Hey everyone - I was just at Leda’s Bake Shop (Sherman Oaks) on Friday and found out that Ledette is planning to close down and re-think her bakery. She mentioned re-opening in the New Year and *no more cupcakes*!!! (too labor intensive)

SO - the very last day you can walk in and get a Leda’s Bake Shop cupcake will be

Saturday Oct 18th.

NB - they recently changed their hours of business:

After observing recent business trends, baker Ledette is devoting Tues, Wed and Thursdays to catering and pre-orders. You’ll need to place your order the day before and there is a 24 cupcake minimum per flavor, but no minimums on their outstanding cookies, macaroons and delectable scones.

On Fridays and Saturdays, Leda’s Bake Shop is open for that spontaneous mini-cupcake craving, 10.30am ’till 6pm.
13722 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, just W of Woodman,
(818) 386-9644
Go to their website for a full range of their flavors:

Leda’s Bake Shop

Go here for my previous report.

Bocca:  Steakhouse Fusion Lounge
Encino, CA

I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon then relaxing over lunch and a glass of wine.  And save a few minor drawbacks, Bocca in Encino, offered just that.

My boyfriend and I got to Bocca around 1pm and found the restaurant e-m-p-t-y…empty!   I felt sad for the place.  With it’s clean line, modern feel and inviting atrium and patio, this spot is perfect for a leisurely lunch (and probably a romantic night out too.)

We were greeted right away, and since we had our choice of tables, picked a nice spot by the window.  The wine list was decent, if not overly inventive.  I had a glass of Savignon Blanc, a perfect choice for a balmy Sunday nosh.

We browsed the menu, and while I’m always a little scared when the offerings are all over the map, as was the case with Bocca, they call themselves a “fusion” steakhouse and lounge, so I reserved judgment.  I just wondered how well one can do Antipasto, Tuna Tartar, and Mini Beef Tacos. Instead of a standard appetizer I started off with the Creamy Wild Mushroom with Hazelnut Soup.

For $6.00 it was a decent portion. I wasn’t in love with the way it looked, but then again, it is pureed mushrooms, what can you expect? The flavor was really nice.  Rich, meaty, earthy.  If I had eaten nothing but that, I would have left satisfied.

We also ordered a sandwich which came with a side salad.

It was a very decent sized portion.  While it was a very simple salad, I will say the greens and veggies were exceptionally crisp and fresh.  The balsamic vinaigrette was also creamy with a good tang.  Since their sign says they are a steakhouse, and since we weren’t prepared to scarf down a full steak meal, we compromised and got the Steak Sandwich. For around $12 we thought it was a pretty nice size.  They also served bbq and steak size on the side.  And if you love sauces, for the dippin’, like I do, this is a nice touch.

We ordered it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. The roll and veggies were also really good.  I just found the seasoning a bit lacking, there was nothing about the flavor of the meat that made it a stand out.  I felt I could have seasoned it better at home.   

Since we only tried 3 things, I can’t truly give this place a 100% thumbs up or thumbs down.  I liked the feel of the space, but do love the energy of a bustling restaurant, which Bocca lacked.    I will certainly give it another try, going on another day, at a traditionally busier time.  And next time maybe I’ll get crazy and order something Mexican, something Italian and something Asian inspired!  When I do I’ll report back here asap. 

Bocca - Steakhouse/Fusion/Lounge
16610 Ventura Blvd.  Encino, CA 91436
818.905.5855

Beverages:
I have ordered off of prix fixe menus before at other restaurants, and if beverages are included, the choices are usually coffee, tea, or soft drinks. Porterhouse Bistro does one better and allows guests the option of choosing a glass of any of their house wines. If you prefer wine or cocktail not on the house list, you simply pay an additional $5. These days, a decent martini will run you $10, so paying $5 for one at Porterhouse Bistro is a bargain. For my first choice, I picked the house pinot noir. I don’t remember the vineyard it came from, but the wine was quite drinkable. It had a very strong fruity presence. If I had not ordered from the prix fixe menu, the glass of pinot noir would be $6. (I will try to include the regular menu price for your reference.) You can order your second beverage at any time. I chose a cup of coffee to go with my dessert.

