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<\/a>Just one area of the classy interior. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n
Its new name is Eclectic Fine Foods & Spirits, which really reflects the menu a million times better than the word “cafe” did.\u00a0 The new fare is\u00a0of the ilk you find mainly in Beverly Hills.\u00a0 (Not that that area is better<\/em> than North Hollywood; it’s just more upscale<\/em>.)\u00a0 All the dishes taste like they’re made from superior ingredients.<\/p>\n A chef I respect, (from another eatery altogether,) recommended their dinner to me, so my posse and I decided to dine there last Friday night.\u00a0 And, boy, was it delicious!\u00a0 (And we chose the right night because a live music duo made the experience extra special.\u00a0 More on them in a bit.)<\/p>\n I think by now you all know what a picky eater I am.\u00a0 I can’t tell you how many times in my life I was miserable, sitting at a restaurant that had nothing I eat.\u00a0 (Obviously, others chose those places, and I just didn’t want to make a fuss.)\u00a0 Eclectic is the opposite of that!\u00a0 Their menu features at least two dozen items I wanted to try!<\/p>\n First we chatted a bit with Don, the new owner, to learn about all the changes. Then he put us in the more-than-capable hands of Brian, perhaps my favorite waiter ever!\u00a0 He immediately brought us the hearty pieces of complementary focaccia bread that all<\/em> guests are treated to.\u00a0 It was so yummy that we didn’t even need the olive oil that comes on the side.\u00a0 Maybe that’s because, as Alice pointed-out, it was “just spiced enough on top.”<\/p>\n While we perused the big and beautiful menu, Alice and Carolyn got into some interesting cocktails.\u00a0 Alice said her Strawberry Ginger Mojito had a fun “mojito kick” with “just the right amount of strawberry.”\u00a0 (It must<\/em> have–she had two<\/em> of them!)\u00a0 Carolyn deemed her Elderflower cocktail, (which she said is similar to a martini,) to be “very smooth.”<\/p>\n The Margherita Pizza. Photo by Alice Farinas.<\/p><\/div>\n Now let’s get to my<\/em> area of expertise–the food!\u00a0 We began with the Margherita Pizza, that we all<\/em> wanted to try.\u00a0 We have four totally different tastes, so it’s a tribute to the pizza that we all really enjoyed it.\u00a0 It’s crust and taste were more like a real<\/em> pizza than the usual “boutique” ones, which was a fun surprise.<\/p>\n We had even more success with the starters we ordered. The absolute fave of all of us were the Portobello “Fries,” (which are not to be confused with the potato<\/em> variety\u2014all they have in common is the \u201cfried\u201d part.)\u00a0 They’re strips of portobello mushrooms fried in panko breadcrumbs, and Alice said they’re “killer!”\u00a0 She loved that they were “moist on the inside while crispy on the outside,” and “very flavorful.”\u00a0 While she said they were “even better with the the garlic aioli that comes on the side,” I<\/em> liked them on their own.\u00a0 That way, they’re crisper, with their own unique flavor, which is absolutely delish!!!<\/p>\n I was also nuts for the Mac ‘N’ Cheese, (which is a dryer type than usual,) especially because of the well-done pancetta, which we ordered on the side because Jeanine is a vegetarian.\u00a0 She<\/em> loved that it was \u201ccrispy,\u201d and Alice said it was “kind-of fun.”\u00a0 I<\/em> liked that it was of the baked variety rather than the liquid-y type.<\/p>\n If I lived near Eclectic, I’d go there a few times a week to have the mac dish, along with the Meatballs Marinara!\u00a0 The serving is two giant balls, which are soooo delicious!\u00a0 Putting those two “Small Plates” together makes one heck of a large one!<\/p>\n The delish Roasted Beet Salad. Photo by Alice Farinas.<\/p><\/div>\n Alice and Carolyn shared the order of two very large Crab Cakes.\u00a0 Between “OMG”s, I also made-out the words “amazing,” “delish,” light,” and “crispy” from them.<\/p>\n We all shared two salads, which were both a hit.\u00a0 Jeanine’s favorite was the Grilled Pears and Arugula Salad, which featured smoked pistachios and ricotta.\u00a0 She loved it, and especially the honey-balsamic dressing.\u00a0 Carolyn said all the ingredients were a “beautiful blend,” while Alice lauded the fact that none of them overwhelmed the others.<\/p>\n The other three of us were more in love with the Roasted Beet, which is an actual salad with<\/em> roasted beets, (as opposed to beets only<\/em>, as most beet salads are,) and includes organic goat cheese and candied walnuts.\u00a0 Alice spoke for all of us when she pointed-out that it’s the “perfect combo of sweet and salty.”