Royal/T Cafe: Fusion Cafe, Shop, Art Space

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Stoli The Foodie

click to enlarge

Royal/T Cafe is a restaurant/art gallery that celebrates Japan’s tea culture and is inspired by Tokyo’s maid cafes with the waitresses dressed in maid uniforms. A wide variety of teas are offered alongside Japanese influenced food with a California touch. The multi-purpose space is in a large warehouse with exposed trusses, wooden beams, industrial skylights and full-length wall display cases which create a unique vibe for the cafe as well events and art exhibits.

The five-year project is concluding and the Culver City space will be closing its doors sometime in Summer 2012. Fortunately, there will still be upcoming roaming special events, exhibits and pop-ups in the Los Angeles area. The venue’s final show, “The Art of Cooking,” will run April 27 through Aug. 1, 2012.

The menu offers an array of over 24 types of loose-leaf teas (hot and iced) as well as coffee blends in small or large pots. The teas range from traditional to modern. The cafe’s signature is the Royal/T Milk Tea, a unique combination of Black Tea with rose petals, and pieces of fruit and vanilla, brewed in Soymilk ($4). Another nice tea blend is the Kyoto Sunset Tea, a mix of apricot and premium Ceylon Black Tea ($4). Shown here is the Rooibos Lemonade (iced), a refreshing blend of Green Rooibos, lemongrass, lemon peel, lemon myrtle and calendula ($4) and a large pot of Megami Sencha (hot), a delicious Green Tea with jade intensity ($7).

click to enlarge

They also offer a high tea served with choice of small pot ($20). This one features the beautiful jasmine budding tea, small sandwiches (such as cream cheese & lox, grilled veggie panini, and spicy tuna on grilled toast), brownie bites, red-velvet cake-pop, scone and assorted berries.

click to enlarge

The food at the cafe is a mixture of California classics and Far East fare. There are many options from soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers to spicy tuna tartar, soba, chicken katsu curry and rice bowls. Brunch options are also available

An excellent starter is Crispy Tuna Tartar ($9), crispy rice wrapped in nori topped with spicy tuna.

click to enlarge

The Kobe Beef Sliders ($10), also appetizers, are irresistibly cooked to a perfect medium-well on toasted mini brioche buns. There are three sliders each with a different topping: tomato chutney, blue cheese & caramelized onions, and quail egg. The one top with quail egg is my favorite, offering a delicate savory flavor to the slider, but blue cheese & caramelized onions is a close second.

click to enlarge

Chicken Katsu Sandwich with mixed greens ($12) is very fresh and filling. This is a slightly different take on traditional Katsu with crispy panko breaded chicken, Napa cabbage slaw and a spicy mayo, on a ciabatta roll and includes a side salad or sweet potato fries.

click to enlarge

Soba Salad ($7) is listed as an appetizer, with buckwheat noodles cooked al dente, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sesame seeds, ponzu dressing is light, but can certainly be a whole meal. These buckwheat noodles in a light ponzu are a must-try.

click to enlarge

Along with selling Royal/T loose-leaf teas, the retail shop offers an eclectic assortment of tea/coffee accessories, home decor, Japanese Pop Art, jewelry, toys, and other Harajuku-esque chachkies….

click to enlarge

Here is a glimpse into “The Art Of Cooking” – a new food and art themed exhibit that brings new meaning to “food for thought.”

click to enlarge

Confettisystem (2012), a site specific installation. Giant peaches, silver pineapples and a metallic disco banana made from the same materials as a pinata. Also, join the World of Mr. Toast at the pop-up shop with Joe the Egg, Miles Ice Pop and Shaky Bacon.

click to enlarge

Flour LA burger, fries and ketchup flower arrangement.

click to enlarge

Maho Sushi Favorite Assortment (2008), acrylic on plastic food sample.

click to enlarge

Enjoy some tea, Asian-Fusion treats and peruse the art/retail store while you still can! Parking available at meters or around the corner (behind the restaurant) in a lot marked with a pink crown.

click to enlarge

Royal/T Cafe
8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-6300
Café: 10am – 5pm daily
Shop & Space: 10am – 6pm daily
http://www.royal-t.org/

Larchmont Bungalow

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Stoli The Foodie

click to enlarge

Breakfast all day, like music to my ears! Larchmont Bugalow is located in the charming Larchmont village. The cafe is set up like a little country home with an antique coffee grinder displayed in the front window; an old school stove where you can get water and fix-ins for your coffee; a living room area with a fireplace and couch; a patio area in the back with additional seating. At the counter you see the delicious assortment of muffins and other baked goods they offer, such as macarons, cupcakes, cakes… You order at the counter and sit wherever there is room available.

