Eggslut LA: ACME Foodporn

When I first heard about Eggslut truck, I was a bit turned off by its name. Such a gratuitous marketing gimmick, I thought.

But the truck was co-founded by Chef Alvin Cailan, who had worked in the kitchen of critically acclaimed MB Post with Michelin-starred chef David Lefevre (previously of Water Grill), and sounded like one of those passion projects that is only temporarily on wheels - until the idea incubates, heats up and hatches a brick and mortar down the line.  After reading that even Ruth Reichl stopped by while in LA and raved about it, I decided it was time to give it a try. Even if it meant waking up at the crack of dawn to hit up the truck, parked pretty much every Monday to Friday 7-11:30am in front of Coffee Commissary on Fairfax, on my way to work if I take the longer route.

Once I had a taste last week, I realized the appropriateness of the name. It's eggs, 'done every which way' (their quote is "wet, hard, and on top of everything"), indiscriminately offering all who desire it, indescribeable pleasures that you'll want to experience again and again. (Ok somebody please stop me, now.)

The most unique, and pretty much its signature dish, is: Thee Slut ($8) a soft-boiled, coddled egg atop potato puree topped by grey salt and chives - served up in a glass jar.  Eggs and potato have gone together - forever - but the two breakfast staples I have never seen served up like this, and never at this unexpectedly high quality from a truck.  The egg was literally perfectly cooked (how can they achieve the precision needed in what tastes like a 63 degree egg on a truck?!!!) and absolutely transcendent, when the liquid gold yolk runneth over into the buttery potato puree below, with the chives and grey salt softly punctuating the lot with extra kicks of flavor and crunch. 

The beast with two backs indeed.  Lots of fellow foodies have reported the correct way to savor this proof-of-a-higher-being, is to break the yolk, then plunge the accompanying toasts down through it to the potato below, to end up with a bit of everything on the toast.  I had been so distracted by the flavors and textures of what was in the jar, that I completely forgot about the toasts - so will have to try the 'proper' way on my next visit (and there will be many - I've never been a morning person, but Eggslut may just change my life...ok maybe not.  But it will be commute-route-altering...)

Aside from Thee Slut, eggs are also served in various breakfast sandwich-burgers, creative egg-centric takes on familiar dishes like "Notcho Slut" (gourmet nachos with eggs) and in daily specials.  The day I went, one of the specials was Mushroom Tartine ($8) soft-scrambled eggs served open faced on French loaf with diced cremini mushrooms, roasted grape tomatoes, parmesan & chives.  It was over for me the minute I read that on the menu board: I had to get it (lust: check. pre-meditated gluttony: check).

The presentation was beautiful, and again, the quality of every element was shockingly high caliber for a food truck.  If you put this on an unmarked plate and brought it to me next to another unmarked plate of eggs from Farmshop - I would venture to say that I really don't know if I would be able to tell the difference based on quality.

The cool thing about Eggslut's 'regular' location that I want to note, is that it's right in front of Coffee Commissary: it's a perfect pairing not only in terms of each providing breakfast staples that the other lacks - but also that Coffee Commissary has some nice seating both inside the cafe and outside on the patio - which Eggslut clients...I mean customers...can also use. 

So unlike other food trucks where you have to eat standing up on the sidewalk, perch at makeshift bar height tables, or go ghetto fabulous with seats made of overturned buckets -  you can actually enjoy a leisurely breakfast in a nice setting with real tables and chairs.  IF you don't have to rush off to work, that is.  I didn't wake up early enough that morning, and had to run back to the office, so I took my food to go.  But not before picking up a coffee from Coffee Commissary.  Again, I am not at all a coffee connoiseur, so no idea how good this coffee ranks among others in the city, but to me The Cuban ($4) was super fragrant, smooth, with subtle spices that went really well with the luscious egg dishes.

The other thing I should mention is, if like me you want to just 'swing by' and pick up breakfast from Eggslut - note that they make every item to order (hence the insanely delicious bites), so don't expect to be able to complete anything at the speed of a drive by.  It took about 10 minutes for a 2-dish order.  SO worth the wait, and with Coffee Commissary right there you can just use that time to get your drink order in - but just something to plan for, if you've got places to go and appointments to keep.

All I know is - I'm hooked, and can't wait to make my way back to Eggslut for more. Don't let the name throw you off - the food is absolutely legit.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%
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Eggslut LA
In front of Coffee Commissary Mondays to Fridays 7-11:30am
Location varies on Saturdays - see Twitter for updates
Twitter: @eggslutla
Website: eggslut.com

Coffee Commissary
801 N. Fairfax Ave., #106, Los Angeles, 90046
Website: http://coffeecommissary.com/
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Farmshop - Brunch of Champignons

Farmshop has one of the best brunches I've ever had in my life. 

