Want a quick, clean, organic and local westside lunch? You can get a pleasant one at Kreation Organic Kafe in Santa Monica — but you’ll have to pay for it.
Kreation’s a Santa Monica-certified green biz that’s all about yummy local and organic eats. To make it easy, the place is open from 8 am – 10 pm every daily. And it’s got sidewalk, indoor, and outdoor in-the-back seating.
But you’ll need to pay white-tablecloth prices for these quick-n-easy meals.
Yes, the place is cute, with eco-tables and wall plants and the like. However, Kreation’s really got the feel of a classy diner — NOT that of a fancy restaurant.
Yet Kreation boats the prices of a fancy restaurant. A salmon salad dinner entree’ll run you $32. Yep — That’s a lot, even for Santa Monica. Even when everyone really does enjoy her quick meal.
Luckily, we were there for lunch, when things are somewhat less expensive. The prices weren’t outrageous — at least for Santa Monica.
Traci (above, right) got some vegan combo (right). Summer (above, left) got some bacon-intensive salad, and I got a sustainable salmon sandwich (below) with side salad.
And honestly the place has me questioning my own assumptions.
I mean — Kreation serves only organic, local, and/or sustainably obtained yummies. Is a $32 wild salmon organic farmers market salad actually expensive — or have we just become too accustomed to the fuck-the-environment-gimme-cheap dealios of the “free” market? Maybe a good chunka sustainably-harvested salmon SHOULD cost $32 when served atop eco-friendly local organic produce….
After all, the servings were quite huge. The $16 lunch salmon sandwich I ordered (above) could easily have taken me through dinner. Except, you know, I ate it all for lunch.
Kreation Organic Kafe. 1023 Montana Ave. #B in Santa Monica. 310.458.4880.
it’s not so much the “F-The Environment” thing that gets me, but the assumption that thinking a $32 salad, could only be a notion thought by someone that hates the environment that gets me.
I simply cant afford something like that, and my recent ventures into the world of farmer’s markets only proved my previous notion that eating “organic” etc is expensive and even me…a vegetarian can’t afford it sometimes.
I don’t even drive! I walk everywhere, and the walls of bills are closing in.
I blame higher education somehow. 4 years of college and nothing.
Oh well.
The sandwich looks great. that’s for sure.
Comment by sir jorge — July 26, 2008 @ 7:49 am
$32 salmon sandwich? Eco friendly?
Eco friendly means not eating anything that has a face of a liver…
Eco friendly is grain salads, a multitude of beans prepared in interesting ways and great LEAFY vegetables dishes of which are even more elusive to find in this great angel city. Bottom line restaurant have no real imagination & just following latest expansive trend of which “eco” tread on fear & current market.
Let’s face it: restaurants are just into gimmicks & making money.
Comment by Nadine B — July 27, 2008 @ 10:44 am
There are food riots around the world because increase of starvation from rising prices of rice, corn, and beans. Sustainable also means life can sustain itself, so when food gets too expensive people can’t sustain themselves. The question we all have to ask if we can afford the $32 sandwich is why do we feel “special” if we eat it. I reacted to the rise of food prices by stopping shopping at the farmer’s market, shopping at Jon’s and the 99cents store and started growing my own.
Comment by Julia — July 27, 2008 @ 3:17 pm
i’m all for restaurants serving eco-friendly food but how about the concept of no-waste meal? serving a ‘too large’ portion of food for a ‘too large’ price doesn’t make a whole lot of sustainable sense. i’d much rather pay half the price for half the food which will still be enough to fill my belly. what’s the point of sustainably harvesting salmon when half of it winds up in the landfill anyway?
Comment by rachel — July 28, 2008 @ 11:09 am
I ate at Kreation the other day, and I thought the food was great. We ordered the 5-appetizer plate, which was all vegetables– roasted tomatoes, forbidden rice, quinoa, spinach– all wonderful. The portion was ample for us to split, which made it somewhat affordable.
It is always less expensive, of course, to cook at home– that’s what makes the farmers market do-able. I think it’s a real privilege to be able to hand the farmer my money directly, and I’m willing to pay a premium for that.
None of these farmers are getting rich, and they are entitled to make a good living just like anyone else. And I value what they do more than I value the work of most lawyers.
Comment by Michael — July 28, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
Last month I was staying in Santa Monica and was so greatful to run into Kreation. I found the food wonderful! The prices were not cheap but I was always able to share the meal with my husband or friends. It is one of the few places that I actually started craving their food. And by the way what is more important than the food we put in our bodies…. forget the fancy clothes or the expensive cars — they are not what keeps us young and going strong.
Oh– and I love the decor — because of the layout I was able to meet many lovely people.
Comment by Diane — September 12, 2008 @ 1:34 pm