Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

While people are resolving to consume less sugar, less carbs, less calories, I'm continuing to champion one of my favorite breakfast (lunch, dinner, and/or dessert) items: the doughnut, aka - donut.  Glazed, sprinkled, cereal-topped, baconized, twisted, jelly/cream-filled, cake, crumb, bruleed, whole, hole -- you name it, I eat it.  Thankfully, LA is home to a multitude of doughnut shops.  But if I'm ever on the Westside (specifically, Santa Monica), Sidecar is a must.

Doughnuts + Stumptown coffee = a piece of heaven on Earth

Their claim to fame is probably the Huckleberry, a huckleberry cake doughnut with huckleberry glaze.  For those unfamiliar with huckleberry, the huckleberry is akin to the blueberry and is the state fruit of Idaho).  As you can see below, each doughnut is handled with care.

Huckleberry -- $3.50.  It tastes as good as it looks.  

Cinnamon Crumb Cake -- a classic cinnamon cake doughnut with a slightly sweet and spicy cinnamon glaze -- $2.75

An obligatory cup of Stumptown coffee for a perfect pairing.

Sidecar has certainly stepped up the doughnut game in Santa Monica, but like most things on the Westside, be willing to shell out a couple of extra bucks above what you would normally pay for a doughnut.  That said, you'll be in for a delicious doughnut made with quality ingredients.  Plus, in addition to their regular flavors, they offering some interesting flavors on a monthly rotation.  So do I recommend Sidecar doughnuts?  The answer is always yes.




cuisine: Doughnuts
location: Santa Monica
websites: { Sidecar | yelp | instagram | facebook | twitter }
hours: Daily, 6:30am - 4pm, except on Fridays and Saturdays, they're open until 9pm.
attire: Casual
parking: Small lot behind the store or street meters
other notes: If you're craving Sidecar while in Orange County, you're in luck!  You can check them out at their original location in Costa Mesa.

Home State

Some mornings you wake up craving hearty comfort food with just the right amount of salt and grease.  The wonderful thing about Home State, a Tex-Mex joint in Los Feliz (far removed from Central Texas in more ways than one), is that it serves up hearty and comfort while leaving out the remorse that often follows the salt and grease.  In other words, if you're craving a Tex-Mex style breakfast in LA, slowly make your way to Home State -- you'll find your answer there.

Le Menu.

Welcome Home.

A Texas Kitchen -- so much love for the Lone Star State at this place.

Basic needs for you and your furry buddy.

Lonestar Migas -- shredded brisket, pico de gallo, scrambled eggs with cheddar, corn chips -- $8

Migas.  I've probably made this bfast treat before, in a hasty add-eggs-and-whatever-else-you-have-in-fridge kind of way.  After all, you can hardly call meat, eggs, and cheese scrambled together a unique morning meal.

Trinity Taco -- eggs, bacon, cheddar, potato, wrapped on Home State's flour tortilla -- $3

Tacos are tasty, especially with a few shakes of their housemade hot sauces (green and red available).

Loaded Queso -- chili con carne, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream -- $8

While I haven't had the pleasure of growing up on queso, I do love cheese and I know enough that Velvetta does not equal queso.  Home State's loaded queso is packed full of flavor and is surprisingly, not as rich and heavy as you'd think.  One order can easily be shared amongst four (or two queso-loving) friends.

All-day breakfast is served from 8am-3pm, and the lunch menu kicks in at 11am.  Personally, I'm a fan of their bfast menu, especially with a cup of Austin's finest Cuvee coffee.  

The most recent news is that HomeState has now paired up with neighbor, Bar Covell, to serve up boozy breakfast!  What kind of booze, you ask?  Classic mimosas, micheladas (Mex beer cocktail), wine, and for you true Texas, Shiner! All reasons to check out this Los Feliz gem -- you're welcome.






cuisine: Tex-Mex
location: Los Feliz
hours: Daily, 8am-3pm
websites: { HS | menu | yelp | facebook | twitter | instagram }
attire: Casual
parking: Street
price: $5-$10
notes: No reservations. Order at the counter and grab a number.  Order online/ take-out available. If you look at the Home State landing page, you might spot me and my friends on the right.

Found Coffee

#nofilter

Fellow coffee drinkers, rejoice!  There is a new coffee shop opening in Eagle Rock (where's that? click here), and though it may be too early to make definitive conclusions, I'll bet my money that it will become LA's next newFOUND (coffee) gem.

Simple menu with the essentials.

Cookies and pastries are from Creme Caramel LA!

Check out the gorgeous color of that La Marzocco espresso machine!

