New Tuna in Town
What to cook. Where to eat. What to know. 🐟
I may be biased being that I am a self proclaimed tuna salad aficionado, but real talk: is tuna salad not having a major moment?!
Now, I’m very particular about my tuna salad. Apparently I grew up in a East Coast tuna bubble where the best tuna salad was found at your local bagel shop and was a mixture of mayo and finely diced pieces of carrots and celery. Then I moved to LA to find tuna salad with relish. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? Nate ‘n Al’s…Apple Pan…you good? If you’re going to fuck around with tuna, promise me this. Don’t make it sweet. Don’t put raisins or apple in it. Keep is savory, salty, tangy.
I ATE WITH KATE
There’s been some tuna BANGERS that have hit the market and I’d like to call attention to them. Yes…I know what you’re thinking…how could this be a tuna salad highlight reel without a BIG shout to GGIATA’s The Burr!
GGIATA
An East Coast Inspired Italian Deli in LA, GGIATA’s top selling tuna sandwich, The Burr, is a collaboration between me (hi!) and the founders, Noah/Max/Jack. It’s a perfectly balanced tuna salad mixture of capers (aka KATEBURRS), red onion, pickles, fresh dill, lemon, mayo, and pepperoncini layered alongside shredded lettuce and heirloom tomatoes on a charred ciabatta.
RADIO BAKERY
Radio Bakery is newer to the NY bakery scene. Birthed in Greenpoint from the team behind Rolo’s and led by baker extraordinaire, Kelly Mencin, this baked good destination is known for its savory just as much as its sweet. What you really need to try are their assortment of sandwiches, specifically this tuna one made with lemon zest, capers, and Kewpie mayo.
JEMMA PIZZERIA
The newest outpost from LA-based Chef Jackson Kalb and his collection of restaurants is Jemma Pizzeria in the Pacific Palisades. Kalb’s sandwiches use the popular Italian flatbread, schiacciata bread, made popular by places like Italy’s All’Antico Vinaio. Sandwiched in between the layers of schiacciata is the tuna salad accompanied by avocado, olive oil aioli, celery, iceberg, pickles, and havarti.
BREADS BARKERY
Tucked away in the back of one of my favorite Israeli bakeries, Breads Bakery in New York’s Union Square, is a little cafe area home to pastries, prepared salads + sandwiches, and coffee. There, you can find their all mighty Tunisian Sandwich. This is less of a tuna salad, and more of a chunky tuna mixture. They use the best Italian tuna, hard boiled eggs, potatoes, kalamata olives, tomatoes and spicy harissa on focaccia. It gives Nicoise salad energy between bread. Plus, there’s bonus points for being able to grab a rugelach or two on your way out.
LORENZO CALIFORNIA
Beverly Hill’s buzzy Italian sandwich shop, Lorenzo, has been making waves in the world of tuna salad sandwiches. The very large Florentine-style focaccia creations (bread courtesy of Bianca Bakery) are packed with quality ingredients and are, in my opinion, meant to be shared. It’s easy to get swept away by the cured meats and cheeses, but let’s level set here. The real sleeper hit of the menu is the Tonno: tuna, celery, red onions, dill, parsley, arugula, and homemade pickle giardiniera.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Leora Cafe | Beverly Hills, CA
Tuna Sandwich: leora’s tuna salad, tomato, pickled onion, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, avocado on multigrain bread
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills | Beverly Hills, CA
Bocadillo De Atún: olive oil poached tuna, manchego, olive, cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled peppers, dijon mustard aioli
Oui Melrose | West Hollywood, LA
Imported Italian Tuna Sub: imported Italian tuna, gruyere cheese, dill pickles, tomato, lettuce, onion, house baked sesame bun.
Wax Paper | Frogtown, LA
Kai Ryssdal: American Tuna salad, marinated celery, shredded lettuce, green onion vinaigrette, black olive aioli, on a France sesame roll (pictured below)
Librae Bakery | New York, NY
Herb Tuna: olive oil tuna, herbs, mayo, sumac onions on house sourdough
KULINARY KHRONICLES
CONCA DEL SOGNO COMES TO LA
In the heart of Nerano on Italy’s Amalfi Coast is popular beach club + restaurant, Conca del Sogno. While they’re closed for the Winter months, they’re bringing their beloved sea-to-table cuisine to the heart of Los Angeles. The month-long residency at Norah West Hollywood features a menu of familiar favorites including
Polpette di Melanzane: eggplant meatballs with tomato, basil, parmesan
Branzino al Sale: a whole branzino baked in salt, carved in the kitchen, then delivered tableside
Linguine alle Vongole
The popular Sgroppino cocktail
My favorite: Spaghetti alla Nerano: a regional speciality traditional of its namesake fishing village, this dish is the most perfect zucchini pasta you’ll ever have…that is unless you’re at Lo Scoglio.
Reservations for Conca del Sogno LA are now live and can be made through Resy or Dorsia. Get them while you can!
What: Conca del Sogno x Norah Winter Residency
When: Thursday, February 1st - Saturday, March 2nd
Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Saturday | 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Address: Norah | 8279 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood 90046
Social: @concadelsogno | @norahrestaurant
KATE’S KITCHEN
I like things fresh in Kate’s Kitchen. Made From Scratch. Sometimes, however, time gets limited and life gets in the way. The hours and patience you need for baking don’t always work in your favor. This is where some of my favorite life hacks come in. This particular one I like to call: FOOL YOUR FRIENDS. FYF comes into play if you’re in a rush, feeling lazy, or are just bad in the kitchen. It’s an easy way to impressing the best of them.
After a full day of work and meetings, I wanted to show up to my best friend Fara’s birthday with a sweet treat in hand. It’s 5pm and we have to be at her place by 8pm. I rush to Trader Joes to make my mom’s Strawberry Shortcake in a Pinch recipe: boxed vanilla cake mix, fresh whipped cream, strawberries and strawberry jam for the layer. To my surprise, there was no vanilla cake mix. SHIT. I quickly audible to a Marci Valner inspired recipe with a KB spin: Banana Cake with Cinnamon CC Icing. It ended up being a blessing in disguise because let me tell you…this cake…it was everything. The crowd cheered, the people loved, and the leftover even flew first class to NY cuz it was that good.
BANANA CAKE WITH CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE ICING
INGREDIENTS
1 box of banana bread mix
2 ripe bananas
1/2 c yogurt
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (can use 1/3 less-fat cream cheese) softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar (or more if you have a sweet tooth)
1/4 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, whisk the boxed banana bread mix
Add in a 1/2 c of yogurt of your choice (I like adding this for extra moisture)
Put the batter into a greased baking dish and bake for suggested time
Let the banana cake cool. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting
Add cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of your mixer and whip until smooth.
Cut the cake in half. Evenly spread cream cheese frosting over the inside and layer in the sliced banana. Put the second half on top and continue to ice more of the cake. Top off with more bananas and a dash of cinnamon