Last week we had the opportunity to try Gracia La Vid located in Brasilito on the main road, not too far from Mar Vista, home of the original Gracia. As you may have surmised, this smaller, more intimate offering is the latest from the talented couple behind the original.
It is beautifully designed and has two dining areas split apart by the bar in the middle. A little more casual, you actually order your meals at the counter and then have a seat. Servers will bring drinks and eventually, your grub.
The menu is delightfully simple and includes stone oven pizzas, housemade pastas, tantalizing salads, meat and cheese boards, and a slew of craft cocktails. We sampled the mules, served in a standard mule copper mug (reminds me of the one we stole in Telluride) but with a La Vid twist on the usual ingredients.
The boys ordered pepperoni pizza and mashed potato pizza. Moms ordered the meatball pizza and tried both salads on offer - the Tahini and the Arugula. Everything was fresh, flavorful and so very yummy.
Our salads were beautiful, full of gorgeous greens, and contained ingredients that I sometimes have a hard time sourcing for my own kitchen. The house-made dressings were paired perfectly and weren’t heavy at all.
Let’s talk about the 'za' - the boys felt the pepperoni was a little spicy, but we thought it was spot on. The meatball pie was outstanding, with homemade meatballs and a perfectly crisp crust.
And finally, the mashed potato version was not only interesting and worthy of chatter, but quite delicious. Imagine a jacket potato spread evenly on a stone oven baked crispy crust, but cheesier. YUM. And my kid asked for extra basil.
We loved our evening at Gracia La Vid and we highly recommend you give them a try. There is something for the whole family, food was pretty quick and it was kid friendly. Pro tip: the section to the left of the bar has a great table with couch seating areas - great for kids.
Eat local, support local. We’ll be going back as soon as we can.