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Mon. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Wood spoon is the most comforting comfort food in downtown LA. A chicken pot pie from Wood Spoon solves any problem ever.
Get the beat salad, the pot pie, the plantains, the rice and beans... really, just get anything on the menu. You'll love it.
when i first think of brazilian food... i think brazilian bbq... all you can eat meat. this place is not that kind of place. it's just some good ole home-style brazilian eats.
for starters we had the mix plate ( coxinha, potato croquette, portuguese croquette, pastel portuguese, kibe). i really enjoyed the potato croquette. the pastel portuguese had a very interesting texture that didn't really sit well with me. everything else was aiiiiite.... and to tell you the truth... i don't know what a coxinha and kibe are.
i had the pork burger and i REALLY enjoyed it. it was so flavorful and juicy. you have a choice of yam fries or salad... i opted for salad cuz i don't really like yams. my wife had the fish sandwich and that was good also. i also got to try the chicken pot pie... that was really good as well (a little too small though).
when you try to locate the restaurant... don't look for a sign that says "wood spoon"... the sign is actually a wood spoon. definitely a must a try if you're in downtown.
A friend of mine mentioned this place when it first opened and I should have tried it since I work downtown but I think the one greatest obstacle for me was the parking situation. I remember my first attempt resulted in driving in circles looking for a parking spot and gave up I simply don't want to tack on $8.00 more to my lunch budget.
Yesterday, I finally ventured in with a group of friends from work. Between the 8 of us we sampled a good range of items from the menu including a few appetizers mentioned in the other reviews. I was really hoping for something unique on the menu but I suppose you have to appeal to the masses.
Overall this is a cute little restaurant. I'll go back when I have lot of time to spare and don't mind going through an obstacle. Which is probably not going to happen soon. Everyone had a good time and ate everything on their plates so that's all that matters, right?
SO good!
I had the chicken pot pie and it was SO good! My husband had the tilapia sandwich and he talked about it for days.
Did I mention it was SO good? :)
I went here with a group of 10 for a friend's goodbye party. The food was pretty good, nothing super special. Portions were small, and they brought out bowls of beans and farofa to share among our end of the table, which was the same size as some of the other tables' individual portions. I wasn't that happy about it because I love to sprinkle farofa on everything, and we ran out early. I must say that the passionfruit mousse was BOMB. I was happy and full, and then it all went wrong with the bill came. Here's the list of issues we faced:
1) They added up our bill incorrectly, and taxed that wrong amount so that our total was something like $15 too much.
2) They added 20% gratuity for having a large party, which was not mentioned on the menu nor by the waiter. Usually I see 18% as the magic number for large groups. And the service was just average.
3) There's a surcharge of $2 for every credit card above 2. The credit card processing software knows this is a common thing for groups to do, and there are all sorts of options to make this easier for the business. I've never seen this before either. Restaurants are always grateful for large groups and would never want to piss them off.
4) I got charged an extra $9 on my credit card statement, to which I just filed a complaint.
I just texted all my buddies from last night to watch our credit card statements. We'll see what goes down. Too bad because I was happy with the place until they found multiple ways to overcharge us. Too shady for me, next time I'll go to Bossa Nova and eat pao de queijo which Wood Spoon does not serve.
Patrick H. and I were celebrating our 4 year anniversary but we really didn't want to make a big deal out of it especially since we had just gone to Vegas the weekend before. We decided to do dinner and I chose the place.
Since he's Brazilian and I know how much he loves home cooked Brazilian food, I thought this would be a really nice treat for him and me as well since I've never really had home cooked Brazilian food. We drove down to the restaurant on a Thursday night. Parking is a little tricky in the downtown area but we were able to find a spot. The place is really small and only marked by a graphic of a wood spoon, since thats the name of the restaurant. We walked in and there were only a couple other tables there. The place is really cute, nothing fancy or modern. Just very simple but elegant. There was one server that night who apparently just got hired earlier that evening. They must have been short on staff or something. Nonetheless, he was actually a fantastic server and I would have never guessed it was his first night.
We ordered the Mix Plate to start. It comes with Coxinha, Potato Croquette, Portuguese Croquette, Pastel Portuguese, Kibe. It seems like a lot but it was only two pieces of each. For my entree I had the Chicken with Bacon from the Brazilian Grill. It came with rice, beans, plantains, collard greens, salsa and farofa. Everything was really good and really felt like a home cooked meal. No fancy presentation, just a plate with food on it. Patrick tasted the food and said it was really good. He stamped it with his approval. Patrick ordered the chefs famous Chicken Pot Pie. We both understood why it was so popular immediately after taking the first bite. And all the hype about her crust is real. It's delicious.
