Leaf Cuisine, Culver City
Tuesday, May 3, 2005 15:15Don’t expect Leaf in Culver City to be the last outfit. No, owner Rod Rotondi is acting as a field general as his lines grow out the door. As I sit in the back office munching on Tibetan Goji Berries and try to figure out a way to make the paperwork disappear, I cherish these days of boom like a flower in full bloom. Reasons being quite obvious- there is nothing on the menu I wont eat. And chances are most of the menu items are entres you never thought of or seen before.
Leaf’s great public response has been nothing short of amazing. The time to eat right is now, and the opportunity to do it affordably is open to you at leaf.
Leaf Cuisine
11938 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, 90066
(310) 390-6005
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jonah says:
May 3rd, 2005 at 4:04 pm
I have yet to try Leaf, although everything I have heard is fantastic. I didn’t know about the lines, is it crowded on weekends too?
joe says:
May 4th, 2005 at 9:47 am
Leaf Cuisine also has expanded it’s hours of business. They are now open on SUNDAYS!
The time to avoid eating at Leaf is the lunch rush 12-1:30ish. Unless you don’t work it could be tough on your day. Otherwise, there is usually just a mild stream of people coming and going. Jonah, stop in anytime! I’m there EVERY tuesday and sometimes another day or two in the week, but ask for me and i’ll buy you a wrap or smoothie. I’d really like you to try it.
VeggieGal says:
May 5th, 2005 at 11:54 am
I went to Leaf a couple weeks ago on an early Saturday evening. Drove all the way from Silver Lake, just to go to the restaurant, but unfortunately I was a little disappointed. I really want to like raw food, but it just didn’t work for me. I think I should preface this by saying that I hate salads. Side salads are fine, but a meal salad just doesn’t do it for me (I’m vegetarian too).
I got the Bombay Burrito and it was fine, but nothing I would crave on a regular basis. We tried to order the mock salmon nori rolls, but they were out, which was a real bummer. Instead we got hummus & guac with Flax seed crackers, which was ok. Seems like Leaf depends a lot on guac in many of their dishes. My friend got the Wakame Wonder, but it was just too much slimey seaweed for him, and he was macrobiotic/ vegan for 10 years.
I got the lively lemonade, which was good, and my friend got the homemade agave-lemon-ginger tea, which was too aniceptic tasting for him, but I hapily drank it. It would be a great tea if you had a cold.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on Leaf, there was a good crowd there when we went, and I’m sure they’ll be around for a long long time.
Side note: when we arrived at the restaurant there was a group of college students who live in the adjoining apt building setting up for a pimps & ho’s party, fully decked out in pimp & ho gear. Even had a pimpin’ car. It was great.
joe says:
May 6th, 2005 at 2:01 pm
wow- thank you for that wonderful critique! it’s messages like this that do in fact get relayed back to the owner, where changes are made. i had eaten everything on the menu until the other day when i had a wakame wrap. it totally slimed me out. i finished about half of it, and i’d only recommend that to people who actually enjoy slimey seaweed. plus, i’m not much an avocado man myself…
Leaf, and raw food establishments in general, face a huge challenge. the raw/vegan lifestyles severely alienates a lot of people.
the fundamental change in eating right is being conscious. we eat as a function enabling us to stay alive. what is important to your message was that you said the menu is not one you would crave. what i’ve learned above all other elements of eating raw vegan, is i now think about what foods i crave with more depth.
i eat to propel me towards my daily finish line, not fulfill my taste bud’s every fantasy. not that this is wrong, i just try to do that only on occasion.
suggestions are always welcome at Leaf…
Mary Ann says:
May 24th, 2005 at 7:07 pm
I went to Leaf Cuisine on the recommendation of a talkative man at the counter last time I was as Real Food Daily in Santa Monica. My main issue at Leaf was that the guy who was taking food orders was really unpleasant. I nearly walked out during ordering, he was that bad, but I was hungry, and had driven from Santa Monica to try the food.
