The Spanish Kitchen ... midweek treat

826 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310)659-4794
Lunch: Mon-Sun 11AM-4PM
Dinner: Mon-Sun 6PM-1:30AM

With all this bustle to get ready for Thanksgiving I'm offering a reprieve right before the battle throwdown. A tradition of sorts, that for me at least is very Californian, is Taco Tuesday. Who designated this day of the week to offer up cheap tacos? The world may never know, but one such addition to the legions of taquerias is The Spanish Kitchen in West Hollywood.

For the size of the tacos and what's in them, their blanket price of $2 a taco is excellent. I mean, where else can you get lobster taco's for that much? Plus, they have some fun with their tacos. And hey, if you're going to have a selection of 13 tacos, you kinda HAVE to get creative.

Pictured above are the beer battered shrimp, shrimp with pesto (which ended up a stand out from the meal), grilled salmon and snapper.

Here's two of their steak tacos which we both loved. Nice quality meat and NO fat to chew on.

On this plate, first is the lobster (try it with the roasted pepper salsa), then beer battered white fish, two chicken tacos (the ONLY disappointment... please save yourself from blandness and don't order them, cause everything else was rockin), chorizo and potato (yum), and last but certainly not least the BBQ pork. The BBQ pork taco is rightly one of their signature dishes and is what I would go again and again to get by itself it was so tasty!

One tip I'd give as far as the ordering process. If you want to order a lot (max per person is 6), have them bring them to you 2 or 3 at a time so they don't get cold. That was our one bummer of the evening.

There's a bunch of salsas to choose from...none of them too hot and ALL of them flavorful, so be sure to mix it up. AND, if somehow the tacos aren't enough for you and you need some rice and beans, they've got you covered for just a little extra with a plate of good traditional Spanish rice and black beans. Plus, if you care to wash down your food with Sangria (or even go with friends and share a pitcher), theirs is quite nice(all flavor, no burn) and reasonably priced. So have fun guys and enjoy the holiday!

Refills: No, but they've got a great bar that's not overpriced
Price: $2 Taco Tuesdays

Caffe Carrera...Quite possibly some of the best Italian in America

235 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310)652-5992
Mon-Fri 11:30AM-10PM
5:30PM-10PM
Sun Closed

I'm finally back. On my way back to LA I determined in my heart to hit as many buzz/trend watch spots as humanly possible this month. Let me just say that so far I've been let down on my first run out so I decided to post about some place that goes farther than to classify itself as stellar. Yes, it is above phenomenal. The first trend place I hit was on restaurant row and while I won't mention the name of this place, cause I'm thinking about writing them some specifics to step it up (I care about good dining experiences in LA), I will say that when you dine on LA's famed Restaurant Row you should be floored. I also won't tell you the name of this aforementioned place due to the fact that the page is What's To Eat LA not What's Not To Eat LA.

Caffe Carrera is by far one of the best Italian spots in LA to dine at. Notice I say dine and not eat since it's an experience when you go there. Located just south of Restaurant Row on La Cienega, this small den of perfection has done what very few on Restaurant Row have been able to do... stay in business for 14 years! This is a testament, in general, in comparison to any LA establishment of any kind. In LA it's just plain hard to stay in business for that long. The owner Armando has found a way and he's been sticking to it for years.

So what makes me speak so highly of the spot? Well, Armando Carrera comes from 5 generations of his family cooking and owning Italian restaurants going all the way back to 1908 in Grammichele, Sicily. He has maintained a healthy clientele who swear that he has one of the best spots in LA to eat at, and I agree. The man really has it together when it comes to serving up not just good or great dishes, but food that is fit for kings.

The restaurant itself is completely unassuming from the outside and you just might miss it by the size of it. The entire place houses 11 tables if I remember right so it'd best be to call and reserve a table just to be on the safe side (not to mention just to make sure he's open cause sometimes he's off doing special events). The interior has a familiar charm to it that is best seen and felt, and this is only one facet of it's sparkling charm.

When you go in you realize there isn't any wait staff. Armando IS the wait staff (with the exception of one guy that might bring out one or two things and pick up your dirty plates). He comes by and talks to you like a friend, and he has quite the sense of humor. He's one of those guys who could go in to any conversation with any person and be immediately at home in the topic, whatever it may be. He has an air about him that tells you you can trust his decisions and you should, at least when it comes to the food. Last time we went we were glancing through the menu and he sat down beside us and just asked us what we're feeling like. Like in the "what would you like from the menu?" kind of way but more of the "If it's Italian I can make it so tell me what's your hearts desire?" We chatted about the evenings events, then decided on the Gamberi & Funghi for our appetizer, Celeste had the Farfalle Amalfi and I, by suggestion of Armando, decided on his favorite, the Osso Buco (not on the menu) with spaghetti and meat sauce for my side(that was my idea). He replied with, "Ahhh, not a vegetarian are we...Meat sauce with your meat haha."

