Café Marmalade | March 22, 2011

Farmers Market, 6333 W. 3rd # E17

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Special Edition of Dine With Miller Stein Part 1

Miller-Stein Ranking

Our food experience | 4.0 Buckeyes

Quality | 4.5 Buckeyes

Cost | 4.0 Buckeyes

Character | 4.5 Buckeyes

Beverages | 3.5 Buckeyes

Service | 3.5 Buckeyes

Filet Mignon Gorgonzola Sandwich | 13.99

Filet thinly sliced, caramelized onions, Gorgonzola spread, topped with arugula & lemon champagne vinaigrette, on a French roll.

Blackened Chickened Sandwich | 11.99

Cajun blackened chicken breast with melted provolone cheese, roasted peppers, onions & chipotle aioli on a toasted La Brea Bakery French roll.

Organic Spinach Salad | 9.99

Fresh spinach tossed with honey mustard dressing, smoked bacon, grilled portabella mushroom, fresh tomatoes & goat cheese fritters.

Turkey Melt | 10.99

Oven roasted turkey on grilled La Brea Bakery sourdough with avocado, bacon & provolone cheese.

Stein and I are blogging from California! Now, we know many of our readers don’t reside in CA, but a few do, and in case any of our loyal fans travel to California and are looking for some great eats – we have the dish!

Stein’s wonderful family is in California and graciously hosted us for the week. We were lucky to share our California eats with great family and friends.

Café Marmalade is a trendy restaurant in the heart of LA; located in an area called the Grove, the café is surrounded by fantastic shopping and a gigantic farmers market with everything from fresh California fruits to chocolate covered smores. Café Marmalade serves great tasting American-style cuisine.

Stein and I were whisked to this hot spot shortly after arriving in California. We were seated immediately and had a chance to sit outside. Although it was 60 degrees (what most Californians consider freezing), Stein and I were in heaven. The waitress put on an overhead heater in disbelief that we could actually be comfortable.

We all ordered drinks, which were brought out quickly. Famished, we all decided to order right away. Stein’s Mom ordered the salad, Stein’s Dad ordered the filet mignon sandwich, Stein ordered the blackened chicken sandwich and I ordered the turkey melt. Among the four of us we shared sweet potato fries and traditional fries.

Stein’s Mom really enjoyed her salad explaining that the lettuce was fresh and crisp and the incorporation of the spinach leaves was a great addition. The salad was also accompanied by fried cheese balls, which were quite a great surprise. Consensus at the table was that the cheese balls were a great touch.

Stein’s Dad’s reaction as he dove into his sandwich was great. You know it’s good when you hear the “mmmmm.” The meat was described as cooked brilliantly and tender. The cheese on the sandwich complimented the meal excellently. Stein’s Dad also made sure to request the sweet potato fries as extra crispy, which they were, and he also thoroughly enjoyed the fresh crisp of the sweet and salty sweet potato fries.

Stein, interested in trying something flavorful and spicy, went with the blackened chicken sandwich. The chickens flavor definitely had a kick to it – he loved it. The bread that the sandwich came on was also fresh and full of taste. Stein exhibited the always-promising head nod as he enjoyed his meal.

I decided to go with the turkey melt, which turned out to be a great choice. The sandwich came out piping hot. The turkey was fresh and sliced thinly while the bacon was thick and full of flavor. The lettuce and tomato on the sandwich were excellent and tasted like they were freshly picked. The sandwich was huge, but I somehow managed to finish everything on my plate. Stein ordered the traditional fries and I ordered the sweet potato fries and we shared wanting to make sure we got to taste a little bit of everything.

Café Marmalade was a great impromptu dinner/lunch location for us. Consensus was that everyone enjoyed his or her meals and everyone was satisfied and full by the end of the meal. If you’re ever visiting the Grove in California make sure to check out this hot spot and make sure to build in some extra time for some shopping!