After our meal we wanted to say thank you to the chef/owner whose name is Natalia. She came out and Patrick thanked her in Portuguese. She wanted to get some fresh air so invited us to talk with her outside. We had a really nice conversation about where she's from in Brazil and about her restaurant. She is such a sweet woman and I really enjoyed her cooking. I will definitely be back.
Apparently, in some regions of the world, a wooden spoon is commonly given to the team or person that comes in last place in a competition. Kind of as a joke, I guess. Wood Spoon is neither a joke nor in last place. It is one of very few places in LA where you can get home-style Brazilian cooking that doesn't involve a huge fire spit and giant knives.
To start, I had the Mix Plate, which comes with Coxinhas, Potato Croquettes, Portuguese Croquette, Pastel Portuguese, and Kibe. All the appetizers were perfectly fried and delicious, but my favorites were the Coxinhas and the Portuguese Croquettes. Keep in mind that all of the appetizers are really pretty filling. Instead of water, the restaurant serves a refreshing cinnamon water. Some like it, others hate it. I liked it.
For mains, I tried the Brazilian Chicken Pot Pie and the Fish Sandwich. These seemed to be the most popular dishes, but I definitely prefer the chicken pot pie. The sandwich was nearly impossible to eat it without a fork and knife. Eating methodology aside, the grilled fish melted in my mouth, and might have been better as a dish without the bread than as a sandwich. The yam fries were amazing. So hot, so fresh, and so good. When the dishes first came out, I was disappointed with what appeared to be a small portion. The second I broke into the flaky crust (the crust itself is delicious beyond description, by the way), I was backhanded by a plume of sweet-smelling chicken mixed with olives corn, and hearts of palm.
Before I knew it, the dish was gone, and I was cradling my stomach from overeating. It all happened so fast.
GET: Coxinha, Portuguese Croquette, Yam Fries, Brazilian Chicken Pot Pie
Cute space but the food was mediocre. MEDIOCRE. I had high hopes so I was really disappointed. The filling in the chicken croquette appetizer was not that fresh and/or smelled like it was mixed with tuna (drowned out that flavor with the green dipping sauce which was yummy with just enough kick.) The brazilian grill came with a lone shishkabob stick of meat. For $14??? The seasoning was good but the meat was cooked a little too dry. Overall there could've been stronger flavors in the beans, rice, and greens. I also did not like the weird dry crumbly stuff served on the side. boo.
I go to the Fashion District a lot lately, and I didn't think I will find such a good restaurant Downtown, but, this is The One.
Me and my friend walked in into a Food Network special and had to sign releases to be in the show. ( Yes, I worked on a show for free:-)
We had lunch there today, and the food was AMAZING.
Really happy with my discovery.
The food here is TDF - to die for! Nice, cozy ambiance with awesome grilled food. Definitely a place worth trying!
I realize that it may be jumping the gun giving this place 5 stars, but I don't care. This place serves up THE BEST chicken pot pie. The mixture of heart of palms, olives, corn, and juicy shredded chicken creates a flavor burst unlike any pot pie I've ever had. Normally pot pies have a very heavy gravy and blocks of meat. At Wood Spoon the pie feels surprisingly light yet filling. Each bite is like a savory refreshing drink of water. Really amazing.
Served up with a delightful salad with a light vinegarette and some mint sprigs, this meal is a mountain of flavor. Add their pesto-like side sauce to the pot pie for a little spicy kick.
Restaurant was uncrowded until noon hit. Then filled up rather fast. Server was friendly and attentive, refilling out water jug often. The decor inside is minimalistic and quaint.
So many other food items sound great and you can bet I will be returning to try them all.
What can be said about Wood Spoon that hasn't been said before? Cute atmosphere. Quality ingredients. Food that is tasty and satisfying, and still feels healthy... awesome!
You don't feel like you're in a "restaurant" here; it's more like your coolest friend invited you over to her house for dinner... SCORE!
I had the fish sandwich, which was really yummers. The filet came on a long roll with a generous serving of fresh avocado. (God, how I love avocado. Avocado should be everywhere, don't ya agree?) Hubby enjoyed the mondo-sized pork burger! I'll have to come back and try the chicken pot pie next time, maybe when the weather is colder.