The Gamberi and Funghi was a plate of solid perfection. The shrimp and mushrooms were hearty, cooked to the consistency of jambalaya, served over a bed of lemony orzo. The sauce was balanced and not heavy or exhausting on the palate one bit. Truly a well crafted plate that rocked our socks.

The Osso Buco with spaghetti was an incredible surprise for me as I didn't know what to expect, all I really knew was that it's his favorite. He brought it out and the smell was huge. Boasting a huge beefy aroma, with hints of tomato thanks to the meat sauce. My mouth was instantly salivating. The braised veal shank was to DIE for! Veal is a tricky thing, and this was some of the most tender succulent veal I've tasted. Like butter in my mouth, it was tender and smooth. The simple stewed vegetables that accompanied it were the perfect compliment. The marrow of the bone (which Armando said to make sure I try) was like the concentrated essence of the entire shank. It wasn't gelatinous as some would presume, but more like a fatty piece of meat minus any gristle. The spaghetti and meat sauce were nice for me as I came with a big appetite. The noodles were perfectly al dente and the meat sauce was top notch, a veritable testimony in and of itself to the brains behind all his plates. A small note is that you should get wine. He pours generously and it goes great with all the meals.

This is Celeste's bowl of Farfalle Amalfi, a bowtie pasta with salmon throughout in a slightly peppery gorgonzola tomato sauce. It was mild but strong all at the same time, with the slight garlic and pepper flavors present and pleasant but in no way overpowering, and there were even chunks of tomato that were filled with that unidentifiable wholeness of flavor that must have been gently stewed into them. It was so well balanced that Celeste even said how silly she felt because she wasn't even worried about the quantity of salmon that was included (anyone else ever feel ripped off cause a pricey dish only included about 4 bites of the featured meat?).

We finished our meal by sharing a piece of the Tiramisu. Someone online had commented that it was the best they'd had, including New York. While I don't have the experience of those other areas to make that statement, I know this was an outstanding dessert on every level I could evaluate it. All the cakey layers were very moist, but didn't mush into the other layers or fall apart. As you ate it, there were phases of flavors, first a little ammoretto, the the chocolatey coffee cake and a slightly sweet creamy finish. We consumed it alongside an excellent espresso and latte, making a wonderful ending for our meal.

I really can't do this place enough justice with words. I hold this place in such high regard that words seem pointless. Very few people in LA know about this place but those who do know about it all give it nothing less than 4 out 5 stars(a rating of 4 being more the exception). Next time you're feeling Italian and want something that will knock your socks off, call and reserve your table at Caffe Carrera...I can promise you wholeheartedly that you will be not only be impressed, but you'll also be wondering why you would ever go anywhere else.

P.S. They deliver, cater, do take out and just about anything else you could want from a restaurant.

Drink Refills: You know what I don't know...I always get wine there. You should too.
Entree Price Ranges: $10 to $15 for appetizers and $17 to $30 for entrees.

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I'm finally back from possibly the first official vacation I was able to take since I started working. It's not that I haven't had time where I've been off, it's just that even those times I had to think about work. I went to the Arizona and let me say it's such a spectacle that it looks fake. It honest to goodness looks like a painting. While I was out there I stayed in Williams and thought about nothing related to work including writing on my site. Let me just say that it was one of the most refreshing times I've had in my life.

See it looks fake! I actually took this at the Grand Canyon:

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And in other news:

FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE INVITES YOU TO JOIN FOOD NETWORK'S DAVE LIEBERMAN AS HE HOSTS OUR GREEN PARTY

WHO: Food & Wine, the modern epicurean magazine, and Food Network's Dave Lieberman

WHAT: "Green Party", featuring hors d'oeuvres from chefs: Akasha Richmond, Akasha; Dominique Crenn, Abode; Sang Yoon, Father's Office; and Michael Cimarusti, Providence.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 15 from 7-9 PM

WHERE:At the home of Dave Lieberman in Hollywood Hills, California

CONTACT: Lori Lefevre 212.827.6403
917.627.0803/c
Sonia Zala 212.536.2014/o

Tickets are $100 per person with proceeds benefiting Food & Wine's Grow For Good, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased until August 10 by calling 646.366.8644. Space is limited.

