Silverlake restaurants

Ethnic Fusion’s Best New Friend: Causita

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Ricardo Zarate’s Causita Restaurant in Silverlake, translates into “little friend,” perfect for the congenial Ricardo. Chef Ricardo serves his beloved Nikkei Peruvian food, refined Japanese-influenced Peruvian dishes.  Culminating a decade-old career in Los Angeles, breathtaking Causita does the neighborhood proud.

Nikkei Peruvian causitas, at Causita, Silverlake


The parade of splendid dishes, as tasty as they are picture-perfect, on the inviting patio combine the best of Peru’s ridiculous abundance of potatoes and seafood: Octopus – with goat cheese-chorizo mousse, gotija olive aioli, ceviche aioli, and peewee potatoes; Ceviche with leche de tigre (Peruvian ceviche sauce), sweet potato and fried calamari; Roasted artichokes with avocado with a spark of radish and popped quinoa; Little Gem Caesar salad – creamy dressing, Parmesan, lightly cured anchovies and popped quinoa.

The back, organic patio alone is worth a destination drive visit. Organic, serene, historic, timeless at Causita, Silverlake

Larger plates includes Soba noodles with asparagus, mixed with Peruvian mint and fresh herbs, garlic, popped quinoa and plum soy dressing with aji (Peruvian chiles); Roasted chicken with almond sun-dried tomato pesto, roasted bell peppers and Parmesan; Spicy seabass tamal – with mushroom-coffee jus, masa made from Peruvian choclo corn, and aioli made with Peruvian chiles

And for house-made desserts, welcome even after the satisfying parade of light, satisfying dishes: Churro donuts filled with soft caramel, served with raspberry sauce and Matcha (green tea) cake accompanied by passion fruit ice cream.

We met talented Causiota owner-chef Ricardo Zarate, owner- chef through dynamic Andrea Rademan. He recently held this heavenly celebration of life for her at Causita, Silverlake.

Hokkaido scallops bites sit on yellow potato beds atop curved slices of cooling cucumber. These are very special Mini causas, a traditional Peruvian potato dish. There are over 400 kinds of potatoes in Peru! Each has a different topping: crab with wasabi and tobiko, sun dried tomato, tuna and scallop

Mini causa Hokkaido scallops at Causita, Silverlake
Artichoke hearts grilled with a light touch, with avocado mousse, popped quinoa, glorious radish at Causita, Silverlake.
Soba noodles and asparagus, Peruvian green mint at Causita in Silverlake

Crispy wisps of calamari topped a bowl of mixed ceviche. The Little Gem Caesar features classic crispy romaine lettuce with popped quinoa and lightly cured anchovies, ever so lightly coated with a creamy dressing.

The Little Gem Caesar features with popped quinoa and anchovies at Causita

Sea bass steamed in a banana leaf, sharing its bed with soft corn masa, seasoned with mushroom jus with coffee.

Sea bass steamed in a banana leaf with soft corn masa at Causita, Silverlake

Roasted chicken with Almond pesto, roasted peppers and Parmesan, crispy on the outside and tender inside.

Roasted chicken with Almond pesto, roasted peppers and Parmesan at Causita

Pretty as a picture Tapas with olive aioli, a garland of octopus ceviche the famous Peruvian potatoes, along with feta cheese and chorizo mousse.

Octopus ceviche with olive aioli and famed Peruvian potatoes at Causita, Silverlake,


Dessert at Causita, Silverlake is remarkably welcome even after the glorious procession of casitas because they are so satisfying yet so light. The first is an elevated street food and the second the second a representative tea cake flavored with matcha tea.

Mini churro balls filled with caramel, on a raspberry couli at Causita
Matcha cake with passion fruit cream and berries at Causita, Silverlake

Two of Andrea’s “finds” she championed to stardom are Chefs Kimmy Tang & Ricardo Zarate. Vietnamese Kimmy has been chef-owner of a number of fast-food noodle concepts and a fine dining restaurant. Ricardo has opened restaurants across the city. Both are cookbook authors and both are as kind as they are talented.