Oh, and the Brazilian coffee is good too, but I had absolutely no space left in my tummy for dessert... which was probably a good sign...
My one suggestion? Since the food does take quite a while to land on your table, maybe they could put out some hummus or something for people to munch on beforehand. Just to quell the stomach pangs while you're smelling all the great stuff being prepared in the happy kitchen...
Whatta a cute little place -- perfect if you want a casual meal, but are looking for something *different*.
Its location on the outskirts of the Fashion DIstrict is definitely different! The restaurant's a bright oasis among the neighborhood's general shadiness and seediness ((the evening I went, I parked in front of an undercover police car that quickly turned on its lights and sped away).
The menu's also a litle different -- although they offer pretty generic dishes (sandwiches and rice plates), it's all done with an inventive Braziliam twist. The fish sandwich was torta-like with a thin breaded tilapia fillet and lots of their signature creamy green sauce, and their chicken pot pie was a dense, gravyless orb of shredded chicken and veggies in a fluffy crust. Their yam fries are thick and sweet, and you can't go wrong with the rich, deep-fried goodies in the Mix Plate appetizer. All very hearty cuisine, but there are a few salads and fresh fruit juices if you're trying to go healthy. I loved the collard greens side -- cooked in lots of olive oil and garlic, and served hot but still snappy and bright green.
My fave part of the meal, though, was the little cup of custard that came at the end for dessert. It seemed to be a cross between a custard and a mousse, and was bursting with fresh, puckeringly tart fruit flavors (I think I detected mango and passionfruit).
Head's up -- if you go during peak hours, plan your schedule and feed your meter accordingly. Since everything's lovingly prepared by just the one chef/owner in the back and served by a lone waiter, it tends to take quite a while.
Cheers to Natalya, the bandana'd head chef of Wood Spoon! Natalya, hailing from Brazil runs a supposedly Brazilian restaurant. Honestly, it's less a Brazilian restaurant than it is a restaurant run by a Brazilian. What they're serving up here is soul food, and a nice meal at the Wooden Spoon is sure to be good for your soul. This girl knows how to cook and I think everything that she puts on the table has a little bit of her heart cooked in. With the exception of the yam fries, I have never left anything on my plate!
I thoroughly endorse the fish sandwich's candidacy... A hearty filet of lemon-y tillapia dressed with salad, pesto mayo, heirloom tomatoes and thick slivers of avocado. The bread, so perfectly toasted and warm, envelopes the sammy making it one of the healthiest soul foods I've ever eaten. The beet salad and the shrimp salad are both fresh and slightly savory. Coxhinas as apps and rice pudding for dessert, please!
Excellent food! Very Clean and Healthy Tasting. I had the famous chicken pot pie and it lived up to the hype.
My friend, Ronnie, had the beat salad and it looked delicious. I found my new lunch spot!
Wow, can't believe it took me so long, it was so good. I've been meaning to come for awhile now. I will soon be a regular.
I highly suggest getting a grill plate (pick your meat). It comes with all the fixings...Rice, Beans, Greens, Plaintains, yummy flour stuff (ha) and salsa. I actually shared a grill plate, an appetizer and a side and my date and I were full. $36 with tip. Not bad for two.
Nice staff, clean environment, quite romantic street.
Parking is hard to find but Wood Spoon itself is super cute. My bf had been yapping off about this place for weeks so we headed there for dinner a few weeks back. My bf is Brazilian so he's always on the lookout for authentic Brazilian cuisine. One of his favorite places is the Brazilian Churrascaria in The Farmer's Market at The Grove and Fogo De Chao. Having owned his own churrascaria, he really knows good food. I was super excited since I was eating with a professional so we went with an "open mind and an empty stomach."
The place is super cute and styled very simplistically. The waitress was super nice and helpful, suggesting their best sellers.
This is what we ordered:
- Mix-Plate: It's supposedly a popular street fried food stuffed with chicken that my bf used to live off of. Unfortunately, it was not that great. For me, I thought it just tasted like an ordinary chicken croquette, nothing special but not bad. But my bf had a lot more to say... according to him, this is not even close to the real thing in Brazil. The rest was decent, nothing memorable.
- Beet Salad: Perhaps it's one of the best things we ordered. Nothing entirely new or special, tastes like any other beet salad.
