From traditional Danish flavors to elevated American fare, you will find something for everyone at Open Face Food Shop. Simply put, chef Lene Houck creates amazing menus using farm fresh, seasonal ingredients in modern, inventive pairings. Lene and her husband Mark hope that their neighbors and friends will enjoy both the food she’s lovingly created and the welcoming atmosphere surrounding it.
Homemade. Handmade. Honest.
Scheduled maintenance, street work and private catering will force us to close for a couple weeks. Please follow us on instagram @openfacefoodshop for up to date information.
Thanks and we’ll see you soon!
-OFFS team
Still going! It’s like the Energizer Bunny 🤪
More concrete today on our side of the street, and lots of activity on the opposite side.
in truth, this is a bigger and more extensive project than we had anticipated. At the end of the day it will be great however, so will all just have to be patient. The new crossing light is installed and next they will work on the pedestrian island and then probably repaving? The price of progress I suppose 🙂
I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day, restful, thoughtful, and filled with gratitude for the labor and everyone’s hands. Together is how we get things done!
See you all soon, and thanks for your patience and support.
- Lene, Mark and the Open Face Team
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
“Peter Piper picked a peck of… crazy hot Bulgarian Carrot peppers, then roasted them in a 600 degree pizza oven and THEN pickled them in Champagne vinegar! (Yeah yeah I know, but that’s how it SHOULD go)
What a nice day. Just the two of us in our little kitchen, figuring out a recipe or a new technique, making something awesome and laughing a lot… like old times when we first started out so many years ago 🙂
Cherry bomb peppers and rare red habaneros got their turn in the oven today too, all now ready for their next stage in life; adding a little 🔥 to something wonderful. We love pepper season.
How will they make their way into the new menu? You’ll just have to wait and see.
Watch this space, and we’ll see you all soon!
-Lene and Mark
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal #beylikfamilyfarms #jforganics
Today’s “construction delay“ mission… Flavor King Pluot jam!
So elegant; with a delicate sweetness from amazingly ripe fruit. The fruit is so naturally sweet, we cut down the sugar by over a third! Just incredible. I wonder if it qualifies as “health food“ now… 🙂
Next project in the pipeline is those gorgeous peppers we bought yesterday!
… And you guys thought we were sleeping in while the restaurant was closed? Nope!
How does that saying go, “No rest for the pickled”? 🙂
Thanks for your support!
– Lene and Mark
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal #peaches_la #canning
Hot, hotter, hottest!
In order: Cherry Bombs, Bulgarian Carrot peppers, and the rare Red Habanero! Thanks to @jaimefarms and @beylikfarms for these sizzling beauties. Curious to see what we have in store for them? Stay tuned! Could be hot sauce or chili vinegar, charred chili oil or… pickles? Who knows? 😋
By the way, we haven’t forgotten about the spicy margarita recipe you asked for- it turns out that it’s a lot easier to just make the cocktail than to break it down into all it’s steps accurately. Coming soon, though!!!
Thanks as always for your patience and support as construction winds down and we work toward reopening. See you soon!
-Lene and Mark
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
People often ask us, “Why do you spend so much time at the farmers market? Isn’t it all that stuff the same?”
No. Not even close.
Case in point, tonight’s mission; spicy margaritas with Bulgarian Carrot peppers (5,000 - 30,000 Scoville units). Best margarita EVER 🥳
Thanks to @jaimefarms for these blisteringly magnificent marvels. Bright, fruity… and hot AF. Perfect for this drink. Never heard of this chili? Go to the farmers market(see what I did there?)😀
Would you like the recipe? Happy to share the joy. 1st 10 requests get it. This is sooooooo good.
Welcome to pepper season! (OMG my mouth is on fire!!! Woohoo!) Support your farmers!!!
-L&M
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord #smfms
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal#cocktails #cocktailsofinstagram #margarita #nightoff
On another note, while it looks like street services says they are ready to start pouring concrete, they also just told us “they are a couple days behind schedule” whatever that means. (sigh)
Still a giant mess, but we’re behind this important safety project (fingers crossed they don’t hit anymore delays).
