Los Angeles - July 09, 2003

Little. Yellow. Different.

Amuse Restaurant Opens

One might call you a moody foodie.

Sometimes you’re feeling peckish. You’d like a small dish or two. Other times it’s the I’ll-have-the-left-side-of-the-menu-stuff-yourself-to-the-gills state of mind.

Okay, fickle thing, your day has arrived. Amuse Cafe, which opens today, serves American cuisine designed to satisfy any desire. Both the lunch and dinner menus feature small-plate or large-entree options, called, respectively, Little Plates and Bigger Plates.

Owners and chefs Brooke Williamson (a vet of Fenix, Michael’s, Boxer, and Zax) and Nick Roberts (Cafe Boulud and Ducasse in New York, Hotel Bel-Aire, and Zax) have set up shop in an adorable canary-yellow historic railroad bunkhouse in Venice. The pair did all the decorating, making it a homey spot in which to sample delicious fare like steamed mussels, marinated beets and onions, pork ribs with crispy-leek and scallion salad, roasted-vegetable ragout, and flatiron steak with garlic chips and broccolini. Breakfast offers options to mix and match, including crêpes (choose from strawberries, sauteed mushrooms, or Nutela), homemade granola, and cinnamon French toast.

Call it customized eating for your ever changing food moods.

Amuse Cafe, 796 Main Street, one block north of Brooks Avenue (310-450-1956).