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Categories: American (New), Cajun/Creole, Tapas Bars [Edit]
1009 El Centro St
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My friend suggested this place and was more than happy to try this restaurant. We met up here on a Tuesday night and was the first patrons there. The decor was totally different from what I had expected. The restaurant was under a large tent.
They serve bread and butter with cranberries. The bread was a bit too crumbly and match that with the butter that was still hard didn't work together well.
I ordered the Pecan Coated Catfish that comes with sweet potato-andouille hash, firefly collard greens and mustard pan sauce. The catfish was good, extremely good. Everything complimented so well with the fish, I had to remember myself to save some to take home so I can have my bf try it. (he enjoyed it very much) My friend took out a coupon from http://restaurants.com, so our bill ended up being only $14. That's a deal!!
Side note: The night we were there, it was when the weather was weird. It was super cold and windy that night. So i was a bit nervous hearing all the noise from the tent while we were eating. After the waiter lit all the tealight candles on the tables. The electricity went out. The weird part was that only a few switches were working, but not to it's full power. So for almost the whole night, my friend and I ate in the dark. It was pretty romantic and no one in the restaurant minded. They were still able to cook too. We totally thought it was a truly memorable night.
Girlfriend told me about Burgers, Beer and Blues at Firefly on Thursday nights. She's on their email list. We took the Gold Line to Mission Station and wandered around the farmers' market for a bit--that's a weekly event in South Pas and the train drops you right off where the tarps start lining up. Taking the train is also a great idea if you plan to imbibe, I'm just sayin'. As long as you can stagger back up the platform, you're good to go.
We've been to Firefly before for tapas. The dining room is a big tent, but it has a nice garden setting. The owner, Carl, took our drink order. I got a big bottle of Affligem Tripel. It's a delicious Belgian ale brewed by Trappist monks. The whole bottle was only twelve bucks. That's a pretty good deal, since most places usually sell a single glass of similar brew for $8 to $10. Heck a bottle of Chimay will set you back about the same at the grocery store. Girlfriend ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio.
For dinner we both ordered the classic burger with cheese and grilled red onions. The service was spotless and we very much enjoyed the blues provided by Barry "BigB" Brenner. Girlfriend was much impressed by his aptitude on the National Guitar. Cool.
The burgers were absolutely the BEST: handmade patties, grilled to perfection. Mine was medium and Girlfriend got her's well-done. Both were cooked to our specifications and were exceptionally juicy and flavorful. They came served with a fist full of shoestring fries.
For desert, we ordered the $5 apple cobbler. It was delicious and big enough to share. Tasty, crispy apple slices and nice, big crumble chunks. It doesn't get much better, I'm telling you. Oh, wait, it does. The cobbler came topped with vanilla bean ice cream. That's good stuff, Maynard.
Really, what an exceptional Thursday, payday night out. I can't think of a single thing that wasn't top notch. Thanks, Firefly, we'll be back next Thursday!
Really good local spot, kind of hidden away and unless you know it's there you probably won't know it's there.
Have only had lunch items, the burger and pulled pork sandwich. Both are phenomenal!! Seriously, their burger is probably the best of its kind you will find within a 10 mi radius. All of the ingredients taste very fresh and you can tell they don't use a lot of canned/frozen product. The "homestyle" potatoes that come as a side are also great, really simple but full of good flavor. Pulled pork has a a good sauce, a little on the sweet side, but it's also tops.
Will have to come back and try their dinners. The owner has been there when we ate and he is very friendly, in a non-obtrusive way, and makes sure your experience there was to your liking. Great local place that is worth driving to for non-locals.
This place gets three stars because the service is OK. Our bus boy was on drugs or something. dropping plates and it felt like almost 10mintues before we got water refills after asking for water more than three times. The food is overpriced for what you get. My husband had the samosas. If you like spicy then this is for you. They were good but not thing out of this world. I had the Thai Mushroom salad, for almost 9 dollars so overpriced, so overpriced. My husband ordered the White sangria ($5.00 for glass) this was a better deal than my salad...LOL
I did like that one of the owners was walking around greeting people and he did come and check on us. They also have live music, one of those singers that sounds like a high pitched cat but add some flavor to their voice to disguise that they can sing. She was OK, decent for the background noise, not anything to rave about.
Great atmosphere, but be prepared for really heavy food and dollar refills on Soda. Who *does* that anymore?? Dollar refills on soda? Really??
Appetizers
The TINIEST Samosas I've EVER seen!
(And I've eaten at dozens of Indian restaurants)
They were yummy tho, as were the Spicy Butternut Squash (fried) Donuts. Very yummy. There were four of us, and the appetizers are not geared toward 4, so we had to order extra ($).
