For about 5 years, from 2001-2006, I lived at the corner of Franklin & Vermont in Los Feliz. At that point, the neighborhood was still pretty hipster friendly, with places like Psychobabble and The Derby. The Dresden is the only place still in business that would qualify as hip, mainly due to Marty & Elayne. In an increasingly generic Los Feliz landscape, The Punchbowl has got to be the most Zen place in the neighborhood. That makes sense given the background for the owners. Christiana Solano and Jonathon Wright relocated from Manhattan, where they created juice at Pure Food and Wine. Since departing that popular raw vegan restaurant, the partners have teamed with friend Al on The Punchbowl. They describe their side street establishment as a “peaceful little enclave where people could take a breather and listen to good music and fill their bodies with delicious, nutrient-rich juices and foods.”

I previously praised their Golden Bowl, one of the Top Los Angeles Turmeric Drinks, and the trio clearly has a lot more flavor to contribute.

The Punchbowl Halva Shake ($10) is a potable play on a sesame dessert that’s especially popular in Israel. The Punchbowl bolsters a banana base with almond milk (or cashew milk), nutty house-made tahini, Turkish figs and Medjool dates. The milkshake is blended until frothy and served with a sprinkling of sesame seeds to hammer home the halva connection.