L-R: Jewel’s new Pizza Capricciosa (with house-made vegan mozzarella); Owner Sharky McGee; the restaurant’s outdoor patio.
Customers can expect innovative menu additions from new Executive Chef Kota Hidaka,as well as dinner, wine, and beer later this year.
Virgil Village restaurant Jewel—known for its inspired, plant-based brunch & lunch menus and charming outdoor patio—is ushering in a new chapter, helmed by owner Sharky McGee, as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally opened in 2018, the restaurant is named after the guiding culinary philosophy that vegetables are the jewels of the earth, and it has since been serving the community with unique yet accessible dishes that showcase their multi-faceted beauty and versatile delectability.
“Jewel is a place where omnivores and vegans—and everyone in between—can find common ground. We just happen to be meat and dairy free,” says Sharky, who is committed to fostering exploration and creativity (rather than substitutions and a dietary agenda) in the kitchen. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone, no matter who they are or what they like to eat, feels welcome and well fed.”
As she and her team look toward the future, Jewel “2.0” means that customers can expect the introduction of a dinner service, wine, and beer later this year, along with innovative additions to the menu overseen by newly appointed Executive Chef Kota Hidaka and Sous Chef Andy Barbato. (Former Co-Owner & Executive Chef Jasmine Shimoda has stepped away from the restaurant to pursue other projects.) Kota hails from The Springs and Redbird, and has trained in fine dining restaurants in New York, Connecticut, and Japan; Andy was born and raised in Naples, Italy, and has cooked in Italian kitchens across the world, recently segueing into plant-based cuisine (and vegan cheese-making) during a stint at Little Pine.
Officially on the menu as of this week, the newest dishes from Kota and Andy—which draw from a blend of flavor profiles that represent the fabric of LA’s diversity—include:
● Buffalo “Chicken” Sandwich – fried “chicken” yuba (tofu skin) with a Korean spice dredge, house-made buffalo sauce, curtido cabbage relish, and horseradish-herb mayo, served on a toasted focaccia bun.
● Pizza Capricciosa – marinara sauce on a sourdough crust with artichokes, cremini mushrooms, trumpet mushroom “ham,” and house-made vegan mozzarella topped with Fresno chilies, house-made vegan parmesan, and olive dust.
● Jewel Burger – basil & garlic confit Beyond burger patty with a roasted bell pepper & tomato confit pesto, olive tapenade-walnut patè, lettuce, and tomato.
● Burrata Salad – house-made cashew burrata with marinated artichokes, preserved eggplants, persian cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, ramp basil pesto, tamari brandy balsamic reduction, micro arugula and crispy shallots.
● Smoky Bacon Toast – spring onions, cashew herb spread, bacon jam, tempeh bacon, pickled fresno chilies, pea tendrils, lemon-bay leaf vinaigrette, served on Bub & Grandma’s sourdough bread or housemade gluten-free seed bread.
Sharky—who has managed iconic restaurants such as Gjelina, Pastis (NYC), Spice Market by Jean-Georges (NYC), and Balthazar (London)—will continue to run what she deems a vibrantly chill and inclusive atmosphere, and lead community-driven projects with an emphasis on causes that uplift women of color and the LGBTQ+ community. Starting this month, the restaurant will be donating ALL proceeds from their merchandise sales to the LA LGBT Center and plan to make these donations indefinitely.
Jewel is located at 654 N. Hoover St. (just south of Melrose) and is currently open from Monday through Friday from 10AM–5PM and Saturday & Sunday from 9AM–5PM for coffee, plant-based breakfast & lunch dishes, and house-made pantry goods available for dine-in or take-out. For more info, visit www.jewel-la.com and view the full menu here.
About Sharky McGee:
A native of the Philippines, Sharky McGee has enjoyed an exciting career as the manager of such iconic restaurants as Pastis and Spice Market in NYC and Balthazar in London. She was a key player in shaping the New York dining scene in her role at Pastis, where she got an exhilarating education in hospitality and restaurant operation, and quickly rose to take over their training program. She has years of experience in the creation and management of multi-restaurant branding, including Spice Market (NYC) and Market (Atlanta) by Jean-Georges Culinary Concepts and OTG, a national dining and retail concept based in several major American airports. She moved to Los Angeles in 2016 and joined the Gjelina team, after being deeply drawn to their food philosophy and high standards, before eventually opening her own restaurant, Jewel, in 2018. Sharky’s genius lies in her ability to train and operate with precision while inspiring her team, and infusing the dining room with warmth and merriment. Her years of experience managing nationally-recognized restaurants and restaurant groups have fully prepared her to create the ultimate dining experience at Jewel.
About Jewel:
Daytime restaurant Jewel opened in Los Angeles’ eastside Virgil Village neighborhood in 2018. Owner Sharky McGee and her team see vegetables as the jewels of the earth; all of the restaurant’s dishes start with this philosophy in mind, showing their multi-faceted beauty by preparing them in unique ways to surprise and delight all the senses. Dairy-free, meat-free, and featuring local, organic, and sustainable produce whenever possible, most of Jewel’s dishes are plant-based and gluten-free (or can be made gluten-free)—but cater to omnivores and vegans alike. Vibrantly chill and sophisticated yet relaxed, Jewel makes damn good food because they have some damn good chefs, and desire to make everyone feel at ease and at home.
