Breakfast Archives - AJ Feuerman

Southern Brunch at Barrel and Ashes Studio City

May 16, 2016 By AJ 1 Comment

I named Barrel and Ashes, Studio City, one of my favorite brunch spots after my first visit to the BBQ joint. The BBQ there is good, mind you, but not the best I’ve ever had and it’s really their brunch I prefer. And why not? Tim Hollingsworth, the chef there, brings the cred, having previously spent a dozen years working for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry and among many other credits, also has three Michelin stars to his name.

The space used to be a somewhat fancy restaurant (which I liked very much, for the record) with dim lighting and white linen tablecloths but now has been stripped down and redesigned to radiate Southern charm.

You can order their BBQ at brunch and there are a bevvy of hand crafted cocktails — they make a decent Bloody Mary — and you’ll even find traditional sweet tea there. But it’s really all about the unique food menu items.

Today someone said to me “Whatever, I can make Frito Pie at home.” And I replied “But you don’t and I certainly can’t.” It is delicious trailer-trash cuisine. Chili, cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions, peppers served in the finest of vessels….

There is also a list of biscuit sandwiches on the menu. The simplest with just jam or the more decadent with sausage and gravy. There is also a pork biscuit but my money’s on the fried chicken and honey butter.

I’m also a humongous fan of their pork benedict and smoked salmon benedict (IT’S SO GOOD). Their Huevos Rancheors ranks up there because I love anything with Cotija cheese on it.

I’ve saved the best for last, though. There are four kinds of HOE CAKES on their brunch menu. One with bananas and chocolate and caramel that is either meant for dessert or the indulgent (no judgement from me) and two that are breakfasty with eggs, bacon and the like involved. All good choices, I say, but you’ll be just fine with the basis hoe cake. Of course, there’s nothing basic about it and I recommend ordering one to share with the whole table. One would satisfy three to four people and you can always order another.

What is hoe cake? Imagine a cornbread patty in sizzling butter, topped with green onions, served bubbling in a hot, hot skillet. They’re not proprietary about it — the LA Times even has the recipe — but I don’t think anyone can touch it.

Aside from the setting and food, two more key elements about B&A I must mention. They are open for brunch at 9:30 on Saturdays and Sundays. This is smart in a town that loves brunch but where most places don’t open til 11:00. And they also take reservations. Which is great because I’m a snob and I hate going to restaurants that don’t take reservations. Yup, I said that out loud.

P.S. (Sit in Clay’s section!)

Take Me To Church – A Holy Brunch Experience

April 29, 2016 By AJ 2 Comments

And so it was written (like, actually written on their website): “Every moment at The Church Key is an interactive experience. From our inventive menu with dim-sum style service, to canned and frozen cocktails, flaming desserts and even the server attire, we strive to constantly push the restaurant envelope. Chic enough for a celebratory evening yet approachable enough to be your neighborhood go-to, overall, we just want you to have fun and eat well.”

There you have it. A perfect summation. I absolutely love The Church Key. I’ve enjoyed a couple of fancy Hollywood events there and recently had the pleasure of trying their brunch. It was actually the first time I’d seen the place in daylight and it’s just so damned fabulous, I was glad to get in before it got crowded for quality Instagram opportunities. Because priorities.

As if it didn’t look so chic in wide view, there are also lots of unique, vintage touches that I absolutely love, too, when you start to really look. Be sure to walk around!

How badly do you want one of those airline drink carts for your home right now?

Probably almost as badly as you want something off this menu….

Their brunch menu offers more than just breakfast-like fare. You could have a burger or salad as easily as an egg dish, which is great. I know not everyone likes breakfast food. (But for reals, who are you and what’s your deal?) They also have bottomless mimosas — practically a brunch menu requirement here in Los Angeles, even though I don’t personally need it; I prefer a good Bloody Mary or even just tea. But if you want it, it’s there to give you life at $15. They also have a St. Germaine and champagne carafe for four for $25 that is probably pretty damned tasty.

We were a group of eight so we were able to try a lot of menu! Nothing really disappointed but I would say the “Gratin” fries were a little misleading. We ordered them to share and instead of “fries” we got this VERY fried few chunks of potato. It was a good bite but so buttery, I couldn’t imagine eating much more of it.

