Taste California's Best Baja Cuisine Without Ever Leaving Los Angeles
This is Caravan Swim Club, the expansive outdoor restaurant for Hotel June — a west side property that managed the impossible task of opening *during* the pandemic last year.
They know how to make great drinks here, and the extensive mezcal list brings joy to my boozy little heart.
A gorgeous bar is always the start of a good meal, that's my motto.
This is Chef de Cuisine Angie Lee, she's the one that turned Caravan Swim Club into something really special.
Under the careful guidance of the legendary Steve Livigni of Scopa fame (who recently opened his own taco spot Flaco), Lee began to craft a menu for guests that would be a breezy, true-to-form representation of Baja cuisine. "Working Steve has been great because he'll throw me ideas and I'll run with it," Angie said. "And I'll come up with the dishes. So it's been a really good partnership."
Every Baja meal starts with fresh seafood, an homage to the best coast in the world. Oysters are a must, and they come by the dozens.
Fresh as can be, with wine aplenty for pairing. Caravan Swim Club features a custom michelada mignotte with watermelon granita (!) to channel more Baja vibes.
Chef Angie isn't afraid to get her hands dirty — she's there every step of the way.
Will you hate me if I make an "aww shucks!" joke right here?
But there's something for everyone on this spicy plant-forward menu. Squash blossom quesadilla? Check. Cauliflower nachos? Unexpectedly a menu standout.
I didn't even miss the chips. I know, I was shocked too.
If you want to stick with the tried and true, cheese and charcuterie abound.... this is still LA after all.
Or, adventurous eaters can dive into delicacies like the uni tostada. The mix of culinary styles and textures here is decidedly Baja.
What could be better for poolside dining than ceviche and guacamole?
This is how everyone should eat. All the time. Chef Angie makes her ceviche with rockfish, shrimp, avocado and jalapeno.
Here's even more food porn, just because these photos speak for themselves:
"The foods that I’m doing right now — Korean food and Baja cuisine — have always been a passion of mine," Chef Angie told me in a recent interview. "I love the flavors, but it’s not something I cooked throughout my culinary career. Then I figured out that cooking can be passionate: The food that you want to make, the food that you want to show people."
Breakfast is another journey on its own.
Whether it's a staycation, a trip to LA, or just a leisurely dinner, take the trip to Caravan Swim Club very soon.
You won't regret it. Check out all their menus here.
Or book your stay Hotel June right here.