On a recent trip to L.A. I had the pleasure of dining at My Two Cents. The restaurant opened in 2013 by french trained head chef, Alisa Reynolds. Their tag line “from the soil to your soul” explains her twist on traditional soul food. Imagine all the deliciousness of your favorite soul food but its vegan, gluten free, or just overall more healthy!
A group of gal pals and I waited for My Two Cents (M2C) to open and there was an immediate line 15 minutes prior to opening. We were able to grab a table before there were none in the quaint space. Looking over the menu, while waiting to order, I immediately selected my favorites, shrimp & grits and Mac & Cheese. But there was one problem. The Mac & Cheese was gluten free and the noodles were made of quinoa. I am far from a “healthy” eater and the lack of gluten never appealed to me. I joked about ordering the Mac with all the gluten.
We were waited on by a familiar set of twins and upon announcing our first visit a roar came from all the staff: “First tim-ers!” and a array of welcomes followed by clamoring of pots and pans. He took his time to answer questions, gave recommendations and made notable small talk. We sat and waited for our food and a familiar sound caught my ears, Lil’ Kim’s “Not Tonight.” I wanted to cry. Yes, I’m dramatic. What establishment do you know plays classics like that? It was nostalgic. Alisa became my auntie in that moment. The food came out in wooden bowls and serving dishes, the same bowls and plates my mom had in the 90’s. I was officially at home.
My first thought was why would they have all this juice in the shrimp & grits? It was clear that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Perfect ratio. Gluten Free, what? GirrL, where? I couldn’t taste the difference. It was perfect- no dramatics. Alisa was back there putting a bit of her foot, ankle, and knee cap in every dish that came out.
As the patrons started to spill out onto the sidewalk, the line never diminished. M2C had found a niche, and there was no gimmick. Just good, clean food. Various memorabilia adorned the restaurant. She even had a photo of her and President Obama. We spoke with the other of the twins about the restaurant, L.A., and being from the Bay Area. Shortly after The Luniz “I Got 5 On It” came on. He said he had them play it for us. What a gesture. M2C carries a family atmosphere and they show nothing but love to everyone that walks through the door. Before we realized it, we had been siting and eating for 2 hours. It was time to go. The food, the music, the atmosphere is something to be duplicated.
My must eats are:
- Shrimp & Grits
- Quinoa Mac & Cheese
- Grit fries
- Rice & Beans
- Greens
What can I say, I’m a sides girl. M2C is on my to do list for every LA trip going forward and you should add it to yours.
My 2 Cents is located at 5583 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. Do yourself a favor and follow them on Instagram @My2CentsLA until you can get there.