AUSSIE-LESS COOGEE BAY SATISFIES.Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic In the melting pot melting pot America as the home of many races and cultures. [Am. Pop. Culture: Misc.] See : America known as Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , restaurants represent just about every nation you can think of. A typical telephone conversation of someone trying to find out a thing or two about a local eatery sounds like this one, which actually happened. ``So where's Coogee Bay?'' ``In Australia.'' ``Oh, so Coogee Bay Cafe is an Australian restaurant?'' ``No, Scandinavian.'' ``Really. So how come the name?'' ``Well, it was originally owned by an Australian.'' ``Oh, so did they keep any Australian dishes on the menu?'' ``No, I don't think so.'' The person on the other end of the phone is right. There are no hints of Australian fare. Vegemite and carpetbagger carpetbagger Epithet used during the Reconstruction period (1865–77) to describe a Northerner in the South seeking private gain. The word referred to an unwelcome outsider arriving with nothing more than his belongings packed in a satchel or carpetbag. steaks are complete strangers to Coogee Bay Cafe in Sherman Oaks. So what do we have here? A no-frills eating place with an airy dining room holding sensible, yet grounded furniture. It sits in the middle of the busy heart of the community a little west of Van Nuys Boulevard on Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. . Quietly, it had become a local favorite for breakfast and lunch, when it recently decided to also serve dinners. Thus, a noshery with the slogan ``the art of the sandwich,'' - not to be confused with ``every sandwich a work of Art,'' by Art's Deli - that would not be expected to produce hearty evening meals did just that. But only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to start. Meanwhile, one of the main reasons for its breakfast and lunch popularity has been the baked goods of owner Anne-Marie Wallin, such goodies as croissants, cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls, muffins and Danish as well as breads. She bakes on a regular basis and sells them throughout the day across the counter and serves them to eat-in customers. And her sandwiches, which range from such Euro-fancies as an open-faced pickled herring Noun 1. pickled herring - herring preserved in a pickling liquid (usually brine or vinegar) herring - valuable flesh of fatty fish from shallow waters of northern Atlantic or Pacific; usually salted or pickled and hard-boiled egg number ($5.25) to noteworthy offerings of black forest ham Black Forest ham, or Schwarzwälder Schinken in German, is a variety of smoked ham produced in the Black Forest region of Germany. The production of Black Forest ham can take up to three months[1]. and Swiss cheese ($4.95), a slightly peppery pep·per·y adj. 1. Of, containing, or resembling pepper; sharp or pungent in flavor. 2. Vigorously sharp-tempered: a peppery sales clerk. 3. and dill-flavored tuna salad ($4.95) and a top-of-the-bill apple and walnut chicken salad with cilantro ($4.95), have been joined in the past by good soups and lilting salads. So it hasn't been too difficult for Coogee to jump into the local evening meal competition, having developed such a solid customer base of earlier diners. The result is some of the best inexpensive, homey, comfort dinners in the area. Too bad it's such a short menu. The ``Swedish style'' offerings have been limited to only nine entrees, two soups and the already daytime-popular vegetarian chili. However, Wallin is smart. She uses her fresh-baked round breads as ``bread bowls'' for a rousing potato soup ($4.95) and her hearty chili ($4.95). Either is in reality a small meal. She also makes a lovely cabbage soup ($3.50) that is especially comforting on a rainy, cold night. Also in this category, her soupy soup·y adj. soup·i·er, soup·i·est 1. Having the appearance or consistency of soup. 2. Informal Foggy: soupy weather. 3. Informal Sentimental. version of a country stew ($5.50) comes forth as a steaming liquid triumph. Yet it should be thought of more as either a thick soup or a thin stew, being far from what we usually picture as a stew. Even if the stew slightly disappoints, one can hardly find much to fault at these prices. Coogee's most expensive dinner plate is the poached poach 1 tr.v. poached, poach·ing, poach·es To cook in a boiling or simmering liquid: Poach the fish in wine. salmon ($8.95), properly executed and delivered with a tasty cucumber relish and an accompaniment of respectably prepared plain vegetables. And if you're a touch adventurous, your first-time order should probably be the sampler plate (also $8.95) of the salmon and two other entree items. One is passable pass·a·ble adj. 1. That can be passed, traversed, or crossed; navigable: a passable road. 2. Acceptable for general circulation: passable currency. 3. turkey meat loaf (separately offered at $6.95), evidently a holdover hold·o·ver n. One that is held over from an earlier time: a political advisor who was a holdover from the Reagan era; a family tradition that is a holdover from my grandparents' childhood. Noun 1. from lunch where it's served as a sandwich, and the other is the obvious signature item, her Swedish meatballs (separately offered at $5.50). Get them with nicely done boiled potatoes boiled potatoes boil n → pommes fpl à l'anglaise or à l'eau boiled potatoes npl → Salzkartoffeln pl or a generous dollop of mashed potatoes with gravy. Untried to date is a baked half chicken with curry sauce and a couple of burgers (turkey or garden). But vegetable fanciers will enjoy the Coogee stir fry ($6.25) of a variety of seasonal fresh veggies Veggies of Nottingham, also known as Veggies Catering Campaign, is a campaigning group based in Nottingham, England, promoting ethicalbum alternatives to mainstream fast food. with rice. Don't look for a pasta here, thank goodness. And despite its Down Under name, Coogee Bay has not one shrimp on the barbie "Shrimp on the barbie" is an often-quoted phrase that originated in a series of television advertisements by the Australian Tourism Commission starring Paul Hogan from 1986. The actual quote spoken by Hogan is "I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you". in sight. THE FACTS The restaurant: Coogee Bay Cafe. Where: 14543 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. When: Open for breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, for dinner from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday only. Recommended items: Soups (cabbage or cream of potato), vegetarian chili, poached salmon with cucumber salsa, vegetable stir-fry, Swedish meatballs. How much: Starters from $3.50 to $5, entrees from $5.50 to $9, iced coffees and fruit shakes $2.50 each. No alcohol license. Major credit cards. Reservations: Helpful. Call (818) 789-2280. Our rating: Three Stars for food; Three Stars for service. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Coogee Bay Cafe owner Anne-Marie Wallin holds a plate of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and Swedish lingonberries at her Sherman Oaks restaurant. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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