365 Places to Eat

Across the street from Penguin’s at Olympic and Westwood is another frozen yogurt joint called Bigg Chill.

Similar to Penguin’s, Bigg Chill serves old school style, creamy frozen yogurt in a variety of flavors. They also have custard flavors, carbo-lite choices and even their own “tart” line called Chill Berry (guess what it tastes like).

Bigg Chill has been around for decades and has developed an enormously faithful following. It’s not uncommon for lines to be out the door in the evenings.

The people behind the counter are very friendly and keep the line moving. One note is that the portions are HUGE! They give you an overwhelming amount of yogurt, a small is plenty for me, especially if you get some tasty toppings that range from fresh fruit to candy favorites.

10850 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 475-1070

If you grew up in Southern California in the 80s, like I did, you will remember the first yogurt craze that swept the land. Penguin’s Frozen Yogurt was the place and I can remember buzz similar to Pinkberry’s when locations starting popping up.

We would go as a family and I can remember getting a Penguin’s turtle sundae. Vanilla frozen yogurt, hot fudge, caramel and peanuts. And the end, everything mixed together and you had this sort of dessert soup at the bottom of the cup.

Not surprisingly, the yogurt fad faded. Surprisingly, the yogurt fad came back a few years ago in the form of icy, tangy “real” yogurt.

I never lost the taste for Penguin’s creaminess though. I like the texture of the soft serve cream and the sweet flavors.

Fortunately, a few Penguins licensees have survived over the years. UCLA alums will know that there are two locations close to campus, one in Westwood and one on Olympic and Westwood Blvd. Hard to say which is the more popular with students, but I have seen many a sorority girl ordering carb lite at the Olympic locale.

The fruit may not be as high quality as Pinkberry’s, but there is a wider range of toppings and choice of flavors. The prices aren’t too much different, a bit cheaper at Penguins and larger portions.

I mapped out some of the existing locations, don’t know if I got them all, let me know if I missed any:

I have been going to Luna Park since shortly after the Los Angeles location opened on La Brea.

There is a lot to enjoy about Luna Park. The food is creative and comfortable, the drinks are crafted with care, the desserts are decadent and the prices wont decimate your wallet.

For those looking for a quiet and spacious dining experience though, this isn’t the place. The tables are packed in tight and the music can be loud, although the play list is usually quite enjoyable.

I have noticed that the Luna Park menu has evolved over time and seasonally. I haven’t seen one of my favorites, the risotto with tomatillo sauce and scallops in a while. Right now, in the winter, the risotto is butternut squash with wild mushrooms. The chicken has gone through a few iterations as well, and I recently enjoyed a half chicken braised with bacon. Like I said, comfort and creativity.

The mixed drinks are a treat, try the Chappaquiddick - Pomegranate Vodka Muddled with Orange, Lime and Cranberries and Topped with a Splash of Sparkling Wine. There’s even some good choices if you’re the designated driver - a rumless mojito and pomegranate cooler to name a couple. The friendly (sometimes) bartenders can help you out with your custom orders, although when one customer asked the man behind the bar what was in the Coconut Kiss, his reply was “I don’t know. You wouldn’t like it.” Could be true, but funny to hear.

We used to stop by Luna Park just for desserts. Their cobbler was one of the best around, but isn’t on the menu right now. The make your own smores are clever, but more gimmick than good. The fried apple pies are good though, served with a side of ice cream.

Luna Park is reasonable, particularly when the quality of the food is considered. Entrees are under $20 and are more than enough food to fill your belly.

One note on parking. We regularly get a spot on La Brea. Read the signs carefully to make sure that you wont get a ticket, but you can avoid the valet charge most of the time.

Other Luna Park Write Ups

• Delicious Life
• Famished LA
• L.A. is My Beat
• Rate a Restaurant

Luna Park
672 S. La Brea (near Wilshire)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
phone: 323.934.2110
hello@lunaparkla.com