Westsiders, if you need cheese/charcuterie/wine/beer, Andrew’s Cheese Shop on Montana in Santa Monica is doing deliveries or curbside pickup (they’re doing it free for us because we’re very close by). We just called them and they were super helpful. After the third grocery delivery getting about a third of what we ordered, this was a shining beacon.
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I know its a schlep for anyone who doesn’t live in the Valley, but its how they keep prices so low. I stocked up on San Marzano tomatoes, dried beans, and great Parisian ham today. No line!
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Right now for pick up OC, but home delivery options soon: diy banh mi essentials from THH sandwiches at all their locations. Precooked, pre sliced, just warm and assemble.
Baguettes, Cha lua, thit nuong, nem nuong, thit nguoi and other staple frozen treats
Just toast up the bread, slather mayo and pate, warm the meats and assemble your fresh ingredients and viola!
Just as good as the shop but in the comfort of home 
Of course you can use the meats for other things too besides banh mi.
Order and pay over phone for store pick up.
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I need to do this! Thanks!
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Eastsiders, to mirror bruins…
MilkFarm is doing pickup and delivery through Postmates.
Eagle Rock
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We did takeout from one of the better Valley restaurants tonight, The Bellwether. I picked it up at 6:15, prime dinner hour for the Valley (we aren’t as classy as the Westside). I was the only one there. Quality was way below usual. I’m thinking the takeout thing is going to end soon. I’m sure McDonalds and other fast food drive-thrus will persist for some time, but the longer this lasts the fewer restaurants will stay alive. I hate to think what the drive-thru line at Inn N Outs will be.
Sorry if this sounds depressed, but Republique’s shuttering their takeout this weekend darkened my perspective. I wish you all health and safety. This is a great community and I hope we all can revitalize it soon!
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Damn I wish Il Romanista was open.
Lack of traffic, eating 12000 calories per day…
So sad 
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Yeah they were closed really early on which was unfortunate would have loved to support their business.
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If you can, please opt for picking up your orders rather than relying on the delivery apps:
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Just placed my first pickup order through ChowNow, which is a low cost app where restaurants can avoid delivery fees. And got the following email confirmation:
"It’s Chris with ChowNow, the online ordering system used by Birdie G’s - Santa Monica. Glad to see you just placed an order!
What you may not know is that your order made an impact. By ordering directly from the Birdie G’s - Santa Monica website, all proceeds went directly to the restaurant. Believe it or not, most third party online ordering companies take a hefty percentage from each order (even for repeat customers). Those savings can be used on things that make your experience even better – like quality ingredients and stellar service.
Come back and see us again soon, and keep supporting restaurants like Birdie G’s - Santa Monica that make your community awesome."
I will report back after I pick up my order. I ordered mainly grocery like items – lots of fermented vegetables, hot sauces and even black pepper which I am running low on. Oh and schmaltz – nothing better than eggs fried in schmaltz.
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I used ChowNow to order Ramen from HiroNori Craft Ramen last weekend. I was surprised that there were not any up-charges on my order; other online ordering services tacks on around an extra 50%, plus delivery fees. I just need to drive 6 minutes to pick it up.
How do ChowNow and HiroNori make profit from their orders?
Both are rather new and may be thinking of charging based on extra services to the restaurants (Like the ability to re-contact) as well as Datamining on both the consumer and small business side…
So as usual with these types of apps… enjoy it while the getting is good.
OH! And Sunday Gravy is also on ChowNow.
–Dommy!
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ChowNow charges restaurants a set up fee plus a flat fee per month:
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Just back from pickup at Birdie G’s. First and foremost, it felt very safe. There is parking in front of the restaurant and if you call, they run the food out. Instead, since there was plenty of parking, I parked and walked up to the door. Nobody else in the vicinity. There was a sign on the door not to come in, but call and they would bring you your food. However, a woman working inside saw me and asked for my name. She was masked and gloved. She then went and got my food and opened the door and handed it to me. Easy Peazy. As I drove to the restaurant along Olympic, I passed Trader Joe’s and saw a large crowd lined up outside to get into the store and was glad I was doing Birdie G’s instead of Trader J’s.