On a bright Sunday morning, my brunch buddy "Curses" and I headed out for the first time to the restaurant slash marketplace in the heart of Brentwood Country Mart - which would feel like a place straight out of Napa Valley, or some quaint little semi-rural gathering place in the South of France, if not for its population of characters who look like they just came from the set of The Hills (complete with costumes), a photoshoot for Anthropologie, or some unaired pilot for the Real Househusbands of Brentwood.

The space itself, we loved - airy and awash in natural light, rustic with wooden tables and trim, while sophisticated and chic at the same time with cool exposed bulbs hanging from lush woven silk ropes and carefully placed, minimalist greenery.  It almost made us forget the 15 minute wait (even with reservations...) and people passing us by, who we thought had arrived after us.  But within minutes of tasting the food, we would see why this place is always, always packed.

We started off with the Pastry Basket choose three pastries, seasonal preserves & spring hill butter ($12.50) - actually Curses wanted to get this and at first I objected, as the 'hot' menu items seemed so much more exciting and I wanted to save room for that.  But Curses is much wiser than me - you can only have so many egg dishes - and the pastry basket (well, really, pastry plate) turned out to be mindblowing.  We went with our servers' recommendations, and they were all unbelievably fresh and delicious - we had the Huckleberry Pear Danish ($3.50 a la carte):  Lemon Yogurt & Preserve Muffin ($3 a la carte): Herb Goat Cheese Scone ($4 a la carte).  

Our hands down favorite was the Herb Goat Cheese Scone - this was so light, fluffy and buttery it was more like a biscuit than a scone. Served steaming hot like it just got pulled from the oven, and fragrant with herbs so fresh we could imagine it being plucked from the garden minutes before.  So, savvy saveurs might say wait, the prices of the individual pastries add up to less than $12.50...I guess the extra charges are for the freshmade, gorgeous golden preserves (yes, you can taste the sun peeking betwen the oranges on the tree before they made it to your plate) and luscious slab of butter sprinkled with coarse sea salt (do they keep a cow in the back?)

As our second 'appetizer', I just had to have the Deviled Eggs once I read the description - it's served with smoked Idaho trout, upland cress & tarragon ($8) a bit of an unusual combination, and turns out the fish is worked into the hardboiled egg yolks for a tasty, stepped up, surf & turf inspired, brilliantly glammed up version of a classic egg dish.  For those who might balk at fish for breakfast - the taste of trout is very subtle.

I'm a huge seafood and mushroom and egg lover, and Curses already predicted before we even set foot in the place that I would dive right in for the Coddled Eggs as my main - served with smoked salmon, mushroom conserva, toast ($14.50).  This may have become one of my favorite brunch dishes of all time.  Eggs (that tasted like they just came out of a hen) were mixed with water and steamed into an incredibly smooth, light custard, then topped with beautiful mushrooms and chives for counterbalancing crunch and rich, earthy flavor.  The refined / restrained taste of the egg dish is then offset by lush slices of salty smoked salmon.  I was in heaven with every bite. Didn't even get to the toast - which I totally ignored.  LOVED the egg, and I wanted 10 more bowls... 

We must have been on some unspoken mushroom + egg kick, as Curses also decided on a funghi focused dish for her main: Frittata roasted wild mushrooms, melted leeks, drake family farm chevre, za'tar oil ($18).  This also blew our minds.  With this and the coddled egg dish, Farmshop manages to infuse creativity into breakfast/brunch, a meal that is not known for innovation - and unexpected world cuisine influence as well, with the oil made with za'tar, a middle eastern blend of spices, sesame and salt, and the preparation of coddled egg reminding me of a Chinese classic home cooked dish, steamed egg.  And leeks, with eggs? Genius.  Loved this dish.  Some may say $14-$18 for egg dishes is pricey - but I would say those people have not tried these eggs.  They're worth every penny.

We were also entertained by the couple next to us - the guy (complete with bold scarf and non-prescription glasses) was shocked, and possibly outraged, when in answer to his question, the server said the ingredients of his dish would be organic, but not sustainable.  It must have been with great restraint that he was able to bring himself to settle for the 'unethical'.  Thus, the concept of costumed brunch was born - looking forward to the next venue selection with Curses and what roles we would play for the meal.

Anyways, after our fab brunch, we were excited to walk it off by strolling through the open marketplace attached to the restaurant.

There was the bakery counter with perfect little croissants and meringued tarts, case of gourmet cheeses, and of course a small section to earn its name - farm fresh produce.  They had some gorgeous chanterelle mushrooms as well as beautiful green beans, onions, shallots... 

...and a perfect stash of multi-colored carrots.  Next to gourmet bags of beans and grains. 

