This cute little burger place opened up in Sunset Park last year.
It’s diagonally across from Bob’s Market.
One day Maddie and I rode over there on my bike after school so she could get a bite.
We sat at a surfboard and M played with the vintage Mr. Potato Head.
We love the polynesian decor and shellacked surfboard tables!
Comfortable!
You order here at the counter.
Ask this young lady about the specials.
Oh wow!
It just occurred to me that you might be wondering what kind of burgers/food are served? Great question! It’s a Polynesian themed burger shack.
Check out the menu!
I tried the Hana slaw which was delicious!
M had a plain grass-fed burger with ketchup & pickles only. She will always eschew toppings in favor of letting the ingredients stand on their own. (I.e. she’s increasingly picky.)
She loved it!
Besides burgers, they have Portabella mushroom, veggie (rice, black bean & corn), salmon, chicken & turkey burgers. I am mostly vegetarian these days and will definitely try the veggie burger next time.
The friendliness of the women who run Shaka Shack makes you want to stay there all day. This is what I love about small neighborhood businesses and what separates them from chain restaurants.
Also, they have these:
Definitely check Shaka Shack out next time you’re in the area! You can also run across the street to check out Baby Daze Boutique. Lookit what I just found there last week?
Shaka Shack
1701 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310)450-5551
M 11:30a-6p
T-Sa 11:30a-8p
Sun CLOSED
When I had a job I used to take my clothes to the dry cleaners once in a while. One day this eco friendly place popped up in the Sunset Park area of Santa Monica. Now they’re MOBILE!!
The owners are local people – they live a few blocks from us and we’ve known them for years. You just call them up, once they have your payment info. it’s all automatic. Last week I left a few sweaters in a bag on my back gate & they picked them up. I just stuck a note inside saying when I’d need them and BOOM they were back on my gate on the required day!
No more toting your stuff over to the dry cleaners. Love using local businesses and when they are eco-friendly it’s even better!
ECO COASTAL Cleaners
(310)450-7878
Free Home or Office Pickup & Delivery
Featuring:
Non Toxic chemical free process
Eco Friendly Dry Cleaning Since 2000
Reusable “ECO” Garment Bags
Reduce Reuse Recycling program
Home/Office Pick Up and Delivery
UGG Boot Cleaning
**UPDATE: Z Garden does indeed have high chairs!**
This place opened up a year or so ago across Pico from Virginia Park. When I saw the sign, “Healthy Mediterranean Food” I thought, “Yeah, RIGHT!” b/c that building had housed cheap & UNhealthy Mexican food before that. Some buildings seem to doom whichever restaurants inhabit them.
G took the girls there last July when I was out of town. He claimed it good. I thought, “Yeah RIGHT!” since G doesn’t have taste buds.
Finally I tried it out last week after a Clover Park day with my friend and her kids. SO good! I forgot to take pix so I went back again last weekend.
G ordered extra pita & humus.
Extra humus & pita
I got the falafel pita sandwich.
Hey, that was MY salad!!
G & the girls shared the salmon entree.
Doesn’t that look yummy?
Click HERE for the menu if you’re interested.
There is indoor & outdoor seating. I don’t think they have high chairs but maybe they’d get them if you asked?? The owner is super friendly!
Z Garden
2350 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
http://www.zgarden.net
How much do you like this guy?
Photo from Wikipedia.
If you don’t know who he is, chances are you don’t like OR dislike him. So why keep filling his coffers this month? He’s Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com. His net worth is $23.3 billion. Dang, he doesn’t need any more of MY money!
This year I’m trying to shop local(ly) as much as possible. Lucky for us UNIQUE LA is this weekend!
WHAT: Unique LA
WHO: L.A. Artists & Designers selling their wares
WHEN: Sat. & Sun. Dec. 1 & 2 :: 11AM-6PM
WHERE: The California Market Center’s Penthouse
COST: $10 for admission, children 12 and under are free!
Click here for directions & parking.
Kelley Hart is one of the vendors who’ll be there. I met her a few weeks ago at the Palisades High Holiday Boutique. She has the cutest handmade children & women’s clothing. If you live in Santa Monica, the style is akin to the clothes you see at Jackapotamus on Main Street. (For those of you clicking the link, the Etsy store currently has only t-shirts while the brick & mortar store has LOADS of other items – many handmade.)
Here is a pic she just posted of some of the adorable skirts (made from vintage tablecloths) that she’ll be selling:
Photo from Kelley Hart's Facebook page.
Besides the skirts, she has amazingly creative kids’ outfits, hand knit hats, and matching mama/daughter outfits. The quality & craftsmanship is impeccable!
This is my first time attending & I’m so excited. Hope to see you there!
**UPDATE: Native Foods no longer has this happy hour! Very sad as we looked forward to it every Friday. Maybe it will come back periodically?**
Last night I took the girls to Happy Hour at Native Foods. It opened about a month ago on Ocean Park Boulevard between 29th & 30th. We used to go to the one in Culver City once in a while. Like twice a year. Since it opened here a month ago, G’s been once and I’ve already been twice (two Fridays in a row!)
This time I took the kids solo. We parked our massive stroller outside, walked in & ordered at the counter. All the starters & sides are 50% off during Happy Hour. We ordered accordingly:
Saigon Roll. A really tasty wholesome wrap accompanied by a spicy/sweet dip. YUM! I love these.
Bowl of Black Bean Soup. I could take or leave the soup. I make a fair amount of soup myself in the wintertime and found this one to be just so-so. It had some croutons in there that immediately turned to mush. Plus, the flavor was very one-dimensional. Can you tell I’ve just watched “Around the World in 80 Plates?”
Seasoned fries. (I recommend the sweet potato fries but my kids don’t like them. Bea liked the seasoned fries.)
Sweet Potato Fries (Photo taken last visit…)
Native Chicken Wings with Ranch. (I got these instead of the kids’ chicken nuggets b/c I knew my kids wouldn’t eat the rice and they didn’t need the lemonade.)*
Mini Greens Salad. This is an excellent, pretty little salad that is piled precariously high in an adorable little bowl. I dumped mine out on the large plate so I could toss it in the dressing better. This is no lame-o salad you typically get for $5.00. (Keep in mind – you get it for $2.50 during Happy Hour!)
I also got a glass of chardonnay for 50% off. Nice!
NOTE: I do NOT recommend the kids’ Macaroni & Cheese. It’s in a milky/watery sauce. Last time I was there, neither of my kids liked it and they were really hungry.
I took the pix LAST Friday when we went with our friend Elsie. Last night I was the only ahem…adult there and I had NO free hands to take pix!
My bill came out to $16 and change. Of course I had to leave a big tip for the greasy booth we left behind but still a great deal! We were all stuffed full of mostly healthy fare (‘cept for the fries) + a nice glass of wine. Not bad.
NOTES:
- Although there is patio seating, wine & beer are currently only allowed inside.
- Be sure to get a Native Foods frequent diner card. I have been twice and already got a free non alc drink.
Btw: G is a meat-a-tarian and he likes it!
Native Foods
2901 Ocean Park Blvd.
(310)450-3666
Park behind (off of 29th Street), at a meter on Ocean Park OR take the #8 Blue bus which goes from Westwood to Main Street (and not sure where it goes from there). I highly recommend the bus so you can have a couple of glasses of wine!
NATIVE FOODS
Happy Hour:
Fridays
3-6PM
50% off all appetizers, beer & wine.
Let me know how you like it!
*Incidentally – they also have Native Foods in Boulder and at several locations in Chicago! Check their site for more.