\u00a0 [Note: I’m craving all<\/em> these Eclectic Fine Foods again while I’m writing this!]<\/p>\n The gorgeous Rib Eye steak. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Jeanine was done eating for the night, but we meat and seafood eaters kept going.\u00a0 (The things we do for my readers!)<\/p>\n At Brian’s suggestion, I had the very flavorful, (and sizable,) Rib Eye Steak, which comes with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and\u00a0a lovely combo of colorful veggies.\u00a0 I really appreciate that the sides come with<\/em> the entrees, as opposed to pretentious places that give you just the piece of meat or fish for the same price as Eclectic’s complete meal.\u00a0 That’s a big savings, which we all need nowadays.<\/p>\n Alice went with the Fruits de la Mer, which included jumbo prawns, pan-seared king salmon, and ahi tuna, along with cous cous and a bunch of interesting vegetables.\u00a0 She said\u00a0 it was a “great seafood medley,” with “buttery salmon” that was “flaky but not dry,” and she especially enjoyed the “larger-textured, non-grainy” cous cous.<\/p>\n The Fruit de la Mer. Photo by Alice Farinas.<\/p><\/div>\n Carolyn chose the Fresh Grilled Wild King Salmon, which is a regular item there, but the preparation<\/em> of it was from the special monthly menu.\u00a0 It came with mascarpone risotto, which I really wish I hadn’t been too full to try!\u00a0 My mouth waters just thinking about it!\u00a0 She said the whole dish was “fabulous!,\u201d with a “very rich taste.”<\/p>\n You would think that with all of that, we wouldn’t be able to try desserts this time, wouldn’t you?\u00a0 But, of course, you would be wrong.\u00a0 (We also took left-overs home, for the very purpose of trying desserts for you guys.\u00a0 Okay, and mainly for us<\/em>.)<\/p>\n The trio of delicious desserts. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Jeanine had to leave, so, since there were now three of us, we ordered three sweets, and, though we really all did savor the trio, we each had a different fave.\u00a0 Mine was, surprisingly, the cheesecake because it was made of goat cheese, which is pretty unusual.\u00a0 Carolyn lauded its “great texture,” while Alice said it was “perfectly dense,” and “packed with flavor.”\u00a0 She herself favored the very creative special dessert of the month, which was “creamy and moist” Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cream Pie, (made with cream cheese,) with pretzel crust. And Carolyn chose the “very light and tasty” Creme Br\u00fbl\u00e9e, which was really the perfect ending to the entire uber-satisfying meal.<\/p>\n A bonus was that on Friday nights, Eclectic has fabulous live music. The duo who entertained us all night was Rick Williams on sax and Robert Turner on piano.\u00a0 They played everything<\/em>, from some of my old hip-hop club favorites to a cool jazz version of the theme from MASH<\/em>!\u00a0 And made it all sound wonderful, while not being intrusive.<\/p>\n Rick Williams and Robert Turner, in action. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Even though the food and menu are definite improvements over the last incarnation of the eatery, I was happy to see that Eclectic has the same look it always did. During the day, the ambiance is light and airy, but at night, it’s dark and sultry.\u00a0 It’s actually perfectly<\/em> dark, which is good for two situations:\u00a0 romantic dates, and bad-looking ones with whom you don’t want to be seen!\u00a0 (But then, if you’re a guy, why are you spending so much money on them? That’s nice of you, at least.\u00a0 It is<\/em> great for girls, though–ask not-so-attractive blind dates to take you here!)\u00a0 It was also interesting to see that the patio area was just as happening at dinner as it is at lunch.\u00a0 And, of course, with that innovative cocktail list, the bar is the place to be, especially at Happy Hour.<\/p>\n Eclectic Fine Foods and Spirits definitely lives up to its name–the menu is, indeed, eclectic, and the food and spirits are<\/em> fine!\u00a0 You can’t go wrong with any menu items you choose there.\u00a0 Just please leave some meatballs and mac ‘n cheese for me!<\/p>\n 5156 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood\u00a0 818-760-2233\u00a0 www.theeclectic.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ECLECTIC FINE FOODS & SPIRITS I recently heard that the popular former Eclectic Cafe, which is in NoHo, (the hipster area of the Valley,) changed ownership, so I was curious to dine there once again.\u00a0 I used to have lunch there when I was more of an actress than a writer, and this was the<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>