The cured meats section looks amazing as well!

I felt like a kid in a candy store, with the selection of gourmet goods spread around the market as well - from Duck Rillette in a jar, pates, Straus ice cream in the freezer, all kinds of gourmet salts...  

...and my love for Farmshop was cemented, when I spotted little jars of SQIRL jams and preserves on a shelf.  (They even had my all-time fav: Nagami Kumquat & Chamomile preserves!!) So appropriate as SQIRL preserves are as farm fresh as you can get - they are literally sunshine preserved in a little jar.

Outside of Farmshop, you can also enjoy a leisurely morning strolling through the cute little boutiques at Brentwood Country Mart - there's a great book store, handprinted paper goods store, a few clothing stores, a candy store and nice spots for coffee or gelato.

Yes, Farmshop (and Brentwood Country Mart) definitely makes me feel like I'm on vacation without huge expense.  A staycation spot, if you will.  A little taste of the gentrified countryside, without ever leaving the city.  Amazing food and people watching.  I can't wait to make another trip.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Farmshop 
Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th St., Suite 25, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Ph: 310.566.2400

Parking:  Park in strip mall lot attached to restaurant
Website: farmshopla.com

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L'Epicerie, Royal/T: A Tale of Two Breakfasts in Culver City

Have I ever mentioned that I love Culver City?  It's the best of both worlds: small town feel with the rare-for-LA pedestrian culture, yet super accessible from most parts of the city.  Add to that the rapid rise of chef & market driven fare, in well designed but intimate and unpretentious spaces, and you've got all the ingredients for success. 

By happy happenstance, on a friend's recommendation, I recently switched to a mechanic right by Culver City.  So when I had to take my car to the shop a few weeks back, I was excited to actually have great options for places to spend a few hours while waiting for repairs to be done - and within walking/ bus distance!

Since it was early in the morning, my first stop was at L'Epicerie for breakfast.  L'Epicerie is a combination of cafe+restaurant+gourmet market, serving up European inspired cooking, set within a cozy corner space. 

Despite an impressive fine-dining pedigree (Michelin-starred restaurants in France under such legendary chefs as Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy, and most recently at helm of fine dining venue RH Restaurant at the Andaz hotel), Chef Sébastien Archambault's goal with L'Epicerie is to offer a taste of Southwest France in an accessible, relaxed environment. 

I loved the airy, sunlit venue - however, the L'Epicerie houses 3 sections within a small space, that are not immediately clearly defined (at least in my non-morning person semi-groggy state).  Which led to a not so idyllic experience to start - with car repairs taking a large chunk of my monthly budget, I went for the cafe fare, and after placing my order at the counter, received a number marker and was advised to sit anywhere (food to be brought over when ready).

As a blogger, I went on autopilot, gravitating to the window and natural light for photo-taking.  Within a minute, a voice shouted out from the tapas bar, clear across front of house: "You can't sit there - you bought from the cafe, you need to stay over there".  I immediately apologized and moved over to the 3-4 table cafe area.  Then I realized that was rather rude for her to shout across the space like that - I did not intend some unmerited 'upgrade' to the restaurant, but simply did not register a separation between the restaurant and cafe.  It was so early in the morning that I was one of only 3 parties in the entire space, so it wasn't a matter of taking up a table that was needed.  It was an honest mistake, and it didn't feel great to be treated like a second-class citizen who was trying to 'sneak by' to 'first class'.  She could have taken a nicer approach and achieved the same result of moving me over.  Bad customer service aside, I tried to enjoy my morning by focusing on the food.


In the mood for a classic, I went with the 3 Organic Egg Omelette ($10) - you can choose 3 ingredients to go in from an extensive list: I chose smoked salmon, bacon and mushrooms.  This turned out to be one of the best omelettes I'd had this year - with every ingredient tasting so fresh that I could imagine the meal at some farmhouse in the French countryside, where the chef literally just plucked the eggs from the mother hen and the mushrooms from the field. 

On the side: a fresh salad lightly dressed with vinaigrette, for a perfect breakfast plate at a fairly reasonable price. 

In keeping with the farm fresh theme, I loved my Raspberry Smoothie ($5) with raspberry, strawberry, granola and fat-free yogurt.  Delicious.  It was also nice to stroll through the very small but eclectic market, checking out their cheese selection (includes French cheese of course, as well as 'local' notables such as Cowgirl Creamery) and European snacks that are hard to find elsewhere in LA.  A small case of pastries included Parisian style macarons.  There was also a table by the wine racks that could be nice for a small group of aficionados.  Overall (initial rude service aside), I enjoyed breakfast at L'Epicerie, and made a mental note to come back another time to check out restaurant offerings.

