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CLEMENTINE (1751 Ensley Avenue, Century City, just north of Big Santa Monica Blvd., two blocks west of Avenue of the Stars, 310-552-1080). A popular neighborhood hang-out, airy and bright, Clementine is a place for home-cooked food when you haven't had time to cook: reheat-and-eat mac n' cheese, a whole tomato-sauce-topped meatloaf or a steaming cup of soup to go. I had a thick, potato-y clam chowder right out of Boston. There's a big chalk board detailing the daily $7.25 lunch special: half of the day's featured sandwich with a cup of soup and cookie of your choice. A couple of the tastier sandwiches are the classic French Pan Bagnat, marinated tuna with olives, capers, tomatoes and basil on rustic bread, and the egg salad, more sophisticated than mom ever made it, with big chunks of egg nestled in mayo, topped by watercress, sour, crunchy cornichons and thinly sliced red onion on country white bread. One disappointing sandwich is the rare roast beef -- too fatty. Though Clementine
AROMA (4360 Tujunga Avenue between Moorpark and Ventura Blvd., Studio City, 818-508-6505). With shaded garden patios and a dining room in an adjacent bookstore, this cozy café first came into my life as a place to start the day. I lingered over warm, thickly-sliced brioche French toast with fruit, or my homesick New Yorker's breakfast, a bagel and lox platter. You can get breakfast till 2:30 p.m. but lunch is very good, as well, like the turkey meatloaf sandwich, satisfyingly filling but not heavy, with peppery, thinly sliced meat accompanied by un-greasy Yukon Gold French fries. Another winner is the Aroma Club, with real turkey breast and pleasantly smoky bacon. Everything's under ten bucks, most items considerably less, leaving you money for dessert. Try the thick, nutty brownie or moist lemon cake topped with a drizzle of sweet white icing. Aroma doesn't deliver, but you can call in and pick up. It's seductively pleasant, though; you'll want to stay. MARMALADE CAFE (L.A. Farmer's Market, 6333 West 3rd St. #E17, L.A., 323-954-0088, and other locations including Sherman Oaks and Santa Monica). Marmalade's newest branch is a few steps from the Farmer's Market food stalls, just across from the Grove's FAO Schwarz. So don't sit outside unless you can handle the toy store's endlessly repeated theme song. Though the chain has a reputation for catering to ladies-who-eat-nothing-but-salad, there's a younger, hipper crowd here. Sure, you can get a Cobb, but you can also tuck into chicken fried steak, smothered in white gravy and served with a heap of mashed potatoes. There's a very grown-up tuna melt, spiced with red and yellow peppers and red onion and a big selection of soups. I opted for French onion, a rich, steamy, brown broth topped with gooey cheese over French bread croutons. Breakfast's available till 3 p.m. The Harbor Island Eggs are piping hot and filling, perfectly poached, sitting atop a potato skin filled with asparagus tips and Canadian bacon, but get the too-thick hollandaise on the side. While the café is a bit pricey (expect to spend ten to thirteen dollars an entree), portions are huge, and you'll likely get two meals out of one. That's if you don't mind leftovers, but there's something awfully comforting about leftovers this good. |
