The Cobblestone Cove

The Alcove
1929 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Feliz, CA
Cross street: Franklin (just north of, on the east side of the street)
7.9.06 - Sunday, 5 PM
Myself + 1 guest (BFF)


RESTAURANT REPORT CARD

ambiance - B
Service - C
Food (Taste) - B-
Food (Presentation) - B-
Wine/Drinks - C+
Value - B-
Overall Experience - B-

This was a return visit to The Alcove - the first time, I had brunch, and this time, it was all about dindin. The location is cozy - lots of brick and stone accents, and a very warm and friendly vibe. The service is counter-only, but for this style of eatin', these guys do it up right. The staff is lovely and helpful, and the food is a sight.

It's a cafe that fits in with the Los Feliz vibe like white on rice - dotted with outdoor tables and mist machines, and always scattered with hungry hipsters, sipping lattes and planning scripts. But it lacks the pretentiousness of similar Hollywood haunts - this place truly is all-charm.

Food-wise, Alcove has a solid menu - lots of organic goodies, salads to die for, and decent sandwiches. The burgers look so-so, the brunch is above average, and the coffee is yummy. Did I mention desserts? They're part bakery, after-all, so there are heaps of selections. I sampled the cookies last time - gotta say the textures were spot-on, but the flavor - eh. Just average. The cakes look pretty fantastic, however - will need to try those in short order.

Here's the lowdown on food stuffs --

Drinks:

I had a nonfat iced soy latte - absolutely perfect.
Best friend in zee world had a green-tea based iced concoction - awesome!


My entree:

Summer Shrimp Salad
- Features greens, tri-color peppers, shrimp, strawberries, almonds, and a killer raspberry vinaigrette.
** Definitely a fabulous and refreshing sumsum dish - and an absolutely gorgeous one at that (see picture above). Flavors were well matched and quite delish.

BFF
Roast Beef Panini
- Featured medium-rare roast beef, caramelized onions, sourdough, tomatoes, and served with a side o' fries
* Tasty little devil, this one - the sannie, while not piled-high, did feature very high quality beef, and the onions were tres-tastic. But the fries? Yeah, they're decent, yet way too chilly. We like 'em hot + fresh - these did not qualify.


The damage for a latte, iced tea, salad, and sandwich - about $25, before tip.

Final word - A really lovely outdoor food-haven. Not top-notch, but a great little hang all the same.