With a few more hours left to kill, I decided to grab a second breakfast (and pay the calories forward by walking up the street) at a place that I'd heard a lot about, that would offer amusement for my remaining time - Royal/T. 

Royal/T is also a hybrid space, but of a very different tone - it's part art gallery+store+cafe, with heavy modern Japanese influence. And waitresses in cosplay. Yep, you read that right. More on that later.

Located up the street and somewhat removed from the hubbub of downtown Culver City, Royal/T can be easy to miss if you're not looking for it. The storefront is encased in green shrubbery, with just a neon pink crown atop the entrance to note its presence.

Once inside, bright and airy with wide open skylights, there is a fun merchandise area on one side, and an art exhibit to the other.
The art exhibit was pop culture inspired and playful, lots of fun to look through and made for a unique, cool and interesting setting for the cafe.

As was the merchandise area - I could imagine this store being plucked from Tokyo and placed with all elements intact into Royal/T. It was entertaining to look through the quirky products, including tote bags that transform into backpacks, Kubrick bears and an illustrated "Children's book for grown-ups" titled "Everybody dies - don't feel bad" that was funny and poignant at the same time.

Meet Phoebe, a graphic design student
working part-time in the cosplay cafe

 Aside from the store and art space, there was the cafe, which is inspired by Maid Cafes in Japan - and represents LA's first Japanese-inspired cosplay cafe.  Waitresses are dressed and styled as if they are anime french maids.  You might think this would be uncomfortable for some, but the waitresses I saw/met that day seemed to enjoy it / relish being in character. 

Though the menu looked interesting (e.g. Green tea soba noodles, Kabocha Squash Ravioli), unfortunately I was still too full to have any actual food, so I opted to go liquid breakfast for my second 'meal'.  Royal/T has a wall of loose leaf teas, but the barista on duty recommended that as a first time visitor, I should try their signature Royal/T Milk Tea ($4.50), made with black tea, rose petals, pieces of fruit and vanilla brewed with soymilk.

The tea came in a french press pot, was really fragrant, with pronounced floral / fresh fruit notes, in a sophisticated way, not the sickeningly sweet flavors a la mass branded tea bags or lesser cafes that are not tea-focused.  It was well balanced, served at just the right temperature, and made deliciously smooth with the steamed soymilk - this was milk tea served the Asian way.  Loved this and would come back another day to try the High Tea Set service as well, which includes "assorted savory canapés and desserts on 3-tiered tray" with a pot of tea of your choice for $19.50. 

I had picked up a free magazine from the front of the store, and was left in peace to leisurely enjoy my tea/ read for a blissful hour or two. 

Afterwards, I discovered a whole back gallery with additional exhibits, up the ramp past the restroom, and did a quick walkthrough before heading out to pick up my car.

All in all, a fun time in Culver City - with two very distinctly different spaces and cuisines, but both equally enjoyable and appreciated.  Knock on wood I won't be needing car service again anytime soon (my wallet hurts just thinking about it), but if I do, thanks to places like L'Epicerie and Royal/T, I won't be dreading it quite as much.

 [For more pictures from both locations, check out my album on Facebook]


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L'Epicerie
9900 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: 310.815.1600
Parking: Free in building

Website: lepiceriemarket.com
Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/LEpicerieMarket
Look for reservations: OpenTable.com



Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: 310.559.6300
Parking: Street meters

Website: royal-t.org
Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/RoyalTcafe


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LA Weekly J. Gold Pancake Breakfast 2011 - Sunday Service at the Vibiana

On a sweltering Sunday morning this past weekend, the pious and pagan alike congregated in the temporary house of Gold, downtown at the Vibiana for a service like no other.  A self service Sunday breakfast, to be exact, with a set of some of the best purveyors of pancakes etc. in the city, handpicked by Pulitzer Prize winning LA Weekly food critic Jonathan Gold. 

I had been looking forward to this inaugural event, not only for the expectedly inspired and diverse takes on the eponymous classic breakfast food (and AYCE for $25!), but also to experience the unique venue - a historic structure that was a former cathedral built in 1876, which has now been converted to a performing arts / special events space.

The event started at 11am, and by 11:30am when I arrived, there were already lines down the block.

But the wait was worth it.  I fell in love with the venue immediately - its weathered exterior belying the relatively modern styled design within, with its rows of graceful white arches leading the way up to a marbled 'stage', on which people reclined and leisurely chatting away while enjoying samples of pancakes from different cultures.  The vibe was almost European - like some postcard from a piazza in Italy, but compact, indoors and no fountain (ok people, use your imagination, alright?). 

Others, as at other JGold events, understood the urgency of getting to popular samples before they run out - and flitted from table to table like mobs of locusts.

