www.gjelina.com

I never go to the West side.  And by West side I mean anything past Beverly Hills.  Every once in a while a special occasion comes a long and I will make the schlep to Santa Monica, Malibu, or in this case Venice.  With my mother visiting Los Angeles, I wanted to take her to the beach, and by beach I of course mean... a restaurant by the beach.  

Two years ago, I fell into the trend of a restaurant by the name of Gjelina.  Two years later, the incredible culinary experience has proven that it wasn't just a trend, but a MUST when exploring West Side dinning.  It is now a Venice staple.  My mother and I arrived here for lunch around 2 o'clock on a Monday.  The place is cute inside. I haven't had service like this in a while.  Not to mention, being there with my mother I tend to be a little over protective and expect nothing but the best.  The place is cute inside, as is the staff that makes me feel like I am not cool enough to be there.  The hipster vibe and arrogance that one sees when they first walk in is a reminder to not judge a book by its cover. Our waitress went above and beyond the call of duty.

I describe Gjelina's food to be Californian/ Italian.  Eclectic, if that is even a genre.  The ingredients are fresh, and the combinations for the pizzas, salads and main dishes are a little unorthodox, but every bite of food melts in your mouth.  I am an advocate for Burrata and feel more places should offer it on the menu.  Our first dish was Anchovy with Burrata on toast with Pepperonata (a yellow pepper and onion compote) with capers and sherry.  I wish this appetizer had never ended; that's how good it was.  Our pizza was Guanciale (a softer cut of bacon, which literally melts in your mouth) with green olives, Fresno chile, and mozzarella.  The sweetness of the bacon and cheese along with the sourness of the olives was out of this world and unexpected.  Honestly, I could go on and on about this place and I wish I had the time to sit there and eat my way through the menu.  This is a great place to go with friends, the portions are perfect for sharing, and if you and your friends are adventurous, try it ALL!  Even if there are ingredients you are not fond of, the mix of flavors due to unexpected ingredient combinations will create an unprecedented experience.As the sun started to set, we toasted to my mothers visit, ordered another dish which was a squid pasta and unbuttoned our pants (and by our I mean me).