We’re looking forward to getting things back to normal… better than normal!!
Thanks for your patience and support, we’ll see you all soon🤗
-Lene, Mark and the OFFS team
So cool! The entire ripening cycle of our homegrown Fish Peppers, all within a couple inches of each other!
These long lost heirloom peppers have a mutation for albinism (check out the the white mottled leaves) which expresses itself throughout the pepper’s ripening; first white, then green and white striped, and on through the spectrum to the beautiful red here; finally ready for harvesting!
Can’t wait to try this legendary pepper with a Jalapeño to Serrano heat and a flavor like no other. Like we say around here, “spicy is nicey!”
Woohoo!
Many thanks to our friends @logansgardens for helping us find and grow this unique (and nearly lost) historic marvel. https://peppergeek.com/fish-peppers/
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
Wow, getting BUSY!
Looks like this will take about a week, and they’ve already started on the opposite corner. Not quite as noisy as yesterday but pretty dirty and totally inaccessible.
Thanks for your patience everybody.
Progress!😀
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
Hi, everybody! Updates!
So, remember that street construction that was supposed to happen a month ago? Well, it’s happening now! 🙂
I have to tell you, it is absolutely earsplittingly loud right now even inside the kitchen . So much dust. This is expected to go on for about a week,; after the noise and dust of cutting the concrete they will have to get the large machines in here to dig everything out, then re-pour the concrete, THEN actually grind down the street install the island and lights and resurface and… Then they have to get started on the opposite corner. Oh my goodness 🙂
At the end of the day though, this will be a safer street with bike lanes and a proper way to cross Adams. Until then we are in the middle of a full in construction zone. It’s kind of nuts.
OK, that’s todays update! We will be back open before you know it, and we miss everybody!
See you all soon,
Lene and Mark
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
Hi everyone. Updates!
Despite everything, we’re still being impacted by the pandemic in ways we can’t foresee.
Between staff shortages and rising infections, it’s become increasingly difficult to run the restaurant the way we want to; with care for you and a passion for food and service.
For those reasons we have decided to keep the restaurant “on pause” for a short time.
We’re going to take the next couple weeks to revamp parts of the menu for delivery (!!) and to get our new space across the street ready.
With luck COVID numbers will come down quickly as vaccinations rise and we can get back to doing what we love; serving delicious food to wonderful people in a safe and beautiful environment.
Until then, watch this space for updates and thank a for your support.
-Lene and Mark
Hi, everyone!
Just wanted to show you what we’re cooking while we’re “closed” (we’ve actually been here every single day).
Today it’s Braised Wagyu short ribs for the upcoming wedding menu, courtesy of the AMAZING Dan Morgan of Morgan Ranch in Burwell Nebraska. Morgan Ranch raises some of the best beef in America and we are truly fortunate to be able to serve it.
Man, I wish you could smell this…
Don’t worry, we’ll order more for our fall menu 😋
See you all soon!
-Lene and Mark
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal #morganranchwagyu #americanbeef
Hi, everyone!
We will be closed for the next two weeks for scheduled LA City street construction and for a couple larger weddings we’ve had on the books for several months. We know this is inconvenient and we apologize (we would of course love to see you at the restaurant) but wanted to assure you that nothing is wrong and we had this in the works for a while.
The city told us they planned to start their work Monday July 26th, but may have recently changed that schedule; unfortunately we have no way of knowing for sure. It’s a little frustrating to be sure but out of our control (like so many things over the last 18 months). We’ll just try to stay flexible and keep you posted 🙂
In the meantime, please follow us on Instagram and Facebook for timely updates @openfacefoodshop and #openfacefoodshop. This is the easiest and fasted way to stay informed.
https://ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/adams
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
Beautiful special just for today!
Wild King Salmon Burger, sweet chili glaze, housemaid kimchi with fresh plum and two organic sunny eggs!
