Every Way Smash Kitchen and Glen Powell Messed Up Their Condiment Launch
plus a look at how the greatest dessert in Los Angeles is made, the best window to hit In-N-Out if you hate waiting, and more
Hello! As grocery costs keep rising, and tariffs threaten to screw all of our favorite restaurants, small businesses, and CPG brands, I’ve found myself zooming in on the price of literally everything. In big cities like Los Angeles and New York, cocktail prices are already firmly in the $18-$23 dollar range and pastas, even the more simple ones, are often pushing the $24-$26 dollar mark. I’ve seen more plates of pasta cost $34 (or more!) than I ever have. I even clocked one at a fancy hotel in Los Angeles for $59 — a spring vegetarian tortellini without an fleck of caviar or truffle in sight. And unfortunately, everything continues to trend in that direction: I was dm’ing with a restaurant owner in NYC who believes that it’s going to be rare to see any dishes under $20 at most restaurants going forward.
That’s why it was so refreshing to visit Beethoven’s Market in Mar Vista the other night. Owner Jeremy Adler has truly opened the best version of a neighborhood restaurant possible. On night four the space was warm, bustling, and packed with diners (mostly from the surrounding neighborhood). Two ladies at the bar asked me if I had been in yet, only to brag that they had already eaten here 3 times already because they lived two blocks away. Getting regulars within your first week of opening is quite the feat.
The restaurant will eventually open for daytime service, but dinner is a menu filled with Italian-American hits: a plate of fried artichokes, crispy but tender suppli, good focaccia, many salads, roast chickens, and several plates of housemade pasta. The fettuccini al limone arrives topped with wheels of crispy, dried lemons — and a price tag of just $15. The cocktails? I had a $12 dollar spritz. It wasn’t the only $12 cocktail on the menu. I don’t know how long Adler co will be able to sustain these prices, but its clear Adler wants it to be accessible to families and to the neighborhood and I hope to see more places like it.
A small note before we get into the rest of today’s newsletter: If you are a looking for a few new show to watch, a dear friend of mine Zoe Robyn created Pulse on Netflix. It’s the best new medical drama since Grey’s Anatomy, so go give it a watch. I also recently finished and enjoyed Deli Boys on Hulu! It’s fun to see a show that stars South Asians not be a show centered on being South Asian, but moments of culture are worked so naturally into the show.
Today’s newsletter will dive into:
How Smash Kitchen, Glen Powell’s new condiment company, screwed up their launch
An with interview pastry chef Shannon Swindle on how he makes LA’s best dessert
Why cherry coffee is now everywhere
My thoughts on the SKIMS Diner
Illinois Schools are finally getting something right when it comes to school lunch
Why female sports bars are here to stay
The best time to hit the In-N-Out drive thru if you hate waiting