The Jerk Chicken entree had great flavor, but the restaurant is so dark (tho pretty with twinkling lights) it was really hard to see what I was eating. It just looked like a dark mess! A little disconcerting.
Their mac-n-cheese accompanying the chicken in a TINY CUP... was very delicious though. Again, tiny portion.
We all enjoyed the appetizers more than the entrees.
Wait staff was very friendly.
I think I'd have just liked more variety. Overall, I don't think I'd go again because of the heaviness of the food, the tininess of portions and the ridiculous dollar refills on soda. That's just my preference though.
i really wanted to like you, firefly, really i did. arrived on a thursday night and easily found parking space even with farmers' market still active... yay. friendly service, another yay. beautiful, relaxed yet classy atmosphere, yay again. and, wow, $10 for a hamburger, including a vegetarian option, woo hoo!
we started with the butternut squash donuts - perfectly hot and crispy on the outside, deliciously chewy and slightly sweet on the inside - perfect (3 to a plate). HOWEVER, then my veggie hamburger came out. the patty was mushy and bland and i couldn't even taste the eggplant since the lemon cream sauce completely overwhelmed the dish. and the fries - forgettable steak fries (not even crispy nor flavored). i'm a hungry girl and i didn't even manage, nor want to manage, finishing my plate or even taking it home.
and worst off, the next morning, i realized i had food poisoning. le sigh - oh firefly, with all of your potential, why ruin it with the burger??
my ultimate recommendation: i'd get 'em a try again (a great place for a romantic dinner and for our relatively large 8-party table they handled us with ease and didn't kick us out even though we stayed 'till closing) but i'd recommend ordering from the traditional menu (tapas). oh, and for larger groups, be warned: automatic 20% gratuity.
my boo & i kame around 7 and found free parking on the street (east side of merdian ave just north of el centro st)
we were seated right away...fairly empty place ...yes it is in a tent...yes there are flies...my boi saw a spider on our table & an ant on his hand
started out with free bread
white & multigrain with butter (sun dried tomatoes & garlic in it)
as others yelpers said...these items kame cold & it's not easy to spread cold butter on cold bread...the multigrain bread however had something i loved and with the butter it was even better! wait till mid meal and the butter will b spreadable...they refilled our basket too
we got the
all american steak $28.50...it's weird, he ordered it medium but it kame partly burnt...some parts were med well & others well done but he did like the Firefly A1 sauce...overall a good package but the bacon on top which looked to b in a tempura batter was too salty
Gazpacho $7...complex flavor but just ok...u kan see that the chef tries but i'd have to say he didn't succeed
we also used a http://restaurant.com certif that's $25 off $35 + 18% gratuity but our server did not add gratuity so our total bill was only $11.52
Service was excellent
the atmosphere...a bit like sittin in a tent in a jungle
The food here is great! I love cajun/creole inspired dishes as this is a dying trend in Los Angeles.
The pecan catfish was excellent. I've never had catfish melt in my mouth and this dish delivers.
The sea bass was decent, a little overcooked for me. My gf thought that it was too fishy...
The crawfish etoufee was good, a little bit too sweet though.
If it wasn't for the price of the food here, I'd be here at least once a week! Don't get me wrong, it's decently priced for the great food you get ... time to win the lotto!
Totally YUM!
I'd like to also add that we had a very cute, friendly, helpful waiter.
My fiance and I had brunch at Firefly along with a friend of ours we were visiting. We came from NY and had high expectations for a sort of California Mex fusion brunch. We were not disappointed! I had the Dungeness Crab, Roasted Corn and Black Bean Chile Rellenos - the waiter's suggestion. It was a DELICIOUS and wonderful combination. I only wish I had actually noticed the crab meat!
My fiance had the Tortilla Flats. He thought they were good but maybe a little too sweet for a meal. The taste I had was bueno! We ordered a side of potatoes after sampling our friend's - yummy!!! The drinks we had were all delicious as well. I had a wonderful bellini and a cup of coffee. I was surprised that the place doesn't have a liquor license but has 'liquor' drinks on the menu. Apparently they make them with wine instead. My fiance's mojito was very tasty either way. I would definitely go back the next time I'm in CA! The ambiance is very summertime wedding without the snobbery.
Firefly Bistro has nothing to do with French fast food. It is however located a few block from the snooty Bistro La Gare. At the Firefly you may be greeted as you enter the tent by the manager in his Hawaiian shirt - so the dress is casual. Yes, a tent, as in circus, but the ambiance works, just like the Twin Palms.
The service and the menu are a different story.
The service, in a word in anemic. The chef-on-meth has produced a cacaphony of traditional entrees combined with bi-polar produce that, for me, does not work. Catfish for instance is sealed in a "Pecan Caramel Crust" but according to the manager is not "fusion" but "true to regional cuisine" Still looking for the hushpuppies and true dirty rice. The wine list is short and sweet without a single french rose (as in Bistro) for the hot summer mohths.
