Cafe Bolivar

Cafe Bolivar: Having read the Yelp reviews, we hunted this place down and had some arepas. Very tasty, best when hot. The corn bread is great and the fillings were all excellent. The chicken and avocado got high marks, as did the mango/cheese/avocado. My cafe con leche was good and strong with nice foam. The limeade was fresh/homemade and absolutely perfect.

Jaipur, Zen Bakery, Le Pain du Jour, Funnel Mill, Bread and Porridge

Jaipur: This is the second time we've had food from Jaipur, but this time we were at the restaurant for their Saturday champagne buffet. The lentil dumpling in yogurt sauce was extremely good...complex flavors and heat covered in minty coolness. The chicken (masala and tandoori) were very flavorful, not fake-pink colored, and probably the second-best I've ever had (the best being Tamarind Bay in Boston). The chai was ok though a bit bland. One of the three desserts was yummy, sweet, carroty mash/shred. The other two were unfortunately not so flavorful...the previous, catered, experience had wonderful dough balls in rosewater primarily due to the cardamoms bobbing alongside and it was disappointing not to revisit the experience. I might go back. It was an ok buffet experience, but I wouldn't take my friends.

Zen Bakery: Just down the road from Jaipur was this little bakery. The name was intriguing but when we got inside the only thing on the menu was muffins. The sign said some were from a Trader Joe's mix. Not auspicious, but I picked up an apple bran muffin. Almost no flavor (apple or otherwise) and a relatively heavy/leaden texture.

Le Pain du Jour: I've known about this bakery/patisserie for months; it's mostly well liked on Yelp. Unfortunately it's in a poor location and there are only a few nearby parking spots. Today I finally broke down and now I wish I'd been going for the past 6 months. It's a small shop with a view straight back into part of the kitchen. The butter croissant is amazing with wonderful crisp exterior, intense butter flavor, a slightly toothy interior, and and overall memory of croissants in Europe. The raisin "roll" was very crisp with a sweet, almost caramelized outermost layer and good raisin flavor. The almond croissant had wonderful almond smell/taste, though it was relatively dense and therefore not as "must-eat-more". I also picked up a loaf of 7-grain that is fine, though without the nuttiness I was hoping for. Unfortunately cash only...not necessarily a big deal, but I rather dislike having my pastry cravings limited by cash on hand. They also had various desserts, custards, and little brightly colored cookies. But I'm not sure there's room in my stomach for anything except those croissants...hm, maybe after I buy them out of croissants that's what will be left for other shoppers? I've heard that they have sold out early in the morning on many occasions.

Funnel Mill: Another Yelp find. This is the best coffee/tea experience I've ever had. There's metered parking, free wi-fi (see below), comfy chairs, a quiet crowd, and the absolute best coffee I've ever tasted (the tea was pretty good too). I had the Java Estate and it was mild but not tasteless, just the tiniest hint of sweetness without that cloying oil sensation, very hot but not scalding, and beautiful in the large mug/tumbler. Does this have something to do with the syphones (their spelling)? I also had a flower tea that was super flavorful and just overall pleasant. The coffee came with a little snack dish of trail mix. I don't think I can resist going back. I kind of wish I was there right now. The only downsides are 1) paying the meter, and 2) the wifi in the comfy overstuffed leather couch was only at 50% meaning it took multiple tries for anything to go through...though now I'm beginning to think that's my laptop's fault and not their fault. Well...and each drink is at least $4.50 and some are over $6. I have to mention the poo coffee beans (Kopi Luwak) here so I can mention the poster on the wall. Also, it's just a block from Bay Cities, though it was closed today (Monday).

Bread and Porridge: After two absolutely amazing experiences in one morning I decided to go for the hat trick and tried this place that I've been wanting to try since we moved to Santa Monica...just based on the name and appearance. Skip it...the menu was boring and my brisket sandwich was fine but forgettable. The meat may have been cooked a long time but if it doesn't have a smoke ring it's not barbecue to me. And barbecue sauce is supposed to have more flavor. The coleslaw had too much mayo, though I did like the sharp pepper flavor. The baked beans were weird...a bit too liquidy and again low on flavor...baked beans are supposed to be more brown sugary whereas these tasted more like beans.