This guy seemed to take pleasure in telling people the restaurant was out of desserts, and he took down the apple pie sign when the person before me tried to order it, saying they were out. When it was my turn, I made the mistake of asking if flaxseed crackers come with the guacamole salad. He said: “I’m confused. Why would you ask if something totally unrelated would go with something else?” I said: “Well, you serve the crackers with guacamole, and I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t double-ordering crackers in case you serve them with the guac salad.” He stared at me. I said: “Isn’t the guacamole the same on the salad as what you serve with the crackers?” I guess my questions were overwhelming to the guy because he refused to continue to take my order and walked away. Another employee took over without missing a beat, and I was treated very well for the rest of the evening.
When I wanted to order dessert (turns out they DID still have apple pie), I didn’t want to get in line if that guy was going to be taking the order. The other waitperson said she totally understood and brought me the pie. This made the woman at the counter next to me order pie, too, which they would not personally deliver to her without her getting in line to order. When she came back from ordering, she said he was also a jerk to her. I called the restaurant to let the management know of this guy’s menacing attitude the next day.
The reason I’m writing it here is I was searching for the restaurant phone number to call to see if that guy is on the schedule tonight because I’d like to go back there, but he was so unpleasant, I’d rather skip it than deal with that. I mean, especially on an empty stomach, so it’s a catch-22!
But the food was good, worth returning for. This is a nice little site, and I appreciate the comments on the slime. I will avoid that item if I manage to make it back to Leaf! But the “permanent link” to Leaf Cuisine isn’t working - it’d be good to have the restaurant phone number on this page.
Jonah says:
May 24th, 2005 at 7:13 pm
Good to know Mary Ann, sounds like you have a valid concern. I really dislike when that sort of attitude is taken, why would someone challenge a customer over a menu question. Hopefully that was an isolated incident! I will update the post with the address an phone number. The “pemanent link” is just to this entry, not to the restaurant website.
Joe says:
May 26th, 2005 at 8:32 am
Heya Mary Anne (my sister’s name)
The help at Leaf, and any new restaurant for that matter, has had it’s ups and downs. Early on, there was a girl who was so unpleasant to order food from, it seemed there were complaints
daily… if it was the fella with blond hair, just know he’s young and a really nice guy… but there are certain pressures working at a raw organic restaurant a lot of inexperienced servers don’t face elsewhere - it’s called what I term the ” nasty vegan reptilian attitude”. and it shows sometimes with customers who aren’t even those! it goes with my long standing opinion on the vegan world which can be quite ethnocentric. not to be confused with eccentric. it drives alot of the workers nuts (no pun) and they get questions you wouldn’t be asked at restaurants held to lesser standards. i’m sure it’s an isolated incident, but yes, i’ve seen it happen and sorry it happened to you. luckily- you were still able to enjoy their wonderful food.
have a granola’ish day!
joe
sonia says:
November 3rd, 2005 at 4:35 pm
A friend and i recently ate at Leaf. We were so excited about the new restaurant in our neighborhood. We we shared orders of the Bombay wrap and the wakame salad. For the most part the food was really tasty, though the wakame was quite slimey. Here is the strange part, we both had severe diarrhea for the next 2 days! Now i am a vegetarian and i eat a healthy diet so i know it wasn’t some sort of cleanse reaction. I am wondering if has this happened to anyone else? i was really surprised and disspointed. Sorry to gross you all out, but we are scared to eat there again.
joe says:
November 4th, 2005 at 1:11 am
Sonia-
Thanks for the input. I have discussed similar issues with employees at Leaf…
I am forwarding your response to the owner, Rod, and I’ll ask him if he’s heard similar stories about the wakame.
Rod is the most knowledgeable person I have ever met when it comes to raw dining. He’s an absolute master in this area and I’ve talked to a lot of folks about food.
Leaf’s food is nothing short of incredible, though my biggest concern is ensuring your voice gets through to ownership. Your input is very helpful, don’t give up on Leaf!