First Course:
From the menu, I wasn’t very impressed with the first course, bread. When the bread came, however, I was singing a different tune. While I enjoy La Brea Bakery’s bread, the fact that Porterhouse Bistro serves it is not the reason why I was happy. The bread was served with a whole roasted garlic bulb, butter, olive oil with balsamic vinegar, and the house tapenade. I loved that we got to choose what to accompany our warm bread with. Now, I really am not one to talk about butter of all things in restaurant reviews, but I have to say, the butter Porterhouse Bistro gave us is better than the butter at the restaurants I’ve been eating at lately. It tasted creamy but not greasy. I couldn’t help commenting about this at the table, and one of my friends immediately had to try it for herself. She agreed with me that the butter was indeed creamier than standard restaurant butter. The roasted garlic disappeared very quickly. I really enjoyed the garlic’s soft texture and very slight sweetness. My friends and I did not talk much about the roasted garlic, but since each clove was devoured, I think it’s safe to say we all liked it. We barely made a dent in the tapenade, not because we didn’t like it, but rather because Porterhouse Bistro gave us a lot of it. I find that every restaurant makes tepenade a little differently. Some have more olive oil than others, some are courser than others. Porterhouse Bistro’s tepenade is not oily, and you definitely see the finely chopped up olives in each spoonful.

Second Course: Appetizer
Friend #1 chose the smoked salmon quesadilla ($10) , Friend #2 - gargonzola tart ($10), and Friend #3 - spinach salad ($9). I was torn. I kept going back and forth between the romaine and endive salad ($10) and the onion soup ($8). I asked our server which I should choose. He started to advise me on the salad, and then he changed his mind and recommended the soup. I did as he suggested, and I am so glad I ordered the soup. This was by far the best onion soup I had in years. The soup is not covered in cheese, but rather a very light pastry dough. There is a little bit of cheese in the soup itself though. Unlike with many bistro onion soups, this one was not overly salty. The broth was an unexpected very light brown. It had a light, sweet, and spicy (lots of pepper was used) taste. The onions were soft, sweet, and translucent. The flavor was absolutely delicious. My friends all tried a spoonful of the soup and concurred that it was really very good. I tried their appetizers as well, and while theirs were good, too, I think the soup was the best out of all the appetizers. The gargonzola tart was served on a bed of greens with a raspberry dressing. The contrasts of the rich cheese with the light salad and of the salty tart with the sweet dressing were delightful. The smoked salmon quesadilla surprised me at first bite because it was filled with cream cheese. I never thought of making a quesadilla using cream cheese, but since lox and cream cheese is a common combination, it worked well in this dish.

Third Course: Entree
Friend #1 chose the rack of lamb, served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli ($27). Her lamb was very good - juicy and tender, very flavorful. The rest of us all picked the 12-oz rib eye steak ($29), but we each chose a different side dish. Even though we ordered the same steak, and we asked for medium, only one of us actually got medium. Friend #2 and I actually got a well done steak. The rib eye steak was still overall good, as it is quality meat and well seasoned, but the steak was a little bit on the dry side. We both looked enviously at Friend #3, as she ate her perfectly medium steak. Our server came by and asked how everything was. I did mention to him that I would have liked my steak more had it not been overcooked. He asked if I wanted a new one. I declined, but then he looked at me and insisted that I get a new one because I should be happy with my food. He was so very nice about it, that I didn’t feel the slightest bit uncomfortable about accepting the offer. While I was waiting for the new steak, I nibbled on the side dishes we ordered, house fries ($9), sauteed mushrooms ($9), and the steamed broccoli ($6). The fries reminded me a little of BJ Brewery’s, but much better. The fries were dipped in seasoned batter before they were deep fried. Porterhouse Bistro’s fries were dangerously addictive. The sauteed mushrooms were also good. I’m not the biggest fan of mushrooms, and even I liked these. My problem with mushrooms have always been a texture issue. I hate bland and mushy mushrooms with a passion. Porterhouse Bistro’s sauteed mushrooms were tasty and firm but not hard. My new steak arrived very quickly at my table, still sizzling on the plate. My friends I joked that we don’t typically see sizzling steak at bistros. After letting the juices settle a little, I cut one piece of the steak, and it was delicious. I was very impressed. I shared a portion of my steak with Friend #2, and she agreed that the new steak was so much better than our well done ones. I have to admit, while eating the first rib eye steak, I didn’t understand why so many people raved about Porterhouse Bistro. While eating the second one, I was ready to lead the charge on lavishing praise on them.