I decided to start classic, hitting up FIG Santa Monica first for ricotta pancake with blueberry butter and toasted almonds.  Due to the setup of the venue, almost all vendors were cooking from electric or portable gas griddles / stoves - and it was amazing the quality of pancakes they churned out with the basic equipment.  I decided my measure of how great a dish was that day, was whether I chose to take up precious stomach space to finish the dish.  The pancake from FIG Santa Monica was the first plate I wolfed down without so much as a breath in between each bite.

Here are some of the other plates I finished every bite of: Glowfish Okonomiyaki "Japancakes" with shrimp, bacon, cabbage dough pancake and nori sprinkles.  I know some people who didn't attend because they weren't inspired by the theme of the event - those guys really lost out...a big part of the fun of this event is discovering other interpretations of the deceptively simple breakfast staple. 

101 Noodle Express introduced us to Chinese 'pancakes' - Beef Rolls that were the size of a 1/3 of a burrito - except the flour 'tortillas' were wrapped around beautifully thin slices of marbled beef in a soy sauce marinade.

On the theme of Asian pancakes, Kobawoo House brought their Hoemul Pa Jun, a korean pancake with seafood in eggy dough.  This booth had long lines for good reason!  Can't wait to go to the restaurant at some point to try their other dishes.

Along with food, there were also drink stations - grabbed myself some free bottles of POM as well as bottomless cocktails from Don Q, which in themselves made up for half the value of admission!

Playa sampled a creative plate of things I would not have thought to go together, but that turned out to be divine: maize cake with pressed seeds, fresh made burrata, greens and micro amaranth - I loved the beautiful presentation, with its mix of colors and textures, as much as the taste of this one.  And of course, fresh burrata gets me every time!

If playing a game of 'one of these things is not like the other', I would have to choose Mayura Kerala Restaurant as the one that's MOST not like the others at the event - bold flavors, well, in curry, is not what most people would think of for breakfast.  I loved it when I was in Sabah this past holiday, but I'd never tried these specific south Indian offerings before: chicken curry with appam and idiyappam (gluten-free pancake and gluten-free noodled pancake that were ever so slightly and deliciously sour).  The combination was instantly addictive - and if it were humanly possible for me to stuff down any more than I had that morning, I would have had 10 more plates of this one.

But, I did want to leave room to sample offerings from the many other interesting vendors - and found myself drawn to Tiara Cafe which had the most playful, fun display with the chef and server both dressed in costume (one as I think a bunny and the other an angel).  Everything was in white, as appropriate for Sunday service, with dunny-like vinyl figures on the table, other random white decorative pieces, a bowl of eggs and bell jar pastry displays. What they served: pancake with lemon sabayon and maple syrup.  I confess that all I remember is picking up a plate, and taking it to a little corner to sample - the next thing I remember is an empty plate with streaks where my tongue dragged across trying to catch every last morsel.  I inhaled this one and made a mental note to get to the Cafe next chance I get for brunch.

After grabbing some pourover coffee from LAMILL in my free ceramic mug, I headed out to the courtyard, a charming outdoor space attached to the main hall. 

Out there were BLD (who served blueberry pancakes that were forgettable), Warzsawa (who served potato pancakes that were unfortunately fairly burnt, with apple and raisin sauce), Marston's (frosted flake fried french toast, a southern specialty, I'm told), Salt's Cure (oatmeal griddlecakes with honey cinnamon butter) and some others.

The only dish I polished off in its entirety, from these outdoor booths, was Xoia's Banh Xeo, a vietnamese crepe filled with grilled beef, bean sprouts and topped with peanut sauce. It tasted positively sinful, with its juicy charred meat dripping with flavor, wrapped in the golden, freshly crisped crepe tempered by the refreshing lettuce and bean sprouts for crunch.

From the outdoor booths, I also enjoyed Zona Rosa's iced mexican chocolate topped with whipped cream - refreshing and possibly lifesaving in the extreme heat.

The event also included some non-pancake items for dessert - I only really had room left for one item, and chose from Nickel Diner their salted peanut pie - this felt to me like a s'more in cake form with graham cracker crushed into the creamy peanut filling instead of in crust.  I absolutely loved this and need to go over to the diner for a fix soon!  Definitely also appreciated them going against the grain - since everyone was already doing pancake, it was refreshing for them to offer something different.

All in all, a truly great event and well worth the 'early' morning trek downtown.  This is one event I would consider sacrilege for self-professed breakfast devotees to miss.  Can't wait to see what the JGold brings us next year!

[For more photos of the event, check out my album on Facebook]
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1st Annual LA Weekly J. Gold Pancake Breakfast 2011
August 28th 11am-2pm
Vibiana
214 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

$25 General Admission

Website: laweekly.com      
Twitter: twitter.com/thejgold

Parking:
$3.50 for all-day, self parking in structure on southwest corner of Main & 3rd. Not sure if next year's event will be held in the same venue, but this lot was just a block and a half away from the event venue.

