La Serenata
|
The fun thing about La Serenata is that is offers an alternative to the regular breakfast/brunch menu with choices that are creative, exotic, and interesting. If I still lived in LA, I might find myself going back again and again to work through the extensive menu. The patio offers a nice quiet place to eat, sheltered form the hustle and bustle of busy Pico Blvd., and the prices are reasonable. That said, the service is not outstanding and the coffee is weak, so it's a give-and-take as far as the total dining experience goes.
Try the eggs oaxaqueno, house-made chorizo and tortillas, Mexican hot chocolate.
Try the eggs oaxaqueno, house-made chorizo and tortillas, Mexican hot chocolate.
Atmosphere
Although La Serenata has 3 locations in Los Angeles, the West Pico locations appears to be the most modest in both size and décor. The inside is comprised of two small dining rooms, both done in serene pastel colors accented with dark wood tables with striped cloths and tiled floors. Outside, a small side patio is outfitted with wrought iron tables, striped patio umbrellas for shade, and an unobtrusive, gurgling fountain.
Service
Service was casual, mostly efficient but not outstanding.
Free parking is often a rare commodity. In Los Angeles Some venues will have parking meters on the street that take coins, others will only offer (expensive) valet parking. Regular street parking is usually reserved for neighborhood residents and is by permit only. If you are not from LA this may be a shock for you. Be prepared, and take parking fees into account when determining your LA dining budget.
Free parking is often a rare commodity. In Los Angeles Some venues will have parking meters on the street that take coins, others will only offer (expensive) valet parking. Regular street parking is usually reserved for neighborhood residents and is by permit only. If you are not from LA this may be a shock for you. Be prepared, and take parking fees into account when determining your LA dining budget.
Food
We had heard that La Serenata had one of the best breakfasts in LA, so we decided to give it a try. The extensive menu is fun and creative, with everything from 'buttersourmilk flapjacks', to Atole, ancient Indian gruel of Mexico made from white corn masa. Not wanting to start our day with too many sweets or carbs, we opted for 2 of the many egg dishes.
First was 'Huevos Compesinos Ranchero Style' ($8.95), 2 eggs cooked to order, roasted poblano chiles, and a crispy corn tortilla, topped with 3 cheeses, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. And although this dish was not as exotic as it sounded on the menu, our eggs were cooked perfectly, the whole-roasted chiles added a nice earthy flavor, and the tomatoes and cheeses gave it that down-home stick-to-your-ribs quality that not many breakfast dishes can claim. Afterward I felt satiated, complete, and not wanting more, as I usually do after having eggs in a restaurant.
Our next dish was Eggs Oaxacoqueno (say that 3 times fast!), 2 eggs over a hand-dipped masa tortilla, with black bean paste, house-made chorizo, queso fresco, and fresh onions and cilantro. ($9.50). Again, this was not as exotic as it sounded, but the flavors were well-paired. The masa-dipped tortilla had a slightly sweet but nice corn flavor, and the black bean paste, merely a thinner version of refried beans, added interesting texture. The house-made chorizo was more finely ground than I had ever seen and was black in color, carmelized, spicy, and greasy (in a good way). Too bad it was merely sprinkled over the plate like an afterthought. We tracked down our server for a side dish of chorizo ($4.99) and added most of it to the egg dish, scooping up the rest with warm corn tortillas. Excellent!
To go with our meal I had an Xoco chocolate ($3.50), Mexican hot chocolate with a 'hint' of espresso. The chocolate had nice traces of cinnamon and vanilla but the drink as a whole lacked boldness. If there was any espresso in it at all I would've been surprised. Maybe 'hint' means they simply wave an espresso over it (!) I ordered a regular coffee to make up for my lack of caffeine but it was weak and uneventful. I think I would've been better off with a Mexican hot chocolate by itself and an espresso on the side.
First was 'Huevos Compesinos Ranchero Style' ($8.95), 2 eggs cooked to order, roasted poblano chiles, and a crispy corn tortilla, topped with 3 cheeses, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. And although this dish was not as exotic as it sounded on the menu, our eggs were cooked perfectly, the whole-roasted chiles added a nice earthy flavor, and the tomatoes and cheeses gave it that down-home stick-to-your-ribs quality that not many breakfast dishes can claim. Afterward I felt satiated, complete, and not wanting more, as I usually do after having eggs in a restaurant.
Our next dish was Eggs Oaxacoqueno (say that 3 times fast!), 2 eggs over a hand-dipped masa tortilla, with black bean paste, house-made chorizo, queso fresco, and fresh onions and cilantro. ($9.50). Again, this was not as exotic as it sounded, but the flavors were well-paired. The masa-dipped tortilla had a slightly sweet but nice corn flavor, and the black bean paste, merely a thinner version of refried beans, added interesting texture. The house-made chorizo was more finely ground than I had ever seen and was black in color, carmelized, spicy, and greasy (in a good way). Too bad it was merely sprinkled over the plate like an afterthought. We tracked down our server for a side dish of chorizo ($4.99) and added most of it to the egg dish, scooping up the rest with warm corn tortillas. Excellent!
To go with our meal I had an Xoco chocolate ($3.50), Mexican hot chocolate with a 'hint' of espresso. The chocolate had nice traces of cinnamon and vanilla but the drink as a whole lacked boldness. If there was any espresso in it at all I would've been surprised. Maybe 'hint' means they simply wave an espresso over it (!) I ordered a regular coffee to make up for my lack of caffeine but it was weak and uneventful. I think I would've been better off with a Mexican hot chocolate by itself and an espresso on the side.
Cleanliness
All restaurants in Los Angeles are rated from A to F for cleanliness. La Serenata was rated A and, so, was very clean. Bathrooms are modest, but nicely kempt.
Pros
Extensive menu, Nice quiet place to eat
Cons
Not enough chorizo on our egg dish, weak coffee.