Fourth Course: Dessert
Before our desserts arrived, we were surprised when our server brought a big glowing blue object to our table:

This turned out to be a nice treat of cotton candy with a flame in the center. We had hard time trying to remember when was the last time we had eaten cotton candy. This was a fun centerpiece at the table, and we certainly enjoyed tearing it apart and eating it.

We ordered two creme brulees ($8), a chocolate lava cake ($9), and an apple tart ($8). I was not impressed with creme brulee at all. The flavor was good, and I loved that I could see specks of vanilla bean in it, but the texture was not right. I felt that the creme brulee was overcooked. The creme brulees were the only desserts that we ordered that were left unfinished. The chocolate lava cake was good, but not spectacular. Also, after having had many lava cakes over the years, we all expected lava (chocolate sauce or fudge) to ooze out from the center as we cut into it. That didn’t happen though. Nevertheless, the cake was full of chocolatey goodness. I thought the best dessert was my choice, the apple tart. I had previously mentioned (in my review of Susina Bakery) that it seems most places make their apple tarts by layering thin slices of apple, and Porterhouse Bistro is no different in that respect. It may not be an original dessert, but it was ever so delicious. Even though the apple slices were so thin, Porterhouse Bistro layered them so generously that the apple flavor was enjoyed in every bite. The pastry part of the tart was very crispy. Again, not very original but always a great a combination, adding some caramel and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side made this apple tart a winning dessert.

To get your own 20% discount letter from Porterhouse Bistro, you can sign up on their website when you make reservations.

Porterhouse Bistro
8635 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: (310) 659-1099
Mon-Fri: 6:00pm - 10:00pm, Sat & Sun: 5:00pm-10:00pm

Step inside this restored 1928 Spanish mission-style cottage, located on Riverside in Toluca Lake, and you might think you’ve been transported to somewhere in the exotic Spanish or Latin American countryside. D’Caché is a lively restaurant where they serve modern Latin-fusion cuisine, tapas and fine wines and great drinks. Try a fresh Columbian mojito made from Aguardiente and fresh mint or raspberry, melon and strawberry mojitos and margaritas.

The converted house has medium-sized dining rooms and secluded patios with comfy sofas to lounge on underneath white draperies. The back patio also has a pretty fountain. Out there, the two-seater tables are made from huge, polished discs of wood, hand-hewn from a large tree they had to lop down in the backyard. These beautiful tables are remarkable!

D’Caché also has a smoking patio and inside there is a small private room with a ‘U’ shaped couch and a TV. Perfect for a laid-back board meeting.

Before I get to the outstanding cuisine, one feature of the experience is the Rumba Gipsy and world music performances every night. The live entertainment starts at 7pm and goes until 9.30pm or so, Tuesday ’till Saturday evenings.

I went on a Wednesday evening and the musicians were incredible. Bandidos de Amor, a talented trio of flamenco-style guitarists and singers, sounded a lot like the Gipsy Kings and played plenty of boisterous music of that flavor.