In addition to my fermented vegetables and spices (smoked mushroom powder! - never had it but suspected it would be good in an omelet), I ordered the matzah ball soup and Jeremiah’s Spicy Half Chicken. The matzah balls were packaged separately from the soup and looked beautiful, topped with fresh dill, but they were not to my taste and I didn’t like the chicken broth either. The broth just seemed way too concentrated or something. I also didn’t like the Spicy Half Chicken, which wasn’t actually spicy at all, but sweet (your mileage may vary as I love dessert, but I detest anything sweet with my main course). Hated the sweet chutney that came with the chicken and tossed it, but even without the accompanying chutney, you could tell that the chicken had been marinated in something sugary and it just pervaded the chicken. I picked up a side of Fresno chili sauce (not sure if they make it or just sell it to go) and I was happier with the chicken once I dipped it into that sauce which is truly spicy (if only chili could vanquish COVID-19, I have no doubt that I received an effective vaccine with that sauce).
Still happy to have my schmaltz (a huge thing of it for $8) and my black peppercorns without having had to hit the supermarket and will report back on the fermented vegetables (kolhrabi kimchi and others) as I make my way through them.
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The chicken broth uses a carrot miso infusion, which definitely changes the flavor profile from that of a regular chicken soup.
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Thank you. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I just knew it didn’t taste like the chicken soup I was hoping for and expecting.
I really liked the soup actually. It resembled to me, more or less like a potent consomme. It reminds me of the brodo you can sometimes find at Farmshop, also a tad on the salty side. I do however think I know what you’re looking for in a ‘chicken soup’ taste. I’m one to always sample the self serve soup counter at small markets, looking to compare. I actually think the one at Erewhon really hits the mark. Nothing beats cooking it yourself at home though.
By the way, thanks for your report on takeout at Birdie G’s. I was planning to go, but the memories of all the past trouble parking there, and other obstacles I thought I might come across, kept me from going. I’ve made several trips to Milo and Olive though, my favorite to regularly return of all their restaurants.
My buddy commented on how he’s waiting for Birdie G’s to release some of their most decadent offering to-go, like the sweetbreads, before driving an hour west to pickup a massive order.
I had the Jeremiah chicken on my first visit. It made me think it might be a twist on Jamaican jerk chicken, though I’m not the most experienced in that. I have been to places in Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, like Glady’s. But that’s about the extent of my knowledge in this category. I too wasn’t really feeling the fruit toppings, but liked the smoky wood kinda flavor. Have you been to Pollo a La Brasa in Koreatown? They rotisserie it over wood, and with that green Peruvian spicy sauce, I think it beats this one.
Didn’t get the rose petal jello pie?! Got to try that.
My favorite dish from my several visits there, was heirloom beets dish with horseradish. Although the ‘Michelin Man’ in me, can’t help notice that on the visits after, it diminished in quality. Typical I guess of restaurants post soft opening.
I noted Chef Fox’s stress levels during his first few weeks of opening. I heard during this time, he’s actually keeping rather calm composure.
@Dropkicku definitely go if you like their food. It was the first time I have been outside in 2 1/2 weeks and it was truly effortless.
No, I didn’t order the Rose Petal pie. Heard mixed reviews and I wasn’t really in the mood for dessert.
Ended up throwing out the chicken soup I disliked it so much (and unfortunately I got the “family” portion). Just tasted like salty consommé and not what I was expecting for matzo ball soup. I had a second matzo ball for dinner sans soup, and I have to say that the next two matzo balls are probably going into the trash as well. The matzo balls are heavy and just don’t taste right to my palate – can’t quite put my finger on it.
Still holding out hope for the fermented vegetables I picked up and haven’t tried, including the “Atomic” rutabaga which is supposed to taste like horseradish.
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I’m sorry about your experience with the soup 
A scientist friend of mine explained how bodies are built differently, and different people have taste buds which react uniquely to different things. Some don’t even have the ability to taste certain flavors, like being color blind. There’s probably something in the soup reacting negatively with you.
Are you much into matzo balls? I’m not an expert myself, and must admittedly say I couldn’t tell a great one from a spectacular one. I can probably judge a poorly made on.
On this current takeout menu, there’s a variation on tongue. His grandmother’s tongue pot roast is his favorite dish. I’m also a fan of how he toyfully plays with strawberry and beef together, in place of tomato. Heard the meatloaf is pretty good. Amazing how ambitious this restaurant is with their huge menu.