Millie's...because I'm obligated to (and I just so happen to love it)

3524 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 664-0404
Sun-Thu 7:30AM-3PM
Fri-Sat 7:30AM-4PM

Let you in on a little secret. Okay, you know how everyone goes to Millie's for food when they wake up from being hungover? And how the place is packed and you have to wait forever for seating? Well here's the simple secret why I have yet to wait for a spot at Millie's... go for breakfast. I mean breakfast breakfast hours not late breakfast... we're NOT talking 7:30am here, just get there before 10:30am and you probably won't have to even wait a minute. Reason being is hipsters are what pack this place out and usually they're still exhausted or wasted from the night before. I mean looking that good constantly takes a toll on people, especially younger people. There I said it.

On to the food. It's always a decent meal. Prices are not too shabby either considering the portions, the quality and the fact that there were three of us eating(and drinking) and the total was under $30.

I had Devil's Mess, which is three scrambled eggs with Cajun-spiced turkey sausage, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa and avocado. It's got solid flavor and the spiciness level spares the faint of heart while also allowing a perfect window for those(like me) who like hot sauce on their eggs.


The Salmon Benedict, which is a toasted English muffin with grilled salmon , sauteed spinach, two poached eggs with home made Hollandaise sauce. Now, you'd think that there'd be about the same amount of salmon as they would put on a bagel with cream cheese... but noooooooo, this was a fillet-o-salmon. Our friend struggled to eat half this thing, and of course we helped cause it was awesome and the sauce wasn't overpowering.

"The Usual" (with pancakes) which is basically what you see here was ordered by Celeste, who took the advice of the waitress on their french toast vs their pancakes and was very glad that she did... not too doughy, not too chewy and just heavy enough.

I could recommend every plate we got to you and to myself on my next trip. But, if you're into the healthy stuff you'll be quite pleased(the granola's supposed to be sensational), cause remember this is Silverlake, and their hipsters need to stay beautiful, so with places like Millie's around, they can have their cake and eat it too.

Parking can kind of be tough in the area, but, like I said just come like one or two hours before you'd think to normally come and you'll be fine... unless you're too delicate to take a short walk down the street. And even if you are, come on! Take tomorrow(that's Saturday) to celebrate the joy of not being at work (maybe then your walk will be a skip if you keep that in mind) !

Refills: Yup!
Prices: $4.75-9.95 for breakfast, and if you hit lunch there it's only $5.50-10.95

The Coffee Table

2930 Rowena Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323)644-8111
Everyday 7AM-11PM

Sorry about the short delay in posting...things have been super busy lately. Busy in a good way though as lots have been happening in my life, as well as the lives of my friends. New jobs, new pets, anniversaries, new homes, end of school, finishing of recordings of albums... just lots of things! Thankfully almost all of it has been wonderful and very positive.

One such new thing was a friend of our's got a new dog and he's so insanely adorable! So cute is he in fact that Celeste and I are now pondering adopting one ourselves. Good chance it will happen as we've seen "this" adorable fella and we're in love! We dropped by our friends place on Saturday morning to take her and her dog "Andy Slater" out to breakfast and decided on The Coffee Table as our destination. Tucked away up Silverlake on Rowena, this cozy cafe reminds me of something out of "So I Married An Ax Murderer" era...don't know why, it just has that 1990's cool-air vibe. I could see sitcoms filmed there.

Though they serve breakfast through dinner, you can bet you'll feel more at home ordering breakfast or lunch. I like this place for it's chill vibe. It really is perfect for weekend wakeups to read the paper and bring your dog out for a walk (just a reminder to hang on the back patio if you bring your dog). We got a varied mix of plates consisting of their "burrito from hell", chopped chicken salad and the chicken rice bowl. Got the burrito from Hell cause I was in the mood for something spicy...I was thankful that it wasn't overbearingly hot but was still enough to make some serious beads of sweat form. It was basically a egg and cheese burrito with some seriously spicy sauce. Once again I repeat it was hot but it was flavored with what seemed like habanero minus the carrot sweetness. Oh yeah the pico de gallo with it was the perfect addition and complimented the burrito nicely. I dug it and the potatoes that came with it were awesome as well. Very downhome flavored without the dryness.