Amelia's Espresso and Panini

Amelia's Espresso and Panini: Amelia's is well-liked on Yelp, so today I hunted it down (near Jardis and Starbucks on Main). The owners are extremely nice. It's a small, clean, well-lit restaurant. Note, no computers allowed, so I didn't stay and work like I had been planning. The espresso was great, not bitter, but with that edginess and just a tiny bit of grounds at the bottom. The daily soup was lentil. I didn't try any but someone called ahead while I was there and reserved some because it was going to take them 30 minutes to get there and they were worried about it selling out. The meatball sub was very tasty: three large meatballs in a bell pepper laden sauce, with a leaf or two of basil. The sauce was midway between thick and smooth...nice and gloppy, with a bit of grease on top to make it a hearty experience. The bread was a ciabatta shaped like a bagel (no hole), and was covered in melted mozzarella. The side salad was fine. An enjoyable experience, this is a place I would be very happy to stop by were I in the area around lunchtime. I also picked up two pastries, both of which are made by the cafe: an all-butter croissant and a chocolate and cream pastry/croissant. The latter is an excellent flavor. Both are a bit the worse for being cold...they're not stale, but they aren't that perfect crispness/freshness. So obviously I need to go back when they're hot...as the owners invited me to do.

Georgian Hotel and Chef's Inc

Georgian Hotel: My second meal here, 1pm on a Sunday. A great time because there were a few other diners, but plenty of spaces available on the patio. Wonderful view of water, hills, sun, etc. Almost overshadowed by the food. Deep, slightly sweet French Onion soup...the gruyere was great. Mango and brie quesadilla appetizer with candied pecans and excellent guacamole with a touch of jalepeno. For a main course the salmon was recommended, with a salty crust, served over mashed potatoes asparagus and carrots. The potatoes and asparagus were fine (if a bit tasteless), and the carrots may have been slightly toothy at the core, but those are really just nitpicks so I have something to say...and the fish was so good. A bit of salmon flavor, extremely moist, perfect texture (especially when biting through the thin "crust"). A wonderful dish.

Also tried the Cobb sandwich. Like my previous visit (French toast/bread pudding), this is a reconstruction of another dish...so just imagine a Cobb salad on bread, minus the egg and much of the lettuce. The layering of flavors in a Cobb is key, and was pulled of extremely well (especially with the excellent bacon and avocado they used). I was excited to try it and very appreciative, but discovered that I really like the lettuce in a Cobb salad...it's the base that ties the flavors together and keeps it from being too heavy. On a sandwich without that bed of lettuce it's a different beast.

Oh, and the cappuccino hit the spot. It was a bit cool, perhaps, but had just that "edge" of coffee that you feel on the sides of your tongue, without being bitter.

Minor issue with soapy water glasses, but that was cleared up instantly and politely.

Chef's Inc: Took my first class of Beginner chef 101 at Chef's Inc. We made vegetable spring rolls with peanut sauce, chicken noodle soup (including the stock), rosemary chicken breast, herb roasted potatoes, caesar salad with pancetta, and apple crisp. An absolutely wonderful experience. Lots of fun in the kitchen. There were 17 students and four instructors. The food was excellent and easy. I learned several small things, including a different way to hold a chef's knife, a different honing technique, how to tell if meat is done by touching it, and that I need to get a non-slip pad to put my cutting board on. My highlight of the evening was being credited with saying that the peanut sauce would be better with more soy sauce, though really the whole time was entertaining and enlightening.

Novel Cafe, Damon & Pythias, Diddy Reise, K-Zo, N'Ice Cream

Novel Cafe: We've been to the Novel Cafe two or three times. The burgers have been excellent. The club sandwich was ok, but not special. The coffee has similarly been ok.

Damon & Pythias: We were in the area because of the mystery bookstore across the street, and stopped in here because it had pretty good ratings. Turned out to be a typical college town eatery. Nothing fancy, pretty good food, not too pricey. I had a cheesesteak. Pretty good, but I wouldn't drive over to UCLA just to go here.

Diddy Reise: The line was out the door, but the ice cream was pretty good. Their ice cream sandwiches are cheap. I don't think I need to go again, but it wasn't bad.

K-Zo: This is the second time we've been here. It's not the highest rated sushi restaurant in LA by a long shot, but the food is wonderful, fresh, tasty, and the staff are very nice/polite/efficient. This time the blue crab sushi stole the day, last time the fried calamari wowed us...and the raw scallops were quite nice. Oh, and I like their loose leaf teas (buckwheat today).

N'Ice Cream: On the lookout for ice cream and hunted down this gelato joint. The salted caramel was quite tasty, though chocolate orange was declared the winner. Vanilla was quite poor. Cherry mint didn't taste like cherry. Next time I think I'll just go next door to the Pinkberry.

Urth Caffe

Urth Caffe is popular and was packed around 1:30pm today. The croissant was excellent, crispy with lots of butter flavor. The single espresso Italia was like sucking on a coffee bean...not the most pleasant flavor, but with a great mellow aftertaste and a perfect espresso buzz. I'll go again, but next time try a latte or mocha.

