Treat Her Right: Mother's Day Dining Options

By Jessica Ritz Fri., Apr. 30 2010 at 9:00 AM

Categories: Holidays, L.A. Restaurants

Flickr user Bakerella

Mother's Day in Los Angeles always brings the gift of good May weather, and the perennial foolproof option of a Sunday farmers' market visit followed by a home cooked meal. But here are a few other suggestions on how to treat a deserving lady right, since chances are the Huntington Tea Room is booked solid.

Downtown and Northeast:

Other than it being labeled as a Mother's Day Brunch, Palate Food + Wine bucks convention for its holiday meal. Not much talk of mimosas and roses here, although they might still be available. Think choices of crispy soft shell crab with spring succotash, oyster aioli, and guanciale; fried chicken steak with pickled green tomatoes, maple honey biscuit and gravy; branzino with fennel puree, roasted beats, citrus and pistachio aillade; braised lamb belly with artichoke gratin, pickled ramps, and fava bean pesto; and vanilla-roasted pineapple with toasted coconut and rum-raisin ice cream. Those dishes will give your group something to talk about.
Palate: 933 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale; (818) 662-9463.

Brunch at Descanso Gardens is the right time to let mom smell the roses, then sit, relax and eat, instead of making her ride the Enchanted Railroad for what feels like the millionth time. The spread with items such as smoked ham, free-range chicken, potato and chive tart, and fruit salad is $50 per person, $42 members, $17 kids under 12.
Descanso Gardens: 1418 Descanso Dr., La Canada Flintridge, (818) 790-3663.

Vertical Wine Bistro in Pasadena is well suited to the wine loving types, naturally, as well as those who prefer supper on Mother's Day. The three-course, $49 per person dinner seatings start at 4:00 p.m., and features white corn soup; arugula orange salad; sea bass with baby artichokes and a chive-laced crème fraîchel and farro risotto with asparagus and fava beans, followed by dessert. All moms are given a glass of Gruet rose champagne, too, and General Manager Manuel Mesta's wine pairings with each course are available for $26.
Vertical Wine Bistro: 70 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena; (626) 795-3999.

The highly tamed urban environment of the Blue Ribbon Garden at the Walt Disney Concert Hall is a distinctly Los Angeles setting for a Mother's Day meal. The buffet offers two seatings at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., costs $58 for adults and $15 for children under 12, plus a glass of champers for the guests of honor.
Walt Disney Concert Hall: 141 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, (213) 972-7565.

Mid-City - Hollywood

Quiet elegance, extreme care for details, highly attentive service. Those qualities make Providence a guaranteed hit. Caveat: must love seafood. Or chocolate. And have a decent budget. Reserve for the a la carte or tasting menus for dinner on May 9, or pick up a box of pastry chef Adrian Vasquez's signature Providence chocolates with Coffee Urfa, Banana-Ginger, Orange Caramel Rosemary, Baharat, and Coconut-Green Tea flavors ($28 per dozen). Or a certificate for Michael Cimarusti's next farmers' market cooking class at the restaurant on May 23 ($100) is a gift that might eventually benefit the giver. Call for details and to order.
Providence: 5955 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 460-4170.

Rare is the customer who's come away unsatisfied from brunch at Campanile. In addition to the restaurant being open May 9 for usual daytime weekend service 9:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m., Mark Peel is putting together a Sunday evening meal served from 5:00 until 8:30. Instead of the signature covered courtyard staying dark as per usual on Sunday nights, the restaurant will be filled with folks savoring celery root soup, bibb lettuce salad, fresh pappardelle with wild mushroom and pea tendrils, sage crusted pork loin, and vanilla crème caramel, among other dishes.
Campanile: 624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 938-1447.

Tres by José Andrés tucked in the SLS Hotel lobby serves whimsy along with brunch and tea Saturday and Sunday. Chose either the $38 per person Brunch Table spread, or $48 includes a cava mimosa for which you pick the citrus juice (all moms are given one), and an a la carte menu selection. Brunch hours are 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and afternoon tea is served for $26 per from 3-5:00 p.m.
Tres by José Andrés: 465 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 246-5551.

A few blocks north on La Cienega at another hotel, Mother's Day at Simon L.A. brings the edible needs and wants of kids and adults close together, what with Kerry Simon's junk food platters, mini iron chef burgers, mac n' cheese, pizzas, and dessert station complete with that family favorite -- a chocolate fountain. On the other end of the spectrum, egg white veggie frittata will be available. The three-course menu costs $45 per adult, $20 kids, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Simon L.A.: 8555 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 358-3979.

Whatever debauchery that may have taken place at the W the night before will not be in evidence when Sunday rolls around. Thankfully the hotel's spaces are properly programmed to keep all activities in their discretely assigned places. Delphine started serving a full Sunday brunch several weeks ago and its patio has been open since April 17, and with proximity to Bliss Spa and The Shop at the W, this is a one-stop shopping kinda deal.
Delphine at the W: 6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 798-1355.