QUICK, CASUAL CORAL TREE CAFE PLEASES.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic The former Cha Cha Cha building in Encino is bustling once again, now as the Coral Tree coral tree n. Any of various mostly deciduous trees or shrubs of the genus Erythrina in the pea family, native to and widely cultivated in warm regions, having trifoliolate leaves, showy red or orange flowers, and pods containing often brightly Cafe. Activity there starts at 7 a.m. with breakfasts of organic egg dishes The following is a list of egg dishes: Plain egg dishes
It's a very casual place. Customers queue up Verb 1. queue up - form a queue, form a line, stand in line; "Customers lined up in front of the store" queue, line up stand, stand up - be standing; be upright; "We had to stand for the entire performance!" immediately when entering, grab a menu and figure out their orders while the line moves closer to the counter. By the time they get there, they should know what they want because there's usually a hungry throng behind them. When the order is in and paid for, a number on a plastic stand is presented to place on the chosen table for the server to find. Waiting time varies, probably according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. how busy the kitchen is. Portions are generally satisfactory, sometimes larger than expected. Basically, the post-breakfast fare consists of salads, soups, regular and panini-type sandwiches, pastas and house-baked desserts. In the not-too-distant future, dinner-type entrees will be added. Meanwhile, salads appear to be the big thing here at present. Organic baby field greens are utilized for many of them, including one sporting grilled hanger steak A hanger steak is a tender cut of beef steak which is said to "hang" from the diaphragm of the steer. (The diaphragm itself is a tougher muscle, comprising the outer skirt steak.) The hanger is attached to the last rib and the kidney. ($13.95). Being a sucker for chopped salads, I prefer the Cobb ($10.95) -- ask for it finely chopped -- a colorfully presented melange mé·lange also me·lange n. A mixture: "[a] building crowned with a mélange of antennae and satellite dishes" Howard Kaplan. of cut-up romaine and iceberg lettuce iceberg lettuce n. A crisp, round, compact head of lettuce with light green, tightly folded leaves. [From its pale color. with small pieces of grilled chicken breast, hard-boiled egg, avocado, bacon, tomato, cucumber, crumbled blue cheese and diced mozzarella moz·za·rel·la n. A mild white Italian cheese that has a rubbery texture and is often eaten melted, as on pizza. [Italian, diminutive of mozza, a cut, mozzarella, from mozzare, with a yogurt-based lemon and herb dressing. (You might need to ask for extra dressing.) The ahi tuna Nicoise ($13.95) is also a refreshing, tasty pile of goodness. There are plenty of varied tastes and textures with this dish, which contains the small, black Nicoise olives, green beans green beans Noun, pl long narrow green beans that are cooked and eaten as a vegetable , roasted red potatoes, asparagus, hard-boiled egg and roma tomatoes along with those signature organic baby field greens and a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. The du jour soup here probably becomes more important in cooler weather. One day it was a beany turkey chili recipe ($4.95) that could have easily passed for a bowl of chili instead of being dubbed a soup. There's also a vegetable soup for vegans ($4.95) that remains untried. Pastas here may be a big surprise if the rest of them are crafted as well as the Coral Tree's penne arrabiatta ($11.95). Delivered steaming hot and skillfully cooked with an impressive, slightly spicy, fresh-tasting tomato sauce, this pasta rivals its counterparts from many of the area's better Italian kitchens. And also from its Italian-leaning side, the cafe's grilled vegetable panini-style sandwich ($9.50) provides a gratifying grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. lunch plate. A display case of this restaurant's own baked goods ($2.25 to $4.95) allows diners to choose something irresistible and finish meals here with a well-executed touch of sweetness, like the Coral Tree Cafe's light and lilting lemon tart. But this is the kind of eating place that welcomes you for snacks as well. So the lemon tart, perhaps with an exotic tea or coffee drink, doesn't have to be a meal's finale, it could be a small and satisfying midafternoon snack, instead. Sounds like a good idea, eh? Larry Lipson, (818) 713-3668 larry.lipson@dailynews.com CORAL TREE CAFE Food: Three stars - Value: Three stars Where: 17499 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (Also in Brentwood and Century City.) Info: (818) 789-8733. www.coraltreecafe.net Meals/hours: Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Food type: Fresh American. Cost: Everything under $14. Credit cards: All major. Patio dining: Yes. Parking/valet: Complimentary valet. Full bar: No. Beer and wine license pending. Music/entertainment: No. Takeout/delivery: Yes on takeout, no on delivery. Reservations: Not taken. First come, first served. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Marisol Sanchez, general manager of the Coral Tree Cafe, displays some of the dishes served at the new Encino restaurant. Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News |
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