Sustainable Akasha

Culver Boulevard is lined with many restaurants, not all of which are worth your time.

Akasha is.

Sustainability is a big theme for Akasha, from its ingredients to its building's design. The restaurant prides itself in supporting "small family farms, organic growers, sustainable and fair trade companies, and artisan food makers."

I pride myself in having fun with friends.

It's a good combination, especially when those friends share food.

Loved my Slumdog Passion ($12).

Tru lemon organic vodka, passion fruit purée, pineapple juice, blood orange, and agave. Yes, yes, yes. YES.

insomniac's Free Radical ($12).

Veev, Sambazon acai juice, fresh lime, and agave. Definitely gave my drink a run for the money.

Organic macaroni and cheese with toasted bread crumbs ($8).

It looked so great, but it didn't taste as good as it looked. Slightly on the bland side and not as rich and cheesy as an awesome mac 'n' cheese should be. It made us a bit worried about what was to come.

La Quercia prosciutto, gorgonzola, fig, caramelized onions, and wild arugula pizza ($15).

This little pizza definitely helped the restaurant rebound back into our good graces. The juxtapositions -- salty and sweet, crispy and chewy, meaty and veggie -- worked wonderfully.

Fisherman's Daughter masala shrimp, tomato chutney, mint raita, and bamboo rice cakes ($12).

Gorgeous specimens that paired well with crunchy blocks. I just wish there'd been more.

Niman Ranch lamb sliders, sheep's feta, wild arugula, and tomato chutney ($11).

I'm sorry, but I'm drooling too much remembering how much I enjoyed these to give you a coherent description.

Sweet potato fries with pink sea salt ($6).

Pleasant accompaniment, but not particularly noteworthy.

Salty chocolate tart with sea salt, caramel, pecans, and soy vanilla crème ($9).

I can't remember if my cohorts liked this or were meh about it. I skipped the chocolate.

Flourless lemon torte, market strawberries, rhubarb sorbet, and whipped cream ($8).

The strawberries were so fresh and delicious that the torte almost seemed like an afterthought. But I was ok with that. I like when the quality of ingredients really stands out. And good strawberries make me smile.

Overall, we were pretty happy with our post-work treats. I liked the atmosphere, too.

Thanks for a great night, pdx, AJ, and insomniac!