Pizza Week on What's To Eat LA: North End Pizzeria

8600 W 3rd St Ste 2
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 550-8956
Everyday 11AM-11PM

Finishing off this pizza week on What's To Eat LA, we have North End Pizzeria (their website is down but the menu link is below). This spot is an interesting entry on to my list because it operates like a mega chain (in the good kind of way) and yet it isn't...though it has the makings to be such one day.

I would classify this place as a place your office would order when they want to treat the staff to good pizza on a Friday (hence why it's being written today). The pizza is designed like say a Pizza Hut or Papa John's slice but that's about where it ends. The cheese is thick and solid. When you bite into it there's some serious substance going on. It's not like biting into a hearty Chicago style or like biting off a bit of prepackaged string cheese but it's solid. The crust while fluffy and just crisp enough is not really something out of the ordinary. This is yet another parallel to how they could become corporate one day. They understand their competition.

Both pizzas (shown below) have tasty grease. I'll state that right off the bat there's some grease going on underneath the hood of the box when you get it. Don't be afraid though of grease (unless you're watching your weight and in that case why are you even attempting to eat pizza...shame on you!) . It's just essence of cheese for the uninformed. I expect there to be the oily glisten on top of a pie because it shows how much cheese has been used typically. That's not to say that you have a pool of grease waiting for you but basically a more flavorful pie.

Their sausage is great (even the second day reheat rocks)! The pepperoni was chosen for it's non-heart burn after effect. Pretty cool idea.

Okay...now until recently I had never had a meatball and fresh garlic slice of pizza let alone theirs. The combination never really crossed my mind until I just thought about it without the association of pizza. This may be my new favorite combination (at least from them). The fresh minced garlic and their own meatballs were a marriage made in Italian heaven while the honeymoon was in my mouth. A very memorable combined flavor considering that the garlic brought out the deeper flavor of the slightly sweet tomato sauce and made their spicy (not the hot spicy) meatball really pronounced. This was the hit for the party we had this at.

For some strange reason their website is down so I've include the menu for those that can't wait. What's nice is that it also shows their other locations at West LA, Burbank and Cerritos...hmmm sounds like they're already trying for a big branch out. Either way it's great pizza corporate or not. Oh and did I mention the corporate prices...an 18 inch for $13 is hard to beat!

It's been an amazing week of weight gain and greasy used napkins. I thank all of you who've read along and hopefully tried out some of my favorite pizza spots to frequent (though this doesn't include all of them by a long shot).

Free Drink Refills: Yes
Pizza Price Range: $11 to $14 with toppings going from $1.25 to $1.75

JR's Barbeque...It is summer officially!

3055 So. La Cienega Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310)837-6838
Mon-Thu 11AM-9PM
Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM

To set the mood. "Take it away Will"


The rays of summer are upon us and feeling the heat we remember that it's time to savor the flavor of barbecue sauce. When you speak of bbq in LA, people have varied opinions as to who is the best. While I'm not going to argue as to who I believe is the best(as it will never be decided, and can never be decided, cause it's all about taste), I will say that JR's BBQ is an outstanding entry into the annals of Los Angeles Barbecue hotspots.

When you go over to a friends place for barbecue you bring an appetite and expect to help yourself. Going to JR's is like going to a close relatives house where you feel welcomed immediately and are at home when you sit down. One of the owners (Bobby) was helping take care of us and was one of the nicest guys we've met. It seemed like every 4 minutes or so he was making the rounds making sure everyone was all good and chatting with them for a little. He had the attitude like he actually wished you were in his family.

How do I begin talking about food that leaves such a strong impression that after you've had it you still talk about it and taste it on your mouth the next day? By saying it was one of the best BBQ plates I've had ever. We got dinner plates (comes with 2 sides and both of us got the classic combination of potato salad and baked beans) of the chicken links (served medium heat) and a dinner plate of the pork shoulder meat (also served medium). The chicken links, which they make themselves, were absolutely to die for. Thinking about them right now makes my mouth water. They were tender and exploded with juicy chicken and spicy flavors. The BBQ sauce they serve it with is their own special recipe and packs a wallop of dense Memphis flavor. As I said we got the links medium and they were just that. By the end of the plate our mouths were a little warm but not in pain. As a side note, they can make them hot and if you do get them be prepared as they're NOT for the faint of heart.