Can you see how it’s like thin, thin layers of potato refried together? Very unique but I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to potatoes. I also thought “gratin” meant creamy or cheesy.

But the main courses were all decadent, delicious works of art. In particular, to my left, some French Toast that was very nearly stolen. By me.

Those are dollops of sweetened whipped cream. In the cup? Strawberry syrup. DIVINE. It was DENSE toast and impossible to finish.

I ordered “Toad in the Hole” and basically had no idea what to expect. And then this:

I mean, COME ON. That’s just a big chunk of bread hollowed out and filled with gruyere, eggs and smoked bacon.

I regret nothing.

To conclude I would offer these tips:

Take an Uber. Not just so you can drink but because their valet seemed rather untrustworthy to me. What can I say? I function strongly off “vibes.” Also, valet parking in WeHo is never cheap.
It’s great for big groups. They have a lot of space. On a beautiful day, they open up the front and it’s l ike eating on a lovely patio.
Go for dinner, too. It’s equally as decadent and delicious. Also, the popcorn, believe it or not, is to die for. You’re just going to have to trust me on this and know I don’t even like popcorn that much.
Also, Monday nights they offer a fried chicken special.
Oh! And —- well, just go there. Okay? Just go.

For all the details, here’s their website.

Don’t forget! If you love brunch as much as I do — or hell, even half as much as I do, you’ll want to put your email address into the newsletter subscription box in the top right corner!

Brunch at Market Provisions

March 2, 2016 By AJ 2 Comments

When a friend asked me if I was interested in joining her monthly brunch club I thought about it for a millisecond before shouting YES and doing a little jig.

On Sunday, a small group of us met up a Market Provisions, which just opened in December. Formerly Cooks County, the ownership is the same and the ambience is more casual. There’s a surprising amount of outdoor seating for being a sidewalk cafe, and it’s not bad for people watching on Beverly Blvd. But I’m a vampire and was relieved they sat our group indoors. It’s open, earthy and airy inside, accessorized on shelves with vintage kitchen trinkets like hand mixers, corkscrews and some kind of axe-looking thing we decided must have been a meat smasher thing in the sixties — because when you get a bunch of non-cooks together, that’s what you name things.

Presentation is everything and I loved my little red teapot.

Their menu makes it very hard to choose. I love that they have appetizers — their “small plates.” You could start off with a cup of greek yogurt or a croissant and some jam. It seemed rather delightful except I knew what I wanted for the main course — a rather rich dish. I skipped the small plates.

The “MP Benny” is prosciutto, burrata, two poached eggs and a spicy hollandaise sauce over a piece of thick, rustic sourdough bread.

A couple things: YES, it is every bit as delicious as it sounds. NO, it is not really spicy. I don’t even know why they say that it is. I am the biggest wimp around but let myself believe the waitress who assured me I could take it. Thank goodness she was right.

It was hard not to eyeball some of the other plates on the table.

The Market Scramble with mustard greens, roasted broccoli and truffled cheddar. AKA “I’ll try anything with the word TRUFFLE” in it:

This is called “Eggs in Purgatory” but nothing about this implies suffering to me. Creamy polenta, spicy tomato-roasted pepper sauce, poached eggs and parmesan cheese:

Another fantastic brunch find. Kudos to the Brunch Club.

P.S. Oh yeah — $5, all-you-can drink Mimosas. Get it.

Brunch Doesn’t Need to be Fancy to be Delicious

September 8, 2015 By AJ 1 Comment

Delicious brunch need not be fancy, nor need it be expensive. Hear me out. Just because I am the Queen of Brunch does not mean I assign a price minimum or dress code requirement to the activity. Truth be told, I love me a good greasy spoon or diner. So here are a few I highly recommend.

NAT’S EARLY BITE – SHERMAN OAKS [website]

Set in a rather slummy strip mall on the edge of Sherman Oaks, Nat’s Early Bite (pictured above) offers nothing in decor but more than makes up for it with a huge menu, charming staff who’s probably treated like family by the owners, and great prices.

