Dining Review: Canyon spot is perfect for breakfast and lunch
Did you know there’s a home designed by Lloyd Wright in Glendale? I didn’t. It took a scouting trip to check out a new cafe in Chevy Chase Canyon to find out. I ended up finding a cool house and a cool restaurant.
To get there, drive up Chevy Chase Drive, under the expansive bridge of the 2 freeway, past streets with Scottish names like Leith and Laird. Follow the bucolic, winding canyon road a couple miles, passing beautiful homes and towering sycamores, oaks and pines.
Just past St. Andrews, there’s the Wright-designed Derby house with its magnificent telltale custom cement blocks. Just past the entrance to the historic Chevy Chase Golf Club, when you’ve almost reached the confluence of Chevy Chase and Linda Vista drives, pull easily into the parking lot of Wild Oak Cafe.
With its cantilevered triangular roof, this once must have been a midcentury gas station, though I can find no proof of it. I can say with certainty it was a mini-market and cafe called St. George’s until a few years ago. Recently it was revamped to become Wild Oak Cafe, a breakfast and lunch spot serving sandwiches, wraps and bowls made with high-quality ingredients and a foodie’s touch.
They make a killer breakfast sandwich here. The bread is actually a croissant baked in the shape of a square. They split and grill it for a few moments before piling on fluffy scrambled eggs, sharp cheddar and enough applewood-smoked bacon to really make a difference. It tastes like it has a zillion calories but who’s counting? Better yet, earn your calories with a brisk game of tennis at the nearby hidden Emerald Isle Park or, if you’re a member, a round of golf at the adjacent golf club.
Visiting another day for lunch, I discovered their other sandwiches are just as good. The burger ($10) is a thick juicy patty of Harris Ranch beef with cheddar, caramelized onions, poblano aioli and spicy arugula which seems to have been flash-sauteed with a lemony splash of something. The chicken sandwich goes beyond the ordinary with its plump white breast meat, garlic spread with goat cheese and tomato on a ciabatta. It’s not cheap at $14 but it comes with awesome homemade spicy potato chips and clove-scented pink pickled onions.
I’m always on the lookout for an almond croissant to match ones from a favorite bygone boulangerie. Wild Oak’s comes pretty close with its crispy ends and almond paste filling. I couldn’t hide my disappointment though with the cappuccino. The website picture shows a ceramic cup and saucer with a pretty design in the foam. I’m a sucker for foam designs. Even though I was “eating in,” my cappuccino came in a lidded cardboard cup with too much foam and no design at all. The little things make all the difference.
If you live in the neighborhood, you’ll be happy to have a spot to grab a cup of Peet’s coffee without having to go down the hill. It’s also a handy place to pick up some upscale convenience store items like a six-pack of Stone IPA or Rockenwagner granola and almond milk for breakfast.
If you don’t live in the neighborhood, I suggest you discover this gem of a Glendale canyon. Drop in for a tasty bite in a peaceful setting and revel in the local nature and architecture.
What: Wild Oak Cafe
Where: 3111 E. Chevy Chase Dr., Glendale
When: Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Prices: breakfast and lunch, $8 to $14
Contact: (818) 240-0792; www.wildoakcafe.com
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LISA DUPUY welcomes comments and suggestions at LDupuy@aol.com.