I feel ashamed that I haven't discovered the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles sooner. Guess the OC bubble kept me away from such vibrant food scenes happening in the big city.
First time stepping into the market, all the fresh produce, butcher shops, healthy juice counters, food corners, and even petite Mexican grocery stores excite all my senses.
But what drew me here in the first place? Something slutty, something juicy - the infamous gourmet burger joint Eggslut -
Just like the name implies, egg is the main ingredient used for most of the dishes. Try to avoid weekend lunch rush hours, otherwise you might end up with a minimum of 30 minutes waiting line - speaking from experience.
Besides the multi-cultural food scene, Los Angeles is also known for its traffic and parking issues. Luckily, there's a parking area designated for the market with entrance on Hill Street between 3rd and 4th. Free one hour parking with validation.
View of Eggslut from the street -
While waiting in the line (click on the picture for an enlarged view) -
Even though it says lunch menu, Eggslut actually only opens from breakfast hours till afternoon. Lucky Los Angeles residents who get to enjoy such great burgers in the morning -
Completely open prepping area -
Seared wagyu tri-tip steak, sliced and ready to be used as the main ingredient for gaucho -
Seating area for Eggslut is pretty limited with only a roll of stools -
However, there are many tables and few dining sections throughout the Grand Central Market. You can always bring the food and enjoy it somewhere else, just without the fun of watching Eggslut staffs transforming ingredients into delicious dishes -
Fresh juice -
Eggslut cheeseburger, single $8 with added avocado for extra $1 -
"Ground American wagyu beef, caramelized onions, bread and butter pickles, melty cheddar cheese, and dijonnaise, topped with an over medium egg in a warm Portuguese bun."
The "Slut" in the making -
Slut $9 -
"A coddled egg on top of a smooth potato puree, poached in a glass jar and served with toasty crostini."
I would expect the Slut to be a burger, since this mainly burger/sandwich-related joint is called Eggslut. Surprisingly it was something completely different. A dish loaded with carbs but in a delicious way. Even without the smooth texture from the runny yolk, the potato puree itself is creamy and well seasoned. Imagine eating highly flavored mashed potato, something close that.
On the left: Bacon, egg & cheese $6 -
"Hardwood smoked bacon, over medium egg, cheddar cheese and chipotle ketchup in a Portuguese bun."
Oozing cheese on top of oozing yolk, there's no better velvety combo than that. Bacon slices were grilled nicely, creating crunchy edges without too much grease. No heavy sticky feeling even till the last few bites of the buns. In fact, I would love to order more if the line wasn't that crazy.
On the right: Gaucho $11 -
"Seared wagyu tri-tip steak, chimichurri, pickled red onion, shaved manchego cheese and seasoned arugula topped with an over medium egg, in a toasted veneto roll."
Moist steak and once again, oozing yolk -
The peppery note from the arugula adds a touch of fresh herbal note to this somewhat healthier looking but packed with guilty flavors combo.
Tummy stuffed with slutty goodness, it was more than enough for me to last till dinner, until I made a turn and found a Mexican taco section just few steps away. Lengua, buche, cabeza, and all that exotic parts. Not mentioning the chicharrones piling up on the side. Maybe I'm still hungry.
Cindy's Rating: 7
Eggslut
317 South Broadway (inside Grand Central Market)
Los Angeles, CA 90013
http://www.eggslut.com/
*Free one hour parking with validation (entrance on Hill Street between 3rd and 4th)
*Open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The line was insane when Bruxie first opened in Southern California. People were crazy about this waffle sandwich concept - "the bold fold," says the restaurant's tag line.
You can read all about how this popular Belgian/American waffle sandwich started by clicking the link, for sure it'll do a better job explaining the whole stories behind. As for me, I'm here to share my first dine in experience at the Irvine branch. Just to sum it up, the food was lighter and better than expected!
Located inside the Irvine Heritage Plaza close to the 5 freeway, you won't see long lines waiting outside this branch since the initial frenzy has passed. However, Bruxie can still get quite busy during lunch and dinner rush hours. Short waiting time can be expected because all the waffle sandwiches are made to order to ensure customers get hot and crisp bites every time.
Spacious indoor dining area; there are also a few outdoor tables overseeing the parking lot.
I had to admit that I've been reluctantly to give waffle sandwich a try, unlike the cronut craze that got me all excited when it first started. Never a big fan of waffles, it's too heavy and makes my tummy bloated easily. However, being a foodie, shredding away all the presumptions is a must, on top of that, stereotypes. So here I am, standing in line with my other girl friend ordering not just one, but three waffle sandwiches. Might as well try more varieties all at once.
Self-serving station -
Menu, they even have waffle cut fries!? Too bad three waffle sandwiches might already hit the lunch capacity for two Asian girls -
*Click on the image for an enlarged view.
Sundaes, shakes, floats, and other drinks -
The server delightfully took down our order and handed over a pager -
The wait wasn't too bad plus we got our drinks first. Took about 10 minutes before receiving our savory waffle sandwiches. The sweet sandwich can either be served first or can be hold till you're ready for it. Just tell any of the servers and show them the receipt. They'll start making it in the kitchen. That way you'll get freshly made hot waffles from the beginning till the end.
Ice tea and Belgian mocha -
The Belgian mocha is blended with chocolate, you can request lighter on the chocolate if less sweetened taste is preferred.