The chopped chicken salad was first of all huge and a good value for what you get ($8.75). Most salads don't give you enough meat when it has meat in it. This thing was packed...each bite made sure you had a good chunk of chicken in it. So much sometimes that you almost forget there's lettuce in there as well. It had a creamy texture thanks to the avocado and bleu cheese they used. It was very fresh tasting and was just a well done salad.

Last was the rice bowl that also had a lot of chicken and was just a huge freaking bowl! Our friend described it as "scrumptulescent". I needn't say anymore.

Here's a view from the dog friendly patio in the back.

Before I forget, this place is called the Coffee Table and their coffee is indeed top notch... worth going for that alone. A very full flavored but not bitter cup of coffee and might I also mention that their chai is also pretty happening.

The Coffee Table is one of those suburban-like hangs where you can feel the sense of community inside the room. It's very Californian and typifies the friendliness of Silverlake.

Free Drink Refills: no but what do you expect at a coffee shop (though I can't recall about refills on coffee)
Entree Price Range:$7.50 to $8.75

(Hipster) Pho Cafe

2841 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
90026
(213)413-0888
Everyday 11AM-Midnight

I love our girl JAX over at Rockinsider. She's a transplant from Utah who will decidedly live and die in Echo Park. She introduces me to lots on the east side... hence why I myself will be moving there this year sometime (hopefully sooner than later). She is all about sharing the love of why LA kicks so much butt and also dishes out why pretentious Angelenos can at least be enjoyed for their comedy effect. She brought me and Celeste here to Pho Cafe a while back. Thanks JAX for all the love.

Pho Cafe is hidden in plain sight like a where's waldo at the silverlake/echo park border. There's no sign and it's in a small strip mall that is mostly ghost town. I can't say I've ever seen the other businesses open except for maybe the liquor store (with the perpetually broken ATM). I speak of the ATM cause Pho Cafe is cash only and have gone at times only to remember that "shoot I need to go out and grab some cash". Silversun Liquor store where famed Silverlake band, Silversun Pickups would go for alcohol is right on the corner and in front of that is the Silverlake Lounge where you can catch some amazing music at night. A Silversun Pickups song for the moment:


Last night I attempted the theoretically possible that turned into the extremely impossible. I would show up at home load up my upright in my car (had to record on a cartoon after Brendan Hunt's "5 Years in Amsterdam), meet a friend for coffee and while out grab some cash for Pho and for the show I was going to at 8pm (5 Years...). Come to find out LA was basically on lock down mid-city thanks to the MacArthur Park incident. Sooo... no pre show pho. But the night was not yet thwarted (love that word...should use it more often). Caught Brendan Hunt who killed it. I'll miss that show. We went right after the show to record on the cartoon Papiroflexia (it'll be up soon and will be at the UCLA animation festival at UCLA on June 9th. Screenings at 5:30 and 8:45 but you have to RSVP at 310-825-5829) and that only took an hour for both of us so we headed over to Pho Cafe with time to spare.

Jax dubbed this place as Hipster Pho Cafe, as that's who primarily frequents the spot. The shop is cool with it's hanging bulbs in glass spheres. The food comes out quickly and for how much you get it's a pretty good deal. I will mention that their spring rolls(assembly required) are killer (sometimes we go for those alone as they are so filling) (sorry no pics this time for them). The pho is down home cooking pho. Slightly on the milder side but I think it's so that you can dress it up to your liking with all the herbs, lime and hot sauce that you like in it. Last night I grabbed the Pho Dac Diet (has tripe in it with raw meat and meatballs).

Here's something other bloggers won't tell you. The parking lot there is small so street parking is the special route. But we often get to park in the parking lot and lots of times so will you. I tell you this piece of insider info. Inside the parking lot you'll see this billboard spot:

I firmly believe that every bird who has the "runs" within a 2 mile radius comes to take a dump up at this billboard. If you park there you will come out and feel like they have some sort of evil vendetta against you. Be warned.

Pho cafe isn't as much of a hidden place as some would have you think but it seems to love the fact that they've gotten as popular as they are based only on word of mouth. It's the best advertising cause you figure unless there's a conspiracy going on it must be the truth on how good it is.

