Yamashiro's Farmers Market with a View to Return

This week marks the return of the farmers market with a view at Yamashiro Restaurant. The farmers market will be held every Thursday night for the next six months.  

Reconnect with neighbors, shop for farm-fresh produce and nosh on gourmet bites while sipping a glass of wine in the parking lot with arguably the best view in Hollywood.

What was once a recession-inspired solution for the destination restaurant has quickly become a local hit.

It’s the second year the restaurant is capitalizing on the potential of its lower level parking lot, bringing in a variety of produce and prepared-foods vendors and live entertainment.

It hopes to attract families in the early evenings and an adult crowd after the sun goes down. Thursday night also marks the opening of the restaurant’s outdoor Pagoda Bar for the season.

Vendors will  include Hillside Organic Farms, Lores Family Farms Fresh Veggies, Sweet Tree Farms, Bolani Afghan Food, Best of The Wurst German Foods, Gourmet on Wheels Cheeses, Long Shot Coffee & Espresso and Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwiches.

“You’re not just coming here and getting a chicken or corn tortilla, you’re getting something special out of it,” said Andre Ulloa, CEO of Yamashiro Restaurant. “We do have our booth serving Asian-inspired tacos, which were critically acclaimed.”

Last year Chef Brock Kleweno and his team created a menu of three tacos: red wine and soy sauce braised short rib, miso-sake glazed black cod and Hoisin duck confit with blood orange-agave salsa.

“We took what that taco is, what the condiments were, what the salsas were and I used the ingredients and some of the inspiration of our menu here, an Asian restaurant to infuse the tacos with,” Kleweno said. “But keeping in mind the tradition and spirit of what a taco really should be.”

This year, Jidori chicken is the newest addition to the taco menu. The chickens are raised cage-free, fed grain with no meat byproducts and without any hormones or steroids.

So how did a destination restaurant come to create a farmers market?

About two years ago at the height of the recession, Ulloa was taking a stroll across the grounds with his brother-in-law as they were discussing new ideas to bring in business.

“My brother-in-law, who is very direct, was the catalyst for the market because he walked down there [to the parking lot] with me,” Ulloa said. “He said something X-rated that I can’t repeat, something along the lines of ‘You’re a real jerk because you have the parking lot with the nicest view in the world, serving cars; you should do something with this.' That’s really what gave me the idea to do something special.’”

Ulloa brought in Nick Spano, who had run a market in the Cahuenga Pass that has since closed.

“He came in and represented the expertise of how to run a market, how to bring the vendors in, and that’s how we started last year,” Ulloa said. “We started in March, which we realized was a little too cold. Had we done it this year in March it would have been a disaster cause it rained almost every day in March. We thought we’d start in April; I hope I don’t jinx myself. We hope to have rainless Thursdays for the next six months.”

Parking: Free parking and a shuttle is available at Fifth Christian Science Church, 7107 Hollywood Blvd. Enter from La Brea Avenue. For the disabled and families with children in car seats, parking is available at the restaurant for $4. All other vehicles are $10. Restaurant patrons pay $7.50.

When: Thursdays, 5 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Where: Yamashiro Restaurant, 1999 N. Sycamore Ave.

Phone: 323-466-5125

Website: www.lacityfarm.com.