I think this place is overrated. Cute ambiance, nice neighborhood, yummy butternut squash doughnuts. That's pretty much it in terms of reasons to go. The bread was cold, the service was okay, and the food was non-descript.
to be honest, writing this update pains me. the ambiance at firefly still makes it one of those special places, located in the quaint part of old pasadena. the uniquely casual and comfortable outdoor seating under the tent lets in soothing summer evening breezes, and the friendly, cheerful staff feel like they're welcoming you into their home.
unfortunately, while i love that the food is made from fresh, seasonal ingredients and the chef certainly has a flair for innovation when combining flavors and textures, some of those combinations are actually off-putting, perhaps due to poor execution.
finishing off a fun and jampacked weekend, my friend and i ordered a few dishes to share:
Spicy Butternut Squash Doughnuts with toasted walnut-madras curry dip and oregano honey - i didn't realize this before, but the chef really likes to combine flavors and textures. and i mean REALLY likes to. the doughnuts were actually well fried, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. perhaps a bit dense in texture though. the oregano honey drizzled across the plate would actually have been enough garnish. the walnut-madras curry dip just made the dish too complicated. one or the other would have sufficed.
Crispy Lamb Shoulder with a poached egg, mashed eggplant and tomato salad, and black olive puree - this dish had the most potential, but i felt like it was let down by the execution. here again, the chef got a bit carried away with the flavor combinations. the poached egg was utter overkill, the richness of it overwhelming what was already a rich dish. thank goodness for the olive puree for a bit of acid and brightness. the lamb shoulder was braised, very tender, and had nicely subtle middle-eastern flavors, but was let down by the soggy coating. if the coating had been crispy, it would have leant the dish some much-needed texture, because the mashed eggplant and tomato salad were a soggy, flavorless mess.
Dry Chili Marinated New York Steak with drunken potatoes, baby carrots, crispy onions, and a Latin steak Diane sauce - tough, overcooked steak (we had to send the first one back because it was even worse); soggy, tough fried onions; soggy overcooked carrots and potatoes; and a huge pool of cloyingly sweet sauce. a meat and potatoes dish that even the simonster didn't enjoy, which i thought was damn-near impossible.
the restaurant was mostly empty, so the poor execution can't be blamed on the kitchen being too busy.
such a shame, because i really love going to firefly and relaxing over a pitcher of their delicious red or white sangria on a nice summer night. hopefully the chefs/owners will take this feedback as constructive and further hone their recipes and execution.
downgraded to 2 stars for the food, plus one star for the ambiance.
I'll be the first to admit that the quaintess of this place is really what keeps me coming back.… Read more »
There was absolutely nobody at Firefly when I entered the restaurant on a Tuesday night at 7pm. I was sort of confused because it looked like a nice place - very quaint and romantic. However, after my dinner, I could see why this was the case.
The food was mediocre and not worth the price. We got 2 entrees and an appetizer. The appetizer were the Spicy Butternut Squash Doughnuts. They are hard to describe, but probably the best thing on the menu. Unique, sweet, and tasty...
The bread was cold and bland. Thank goodness there was good seasoned butter to go with it.
My entree was the Pecan Coated Catfish. The catfish was done nicely. I like when catfish doesn't smell like catfish. The sauce wasn't overpowering and the fish was over a bed of collard greens that didn't take away from the fish (which is good).
My friend's entree was the Grilled Pork Chop. The pork chop itself was cooked nicely, still juicy and tender. Mm. I liked the asparagus wrapped in bacon. The biscuit that was there was way tooooo salty and dense. My friend commented that the each part of the plate had intense flavors which turned him off.
Our meal was $55. We only came here because of our http://Restaurant.com coupon, so our meal was really just $30 bucks. I'd still wouldn't come back with the coupon because it wasn't very good or exciting. Also I got a couple of mosquito bites. :(
We got a gift certificate for this restaurant, and saw so many great reviews about this place, so we were very happy to come to eat dinner. It was last Halloween night. The restaurant was very empty. We were quickly seated, and the food came very quick too. But the portion was so small. We ordered one appetizer, two entrees. My entree was some kind of thai seafood stew, and it was so salty to the point that it was not eatable at all. I ended up eating bread for the entire dinner, and threw away the whole entree. My husband ordered pork chop, and it was very tiny amount and very tasteless. Neither of us had enough for dinner, so we walked to a nearby cafe to have another sandwich.
Since we still have left over money in our gift certificate, we went there again for brunch. And again, the food was very so so, and the amount was tiny. This place definitely does not live up to the reputation.
