Category:
Gastropubs
Neighborhood: Playa Del Rey
Categories:
Japanese,
Sushi Bars
Categories:
Thai,
Asian Fusion
Category:
Mexican
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category:
Automotive
Neighborhood: Sherman Oaks
Category:
American (New)
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Category:
Peruvian
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category:
Specialty Food
Neighborhoods: Toluca Lake, Burbank
"Here in Van Nuys"
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Review votes:
471 Useful, 219 Funny, and 302 Cool
Van Nuys, CA
Yelping SinceJuly 2006
Things I LoveDiptyque, New York, San Francisco
Find Me InKyoto
My HometownChicago, IL
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I am photographing.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI eat almost everyday, and write seven days a week.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadLincoln and Whitman: Parallel Lives in Washington.
My First ConcertHarry Chapin
My Favorite MovieRear Window
My Last Meal On EarthGrilled rib eye.
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I am scared of whitestrips.
Most Recent DiscoveryCharlie Parker
We parked across the street, not seeing any parking lot, and we dashed across the traffic and entered a very small, very dark, very symmetrical space. The Tripel has two large communal tables with stools, and maybe one or two small tables, and a long bar with the requisite gourmet list of craft ales, wines and various spirits.
Walls are made of rough, vertical lumber boards with sawed out typefaces and words one will never read after a few beers.
Surprisingly, they had a Sunday brunch type menu filled with great sounding dishes.
Only the day before, I had picked up a Sunset Magazine in the check out line and salivated at the sight of a poached egg with kale on a mound of pearl barley. And The Tripel had a dish very similar called Sweet Carrot Farro with kale, chicken sausage, poached egg and truffle pecorino. We ordered it, along with "Duck" Hash: potatoes, duck confit, fried egg, pancetta and vinegar cooked greens. The real treat, however, were the nine square poppy seed scones with a side of clotted cream and honey.
I ordered a golden, Belgian style, Victory Golden Monkey Tripel on the suggestion of the not-too-energetic bartender who drably brought it. However, it was very good and it went well with the hearty dishes.
At our table were also seated three young guys, presumably straight, but nonetheless picky and choosy.... and when they ordered, they each asked for various dietary items: vegetarian, gluten, sugar. The waiter complied and then when the dishes came....nothing looked healthy but everything looked delicious... there were big juicy burgers and piles of Banana Bread French Toast smothered and dripping with maple syrup and bourbon cream.
It's a good thing that LA is finally getting the type of places that one would find in the walkable West Village of New York or up in pedestrian oriented San Francisco; little establishments with unique and well prepared dishes and a feeling of neighborhood. To complain about parking is to invite the kind of restaurant that we know all too well...the chain monster dropped into the mall or mall parking lot somewhere in Cerritos or Woodland Hills.
Tripel has poor parking -and great food- and that makes me hopeful for the future of living and dining in Los Angeles.