Saturday, May 14, 2005

Posh: A little Latin flavor on Pico (closed)

I've never been to Buenos Aires, but at lunch Ramin kept talking about moving there for its low prices, European flavor and handsome residents. Oddly enough, we were eating at Posh on Pico, which feels exactly like I imagine a neighborhood cafe in Buenos Aires would feel. This section of Pico between Fairfax and La Brea is apparently known as the Wilshire Vista neighborhood, and it looks to be getting gentrified very quickly. The small bungalows are landscaped and repainted to the max, residential streets sport community bulletin boards, and next to Posh is another newish coffeehouse on this formerly desolate stretch of Pico.
Posh is owned by a friendly Honduran lady who wants to bring food of several Latin American countries to Angelenos. Right now she's got a nice breakfast menu with banana pancakes and arepas (Venezuelan corn cakes) and omelettes, a dynamite Latina burger at lunch, and several dinner specials such as chicken tamarindo. To drink, there's good coffee, ginger lemonade and an agua fresca of the day as well as Latin American soft drinks.
It's a cute little room with marble-topped tables, old wooden chairs and bright art on the walls. La Brea Bakery breads and pastries are served, and the housemade Tres Leches cake.
Ramin liked his Latina burger (turkey is also available) which was assertively flavored with red and green chiles and an herb mixture.

Latina burger
I had the arepas with a sauteed vegetable omelette. The corn cakes were soft and pillowy and very rich, although a salsa would have made a nice accompaniment. Apparently in South America they eat these with butter and jam, which sounds awfully good! The food has a light touch with clean, fresh flavors, like the plaintains which are roasted, not fried.

vegetable omelette with arepas
The prices are more L.A. than South America, of course, with burgers at $10.95 and dinner entrees in the $15-$20 range. But this is certainly a nice spot to check out the magazines on the rack and while the afternoon away.
Posh on Pico
5542 W. Pico
(323) 931-4338