Came here for brunch after visiting the hair salon next door (Ecco, and it's a good place).
Prices are reasonable for what's included. The food was not bad but I felt that our waiter was a little slow in taking our order or filling our water. There were only 2 tables including ours at the time. But it wasn't bad service, it was just a little slow for me personally seeing that there really weren't alot on their plates at the time.
This restaurant's not bad, it's average for what it's trying to be. Perhaps dinner will be better but I'll have to try.
I've been here a few times in the last few years: once for brunch and twice for dinner. The first time I came here I was with my in-laws, including my bro-in-law, his wife and their daughter. The food was very good and carefully prepared, but what also impressed me was their attention to my niece's needs. They created chicken skewers for her with a side of broccoli. So even though the atmosphere of the restaurant is sophisticated (somewhat) they still took the time out to recognize their little patrons.
My second visit to Firefly was for mother's day (or was it Easter) brunch with my family. We made reservations and were promptly seated. The champagne brunch was delicious. I'm not sure why I haven't been back since...it was that good.
The other night my colleagues and I celebrated the holidays/New Year at Firefly and it was the perfect ambiance for a circle of good friends and co-workers to join together and enjoy wine, appetizers, entrees and dessert. We decided to share everything "family style," which is my favorite approach to eating because you get to sample a little bit of everything! We started off with the lamb meatballs, spiced similarly to a curry/Indian seasoning; sweet potato doughnuts, which were sweet but had a nice spicy kick to them; and grilled shrimp arranged with arugula. All of the appetizers were perfect!
For the main course, we selected the "pizza," which was a flat bread with grilled veggies and greens on top. The crust had a nice crunch and the fresh and grilled veggies complemented the crunch. We also ordered the seafood stew, and asparagus dish (fried asparagus-can't remember the name of the dish) and the crab salad and an additional salad sans the seafood for our shellfish-allergic friend. EVERYTHING was so good. A perfect blend of a bit of savory, some spiciness and even a little sweetness.
But it didn't end there. For our final course we moved on to banana creme brule pudding, flan and chocolate beniets. All to die for! A few of us even sipped on chocolate port.
Firefly, something about the name already has me buzzing. Maybe its that romantic image from when you were a kid, chilling in a field during summer, or cause of that awesome Joss Whedon tv series, but the name already had me hooked.
The atmosphere is cozy as its tucked away on a side street at the end of El Centro. I had to drive by a few times before I finally realized where it was. But I think once you find it, you'll find the mysterious setting to be a plus.
Its quiet and relaxed, and an ideal way to spend a sunday afternoon. There's the guy that looks like Burts' Bees, playing his guitar, a soulful country, cajun mix of songs, that just sounds so chill. The atmosphere all times hasn't been that buzzin', so you can carry on a nice conversation.
As for the food, I had the cajun chicken the first time which was way too hot, and then just good old omelette the next time, which really hit the spot. Ample portions, right amount of seasoning, and just juicy juicy meat made for a great meal.
Definitely would come again
I love how this restaurant is actually outdoors.
Came here on Sunday for brunch around 2 and it was pretty empty.
We got seated right away. It was so cozy and cute! The place was actually warm considering it was Dec and we were technically in a patio.
FoOoOd:
Goddess Omelet- Artichoke, asparagus, and gruyere cheese. It came with a side of home-fries and some grits.
The omelet needed more seasoning and the home-fries were okay, it needed the onions and peppers. The grits were good, so buttery delicious.
Italian Benedict- Eggs were poached perfectly, but the polenta cake wasn't so great.
Overall, I wasn't wowed with their brunch menu, but I would come back during the week to check out their regular menu.
oOOh yea, there's live music too. It was some folksy unshaven guy in what looked like overalls. Not really my taste, maybe it was because I felt like he was going to go around asking for spare change so he could get a 40 after he's done . . . . just being honest.
Real people keeping it "real" by writing real reviews.
*Nice romantic location, away from the touristy Colorado blvd. Could be a little hard to find though, just look for those Christmas light.
*I've been here 4 or 5 times. They are known for the Catfish and Shimp+grits. But, honestly, their other seasonal menu items are actually better.
*Roasted Lamb with Pear and Celery puree was a very impressive and memorable dish. The meat falls right off from the bone, no gamy taste. Celery puree was delicious and compliments well.
*The service is friendly but the cooking time is pretty long.. in fact, very very even for a relatively slow night.
We decided to try this place at the very last min. We were tired and hungry on a Sunday night and wanted good food and service close to our home. My bf had been there once or twice already so he suggested it. The restaurant is on a little street, away from all the noise. We were greeted by a really nice waitress and was seated promptly without reservation. The menu is very simple. I tried the prime-rib....I think they change the menu according to season or something since I couldn't find it on the menu online just now....hmm.. Anyway, it was delicious! It was prepared very differently from Lowry's Restaurant in Beverly Hills. If you like prime rib, you should try this place.
