Watercress - A Café

Time for breakfast – actually a little late for breakfast – and we wanted to go somewhere new. When people like us go out to eat so often, we want something different. BK looked up a nearby restaurant on Yelp and there she discovered Watercress – A Café. I loved the name or brand as it is now called and so off we went. Here is a small, clean and tidy restaurant with about 12 tables. They call themselves gourmet and organic whenever possible. We were seated immediately and given the menu which is not too large but very interesting. We also were served our very good coffee which is roasted next door at the Coffee Roaster.

BK ordered cinnamon raisin French toast. It came with two large pieces and a few fresh strawberries on top. We ended up not quite sharing but each of us having more than a taste of the other’s dish. This was fantastic – not too sweet but sweet enough and tender and full of egg. I ordered the egg frittata panini. This consisted of scrambled eggs, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and a regular tomato all inside two pieces of bread that had been toasted panini style. Usually, I have found paninis to be flattened out, like put in a grill and somewhat greasy. This one looked like a regular sandwich with grill marks on the bread and there was no grease at all. It was delicious. I ordered it without basil and they easily accepted my request. This came with potatoes that are cubed and fried nice and crisp. It also came with a salad of mixed greens and a rather tasty dressing. I was asked if I wanted potatoes or salad and said potatoes but I got both.

I thought the prices were a bit high but not too high either since our bill came to $23.60 before tip. Most items are around $10 which I thought was high for eggs, sausage and toast. However, I do realize that organic food does cost more. All their bakery is homemade and looked wonderful. I will return but not often because of the cost. I do want to try their lunch sandwiches which also look very interesting. They have many vegetarian offerings as well as at least one vegan sandwich. Watercress is at 13565 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks.

Russell’s Famous Hamburgers and Dots Cupcakes

After we walked at the Rose Bowl in the annual HeartWalk, BK and I went to the RV show that was there and found our perfect RV. Well, we saw one – a 30 foot Winnebago – that fit our dreams but, unfortunately, not our pocketbooks. So now we needed to eat and, of course, Old Town Pasadena seemed the appropriate place to look for a restaurant. We remembered we had been to Russell’s a few times and decided to go back since we found a decent parking place not too far from there.

Russell’s says it has been around as long as I have which is quite a record not only for a restaurant but also for a person. (a tiny piece of humor there) The restaurant has an interesting ambiance. There is a lot of red color, ornate chandeliers, and nice music. It almost appears like a French bistro but it is a diner, of sorts. We were promptly seated and were offered drinks – Diet Pepsi for BK and ice tea for me.

I didn’t know their specialty was hamburgers and since neither BK nor I wanted one, having eaten at The Counter last night, we looked at both the breakfast and the lunch menus to find something else. I was immediately drawn to a sandwich that was on both menus, the only difference being the sides offered. The sandwich is called the Croque Monsieur which is actually a grilled ham and cheese on sour dough bread. Well, it is a little more than that as the picture shows. It is made with what they say is French ham and gruyere cheese with a mornay sauce all inside this grilled sandwich that is then covered with cheese that is also melted. It is a sandwich that is eaten with a knife and fork.  I decided on the side of hash browns which was an excellent choice. I was in heaven. It was all gooey, rich and wonderful.

BK ordered breakfast as well – her favorite – a chili cheese omelet which she said was delicious. She also liked the hash browns. The only disappointment was that she ordered their famous cinnamon bun which cost $1 extra and they ran out of them so she had very good rye toast.

The service was very good. By the way, there is one other French sounding sandwich, Croque Mademoiselle, which is exactly like the one I had but has an egg on top. That didn’t appeal to me. My sandwich was $9.75 and BK’s omelet was $10.50. Russell’s is on 30 N. Fair Oaks Av. in Pasadena.

As we sat in Russell’s, BK noticed Dots Cupcakes across the street. In my effort to help my daughter in her quest for as much information about various cupcakes as she can get, we went there after our lunch to get some for later at home. They have many different kinds, some on different days. The regular cupcakes are $2.75 and the mini cupcakes are $1.50. We bought 4 of them. I wanted the chocolate mint cupcake which is the one in the picture. It is a chocolate cupcake with a very mint icing and chocolate covered mints on the top. (see picture) I loved it. Bonnie was taken with the Hostess cupcake that is filled with real whipped cream and it was also delicious. We have two more – a peanut butter one and one called chocolate vanilla – chocolate cake with white butter cream frosting. We haven’t eaten those yet but I am sure they are also great. If you are in Old Town Pasadena, stop in at Dots Cupcakes on Fair Oaks and Colorado – 21 N. Fair Oaks.

