Hot Pretzels and Garlic Pickle Chips for Happy Hour
Plus cheap beer, wine, and a Cuban sandwich.
What’s up palumBROS? It’s Wednesday again, so welcome to another addition of The Move. Hope you’re well. I haven’t had a drink in 8 days, but you know what I’ve been doing instead? Eating a shitload of Starburst jellybeans. During this extended break from booze, I plan on eating a lot of candy, so hit me with your candy recommendations in the comments. Anyways, on to The Move this week, which just so happens to be a really good happy hour.
I live in Thai Town, right next to Tabula Rasa and Jumbos Clown Room. One of those is a big problem for me. A few times a year, somebody will go, “Hey do you want to go to Jumbos tonight?” and I don’t have an excuse because everybody knows I live right fucking there. Jumbos is a guaranteed two day hangover, but damnit it’s a good time. I’ve also had some really great dates there. Actually, last time I was at Jumbo I spent 170 dollars and ran out of the bar with a woman riding on my back while I made airplane noises. So, who am I kidding? I love Jumbos and I would be honored to die there.
But this isn’t about Jumbos, this is about Tabula Rasa, a wine bar on Hollywood Boulevard that I’ve been to dozens of times. Way back when, Tabula Rasa hosted Francesco and Francesca of Ceci’s Gastronomia when it was just a pop up and not the awesome cafe that it is today in Silverlake. Tabula Rasa is a great bar hang if you live on the Eastside. I’m regularly there meeting up with friends for a quick drink before everybody goes to do their shows/get dinner/fuck off forever. Their happy hour is a damn good deal, and it’s everyday from 4-6pm.
The menu at Tabula Rasa is small, simple, but also satisfying and cheap. Go for the Hot Pretzel.
The hot soft pretzel is only five bucks and comes with a champagne-garlic mustard plus a Hong Kong habanero mustard. The champagne-garlic mustard is sweet, smooth, and slightly tart. Its neutrality is its strength. I certainly asked for more of the stuff, and weirdly angled this giant pretzel in the small square dish to make sure I got every last bit of it. Conversely, the Hong Kong habanero mustard tastes like grain mustard and not much else. It’s spicy, textured, and will burn your nostrils in a good way. It doesn’t have a ton of depth to it though, so I usually go light on the stuff. The pretzel is brushed with butter and salted perfectly. You know some mall pretzels come overloaded with salt and you have to shake the stuff off like dandruff? Not a problem here. Also, I don’t have dandruff fuck you.
The Cuban sandwich ($9 during happy hour) ain’t bad either.
This Cuban’s got all the usual suspects—ham, roast pork, and gruyere, plus a spicy pickle relish and the aforementioned champagne-garlic mustard. It comes on a bolillo roll from a spot in Santa Monica that’s brushed with butter and pressed. I asked the guy cooking the Cuban sandwich about the bread and here was the conversation:
“Hey man, where’s the bread come from?”
“It’s from this spot in Santa Monica.”
“Cool. What spot?”
“Oh, nothing special. You can get bolillo rolls from Ralph’s.”
“…I do get bolillo rolls from Ralph’s, but these are really good. What’s the name of…”
And then he walked away. Anyway, these are not the bolillo rolls from Ralph’s.
This Cuban sandwich is mild and tasty, and while nothing spectacular, the pickles that come on the side are fucking awesome. They’re sliced very thinly, and have a really rad spicy garlic thing going on. The baguette/boillo roll is very flaky and somewhat sweet. I found the bread and pickles to be the best parts of this sandwich. Here’s a move: Ask for more pickles. Then load your sandwich up with them.
They also sell olives and pickles plates for $5 a pop during this time. The olives are green Castelvetrano, and come lightly dressed in a rosemary/citrus olive oil. They’re real nice. I could crush a whole plate of olives myself (and I did on Monday night). The pickle plate might disappoint depending on what they’re drumming up back there. I have had some uninspiring, limp pickle plates at Tabula Rasa in the past. Low risk for 5 dollars, but personally, I’d just ask for the thin chips they serve with the Cubano. The burst of flavor in-between sips of beer or wine is delightful.
Speaking of beer and wine, Tabula Rasa does $8 house red and white during the hours of 4-6 everyday of the week. They also do $2 off drafts and a $5 dollar house beer. Some notable brews include: An Australian Pilsner from Anaheim, Glimmer Hazy IPA from Homage Brewing, and the Populist IPA from Eagle Rock Brewery. Christ, I want a beer so bad I can taste it, but unfortunately I’ve been going a little too hard these last few years and need to take a break.
I’m not a huge wine guy and if I were you would probably think I’m insufferable on top of all the other food opinions I have. What I do know is that Tabula Rasa has a fine wine list, and if you’re into cheap drinks and happy hour eats, it’s going to satisfy every time. The Move is happy hour at Tabula Rasa.
Some other Moves:
They do pop ups occasionally. Every so often, Ceci’s will drop by to do some pasta, or they’ll be a guy flipping burgers out back. Usually on the weekends.
You can sit 5 people comfortably in one of their big booths and you should absolutely do that. The booths are super fucking comfortable. Even better is that there doesn’t seem to be a ton of people taking advantage of this happy hour, so tables are open.
Tabula Rasa
5125 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Open Sunday - Thursday 2pm - 12AM
Fri. and Sat. 2pm - 2am
Happy Hour 4 -6PM Seven Days a Week
That’s it! Another post in the books. Think I’ll celebrate by getting some bolillo rolls from Ralph’s and making an egg sandwich with some Dijon mustard. That’s what I eat for breakfast, like, 3 days a week.
Hey, thanks for reading The Move!!! Subscribe if you want. Optionally, you can tell me to go fuck myself. Up to you.
Ciao or whatever!