*Food = YUM!
*Portion = amazing!
*Service = average
*Ambiance = if you want nice atmosphere, try going at night. They decorated the place very cleverly.
I keep thinking I must have come on an off-night...
I saved this place to go with a group of friends because of all the great reviews... And man, I was so disappointed...
1- the waiter was truly unhelpful, he recommended the donuts, but otherwise, said that he hadn't tried any of the other dishes. Never good when the waiter doesn't eat the food at his own place...
2- we got the shrimp and grits- and were not warned that the grits are soupy... Thin and soupy... the ham in the descriptor made me think that the grits would at least have more flavor, but no...
3- we got the curry- and believe it or not it was like a curry soup... Thin and soupy, with curry coloring and curry inspired flavro...
4- the steak was megh
5- for a mac-n-cheese lover, it was disappointing- lumpy, flat-tasting, pasta a little overcooked..
In the end, I had to agree with the waiter, the only thing I could recommend were the donuts. All in all, I get more and more disappointed when I think about that meal... I don't even want to talk about it anymore :(
Firefly is indeed located in a tent structure; so it can get a bit chilly. We walked in on a Friday around 7pm without a reservation and were seated promptly. The server told us that the menu changes each season, yet they were still serving the winter menu. The shrimp and grits is always on the menu though since that's a popular item. The server brought us bread; even though it was cold, the seasoned butter that it came with was amazing; it had a nice smokey flavor to it that went well with all the dishes we ordered.
We started off with the highly raved squash dumpling, and I think that is the one dish that would make me pay a second visit. Unfortunately, the entrees were not up to par. The shrimp and grits was ok; the shrimp was succulent, but the grits was overly creamy and buttery. It was a bit gross actually and was unpleasant to look at. The catfish with mustard sauce was good, but it was nothing amazing. The pork shoulder tasted like bacon, and it was not impressive. For dessert, we ended with the cranberry cobbler, which was unique with the basil ice cream.
I am interested in trying the flank steak and the duck next time; but I will definitely not be ordering the shrimp or the pork.
Brunch at Firefly is one of my favorite things in LA.
The entire restaurant is under a big tent, and on Saturdays and Sundays your meal is accompanied by blues musician Barry "Big B" Brenner, who will totally rock your socks off. (Not to mention he's incredibly gracious and will remember you if you come more than once.) It's such a pleasant atmosphere that I think I'd enjoy it even if the food wasn't delightful - but thankfully, it is. I love breakfast with a southwestern flavor, so I tend to order either the Chile Rellenos, the Huevos Rancheros, or the Crab Hash, all of which taste farmer's market fresh. And the sangrias are a perfect way to top off the meal (duh).
Though I usually go for brunch, dinner is quite good, too. I haven't had much off the current Summer menu, but there was seafood and dumpling curry dish earlier in the year that I still dream about. Maybe it will come back? A girl can dream...
1. Popped in for a late Friday night dinner and the place smelled great and wasn't too crowded. Got a cozy little date-night table. PLUS
2. They were out of about 4 things on the menu and it just so happened to be things we kidn of wanted to try. MINUS
3. Ordered the "specialty" Shrimp & Grits. Boyfriend got the Catfish. He really liked his, I really didn't like mine. EVEN
4. Ordered the chocolate Bengiets to finish the meal off nicely and they were great! PLUS
Overall, they forgot about my iced tea a lot and because it was late and they were closing I think we got left a little while they did their closing duties rather than attending to us. Said they closed at 10:00pm. We were the last folks out and we walked out around 10:05pm so we couldn't have ruined their Friday night too badly.
I would go back, but I would not take their word about certain dishes being house specialties. They were friendly, but seemed to ignore us a tad.
Having read many others' glowing reviews, i came to Firefly with high expectations.
And in fact, there are the lovely pleasures of a nice relaxing dimly lit ambience (though regarding table comfort, even our server admitted, in an apologetic tone, that the tables for two are woefully small for more than 2 small dishes), as well as either a live strumming bossa-nova meets beatles covers folkie, or piped in classic jazz.
That's about where my superlatives end for Firefly. Believe me, I thought about being as open-minded as possible, but ultimately, i've just gotta rail on the food for a bit to reflect my strong disappointment:
--the appetizers
1. The Red Chile (as in spice) --Rock Shrimp Soup with Nopalitos (cactus bits) and spinach. YES! of course it sounds delicious, it jumped out at me.