EAT Café

After an especially hard workout at the pool this morning, BK and I went to EAT Café on Magnolia in North Hollywood, which is close to the Y, for breakfast. We have gone there various times before but I haven’t written about it. This is a great place for breakfast for many reasons. The restaurant is very small with only 9 or so tables and a few outside. I think much of their business is carry-out as I saw many people coming in and picking up food.

Today I decided to have a scramble with mushrooms and cheddar cheese. This comes with a choice of potatoes, Ned’s shreds or fruit. Then there is also a choice of toast, all kinds and I picked an English muffin. First the scramble was perfectly done and tasted delicious. I ordered Ned’s shreds which are shredded pieces of zucchini that are fried up like potatoes. I love them. They are a bit greasy but a great substitute for potatoes – not many carbs. I asked for my English muffin well toasted and often that doesn’t happen but here it came just right. In fact, the waitress told me that she would be a little late with the muffin because she was toasting it twice. I also like that they have orange marmalade jam packets, my favorite treat with English muffins.

BK ordered the 222 which consisted of two eggs, two pieces of sausage and two huge pancakes. She said her scrambled eggs were perfect as was the sausage. The pancakes were delicious as I had to take a taste also. They do make all different kinds of pancakes, including chocolate chip, so I have to remember this place when my family visits me. The coffee is also very good as was the service.

When coming on the weekend, expect to wait. However, we went at 10:30 on a Tuesday morning and there was a place to sit. If ever in the North Hollywood area and you want breakfast, this would be a good choice. Prices are moderate. Eat is at 11108 Magnolia Blvd.

Last day in Las Vegas – September 23, 2009 (4)

The best laid plans of mice and whoever – we didn’t go to the Paris. I was ready to leave the city but I wanted to go to that café. When we left the Luxor – a hotel where we will never return – we saw a lot of traffic on the Strip. They are, for a change, constructing and so many lanes are closed. I looked at that and decided to leave the city. I had been asked to review some out-of-the way places in Las Vegas so we decided to look for a place for breakfast. Bonnie took out Jack (our name for our GPS) and found a place called the Original Sunrise Café. We hoped that the place still existed and that it really was a restaurant. If you are one who has read my travels before, you will know that Jack is not always accurate but that was not the case today. We were directed to a mini-mall and there was a small restaurant with people sitting outside and enough people on the inside as well for us to take a chance.

The Original Sunrise Café has no ambiance but it doesn’t need it. They were voted one of the healthiest restaurants in Las Vegas. Don’t think this is health food place because it isn’t. However, they offer healthier choices. That doesn’t mean we chose the healthy way. Bonnie had The Original which is a sandwich on a Kaiser roll. Cut the roll. Put one egg fried with the yolk broken hard. Top that with American cheese, although she had a choice of maybe 6 different cheeses. A sausage patty topped with another egg and another American cheese and topped off with the top of a very good Kaiser roll. She loved it! This came with quite good shredded potatoes. I had the Complete Breakfast with two basted eggs done perfectly, Canadian bacon, the non-greasy shredded potatoes and a toasted Sesame seed bagel with cream cheese. I was given a choice of bacon, Canadian bacon, or sausage. I was also given the choice of potatoes or fruit. The coffee was also excellent.

The Original Sunrise Café doesn’t look like much but it is really a very good place for breakfast and probably other meals as well. This very unassuming restaurant is located at 8975 S. Eastern Ave in Las Vegas, the actual city rather than the strip. In fact there was not one slot machine in the place. Our bill, including tax, came to a little over $20. It is south of the city which makes it somewhat, but not really, on the way. Use a GPS or mapquest or google maps and remember that it is in a mini-mall. This was a great way to end our over-eating trip.

I was so satisfied that I drove all the way home without stopping which is unusual for me. I am glad to be home and will especially like going to sleep in my comfortable bed.