Cafe Chez Marie
Outdoor Patio
I have a big problem: I tend to keep my favorite places to myself. I rarely, if ever, tell random people, or even my friends, where to find the best food, stiff drinks, and pretty people. It's not that I am selfish, I simply love these places and would hate for them to change with an influx of strangers, or strange people. (not one of the same)
Another reason for keeping restaurant secrets, is that I hate for people to judge them with their foodgnorance ruler. (Foodgnorance is a judgment ruler from someone that reviews a type of food or restaurant that they have no knowledge about. It's akin to me judging Guatemalan food..I'm Mexican. What the heck would I know?!)
But I am going to try, really I am. Because true to my heart, I am a foodie. I come from a family of foodies, and make it my mission to find the best places...and get there before anyone else does.
As it's been the case for many years, and the reason I stopped Yelping: I don't read reviews from people I don't know or trust their judgment on food.
Likewise, you probably shouldn't read this (or any of my) restaurant reviews unless you care about the quality of the ingredients, the taste and look of the dish, restaurant ambiance and the people that frequent the restaurant.
If you care about all of the above and have a special interest in Los Angeles (area) restaurants, I will be one of your go-to gals...together with a few people that I will, in the very near future, recommend that you also read and follow. Trust me, they know food and they are good people.
This time around I am going to share one of my favorite brunch and lunch spots only walking distance from where I live:
Outdoor Bistro Tables at Cafe Chez Marie
Cafe Chez MarieTucked next to an office building on the north side of Santa Monica Blvd., in West Los Angeles, this charming French cottage seems a bit out-of sorts, yet perfectly in harmony with it's surroundings.
The Ambiance
The owners, both French Moroccan, are warm and friendly and know exactly what to recommend. Which also means that they will "correct you" if you order something out-of-sorts. For example, the last time we dined for brunch, my friends and I were starving and ordered a bread basket to start...to which the owner immediately remarked that our brunch was too heavy and ordering a bread basket would be too much food. Sure, we appreciated the heads up, but sometimes you want to order what you want to order.
Moving on...
The Crowd
Frequent diners are either locals, like myself, or the creative and media executives that work in the nearby building. You might also see a celebrity or two, a few (working) producers and our neighborhood pups.
Yes my friends, this is a doggy friendly location; not to be confused as a just-got-out-of-bed casual dining spot.
The Food
What can I say? The food is beautifully presented and though seemingly small portions, the food is hearty and prepared with quality ingredients.
Following are a few photos of what we ordered the last time we had brunch at Cafe Chez Marie:
Gaufre de Belgique
Belgium waffles with fresh berries, maple syrup and chantilly creme
Pont du Carrousel
Savory Crepes served with Hollandaise sauce
accompanied with an organic baby spinach with tomato, avocado and feta cheese
Oeffs Cocotte
Baked eggs in mornay sauce and Parmesan cheese,
served with petite toasts, home-made jams and fruit
Plan on leaving content after you eat at Cafe Chez Marie and never feeling like you ate too much.
The view from our outdoor bistro table
Cafe Chez Marie
10681 Santa Monica Blvd. (Cross street: Parnell)
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 475-2949
Reservations: Recommended.
Hours:
Monday-Sunday: Breakfast and Lunch - 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: Dinner and Hors D'Oeuvres - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Parking: Street Metered Parking or validated parking in the building next door.
Price: Expect to spend an average of $20-25 per person for breakfast/lunch including coffee, tax and 20% tip. Dinner, not including appetizers, wine or salad, ranges from $20 to $35 including tax and 20% tip.
Please let me know if you stop by Chez Marie...and if you do, let them know "Ana Lydia the pug mommy" and blogger sent you.
Bon appétit,