What a great way to start your Sunday. $16!
See you soon at Open Face Food Shop!
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
This was left in our climbing fig at some point during the day. Thanks to @rise_like_grief for brightening our afternoon. This is a beautiful poem😀
Bike
You, who have borne three sons
of mine, still bear my weight
routinely, transporting me.
An odd pair: your classic spare
lines – elbows, bony frame –
and me, bearlike, cumbersome,
nosing tangled coils of air
you cut through with your pure
purposeful geometry.
With you it’s feet off the ground,
a feat passing unremarked
though in full public view.
Keeping each other’s balance.
Our talk slow recurrent clicks,
companionable creaks.
Through you I’ve come to know
winds inside out and raw
weather ignored before;
and nuances of slopes,
the moving earth, green tracks
for blackberries and sloes
for gin, for jam: the tug
and tang of fruit pulling me
clear of the wheel of myself.
Michael Laskey
#poemsinotherplaces #poeminthevines #openfacefoodshop
Whether you call them “king oyster“ or “king trumpet“, these are some of the most beautiful mushrooms we have ever seen. Week after week, Lauren and Ralph bring spectacular product to the Hollywood farmers market. More important, they are just as delicious as they look! These will grace our fancy burger among other wonderful fresh dishes at Open Face Food Shop.
Getting ready for Burger week!
(Just so you know, I spared you a half a dozen mushroom puns… You’re welcome 🙂
See you for a burger week… And beyond!
@the_freshfoodies_kitchen @burgerweek.official #openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants#thehfm #eatlocal
Hi, West Adams!
Come experience our new expanded outdoor dining… whether it’s our sidewalk tables, long counter or patio garden, you’re sure to find a spot that feels just right… all shaded and generously spaced for your comfort and safety 😀
Great food, great service, great environment… what more could you ask for?
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Open Face Food Shop
Homemade. Handmade. Honest.
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
Wow…this is so beautiful!
Oyster mushrooms from our friends Lauren and Ralph @the_freshfoodies_kitchen at the Hollywood farmers market on Sundays!
Come get these and other gorgeous mushrooms with our Fancy Burger, on the menu every day @openfacefoodshop
#westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal #thehfm
… and in a couple minutes, wow! Charred spring onions ready for pickling. Can’t wait to taste these in a week when they are finished!
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
Gorgeous spring onions from @the_garden_of_ On the screaming hot plancha….
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
There is literally nothing in the world that makes us happier than to serve you and to see your smiles again.Your support of us has been inspiring, energizing and it’s the reason we get up every morning. Thank you.
Many of you may know that we ran a catering company before opening the restaurant and are receiving a tremendous volume of calls for our Private Event services.
These events are important especially at this moment; everyone is yearning to see their loved ones, hug their friends, meet their new grandchildren… we’ve all spent too much time apart.
We’re honored to be part of these wonderful and personal moments, but to do so we need to close the restaurant for the day. The industry wide labor shortage (and the laws of physics) makes it impossible for us to do both at the same time.
Too many of our friends in the restaurant industry are working through the same challenges and we hope you’ll find it in your hearts to be patient with us all. This isn’t something we can “pivot” our way out of, we just have to work through it together as best we can.
We fully expect this to be a temporary glitch and we humbly ask your patience on the days we can’t serve you at the restaurant. We hate the thought of you showing up for your favorite Danish sandwich and finding us closed so we’re doing our best to give everyone ample notice here, Facebook, Google, Yelp, our website and anywhere we can think of.
Thank you so much for your understanding and please know we would do the same for you.
By the way, WE’RE HIRING so spread the word (we’re great people to work for).
Thank you again and we’ll see you all soon!
-Lene, Mark and the OFFS team
#openfacefoodshop #westadams #healthyeating #farmersmarket #freshfood #putapickleonit #bestsandwiches #sandwich #danish #smorgasbord
#regardingherfood #saverestaurants #eatlocal