See our LocalFoodEater.com chef spotlights on each of them.

Andrea’s “finds” she championed to stardom: Chefs Kimmy Tang & Ricardo Zarate

Causita, 3709 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, (323) 546-0505. Open 5PM · Monday – Saturday, More hours and menu: Menu: causita-la.com

A friendly face always greets you at the door at Causita, Silverlake


Casita del Campo Turns the Tables on Covid with 58th Birthday Breakfast Burrito, Outdoor Dining

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The family feeling, artwork and leafy canopy still spirit  Casita del Campo after 58 years, along with an evolving menu and restrooms.

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Casita Del Campo may be celebrating their 58th birthday this month but the team at the historic “to-go” eatery, headed by family member Robert Del Campo,  is also constantly working to keep dine-in and take-out options. These days “dine-in” mostly refers to the private, spacious open patio tucked away off busy Hyperion in the back.

Casita del Campo’s sunny backyard lot has been transformed into a beautiful dining area

Right this way to the patio and pick up at Casita del Campo!

Casita del Campo’s “dine-in” mostly refers to the private, spacious open patio out back

The genuinely friendly, professional service is the same outdoors as always was inside  Casita del Campo after 58 years

Knowing that Angelenos love a good burrito, especially a hearty breakfast burrito, the restaurant team decided to create the Silverlake Breakfast Burrito, Casita Del Campo’s take on a popular item with a little added “fuego”or heat.

The Silverlake Breakfast Burrito is prepared with Huevos a la Mexicana, scrambled eggs with tomato, cilantro and onion, Chorizo, Potatoes, Refried Beans and Avocado, served in a large Flour Tortilla with a side of the tangy and fiery homemade Habanero Sauce.  The Silverlake Breakfast Burrito will be added to the regular menu offered all day every day.  It is also designed as a special addition to the popular mainstays.

For the restaurant’s classics, in fact, the original recipes and cooking practices have stayed the same since the day the restaurant opened close to 60 years ago. Every morning, fresh vegetables are chopped for the tasty salsa, the guacamole and chips all made fresh daily as evident in the enormous amount of food carried out from the kitchen. The new vegan menu items such as the vegan tacos and fajitas, already popular with customers, reflect the current health-conscious times and neighborhood’s gentrification.

The classics stay on the menu at Casita del Campo along with new vegetarian and breakfast options

For owner and founding family member, Robert Del Campo, is no stranger to rapid changes, having grown up in the restaurant industry, creating a beautiful outdoor patio in the large parking lot was a natural progression when distancing became a necessity.  Surrounded by plants, trees, the famous Casita fountain, and Gina Del Campo’s incredible mosaic tables, the “vibe” transports diners to a time past right in the wonderful neighborhood with Griffith Park and the Silverlake Reservoir not far away that is reason enough for Casita del Campo to be called a “Silverlake Oasis.”

It naturally follows that Rudy Martin Del Campo, a dancer from West Side Story, opened sunny, welcoming  Casita Del Campo as a gathering place for his industry friends.  The unique venue that used to be a house would continue to feel like a home to him many years later. Although Rudy passed away several years ago, his legacy has lived on in the West Side Story pictures throughout the restaurant and  the original art pieces.  This gem has also been maintained through his family’s love for the continuously growing loyal customers.

This Silverlake neighborhood landmark has always been the ideal location for Casita Del Campo.  This was true when the sleepy, artistic area housed Disney staffers and when it became the culturally diverse bohemian equivalent of Greenwich Village in New York and Hyde Park in Chicago.  Locals, such as six of us neighbors, frequented the place at least one weekly.  It was one of our favorite Newsweek magazine hangouts, and I remember even to this day trying to nonchalantly “walk” to the door after two margaritas!

Neighborhood and destination dining favorite, Casita del Campo, has been the place to celebrate a meal or a birthday of many years for 58 years

Casita Del Campo restaurant hours for dining, delivery and takeout: Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255. 

