Archive for Brunch

Huckleberry Cafe a Homey Spot

March 4, 2009 admin No comments

Huckleberry Cafe a Homey SpotHuckleberry Cafe, from Chef Zoe Nathan and Josh Loeb, the husband and wife team behind Rustic Canyon, has barely been open three weeks, but word has clearly spread. There was a line out the door today at lunch, despite the rain. Nathan is pretty famous for her pastries, and while Rustic Canyon only had Saturday morning breakfasts, you can buy her goodies for breakfast and lunch every day at Huckleberry Cafe. (Saturday breakfasts at Rustic Canyon are kaput now.)

huckcafeThe cafe occupies a bright, casual space, perfect for Santa Monica, while the menu focuses on “locally sourced, farm-driven” foods, such as salads, sandwiches, soups, rotisserie meats (free-range Jidori chicken, of course, and duck on Thursdays) as well as all kinds of breakfast treats. Also perfect for Santa Monica. There’s a communal table for those who want to mingle with neighbors, a growing trend in LA. I arrived just after 11 a.m. in the mood for a hearty breakfast, but I’d just missed the cutoff. Instead I ordered the one savory, breakfasty item on the lunch menu, a fried egg sandwich with Niman Ranch bacon, gruyere, arugula and aioli on two thick pieces of freshly baked country bread ($9.50). Delicious. The caffe latte hit the spot, too.

I also brought home some moist turkey meatballs in a tomato sauce and three prepared salads, one with farro (a type of wheat), english peas and feta; one with tangy broccoli and one with crunchy/sweet sugar snap peas ($12.75 for the trio). All fresh, healthy and tasty. Thumbs up for Huckleberry Cafe. Not that they need it. – Jenny

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French Brunch at Cafe Laurent

April 13, 2008 admin No comments

French Brunch at Cafe LaurentWe live in Venice Beach, and our friends Rob and Ash are near the Grove so finding a casual brunch spot in between can be tough. After searching online, we settled on a place none of us had tried, Cafe Laurent in Culver City. We walked in through the back patio, shaded with large umbrellas, where a musician was playing the clarinet. Charming, yes, but it was far too hot to sit out there on Sunday. We took a table inside, which was decorated with yellow walls and flowery French tablecloths and, most importantly, felt like a perfect 68 degrees.

The menu was very French. Lots of quiche and croissants. But I ordered my usual breakfast favorite, a combination of Eggs Benedict and Florentine, with spinach and Canadian bacon, hollandaise on the side. Rob chose Le Croque Monsieur, while Victor and Ash picked omelettes.

Rob and Ash got the meals they ordered on time, but Victor had to sit and wait for his omelette of smoked salmon, onions and mushroom, while my plate came sans Canadian bacon. I sent it back, and when the dish returned, it was drowning in hollandaise, minus the silverware. Oh, well. I was really hungry and wasn’t going to send it back again. I could no longer stand to just sit there sipping orange juice that wasn’t freshly squeezed. I requested a fork and dug in.

At least the food was decent, and I’m pretty sure heavy cream was the secret. It was hard to find the bread underneath the tent of bechamel on Rob’s delicious Croque (pictured above), and the potatoes that came with his sandwich and my eggs were dripping with dairy. Rob and Ash gave their omelettes thumbs up, too. Although Vic was happier with his original concoction than Ash was with his veggie omelette, both were pleased to see the ingredients well-mixed with the eggs rather than plopped in the middle like a taco. The side salads were nice and fresh.

Overall, if you’re not watching your cholesterol, and you don’t mind spotty service, Cafe Laurent is worth a stop. Just be patient, and don’t order hollandaise on the side. Jenny

Cafe Laurent, 4243 Overland Ave., Culver City; 310-558-8622.

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