Demitasse drip coffee & my very first cortado (front).

Found Coffee not only serves a high quality cup of joe, but the best part of this grand opening is that it all happened through the help of the community.  Read/ learn more about Found Coffee's inspirational story here.  Support local businesses, y'all!

(Hi, Annie!).  :)



type: Artisan Coffee
location: Eagle Rock
soft opening hours: Sun-Mon: 8am-3pm; Tues-Sat: 7am-7pm
websites: { yelp | instagram | twitter }
price: Approx. $3-5
attire: Casual
parking: Free parking lot right in front!
notes: Pastries are courtesy of Creme Caramel LA.  Cash only for a limited time.
other reviews/ articles: { daily coffee news }

Black Hogg (Brunch)

Off Sunset.

Early birds catch #1 & BYOM Stumptown coffee for $1!

Brunch is served!

Korean Fried Chicken & Chive Waffles; angle 1.

Korean Fried Chicken & Scallion Waffles, angle 2 -- with spicy maple syrup -- $13

Kimchi Sauteed Rice Bowl with bacon -- housemade kimchi, heirloom rice, sunny egg, housemade bacon, crispy potatoes -- $13

BACON.

I have been a fan of Chef Eric Park for quite some time.  Whether it be the OG Black Hogg (dinner), Hero Shop/ Yero Shop (banh mi/ chicken & rice, holla), Sopressata (lunch sandwiches), or Black Hogg redux, dubbed ROOTS, Chef Eric Park is innovative, bold, and receptive.  His dishes feature some of LA's freshest and finest while paying tribute to the Korean culture in slight, but resonating ways.  As a Korean-American, I respect that.

In addition to all of the above, the good news is that the delights at Black Hogg can be enjoyed every week (for Weekend Brunch) starting this March! That gives you time to sleep in a bit, roll out of bed, put on something somewhat socially-acceptable (and for Silverlake residents, that could very well mean what you wore to bed), grab a mug (for the BYOM $1 Stumptown drip coffee, of course), and perhaps wipe the sleepy expression off of your face (maybe).  The toughest part of this whole process will be having to choose one item to feast on once you get to the restaurant.  A close second might be finding parking, but there are usually street meters open on Sunset Boulevard.

While all of the brunch items sound deliciously promising, the Kimchi Sauteed Rice Bowl with the generous slab of juicy bacon and the KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) with Scallion Waffles and spicy syrup are clear winners.  Enjoy the tasty and flavorful food (via Korea) and then make your way back home to brush your teeth and wash your pretty face.  :)

Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Let Black Hogg help remind you.






cuisine: Korean-inspired American
location: Silverlake
websites: { BH | yelp | facebook | twitter | instagram }
breakfast hours: Sat/Sun only.
parking: Street meters
attire: Casual
notes: It's self-serve during the day, so order at the counter, grab a number, and grab a seat.  Coffee-drinkers, Bring Your Own Mug for $1 Stumptown drip coffee ($2 for refill option).

République LA

I'll keep this simple because honestly, République already has an arsenal of glowing reviews (some of which can be found here, here, here, here, and here).  The Manzke husband-wife duo has brought yet another successful restaurant to Angelenos.  Not only is the new culinary digs housed in a beautiful space, but it serves French food that reverts you (or at least me) back to Paris in a single bite.  The meal may be pricey, but it's worth your money because as most know, high quality = high satisfaction.

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting République during the day for a lovely Sunday brunch.

Chill atmosphere during the day.

Unlike evening service, breakfast and lunch (i.e, brunch) is much more casual.  You stand in a queue (that typically goes out the door) until you reach the cash register to place your order.  The length  of the queue, and the speed in which it moves (slow) are not that suspect, but the placement of the queue -- alongside the alluring display of Margarita Manzke's masterpieces -- is strategically brilliant.  So by the time you reach the register, not only are you salivating, but you'll likely walk with at least two delightful treats.  (Yes, I am victim to this -- one canele and chocolate fudge bundt cake, please).

Window display of various goodies, greeting you upon your arrival.

So... many... things... that... I... want...

Everything looks glorious, doesn't it?

As if we haven't seen enough bread/ baked goods.



Daytime menu.

Walter's Favorite -- soft-boiled eggs, poblano chili, half a baguette, butter, jam, orange juice, and coffee -- $12

Walter (aka - the chef) understands the beauty behind a simple, but fresh breakfast.  The perfectly poached farm eggs swim in what almost seems like a poblano chili soup.  Dip a piece of baguette into the delicious sauce/ soup, which less barbaric than gulping it down (which I may or may not have been tempted to do).