So, to start with drinks, any Spanish restaurant worth their salt had better offer sangria. At D’Caché they concoct an exotic blend of three wines with gin and perfume it with cinnamon and brandy infused apples. Also their wine list is fairly extensive and features wine from Chile, Argentina and Spain as well as domestic varieties, all priced at around $8-9 per glass, bottles also available.

We started with the soupe du jour – wild mushroom soup ($9). This was unctuous and incredibly rich and delicious; a caramelized-sweet, smooth soup that was fragrant with truffle oil. Just fantastic!

With only twelve appetizers and eight entree dishes on the menu, you can tell the kitchen does it all well. We started with a serving of three large empanadas ($12) filled with slow-cooked shredded pork and dressed with a confetti of mango salsa. Lovely! Other appetizers to snack on include tapas such as Patacones con Cerviche – shrimp cocktail over fried plantains – or a variety of pizette.

Main courses include Spanish classics such as a smoky and seafood-packed Paella ($32) and Pollo Catalan. They also offer seared blue fin tuna with a cilantro crust and a warm salad of asparagus and greens.

Brazilian-style Lamb chops, crusted with pistachio pesto ($42), were perfectly cooked. The basil and truffle oils almost gild the lily, but the red wine reduction cuts through the rich sauce like Zorro!

Everything was very rich, so order wisely, but like a siren’s song, the best flavors of all Latin cultures at D’Caché will call you to return again and again.

Valet and street parking available.

D’Caché Restaurant, 10717 Riverside, Toluca Lake, between Lankershim and Cahuenga.
(818) 506 9600.
Open 5pm ’till midnight, Tues - Sat.
Sunday and Monday – only open for special events.

They were offering a prix fixe menu that night and the items on the menu sounded good to me, so I chose that.

My prix fixe dinner came with wine pairings for each of the three dishes (I ordered the scallop a la carte): two whites and one red. The first white wine I had with the salad was refreshing and not too fruity, but I thought it was too light to be paired with such a salty dish. I wasn’t a fan of the next white wine, which came with the pasta and morels; it had a sour taste to it and I would have preferred a red wine with a dish so rich. My last wine, a merlot tasted strange and thin to me.

Although I didn’t like any of my wines that much, I did enjoy the 2003 cabernet sauvignon that the BF ordered. I liked it after my first sip; later, when it opened it up, there was a nice spiciness to it that went well with my veal.

Overall, I was pleased with Upstairs 2. The decor is kind of old-fashioned and reminds me of a hotel lobby, but the restaurant is unpretentious, close to home, and has a huge variety of wine to select from. Our waiter was incredibly accommodating to the BF’s vegan requests and even took one dish off our bill because there was some confusion with how he ordered it and how it came. I would have preferred a lot of things to be less salty, but I was still pleased with my experience there.

A previous review of Upstairs 2 can be found here.

First of all, we were initially disappointed because their famous orange cheesecake was out. The staff did recommend the Oreo cheesecake as an alternative. They said they make it exactly the same way, just with a different filling and crust. The cheesecake was delightful. We were all impressed with how it has the same rich flavor as other cheesecakes but without the heaviness. I’m usually not a fan of an Oreo crust because I find it to be too dry for my taste, but the crust of this cheesecake was just right. We also really enjoyed the raspberry chocolate cake. We were pleasantly surprised to find actual raspberries in the cake, not raspberry filling. The raspberries were fresh and not drowned in sickening sweet syrup. This was one of the best cakes I’ve had in a while. Our last selection was the apple tart. I’ve eaten a lot of apple tarts, and the trend seems to be making apple slices as thin as possible and layering them. Susina’s apple tart, however, was topped with a generous amount of thick slices. Each bite is filled with a very strong apple presence. As we were leaving, I decided to buy something to go to give to my mother. I picked a blueberry custard tart and some Italian cookies. My mother started off intending to have just a bite, just to taste. She finished the whole thing in one sitting. She did offer me a taste, and just like the three desserts my friends and I shared, this one was absolutely wonderful. The blueberries were fresh, the custard was creamy, and the crust was crispy but not dry. The cookies were also a nice little treat. The cakes and tarts were approximately $5, while the cookies were $20 per pound. (I spent about $2 on a handful of the bite-size cookies.) We all felt that Susina’s price is very reasonable for a taste of heaven.