Tamales from Farmer's Market

Unfortunately I forgot to check the name of this place. It's the tamale stand at the Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica. They've been there each Saturday for the past month so hopefully next time I go I'll remember to make a note of the name. We got one of each tamale, 8 total, for $17. At ~$2 per tamale, these are surprisingly large. We've tried 5 so far, which have all been good, but the chicken with jalapeños and the corn were extra tasty. The former would make a great meal, with the latter as dessert. The corn tamale was basically a sweet cornbread wrapped in a tamale. The salsa they provide is also good, with a tomato and maybe red bell pepper initial flavor (very fresh), with plenty of heat coming on after. I'll probably go here again and it's definitely a great value for good quality.

I also picked up an amaretto mocha from the espresso stand. It was hard not to get the espresso con panna again, but this said it was a special and I've never had the combination before. Looked pretty easy to put together, so maybe I'll try making it myself at home. Very tasty. Now that I've had it I'm surprised I haven't seen it on menus before, but I guess I'm surprised that mint mocha frappachinos aren't explicitly on the menu at Starbucks too.

Also had a croissant with swiss cheese from the cafe laurent stand. Extremely good as always.

The Georgian Hotel

Georgian Hotel: This morning was spent at the Santa Monica Pier, where I went with the simple approach to picking a place to eat of going with whatever looks most popular. The Georgian Hotel has a small veranda of something like ten 2 and 4-person tables that was popular enough that it had people waiting to sit on it throughout the time we had breakfast there. We ate inside since there wasn't any wait for the inside tables. The staff were rather busy, a bit hectic, but seemed to have everything almost under control. And the food was delicious. Fresh squeezed OJ...mmmm. A good espresso (definitely intense and hot). For some reason I ordered the French Toast souffle without realizing that it would be bread pudding. I like bread pudding, and this was probably the best bread pudding I've ever had, but I was still just a bit surprised to have it for breakfast. Not a bad idea for breakfast though. Just replace the rum sauce with strawberries and sliced almonds and add a side of syrup and dessert becomes breakfast.
Anyway, this bread pudding had the best texture I've experienced: tender bread (no dryness anywhere) with very smooth eggy bits (not rubbery at all) and some flavor. Three slices of bacon were crispy and flavorful, though not especially thick like the best bacon. A wedge of watermelon and a slice of orange were both liquid gold in my mouth. In all, a wonderful meal, even if it did cost more than I'd been planning to spend on breakfast before I laid eyes on the place.

Normandie Bakery and Noah's Bagels

Normandie Bakery in/near Culver City: This was recommended to me, and otherwise I wouldn't have stumbled on it. The mini muffin was excellent; I think it used buttermilk. The croissant was rather good, but not as flavorful as Breadman's or Le Pain Quotidien's. The blueberry scone was actually a muffin...very disappointing. The jam-topped butter cookie was quite good, with a full berry flavor and a buttery flavor. The baguette has an extremely crispy crust, but the crumb has poor texture, and there's no flavor. Not what I'm looking for in a bread. This bakery is the cheapest I've found in the area, though, as all the above cost less than $7.

Noah's Bagels in Marina del Rey: Very close to Mother's Beach, we stopped for a frozen blended caramel coffee that was weak and too sweet. Basically, it tasted like sugar, not coffee or caramel. The blueberry bagel poppers were pretty good, though with an unnecessary sugar coating. I would definitely get a regular (not coated with sugar) bagel from them.

Literati Cafe

Literati Cafe: I'm a bit stumped by the acclaim this place gets. Maybe it's the sandwiches or breakfast foods. Apparently it can be a good place to people-watch. I got a latte, ham & cheese croissant, and a 5-grain raisin scone. The clear favorite is the scone, with the raisins providing good flavor while the five grains add a subtle nutty counterpoint and some texture...the bread part itself isn't bad either. The latte is rather bitter with a weak aftertaste. It's almost like it's got tannin in it because the back of my tongue feels like it's puckering. The puff pastry has no flavor and isn't flaky.