And being a soup/stewhead, i just had to order it.
well, i very depressed after eating this appie. I mean, i really hate to be harsh, but herein lies the problem. virtually every ingredient fell short, thus so did the dish--
Rock Shrimp--i expected some medium size half slices of fresh shrimp, only a few slices would be fine. instead, what i got were several small uniformly shaped 'rock shrimp' which looked like they came right out of a can or from a supermarket or sumthin. translation=not fresh!
Spinach--leaves and stems, did not work in the soup. leaves alone would have been fine
Nopalitos--give me a break! i love cactus and these tiny little bits were not crunchy and did not have any real tangy goodness. partially b/c they were microscopic in size. sad.
Red Chiles--hulloooo? where is the spice, yo? i mean, i tasted virtually no red chile.
And overall, there were two flavors at play. usually, this makes for good eatin e.g.--sweet and spicy, sweet and sour, etc... HOWEVER, the two flavors here were: 1. Very Salty 2. Very oily. So much so, that as i let the soup sit for less than a minute while chatting, I then looked down to see the oil slick separating before my eyes, a swirling mass of congealing oil. ugh. this was just one tasteless brew!
2. Gingered Crab and 'Crispy Scallion' Salad--
Ok, once again, let's break it down to the elemental ingredients---
Crab--did not taste fresh
'Crispy Scallion'--there was one long scallion tempura piece that was virtually impossible to cut with the dull knives, so we had to pick it up with our hands to eat. Breading was not crispy/crunchy, but more chewy and dry, not a pleasant tempura experience.
Sweet Chili Drizzle?--umm, once again there was nothing sweet about this dish. it was once again overwhelmed by saltiness, and the combo of the cabbage with the mushy pumpkin just did not seem to go together
3. Spicy Catalan Lamb Meatballs--our server asked us if we could take this appetizer with the meal (we ordered the Duck entree to share), due to the small tabletop area.
Upon digging into this dish, it became readily apparent that this dish was a salt-o-thon of flavor as well, And the lamb meatballs were,well, not of the most robust taste.
4. Pan Seared Duck Breast--This was the only semi-bright spot on the menu, tastewise. The duck was cooked quite well, with the center being slightly pink and the meat was tender. However, the chef(s) seem to have forgotten to spot-sear the duck skin so it had that crispy/slightly chewy texture clinging closely to the meat. Instead, the skin was quite rubbery and a bit hard as well, did not seem like an edible component of the food.
What's more, the 'red beet hash browns' and onion/pecan glop did nothing to enhance the flavor of the dish, and in fact it was another case of oversalting that at least kept the theme consistent!
well, there you have it. it is rare i go this harsh on a place, but i really think they need to re-visit/re-evaluate their menu which shows well on paper, but fails to deliver the mix of spices and flavor they are claiming on it.
Leaving out a host of flavor interplay (sweet, tangy, spicy) despite billing it as such, and improper prep of the food resulted in a disappointing final product.
Firefly Bistro, you've left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Hopefully you can quash the tidal wave of misrepresentin' in 'flavor' of the Change We Need!
The decor is almost charming. It is a tent with white lights stringed about it. Would be cuter if it were a friends patio. That being said, I do love eating outside.
The food was interesting. The menu and flavors were exotic. Too exotic for me. The flavors were strong and competed with each other for my tastes.
If you're looking for a romantic place to eat, this is the place to go. Very quaint, small, mellow, dimmely lit, lantern hanging artsy-fartsy decor, you'll want to do nothing but stare into each other's eyes, holding hands across the table while listening to the hippy musician play her love songs in the background.
Unfortunately (or fortunately...depending on how you look at it), I didn't come here on a date. Rather, I came here to catch up with a good friend whom I haven't seen in 6 friggin years! We've heard good things about this place (well, he suggested it, saying that it was the only good place to eat in South Pas) so we decided to give this baby a try. It was a little weird at first when we were treated as a couple by the hostess, but we laughed it off and got over it.
We came on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm for dinner. The night we went, we were told that they were transitioning their menu from Summer to Fall (I guess their menus change depending on the season). The appetizer menu was from Summer and the Entree menu was for Fall. The waitress had not tried anything on the Fall menu and couldn't recommend us anything, so we each blindly chose an entree based solely on the description of the item. Thanks to Yelp, we confidently ordered off the summer menu their "most popular appetizer", the Butternut Squash Donuts. For our entree, I ordered the Seafood Curry Stew and my friend ordered the Macho Man Ribeye. Here's what we thought:
Butternut squash donuts: It was..........unique. We neither liked it nor disliked it. All we had to say was that it was unique. The donuts looked like fried potato balls and it came with a complimenting sauce. The texture was that of a donut, but it was spicy. I guess it took us some time to get used to it since it the combination of texture and taste didn't go right together. I say give it a try, just so you know what I'm talking about.
