Every once and a while, a restaurant comes along that meets the TOP THREE.  (They are in capital letters because they are TOP!)  What are the top three?  They are “good food,” “good ambience,” and “good green ethics.”  Pace is a restaurant with awesome food, adorable ambience, and intense organics.  And my recent experience there puts it firmly as a TOP THREE eatery!  (Okay, I will stop with the caps….)

Upon entering Pace’s intimate space, you are struck with two thoughts.  Wow, this place is adorable, and wow, there are a lot of celebrities in here.  But before you dismiss it as a Hollywood hot spot, note that the celebrities melt into the furniture.  You only see them if you’re looking.  (And since I was, I noticed a Hollywood ingénue, a blockbuster director, and a couple ambiguously-familiar reality stars.)  The atmosphere is best described as “hippie lounge” with the small rooms, intimate tables, weird art, and paper-covered tables.  And on our night, there was a large, beautiful floral arrangement on the bar containing cut organic cucumbers.

Then there is the food.  Might I rave? Pace offers some of the best Italian cuisine you can find in the city of Los Angeles.  We started with the Organic Mixed Green Salad ($12) which is apple, currants, walnuts and goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette.  You can taste how fresh the produce is, and the tart and sweet elements combine nicely.

Next we sampled the Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash and Ricotta Cheese Tortellini with julienne mustard greens in sage and white wine cream sauce ($18.50).  Excellent!  I would recommend it as a shared appetizer, since a full course might be too rich for the unseasoned eater.  The basil, parsley greens mixed in are extremely fresh, and the sauce is creamy and buttery, but not heavy like some cream sauces can be.

Next we had the Verona Burger, which is grilled prime beef with Wisconsin cheddar ($15.50).  This is your standard high-end hamburger.  It has an interesting, spicy aftertaste.  The side of spinach was fresh and lemony, and the buttery mashed potatoes were outstanding. 

The salmon is touted as “Pace's famous cedar wood grilled salmon,” and it is seasoned with shallots, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil ($25).  The prominent taste of this meal is “smoky.”  Our cut was really moist and had an almost spicy tang to it.

Dessert was Homemade Chocolate Soufflé ($15) – and it is all a soufflé should be.  It is warm – steaming, in fact – and chocolatey.  Trust me, you will be able to put this thing away and be proud of it!  My dinner companion sampled the organic espresso, which he touted as “a little bitter but good.”

And how is Pace green?  They trumpet themselves as a place which “fuses organics with art, and community with luxury.”  Head Chef and Owner Sandy Gendel personally checks out the produce and meats before every dinner.  And either Gendel or a member of the managing staff go to area Farmer's Markets to get the evening’s goods.

Further, manager Scott Druschke informs me that their food is 99% organic and locally-sourced, they use only eco-friendly cleaning products, and even the candles and crayons on the table are soy.  They recycle everything possible and employ a composting program.  And they are in plans to open, (as far as they know,) the first LEED certified, 100% green restaurant in the city of Los Angeles.         

And finally, I just want to say a word on the service.  The staff is extremely solicitous and friendly.  They really go the extra mile to make sure you have a great dining experience. 

Pace is located at 2100 Laurel Canyon Blvd., in the middle of trees, foliage, and some of the best architecture in the city.  (Though you don’t feel like you’re in the city since you’re surrounded by so much green…)  They are open Monday through Friday, 5:30pm-11pm, and Sunday 10am-3pm.  323-654-8583.

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