The Quick Bite
Mains
The Big Bird & Short Stack: Chicken is tender fried and tasty, the pancakes satisfy
Power-Up Bowl: My favorite – the parts mingle well to create a succulent whole
Drunken French Toast – Boozy bread at its best
Dranks
Tang Mimosa: Saa-weeet – could use a bit more of the bubbly
Cocoa Fashioned: Whimsically smooth
Verdict
I’ll be back for more real soon!
At home, I make a big deal out of breakfast-for-dinner, as if when I propose it, there is something magical about the night. Really, it just means I’m lazy, and breakfast-for-dinner is a speedy way to assemble a hearty meal for the masses. Still, the idea of a restaurant focused on breakfast-for-dinner is both magical and magnificent since there is sure to be care taken on the depth and breadth of the dishes served (in my kitchen, you get turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and just maybe a few Eggo waffles). So my expectations were high with a post-race dinner date with my husband at Venice’s Nighthawk, the self-proclaimed “breakfast bar.”
This was a meal I wanted to earn, planning to go heavy on the carbs, and just as bad with the fats, an adult beverage to washing it all down (or, more accurately, clearing the way for all the carbs and fats). So the evening following the Long Beach Marathon (he did the bike tour, I did the bike/half marathon combo) seemed like the perfect night to indulge.
It’s a semi-tradition for me that I eat my favorite brunch-ie food after a big race, French toast (immediately after this race, I had a cheeseburger and fries at Steelcraft, stopping myself from ordering a double only because of my date night Nighthawk plans). So it became necessary, indeed, to get my fork into their Drunken French Toast, along with a glass of their (house-made) Tang Mimosa. Neither slacked on the sweetness, okay in my book. And the toast also pleased in its richness, just thick enough, the edges the right amount of crispy. I admit to pushing off most of the diced fruit of the pear compote, but definitely appreciated the flavor it left behind (I’m not a cooked fruit kind of gal).
The husband, who hadn’t had a cheeseburger or anything major after finishing his race, thought it suitable to order two dishes for his dinner, the Big Bird & Short Stack (aka fried chicken and pancakes) and the Power-Up Bowl (possibly a pick due to its name, or because it’s made with turkey chorizo chili – he’s chicken/turkey/fish kind of guy). As big as he is and as hungry as he was, he couldn’t quite get to the bowl once he finished his chicken and pancakes, which ended up being a bonus for me, as I took the Power-Up Bowl to work the next day as lunch.
In addition to the chorizo, the bowl is packed with avocado, Cotija cheese, arugula, red onion, and a peppadew vinaigrette, then topped with a sunny-side up egg. This ended up being my favorite Nighthawk dish, one I’m dying to go back for. Hopefully, I do something magnificent soon to earn another late-night trip (it only seems right to visit at night; and I don’t want to be in 405 traffic).
Nighthawk in Venice
417 Washington Blvd.