My version of a Hungarian Breakfast:
Toast, Avocado, Spicy Goulash Cream, Sweet Paprika and Soft Poached Egg

Momed Mediterranean leftovers w/soft boiled egg

Momed / 233 S. Beverly Dr. / Beverly Hills, CA 90212 /  310-270-4444 / www.atmomed.com

French spin on brunch in Culver City

Bacon and sausage’s domination of the American breakfast plate is nearly unbreakable.

But Le Saint Amour’s new brunch menu—a collaboration between owners Florence and Herve Commereuc and consulting chef Walter Manzke—offers a variety of other cured meats. And after a taste of classic French charcuterie with our eggs, we’re ready to leave the American standards behind.

Merguez accompanies a harissa-spiked omelet ($13), while a fried egg tops shreds of duck confit tossed with biting frisée, crispy bits of potato and an assertive mustard sauce ($13).

Both are delicious, but our pick for the ideal, weekend-morning meat-and-eggs plate is the boudin noir (pictured; $13): scrambled eggs topped with a near-black crown of soft blood sausage, its flavor not as intensely porky as one might imagine. Served with fried fingerling potatoes and a simple salad, this is a unique dish among Los Angeles brunches.

Le Saint Amour translates sweeter breakfast favorites, too. The French toast is made with brioche, seared in a pan, sprinkled with sugar and finished under the broiler. It arrived at our table wonderfully caramelized, the crunchy exterior giving way to a custard-like center reminiscent of bread pudding.

Le Saint Amour, 9725 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; 310-842-8155 or lesaintamour.com

Ted’s Bulletin on the Hill

Some of the things waiting for me at Ted’s Bulletin in D.C.

The Big Mark Breakfast
~ $11.79 ~
3 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, hash browns, toast and homemade pop tart

Boozy Milkshakes at Ted’s Bulletin, a new set of 10 milkshakes spiked with liquor.

Ted’s Bulletin
505 8th Street SE
Washington DC 20003
202.544.8337 phone | MAP

Liaison Hotel to Ted’s Bulletin
View Larger Map

Persian Lunch followed by Persian Leftovers with Soft Poached Egg

The Ingredients:

COMBINATION PLATTER
A Family Size platter of Dolmeh, Baba Ganoush, Mast o’khiar, Humus and Falafel.

GHEYMEH BADEMJAN
Eggplant Stew with sautéed diced Beef, Onions and
yellow Split Peas in a Saffron tomato sauce on top of TADIG (Crispy Rice)

Shamshiri Grill
1712 Westwood Blvd
West Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 474-1410
www.shamshiri.com

Rarely does a pizzeria bother opening in the mornings, when the only pizza likely to be eaten is a cold slice from last night’s delivery. On 3rd St., however, the olive-wood-fired oven at Olio Pizzeria & Café is stoked to 800° while the day’s first coffee is brewing.

Every morning, the newly opened pizza place refashions the dough that will later carry toppings like chanterelle mushrooms and butternut squash into bagel-like bialys, pastries and more.

The wood-fired Danish ($6; pictured) is an elongated pizza crust smeared with a vanilla-spiked ricotta and topped with fresh fruit (blueberries, on our visit)—everything crisped and caramelized by a quick blast of dry heat from the oven. There’s no flakiness to the pastry—just blistered-crust crunch at the edge, a prelude to the classic combination of ricotta and fruit in the middle.

Bialys—Polish breads that, unlike bagels, are baked (not boiled) and sport a large dimple rather than a hole—cover much of the Austrian-Hungarian empire on the menu, showing up alongside smoked salmon on one plate ($13), or schmeared with pesto and topped with a poached egg on another ($5). Bialy are well suited to both preparations, the bread’s particular balance between crunch and chew offering something L.A.’s often lackluster bagels never could.

Olio Pizzeria & Café
8075 West 3rd St.
Ste. 100
Los Angeles, CA 90048

(3^rd & Crescent Heights)

323-930-9490
http://www.pizzeriaolio.com/

Cafecito Orgánico
710 N. Heliotrope Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026 (East Hollywood)
cafecitoorganico.com  (map/directions)

The black-and-white calavera-style figure holds a coffee mug aloft, the words café o muerte (“coffee or death”) running beside it.

