The Alcove - A Cozy Kind of Yummy
Wednesday, May 16, 2007 17:03The Alcove
1929 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Feliz, CA
Cross street: Franklin (just north of, on the east side of the street)
This was a return visit to The Alcove - the first time, I had brunch, and this time, it was all about dindin. The location is oh-so-cozy - lots of brick accents, and a very warm and friendly, bring-your-dog kind of vibe. The service is counter-only, but for this style of eatin’, these guys do it up right. The staff is lovely and helpful, and the food is a sight.
It’s a cafe that fits in with the Los Feliz vibe like white on rice - dotted with outdoor tables and mist machines or heat lamps, depending on the elements, and always scattered with hungry hipsters, sipping lattes and planning scripts. But it lacks the pretentiousness of similar Hollywood haunts - this place truly is all-charm.
Food-wise, Alcove has a solid menu - lots of organic goodies, salads to die for, and decent sandwiches. The burgers look so-so, the brunch is above average, and the coffee is yummy. Did I mention desserts? They’re part bakery, afterall, so there are heaps of selections. I sampled the cookies last time - gotta say the textures were spot-on, but the flavor - eh. Just average. The cakes look pretty fantastic, however - will need to try those in short order. I’ve heard *very* good things, I might add.
Here’s the lowdown on food stuffs I devoured –
Drinks:
I had a nonfat iced soy latte - absolutely perfect.
Best friend had a green-tea based iced concoction - also awesome.
My entree:
Summer Shrimp Salad
- Features greens, tri-color peppers, shrimp, strawberries, almonds, and a killer raspberry vinaigrette.
** Definitely a fabulous and refreshing summer dish - and an absolutely gorgeous one at that (see picture above). Flavors were well matched and quite delish.
BFF
Roast Beef Panini
- Featured medium-rare roast beef, caramelized onions, sourdough, tomatoes, and served with a side o’ fries
* Tasty little devil, this one - the sandwich, while not piled-high, did feature very high quality beef, and the onions were tres-tastic. But the fries? Yeah, they’re decent, yet way too chilly. We like ‘em hot + fresh - these did not qualify.
The damage for a latte, iced tea, salad, and sandwich - about $25, before tip.
RESTAURANT REPORT CARD
Ambiance - B
Service - C
Food (Taste) - B-
Food (Presentation) - B-
Wine/Drinks - C+
Value - B-
Overall Experience - B-
Final word - A really lovely outdoor food-haven. Not top-notch, but a great little hang all the same. I’m goin’ back for sure.
By PoetKitty (see more of her posts). You can find more of PoetKitty's writing at her own website OMG Food!
Jonah says:
May 17th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I’m a big fan of seasonal fruit showing up in salads, although if they put strawberries in, it’s nice if they take the tops off!
BTW, welcome back PK, we missed you!
Sasha says:
May 17th, 2007 at 10:53 am
That’s so weird you got cold fries…we live around the corner and go pretty frequently, sometimes we just go for the fries and coffee! Almost every time I go they are very hot and fresh and some of the best in the city, in my opinion.
MaxMillion says:
May 17th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Nice write up. I like this place a lot. I went there a couple of times soon after they opened, bc I knew the owners from a Studio City connection.
The Alcove is sort of a sister cafe to Aroma on Tujunga, but it really is much nicer and has a much, much better menu.
I am not a big fan of strawberries in salads (and yeah, wash and hull them for me before you toss them in my salad, would you please?)
But I do adore raspberry vinaigrette and the mini jug in your picture is brim-full the sweetest and most delicious-looking pink salad dressing I’ve ever seen! Mmmmmm!
Thanks, PK! Welcome back!! (Where ya bin?)
tim k says:
May 17th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I’ve been more times than I can remember over the years. Sometimes we have a less-than-great meal and don’t go back for a bit, but the location and and setting (and desserts) always send us back.
The burgers actually are fantastic and probably the best deal. They’re HUGE and come with a side. I’ve never had a bad burger there but I have had cold fries.
They jack around with the salads which I don’t care for. Sometimes you’ll get a salad that has had substitutions made from what’s on the menu. They always make amends wen you point it out, but its a hassle.
It really is worth a trip just for dessert.
foodette says:
May 18th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Great pic! Yeah, I tend to agree with the others that they should have hulled those berries for you, but I do enjoy a strawberry in a salad. Just not sure if it would go well with the peppers??? But, I agree with Max that the dressing looked like an amazing feat with a food processor. Plus, I like getting dressing served in a little cup on the side like that - very cute ;)
Jonah Lee says:
May 26th, 2007 at 11:51 am
My girlfriend and I love this place, and have gone quite a few times, though we only ventured into lunches once. So far I have loved everything I have had, and the portions are humungous. I have never seen such big huevos rancheros in my entire life.
And I have to say the all fresh fruit smoothies are absolutely fantastic.
My only complaint about this place are the uncomforable chairs!
Joellyn says:
May 31st, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Yes, I agree, lovely place, but hit or miss at best with the food. I’ve had some great salads and some pretty off the mark ones too. And sometimes the coffee. I’ve stopped getting mine there and walk up the street to Cafe Los Feliz to get my almost perfect latte.
The patio is lovely, but I agree that those chairs leave a lot to be desired, and finding parking around there at any time of day or night is a real challenge. Alcove has become very trendy and popular too, so you have to be prepared for a wait most of the time. I love the little shop next door though, where you can buy almost every kind of cheese imaginable, and also tasty ready made entrees for lunch on the go.
Jessica says:
June 11th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Had a nice, quiet cozt dinner with wine. Beautiful ambience and a relaxing crwod.