- Fish Brazilian grill (my order): I actually ordered the fish sandwich but my server got my order wrong and I was too hungry to complain so I went with it. The fish was delicious and the rice and beans were right on.
- Brazilian Sausage grill (bf): My bf is ALWAYS on the lookout for real, authentic brazilian sausage. From our vacation to Hawaii to restaurants in LA, he's always ordering the Brazilian sausage for comparison purposes. No bueno were the first words to come out of his mouth. This is not right -- sure the beans, rice, and collards greens were decent but this has nothing on real Brazilian food said he. Another thing was the plantains... everytime we eat Brazilian food he always makes the comment that plantains are not traditionally a part of Brazilian cuisine.
- "Brigadeiro" Chocolate Truffle: After our mediocre meal, my bf was insistent on getting dessert. Our server said this was their best trademark so we ordered it. According to the bf, this was not an authentic brigadeiro at all.. it was literally just a chocolate truffle. I tried explaining that the menu said it was a truffle but he was so unhappy with the fact that they tried to call it a brigadeiro. Not enough condensed milk perhaps? I'm not sure but hopefully it'll be better next time we're there.
Sometimes going off on the waitress's suggestion doesn't always work, but this time proved my skeptisism shouldn't always be present. I was able to try the Coxhinas,the beet salad and the lamb- who doesn't love lamb?
Coxhina's are to die for!! These little fried tear drop shaped puffs of goodness were the best appetizer.. made my appetite what more! Breaded and fried to a perfect consistency, flavorful chicken was waiting to be free'd from its fried pocket. Wish there was more than just four on a plate.
The beet salad was light healthy yet filling. The lime juice provided the perfect acidity for the avocados and beets, while the cilantro gave it that snappy bite. Olive oil made the flavors blend well, and the texture of creamy-succulent- crunchy was just right for the moment.
The lamb was accompanied by beans, and plantains..and something else? I forgot what its called. But it was good, the lamb was very succulent and the light sweetnes of the plantains go very well with a mouthful of meat.
I fancy that I will come back another time for a second helping. I want to try the chicken pot pie, since people have been saying its good. I'll have to see for myself.
btw...Cinnamon water: A plus.
The chef who is modest is awesome she talked to me felt like home with ikea attire love the simple but delicious water and i hate water!!!!! the chicken pot pie was beautiful and the fried assortments reminded me of my grandmas cooking absolutely loved it!!! would be willing to fly back to l.a for more lol
Sweet local spot - small and simple. Love the water bottles for the table, they serve a random-draw variety ... we've had the cinnamon sticks and once had rosemary sprigs, a very cute signature touch that's delish.
The grill plates are yummy, ridiculously large portions, and super cheap. Two people can get out of here full for 30 bucks, ridiculous. Recommend the grill plates - beef tenderloin or bacon-wrapped chicken are delicious - with collard greens, black beans, rice, plantains.
Service is delightful and the atmosphere is friendly and local. It gets packed when something is at the Orpheum around the corner but even then it's a great crowd.
The service here was fan-freakin'-tastic, as was the food. Great spot for the locals. I walk here so I really couldn't care less about the parking situation.
Yes, I know the infused water is such a novel idea, but at least it's different. Oh, and try the kibe. The mint makes it feel a lot lighter than ground beef should taste. Amazing...
On a never-ending quest to find good eats in somewhat close proximity to USC...I asked for a recommendation of a good lunch spot.
Here is where that recommendation took me. My bf and I arrived before people started strolling in for lunch..so it was quiet for about 20 minutes and then the room started to come to life with young, starving, hipster-esque people on their lunch breaks. We started off with some limeade, which was nice n' tangy, just a little sweet without being overwhelming. Then we ordered the coxhinas..little chicken dumplings that are, perhaps coincidentally, oddly shaped like chicken drumsticks. They remind me somewhat of arancini..italian rice balls usually filled with some kind of meat or leftover food product. A+
My main course was the pasilla chile..stuffed with cheese and topped with tomato sauce and rice on the side. Muito delicioso! My bf had this sandwich that is more like a burger and is served with yam fries. I didn't try the burger, its sheer size scared the hell out of me...I'm pretty sure it had the meat of an entire herd. Needless to say, it wasn't finished in one sitting, although the accompanying yam fries were with gusto!
This place really left me feeling happy. Nice ambience (simple, clean lines, high ceilings), polite service, and excellent homestyle full-of-love Brazilian food. Vamos!
