Photo Credit – Marie Buck
There’s something about Montana Avenue in the morning. While most of storefronts continue to sleep, a few early risers roll up the shutters and open their doors to user in the bright light. The street feels peaceful and alive, all at the same time. On a recent Wednesday just before 8:00 am, I strolled past the early birds sipping on coffees at Groundwork before reaching Kye’s, a new spot offering good-for-you food.
Kye’s recently joined the ranks of casual restaurant concepts serving fast healthy fare. Owner Jeanne Cheng, who holds degrees in both traditional and holistic medicine, says, “I hope that our tasty and convenient experience satisfies the customer who is looking for both the yin (nourishment) and the yang (enjoyment) of eating.” The shop, named after her son, serves four categories of the signature KyeRito – essentially a large sushi handroll served in a “slip wrap” cellophane to preserve the freshness of its surrounding green shell. Seated at the wood-paneled bar under a yellow sunburst that graces the feature wall, I indulged in an organic green juice and Breakfast KyeRito – the filling of pinto beans, green eggs, pico de gallo, chipotle cream, and corn tortilla chips was encased in white rice and crispy nori. I felt satiated until the early afternoon.
Kye’s is open from 7 am on Tuesdays through Sundays, which means Mondays call for a sleep-in.
1518 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403, 310-395-5937, kyesmontana.com
Marina Chetner is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.
Marina Chetner is a Los Angeles-based Australian freelance writer.