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Save the date: J. Gold LA Weekly's First Annual Pancake Breakfast August 28th

Now this is one 'church' service I can't wait to attend...

"TheJGold" is presenting LA Weekly's First Annual Pancake Breakfast!

What: Gorge on Jonathan Gold's favorite breakfast picks in LA, all gathered in one place at a historic converted cathedral space downtown (check out their website, the venue looks breathtaking!)

When: Sunday, August 28 11am-2pm

Where: Vibiana 214 South Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

How much: $25 (advance purchase required)

Image credit: LAWeekly.com

Anticipated drool factor: 100%!!!

Don't mean to sound like a fan-atic, but: hello, it's curated by The J Gold. Have you been to his other events like the Gold Standard?! I expect it to be an amazing celebration of breakfast foods and all that is good in the food world. It's an offer you'd be hard-pressed to refuse ;)

FIG, Dupar's and Warszawa are among the restaurants scheduled to participate.
Check out the full list and more event details at:  LAWeekly.com!

Olive & Thyme - It's About Time for Here-to-Stay Gourmet in Burbank's Bermuda Triangle

There's a vortex in Burbank around Warner Bros., Disney and NBC, roughly bordered by Olive, Alameda and Pass, where many ambitious food venues that dared venture seem to vanish quickly without a trace.  Exhibit A:  French 75, which became Savannah before disappearing forever.  Exhibit B:  Three generations of white linen, wine listed Italian restaurants that cycled through so quickly that no one even remembers any of their names, on the corner of Riverside and Kenwood.  Exhibit C:...Actually, maybe that was about it, at least in the last few years.  Gindi Thai, Arnie Morton's and Studio Cafe Magazzino are pretty much the only chic/more upscale/cute spots offering creative/finer/fresher fare, that have stood the test of time within walking distance of  the three studios in this pneumatic triangle.  Don Cuco's is great for the occasional lunch or happy hour, but a decidedly casual dining space with a delicious but fairly standard menu, and the thighs and waistlines of image-conscious studio folks can only handle so much Mexican over time.  Mo's has good salads and crazy good warm chocolate chip cookie dough pie, but is fast, casual fare that is relatively spendy, and falls just outside the triangle.  There's also Sweetsalt and Arde's Bistro, which I love, but also just 'out-of-bounds' - when you only have an hour for lunch and you're wearing heels - you'll lose a good chunk of both walking, or spend too much time driving over and circling for parking before you can even get in line to place your order.  There are some amazing eats on Tujunga and Ventura (not to mention Portos on Hollywood Way), of course, but all again outside the triangle.


Into this vortex, Olive & Thyme bravely dove headfirst on Tuesday this week.  As the immediate mob of studio and local folks converging upon the place - almost like survivors of Oceanic 815 upon their first discovery of edible fruit / marine life (or an all-engineer frat upon the rare new girl in class) - would attest, it seems like they have been waiting forever for Olive & Thyme to arrive.
In their first few days, Olive & Thyme's resident chef estimates they served hundreds per day at lunch, and the cozy space continued to be packed at dinner.

There is just something special about Olive & Thyme that has not been seen inside the triangle these last few years.  The cafe / marketplace has a decor that is clean, sleek and chic without being intimidating or at all pretentious - spacious yet cozy and intimate at the same time.  There are white marble countertops, a rustic wooden picnic-style communal table, a lovely center-island wine/beer/coffee bar, glass cases of freshly made salads, gourmet cheeses, charcuterie and fresh made desserts, and shelves of packaged gourmet goods from artisan chocolates, flavored marshmallows, cookies and butter waffles, to tins of imported toffee, to house branded jars of spices - it's our very own Joan's on Third, in the heart of studios central.  Top that all off with cute decor items for sale, like Tocca candles.
    
You feel instantly relaxed when you step into Olive & Thyme (crowds aside, as I was able to finally experience at dinnertime tonight when most studio employees have fled en masse back to their westside homes).  And owners Melina & Christian Davies (the nicest couple!) intend it to be a neighborhood hangout, a place that inspires and that locals who live to eat can love to come, versus a fueling station for utilitarian sustenance.


On the menu: many fresh salads (including farro with roasted beets and curried chicken salad), sandwiches, and soups, as well as breakfast items.  There are also blackboard specials and Intelligentsia poured coffee (!!!).  The Sulawesi poured coffee ($4.50) was a great way to kick off the evening for me.  Sitting at the marble-countertop bar allows you to get the 'show' - and as one-part of the hands-on owner-couple prepared the beverage, he explained that the coffee is slow-hand-poured, in two phases - first run to heat and release the aromas from the grind, second run to further hydrate and allow the liquids to overflow through to the pot below.

