The Location: At different venues / spaces all throughout Los Angeles
The Vibes: Intimate, decadent, classy
Good for: Alone, couples, small groups
When-To-Go: Every Thursday, 7 – 10 p.m.
The $$ Factor: $245 per multi-course dinner, which includes wines, passed hors d’oeuvres, plated entrées and dessert
The Names behind the scenes: Chef Megan Marlow, who’s been the personal chef for real estate mogul Rick Caruso and fitness guru Jillian Michaels, and who is passionate about promoting a plant-based lifestyle (you can read more about her here)
The 4-1-1: Five percent of proceeds is contributed to a different charity each month. For April, charity: water, which provides drinking water to developing countries, was the recipient of the donation. Plus, all ingredients are locally sourced; this month, everything came from Firelight Farm.
Parking Situation: Complimentary valet
I’ll Be Back…: For the croquettes! And the “crab” cakes! And the grilled potato Caesar salad!
Last Thursday, I went to my very first pop-up dinner experience.

April’s event has “A Modern First Impression” theme and fittingly takes place in a massive, modern house right on the edge of Hancock Park.
The night I arrived, us guests were shuffled into one large, open space with a subtle floral scent wafting through the air, soaring ceilings and concrete floors, and three beautifully set oversized wooden tables front and center. We were greeted by passed hors d'oeuvres and an open bar that freely poured red and white wines (and, an alcohol-free strawberry lemonade). For about an hour or so, we all mixed and mingled, and I met some really awesome people, including a couple who personally knew the chef, a travel writer and her husband, and two friends who drove from Arizona — yes, a whole state away — all for the love of Chef Marlow and her culinary prowess.

And then, it was time for dinner.
We sat down for the remaining seven courses, which comprised a diverse mix of hot / cold, creamy / crunchy and sweet / savory inventions.
Six of the seven courses were renditions of dishes that traditionally have animal products. For example, the Miso-Beet & Tahini Tartare was a play on tuna tartare; the Wild Mushroom Croquettes, a twist on the traditional meat and cheese favorite; and the Crabless Cakes substituted crab for creamy artichokes and heart of palm. What was so impressive was how much the texture, smells and flavors of these plant-based inventions mimicked that of their meaty and dairy counterparts. When I bit into the Garlic-Butter Sous Vide King Oyster Mushrooms, pictured below, I had to double check that I wasn’t biting into a real oyster.

I don’t say it lightly when I say that everything on the menu was spectacular.
And, I wasn’t alone. My table mates and I would ask one another: “What’s your favorite so far?” and it was always difficult to select only one.
The Creamy Celery Root Soup, a rich and creamy blend of a type of celery called celeriac and the Egyptian condiment dukkah, accompanied by focaccia bread.

The Wild Mushroom Croquettes, crispy, fried mounds filled with a melt-in-your-mouth risotto.
So because I clearly couldn’t pick just one, here’s a quick look at the top five that I enjoyed the most:
The Creamy Celery Root Soup, a rich and creamy blend of a type of celery called celeriac and the Egyptian condiment dukkah, accompanied by focaccia bread.

The Wild Mushroom Croquettes, crispy, fried mounds filled with a melt-in-your-mouth risotto.

The Grilled Potato Caesar with walnut Parmesan cheese, which you couldn’t tell me didn't have dairy or anchovies. The salad had a spunky mix of crunchy and smooth textures, thanks to the added garlic croutons and soft baby potatoes.

The Crabless Cakes, filled with a delectable, creamy blend of hearts of palms and artichokes and served with a dollop of tangy horseradish-dill aioli that had a kick.

The Meyer Lemon Cheesecake, which brought a bit of savory by incorporating rosemary into the shortbread crust, with a firmness that was reminiscent of biscotti. It also had a light “cream cheese” topping and shavings of candied oranges that were just divine.

Now for a full list of everything that was served:
- Spring Pea Crostini (passed hors d'oeuvres)
- Chinese Sausage Turnip Cake (passed hors d'oeuvres)
- Creamy Celery Root Soup
- Miso-Beet & Tahini Tartare
- Wild Mushroom Croquettes
- Grilled Potato Caesar
- Crabless Cakes
- Garlic-Butter Sous Vide King Oyster Mushrooms
- Meyer Lemon Cheesecake (dessert)
The ambiance throughout the night was relaxed, and I have to say, it was quite nice to sit back in somebody’s magnificent home, and simply enjoy an amazing dinner, void of any distractions and without having to wash dishes at the end of the night.
Plus, it was an added benefit to know that part of the proceeds of the night were going towards a charity. After the dinner, Chef Marlow shared more about how the charities are chosen, stating: "We select our featured charities based on a number of things. One is how closely they align with our values as a company, and another is how they use the donated funds within their organization. This month, our charity selection is charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. This aligns with our mission to promote environmental sustainability and bring attention to human welfare across the globe."
So the next time you’re looking for an intimate, off-the-beaten-path dining experience where you may meet some incredible people to talk with and also explore plant-based dining, consider making moves to the Citizen Mustard dining series one Thursday evening.
See you at the next one!
So the next time you’re looking for an intimate, off-the-beaten-path dining experience where you may meet some incredible people to talk with and also explore plant-based dining, consider making moves to the Citizen Mustard dining series one Thursday evening.
See you at the next one!
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