You can purchase whole cakes and pies and even place orders in advance. Susina is more than just sweets and pastries though. I haven’t had anything other than beverages and desserts here, but Susina also offers soups, salads, sandwiches, quiches, and lasagnas. The staff is incredibly friendly and amiable. There is parking available in the parking lot behind the building, but be careful of where you park. Not all the spaces are for Susina, and the spaces are stacked, so you may be blocked in (or be blocking someone else in).

Susina Bakery & Cafe
7122 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-7900
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-11pm, Sat-Sun 8am-11pm

Okay, I don’t usually get excited about sandwiches. They’re not really my… thing. It’s not that I avoid bread or anything, it’s just that I tend to prefer my carbs in pasta form, or as roasted or fried potatoes.

So —
you’ve gotta appreciate it when I go nuts about this new sandwich I tried.

Backstory: My hands-down, all-time favourite lunch place in the east Valley is healthyca (fyi – it’s pronounced ‘health-i-ka’). I already reviewed them a couple of years ago.

Well, I am excited to report that healthyca has just launched a fresh new menu. I tried one of their new sandwiches on Friday and it was Oh. My. God. Fantastic!!

Portobello Mushroom on home whole wheat ciabatta (i.e. baked in-house, gentle readers) with beets, chevre, walnuts, roasted tomato (with a bit of a spicy kick!), black olive tapenade, lettuce and I sub’d grilled onion instead of raw red onion.

The complex flavour profile and combination of this heavenly sandwich was just a knockout. It was so damn good, I went back and got it again the very next day they were open (Monday). Remember - I said I don’t go for sandwiches very often.

Okay, having said that, I actually really like hot sandwiches. So, I love the variety – about thirty choices – at my new local sandwich joint Press Panini. Generally if I’m gonna have a sandwich, I’ll make a toasted ham, gruyère and pineapple one at home on my own panini maker (don’t laugh!) The benefits of now having a place around the corner that does Italian-style pressed sandwiches is (1) the variety, (2) the convenience – it’s a walk-up window and you can eat there or take it home, (3) it’s great for when you don’t have enough ingredients at home to put a lunch together and (4) um, there isn’t a (4)… BUT while the French-style bread roll they use at Press Panini is great in its own way, they don’t offer a whole wheat option at all, and I just can’t do white bread… Also, I probably won’t be craving hot sandwiches during this sweltering summer that often, either, which is too bad for them because I am sure I am not alone.

Anyway, Press Panini offers a rather extensive menu of a vast variety of hot, pressed sandwiches – all priced at $9, with a ‘kids’ size available for $5 – as well as tasty soups ($6) and big salads ($10). They do a meal deal of a sandwich (all are on their long, white panini bread roll) plus a side of soup, salad or chips and a regular sized drink for $14. I couldn’t go past the classic Caprese which was a tasty and simple combination of fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato and fresh, whole basil leaves, all dressed with a piquant balsamic dressing.

My guy opted for the classic Prosciutto with provolone cheese, tomato and romaine lettuce and dijon mustard as well as that same balsamic dressing. Mid-way through our lunch I asked for his opinion. “Can’t talk. Eating.” came the brusque reply, but when he had devoured the lot, the comment was “Delicious!”

Another great one we’ve tried since is the Olive All-Over with brie & parmigiana cheese, sliced kalamata and black olives, portabella mushroom (how do you spell that?!), fresh spinach leaves and tapenade. You can see it’s quite similar to my new fave from healthyca.

