Forage
Californian restaurant · Silver Lake ·
Seasonal Californian fare with salmon bowl & mac & cheese
Seasonal Californian fare with salmon bowl & mac & cheese
"I like knowing that my food was humanely treated. Well, I don't mind knowing that my food was humanely treated. I mean, I don't want to know that it was NOT humanely treated. But I don't want to be friends with it. And I'm setting the bar pretty low with the term “friend” here. I have many "friends" that I couldn't tell you where they live. But Forage made damn sure I knew where my steak lived (up until it made its way to my plate). It's like, come on Forage. We're not "there" yet. Let me just eat the thing. Farm-to-table dining is all the rage among rich pseudo-hippies these days, so naturally you can't throw an organic beet in Los Angeles without hitting one or two of them. The cafeteria-style Forage takes it to the next level: as you pick out your meats and veggies from the counter, you’re presented with a prominent list of the exact farms their ingredients were grown or raised on. You know, so you can compare them against that "humane farm rankings" list you keep in your pocket. This would come off unbearably annoying if the food wasn't so good. Damn you, farm-to-table morons. You got this one right. The food is fresh. The recipes are amazing. And they will plate you a nasty-good plate of baked mac n’ cheese that is definitely not Whole30 Diet approved. You'll just have to go to a few extra yoga classes to make up for it. Food Rundown The menu changes each day by what’s in season, because of course it does. But the mac n’ cheese is there every day. Don’t worry. Grilled Tri-tip Steak with Chimichurri A nice medium cook with a just-spicy-enough but not overwhelming chimichurri. Our only complaint is their insistence on measuring their protein portions in front of you, going as far as to cut a piece in half and taking it away if you're a bit over. Where's the joy in that? Mac n’ Cheese For a place so healthy, it should come as no surprise that the one unhealthy side dish is the one that flies out the door quickest. It's worth the hype. No lack of cheese, a crispy baked crust on top, and piping hot because they serve another tray of this every 5 minutes. Apple Slaw Sweet and drowning in sauce. Could have done with a little lighter on the onion, but overall a strong pairing with their proteins. Market Lettuce With Radishes, Shallots, And Red Wine Vinaigrette The simplest of the sides, this bitter salad feels more functional than enjoyable . Specifically, it's here to cleanse the palate and make you feel better about the Mac and Cheese." - Michael Burke
"Forage started with the concept of cooking with seasonal ingredients foraged from patrons'overflow of fruits and vegetables. Deeming this unfeasible, Forage now evolves it's menu with locally grown ingredients and an ever-changing repertoire of California fare. Their tiered display of dishes invite you to load your plate with food grown and prepared with heart and love." - Presshaus LA
"This Silver Lake cafe takes the whole farm-to-table thing to near-embarrassing heights (they’ll tell you the exact farm your food came from), but it’s saved by the fact that it’s delicious. It’s also very affordable and lines are never too long during the day. Oh, and that mac and cheese? Quietly some of the best in the city. Shhhhhhhh." - jess basser sanders, brant cox
"Forage is one of those places that slams the farm-to-table-to-inside-your-mouth thing pretty hard, but ultimately you aren’t annoyed by it because the food is actually good. And while the menu’s not particularly large, there’s still plenty of variety. Everything from the chicken adobo bowl to the goat cheese quiche to the hangar steak with chimichurri is worth ordering, and the cafeteria-style setup is ideal for your lunch hour." - brant cox
"Silver Lake’s 16-year-old plant-based restaurant Flore closed for good in late December and announced the closure via Instagram. Owner Miranda Megill opened the restaurant when Silver Lake’s was full of mostly independent businesses. After facing eviction from its original location in Sunset Junction in 2019, Megill moved the business into the shuttered Local space in 2020. Flore’s original location now houses mostly retail shops including clothing brand Maison Kitsune." - Eater Staff