Eggs Benedict? $9.95. Two eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast? $9.25. And we’re talkin’ those good, O.G. hash browns. Not potatoes, not “home fries,” HASH BROWNS. French toast with eggs and bacon? $9.50.

Stop by and don’t let the outside scare you. It’s clean, it’s delicious, and it opens at 6 AM. Tell your brunch buddies you’ve found a real gem set aside from all the celebrity chefs trying to outdo one another with gluten-free Tahitian vanilla waffles with a light berry compote or housemade apple sausage over fennel with a lump crab egg whites scramble (and I did not make those dishes up, guys). Sometimes, dammit, you just want bacon and eggs and refillable coffee.

BEABEA’s – BURBANK [website]

Brace yourself. It’s pretty hard to go to BeaBea’s without waiting for a table. But you might try your luck at an “off hour” and see where that gets you. Regardless, it’s worth it because HOLY CRAP PANCAKES.

On the pancakes menu:

Apple Cobbler: Baked apples & almonds on buttermilk pancakes
Chocolate Tuxedo: Chocolate chips & brownie pieces topped with mascarpone cream, whipped cream & powdered sugar
S’mores Pancakes: Graham crackers, marshmallows & chocolate chip pancakes
House signature, golden pumpkin pancakes
Matcha green tea pancakes, green tea mascarpone, white chocolate chips & whipped cream

I’m just giving you a thorough tour but I promise you can’t go wrong here with just a plain stack of buttermilk pancakes. Nor can you go wrong with their french toast – just as many crazy choices here – or simply eggs, bacon, etc. Not quite the greasy spoon you’re looking at with Nat’s; it’s a little more well-kempt, but you’re not in Beverly Hills either – there is not an ounce of pretension in the place.

Pro-tip: Like I said, you’ll wait for a table and there’s not really anywhere to wait except outside, which trickles into the parking lot. If it’s hot, this could suck. Dress accordingly, bring sunscreen and sunglasses. I’m not even joking! I came home from BeaBea’s with a sunburn the first time I went. Of course, I’m also a pasty white broad who burns faster than toast. Also, if you don’t care where you sit (i.e. the makeshift outdoor seating or the counter), you’ll get seated a lot faster.

JINKY’S STUDIO CAFE – STUDIO CITY [website]

I’m not really sure what the history is here. Originally named just “Studio Cafe” but owned by the rather famous Jinky’s Cafe guys, maybe they were trying to establish a new brand? But I don’t think the place ever really drew a crowd til they threw “Jinky’s” up on the sign, changed the umbrellas and then BOOM.

You’ll wait here as well and what’s more, be warned that parking BLOWS. Find a street spot in the nearby neighborhoods and walk there. Thank me later.

So you’re basically getting a BeaBea’s redux here — lots of crazy pancake dishes to choose from, including the amazing, decadent red velvet pancakes that lead Jinky’s to breakfast fame — but with some added bonuses. For starters, TATER TOTS. And if you prefer, sweet potato tater tots. (I’m the only person in Los Angeles that hates sweet potatoes but I know that’s weird.)

Studio Cafe also has a proper patio. And even though you’re on a busy corner, it manages to be kind of private, intimate and quiet. They also discourage cell phone use, which I kinda dig, even though it gives me the shakes. But nothing cures the shakes more than a good mimosa, and of all the places mentioned here, Studio Cafe is the only one with a FULL BAR, so that’s a terrific perk! They also have TVs in case there’s a major sporting event you don’t want to miss and they’re open late (10 PM, 11 PM Thursday – Sunday) in case you get a late night breakfast craving, because it’s served all day and night!

(Note: They do post signs discouraging cell phones but I also found out they offer free WiFi so your guess is as good as mine, kids.)

SO WHAT’S MISSING?

I kept this list to my neighborhood but there are plenty of other, similar spots across town like Cici’s in Tarzana or even Du-par’s, which has a few locations – even one in Las Vegas (they’re only ok but they’re open 24 hours which probably serves them well in a town where very little else is). If you’ve got a great diner in mind that I should add to my bookmarks, please share it in the comments! I love to expand my brunch database!