A stroll through the entrance of the Hammer Museum these days may seem a bit typical: Check in at the front desk, receive an admission sticker, and then follow the staircase up to the bamboo tree-lined courtyard and exhibition galleries.
However, there’s something a bit different these days about the courtyard, and it’s not a change in the constant rotating exhibitions the museum houses. As of September, Cafe Hammer by Wolfgang Puck has been replaced by the new eatery, Ammo at the Hammer.
The Ammo restaurant holds a mix between a modern cafe and fine dining atmosphere ““ tables covered in white linen, silver chairs that match the rest of the courtyard, silverware wrapped in white napkins and water glasses that closely resemble a cylindrical flower vase.
The trees planted throughout the courtyard now surround a restaurant that first started as a catering company. In 1992, Amy Sweeney had an idea to begin a catering company devoted to healthy seasonal cuisine for L.A. actors, actresses and production crews. In 1996 she created a commercial kitchen on North Highland Avenue and eventually in 2000 expanded to create a restaurant, Ammo. The Hammer reached out to Sweeney and managing partner Benny Bohm in May of 2011 to begin the talks about bringing Ammo to the Hammer.
Ammo serves lunch and supper Tuesday through Friday, and brunch on the weekends. The joint also accommodates to-go orders for those who may not have the time or do not wish to dine in the museum courtyard.
The lunch menu mostly consists of salads, soups and seasonal sandwiches, ranging between $7 and $16. On weekdays, Ammo also offers a wine and beer happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The weekend brunch menu offers a selection of pastries, sandwiches, soup, sausages, roasted breakfast potatoes and salads ranging from $4 and $16. The selection is a bit limited, but the food is delicious.
On the lunch menu, the grilled chicken breast on sourdough bread with avocado, tomato, spring onions, cilantro and wild arugula provided an indulgence of fresh flavors. The vegetables were fresh and the chicken was juicy. The sourdough bread was neither too hard nor too soft.
Along with the sandwich includes the choice of either a side of french fries or a salad. While the price of the meals may be a little on the high end for many college students, the size of the sandwich and the portion of fries was very generous. The quality and freshness of the ingredients can be tasted in every bite, and the fries were extra crunchy ““ being the perfect complement for the sandwich.
Some of the salad options the restaurant offers are a chopped salad with arugula, radicchio, radish, cherry tomatoes, green beans, parsley, parmesan, lemon and olive oil; a traditional caesar salad; and heirloom tomatoes with burrata, basil, olive oil and balsamic reduction, among many others.
Other sandwiches Ammo offers are a vegetable sandwich that includes tomato, cucumber, sprouts, lemon, olive oil, feta and avocado on olive bread; a prosciutto sandwich that has arugula, shaved fennel and radishes on ciabatta; and a roasted turkey breast sandwich with smoked mozzarella, bacon, avocado and lettuce on sourdough.
Along with salads, soups and sandwiches, there are also seasonal entrees, including the pan seared market fish with sauteed green beans, marinated beets and tapenade for $24.
Four television screens line the inside portion of Ammo (at the time there was nothing playing on them), and those sitting in the open exposed area are allowed a glimpse of some of the upstairs galleries. On cooler evenings heat lamps are placed among the tables, and on warmer days umbrellas are up to shield from the sunlight.
The service could have been better. Waiters and waitresses don’t seem to be in any rush to refill water glasses or ask if anything else is needed.
Aside from the service, the atmosphere allowed for a fast food type of meal in a serene yet sophisticated environment. Just a few minutes away from most office buildings and campus, Ammo allows for a nice spot for conversation over food.
““ Marjorie Yan
Email Yan at myan@media.ucla.edu.