Bay Cities, King's Cafe

Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica: I heard about this on chowhound in a 256 post forum about best sandwiches in Los Angeles. The forum said it had long lines and to order online for pickup, but I showed up at 2pm on a Sunday expecting the line to be reasonable. Parking was tough, but I don't mind walking a block or two for a good sandwich.
First off, the store is packed like sardines, particularly at the door/checkout area, but push through and you'll find a wonderful selection of cheeses, olive oils, pastas, imported cookies, etc. As well as a counter surrounded by 30+ people. When I got a ticket, #85, the current number being called was #19. I stayed around 15 minutes and they got up to about #30 when I decided to go home, order online on their website, and utilize the very quiet pick-up counter. That worked great and I highly recommend ordering online. I don't think a little counter-time detracts from the sandwiches at all.
The Godmother is the sandwich to get, apparently, and I also got a roast beef sandwich. The meats (Genoa Salami, Mortadella Coppacola, Ham, and Prosciutto on the Godmother) are high quality, fresh, and flavorful. For that matter, so was everything on/around the meats. Bright cucumbers, sharp onions, fresh tomatoes, and hot peppers. The italian bread has a great, crispy crust and a slightly sour taste. Wonderful texture/flavor and it goes great around the sandwich. I also got a fresh loaf (it was hot when I picked it up off the rack which made me smile) and devoured half of it on the drive home. The only downside was that the rye bread I got on the roast beef sandwich was passable, but not anywhere near as good as everything else.
In addition to the sandwiches, I picked up some incredibly soft (but not so flavorful) mozzarella in water, some excellently elegant chicken salad (such wonderful chicken flavor), and great coleslaw (if a bit heavy).
I plan on returning many times...but ordering the sandwiches online first. This isn't my favorite sandwich (that would be one of several sandwiches from the Oxford Spa in Cambridge, MA) or even the second (the cuban from Chez Henri in Cambridge, MA), but if you're looking for a really good italian sub or an honest-to-goodness deli with neat shopping, it's a great choice.

King's Cafe in Culver City: I saw a handful of people clustered around this little cafe, which piqued my curiosity. Once inside I was impressed by the laid back atmosphere, accentuated by books, boardgames (risk, chess, etc), and a guitar, all for use by patrons. I don't often see Turkish Coffee on the menu, so I jumped at the chance to get a cup, and also picked up a scone. Watching the barrista (owner?) get out a hotplate (for the coffee) brought me a burst of happiness. The coffee was great. Nice flavor, just the right bitterness, with a good amount of grounds at the bottom (if you like Turkish coffee). The scone was a mixed deal. Not only did it have many ingredients (coconut, cinnamon, chocolate chip, various nuts), but the sweetness varied (due to the sweetened coconut?) and though it was nicely crunchy on top it was dry throughout (but not old English style...too pasty). Not something I'll pick up again. If he'd had a croissant I would've tried it though because the puff pastry dough on the spinach pastry looked good.

Santa Monica Farmer's Market (various)

Farmer's Market (Santa Monica) today.

Mis Padres Tacos: one chicken w/ veggies taco and one beef w/ veggies taco (plus a few chips and a bit of salsa). Great all around. The corn tortillas are flavorful. The beef is properly browned/charred, the veggies are all fresh and combine into a wonderful taste. The chicken taco is put together slightly better than the beef, just because the beef could use a bit more kick...add the hot (red) salsa to really complete the beef taco. The chips are high quality and the salsas are pretty good. The red salsa is hot and very fresh tasting. The clear-ish, pink-ish salsa is mild-to-medium but not as flavorful. In all, I can't recommend this more. I would say it's better than any Mexican I had over three years in Texas.

Cafe Laurent: Peach and custard tart and blueberry muffin. The tart is just short of amazing. Beautiful and very tasty peach on the buttery pastry dough, separated by a creamy custard. Wonderful flavors, the tart is marred only by the slight sogginess where the peach juices flowed past the custard and reached the pastry dough. If I could only get these fresh! The blueberry muffin isn't bad. Not amazing like the tart, but still a good muffin. Plenty of blueberries, a good size, correctly cooked, but just not special. I talked with the salesperson again, he told me the only difference in the pastries at the farmer's market and the storefront is the environment/age, and he recommended I check out the Normandy Bakery for bread.

I think I need to update the pastry ranking because any pastry from the Cafe Laurent stall is great.
Oh, and when I last ranked pastries I forgot to mention the cheese danish/roll I got from Portos last week. I'll have to go again to remember exactly what it was like, but I do remember it was surprisingly good.

Espresso Experience: A Russian Kream Koffee. Great coffee here. Last week I got the espresso con panna and was blown away with the combination of whip cream and espresso. This week my Russian Kreme was good, but not quite great. The aftertaste was excellent, being nice and mellow. The coffee itself had good flavor, but the sweetener was a bit cloying...perhaps there was high fructose corn syrup involved?

Old Town Baking: A bag of six hand-sized ciabatta's. Not bad, they're coated in flour so that's what the mostly taste of. They're very soft with a pretty good crumb, but just don't have the flavor or texture that I'm looking for in a ciabatta. Last week's harvest loaf was great though, so I'm going to keep buying from this stand.