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5 Fab Picnic Baskets For Your Outdoor Enjoyment
Photo by Wicker Furniture on Flickr
With the re-opening of Echo Park Lake and Saturday's official start of the Hollywood Bowl season, it's time for some serious picnicking. Here are some great stops to pick up grub for your outdoor spreads.
STREET
Susan Feniger's street food steers clear of your standard picnic fare, offering outdoors enthusiasts a unique international experience. Takeaway items include Ethiopian beef stew, Malaysian stir fry noodles, and Japanese potato salad. You can find out more info on their site.
BRITE SPOT
Chef Darby Aldaco is making a grown up's version of a happy meal that's perfect for carting over to the newly-opened Echo Park Lake a block away. The picnic box comes with a choice of sandwich, choice of 2 salads, house made BBQ sweet potato chips, a brownie, and a regular or vegan cookie sandwich plus a bottled drink. You can find out more about the diner's offerings here.
TAVERN
The $28 Frenchman picnic basket might seem like a splurge, but it can be shared. Not that you'd want to really. Goin's food is just that good. The basket comes with a ficelle sandwich (choice of a prosciutto, butter and radish or seal bay triple cream, watercress and apple); roasted cauliflower with curry & cilantro salad; marinated beets with red onion & horseradish; house made sweet potato chips; plus a chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie for dessert. You need to order them 24 hours in advance if you want to go totally prefab, or you can just drop into the Larder to build your own box. For the full picnic menu, you can check out their site here.
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JOAN'S ON THIRD
Joan's has bee doing epic picnic baskets at their 3rd Street shop for years, and they are always at the top of our list. They also need 24 hours advance notice on orders, but it's worth planning ahead for. Pick from entrees like a grilled artichoke half or grilled chicken milanese, then add on some of their superb salads and desserts. Best part: they also have affordable wines available for your basket. It's really a one stop shop. For more info on the menu, check out their site.
CUBE
Cube's baskets can be filled with an array of paninis made on Bread Lounge's fabulous loaves, dried fruits, and some of their eclectic collection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie. They'll offer pairing suggestions from nearby wine shops. Baskets can be made for around $20, so you can ball on a budget. You can check out more info on their site.
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