And all the effort pays off - the coffee was smooth, rich-bodied and fragrant, and best of all served in a soupbowl-sized mug (so European)!

All I have to say is, sorry, Starbucks loyalty program - but I've met someone else.


Earlier in the day, a coworker had recommended the Braised Short Rib sandwich ($13)  - which I did not get to try as the wait was too long - (45 minutes the last two days we tried).  So that was the first thing on my mind for food - besides the farro with roasted beets, which was unfortunately already sold out when I arrived.  The sandwich arrived on a branded wooden platter - with ever so tender and flavorful short rib, sweetened by caramlized onions, and a slight kick courtesy of a splash of horseradish creme fraiche.  Bookended by La Brea Bakery country sourdough.  Delicious with a side of cornichons and pickles.  Yes, $13 is more than I would normally pay for a sandwich, but it was braised short rib inside the triangle, dammit, and it was fresh, and good, and sizeable - I was stuffed after just the sandwich, as dinner.  And I would rather spend that amount on an Olive & Thyme sandwich than a run-of-the-mill burger from Mo's (yes they have a burger bar concept, but pretty much all the ingredients at the bar are standard fare).  I asked the chef what his favorite items on the menu were, and this sandwich is one of them.  The other is the Middle Eastern Chicken sandwich ($12) with hummus, harissa, tomatoes and aji sauce on grilled pita.  Would definitely return for lunch, especially as a treat for myself on more hectic days.

Though I was full, I couldn't leave without trying one of the treats from the visual smorgasboard that is the dessert counter at the far end of the bar.  And I was enjoying  conversation with the engaging / nice in a great laid back way Davies.  And they both have such interesting backgrounds - Melina worked for Warner Bros. on the Matrix movies, and co-produced Gothika, before deciding that she wanted to focus on her true passion, food!  Christian is a jetsetting accessories designer by day for Nike. 

But I digress - back to the food.  Since I was in the mood for something not overly sweet, Melina recommended the Durango Cookie or the Carrot Cake ($6), made from scratch daily by Valerie of Valerie Confections.  I went for both - the cookie for the nibs and toasted almonds (to go), and the carrot cake for the presentation and photo opp.

The carrot cake was good, with rounds of cake sandwiching a carrot spiked cream cheese center, topped by a dollop of cream cheese frosting and candied carrots - but I would have enjoyed it more if it was just a little lighter in texture and perhaps served warm. I also had my eye on a multi-layer berries n' cream cake, which I aim to try on my next visit.  And the mini chocolate bars.

By the time I finished my lovely dining experience, it was past closing time, but Melina / Christian and team did not at all try to hurry any of the remaining patrons - though they've had 12-16 hour days all week and I am sure ready to go home and crash out!  Their passion for their new business and goal to raise the bar on gourmet fare for the community are clear - they saw a need for higher quality eateries in their neighborhood, and went for it.  The two were constantly not only checking on their chef and the food, but also adjusting music levels to provide a nice audio backdrop while ensuring people were still able to enjoy their conversations, and of course checking on their guests all through the evening - if they were exhausted, as they should be, they didn't let it show.

It may only be the first week, but from what I can see, all signs point to Olive & Thyme being one of the rare few that will not be lost, but with every indication of being able to emerge victorious in the Burbank Triangle.  Personally I wish Melina & Christian's little new neighborhood gem enduring success!  If you live/work in Burbank and haven't been to Olive & Thyme yet...time to get up and go!



On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 7 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Olive & Thyme
4013 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake, CA 91505
Ph: 818.557.1560
Website: oliveandthyme.com
Twitter: twitter.com/oliveandthyme
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Buttermilk Truck - Breakfast of Champions Any Time of Day!

On a sleepy Saturday morning, while idly checking my Twitter feeds, I jolted wide awake when I saw that the Buttermilk Truck was parked just 12 minutes away from my apt...and we only had a little less than a half hour left in their service. 

As someone who doesn't enjoy waking up early in the morning - I sleep in whenever I can on weekends.  But, with the opportunity to get an awesome gourmet breakfast at stake, I quickly ran into the other room and shook my visiting relatives awake (hey, they came from Montreal so they should be on East Coast time, i.e. much more awake than I was, right?) and issued marching orders.  Do what you need to do to get out the door in 5 minutes - quick clothes change, shower and tooth brushing optional.  We have our priorities!

The fact that Buttermilk truck was rated one of the Top Food Trucks in LA by media and foodie bloggers aside - it was really the menu itself that had a Pavlovian effect on us.  This consisted of traditional comfort breakfast foods, but with creative twists - such as french toast sticks made with Hawaiian bread, or their famous red velvet pancake bites.  And you could have them anytime of day that the truck is in service - breakfast, lunch or dinner.  And I love eating breakfast at all times of day. 

