Bloom

Here's the thing about Bloom: it's really a great spot, but it's not quite ideal. I'm not blaming Bloom though; the problem with Bloom is actually a fundamental problem with Los Angeles: too many people live here. Bloom just wants to be a sunny local cafe that makes delicious food with quality seasonal ingredients -- a small spot where you can sit on the sidewalk and eat well-prepared organic eggs and a green tea latte. And it does that well: the food is delicious, the space is adorable and the staff are personable. But on a Sunday afternoon, with a full house plus a constant handful of people waiting to be seated (sharing the sidewalk with the friendliest graffiti giraffe ever), the service seems flustered and harried.

Bloom has taken over two spots where other cafes used to live, and neither of them had this overpopulation problem. Perhaps it was Posh on Pico's prices -- a little spendy for cafe fare, though the spot's Latin-inspired menu was delicious and the airy space was perfectly appointed with inviting thrift-store-chic decor. Or the fact that Sierra Bonita Cafe, despite a broad menu and friendly stay-for-a-while vibe, never really had a focused personality. But something about the style and substance of Bloom is striking a chord with the progressive Wilshire Vista neighborhood, and it's bringing in diners in droves.

In spite the crunch, I got a great sense of what Bloom does well, which is fresh thoughtful food. You might have to wait a bit, but you won't be let down. A simple breakfast of poached eggs is elevated to something much more sophisticated: Fresh walnut raisin bread is spread with a light goat cheese and sprinkled with diced applewood smoked bacon. Top that with two perfectly poached eggs and a fresh tomato coulis for a satisfying and clever breakfasty take on crostini. The blueberry pancakes are generously packed with inky blueberries, and the plump browned chicken sausage bursts with chunks of fresh apple. They also offer plenty of sandwiches, salads, and inventive smoothies.

The staff are friendly and uber-hip, with each member of the crew sporting either a funky Bloom tracksuit jacket or a French accent, and the cheery spot is decorated in bright summer colors. In fact, the vibe of the place makes you want to be a regular, were it not for all those other pesky Angelenos who also want to elbow their way into the tiny spot. I'd like to come here on a weekday when the droves are at work and the place is more calm. I have a feeling I'm deluding myself though: even during the week, there are too many people in Los Angeles. And in a twist that never fails to amaze me, none of us have day jobs! So, perhaps when Bloom expands into the space next door (appears to be in the works), they will be able to better accommodate me and the rest of this overcrowded city. But still, I'll go back anyway. Happy people and organic eggs are kinda worth the inconvenience.


Bloom is at 5544 Pico Blvd., 2 blocks west of Hauser.

C&C: La Maison du Pain

Knowing how I stalk the Wilshire Vista neighborhood, someone turned me on to an LA Times article* about a year ago: two Filipino (Filipina?) sisters had opened a French bakery on Pico, just east of Hauser. Their experience was in accounting and bookkeeping, so this certainly wasn't the obvious path, but they had a dream and wanted badly to make it happen. The article was interesting because as it was written, they were in the thick of the struggle. They juggled debts while scrambling to fill orders for Beverly Hills hotels; they had nephews and cousins helping out in the kitchen; they lost sleep and hoped and prayed, but they were not out of the woods. It was almost like the author was using the article as a plea, to get people to go to the bakery and make sure they thrive.

It appears to have worked. A year later, I (finally!) made it into this friendly bake shop, and I must say, you are pleasantly knocked out by the sweet smell of the place the minute you walk in. Its style is minimalistic, but the gorgeous baguettes, financiers, tarts, and fresh loaves of all sizes, coupled with the smiling faces behind the counter, are decoration enough. One wall is a large window on the shop's prep area, revealing a pair of Kitchen-Aids standing side-by-side, one black, one white, like the bride and groom atop a wedding cake. Beside them sat a cast-iron pan filled with apples, waiting eagerly to become a tarte tatin.

Although there is no coffee on the menu (in fact there is no menu, other than the display case itself), cappuccino is indeed available. Mine came presweetened, and I took it and my croissant to one of the small tables outside. The croissant was a hefty thing, and this concerned me: large ones are often reminiscent of the Costco variety. It had a little dampness going on inside, but the crust had some body, and it definitely had that taste, the subtle but amazing flavor of browned butter that, in the world of croissants, separates the hommes from the garçons.

The cappuccino was similarly virtuosic. The espresso was strong, but not bitter, and the milky foam tasted straight off the farm. People go to fancy avant garde restaurants in Barcelona, make reservations 2 years in advance, to experience foams flavored like carrots or nutmeg. But here it was on Pico, sitting scooped on a rusk of croissant: airy froth with just a mellow afterthought of coffee flavor.

