Crave Café
Chocolate Bread Pudding
Crunchy French Toast
Illy
PB&J Cookie
Red Velvet Cupcake
Staying with a friend in swanky Sherman Oaks, an area of Los Angeles previously unexplored, it was with my standard morning run that the day began and opting to explore the valleys, hills, and neighborhoods by foot thereafter a long walk brought me to 24/7 Crave Café just after 7am – the combined half-marathon morning’s exercise stirring an carbohydrate craving to which the restaurant’s kitchen and bakery were well suited to say the least. A surprisingly large space with kitschy décor, hip but friendly service, and free Wi-Fi plus a 80s soundtrack ranging from Phil Collins to Skid Row it admittedly took some restraint to limit my order given the extensive day ahead but focusing on personal favorites much of what followed was great. Beginning with an Illy Americano at a mere $2 it was with a large roll of brioche bread pudding studded with chocolate and warmed in the oven that I began and with butter, custard, and dark chocolate all well represented the result was amongst the best of its style; praise equally befitting the dense, moist cupcake slathered with thick, semi-sour cream cheese. Enjoying pastry slowly as I awaited my ‘main-course,’ it should be noted that the oft-raved PB&J cookie arrived slightly dry – potentially a leftover from the day/night prior – but served hot from a griddle the cornflake crusted French Toast would suffer no such fate, the bread itself golden with a soft interior and falling short of excellence only due to the artificial maple syrup as I’d have gladly paid a dollar or two more for the real deal.
http://www.cravecafes.com/