The mural is set above the counter at the newly opened second outpost of coffee shop Cafecito Orgánico, located next to Scoops on Heliotrope Ave. in East Hollywood. It’s a fitting image, in line with Cafecito’s irreverent branding: “Grown on earth, by humans” is emblazoned next to the image of an alien on its bags of coffee beans.

The new space features food by catering outfit Large Marge Sustainables, run by chef Meg Taylor. Just as the shop sources its coffee beans from sustainable farms, Taylor is bringing in ingredients from similarly minded, California-based producers.

Breakfast stars a dish that expands on the idea of fresh fruit and toast as a simple meal to start the day: Sweet curds of homemade ricotta top a rich slice of egg bread, the cheese crowned with a variety of fresh fruit, fig jam, pistachios and agave (pictured; $9). Jam and toast, ricotta and honey, cheese and fruit—it’s an amalgam of tried-and-true combinations, artfully packed onto one plate.

There are a number of meatless, dairy-free dishes for the hard-line vegan cyclists that often congregate on the block. But with items like a bison sandwich ($11)— slivers of tender, grass-fed Lindner bison and tangy coleslaw doused with a pleasantly bitter coffee reduction—Cafecito Orgánico lets omnivores put their politics on the plate, too.

TWO LOCATIONS:

534 N. Hoover St.,
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Mon - Fri 6 am to 6 pm
Sat & Sun 7 am to 6 pm

710 N. Heliotrope Dr.,
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Mon 6:30 am to 6 pm
Tue thru Fri 6:30 am to 10 pm
Sat 11 am to 10 pm, Sun 11 am to 6 pm

Harajuku brings Asian-style crepes to Beverly Hill.

When you order a crêpe at Harajuku Crepe in Beverly Hills, you can ask for a knife and fork, but chances are you won’t get one. Owner Rio Hirashima is set on broadening your crêpe horizons.

Named for the hip Tokyo neighborhood where crêpes are king, Harajuku’s start out like the more familiar French-style crêpes: large and thin, with slightly crisped edges

But these get a slight chewiness from mochi flour, and once filled, they’re rolled up and served as neat handheld cones. No plates or silverware are needed.

Flavors go beyond the norm, too. Matcha adds an intense color and distinct green-tea flavor; get them filled with sweet azuki beans or a scoop of strawberry ice cream ($5). Hirashima custom-grinds tea leaves for the subtly flavored Earl Grey crêpe; the aroma really shines through with a simple butter-and-sugar filling ($5). The fried egg, ham and cheese combo ($6.50) goes best with the buckwheat crêpe’s nutty, earthy flavor—it’s a perfect on-the-go breakfast.

There’s also an original-flavor crêpe that you can stuff with strawberries, Nutella and real whipped cream ($5.50). You know, for you traditionalists.

Harajuku Crepe / 9405 S. Santa Monica Blvd. / Beverly Hills, CA 90210 / 310-285-3946 / harajukucrepe.us

Hours:  Sun-Thu 8am-8pm / Fri-Sat 8am-10pm

Dining in the desert is usually a crapshoot—menus are as dusty as the landscape, never wavering or changing. But with a recent spate of renovations, plus new chefs using seasonal, local and organic ingredients, things are starting to look up.

With its mod style and young, friendly staff, Cheeky’s is the locals’ new breakfast favorite. The menu changes daily at the whim of the chef, so you might find dishes like maple-sausage hash with sweet potatoes, parsnips and a perfectly poached egg ($9), and buttermilk pancakes studded with fresh corn and blueberries ($9). Get the “bacon flight” to taste all of the house-seasoned strips (cinnamon, jalapeño, maple and herbs). 622 N. Palm Canyon Dr., 760-327-7595 or cheekysps.com

For a swank lunch, sit poolside at the Riviera Resort’s Circa 59. New executive chef Bradley Manchester tosses pappardelle with roasted beets and their greens ($13); brown-butter vinaigrette adds surprising richness to shaved Brussels sprout and fennel salad ($9); and the short-rib panini with pickled onions ($14) is hearty enough for two. 1600 N. Indian Canyon Dr.; 760-327-8311 or psriviera.com

