Early or late, take comfort in the Waffle
After hours inside Amoeba Music, I had finally been able to pull my out-of-town friends away from the racks and out into the fresh air. As we crossed Sunset Boulevard at Vine, walking east, we suddenly had to ask: What’s that delicious, hungry-making smell? Maple syrup! we all blurted out at once.
And it was no olfactory hallucination. It was the Waffle, the new breakfast emporium and diner opened by Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill (and partners), who used to cook up homey diner fare at the 101 Coffee Shop on Franklin Avenue. She later opened the House (now Larchmont Grill) and was chef at the now shuttered Naya in Pasadena. With the Waffle, she’s back in Hollywood.
Homey American cooking is definitely her thing, so this should be a good fit. Given its locale, the Waffle is poised to draw in all those ravenous, club-hopping folks ready for breakfast at any hour. Or a burger. Maybe a chicken pot pie, fries, or possibly just a shake or a cup of joe.
Cozy diner, though, this is not. How do you turn a former bank into a diner? Not easily. Ceilings are high enough to accommodate trapeze artists overhead, but a small upstairs bar is snug and dim enough for night owls. Downstairs, it’s butterscotch and caramel leatherette booths, a long stretch of counter seating and, for warm weather, a patio looking onto the boulevard.
Waffles are a plus -- deep pocketed and crisp -- and come in all sorts of wacky flavors, including cornmeal jalapeno, sticky bun and chocolate. In keeping with the theme, fries are waffle fries, and could be crisper, but who’s to know under all that chili (and here it’s real chili made with long-braised meat instead of ground beef) and cheese, sawmill sausage gravy or any number of other toppings only a person with a buzz on at 3 a.m. could appreciate.
The burger, with build-it-yourself options, is pretty good, except for the too squishy bun, and comes with either fries or a fine coleslaw. Other sandwiches include corned beef and a sub-par patty melt. You can also dig into a very decent rib-eye steak for under $20, or a comforting chicken pot pie with a buttermilk biscuit crust for $11. The menu goes on and on for three, four pages, making executing it a challenge for newly hired cooks.
But, hey, you can also stop in for a delicious coffee shake for only $3. Or, if you’re that kind of girl, a cocktail -- this is one diner furnished with a full bar. And for the hordes of kids out there who are vegan, vegetarian or some combination thereof, the Waffle hears you and offers not only nondairy shakes but a good dozen vegan and vegetarian options. So everybody can find something to eat, even at 1 or 2 in the morning.
And did I mention that breakfast is served all day and all night? Those prone to severe jet lag, take note.
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THE WAFFLE
WHERE: 6255 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood.
WHEN: 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sun.-Thu., 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. Fri.-Sat.
PRICE: Waffles, $8 to $19; eggs, $6 to $11; other breakfast items, $4 to $9; sandwiches, $6 to $11; burgers, $9 to $12; vegetarian items, $9 to $10; shakes and malts, $3 to $3.50.
INFO: (323) 465-6901; www.thewaffle.us