Dinning with Grace

LITTLE FRENCHY CAFÉ

15200 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades • (310) 459-1010

By GRACE HINEY

Restaurant Editor

The Little Frenchy Café is just off Sunset in the Chase Bank building between the public parking lot and La Cruz Dr. The charming little café opened in January (replacing Naturally), and is perfect for an omelet or crepe and coffee for breakfast, or a sandwich, soup, tartine, or quiche for lunch—and desserts, too, are enticing.

The café is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Patrons may enter from Sunset, or from the parking lot side where there are a couple of tables for diners outside. These small tables and chairs also decorate the cheerful interior.

A large display case shows off the various offerings available such as the quiche and the eight salads, including a gluten-free cold pasta salad with mozzarella cheese, basil, olive oil, black olives and dried tomatoes and the Saint Tropez with brown rice, tuna, tomatoes, cucumber, corn and black olives. Salads are in the $10 to $12.50 price range with the exception of the Rivoli plate of assorted cheeses with green salad and a slice of bread ($16).

The showcase also features a fascinating display of 11 sandwiches, such as the Deauville with white bread, smoked salmon with Philadelphia cream and a green salad, or the Little Frenchy Baguette with tuna mousse, tomatoes and a green salad, or the Parisian baguette with butter, ham and Swiss cheese. The sandwiches are priced from $7.50 to $11.50.

There are also Tartines consisting of buttered country bread with ham and grilled cheese or salmon and grilled cheese, and a tuna mousse ($8.50). The Croque Monsieur French-style grilled ham and cheese sandwich that is dipped into beaten eggs before being sautéed in butter is $8.

My friend and I shared the quiche of the day which came with a salad, and an additional salad, the Berthier, which was adorned with pieces of barbecued chicken. Both generous salads of assorted greens with corn, tasty cherry tomatoes, onion and cucumber slices were excellent. Corn is not something I always think of for salads and I found it most compelling.

The chicken pieces were flavorful and the salad married beautifully with the dressing served separately. The quiche was a delicious spinach with parmesan. This large slice was fine to share and good to the last bite.

With lunch we enjoyed the green tea rather than the various coffees, hot chocolate, or milk. There are also sodas, various waters, and smoothies.

If an omelet is your thing there are four: plain, vegetable, ham and cheese ($9) and salmon ($11.50).

Naturally there are desserts from the delicious fresh fruit salad to the pastries, sweet crepes, croissants, macaroons, chocolate mousse and even a healthful tofu.

We found the cup of fresh fruit ($7) to be superb. It consisted of tasty strawberries, pieces of ripe melon and pineapple, along with grapes and walnuts. With a macaroon, this made a delightful refreshing way to end lunch. Most sweets are $5.

For breakfast that morning at home, I had enjoyed the croissant I had bought the day before, so I was looking forward to our lunch.

My reaction to our meal is “Welcome to the Palisades” to owners Sandrine