Joe
megan says:
December 27th, 2005 at 11:40 pm
I usually have a great experience with both the food and the service at Leaf, but….the seaweed IS slimey, and I LOVE seaweed! I can’t try it again at Leaf until I know they have changed the recipe, which is a disappointment for a seaweed lover. It was the first thing I tried there but thankfully I was able to share the wrap my friend ordered, sans seaweed, which was great. Why no Leaf website?
Joe says:
December 28th, 2005 at 2:56 am
Hi Megan!
Unfortunately, you’re not alone. Many people have been unexpectedly slimed by the Wakame Wraps at Leaf.
At one point, I ate there every day for 3 months and I’ll always remember that day I finally tried the seaweed wrap.
I barely managed to eat half. Look up a few posts back and you’ll see others had experiences similar to yours.
The best thing to do is write Rod at info@leafcuisine.com (website is http://www.leafcuisine.com) and speak YO mind.
Leaf’s success has helped to establish a second location in Sherman Oaks! All I can truely say, of all their items on the menu, the Wakame is pretty much an item you have a taste for… otherwise, beware… it’s salty, and squishy.
Speak, Leaf will listen.
Peace and happy new year!
J says:
January 27th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Raw is a silly gimmick. The basic salad here is fine but most other uncooked concoctions, like the sunburger, are positively tasteless. The only thing in abundance at this place is the smug self-satisfaction of its patrons who delight in eating something hip. But let’s get serious people; veggie cuisine can be a delight, but raw is just for suckers
JOE says:
January 27th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
smugness seems to be the word of the day for patrons at Leaf. hey man, i worked there and totally can relate to those words you say. however, while raw may come off as a gimick in a restaurant format, it most certainly is not a gimick in the sense that it is real. a raw vegan diet simply isn’t feasible for many people living a fast, yet practical lifestyle. that is b/c the food doesn’t keep as well as food laced with preservatives. but make no mistake about it, most foods at your local supermarket just ain’t good for the body and soul. it’ll keep the machine running. one thing for sure is i will never touch chicken ever again. i rarely touch meat period, but i will never back down on the belief that i can be just as satisfied without all the chemicals.
veggie = good
mad cow and bird flu = bad
the raw part has blown WAY beyond it’s expectations as proven by Rod and the team at Leaf. and while some dissagree, the veggie sunburger is just as yummy to me as any meat-burger in l.a.
Cici says:
February 9th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
I’m a vegan but not a raw foodist and was very anxious to try the food at “The Leaf”. On my numerous visits, I only had pleasant experiences. I found the staff, especially the youn blonde guy very pleasant. However, I was no even acknowledged by the chef. He is a paunchy sort of fellow and it makes it hard to believe that he is a full-time raw foodist. Maybe he eats cheeseburgers (the real kind) when no one is looking.
I’ve tried several items there, but the “Fortuna” was my favorite. The apple pie was mediocre but the brownie was delish!!!
Joan says:
March 27th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
I am a huge fan of leaf. I’ve been mostly raw for a couple months now and always been into healthful diet and lifestyle. Leaf cuisine is way beyond my expectations. I mew when I eat it (I’ve been told listening to me eat my leaf take out orders is also a delightful experience!). The deserts are extraordinary, the pizza is absolutely incredible (I want the recipe!). I too was slimed by the wakame wrap (why not wrap it in collards and include some wakame inside?). I LOVE the bombay burrito croquettes. It is a godsend for me in my busy day to be so vitally nourished. and I can actually afford it. What a precious treat!
aleta says:
May 16th, 2006 at 5:55 am
I ate at Leaf for the first time a few days ago; it was my first experience with raw food, and after my meal I was not eager to go back. I’ve been a vegetarian and healthful eater for a long time, and I love vegetables, but my meal was just bitter leafy greens and slimy seaweed with small balls of what I would consider substantive food. After reading the comments here, I think my mistake was that I happened to order menu items that are not ideal for someone new to raw food. Next time I’ll try some sesame chips or a pizza or one of their desserts. I’m actually amazed that the Wakame has been receiving consistently bad reviews ever since the restaurant opened (first one on the comments here was more than a year ago) and yet it’s still on the menu.