In any case, with the new and fantastic sandwiches, as well as their incredible salads and new fresh juice combos, healthyca is looking mighty tempting for that occasional lunch run. You can eat there, pick up food to go or they now deliver all day, within a certain radius, so tip the driver well!

The sandwiches at healthyca are all priced around $9-10 and also come pepperoncini and pickles and a small side salad – choose from new potatoes, wild or herbed rice, fresh fruit cup, quinoa or baby greens with house dressing. I generally opt for their incredibly tasty quinoa side salad.

Trust me – you just gotta try that killer sandwich!

Chef Maki’s small shopfront, industrial-type kitchen (in NoHo) churns out some of the hands-down, most delicious and fabulously healthy food you will ever taste. I’m not kidding! So, even though they have a new menu, a lot of their popular items are still available, such as the noho sausage sandwich, which is a homemade, free-range turkey sausage on a house-baked sesame roll with tomato, mustard, house-made mayo (the real deal, meaning egg yolks and good olive oil) also lettuce, grilled onion and their own divine fresh pesto sauce. It’s a hefty and satisfying lunch for $9.50.

The salads are all big, hearty and super delicious. Ranging from around $9 to $11, some new additions include the ratatouille salad with baked eggplant, roasted tomato, grilled zucchini, peppers and onions, glazed walnuts, fresh herbs and blue cheese ($9.10). I can’t wait to try the avocado caprese with fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil oil (that you pour on yourself) plus avocado, purple onion and baby greens ($9.24). All salads come with a dressing (chose from ten, including low-fat citrus and lime cilantro) as well as the same small side salads they serve with the sandwiches.

Maki offers several delicious ices teas and juice combinations all packed with various ‘superfoods’ such as mangoes, mint, or antioxidant-strong blueberries. He even adds a hint of cayenne along with pineapple, grape, orange and ginger in the fighter drink. All the food there is healthy, delicious and affordable, using high quality, mostly organic ingredients and produce – even the salmon is wild caught. All of Chef Maki’s food that I’ve sampled has been great. This is high quality and healthy fare.

Kinda like ‘stealth health’…

I also tried one of their delicious juices (mango, mint, orange melon and lemon) but it was tuff to drive home with the juices… even thos I didn’t spill any, I was petrified I would. (I always zip over and pick up.)

If healthyca isn’t already your favourite place, then it probably soon will be. Or please comment and tell us what your fave is!

healthyca
4724 Lankershim Blvd, just S of Camarillo, close to the Blue Moon nightclub, NoHo.
(818) 505 1037.
Fax (818) 505 1037.
Open Monday to Friday only, 11am-6pm, [coming soon – ’till 9pm]
Catering available – (818) 693 2778.
Website is under construction.

Press Panini
4389 Tujunga Ave, just S of Moorpark, Studio City.
(818) 487 2564
Open 9am–9pm.
Delivery available.

Since I’ve been back to L.A., I have made a few visits back to Langer’s, including yesterday for lunch. As usual, I’m not disappointed. No matter what I order to eat, I always start off with a cream soda ($2.50). I’m really not a soda drinker, but you can’t tell that from the way I down one glass after another of the cream soda. Yes, Langer’s give free refills. Every time I order this, before I hit the last sip, my server would ask if I want a refill. How could I say no to that? I’ve asked servers at Langer’s on a number of occasions to divulge their secret ingredient (what kind of cream or syrup is used), but they lips are sealed tightly. A waitress once told me that the only ingredient she can tell me is cola. I know traditionally, sweet cream is mixed with cola or your choice of soda, but I have no clue if Langer’s secret is really this simple.