Seafood curry stew: The reason I chose this dish was because it had saffron in it and I LOVE saffron. There was definitely a lot of seafood in it (fish, mussels, shrimp, squid) and some potatoes, too, though I couldn't tell what was what until I bit into it (thanks to the dim lights). The dish would have gone great with a side of white rice (I associate curry with white rice) since it was a little on the saltier side, but overall not too bad.
Macho man rib eye: According to my friend, it was only okay. I guess it wasn't macho enough in taste for him. Har har har. It didn't pack a punch in his mouth. A-har har har. Okay...enough with my jokes. He said it tasted like any ordinary rib eye. The chef later came out to greet us and asked us on our opinion of the food. He said that there was jalepeno or some kind of pepper that was added to the rib eye and he thought it would be too spicy for the average eater (though he made it a point to tell us that he can eat extremely spicy foods with no problem). My friend said it was just the right amount of spice and we let the chef off on his merry way.
None of the desserts looked appealing to us, so we just left it at that.
The price was decent, the service was good, and the atmosphere was nice. The food was so-so. I would recommend this place only if you're looking for an extremely quiet and intimate meal with a hot date. =)
So the place seems to be stashed away meaning it's not located in a very open spot. The restaurant is nice, cozy, and has a good romantic atmosphere. Came here on Valentine's day with the girlfriend. The prix fixed menu was very good although I wish the menu was a bit more clear as we had ordered all vegetarian meals instead of other items we wanted though it wasn't entirely their fault.
The owner is very friendly as are the waiters and other employees. The dinner was cooked very well especially the confit of quail. $100 for a couple, and I felt as though the meals were worth it. This is a nice casual romantic spot to take someone that's away from all the heavy traffic and cluttered feeling of the city such as downtown L.A.
Been back three times now. Twice for bruch. The fried chicken paillard is amazing. AMAZING. So it's an easy five for the brunch situation. I crave that meal more than good eggs bennedict now.
Also went back for dinner. New deserts. I got the pumpkin tart and my buddy got the cranberry and pear crisp. Complete win. This is still with the summer menu mind you, though it seemed like the fall deserts. I can't wait for what they come up with for the fall menu.
Hopefully that chicken stays around for brunch.
Solid four stars. Great ambiance. Good like, third date spot.
Got the donuts as an appetizer and…
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We came here one Saturday for brunch. My wife had been there once before years ago and really liked it. We were surprised to find only a couple of tables occupied. Had we just walked in out of the blue, we would've been concerned. The decor was quaint and charming in a shabby kind of way but not upscale.
The menu was unique, which was just what we were looking for. We had a crab hash with poached eggs and crab chile relleno ranchero, with a side of grits. It was all delicious and the portions ample. There was even a musician playing holiday selections.
This is a nice place for a slow place relaxing lunch and without the crowd.
Firefly is a nice little place. I'd say a good place to go for a romantic date. Its dimly lit and is an outdoor restaurant covered by a tent. I was a little cold however. There was also a lady playing a guitar singing love songs. Good place for a date :] Its casual and cozy.
The service was very good. Whenever we ran low on drinks they'd come around for a refill, and when there was no more bread they'd bring more. Very friendly and helpful on explaining menu items also.
The food tasted great, but for the price you're paying you don't really get that much. I went on tapas night (every thursday is tapas night) and they're little plates of food. We ordered the fish, dirty rice, and tomato salad. They were basically on bread plates, very small, but I also ordered fried chicken with macaroni and I only had two pieces of chicken and a very small bowl of macaroni. A little disappointed with it's size but the taste made up for it.
Cute restaurant, friendly people, good food - but the service, OMG, sooooo slow! And, although the food is yummy, the consistency of portions should be looked at: husband and niece ordered same dessert: husband got about 6 strawberries, niece got about 12 ... oh, and one would think the "special" would include RIPE peaches, not crunchy, hard, unripe peaches - but that's just me. If service doesn't matter to much, and you want some yummy food in a friendly atmosphere - give it a try!
I came here with 5 of my friends and we were lucky enough to find free street parking literally RIGHT in front of the restaurant! The restaurant has lights up and it's super cute! It's kind of outdoors/under a tent but the ambience is still very nice. We sat near a heated lamp too so we were very warm despite the fact it was a cold night in December.
Right next to us, a wedding reception was going on so it was really loud. I think that's why the service was pretty bad. We waited almost an HOUR for our food to come out! But the owner himself came to apologize, hooked us up with tons of bread (although it was really cold), and he personally served us our food. I ordered the Lemon Grass Scented Game Hen which was overall pretty good.It came with Malaysian noodles under it which were extremely salty but it kind of balanced out the chicken which was a little plain.