As I sat and had my breakfast, a steady stream of people walked in and out of La Maison du Pain. It's inspiring to know that with a lot of hard work and a loving support, and a generous nod from the local paper, the sweetest of dreams can come true.

La Maison du Pain is at 5373 West Pico Boulevard, 1 1/2 blocks east of Hauser.


* That article is no longer available for free, but here is another one from the about same time from the Phillipine News Online.

Donde Siempre Es Bienvenido

A community is growing on the blocks of Pico between Fairfax and Hauser, and CJ's Cafe is going to feed it. On an evening walk through a seemingly nondescript stretch of Pico a year or two back, I discovered a few small shops and restaurants that were unexpectedly interesting. Among a bunch of ramshackle storefronts, upholsterers, car repair shops, and barbershops, there was an adorable fancy Latin-fusion cafe called Posh, next to a cozy coffeehouse. A few stores down, an upscale salon/spa called Bink'n Heads shared a block with La Petite Gallery, and across the street was a small theater, The Black Dahlia. A couple funky clothing stores rounded out the bunch. What had I just happened upon?

The Wilshire Vista neighborhood is a hidden gem in Los Angeles. The effects of the vital residents' association are conspicuous, and you can feel a strong sense of community in all these shops. The flagship (to us anyway) of all this activity is CJ's, a bustling corner diner where normal people come together for substantial breakfast served by smiling faces. There is nothing showy about CJ's. The sidewalk seating is not of the vintage French bistro variety; the art on the walls is garish and mostly pointless. But this is why we like it. Living so close to Hollywood, breakfast can be a scene. Take Toast for example. Granted the fruit is delicious and includes exotic things like starfruit, the iced hazelnut latte is nothing to scoff at, and they actually have shakshuka on the menu, but is it really worth wading through Von Dutch microskirts and purses with puppies in them to get to your breakfast? Don't think so.

It's hard to believe CJ's is in the same city as Toast. Yes, there are young fashion plates at CJ's, but they're a little more urban, a little less Paris Hilton. And there are families. Adorable little kids in basketball jerseys and braids, old couples reading the paper over a cup of CJs' smooth mild coffee, groups of men simultaneously conversing with each other and the person on the other end of the cell phone. Is it sad that the idea of sharing a restaurant with normal people is novel to me?

The closest thing CJ's has to a gimmick is that it feeds the appetite of its community. I've only ever eaten breakfast here, but the breakfast menu says a lot. You have your standard diner fare, eggs, griddle stuff, denver/spanish/veggie omelets. You might have to stifle the slightest protest the first time your order yours with no meat, egg whites only, fruit instead of potatoes, dry wheat toast, but it's no problem, and after a few visits, they know your style. If you're going that route though, at least indulge on a glass of juice -- freshly squeezed combos of orange, grapefruit, celery, beet, and more. They've also got a complete Mexican breakfast menu -- served with rice, beans, and tortillas, you can get huevos rancheros with a just-the-right-amount side of chorizo (really the best around), machaca, chilaquiles, fried plantains, or huevos a la mexicana -- eggs scrambled with tomatoes and jalapenos, in the colors of the Mexican flag. The latter makes a substantial primary meal for me on many a Saturday or Sunday. Be sure to ask for salsa -- you'll get a trio of distinct varieties. Or you can go for southern breakfast -- catfish and eggs, chicken wings and eggs, grits, and more. Just as the kitchen is the heart of the home, CJ's is the heart of the diverse Wilshire Vista family.

After another delicious breakfast, we waddled our stuffed selves out of the restaurant and discovered a new shop on the opposite corner! The Home Grown Store sells artsy housewares, funky greeting cards, delicious candles, and the works of local artists in a gorgeous industrial/swanky space. Again the community feel came to the forefront the minute we went in -- the conversation between the locally residing owner and his old landlord turned to the public schools in the area, the rising rent as the location becomes a "hot-spot", and the backstory of Sierra Bonita Cafe, the coffeehouse down the block.

freshly squeezed grapefruit and orange juice


huevos a la mexicana


huevos rancheros


So, go to CJ's. It's good, and it's cheap, and it's not annoying.


CJ's Cafe is at 5501 W Pico Blvd at Carmona (1 block west of Hauser).
The Home Grown Store is at 5455 W Pico Blvd at Carmona (1 block west of Hauser).