Los Angeles' Best Fall Pumpkin Dishes
It's pumpkin season and chefs around town have taken notice, as they have been infusing the delicious orange and festive ingredient into a variety of dishes. Although pumpkin is most often used in pumpkin bread, pie and lattes, the cultivar of a squash plant is being incorporated into delicious autumn creations across town. Here, in alphabetical order, is where to find some of the best.
Roasted Pumpkin Pesto
Bin 73
14 Washington Blvd.
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 827-6209
www.mercedesgrille.com
Located in beautiful Marina Del Rey, a mere stone's throw away from the beach sits Bin 73, a cozy wine bar decorated with bottles and an ever-changing wine list. Coupling their expansive wine list is a small plate menu and for the holiday season, they are featuring a Roasted Pumpkin Pesto topped with cranberries and fresh pomegranate.
Pumpkin Spiced Glazed Wings
Chomp Eatery
1612 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(424) 238-3398
www.chompeatery.com
New to Chomp Eatery's fall menu, the Pumpkin Spiced Glazed Wings bring in the fall season with pumpkin spiced wings. The wings are made with butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger beer, chili flakes, sesame seeds, white vinegar and pumpkin spice. Pair the wings with a side of Cinnamon Sugar Waffle Fries drizzled with homemade maple syrup aioli for a delicious fall meal.
Toasted Barely Risotto with Japanese Pumpkin
Eveleigh
8752 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(424) 239-1630
www.theeveleigh.com
Eveleigh, a West Hollywood staple with a picturesque patio, is best known for their farm to table, seasonal dishes, spearheaded by Chef Jared Levy. Levy has added fall dishes to the menu, including the Toasted Barely Risotto with Japanese pumpkin, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Cepes powder. Inspired from his time in Japan, Levy uses a Japanese pumpkin more color, flavor and texture to the risotto which is made out of kombu in order to provide salinity and a hint of umami.
Spaghetti alla Strega
Franco on Melrose
6919 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 934-3390
www.francoonmelrose.com
Spaghetti alla Strega, which translates to the Witches Spaghetti, was created and inspired by Chef Franco de Dominicis for the month of Halloween and for the Fall season. The fall flavors of this dish come through with sautéed butternut squash, anchovies, shallots, peppers, pecorini cheese, toasted and incased in a petit roasted pumpkin. The dish is a little sweet and salty which gives Spaghetti all Strega a naughty and nice aspect while giving diners a great visual of the spaghetti coming alive out of the pumpkin.
Pumpkin Gnocchi and Braised Beef Cheek
Mari
2151 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 284-6500
www.intercontinentallosangeles.com
Get a taste of fall with Mari's savory Pumpkin Gnocchi and Braised Beef Cheek. The slow-cooked beef cheek pairs perfectly with the melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin gnocchi, infused with nutmeg, allspice and drizzled with a caramelized apple demi glaze. Located inside the Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City, Mari shares the cuisine of the world with guests who visit the dining room, which is at once metropolitan and classic California chic.
Red Pumpkin Agnolotti
Michael's Santa Monica
1147 3rd St.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 451-0843
www.michaelssantamonica.com
New chef Miles Thompson's menu at the recently re-opened Michael's Santa Monica is an ode to early fall produce. His red pumpkin agnolotti features a farmer's market pumpkin filling with pistachio-brown butter and sage. The dish is topped with generous shavings of ragusano, an Italian cow's milk cheese.
Caramelle al Zucca
Officine BRERA
1331 E 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 553-8006
www.officinebrera.com
Although it isn't on their menu, Officine BRERA offers a verbal pumpkin caramelle special, Caramelle al Zucca at dinner. The special is made with roasted pumpkin, Reggiano cheese, hazelnut, butter, sage, and raspadura cheese. Staying true to his heritage northern Italian cuisine, Executive Chef Angelo Auriana makes all pasta in house, and imports a bulk of his ingredients from Italy for his daily changing menus. The caramelle is a sweet and savory seasonal gem, clean, simple, and a true taste of Italian comfort.
Seasonal Pumpkin Flatbread
Ravello Bar & Grill
6746 Greenleaf Ave.
Whittier, CA 90601
(562) 945-8723
www.ravellobarandgrill.com
Special to the season, Ravello Bar & Grill which recently opened in Uptown Whittier in October 2016, has added a Seasonal Pumpkin Flatbread to their modern Italian menu. The wood fired flatbread is topped with a spread of pumpkin puree, ground sausage, mushrooms, crumbled gorganzola, Kalamata olives, fried sage and shaved parmesan.
Pumpkin Harvest Bowl
Robeks
3891 Overland Ave
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 838-2332
www.robeks.com
At 23 different locations in Los Angeles, Robeks offers its Pumpkin Harvest™ bowl which highlights the most popular and healthy fall flavor, pumpkin. With pumpkin as its base, this bowl is also packed with delicious, nutritious ingredients like banana, non-fat frozen yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg and chia seeds, then topped with walnuts, raw honey and an extra dash of cinnamon and nutmeg for a flavor and texture that will make pumpkin spice lovers rejoice.
BBQ Pumpkin Pizza
SunCafe
10820 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 927-4100
www.suncafe.com
Suncafe's BBQ Pumpkin Pizza highlights a delicious BBQ baked pumpkin pizza with savory tempeh bacon and a house-made cashew mac n' cheese sauce, but that is not all. The pizza is then topped with BBQ sauce, red onion, fresh cilantro and a drizzle of fresh sunflower ranch dressing. It's served on a gluten-free rice pizza crust baked to a golden brown with a crunch around the edge. The smokey flavors of the tempeh bacon and the BBQ enhance the creamy cashew and onion cheese sauce with the cilantro adding a fresh accent.
