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Review content:
I decided to try this place mainly because Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly) gave this Brazilian restaurant quite a good review, and it?s always a pleasure to find a restaurant where food is not only the main focus, but a labor of love. At the Wood Spoon, the owner (with the bright smile) has created a delightful little restaurant, in the middle of an admittedly shady area of downtown LA. The decor is a mix of white and yellow, with bright plastic sunflowers in the windows. The service is friendly, and the menu straightforward and simple. My friend and I started with the complimentary cinnamon water ? very crisp and refreshing; an appetizer sampler with the Pastel Portuguese (fried dumpling with shrimp and coconut sauce)(our fav appetizer, crispy and tasty), Portuguese Croquette (fried ball of potato and salted cod)(our least favorite, a bit bland and the cod was strangely absent), Coxinha (fried ball with chicken)(ok, but not fantastic). We had read that the 2 house specialties were the pork burger and the chicken pot-pie (odd for a brazilian place), so we ordered those to share. The pork burger was phenomenal; juicy, flavorful with braised cabbage. The waitress suggested we eat it with the mustard, and it was an amazing complement. The pot-pie was also quite good; very meaty, with corn, but I felt it needed a kick of some sort? maybe salsa, jalapeno? something. We ended this satisfying meal with homemade chocolate truffles, rich and thick, almost chewy. All in all, we enjoyed the food and casual ambience. We would definitely return for the pork burgers and the truffles. This restaurant doesn?t serve alcohol, but Broadway Bar is right around the corner within walking distance if you need an appertif or a nightcap.
Pros: Delicious, fresh food; Friendly Service
Cons: Slightly bad neighborhood
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