La Dijonaise

La Dijonaise: This place was recommended to me for good almond croissants. Unfortunately they didn't have any when I stopped by, though I did have a pretty good butter croissant (great crunch, nice flavor, but not enough to chew on inside)...probably my second favorite behind Le Pain du Jour's. I also tried a bearclaw but was not impressed...lacking in flavor and the first bite tasted burnt, which doesn't go well with marzipan.

Shaherzad, Paris Pastry, Saffron and Rose Ice Cream

Shaherzad: Last time we were in the area, Shaherzad was packed, and it had been recommended to us and it's highly ranked on Zagat. So we headed there for a Saturday lunch. The waiter was a bit standoffish, but not to the point of rudeness and the food was rather good. We got the hot combo appetizer with excellent dolmes, some wonderful eggplant dip, a good cutlet, and some ok/forgettable chicken salad. For the main course we got the chicken koobideh (very good) with some of their special cherry rice on the side (very good), and the whitefish (fine) with a special herbed rice (tasty. The meal came with extremely good flatbread and a raw onion. I also got a very good Persian tea.

Paris Pastry: Just down the street is a patisserie. The raisin roll was not so good, tasteless and without the structure I've come to expect thanks to Le Pain du Jour. The meringue is amazing, and the cookies range from ok to wow.

Another stop at the Saffron and Rose Ice Cream. This time I got their poppy seed slush. Highly recommended, especially with lemon juice to cut the sweetness.

Science Center Cafe and Le Pain du Jour

Science Center Cafe: After a morning at the Natural History Museum, we had planned on eating at the food trucks. Unfortunately we were informed that they weren't going to be around today. Since the cafe was closed and they're constructing the food court, our only options were to drive back to Santa Monica or try the Science Center's cafe just down the block. Since the 10 W and 110 N were both packed, we went to the cafe though without much hope. When we got there it looked like they just had McDonald's and Taco Bell, but through a little door and past the Taco Bell desk, we found a sandwich/salad/soup...and Starbucks area. The chipotle chicken wrap had just a tiny hint of chipotle, so it was more like a chicken on salad wrap, but it was pretty good quality. I especially liked the fresh cilantro...in fact, I could've used some of that on my chili. The chili con carne had lots of meat plus a bit of cheese and red onion. I could've used more spice but it was really pretty good, especially for a cafe. All in all, thumbs up for a museum cafe.

Le Pain du Jour: This is probably the third or fourth time I've been here and I was specifically looking for a croissant but when I got there I realized the chocolate was too yummy sounding to pass up. Last time the chocolate croissant was lower quality than the all-butter (regular) croissant, but I am happy to say that this time they are both amazing. They also had french loafs right out of the oven and they are exquisite with a very clean flavor (just a taste of salt) and great crust. We also got two tarts, one strawberry/kiwi, the other pear. The crust is crisp and buttery, the custard is perfect, not too sweet, and the fruit is delicious and fresh. The best tart I've ever had.

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.

Tandoor India and Cafe Tazzina

Tandoor India is a nearby Indian restaurant with lunch buffet. The only somewhat exceptional note is that they have whole wheat naan (roti), but you have to buy it separate from the buffet. Had a thoroughly enjoyable lunch here and will go back anytime I'm looking for a serviceable Indian meal.

Cafe Tazzina is a small little cafe on Wilshire. Stopped in to kill about half an hour. My chai (I chose black tea instead of green) was delicious. The chocolate croissant was filling, but a bit heavy and not as flavorful as some others I've had in the past few months. Most likely it would be great fresh, or even warmed up. As I sat, it seemed like the cafe rapidly filled with customers, each stopping to chat with the older couple at the next table over. Felt very friendly and I suspect it's a good place for community vibe.

Porto's Bakery

Porto's Bakery again. (Another bakery of opportunity after stopping by the Brand used bookstore.) This time got an assortment of pastries. Croissant and almond croissant were ok. Pineapple turnover/strudel is forgettable. The hot pastries were great...ham croquette, chicken, & bean/plantain...all excellent. Cheese pastry again most wonderful. Tried a coconut sweet ball with a hard sugar glaze...not bad, but very sweet. Unfortunately the person putting together forgot the bread, so I didn't get a chance to try it.

Germany, Luxembourg, and Unurban

Trip to Trier, Germany. Various foods eaten over two-three days. Croissants were amazing...probably because they use European style butter? Pretzels were no different, so a bit disappointing. Whole grain breads, rye breads, etc, were amazing. There were a large number of bakeries and they were always busy. Cookies were ok. Meals were primarily meat with a side veggie...sauerkraut or broccoli. Ate at one nice restaurant...venison (a bit overdone) and fried mashed potato fingers...also tried chicken in almond sauce (now I know I need to use amaretto next time I make it). Dessert was so-so, but with an amazing vanilla ice cream...I'm not even sure how they got it to taste that good. Breakfasts at the hotel were also good, with meats, cereals, breads, yogurts, quark, and eggs. I got a new appreciation for mineralwasser of all types.

Spent a wonderful afternoon in Luxembourg. Stopped at a patisserie for an exquisite onion quiche with caraway. Croissant was ok but a bit dry. baguette fine, better than grocery store, but not top tier. Saw many wonderful looking chocolates and pies and tarts at many different stores downtown...a whirlwind of yummy looking food. Had the lightest waffle (covered in powdered sugar and a really thick whipped cream) from a stall.

Back in Santa Monica, Unurban Cafe has free wifi, still has excellent latte (so frothy and smooth), which comes in a glass beer stein, and not too bad croissant (dry and not all butter, but large).

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.