Love everything about it - the awesome food, adorable & friendly staff, and the fact that I now have a great sit-down place DT for lunch that isn't asian food.
I'm a huge fan of the rainbow salad (beets, avos, red onions, cilantro, etc) and of the chicken pot pie.
Definitely make sure you have some time though if you're going to go here for lunch. It's not exactly quick in & out, but it's sooo worth it.
I'm so happy they opened!!
This is close to a 4 stars from a food perspective. I definitely want to go back and try their other stuff. I ordered the pork burger and it was really good, though you may want to request the buns to not be as burned. Btw - the pork patty reminded me of the "lion's head" dish in Taiwanese cooking though =P My favorite was the hearts of palms frittata. It was an appetizer, but it'll make a great brunch/lunch dish.
Couple of things that I didn't like: The service was a little slow (not horrible) and the tables were not wiped down properly and was still a little sticky when we sat down. The prices were very affordable, but the portions match what you pay, especially the "grill" dishes. Despite the negative though, this is definitely a nice little restaurant in downtown, and different from your usual fare.
I'm going out on a limb here and give this place 4 stars. I'm teetering between 3 and 4, but they have good potential and so I'm going to lean towards the latter.
Ambiance: Minimalist Design, small, cozy
Service: Hectic at best-- looks like they're still new and working through some logistics issues. An additional server would help immensely.
Food: Good.. the Cuxhina (sp?) appetizer had some really deep chicken flavor, good crispy, and the accompanying sauce gave it a nice creamy spiciness to it. The pot pie wasn't bad either, and my date's fish sandwich wasn't bad either. I'd definitely come back here to try some of their other dishes.
Drinks: I know they're working on their beer/wine license, so I hope that comes through. This was another huge point that kept me teetering on that 3/4 star swing. I'd imagine once that comes through, this would be an awesome place.
Final thought: It's relatively close to the Staples Center. if you cab down here; you can definitely take a nice summer stroll over to the staples center for your main event.. Not sure about walking through here when it gets completely dark though..
Yes the chicken pot pie is THAT good!
Love the food, and love the owner, Natalia.
Chicken pot pie--yum!
Fish Sandwich--yum!
Cocina--Yum!
Chicken Kabob--yum!
one of my local favorites!!!1
Went to this place for the first time last month & absolutely love it. Have been there twice now...
The place is owned/ran by Natalya, who is from Brazil. They serve a fusion of soul food and Brazilian food.
The ambiance:
Cute, simple, artsy, bright and light.
Good for groups?
The place is small, so if it's an intimate gathering with friends, then yes!
The food:
Delicious. I ordered the fish grill both times I visited. It's a tilapia and it has a lemon taste to it. My meal came with greens, rice, and beans. Beverage wise, I had the house water which was infused with cinnamon. I never had this to drink before but it was very refreshing. I've had the yam fries too which are some of the best you will find in LA. The food tastes like it was made with love! I know that sounds weird, but let me know what you think after you go visit!
For dessert, I had the chocolate truffles. So rich and just the right portion to share with someone.
From the food, to the service, and the staff (Grace is always our waitress who is super sweet!) I give it a thumbs up! Such a warm and inviting place with great energy.
Can't wait to go back.
From the recommendations of Nelson W, the socal eating adventure continues at Wood Spoon.
Bright walls. High ceiling. Artsy decor. Very unexpected place for its surrounding.
Food~
highly acclaimed chicken pot pie
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delicious indeed. very different from the traditional chicken pot pie we know. flaky crust. the filling doesn't ooze out. no sauce or liquid inside, which prevents the crust from getting soggy. chicken is shredded and very moist. served with a green salad and yogurt dressing.
pork burger with yam fries
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the pork is so thick that you'd think it'll be tough and dry. nope. so juicy, tender and flavorful. delicious! the yam fries were thick cuts, i prefer them thin. but still good.
brazilian chicken plate
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the chicken is grilled to perfection. nice slightly chard crust with a tender juicy center. but they only give you one long piece of chicken. boo! also, didn't care much for the shredded collard greens, plantain and rice.
WARNING: the portions were perfect for me, meaning it is probably small for other people. funny because when I saw the food, I thought it was a bit strange that Nelson W had raved about this place since he loves them big portions. haha. turned out he has never tried this place! lol.
Also the food took really really long to come out.
