The pandemic has turned the restaurant industry upside down. Some have converted their operations to abide by state and local regulations have experienced some success. Other restaurants that primarily focus on service and ambiance have remained closed or have curtailed their operations to exist solely to pay rent and insurance. Catering companies like Thrive Kitchen LA have become alternate go-to destinations.
My cousin and her husband surprised me by giving me food prepared and delivered by Thrive Kitchen LA for my birthday. A lady rang my doorbell and left me with a huge paper bag. It was like Christmas Day unpacking the bag to see what I received. I appreciated that every package was labeled and it included detailed warming instructions.
I enjoy the complex flavors that Cajun and Creole cuisine offers and I was happy to discover Chicken, Andouille Sausage and Jumbo Shrimp Gumbo as the entree ($23). They included a generous amount of large shrimp and the roux was full of flavor and tasty. I served it over the supplied white rice.
For the side, they included a salad kit ($8) made with bib lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, toasted walnuts, pecorino romano cheese, and a light lemon vinaigrette made with walnut oil. The bibb lettuce was extremely fresh and the flavors all worked well together.
It is peach season in Southern California and Thrive Kitchen LA took advantage of the delicious fruit with a Peach Cobbler ($7). The peaches were naturally sweet which made for a nice finish to this wonderful dinner. Fortunately, I had vanilla ice cream in my freezer and I placed a scoop on top of the cobbler.
On another occasion, I selected their Pork Chile Verde dinner. The pork chile verde contained huge pieces of pork shoulder that had simmered for three hours in a tomatillo sauce. They added sliced onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapenos, and roasted tomatillos to enhance the flavor of this dish.
Included in this dinner was a Mexican Caesar salad. The toasted pepitas and the creamy cilantro dressing were nice enhancements to this American classic. The Lime Cornmeal Bar doesn’t sound appealing, but the taste was close to key lime pie. The blueberry glaze topping provided a nice contrast to the lime flavor. The cost of the entire dinner was $36.
Each Saturday afternoon, Thrive Kitchen LA provides their upcoming Tue / Thu menu for the upcoming week. They respectfully ask that you place your order no later than 9 a.m. Tuesday for either or both days. Their motto is they cook so you can thrive!
Thrive Kitchen LA, 323.559.4714
thrivekitchenla.com