Overall this is a cute place. Come here on a date! If the food and service were just a little better, I would have given it 4 stars.
This place is amazing! My husband and I have spent both New Year's Eve and our anniversary at this restaurant and it has never disappointed us. The food is spectacular fusion with both Asian and French influences. They have a great wine list as well as a fun cocktail menu.
I love the whole vibe of eating inside a tent! Lotsa of fun with plenty of space heaters and lights strung through out. Very romantic indeed!
We stumbled upon this romantic, cozy tented venue and thought we'd try it out. The atmosphere was lovely, twinkle lights all over the restaurant and the feel of sitting outside under a tent was unique.
The menu looked a lot better than it tasted. I'll leave it at that. We won't be going back and spending our money there again, unless they revamp the menu and get a new chef.
Clearly, this place doesn't need my positive review, but I wanted to simply say how outrageously delicious and romantic this place is. i went there for brunch today and got their Green Goddess Omlette with grueyere grits!!!! OMGGG the grueyere grits were TO DIE FOR! The grits had the perfect amount of heat/spiciness to them as well which complemented the cheese. I was so sad when my stomach told me to stop. The omlette was stuffed with artichoke hearts, asparagus, spinach and more grueyere! It was hearty and I felt good about getting my greens in.
I also got a buscuit which sounded good at the time but sadly it was the only thing that wasn't as good. It was hard and not full of much flavor. I suspect that they used real butter to make them instead of shortening. Oh well, they tried.
I'm also seriously considering having my wedding reception here. The huge tent can hold 120 people and if the price is right, I'm SO gonna do it. Now I just have to get freakin engaged...
We made a last-minute decision to have dinner here -- we were looking for a place with outdoor seating because we wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather that day. Though not technically outdoors (the restaurant is inside a big tentlike structure), it suited us just fine. The service was good but a bit awkward at times.
We started with a mojito (blah), a Belgian beer called "Abt" (excellent), and the spicy squash dumplings. The dumplings were delicious and unique, and the accompanying oregano honey was simply amazing (we pretty much licked the plate clean of any traces of honey).
For dinner, I had soup and salad because I wasn't in the mood for any of the entrees, which looked too heavy. The tomato and white bean soup was tasty but way too salty; it came with two mini triangles of grilled cheese sandwich that were pretty good. The spinach salad was, hands down, the best part of our dinner -- the sunny-side-up egg was cooked to perfection, and the yolk was a deep yellow and packed with flavor. The spinach was served slightly warm, just barely wilted on the outer edges but still firm. The glass of Syrah that I had with dinner was a perfect complement to the spinach salad.
My husband had the shrimp and grits, which he was not too thrilled about -- the shrimp part of the dish was fine, but the grits part of the dish was disappointing (it was almost soupy, and there were very little grits to go with the entire dish).
Overall, our dinner experience here was good but not great, and we will try other restaurants before we consider making a return visit here.
Two words: OMG, amazing. Ok, that's four words, but Firefly deserves all four. Amazing food. Amazing people. Live music. A garden. What else could you want? Ok, maybe a permanent discount for repeat customers, but then again, you get what you pay for. Highly recommended. I am a certified customer for life.
btw, try the Sangria...its surprisingly strong.
yum yum yum. Yes, it may be a big tent, but that totally just adds to the ambiance of the place. It felt like I was having brunch in somebody's back patio. I had the chile rellenos and don't think I have ever had such flavorful black beans. There was just the right amount spiciness....not so much that I was sweating underneath my eyes, but just enough to make me sip on water. Service was descent...the guy playing the guitar sang happy birthday to my grandma along with half the other patrons sitting eating their meal. It was pleasant. (and pretty damn close to drama free which rarely happens with my family)
I'm totally looking forward to going back sometime very soon.
Yes, this restaurant is a tent, but the benefit is that the walls roll up in the summer and it's like you're eating outdoors! I actually find the atmosphere charming whether you're there for a relaxing brunch or a romantic dinner.
The food is creatively delicious and fresh! I would describe it as an eclectic cuisine. They get their vegetables from the Farmer's Market outside their door every Thursday. Pretty much everything on the menu is wonderful. Their grits have a kick of parmesean cheese, the meats melt in your mouth, and the chef puts together combinations of food that you'd never imagine are delicious together! The price ranges from average to slightly expensive, but it's well worth it!
Wkly Specials & Sunday Brunch…
Neighborhood: Silver Lake
1/2 Price Wine Wednesdays
Neighborhood: Glendale
South Pasadena, CA
Category: French
South Pasadena, CA
Category: Asian Fusion
Neighborhood: Pasadena
Category: French
Pasadena, CA
Category: American (Traditional)
South Pasadena, CA
Category: American (New)
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