I would say the most popular savory waffle sandwich at Bruxie is the buttermilk fried chicken dressed in chili honey and cider slaw $7.5 -
It comes with the option of adding 100% pure Vermont maple syrup for extra $1.
My very first bite of waffle sandwich, it's all yours Bruxie.
Surprisingly light and flavorful. I thought the waffle itself was going to be a heavy with chunky load of dough that'll stuck in my tummy for the rest of the day. But no, Bruxie modified the regular recipe and created burden-less and airy waffles. Even though on the website Bruxie states that the waffle is not sweet, but it does has that naturally sugary taste from the flour, and perhaps enhanced even more during the iron pressing process.
The square edges on the waffle create extra crunchiness for each bite. Chicken breast was used but not dry as regular white meat, for sure the honey dressing helps in adding moisture.
Green eggs and ham $7.25 -
"Grilled ham, Tillamook cheddar, mayo, jumbo egg, arugula pesto."
This one has a more delicate flavor profile compared to the tried and true country fried chicken. The semi-cooked egg yolk is the best part, adding something comforting to this rather light waffle sandwich. Female customers might fall for this one.
Done with the savory items, now off to sweet treat. Nutella and bananas with sweet cream $5.95 -
Who doesn't love nutella, especially when paired with ripe bananas?
The sweet cream inside tastes like light yogurt. There's a hint of sourness, which works great in cutting down the sweetness from the nutella spread.
Overall my first visit was a wonderful experience and the waffle itself was way better than expected. The savory items were lighter than imagined, which is not a bad thing. The sweet waffle with nutella, well, anything with nutella can never go wrong. I wouldn't mind coming back for more when craving for some comforting yet delicate lunch meal.
Cindy's rating: 7 (More like 6.5)
Bruxie (Irvine Branch)
Irvine Heritage Plaza
14376 Culver Drive
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 556 - 4894
http://bruxie.com/
Operating hours:
Sun - Thu from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri - Sat from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Old Vine Café has always been one of my favorite spots in Orange County. Breakfast and brunch are superb here, especially the dishes that come with a Mexican touch. Dinner is served from Tuesday to Saturday but I never got a chance to try it. In fact, this place is packed almost all day long during dinner hours and weekends. If you ever want to pay a visit without the wait, try your luck before lunch rush hours on a weekday.
Old Vine Café is located at The Camp between Bristol Street and Baker Street. There are quite a few unique shops and restaurants with a hipster vibe. Wine store, tea shops, sportswear, even salon can be found in this area. My beloved (and up till this moment: the only beloved) burger joint Umami Burger is also situated at The Camp.
Semi-opened restaurant layout with no windows barrier between indoor and outdoor seating area.
Weekday morning before 11 is the best time to come. However, beware that the service can be quite slow doesn't matter if the restaurant is full or not. Not a big deal for me since my purpose was having a delicious and relaxing meal while soaking in the California sunshine at the same time.
Best seat to my opinion, is the indoor ones adjacent to the outdoor area, like regular window seats.
Six for sixty, where you can buy 6 bottles of carefully selected wine at a bargained price here at Old Vine Café. Not a bad choice if not sure how to pick up a decent wine with limited budget -
Menu -
Click on the picture to enlarge the view -
3 course set lunch for $22, available daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. -
Drinks menu -
Hitachino Nest beer is getting popular in California, I can see that owl everywhere. Espresso stout for the morning $7 -
The pleasant coffee beans aroma adds a nice complexity to the beer.
2011 Riesling, Scholss Lieser, Thomas Haag, Morsel, Germany $11 -
Rabbit mole $16.5 -
"Braised rabbit, 2 eggs, pasilla and cashew mole, fresh baked corn bread."
Where else can you find rabbit from a breakfast menu in Orange County? The meat was tender with just a tiny hint of that chocolate bitterness from the mole.
Lengua omelet $14 -
"Slow cooked beef tongue, queso fresco and spicy tomatillo salsa."
The fork tender beef tongue together with moist omelet and fragrant salsa, totally made my morning. Even though it must be at least 20 minutes passed from the moment when the order was placed till this wonderful plate of food showed up, it was all worth the wait.
Spanish style potatoes are included for the lengua omelet and other savory dishes. The potatoes can be substitute with cheese grits or mixed greens for extra $2. However, Old Vine makes awesome potatoes and it would be a shame to switch off to something else.
Unwillingness to give up my potatoes that was fully soaked in Spanish seasonings with crunchy seared edges, I ordered cheese grits on the side -
Creamy and satisfying. The leftover cheese grits were boxed home and turned into the dip for my salami chips.
House baked English muffin that comes with the omelet -
Other choices are toast or fresh baked cinnamon roll for extra $2. In addition, other house made spread including kiwi marmalade, strawberry marmalade, and apple butter.
Final bill -
The waitress took out the extra cheese grits because she forgot about it till half way through the meal.
Old Vine Café, along with The Camp is the place I would bring my friends over if they come to visit Orange County. There is quite a lot of stuff to see, to shop around, and most importantly, delicious food to help the friendships bond.
Cindy's Rating: 7 (supposedly 8 but the service can be very..very slow)
Old Vine Café
2937 Bristol Street. Suite A-102
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 545-1411
http://www.oldvinecafe.com/
Operating Hours:
Breakfast daily from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Lunch daily from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Dinner Tuesday to Saturday starting at 5 p.m.
Dinner Sunday and Monday closed
*Reservation is highly recommended for dinner
*Old Vine Café does not take reservations for breakfast or lunch
