My first of this new series – Dinner Date, where I try out a new restaurant with one of my fabulous friends – started off on the sour side. After hefting my camera out of my bag, pointing the lens at Post & Beam’s appropriately lintel framed exterior, I found that I’d left my memory card at home in my computer. Not that the singular purpose of heading to Post & Beam was for the photos, but I am Dianderthal – I love nothing more than whipping out the DSLR and asking my dishes to say cheese so I can write witty (I try) descriptions of them for the five of you to read, as if they were my toddler children. With a patio reservation, the day’s sunlight thinning out and the air soothing and still, it was destined to be a great shoot.
But I couldn’t let the lack of a camera ruin what had the potential to be a sweet afternoon. Besides, I had my aged but handy 4s – not the best way to document but if it weren’t for my Iphone, I may have had to interrupt the couple sitting next to us, asking them to snap photos of our plates (at least three of each), giving them my e-mail to send the pictures once they finished their meal.
I’ve known my Post & Beam dinner date Jeannine since I was 17. We didn’t start out well – I think I may have called her a name and thrown something at her once or twice. The boy was the source of the tension. But that was a couple decades ago.
I don’t really like the term best friend, as it assumes I’ve evaluated and ranked all my friends, the one with the highest score winning the title. But if those who know me well were asked to name my “bestie” (can you hear me cringe?), they’d likely say Jeannine’s name. She’s really like a sister to me. We have daughters the same age and they dance at the same studio. Our husbands ride bikes together. We don’t live too far away from one another. Point – we see each other a lot. But rare is the chance for us to get away and get down with some cocktails and a couple plates of fine cuisine.
Post & Beam certainly delivers in taste, atmosphere, and just dang quintessential coolness. Located in LA’s Crenshaw District, Post & Beam offers a chic spin on soul food, fresh and marvelously simple. Chef Govind Armstrong – who happened to be dining al fresco with what appeared to be his family while we were there – grows a range of greens right on the premises.
Having studied the menu for the last several months, I arrived torn between the fried chicken and the salmon. And the garden pizza. And the spicy turkey meatballs with marinara. But since Jeannine ordered the chicken and the meatballs were more of an appetizer and I could always return for pizza with my kid, I went with the salmon – mac n’ cheese and wood oven Brussels as siders. All were satisfying, the salmon succulent with major texture thanks to a flaky top. The mac n’ cheese slithered down my insides a bit too quickly – it was gone faster than my cocktail, which I sucked down pretty handily.
As we were finishing up with a not too sweet, just rich enough, and perfectly creamy slice of sweet potato pie, a jazz band was setting up, scheduled to play at 8:00 p.m. Next time, I’ll arrive a little later, and with my husband so he can drive us home after getting drunk on the live jazz and a few of those P&B cocktails. Yet another dinner date – and for that one, I’ll remember my memory card.
Post & Beam
3767 Santa Rosalia Drive
Los Angeles