Below you can click on the menu to see the details for prices and what they have. I'd recommend downloading it then blowing that bad boy up:

Free Drink Refills: No but I will say my wife loves the tea there which is ample and the coffee is also pretty killer.
Entree Price Range: about $7.50 for HUGE bowl of Pho

Malo (An improvised Cinco De Mayo meal or East Side Love is Living on the West End)

4326 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323)664-1011
Sun-Mon 6PM-10PM
Tues-Thurs 6PM-11PM
Fri-Sat 6PM-12AM (Bar open until 2AM)
Happy Hour: Mon-Sun 5PM-7PM

Lately I've been finding myself working much harder and getting up much earlier on the weekend. A deadly combination for a musician. I would say roughly that my weekends have consisted of me getting up at around 5AM... sigh. Shockingly though it has been to get to gigs, so I should never complain. Though a musician may have to work odd hours, he still can be successful as long as he is happy at what he's doing. I'm happy... most of the time. What's more important is that even when I don't have happiness I still have joy that can't really be taken away. My friends know what I mean.

I had 2 gigs on Saturday morning. One in Costa Mesa which went fabulously. I got to really let out a lot. Not to mention I got to see some very dear old friends of mine. The second one was in Rancho Santa Margarita and went well cause I was playing with an old friend of mine. The second gig got me getting back into LA around 5ish and starting to sit in traffic for the first time today which was incredible considering it was Cinco De Mayo and the De La Hoya fight was on that night. Me and Celeste called up our girl Ashley to see how she was doing. She was painting her place that day and so we swung by and helped her with some touchups. We then went for tacos cause "why not... it's Cinco De Mayo". We cruised Sunset when we passed Malo and Ashley was like oh we should totally hit there. Being that she live in Echo Park and she knows the owner cause she DJ's at the other two clubs that the owner owns (Spaceland and the Echo) we knew we could trust her.

When you walk in you're treated to a lovely view:

Love the goats!

They popped us down along the wall and we ordered up. We got a two 3-taco plates (one with tacos al pastor and the other carne asada), two different salsas (burnt habanero & creme and tomatillo & avocado), an order of oxacan shrimp, a side of rice and a side of black beans. The food came out quickly and we scarfed. The details: the shrimp was killer...big meaty shrimp that were saucy/spicy (on the addicting side), the tacos al pastor were awesome...plenty of flavor and super tender, the carne asada tacos were decent (a little dry but they were at least pretty tender), the salsas were both insanely good. The tomatillo was great with the carne asada and the habanero was sadisticly good. You want to eat more and more but the more you eat the hotter you get. Thankfully it was more of an after burn as all good habanero sauces are so that you can actually enjoy your food. We initially just warmed our mouths up with lots of chips and the salsas. So good!





Malo is a scene place. You go there with your friends and grab a quick bite but stay for awhile. Here's a shot of the bar side of the restaurant.

I'll be so glad when I move to Echo Park this year. When I came from the East Coast and was living in the projects it was still a community. Where I live now in my apartment complex it seems people make an effort to not know their neighbors and it's sad. Whenever I go to Echo Park or Silverlake I feel like I'm back home... minus the people who decided to use our back porch as a "get high spot". But even that had it's charms. Don't forget this Thursday night if you want to meet me and have some good burgers hop on over to the Mint at 8PM!

Free Drink Refills: Don't know, don't think so(but they put cucumber in their water... good for the cooling effect), but if you're into tequila they've got over 150 different types...psycho!
Entree Price Range: Taco plates are about $6 and entree ranges from $10 to $15

Music Venue Food/ Breakfast: The Brite Spot

1918 Sunset Blvd.

Echo Park, CA 90026

(213) 484-9800

Everyday from 7AM-4AM

Since 1949, the Brite Spot has been there. Like anything old and reliable you can tend to take it for granted and yet if this place were gone there would be a great hole in LA. The food while not rated as the most amazing (though it does have some tasty dishes that you'll have to guess through their vast menu) it has a special quality about just being there. The place is located a couple of short blocks from The Echo in Echo Park where you can catch amazing shows by many of tomorrow's biggest names.