Normally I would take a star away...but I forgive them =P
I had the Lamb Brazilian grill and the Pastel Portuguese (dumpling stuffed with shrimp, coconut sauce).
The lamb was tenderized and flavorful, it went well with the collard greens, rice/beans and sweet plantains. The food is effortless and felt as though it was home cooked. My overall experience was good and I was pleasantly surprised by this place.
This was a great place to grab a delicious home-cooked style meal.
-rainbow salad
-chicken pot pie
-mango/orange fresh squeezed juice
Everything tasted great and the waiter was extremely attentive and always had a ready smile.
Best part of the food here is that you can definitely tell that the food was made with love and attention. A variety of herbs and components make each dish I tried wonderfully flavorful.
*golf clap*
It's a really cute eatery at my friend's neighborhood. They serve contemporary healthy Brazilian food.
We had ordered pork burger, chicken pot pie, and grilled chicken plate. The pork burger meat was very juicy and flavorful which compliment well with the roast cabbage and potato bun. It was served with hand cut yam fries. The chicken pot pie was surely a satisfying option if you are craving for comfort food. I like the mix of heart of palm, olive, corn , amd shredded chicken meat. It's satisfying but not heavy. However, I was a bit disappointed with the grill chicken plate. The chicken meat on skewer was totally white with no sign of grilling.... the plate is just so-so.
Overall, it's a great neighborhood eatery. I will definitely come back to try their small plates. I really love the way they serve water - in a glass carafe with huge lime peel in it. It's a very nice touch.
Dropped by Wednesday night as part of our new restaurant night
Started with the sampler appetizer thing, each of which was really tasty. For dinner had the Beef plate, which comes with plantains, rice, and beans. The beef was not quite evenly tender, which was a little disappointing, but still tasted great over all. My friends had the Chicken wrapped in Bacon, which was awesome and the Chicken pot pie. We also went for the coconut flan for dessert which was just the right amount of sweetness and coconut.. yummy! (and I don't even really like coconut) Overall some good eating to be had here, will definitely be back!
Wood Spoon is yummy. When I worked in downtown, I usually bought my lunch elsewhere since their stuff are pretty $$$ for lunch meals. But once in awhile I indulged myself in Wood Spoon.
Everything I've tried was really yummy (portuguese croquette, yucca fries, pork burger, and feijoada). Their coconut drink looks very refreshing even though I didn't try one. And if you want to spend $3 on guarana go ahead. It's my 2nd favorite soda (but I'd rather spend $6 on 6 cans instead of $3 on 1 so I skip the guarana here).
The food is made to order and the lady (who I believe is the owner) doesn't rush, so if you have a short lunch, I recommend calling in. A great place to have a long lunch conversing with pals.
Superb. This makes it as one of the top 3 places to eat in downtown Los Angeles. If my comparision is based on prices alone this place is 2nd - 1st place is Philippe the Original. But because this sandwich has more veggies and includes a side of salad or yam fries, it is unfair to put it against a single meat filled sandwich with a la carte sides. This is #1 pick if you factor in the price and atmosphere.
I worked around here so I have eaten at many places, a lot of horrible places.
The flavor profiles are tasty and the way she cooks protein is not greasy but also not dry.
Fish sandwich is hands down the best fish sandwich I have ever had that is not cooked in butter or fried. They cook it with light olive oil but the fish is buttery and melts in your mouth. The cilantro sauce is tasty and has a kick. The french roll is warm and buttery also. The sandwich comes with avocado and tomato. I have to pause to say "YUM".
The side salad comes with house dressing that is so freshing and tasty.
$11 for fish is a deal. Of course the pot pie is excellent. It is a toss up for me between the pot pie and the fish sandwich (not to be mistaken with fish grill).
They also have fresh squeeze juices but the strawberry limeaide is my favorite, it is refreshing-sweet then it transitions to sour at the end. Completely awesome experience.
Cabreza sausage, beet salad, stead sandwich and of course the pot pie is excellent. I didn't fancy the grilled chicken- probably because the other listed here are so amazying.
I eat here about twice a week.
Highly recommended and the best place to eat in downtown Los Angeles. I go every Monday at lunch. See you there.
This place deserves the high marks it gets. The owner / chef is super nice and very eager to make recommendations and suggestions. Seems like the place is really her baby, which is very endearing.
