Dining out
Annie Bettelli
GLENDALE -- On the assumption that everybody knows about Crocodile
Cafe, I have avoided reviewing it all this time and almost forgot how
really good this place is.
So for all of you who have never experienced its original and eclectic
cuisine, Crocodile Cafe should be on your list of one of the better
restaurants in our area.
The atmosphere is bright, colorful and casual with a whimsical sort of
decor. The service is friendly and attentive, and the menu offers a
delightful mishmash of flavors and entrees from pizza to pasta and
chicken to seafood.
An excellent starter is the crab cake appetizer ($7.95). It offers two
large pan-fried patties made with chunks of fresh crab and seasonings
served with a mildly spicy mango-chili sauce and jicama daikon salad.
I was most impressed with the herb crusted salmon with tiger shrimp
salad ($9.75). Served cold, this is one of the best tasting pieces of
salmon I’ve ever tried. Also served with fat stalks of tender-crisp
asparagus, red onion and tomato tossed in a flavorful balsamic vinegar
dressing, this is not your average boring salad.
The jambalaya fettuccini ($11.95) is a generous bowl of pasta made
with shrimp, sausage, chicken and vegetables coated with a spicy gumbo.
I eagerly dived into this dish and loved the initial burst of flavor
from the chili sauce and cayenne pepper, but about halfway through, it
became almost too spicy for me to finish.
Crocodile Cafe has another location in Burbank at 201 N. San Fernando
Blvd., at the corner of Orange Grove Avenue near the AMC Theaters.
ANNIE BETTELLI welcomes requests. Send correspondence in care of the
News-Press/Leader to 111 W. Wilson Ave., Suite 200, Glendale 91203 or
contact her directly via e-mail at BERIES@aol.com. Her column appears
each Wednesday.
IF YOU GO
*WHERE: Crocodile Cafe, 626 N. Central Ave., Glendale.
*PHONE: 241-1114.
*LIQUOR: Full bar.
*HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday.
*PRICES: $6.75 to $16.75.