Regular Breakfast -- two eggs (scrambled), bacon steak, fingerling potatoes, and baguette -- $12

Another excellent traditional choice is the Regular Breakfast.  Although the components of the dish is more or less "regular," the tastes that come together with each bite is far from ordinary.  Plus, bacon steak (not just bacon) is involved - yes, yes, yes! 

The desserts (not pictured because we inhaled them) are also delightful.

Although dinner at République will be a different experience -- one I cannot speak to yet -- daytime dining is highly recommended!






dine-in date: 9/7/14 at 1pm (Sunday brunch)
cuisine: French
location: Mid-City
hours: Bfast/lunch: M-Sat, 8am-3pm; Sun: 8am-4pm. Dinner: M-W: 6pm-10pm, Thu-Sun: 6pm-11pm
websites: { Republique | yelp | facebook | twitter | instagram }
parking: Valet ($5) or street meters
attire: Casual
prices: $10-$20 for brunch

Leo & Lily

photo courtesy of mama's gotta bake

Who are Leo & Lily?  Frankly, it does not matter.  What is more important is that they know how to serve up a delicious brunch.  Consider enjoying a lazy Saturday (or Sunday) with them.

Regular cup of coffee with a mini biscotti -- very European.

Egg White Veggie Frittata -- zucchini, squash, roasted pepper, portobello mushroom, broccolini, topped with avocado and whipped goat cheese -- $11.25

Frittata d'America -- 3 organic eggs, garlic, oven-dried tomato, spinach, red onion, turkey bacon, parsley, cheddar cheese -- $11.25

B.L.T.A.E on a C -- bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, fried egg on a croissant with potatoes -- $10.95

At peak times, the wait may be long, which is a bummer since they don't take reservations.  Still, if you have the patience to stick around and the desire to keep your hunger at bay, you won't be disappointed in both the food and service.  This is a breakfast/ brunch gem of the Valley!






cuisine: American with Mediterranean flavors
location: Woodland Hills, CA
hours: M-Fri: 7:30am-9pm; Sat-Sun: 8am-9pm
websites: { L&L | yelp | facebook | twitter }
parking: Valet or Street
attire: Casual
avg. price: $10-$15 (for breakfast or lunch)
notes: Outdoor patio seating available; can accommodate big groups (call ahead); best for breakfast/ brunch.

JiST Cafe

Breakfast food for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and linner.  

I first visited JiST Cafe shortly after they opened the doors to the public (last summer).  I was instantly hooked.  Maybe it is the hot skillet full of roasted potatoes, fatty chashu (pork belly), and the perfect soft-boiled eggs.  Maybe it is the nice, shaded back patio for enjoyable outdoor dining/ people-watching.  Maybe it's the sweet Japanese grandma who greets you with a huge smile that comforts you to the core.  It's likely all of the above.

Cool architecture.

Friendly faces.

Chashu Hash Skillet -- breakfast potatoes, chashu pork belly, and a pair of 6-min (soft-boiled) eggs -- $12

Perfectly soft-boiled. 

Katsu Sandwich -- panko-encrusted, deep-fried pork cutlet with shredded cabbage and Kewpie mayo -- $11

Thick pork cutlet hiding underneath the mountain of cabbage.

Half-size of Grandma's Chopped Salad with chicken -- $9

Angeleno Veg Scramble -- Brussel sprouts, garlic, mushrooms, tomato, potato, lemon segments -- $9

Comes with a side of toast.

Porky Omurice -- Fried omelet rice with peas, hickory ham, and demi glace sauce -- $10

Half-size of Grandma's Chopped Salad with pork belly chashu -- $9

Yummy Bonito fries.

Croissant Ham Sandwich -- with hamburger meat and demi glace sauce and soft-boiled egg

Small bowl of chili with half of a grilled cheese sandwich.

Ooey, gooey, buttery, goodness.

Outdoor patio (shading available).

Come here, and come home.

It's been awhile since I dropped in for lunch, but it'll be difficult to go wrong with any of the dishes (unless you order something you know you'll despise).  They also serve Stumptown Coffee (my fave)!  Enjoy the generous portions, sweet service, and casual dining at this small, but impressionable Little Tokyo brekkie spot!





cuisine: American with a Japanese flair.
location: Little Tokyo, LA
hours: M-F: 7am-3pm; Sat-Sun: 8am-3pm
websites: { JiST | yelp | facebook | twitter }
parking: Street meters or one-time fee parking lots ($5-$8); lot right across the street is $1/ hour.
attire: Casual
seating: Indoor (limited) and outdoor patio
notes: Order, take a number, and be served.