I went a couple weeks ago and had the steak sandwich, which was very good, the beet salad was excellent, and I couldn't stop eating the yam fries. Ice water with an orange peel is a nice touch. Prices are reasonable, and the flavors / ingredients are top notch. The space is nice - it's a little echo-y with high ceilings and hard surfaces but it's very spare and modern and looks great.
Wood Spoon does have some issues. It doesn't have a liquor license - a big minus for a dinner place, and it's located in the garment district (NO PARKING!!!) which is a serious hassle for a lunch spot. On top of that, the restaurant is understaffed. A total of two people work the front room (one of whom is the overworked proprietor), which is just not enough.
That said, the shortcomings are annoyances, not deal breakers. If they got a liquor license and hired another waiter I'd bump this rating to 5 stars.
Finding a place to eat in Downtown LA, especially late at night is not an easy thing to do. I'm a picky eater and I wasn't going to settle for a fast food or a Mex joint. Don't get me wrong! I love Mexican food but I was just craving for something healthy.
Enter Wood Spoon. I had the Chicken sandwich while my friends ate the Steakhouse sandwich. All their sandwiches are accompanied with yam fries which I must say is really good! I couldn't help but look at what other people are having as I was enjoying my food. There was one food item that caught my eye and made me wished I had ordered the chicken pot pie instead.
I enjoyed Wood Spoon's minimalist yet artsy atmosphere. The staff were very polite and as hospitable as can be. I'm not sure what an authentic Brazilian cuisine/place is supposed to be like but Wood Spoon definitely made a lasting impression on me.
If you're ever in the area, be sure to give this place a try! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
PS. Hopefully there is a place similar to Wood Spoon in San Diego. Loved the hot brewed Yerba Mate tea and cinnamon-flavored water!
this place was really fun to try. there were so many recommendations from yelpers i didn't know what to order first. A girlfriend and I decided to split the chicken pot pie and the avocado beet salad. both were excellent!
the boys in our group got the meats and they LOVED it. I think the sausage got the hightest marks.
the owner came by to say hello and chat. She seemed very nice.
food and decor get high thumbs up; parking was sorta challenging, but i found a $4/hr meter a block away.. yes, you read that correctly. there is a meter downtown that charges $4 an hour. haha! thank goodness i had this little film container with quarters. happy eating!
You earn soul points just for walking in the DOOR of Wood Spoon, bra. If you want serious home-cooked Brazilian love on a plate, you have arrived at your destination.
I can't stop raving about this place. Little touches like cinnamon in the ice water (because that's how Nat's mom used to get her to drink water when she was young) or the fact that you can order a coconut water which comes in a coconut that Nat has to bash open with a machete. There is no other place like this anywhere in Los Angeles.
The chicken pot pie is something you wouldn't expect to sit down and want to order off a menu this diverse -- but it's something everyone should try at least once. I had never even had pot pie before this and now I don't think I'll ever eat it anywhere else. Try it for yourself, you'll see why. ;D
If you're gonna order the pork burger, bring a friend or two. Trust me.
Best appetizer on the list? Simple and savory -- get some black beans and white rice. Damn, I didn't know beans could taste so good. And don't you DARE miss out on the plantains!
And if all that isn't enough to get you in the front door..? Yep, they got Guarana. Color me SOLD.
I'm always excited about new downtown eateries because they are helping to bring the life back into what was once a near desolate area. I finally caught this place when they were open (they have some strange hours), and was kind of let down.
The decor is clean, simple and bare, but that also creates a noisy experience with voices bouncing off the walls and high ceiling. The wait staff seemed a bit swamped but got to us quickly. Although I am fighting against reviewing the water, because it's just WATER, I'm still going to comment. We got our carafe of water that was nicely flavored by the orange rind in it - I love how people find this to be the most novel thing ever (second to the cinnamon water, right?). I opted for the coconut water which tasted like it had been sitting in the fridge for a few hours, but hey, it's not like the waiter could have climbed a tree outside and whipped out his machete, right? My fish sandwich was ok, while my friend's chicken pot pie presented much more flavor. However, I did enjoy my yam fries.
Sure the place is cute, but the food didn't wow me. Perhaps it's a hit or miss, like some of the other reviews have said - but I still think there are better options out there for true Brazilian cuisine. I prob won't go out of my way to go back soon.....but I might be willing to give it another try if I'm outvoted by my friends....hah!
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Caribbean
Monterey Park, CA
Category: Florists
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Delis
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Latin American
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