![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_7092.jpg\" "\\"IMG_7092\\"")
<\/a>Now, back to the beginning. The whole area around the caf\u00e9 is hustling and bustling–I guess that\u2019s what business districts are like. But when you walk into the caf\u00e9, it\u2019s peaceful. It has a library feel to it, with oversize chairs and couches, and no other diners on top of you. It\u2019s so comfortable that I don\u2019t know how anyone goes back to work after lunch!<\/p>\nAnd the service we had was pretty good. Dishes were bussed in a timely manner, which is always important, especially when you make the kind-of mess that we<\/em> do! And they brought us everything extra we needed, like plates and napkins, right away. We were especially fond of Angel, who took care of us with a twinkle in his eye. And we loved that John Chung, the owner, wore the same casual garb as his servers, so the whole place had a relaxed vibe.<\/p>\n Now to the \u201cgreat, varied menu,\u201d which is very affordable. All portions were quite generous, and nothing was over $11.95! (And most <\/em>were much less that that!) As usual, we had more than was necessary in order to choose favorites to recommend. I\u2019ll start with the beverages, of which this menu had more than the norm.<\/p>\n Jeanine and Caryn were thrilled with their iced teas. The latter\u2019s was made with strawberry lemonade, but she hadn\u2018t paid attention to what she was ordering. So, when Caryn asked Angel what he did to make it so good, he answered, \u201cA lotta love.\u201d What a charmer. Eadie was impressed with their extensive coffee menu, and said the basic house blend was \u201cthe most flavorful\u201d she\u2019d had \u201cin a long time.\u201d I was impressed that they have Italian sodas, (fun-flavored syrups with carbonation) which I\u2019ve enjoyed before in only specialty shops. (Order what they list as French<\/em> soda, though–it\u2019s the same as the Italian, with cream added. Yum. It\u2019s usually called \u201cItalian cream soda,\u201d if you\u2019ve had it elsewhere.)<\/p>\n This is the only Novel Caf\u00e9 location that serves the chips and salsa, so of course, it\u2019s already my favorite branch. We could not stop eating them! Seriously. I couldn\u2019t put my hands down long enough to even read the menu! But when I finally forced myself to, I was happy with everything.<\/p>\n Then she moved on to the turkey meatloaf sandwich, which was \u201ccrunchy\u201d with a \u201cnutty flavor.\u201d I couldn\u2019t try it because, even though this is considered special, it had a hard-boiled e-word in the center, which I once found out about the hard way–I had never seen meatloaf done that way until I moved to Los Angeles!<\/p>\n Jeanine\u2019s a strict vegetarian, (there should actually be no other kind than strict<\/em>, actually–I hate when people claim they\u2019re vegetarians, but then order fish<\/em>!,) and she had plenty of choices. She went with the garden burger, which was way huge, with \u201clots of stuff on top!\u201d You get to choose your bun on the burgers, and either French fries or organic mixed greens. The fries were outrageous, (ask for them crisp or well done,) especially with the aforementioned ranch dressing, of which I\u2019m dreaming as I write this!<\/p>\n On the way out, we noticed even more features of this particular location: a piano for music nights, a lobby-like lounge, a bar with big-screen TVs, and even more desserts and treats in display cases in the entrance. If they added a hotel on the premises, I could just go to my room and sleep in-between terrific meals and fun activities! Now there\u2019s something for John to think about–the Novel Hotel! Catchy.<\/p>\n 3760 Wilshire Blvd.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 213-388-3383\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 www.novelcafe.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NOVEL CAF\u00c9 \u00a0 I\u2019ve always known of the cozy-ish Novel Caf\u00e9 in Westwood, and recently learned of the other branches. On the recommendation of a new very handsome acquaintance, three friends and I had lunch at the latest one, (their ninth!), in the Wilshire business district, and now consider it a find! I\u2019ll tell you<\/p>\n<\/a>We started with two giant salads. The warm goat cheese salad featured a \u201creally good blend of greens,\u201d and we all loved it, especially the goat cheese on savory toast. The chicken, apple, and walnut salad was light and tasty, with excellent grilled chicken. Eadie liked the sweet mango dressing that came with it.<\/p>\n<\/a>[Sidebar: I was nineteen, and a couple of guy friends said they made me \u201cmeatloaf with an e-word in it.\u201d (Of course, they said the actual word because even I didn\u2019t call them \u201ce-words\u201d back then.) I was wondering why they were listing an ingredient, but figured maybe that\u2019s what people out here do. I was shocked when I bit into it and found an actual whole e-word right in the center! I was scared to eat meatloaf out here for a long time after that.]<\/p>\n<\/a>I didn\u2019t need any of Eadie\u2019s meal anyway, because I couldn\u2019t put my fork down from my own angel hair pasta with shrimp. It was delicious! Caryn said her chicken penne pasta had \u201cperfect bites of chicken,\u201d and the penne itself had a \u201cnice little crunch,\u201d (meaning it wasn\u2019t mushy, as many pastas are.)<\/p>\n<\/a>She left before dessert, which is probably why she\u2019s a size zero, but the rest of us went to town. Caryn practically wept as she ate the carrot cake, and Eadie and I had lovely red velvet cake, and the best Boston cream pie EVER!!! (Note: many of the desserts are from a major outside bakery, which Novel Caf\u00e9 proudly makes known, but I\u2019ll tell you from whence they came if ever I review the actual place.)<\/p>\n