Even if you’re not staying at the sprawling La Quinta Resort, the just-opened Morgan’s (pictured) is a reason to visit. The room has rustic desert elegance, with seasonal dishes to match, like creamy roasted fennel soup with apple and bacon ($8), steaks with grilled, plump porcini mushrooms ($32), and roasted Santa Barbara spiny lobster with herb butter ($36). 49499 Eisenhower Dr., La Quinta; 760-564-4111 or laquintaresort.com

The Ace Hotel’s Amigo Room could just as easily be in Los Feliz as in Palm Springs. In addition to fresh-fruit cocktails and craft beers, the menu in the bar (and at Kings Highway, the former Denny’s across the hall) features addictive truffle popcorn ($5), vegetable potpie with a flaky crust ($8), and locally raised rib-eye steak with herb relish ($29). 701 E. Palm Canyon Dr.; 760-325-9900 or acehotel.com

Red Velvet Pancakes and More…

(excerpts from review by Heidi Atwal @ Jaunted.com)

The Bungalow is one of Larchmont’s largest restaurant spaces, with a front and back patio, light-filled bakery and brew station, and rustic wooden floorboards and vaulted ceiling beams giving it a warm ambiance. Glass cases house cupcakes to rival the size of Crumbs down the street, including a traditional Hostess facsimile, while cookies of a mind-boggling diameter are next to the ordering station. You’re salivating by the time you’ve settled on which menu item you’ll have.

When we spoke to the chef, Denvile Christie, the day before, he told us that one of the breakfast/brunch specialties was Red Velvet Pancakes—or, heaven for sweets addicts. The recipe is the same as that used for the in-house cupcakes, topped with a whipped cream cheese concoction that isn’t for the faint of heart. Servings are generous, and this is definitely something you’ll want to consider splitting with a friend. We tried bites of these, along traditional strawberry pancakes with a side of strawberry-infused maple syrup, while another one of our friends had eggs and custard-filled French toast.  There is an entire section devoted to various Eggs Benedict, and a chicken salad that we were eyeing for our next lunch visit.

Hours are unusually long (6:00 AM -11:00 PM) for a street that tends to close down early, and with the addition of a coffee brewery, will sate the needs of caffeine purists sick of getting their fix from chain locations. We also spied some high quality Filipino chocolates by the coffee station, and we’re positive there is more to discover in the future.

P.S. We were also told that the Bungalow’s owners will soon be opening a frozen yogurt self-serve storefront just a few doors down the street. Pinkberry be warned.

Larchmont Bungalow / 107 N Larchmont Blvd / Los Angeles, CA 90004 / (323) 461-1528 /  www.larchmontbungalow.com

more treats from the bakery (including blue velvet cupcakes):

Tavern | 11648 San Vicente Blvd. | Brentwood, CA 90049

The food was great, the atmosphere really cool, not what one would expect from the outside.

I had:

- salt ‘n vinegar martini - ketel one vodka, champagne vinegar, salt & pepper rim
- Cabernet Franc
- green goddess with little gems, crab and avocado
- braised lamb ravioli, tomatoes, rapini and ricotta salata
- grilled quail, farro, roasted squash, cavolo nero and pomegranate

I’d order everything again.  And I’ll likely crave another salt ‘n vinegar martini soon.


Tavern
Tavern is the kind of place the Westside has needed for years, a big, comfortable space that functions as a gathering place for the gentry without locking out the less well-heeled. A lot of restaurants have tried to fill the niche, including the posh outlet of Hamburger Hamlet that used to occupy this spot, but this is the latest project of Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne, the creators of Lucques and AOC, and their perfect pitch, their understated California cool, make Tavern absolutely the restaurant of the moment, from the Louis Armstrong floating down on the sound system to the Green Goddess dressing on the salad with avocado and crab; from the roster of gougères and spiced nuts at the bar to a surprisingly comprehensive children’s menu savvy enough to include pasta with cheese and butter but without parsley, which is universally considered yucky by the 8-and-under crowd.

