Sublime Silver Spoon in my Mouth

Sublime Silver Spoon in my Mouth

By Dena Feldman Garfinke

Restaurant review: 

The Rustic Spoon

4384 Lankershim Blvd. (southeast corner of Lankershim and Moorpark)

North Hollywood, CA 91602

You wouldn't expect heaven tucked in between a hardware store and a pizzeria.  But a little piece of culinary bliss exists on Lankershim Boulevard, at The Rustic Spoon.  Causal and sweet, cozy and artful, delectable and inexpensive, The Rustic Spoon offers what not many local restaurants can these days:  a healthful, mouthwatering meal at reasonable prices. 

This family-run Asian eatery offers an entrancing variety of salads, soups, pho (soup that eats like a meal), noodle dishes, curries, chicken, beef, and fish.  There's really no way to go wrong; this gem offers something for everyone with a taste for Asian food.  A huge bowl of chicken pho goes for only $8.00.  The Drunken Noodle cooked with a shot of Thai whisky and your choice of protein is such a ginormous portion you'll be carrying home a doggie bag for a mere  $10.00.  The marinated Thai barbeque chicken dinner for $10.00 is based on the family recipe, which lives on even though the recipe's creator now rests in peace.  It is an honor to eat that scrumptious chicken. The flash-fried ahi tuna salad is my personal favorite for $11.00.  The ahi slices are generous, cooked rare, and beautifully coated with black and white sesame seeds around the edges.

There are also plenty of vegetarian options for those who don't eat meat.  All dishes served with meat, chicken, or fish also have the option to be served with tofu.  Plenty of vegetable-only dishes are served that would whet the appetite of any vegetarian or vegan. 

The Rustic Spoon's ambiance is homey, so it's no wonder that the place is packed with regulars.  The servers are friendly and know their customers; Julia, Joel, and Oak are three of the nicest, most polite servers you'll ever meet, and they hustle like nobody's business.  Julia now knows my order by heart, and she notices if my husband and I arrive later than usual on Thursday nights.  Joel teases my husband about his passion for curry and roti bread.  I have never once seen Oak in a bad mood, not even when slammed with endless takeout orders on Oscars night.

The menu also includes a variety of gourmet teas, non-alcoholic drinks, and desserts.  Water is served in "genie in a bottle" style carafes, and lighted flowers line the outdoor-dining patio.  Seating inside can get a bit shoulder-to-shoulder, but this cozy element only adds to the charm of The Rustic Spoon. It's an obviously well-loved hideaway. 

If you feel like staying home, The Rustic Spoon offers free delivery to Toluca Lake, Universal City, Studio City, NoHo arts district and parts of North Hollywood.  Parking can be a bit tight, so sometimes, takeout is a comforting option.

Be warned:  this place can become addictive. You'll be hard-pressed not to get sucked in by the Spoon.