Izzy's deli and Vienna pastry

Izzy's Deli in Santa Monica: This diner was recommended by a friend as the one place he knows in Santa Monica. Parking was hard...I'm starting to realize that it will be easier for me to assume parking will be hard and instead note when it's easy. There's a deli/bagel/pastry counter, and a diner seating area. I was there for breakfast, so it was too early to see any of their sandwiches. The pictures on the menu looked "mile-high" with meat, and their tagline said "If our sandwiches are too large, invite a friend."
The meal was almost Texas-sized. Delicate corned beef hash with a light flavor but quite addicting. Two eggs, scrambled, toothy but not springy and a consistent texture...very good though a plain flavor. Too bad the pepper was pre-ground, even if fragrant. I don't get what's up with that; pepper is always much better ground on-demand, so why isn't that the standard? I also got a bagel (perfectly toasted, not painful on the roof of my mouth) with truly excellent cream cheese, creamy but a bit sour, not as thick as usual cream cheese and with a smooth aftertaste. The coffee was solid diner coffee. I also tried some buttermilk pancakes: light, fluffy, and tasty. Unfortunately, they didn't have any fancy syrups, not even maple syrup.
On the way out I bought a slice of apple strudel (a bit soggy, flavored with cinnamon, raisins, corn flakes, and some spice I can't identify...tastes German...overall a bit heavy but not bad), and a slice of a custard (delicate...forgettable). Next time I think I'll try a slice of pie because they looked good.
A+ for the staff. They were very attentive. The seating area was only half full at 9:20 am on a Monday. All in all, an excellent experience.

Vienna Pastry in Santa Monica: Lots of pastries, some breads, and desserts. The plain croissant is quite good. Not quite the best flavor I've had in the past week or two, but there's definitely butter in there, and the texture's pretty good (flaky on the outside and a tiny bit chewy on the inside...not stale but not quite fresh). If I were walking by this patisserie, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in and grab a croissant, but if I were driving specifically in hunt of croissants I might pick another destination.

Also had some cheese curds (with garlic), purchased this past weekend at the cheese booth at the Farmer's Market. Great stuff. It's hard for me to describe. Heavy garlic flavor up front, but the finishing taste is like a mild cheddar or maybe provolone. The consistency is something like fresco queso and it comes in thumb-sized nuggets. Highly recommended. The lemon quark is also great, a very lemony soft cheese spread. We also got some cultured butter there, which has good flavor and a consistency slightly thicker than brie.