Cafe Gratitude
639 N. Larchmont Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 580-6383
Price: $18
My foodie friend Alice recommended Cafe Gratitude, so it was a must-try for me. The name of the restaurant says it all. All the items on the menu are listed as “I am _______.” It’s a good way to try new dishes. Next time I go back to Cafe Gratitude, it’ll be likely that I order the item that matches my mood. It was my first time there and I had to ask my friendly waitress for help. I settled on:
- I Am Present: Seasonal Bruschetta – Sesame crostini with cashew mozzarella cheese, salted lemon peels, roasted pear and avocado.
- I Am Healthy: Kale, celery, cucumber and lemon juice.
Highlights:
- I Am Present: I had to ask the waitress again, what the white mousse is. It tasted so good. When she told me that it was cashew mozzarella cheese, I was a little shocked. Cashew mozzarella cheese? I forgot I was in a vegan restaurant so I looked up “cashew mozzarella cheese” and found this recipe. The salted lemon peel added a hint of freshness to the bruschetta, loved it.
- I Am Present: Also loved their sweet vinaigrette sauce!
- Environment: Very calm with its own parking lot. Thumbs up.
Disappointments:
- I Am Healthy: It’s more of a personal thing. When I think “juice,” I think something sweet. It was a surprise to me when it was salty, a little too salty for me. And thinking lemon and cucumber, I was expecting it to be a little more refreshing. I talked to a holistic nurse recently and she told me that she drinks a smoothie made of kale, cucumber, lemon–so something similar. She said her smoothie tastes good so I was keen to try the I Am Healthy juice. Again, it was a matter of personal taste. I’ll probably stick to apple juice for now.
All in all, I would go back and try some of its different items on the menu.
Happy eating,
Joey Wong ♥