City of Angels or City of Avocado? Either works in Los Angeles, a town that practically lives and breathes the healthy green fruit. Come Saturday and Sunday morning, you can count on seeing at least one avo toast per table at any brunch spot in LA. Now, I'm a self-proclaimed avocado enthusiast, but even I am starting to get bored. If you've also been desperately craving a toast that isn't avocado toast, I've found us both a solution: Broccoli Toast.
If you’re peacing out at the thought of “broccoli toast,” hang in there and trust me. Before having broccoli toast for the first time at Kismet, I didn't even like broccoli. Yet, for some reason, my visit to Kismet had me feeling a little zesty, and I decided to try something new. Of all things on the middle-eastern-inspired menu, I went for the broccoli toast. And thank the green goddess I did, because from that point on, I’ve never looked back. That heavenly toast converted me from a broccoli hater to an absolute lover.
The Vibe at Kismet
Kismet is a veggie-forward, middle-eastern-inspired restaurant run by two female chefs, Sarah Kramer and Sara Hymanson. They have a daytime menu and separate dinner menu that are both fantastic, but the broccoli toast is only available during the day. So, basically, make it to Kismet before 5 p.m. to get your hands on this masterpiece, then stay for dinner to try out other delicious creations.
Broccoli Toast Break-Down
If the thousands of Instagram photos of aesthetic avo toast are any indication, brunch lovers live for pretty plates. This certainly plays in Kismet's favor, as the broccoli toast is a true feast for the eyes. With so many components to the intricate dish, it can be difficult to discern each savory ingredient. Working from the bottom, we begin with the most important element of any top-tier toast: bread. Kismet opts for a thick slice from a whole wheat loaf with a sesame seed crust for its trusty base. Generously slathered over the bread is a tangy labneh, which is a soft, creamy Middle Eastern cheese made from strained yogurt (and let me tell you, it's delish).
Up next is the belle of the ball: the broccoli! First grilled, then lightly charred to perfection, you'll wonder why avocado gets all the love. Sprinkled over it all is a mixture of ground pumpkin seeds and a delectable blend of garlic and salt that perfectly seasons the roasted broccoli. But that's not all. Just when you think there's still some competition between broccoli and avocado toast, Kismet amps it up with an unexpected addition: fruit, that rotates seasonally between citrus segments, pomegranate and stone fruit. The fruit, which at first might seem out of place, actually works well with the tangy labneh, rounding out each blessed bite with a sweet finish.
I have a feeling that my face looked much like Jonah Hill's in the gif above after dissecting the sensory overload that is Kismet's broccoli toast. Even I have to admit that the toast has a lot of moving parts, but I didn't feel that one component was out of place. The creaminess of the labneh envelops the smokiness of the charred broccoli, allowing the nuttiness of the bread and the salty pumpkin seed mix to shine through.
At first, the idea of broccoli toast seemed odd to me. But I'm officially a convert, and I wouldn't be surprised if broccoli toast started taking the place of avocado toast on brunch menus across the country. For now, though, you'll have to head to Kismet if you find yourself craving a toast that isn't avocado toast in Los Angeles. You'll be glad that you did, and who knows? You might even stay for dinner!