So why do I say eat hear? Cause everyone does. The food is pretty cheap especially if you catch a breafast special after a show (all breakfast specials cost $5.50 after 10PM) and it's like the "Cheers" of Echo Park. You just go there and grab food with friends because everyone does (can you say peer pressure...come on everyone's doing it). It's as simple as that. Can I tell you that you'll get the best food ever...nope. Can I tell you that everyone and there gramma goes there for a cheap meal that causes many a great conversation...I can.

I'd recommend the chilaquiles with chorizo or the amazing huevos rancheros. They have hearty pancakes that look like they came off a lumberjacks griddle. The staff is super cool (even to the point of causing some notorious stories themselves)! It really is our own version of Cheers just minus the bar, the bartenders, the steps that lead downstairs, the Boston weirdos, the fat guy who everyone knows his name, that wannabe nerdy mailman, blah, blah, blah. We're LA...everything is better here.

A small word on The Echo...go there. Especially on the HellYa nights. It's usually super cheap or free and you can catch many great acts that'll be huge tomorrow. Say Hi to the spunky shorter dj if you do.

Free Drink Refills: Yes

Entree Price Range: Cheap...such a varitable menu and yet I can say to anyone that the price range is just plain old cheap for anyone's pocket.

El Cochinito

3508 W. Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90026

(323)668-0737

Sun-Wed 11AM-8:30PM

Thur-Sat 11AM-9PM

Being that I'm half Puerto Rican and half black (I'm full of surprises I know) I take pride in the foods of my cultures. This past weekend, while hanging with my very good friend Ashley, we wanted to hit some affordable food. We passed by this place called El Cochinito that her roommate recommended. Now her roommate is Finnish with a hyper valley style of talking. Was I skeptical? Only a little.

We popped ourselves down at this cozy little place that didn't say much except for that they were concerned with making food, and that only. This is Cuban food like my gramma used to make. I had some Ropa Vieja that came with rice & beans and a side of platanos (not to mention a bottle of malta to wash it down). So perfect. Ashley had the chicken fricasie and it was the picture of perfection. Service was fast and friendly. Parking is a little tight as there are two restaurants in the tiny strip mall that houses El Cochinito but there's also street parking for days.

Order a plate and close your eyes...you can almost feel the Carribean hurricane coming.

Free Drink Refills: No

Entree Price Range: $8 to $12

Venue Food: Leela Thai

1737 Silverlake Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90026

(323) 660-6100

Mon-Thurs 11:30AM-10PM

Fri-Sun 11:30-11PM

(Press play on the youtube above so you can get in the mood for this post.)

A new section for you lovers of music in LA...where to eat that's close to music venues. Last night I went to go see the gentleman up there on the youtube (that you're hopefully listening to) who's name is Ferraby Lionheart. He was playing in Silverlake at Spaceland for there second slot of the night. Great show and it was nice to hear some new songs from his next album due out later this year. With that being said, a great place to try when you want to eat before popping into Spaceland is literally steps from the place. And I mean steps. It couldn't have been more than 100 steps from the entrance of Spaceland to the restaurant entrace. Leela's Thai is beloved by many a "Silverlakian". Great "healthier" Thai at great prices. I say healthier cause they have vegetarian conscious plates for those who would rather murder plants then animals...I'm more of a strict carnivore though I'm learning to stab carrots and corn as of late. Just kidding but not really.

We had the Pad Thai (which was super yummy), the "Secret Spice" which had a sort of coconut based chili sauce, some soup and the appetizer sampler (the shrimp and spring rolls stood out above the rest of the appetizer items). If you enjoy Thai Iced Tea, there's is pretty tasty (of course there will always be those that argue that they taste like wind instrument reeds). The entire meal was perfect for a pre-show dinner. A small word of warning and it really is small...it's a cash only place. Also I'd like to share with you the unique fact that they have a one dollar per person corkage fee in case you'd like to bring your own wine...which we love doing! We'll be back...with a bottle of wine...or maybe even two.

Free Drink Refills: Only on Iced Tea and Lemonade (can you say Arnold Palmer?)

Entree Price Range: $6 to $8