The Kitchen’s Fred Schleicher

Of the many things that I favor about Silver Lake, an assortment of hip, funky restaurants ranks pretty high up there. And I can think of almost no other restaurant that defines the Silver Lake scene more than the Kitchen (4348 Fountain Ave., Silver Lake), that homey little eatery situated next door to Akbar. Catering to an eclectic clientele that includes everyone from hetero couples on their first date to burly leather studs on their way to the Eagle, the Kitchen has become a staple in the community with its gourmet American food.

The restaurant was opened in 2000 by three Silver Lake residents: Fred Schleicher, Mark Motonaga, and Jeffrey Wylie. “We knew the neighborhood was changing a bit, and we wanted to have a place that was for the people who were from the Silver Lake area,” Fred tells me. It started off as a diner-type lunch spot, though, says Fred, “We realized that if you were going to have things that were made from scratch and you want good quality, you have to take a step beyond that.” Though Wylie eventually departed to pursue other endeavors, Schleicher and Motonago kept the Kitchen going, helping it grow and evolve into the quaint establishment it is today. “It's not a diner, but it's not fine dining,” Fred notes. “It's for people who want really delicious food that's made from scratch but who can't afford—or don't want to pay—the higher prices. You're not paying over $30 for a rib-eye steak.”

Signature dishes at the Kitchen include its famous buttermilk fried chicken and the pistachio-encrusted salmon with a mango chutney, though the rib-eye (served with truffle french fries and fresh grilled asparagus) and the turkey burger (served with guacamole and honey-smoked bacon) are also popular items. “We also have really killer fish 'n' chips,” Fred notes. “We get all kinds of English people coming in here just for that.” Fred adds that he is very excited about the restaurant's new brunch menu and its upcoming summer menu. “We are always kind of changing a little bit. We try to stay on top and keep it vital.”

Having come from a restaurant background (“I was an actor/waiter,” he jokes), Fred—who hails from Erie, Pa.—says he thinks the Kitchen is a special place, one that reflects the diversity of its community. “Silver Lake is one of the most unique communities in the city. You have the gay and straight mix and the Latino and African American crowds, and you have different classes, from rich folks who live in the hills to the working-class. So it's that combination of people working together in a community that makes it a really genuine, down-to-earth community.”