Charlotte says:
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:24 am
I need to put in my vote here FOR Leaf’s wakame seaweed wrap/salad. They are DELICIOUS!! Try as I might, it’s the ONLY entree I order every single time I go there. I can’t get enough of it. (I’d probably boycott the restaurant if it wasn’t on the menu! Just kidding, of course, but that’s how I feel.)
Maybe people are used to paper thin sheets of Nori instead & are expecting something like that. Leaf’s wakame seaweed IS what wakame is supposed to be like. (I buy my wakame at the Korean markets in town. I don’t buy “dry wakame,” but instead buy the kind that’s “wet” fresh & raw. Picked & packed straight from the ocean as it were. It’s packed in salt to preserve it. It needs appx 5 rinses to get off all the salt, then you have the EXACT SAME CONSISTENCY of Leaf’s wakame. I put it this in ALL my salads. Fresh raw seaweed is So Healthy!! Tons of minerals & iodine in it.)
I also ALWAYS order Leaf’s mock salmon nori sushi rolls–delish!!, their raw slaw–also delish!, the “Greens drink”–juiced green veggies & nothing else–very “green tasting” but HEALTHY (not for “faint-at-heart” non-raw people imo), and also LOVE their strawberry mousse tortes. Many times I’ll order take out too. I ALWAYS include a side of their wakame seaweed salad. I truly can’t get enough of it!!
I will state that I am 100% raw vegan & have been for years. (I once had a friend who wouldn’t eat avocados. “Too slimey” he said. Some people say that about okra too.) Many people just haven’t been introduced to the taste & consistency of wakame seaweed. I don’t consider it “slimey”–I consider it DELICIOUS & HEALTHY.
I just needed to weigh-in here. I LOVE Leaf Cuisine. It’s one of my FAVORITE raw restaurants in LA; the one I consistently return to over & over again. (And ANYTHING they serve with wakame seaweed in it gets my vote!!) :) :)
Charlotte says:
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:30 am
Oh… I forgot to say I LOVE their carrot cake too!! I ALWAYS order that!! It’s SO GOOD! (This is making me hungry. Time for a Leaf Cuisine run!) :) :)
Ebomb says:
December 12th, 2006 at 11:48 am
I ordered from Leaf yesterday. I am deadly ill and in bed and resorting to eatting take out from every Culver City restaurant. I would have to say the menu is to small. I had a green garden salad wrapped in Kale. It had no flavor they should add a vegan dressing or at least offer one. I also had the kale salad it was great…loved it. I was really disappointed that they didn’t have any vegan chocolate chip cookies. Try it is worth your dollar.
Chris Jones says:
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:58 am
HI i just wanted to say i think Leaf cusine is great for the price and I first expereinced it at rawfoodmedia.com they have a video on their site it was a great intro to see what the store was like except it is only the culver city location and i could not see the other locations wish they had pictures of the other ones on there. Here is a link if anyone else wants to watch the leaf cusine video at raw food media
http://rawfoodmedia.com/restaurantvideoreviews/leaf_cuisine_restaurant.htm
Bobby says:
May 4th, 2007 at 7:15 am
It’s ok. Nothing to write home about. I got the sunburger wrap, and it was a little on the bland side. I go there sometimes when I want fresh juice because 1) I don’t have a juicer 2)I enjoy the mile walk and 3) No one can really screw up fresh juice.
I did have a very berry “smoothie”, and it was kind of bland, and really watery. I only eat organic food, so I pretty much have to like it, as my options are limited for organic restaurants, and it’s really not terrible.
Now Juliano’s Raw restaurant in Santa Monica is so good, you almost faint from the flavor explosion.
Jakob says:
July 24th, 2007 at 6:11 am
This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title a.foodblogging. Thanks for informative article
Linda says:
November 5th, 2007 at 10:40 am
you guys all need to check out Juliano’s RAW cuisine on the NE corner of Broadway and 6th - it is the MOST AMAZING and delicious raw food anywhere (written up by NYTimes, LA.Times as being the best in the country) - NO comparison!!! I bring all my non-raw foodist friends and they love it.