This particular Saturday (late) morning we arrived with only 6 minutes to spare in their service and felt like Indiana Jones sliding under the descending stone door - though our excitement was somewhat deflated when we saw that they had already sold out of some key items, including the sliders and rosemary garlic hash browns. 

With three of us, all used to family style dining, we decided to order almost everything left on the menu to share for wider sampling, starting with Hawaiian Bread Cinnamon French Toast Sticks (3 sticks $2.50, 5 sticks $4).  These were served with powdered sugar and were delicious, just the right thickness (without the issue that plagues a lot of other people's french toasts - soggy / overly eggy centers that aren't cooked all the way through, or have so much bread that it's overwhelming), with a perfectly flavored, crispy shell all the way around.  Syrup was offered on the side, but the sticks were already so full of flavor that we did not find that we needed the extra syrup.

Next up were Buttermilk Pancake Bites - Buttermilk truck apparently offers this item with changing flavors - and this month's is red velvet chocolate chip (order of 6 plain $4 filled $5).  This is obviously a hotseller, so much so that a sign was posted next to the order window that stated only two orders of these pancake bites can be placed by each party.  The red velvet chocolate chip pancake bites were AMAZING - light, super fluffy, piping hot, in a beautiful shade somewhere between red and pink, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a generous dollop of whipped butter.  The chocolate chips melted into a nice Nutella consistency and added additional sweet flavor to the pancakes - these bites were also so flavorful (without being overpowering) that we did not need to add any syrup.  These are so good you could plate and serve them at the Four Seasons and I would not have questioned the source.  The red velvet choc chip pancake bites are now my favorite breakfast item off a food truck - if only we hadn't ordered the entire available menu, and arrived just before they were getting ready to leave, I would have shamelessly gone back for seconds.

For the 'traditionalists' looking for a good egg dish - Buttermilk truck offers the Southwest Veggie Omelette with sauteed onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro topped with jack cheese - and adds their own creative touch by serving it with housemade cornbread (omelette + corn bread total $5).  This was possibly the best omelette I've had this year - rich in flavor but light in texture (the omelette was about the shape and size of a crepe), with all the ingredients really coming together as a cohesive whole.  The cornbread was a great touch and also incredible - very light, fluffy, with actual kernels of corn inside - and not too 'mealy'.



But that's not all for our bottomless stomachs - we still had to get to the Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches - served on housemade buttermilk biscuit with cheese and fried egg, choice of applewood smoked bacon, tocino, or chicken apple sausage ($3.50 each).   We tried two varieties:  bacon, and tocino (tastes and looks like a combo of ham/sausage).  I had the bacon and it was fantastic, with a perfectly runny fried egg - but it was not as unique and mind-blowingly great as the pancake bites and french toast sticks.  My brother & his wife had the tocino and agreed.

Normally, these breakfast sandwiches can be ordered with rosemary garlic hash browns (add $.50) - which also sound amazing, but they were sold out of this by the time we got to the truck, so it's something I'll have to save to try next time along with the sliders. 

My only note for Buttermilk Truck would be that if they could offer some gourmet coffees and teas to accompany the awesome breakfast foods, that would really put the meal over the top.

In any case, we left with very full and happy bellies - and Buttermilk Truck left with three new 'followers'.  My fav part aside from the awesome food?  We fed three insatiable adults a very filling gourmet breakfast for a total of $24.  That's really only a few dollars more than a meal of heavily processed foods from any fast food chain, and the same cost as a platter of run-of-the-mill breakfast foods at any diner chain.  And it's fresh.  And fast.  And gourmet. 

Will definitely be keeping tabs on Buttermilk Truck - this is one of the few food trucks I will actually chase, and venture out of my neighborhood for!

Update April 2011:

I finally got a chance to try Buttermilk Truck's late night menu, when they rolled into the neighborhood by my office last Friday. 

They were already sold out of the chicken and waffles by the time I got there, so I picked my second choice - Buttermilk Brick ($8). 

What does this consist of, you ask?  All kinds of awesome.  Hash browns, 2 eggs over easy, buttermilk biscuit and housemade chorizo gravy.

Buttermilk Brick is at once crispy, luscious (from the perfectly runny egg that you can't see underneath all that beautiful gravy), creamy, fluffy, and meaty, savory and buttery with a kick from the chorizo.  I love it!!!!

It's now my second favorite from their late night menu after Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Pancake Bites!!!  Can't wait til the next time they're in my 'hood for late night dining!!!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Buttermilk Truck
All over Los Angeles
Website: buttermilktruck.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/buttermilktruck
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