My actual food order was the cup of soup and half sandwich combo ($10.95). I chose my standard chicken noodle with hot pastrami on rye. The chicken noodle soup is filled with thin egg noodles, which I’m happy about, but there are no chicken pieces at all. The lack of chicken meat is probably the only complaint I have about the soup. My friend opted for the matzo ball soup, which I had before, too. I can’t say it’s my favorite, but the matzo ball is quite big and better than some of the others I’ve had. What I really like about Langer’s food is the hot pastrami on rye. Some people just aren’t crazy about the pastrami here and are mystified why fans like myself enjoy it so much. First of all, each slice is a thicker cut than most other sandwich shops. There are some people who prefer layers upon layers of thinly sliced pastrami. If you are one of those people, then you should probably pass on the pastrami here. Due to the thickness of the pastrami here, the layers are smaller, which give some diners the impression that Langer’s is stingy with their portions. I can say that looks are deceiving. I have never been able to finish more than half a sandwich at Langer’s. The pastrami here is also surprisingly lean and well seasoned. In addition, the rye bread is very good, too. I enjoy the flavor of the rye, as well as the crunchy crust. If pastrami really isn’t your thing, there are many other choices. I recommend the brisket of beef sandwich ($14.25) and tenderloin skirt steak sandwich ($15.95).

Langer’s is right on the corner of 7th and Alvarado, right across the street from MacArthur Park. There is a parking lot on 7th and Westlake. Langer’s will validate.

Langer’s Delicatessen
704 S. Alvarado St
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Phone: (213) 483-8050
Mon-Sat 8am-4pm

A sister restaurant to the one on La Cienega, and situated beneath Romanov Restaurant, Prana Café is a welcome addition to Studio City (even if some of us miss the Albano’s Pizzeria place it supplanted).

Indoor seating is along the west wall, opposite the closed in but windowed kitchen, is reminiscent of the old Out Take Café layout. Subtract the irritatingly squeaky swinging doors to kitchen and it’s very comfortable to dine inside.

The decor is pleasant and warm, featuring large, live bundles of lucky bamboo along the wall. Comfy wicker arm chairs face the chocolate brown leather banquettes, offset by thin cream and brown striped fabric. The ceiling is painted a deep red hue with sculpted paper light fixtures in cream giving a soft light overhead. Add the sun flooding in from the front outdoor patio, set back from Ventura Boulevard, and you have a really cosy vibe.

Their menu offers sandwiches, salads, burgers and wraps, all ranging within $7 to $14.00. You can get breakfast items all day long, including buttermilk pancakes ($7), “crispy” french toast ($9), homemade granola ($7) and scrambles (rather than omelettes) ($9-$12).

Their eggs benedict include classic ($12) and smoked salmon ($14). I was especially impressed with the hollandaise sauce that accompanied my crab cake benedict ($16). Everything on the menu is made in-house, and it shows. Arriving on a huge, square ceramic platter, you get two toasted muffin halves with a crab cake and poached egg on each. The yolk is delightfully runny, as it should be, and there is no trace of nasty vinegar. Smothering that is the divinely thick and golden hollandaise sauce; a perfect blend of the piquancy of lemon juice with the rich yolks and butter. The crab cake is quite fishy but good and meaty, speckled with corn kernels and tiny pieces of red pepper. This meal also comes with a giant and golden hash brown, severed into a curious semicircle, which makes me wonder where the other half got to (not that I needed it!) I found the hash brown to be a bit too oily and too darkly fried, but then again, I am not a hash brown aficionado. At the center of this platter is a delicate little nest of alfalfa dressed with a tangy vinaigrette.

The Mediterranean Wrap ($13) is an inspired blend of slightly spicy shrimp with the crunch of fresh cucumber and the tang of yoghurt. It comes with french fries that are perfectly salty and crisp, although you can opt for salad greens or fruit.

The chef gives us a sample of the crepes that will feature on the menu of the Russian Tea Room, opening next door to Prana Café later this month. The French Connection is a little on the crispy side and stuffed with soft, ripe banana slices and smooth chocolate sauce. Savory as well as sweet crepes are already available to patrons of Prana.