Keeping up with the times after 58 years at Casita del Campo in Silverlake

Casita Del Campo is partnered with Postmates, Grubhub, and Caviar for delivery or can be picked up directly by calling the restaurant at 323-662-4255.

 

 Silverlake Treasure Casita Del Campo Celebrates 57 Years

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(Gerry Furth-Sides, all photos except of this author courtesy of Casita del Campo) Casita Del Campo celebrates 57 years in the same location this month.  The restaurant will begin Anniversary celebrations on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019 with music, specials and a few surprises.  

Cheers with the margaritas, always a highlight on Gina Martin del Campo’s stained glass table.

There is good reason for the cheer.  The original recipes and cooking practices have stayed the same since the day the restaurant opened 57 years ago. Every morning, fresh vegetables are chopped for the tasty salsa, the guacamole and chips all made fresh daily as evident in the enormous amount of food carried out from the kitchen. The new vegan menu items such as the tacos and fajitas, already popular with customers, reflect the current health-conscious times and neighborhood’s gentrification.

The menu remains the same at Casita del Campo with new vegetarian options available

This Silverlake neighborhood has always been the ideal location for Casita Del Campo.  it was true when the sleepy, artistic area housed Disney staffers and when it became the culturally diverse bohemian equivalent of Greenwich Village in New York and Hyde Park in Chicago.  Locals, such as six of us neighbors, frequented the place at least one weekly.  It was one of our favorite Newsweek magazine hangouts, and I remember even to this day trying to nonchalantly “walk” to the door after two margaritas!

Me at my Casita del Campo birthday party – after one margarita.  “One was not enough and two were one too many!”

It naturally follows that Rudy Martin Del Campo, a dancer from West Side Story, opened sunny, welcoming  Casita Del Campo as a gathering place for his industry friends.  The unique venue that used to be a house would continue to feel like a home to him many years later. Although Rudy passed away several years ago, his legacy has lived on in the West Side Story pictures throughout the restaurant and  the original art pieces.  This gem has also been maintained through his family’s love for the continuously growing loyal customers.

Rudy Martin Del Campo

Rudy and Nina’s son, Robert Martin Del Campo, is the current proud owner and can be seen strolling through the restaurant on a daily basis, welcoming the customers and making sure everything is on point. As Robert puts it “this place was made with love and that is the most important ingredient of how it still runs to this day.” His creative passion for the arts is evident in all the pieces you see in each room and his wife, Gina Martin Del Campo, an artist who studied at UCLA is the incredible mastermind behind all the stained-glass patio tables that are unique and stunning.

Some of the frequent customers even refer to the tables they want to sit at as the name of the picture she recreated on them, including Frida Kahlo, well known Diego Rivera paintings and portraits from the famed Mexican bingo game, Loteria. These creations bring life to the outdoor patios that are perfect for an afternoon cocktail and of course have become popular for that Instagram photo.  The sound system, new art pieces and menu improvements may be new but the staff and the vibe has truly remained the same as the day it opened.

Not just a restaurant to come and eat; this is a second home for some or a “first home” as late owner Nina Martin Del Campo would tell anyone, a family gathering venue, a welcoming and artistic melting pot hosting a theatre downstairs and an oasis that transports guests to the more leisurely lifestyle of Mexico.

According to a family member, the fitting motto at Casita Del Campo that is probably said more than a few times a day, “VIVA LA VIDA” connotes a well lived life, celebrating life and loving life. The Del Campo family would like to continue to sustain this “landmark” for “100 more years” and keep it in their family forever to continue to serve this loving community and family they have created here in Silverlake.

Casita Del Campo is open every Monday through Thursday from 11am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 12am.  Sunday hours are 11am to 11pm. A special lunch menu is offered in the afternoon on weekdays, and a week-end brunch menu that includes a cocktail.  Rooms are available for parties and celebrations. For more information please visit www.CasitaDelCampo.net or call 323.662.4255. The address is 1920 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

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