Whole Foods

The Whole Foods (in Santa Monica) all-butter croissant has a good butter flavor, and wasn't stale. The multi-grain mini-croissant was pretty good too.

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.

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.

Cafe Bellagio and Rocker Wagner Bakery

Cafe Bellagio: While exploring the 3rd street promenade this morning I got a mocha and a chocolate croissant from Cafe Bellagio. I've had excellent espresso from there previously, and the mocha was pretty good. The coffee was relatively strong, with a subtle chocolate flavor. The croissant, on the other hand, was apparently made from a bread dough...something that reminded me of fruitcakes. It wasn't a winner and about a third of it went in the trashcan.

Rocken Wagner Bakery: Then I stopped by another bakery in the area purely on account of how the pretzels looked. Thankfully they lived up to their appearance. Nice color, good flavor, and chewy. They've got just a slight baking soda taste to them, not as much as my homemade pretzels but that's probably a good thing. I also picked up a plain croissant there that was pretty good, though not as flavorful as (for example) the Breadman croissant I had this past weekend. I hope to go back to this bakery and try their sandwiches made with pretzels for bread. Now that I know the pretzels are good they're pretty enticing.

Penzey's Spices: Not pre-made food, but a store full of wonderful spices. I bought some robust peppercorns, a chili powder blend, and some vanilla extract. I can't wait to try them out. I'm not sure how often I'll go back, but it's a great store to visit occasionally and sample the finer spices in life. (How often do I need more spices? And would I be willing to pay top dollar instead of buying supermarket spices?)

Santa Monica Farmer's Market (Arizona & 3rd)

Tried the other Saturday Farmer's Market this time, at the 3rd St promenade.

Breadman: Excellent pastries. The croissant appears to use only butter and was full of flavor with a pretty good texture. Of course it would've been better hot out of the oven, but they do not have a shop so no chance of that. Also got a poppyseed pastry, seemed to be made out of challah or brioche dough, very moist and a wonderful taste of poppyseeds. I also got a loaf of 9-grain, which isn't bad but isn't special either...some nutty flavor, no crust to speak of, like a hefty sandwich bread.

We also bought tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella from various vendors and put together caprese sandwiches/salads at home. All three ingredients were excellent, but the cheese really takes the cake. We got it from the goat cheese vendor and he said it is made from water buffalo milk. It's the first mozzarella I've had with depth of flavor. It has a very smooth start, slight tang in the middle, and just the hint of a sour aftertaste. I keep wanting to say it tastes like grass, but I've had many grass-tasting cheeses, and this is nothing like that. Really a most amazing cheese. Add a bit of 10-year aged balsamic vinegar from Zingermans, and the combination is too good to put on bread.

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.

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.

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.

Cafe Laurent, The Corner, Pinkberry

Started the day with a run by Cafe Laurent in Culver City. Yesterday I stopped by late afternoon and they were closed, which was sorely disappointing because it had been two days since any (worthwhile) pastry. The cafe mocha was tasty, similar to a hot chocolate. It may have had real whip cream on top, but the coffee was too hot to verify before it melted away (not a downside, coffee is best hot of course...if I hadn't been driving the whip cream wouldn't have dispersed). For pastry satisfaction I picked up an almond croissant and a raisin pastry. After having a plain/butter croissant from their stall at the Santa Monica farmer's market (great flavor, but texture was a bit stale), unfortunately the almond croissant was a dissapointment; not as flavorful (butter-wise), even more stale, and instead of crafting an almond croissant from the start they had taken a plain croissant and dressed it up. Somehow they taste better if they start out trying to be a filled croissant instead of being sliced in two and filled at a later time. Anyway, enough of the downside...the raisin pastry was excellent and is now on my list of top pastries. The raisin pastry had raisins in each bite, but the pastry dough had excellent flavor for a wonderful balance between the two. Slightly sweet, with a great texture though just the tiniest bit too chewy for my preferences.

Top pastries (so far) around Santa Monica:
1. plain croissant from Le Pain Quotidien
2. raisin pastry from Cafe Laurent (the cafe itself)
3. plain croissant from Cafe Larent (Santa Monica's farmer's market)
4. apple tart from Amandine

Unfortunately, the server/barrista (perhaps owner?) let me know that the pastries are made in a bakery that is not accessible to the public, ruining dreams of fresh croissants. So sad, but will soldier on.

For dinner we had our first experience at The Corner in Marina del Ray, but probably not our last. Burgers made to order. The meat itself was fine-to-good, properly cooked Medium. Bread looked whole-wheat, though it wasn't the reason to go back. Sweet potato fries were tasty but not super crispy; fried pickle slices were fine (with a great apricot dipping sauce that overwhelmed the pickle flavor); and the two shakes were pretty tasty (strawberry) and ok (chocolate). But none of that is the reason I will probably be returning: the burger toppings. I went with red onions, lettuce, pickles, excellent bacon, hard boiled eggs, and sharp provolone with a soy glaze on the side. Wonderful flavor. Onions and pickles were mild...egg went even better on a burger than I had expected. Very tasty blend of flavors, and with so many toppings, cheeses, and sauces I won't be running out of flavors to try anytime soon. Perhaps carrots and guacamole next time...with grilled onions. Only low note was that so much salt made me very thirsty later in the night.

Finished off the night with a parfait from Pinkberry. My second experience and I continue to love the tart (original) flavor of the frozen yogurt and the super-bright flavor of all the fruit toppings. The parfait is recommended if you don't mind granola in your frozen yogurt and you want to try most (all?) of their fruits/berries. Pinkberry will probably be my go-to dessert choice unless I find a good gelato place like the one in Mountain View, CA.