The pork shoulder plate had a huge serving of incredibly tender pulled pork meat. Once again what we have here is a plate of meat that stands above the rest with each bite tasting better than the last. I grew up in both Puerto Rican and black families for get togethers. Puerto Ricans have a dish that's called Pernil, which is essentially roasted pork shoulder. I've had many examples of Pernil as well as lots of Tennessee style pork meat. This is the closest you're going to get to authentic Memphis in LA.

The potato salad was different in a very cool way. Lying somewhere between traditional potato salad and mashed potatoes with their own extra seasonings (Celeste thought maybe ground celery seed). This was something of a special signature on the plate. The baked beans were wonderful with the taste of liquified sweet bacon in the sauce. Man... intensely good! We ordered a side of mac and cheese to split between the two of us that was great. I love how it had the ever so slightly crunchy top but creamy underneath.

To finish off we had the Sock-It-To-Me Cake (as recommended by Bobby, with a scoop of ice cream) and it finished us off perfectly. Let it be known that Jeannie (Bobby's mom and the other owner along with Bobby) used to make desserts for restaurants, so she knows a few things about satisfying a sweet tooth. The Sock-It-To-Me Cake (shown below) is a sour cream based cake with a streusel of cinnamon, pecans and brown sugar in the middle that is so soft and so well balanced that you feel you just might die eating it! I do admit that the ice cream was the absolute perfect side for it as it kept your mouth from being overwhelmed with the sweetness. A single cake is a good enough size for two people. At $3.50 this things is a STEAL! The other two desserts worth recommending are the 7 up Cake ($3) which is a butter yellow cake made with yes...7 up as a main ingredient as well as cream cheese. And lastly, the sweet potato pie ($2.50) which is dynamite.

The rest of their menu meats consist of Chicken, Turkey Breast, Chicken Breast, Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs, Beek Brisket, Links (chicken and beef), Small End Ribs, and Rib Tips all of which can be made into a sandwich from what I remember. A word about their beef brisket, and about the way they do their meat in general... it's all done fresh in their BBQ pit in the back of the restaurant. Brisket is a tough meat to work with requiring time to be any good. That's why they do their brisket for 14 hours! On yelp I see great reviews about them and then the occasional post that says the meat is dry and not happening. It makes me wonder if it's a random anonymous writer who happens to work for the competition. I say this for two reasons. 1) How can meat that's being done this way, randomly have a bad batch just for that person? and 2) their customer service and attention to how much they want their customers to love everything they're eating is at such a high level, that if by some miracle chance you were to get a dry piece of meat and you didn't like it, they would've asked you if everything was okay and how it tasted and they would have done so for certain since the owners are always there checking in on their patrons as if they were their own family. They would have rectified the situation immediately. Had to go into debate mode cause sometimes I have a problem with Yelp. Sometimes. This place should AT LEAST be a 4 out of 5 on every BBQ lover's list. It's even gotten raving reviews from people such as the LA Times and (one of our personal favorites) the Wally's Wines newsletter.

It's summertime, and though I love the taste of BBQ I'm not always down for doing it myself or waiting for it to be cooked up. This 4th of July why don't you call JR's and have them make you up a batch of some of the best Memphis Barbecue you may ever have! (check out the family meal deals for four starting at $23 for chicken up to $30 for the brisket & ribs)

Free Drink Refills: Only on their Tiger Woods' (raspberry ice tea and lemonade)
Entree Price Range: Sandwiches about $8 and Dinners (which include 2 sides) are about $10 to $12

Asakuma Rice...a serendipitous evening

848 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310)652-7780
Sun-Thur 11:30AM-10PM
Fri-Sat 11:30AM-11PM

Don't you just love when serendipity happens? When I was little I was told a story in second grade about serendipity. A child had lost a toy and went looking all over their home for it. In the process of the search he found much more than he was looking for and though he found the toy in the end, he realized that all the things he found in the process were just as fun if not more fun than his lost toy. I went in search of Vito's Pizza and found Asakuma Rice (their website is down at the moment so here's the menu to help as well) a couple of doors right next door. When I got to the parking lot something inside changed my appetite from pizza to Japanese so it was decided by destiny.

Rice (the chain of Chinese food restaurants) used to be in this exact spot now held by Asakuma Rice. From what I'm aware of, it's associated with Rice, but Rice is Chinese and Asakuma Rice is more of a mix of Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Knowing that I try to stay away from chains, this is an okay exception due to the fact that I think this is the only Asakuma Rice, though it may be associated with Rice. The inside even seems more Japanese than it's Chinese counterpart (though you can't see it, to the right of the picture is also their sushi bar).

