raw fennel crackers, olives & oil-free dressing.