click to enlarge

We really enjoyed our meal here. My friend ordered the Garden Omelet ($14 and you can substitute the toast for oatmeal for $1) and I had trouble deciding on which omelet I wanted most so I got their unique option of Mini Omelet Sliders where you can select any 2 of their signature omelets ($17). I went with the Fajita Omelet and Cobb Omelet. I loved them both, a good tasting size yet hearty. The lattes were very good, but just not as good as a Spanish Latte from Urth Cafe. I think I need to try a couple others they offer on the menu. The breakfast specials come with a choice of potatoes, fruit salad or garden salad. We both chose the fruit salad– there is a variety of fresh fruit with nicely presented balled melons and sliced strawberries.

click to enlarge

Garden Omelet: Egg white omelet with sauteed spinach, grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus and fresh goat cheese. The toast comes with individual jars of jam, a nice touch that I haven’t seen in LA in quite some time.

click to enlarge

Fajita Omelet Slider: Fajita seasoned chicken, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, and black beans topped with crème fraîche, salsa, and shredded tortillas.

click to enlarge

Cobb Omelet Slider: Chicken, bacon, tomatoes, and Pt. Reyes bleu cheese topped with avocado.

click to enlarge

As a brunch dessert we split a half order of their famous Red & Blue Velvet pancakes with creme cheese filling (Half Order $9 Regular $14).

click to enlarge

It’s like the 4th of July on your plate. The pancakes are fluffy yet just dense enough, not too sweet (add the syrup if you have a sweet tooth) and the creme cheese with candied walnuts are a great accompaniment. I really enjoyed indulging in this decadent treat.

click to enlarge

Larchmont Bungalow is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. There are so many things I still want to try. Some other great breakfast options are the huevos rancheros, breakfast burrito, challah french toast or the Seafood Lover’s Omelet (with lobster, shrimp, fresh blue crab, and spinach topped with a truffle hollandaise). Other highlights on the lunch/dinner menu include includes burgers (Bison Burger), burger sliders (Mexican Burger and Greco Burger), salads (Lobster cobb), crepes, wraps, sandwiches, fish (pistachio crusted fish & chips), steak and lobster. They offer a bunch of different Southern specials like the Southern Fried Chicken Wrap, Louisiana Cajun Wrap, Pulled Pork and Southern BBQ Baby Back Ribs.

Parking is a little difficult, there are 2 hour paid spaces along Larchmont Boulevard and some free residential parking as well. It’s self-serve seating and can get very busy in the morning. We arrived a little before 11AM on a Saturday and were able to find a table without a problem. By the time we left, around 12:30, there was a line out the door. The food is a bit overpriced, though on par with Urth Cafe, but there are Living Social and Groupon deals available. The service is a bit scattered, we had to find someone to clean our table when we sat down, but everyone is extremely friendly and I think the food is worth it.

The receipt has this memo, “Bungalow coffee is committed to promoting environmental, social and economical sustainability. We are continually evolving with our lines of organic, sustainable and earth-friendly products by working with coffee farmers, donating to the Humana Foundation and educating the coffee lover to make the world a better place… starting with a cup of coffee!”

Larchmont Bungalow
107 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 461-1528
http://www.larchmontbungalow.com/

Bird Pick Tea & Herb

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Stoli The Foodie

click to enlarge

With the closing of two of my favorite zen tea places in LA– Zen Zoo & T-Salon– I’ve been on the lookout for a new tea destination. I recently tried Bird Pick, and I have Tea Exchange (in Manhattan Beach) still on the list. The tea at Bird Pick definitely fits the bill, though it does not have the organic food options like the other two places once did and is not quite as close to West LA as I would like. I visited the location at the Westfield Culver City Mall (the old Fox Hills Mall).

The name Bird Pick originates from a legend told about an ancient practice of cultivating the finest tea leaves. “Extraordinary birds with acute senses would pick out the best leaves for their own nourishment.” The stores also strive toward this standard in making their special blends of teas. Bird Pick imports their fine tea leaves directly from their own estates around the world, one of which is an organic tea garden, in Guangzhou, Zhejiang and Fujian Province in China.

I love the decor of the stores, I was literally drawn into this one. The shop has a very zen~peaceful setting, everything is beautifully displayed and the ambiance has the feel of a shop you’d visit in China. There is a wide assortment of loose teas, packaged teas, tea bags, blooming teas, honey, etc…, as well as tea sets and teaware. The tea sets are all beautiful, ranging from traditional to modern, and very tempting to purchase. The staff is very eager to help and educate, they are generous with samples and can describe the difference and health benefits of all the teas– white, green, oolong, black, herbal… I could get lost here for hours….

click to enlarge

At the tea bar they can whip up your pick of fresh brewed hot teas and iced tea fusions. I tried one of the tea fusions, the Lychee Oolong Iced Tea. I asked for it to be unsweetened, so the sweetness only came from the lychee fruit in the drink. It’s high quality and very refreshing. The prices are comparable to other tea shops in LA, my iced tea was $3.75 for a large.