Celeste and I popped down and were greeted by one of the happiest, friendliest waiters I've ever had the pleasure of having been waited on. Imagine if the town of Stepford branched out from just wives and started making wait staff as well... that's what you'd get. We started out with their steamed won tons (we ordered for them to be spicy and the sauce they blended was a perfect mixture for us). Great texture and very full flavored won tons. The bed of spinach it rested on was complimetary to each won ton bite and perfect for soaking up the sauce. I'd totally order these again.

Being that this was Asakuma and not just plain Rice, I ordered one of the Asakuma specials. I got the Marinated Black Cod with Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura which came with rice and Sunomono. Let me start with the sunomono which was crisp and extremely fresh tasting. Not too extreme on the vinegar base. I'd also like to add that I never had sunomo with noodles in it. Usually it's just the cucumber mostly. The noodles were a nice touch and quite unexpected. It was a good way to round out such a simple side.

The tempura was great. Just on the edge of doughy but not reaching it. I liked how they gave me plenty of it as well. Some places only give like three or four pieces sometimes, so this too was a pleasant surprise.

And the Black Cod, just a lovely piece of fish. It was so incredibly tender, but not "fall apart" tender. It was firm how a good piece of fish should be. The slightly orange flavored sauce was amazing. Please don't discount it cause I called it orange sauce because it was actually so much more than that. It was just a divine main course crowned by this piece of cod.

Celeste had the Kung Pao Shrimp and chose brown rice to accompany it(which was moist, not dry and in need of sauce). The shrimp were cooked just right, they were firm but tender(there are few things worse than dry, chewy, overcooked shrimp). The vegetables were very good as well, but what made this dish snap were the peanuts. I don't know whether they were or not, but they tasted and looked like those big toasty Virginia Peanuts, and oh the difference it made. Such a simple way of making a traditional dish stand out from the competition!(and we know, cause it's one of her favorites)

We finished off with Mochi, mainly because it was noted on the menu that they get theirs from some special vendor in Hawaii. Now I wouldn't say they were any better or worse than other mochi we've had, but the texture was a bit different, which was a nice change of pace. What made this dessert worth a recommendation though was the fresh fruit and fried wonton strips with caramel sauce. Yum!

Going back to serendipity. I am never all that surprised anymore when I find a place worthy of being written about. In LA you rarely have to go too far to find someplace worth eating at. Sometimes I like to think that Los Angeles Magazine looks at my page when I find that recent issues have places I've recently covered in the last month or two in it and they've labeled them as new listings on their restaurant roster. Makes me feel like I'm helping out in a weird way. If I am "helping out" feel free to give me a mention. I'd love the nod from you guys.

Free Drink Refills: Yes
Entree Price Range:$7 to $12

Absolutely Phobulous...pho for the lazy

350 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(310)360-3930
Mon-Fri 11AM-9:30PM
Sun Closed

Not too bright of an idea to write a post on a mostly full stomach while eating even more. I sit here at my computer stuffing my face with some corn bread I got for lunch from Bristol Farms. It's good and yet there's a task at hand. A task that makes it increasingly hard to write about something being tasty when the last thing you want to think about is more food being tasty. Well you'll just have to bare with me cause that's how I roll. Might I also mention wow...already 50 posts this year. A personal milestone for me indeed.

Pho lovers seem to be very particular about their pho. First lets back up, pho, pronounced "fuh", is a rice noodle soup in clear broth with fresh herbs and veggies in it. It would seem the simplicity of it is what makes them so hardcore about it...it's the balance of simple ingredients that are to agree in harmony in a large bowl. The way the meat, broth and herbs create a single flavor...it's just one of life's simple treats.

As I was saying , pho lovers are hardcore about what you get when you get pho. I went to Absolutely Phobulous this weekend and had a good meal with Celeste. We got the Pho Beef Combo (rare beef, brisket and meat balls), the Vietnamese Crepe (rice crepe with spiced ground pork, mushrooms and onions and comes with Vietnamese ham and cooked bean sprouts with crispy onions), and two orders of Spring rolls. The rolls we ordered were the Fresh Spring Rolls and the Royal Rolls. The Spring rolls had typical shrimp and vermicelli and were yummy but the real standout was the Royal rolls which had marinated pork sausage with golden wanton skin which gave a nice hearty flavor to it as well a refreshing crunchy texture to play against the freshness of the outside rice paper...very yummy indeed.