Goin, of course, is the closest thing in L.A. to a farmers market deity, and her dinner menu is almost painfully seasonal — seafood may come with green garlic and tangelos in the spring or grilled in fig leaves in the summer; mustardy deviled chicken, served with a great heap of oiled, toasted bread crumbs, is given its presence by a tangle of sautéed leeks that surely would be ramps if they could. Beef daube, a rich stew that would seem like a consummate winter dish if restaurants in Provence didn’t insist on featuring it in the heat of summer, is given a further summer twist with brown butter and slightly caramelized cherry tomatoes. Tavern’s warm beignets and its version of Lucques’ famous walnut tart are delicious, but I must admit: The first time I visited the restaurant, I felt compelled to order grilled asparagus for dessert. 11648 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, 90049,  (310) 806-6464, www.tavernla.com. Breakfast Mon.-Fri., 8-11 a.m.; brunch Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m.; lunch daily 11:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.; dinner Mon.-Sat. from 5:30 p.m., Sun., 5-9:30 p.m. Full bar. Valet parking. All major credit cards accepted.

There’s a kind of amazing new Sunday Brunch in town—now available at the Hotel Casa Del Mar.

Under the soaring windows facing out onto the sand, the waves and the pier, you’ll settle in at the Veranda (some might call it the lobby lounge) for a three-course affair.  Shellfish and Avocado Salad to start, then some Lemon Ricotta Pancakes or Country French Toast With Honey Roasted Figs.  And as for that third course, well, it involves as much dessert as you can stomach.  Grand total so far: $29.

But here’s what just might make this your next great Sunday institution. Before you go, just text the word “Casa” to 21534, and they’ll send you a covert message back.  Flash that message to the staff upon arrival, and your meal suddenly also includes all the bubbly you can drink.  Grand total: still $29. 

Sunday Brunch at the Veranda
at Hotel Casa Del Mar
1910 Ocean Way
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-581-7714 
http://www.hotelcasadelmar.com/

Sundays 11am-3pm, reservations at 310-581-7714, text “Casa” to 21534 before you go

Middle Eastern Bakeries & Flatbreads

The Best Middle Eastern Flatbreads in L.A.

HOLLYWOOD

Arax Bakery – Hollywood, CA
4871 Santa Monica Boulevard
, 323 666 7313

Sasoun Bakery – Hollywood, CA

• 5114 Santa Monica Boulevard
, 
323 661 1868
• 625 East Colorado Boulevard,
 Glendale, 818 502 5059
• 18135 Sherman Way
, Reseda, 818 881 9988
 (Inside Jons)

PASADENA

Glendale may be better known for Middle Eastern food, but Northeast Pasadena features a treasure trove of Armenian, Lebanese and Syrian options, including sit-down restaurants, delis and two stellar bakeries: Koko’s and Old Sasoon.

Koko’s Bakery – Pasadena, CA
1674 East Washington Boulevard,
 626 798 2543

Old Sasoon Bakery - Pasadena
1132 North Allen Avenue
, 626 791 3280

…one flatbread at Old Sassoon outdoes them all: khachapuri, a Georgian breakfast staple. The foot-long, boat-shaped flatbread ($5) comes topped with molten white cheese (a “secret” blend) and a cracked egg—or two, if you’re sharing.

Hot out of the oven, it’s the perfect meal: Rip off a piece of soft, steaming bread, run it through the pepper-dusted yolk and snatch a gob of sweet-salty cheese. For a dollar more, you can add slices of ham, house-made beef sausage (soujouk), or sheets of Armenian cured beef (basturma) from Garo’s, a nearby deli.

PRUNE is one of the best brunch spots I’ve been to in NYC.  The place is charming, quaint and inviting.  It only seats about 30 people at any given time, so get there early or expect to wait.

I ate:

Cream of Wheat with Buttermilk Ice Cream and Maple Syrup (I felt like I could eat this every morning for the rest of my life)

Spicy Stewed Chickpeas: Butter-crumbled eggs with spicy stewed chickepeas, preserved lemons and warm flatbread.

Incredible.

I am looking forward to trying their Lunch and Dinner menu next time I am in the city.

Prune
www.prunerestaurant.com
54 E 1st Street
New York, NY 10003
between 1st & 2nd Avenues
(212) 677-6221

Coffee Shop/Cafe by day, Bar/Lounge by night.  I stumbled upon Arlo & Esme by chance one Saturday when Prune down the block had an hour wait.  What a wonderful, quainte spot for brunch in the East Village.  Small, but unique and delicious brunch offerings upstaris on Saturday and Sunday. The downstairs lounge is closed during the day, but looks like a lovely place to spend the evening hours.

Arlo & Esme
Neighborhood: East Village
42 East 1st Street
(between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-5617
www.arloandesme.com