The only weakness here is the coffee, which arrives in a large, attractive glass mug. The latte is, understandably, milder than the cappuccino. But the cappuccino is too bitter and the foam too airy. At Prana Café they would do well to employ experienced baristi who are expert at creating the necessary microfoam for a milky espresso drink worth returning for.

Owner Mikayel Israyelyan seems to know what he is doing, having found success with the elegant Republic Lounge on La Cienega as well as the opulent Romanov upstairs. As my dining companion observed, “You certainly never walk away from any of his places feeling hungry.”

There’s no higher praise than that in my book.

Prana Café
12229 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Tel: (818) 301 7616

Open for breakfast and lunch, daily.

In a rather savvy cross-promotion (actually, a no-brainer, when you think about it…) the delightful ice-cream parlor and café on Beverly, Milk, teamed up with the Got Milk? people (namely, the Cali Milk Processor Board) to host an open house last night.

I spotted a handful of fellow bloggers, including the gorgeous Kristy of Best of LA and met Javier the teenage glutster who is going to have to change his blog name any day now, once he ‘comes of age’ - lol

I met the gal who writes Mikey Hates Everything and she even came with two - uh - robot dudes in biz suits…

I also got to catch up with the dashing and daring Eddie Lin of Deep End Dining fame.

A few people asked after you, Jonah, but the words ‘new baby’ and ‘Westside’ seemed to explain your absence (!)

Over the past year, Bret Thompson (former Corporate Executive Chef of the Patina Restaurant Group, Michelin trained, and now owner and executive chef of Milk,) has been tantalising the palates of Angelinos with his delectable treats at Milk. Through this unique partnership with the Got Milk? campaigners, Thompson has adapted and now shares the secret recipes to some of Milk’s most divine sweet desserts – from the ever-so-popular Milky Way Melt (which I did not sample) to the pan-Latin-inspired Berry Tres Leches, which was out of this world!

Bret’s recipes can now be found on their really cool little site.

Other yummy desserts that were being passed around were:
mini ice-cream cones with a fantastic banana & dulce de leche filling and dipped in crisp caramel;
a petite meringue ice cream sandwich;
malted milk shake with teeny choc-covered malted balls within;
a feather-light cornbread cake with raspberry filling and kernels of corn that was truly sensational
also an elegant plastic goblet of a creamy, dreamy and lightly spiced pumpkin squash soup with smoky toasted pepitas on top;
and of course the Berry Tres Leches, which has to be hands down the best version of this classic Mexican dessert I’ve ever tried.

The cake is infused with berries until it is purple-blue and then layered with white cake. The custard parts are not too sickly sweet at all (as is sometimes the case) - it’s simply perfect. Topped with fresh berries and you have a winner. I got to chat with Bret about his Berry Tres Leches dessert, by the way. He explained that it was tough to perfect the genoise or French-style sponge cake part of this delectable dessert so that it doesn’t collapse under the weight of all the three milky ingredients, namely evaporated, condensed and fresh milk.

I also talked to Steve James, the head honcho of the (actually two-person) Got Milk? team and learned how the Got Milk? campaign was created, about fifteen years ago. Legend has it that apparently some creative minds from the advertising firm Goodby, Silverstein and Partners – who they’ve been with ever since – were waiting outside the conference room door, ready to make their pitch. They’d surreptitiously filmed people in their own office reacting, with varying degrees of frustration and anger, to deliberately minuscule amounts of milk left in almost empty containers. They had the campaign and strategy all worked out but no punchy, hooky catch phrase. The team were brainstorming right outside the door, saying, ‘But we need something really simple, like, I dunno, ‘Got Milk?’

Such goes the legend of one of the most enduring food-related ad campaigns you can name.

It was a really fun event.

TIP:

Feast on superb Italian fare at Angelini Osteria across the road, then walk to Milk for dessert.

Milk
7290 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 939-6455