The pho itself was good...should I be the one to say it wasn't the best or was the best? Probably not. It was very fresh and hearty. The meat was of good quality, the staff was super sweet, and we had a good time. The Vietnamese crepe was fun and while the spices of the meat and the ham was awesome the texture of the crepe itself kind of got old in your mouth when it's all you're eating (kind of smooth and slick). I'd recommend sharing that plate. If you look on yelp you'll hear Absolutely Phobulous was overpriced for what you get while others say it's really good and they enjoy it. I enjoyed it and so did Celeste. They then proceed to name off a bunch of other east side spots that are better. The argument is just that... sometimes you don't feel like driving that far for pho. The other argument is sometimes the rich and famous know a little more than we do cause they get lots of finer food. Not that I'm a media whore but Cameron Diaz stops in as well as other celebs. Kind of a nice perk. I like it and sometimes don't feel like driving to Echo Park, or worse, Monterey Park for killer pho. Henceforth I dub it pho for the lazy. As for the prices...typical west side prices. If you're over here you know what to expect and know that it's actually not pricey at all (especially when you consider you'll be home sooner than later).

All that being said, I shall be writing about my favorite pho place soon enough(which IS on the east side).

Free Drink Refills: Yup
Entree Price Range: $7 to $9

King's Road Cafe

(This pic courtesy of King's Road Cafe.com)

8361 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323)655-9044
Mon-Sat 7:30AM-10PM
Sun 7:30AM-7:00PM

I come to King's Road Cafe for the location, the amazing simple food and the fabulous coffee. This is another one of those places that I have brought all my friends to for the experience and often for impromptu magic shows (more often than not these happen because I'm always prepared to entertain). At first look from the outside you go "ah another trendy breakfast/coffee spot" but not so. Their coffee (roasted daily and each cup made to order) has been quoted by many a person I have taken here as "one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had"...this is not an exaggeration. The coffee is flavorful and lush, never harsh and very well balanced. Just a great cup of coffee. The great kicker is this, a refill is only $1.00 for the drink you just had, be it coffee, mocha, latte, whatever. Not too shabby, especially when you're talking about such an exquisite cup of coffee.

The food there has always been top notch and comes out quickly even on the busiest days. Might I mention before I forget, this is another one of those places where you see celebs just coming in for a bite and to read the paper. Back to the food...their paninis are exceptional (of note are the Steak with Garlic Aioli (shown below) and the Black Forest Ham with Fontina Cheese and Garlic Aioli), the pasta is very flavorful (try the Lobster Ravioli in Shrimp and Chardonnay Sauce), the burgers I'll just take the word from everyone else that it's a darn good piece of meat as I have yet to experience it, and last but not least the breakfast plates. The breakfast plates are where they shine the most in my opinion. For starters, if you're a health junkie, try their Oatmeal or Homemade Granola with fresh fruit, both are very satisfying. They have impressive scrambles such as the one that is shown below, which is the Chicken Cilantro Sausage and Fontina Cheese Omelet(so absurdly good), or the Spinach, Goat Cheese, Avocado and Shiitake Mushroom Omelet which is a work of art to look at. And, to top it all off, their french toast with strawberries and real maple syrup is a safe bet if you can't decide between all the delicacies.



The great thing about King's Road Cafe is that you can sit down for a meal, or you can sit down for coffee and dessert, and the wait staff doesn't get annoyed with you for sticking around for a long time, or for ordering so little that a 40% tip would still only be two dollars (granted though tip them well... you'll see very quickly that their service merits it). Then, if you don't feel like sitting down, or know that you'll be sitting for such a short period of time that you'd like to pay up front, simply go to their second door from the corner and you'll find yourself in the cafe side. You can get all their coffee or food to go there, or even stick around at the counter or other tables inside and have a couple bites before you take off. Whenever we stop in like that my wife loves getting either a Mocha with their Chocolate Chip Pecan cookie, or a Chai Latte with their Oatmeal Raisin cookie.

A special note should also be made about their Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee as well as their Chocolate Ganche Torte, which are so yummy. Both of these sweet tooth pacifiers are delightful as a perfect way to end your meal or on it's own on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Come on down here and if you see a guy with a small crowd of people around him performing magic on a Sunday afternoon...you'll have spotted me.

Free Drink Refills: $1.00 for the coffee drinks, but soda's by the can
Entree Price Average: $7 to $10