Tendergreens, El Segundo
The kitchen makes everything from scratch, and freshness is at the heart of what they do
This was an unlikely contender in my search for a good lunch in LA. It’s almost as if you have to switch your mindset when you come here. What works in Europe doesn’t work in Los Angeles. You have to set your sights much lower and seek out things you would not normally look for. You are playing opposites. For decent food, don’t look for the highest ranking three star Michelin restaurant in the city, because this is not always accurate (or more to the point, the Michelin Guide in LA). I kid you not—this lunch at Tendergreens was far better than an upmarket restaurant I travelled to the night before, and which cost significantly more. Do you see how you really have to rewire your brain and forget everything you know when choosing somewhere to eat? It drives me up the wall, and I’m still not getting it right.
Fancy food doesn’t belong in this city. I have made countless poor choices, equating to numerous bad nights that burned a hole in my soul. I am well versed and experienced, yet I am always surprised by the next meal. After my thousandth trip, I might eat my own words and follow my own advice. There is always a devil on my shoulder, tempting me and saying, “Go on, this time it will be different.” But I am learning to squash these thoughts and adopt a completely different mindset.
Back to Tendergreens. It doesn’t look like much when you walk in, but it is clean—and this is a good sign. We ordered just two salads, yet they were prepared and assembled with great care. The kitchen makes everything from scratch, and freshness is at the heart of what they do. They even make chocolate cake in the morning and sell it until it runs out. How it should be!
My salad leaves were bright, with BBQ flavoured shredded chicken that was moist and folded through the salad, alongside the greenest avocado you’ve ever seen—no brown spots. Crisp texture from the tortilla chips tied everything together, and the overall impression was simply one of quality. The kind of quality you crave when you eat in a proper restaurant—yet so rarely find.
The fresh tuna really wowed me: the texture, the taste. It led me to think; how can I receive this here? I don’t mean that disrespectfully; rather, I am genuinely mind boggled that in supposedly “better” restaurants it doesn’t even reach this level. It just goes to show.
I’ve already been back twice, and whenever I find myself desperate or hungry in the area, there’s no risk involved—I’ve found my safe haven. Keep it up, Tendergreens.
La Reine Gourmande is a professionally trained chef, former dancer, and lifelong food obsessive with a deep passion for haute cuisine and global gastronomy. She has dined her way through the world’s top restaurants while honing her culinary skills at L’École Ferrandi in Paris and the Ashburton Cookery School in the UK. Blending her love for food and fashion, she offers a unique perspective on what to eat — and what to wear — on your next culinary adventure.
