On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Echo Parkevery brunch 10am - 5pm
Announced 1 week agoTue-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Loading...
Walking back home from dropping my car off at the mechanic (Radi's) -- again, but before I digress as I'm getting started -- I figured I would treat myself to lunch. I ambled toward the regular spots, Masa, The Downbeat, The Brite Spot (don't judge me!) but spied Lot 1, and decided to try something new.
My first reaction upon sitting down was either confusion or mild concern, I'm not entirely sure which. Looking at the menu, I scratched my head. This is a bistro that apparently serves four types of sandwiches, myriad hot dogs, frittatas, root beer floats and brunch on weekends. It seemed like it was supposed to be a sorta hipster joint culinary newb in the neigborhood, but this menu was... odd.
I ordered a tuna sandwich and fries, and was prepared to not like the place very much. I settled into my paper.
Dude. My sandwich was delicious. Perhaps the best tuna sandwich I've ever had, I didn't know there could be a "best" -- but there you go. The fries are VERY salty -- and totally crave-worthy. The staff was very nice and just the right mix of friendly/attentive and out of your way.
I'll be back. Hopefully not because I'm walking by after dropping my bucket of bolts Jeep at the mechanic again, but because I just happen to be hungry.
DIRTY!!!! UNCLEAN!!!! Stopped by for brunch (ok, actually just late breakfast) on the way to Elysian Park for a little hike - thought we'd give the place a chance since it is somewhat new and haven't tried it yet. WORST IDEA EVER.... I got the eggs benedict - one traditional and one florentine. Was enjoying it until I found a HAIR IN THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE. After the meal, the girlfriend and I quickly realized we both had contracted some sort of TERRIBLE STOMACH AILMENT that required us to abandon our walk and stay within several feet of a toilet for the remainder of the afternoon. We shared our meals (she got the veggie sandwhich), so it is unclear which dish caused the problem. All I know is I WILL NEVER RETURN TO LOT 1 CAFE... Also, to be fair, the iced tea was really good....
Good, but nothing write home about.
Give this place another chance!
I never hated this place like some. But after my first meal there (lunch) I could tell it was really out of place in this neighborhood. I wrote it off but had to give it another try for brunch last week. If you haven't noticed, echo park is hurting for good brunch spots.
The eggs benedict variations are simply awesome. Everything else is solid and reasonably priced. One big problem though, they don't serve regular eggs. What's up with that? So no 5th star.
Anyway, the staff, owners and location are great. They're trying to fit in people. They've heard your complaints. So give them another try.
People thought this was:
Passed by this place last Saturday and decided to give it a chance for a late lunch- they seemed to be closing up, but when we poked our heads in, they were very nice and stayed open for us.
We had the roast beef and tuna salad sandwich with iced teas. It was a very pleasant meal, sitting outside, enjoying the weather and hipster-watching, and our waiter was very attentive. The ice tea was delicious, my side salad was very good as well. The tuna salad sandwich was ok- nothing to write home about (a bit heavy on the mayo, and the bread was a little dried out), but the flavors were good, and my husband's roast beef sandwich was middle of the road as well ( although I think he thought it was a hot sandwich when he ordered it).
Prices were average- around $23 for the two of us. Pleasant experience- I've heard good things about their breakfast/ late night menu, so I'd be interested in coming back and checking those out. So overall, good experience, but I don't know if I'd be craving another visit for lunch necessarily.
Don't get the chili. It's from a can. Chili Cheese Fries *seemed* like a good idea at the time. But the chili was TERRIBLE - I couldn't even tell if it was beef or bean - it was just all sauce. BLECH! The fries looked great on someone else's plate. But lost their appeal on mine. My friend didn't like her food either.
All I could think about was the show "kitchen nightmares" and Gordon Ramsie shouting, "You've given up!" That's what it feels like here - the excellent but over priced sandwiches didn't go over well, so now they're using canned foods. Total bummer.
I'm a little weirded out by the random bad reviews this little corner bistro has! We happened to stop in for dinner a little bit before they were about to close and they seated us anyway (thank you, so hungry, and didn't want to eat at Barragan's!). I had steak frites which were the envy of all the gringo hipsters walking down the street from a nearby bar. Can't remember what the BF had but usually when I get steak frites, he tries to be a contrarian and has a completely vegetarian meal. We were given two warm popovers as an amuse bouche with a little savory chimmichuri sauce for dipping. Simple and tasty.
So what's with the bad reviews? Maybe try dinner and not brunch? And yes, it is a little on the pricey side but welcome to gentrification y'all! You all wanted it so badly and here it is. A little slice of West Hollywood in Echo Park, for all that's worth.
People thought this was:
I bought a used dryer from a woman with a unibrow in the same location a few years back, and then on Saturday had fancy banana-stuffed french toast with coconut syrup there. Weird.
Echo Park is certainly changing. While I definitely liked the food at Lot 1 it just makes me sad that nobody can open a restaurant in the neighborhood that isn't like bourgeois gourmet fare, or a really bland Mexican joint.
All I want is just like a place I can grab a bagel, is that too much to ask?
People thought this was:
I'm an idiot because I keep calling this place Lot 19 in my head...and aloud.
But it's not! LOT ONE. Remember that!
This place was pretty awesome. There's something so disjointing about sitting outside along a dirty sidewalk along Sunset Blvd in Echo Park while eating delicious fine dining. It's like, screw you, Craft, with your hand-blown glass light bulbs or whatever. We're gonna ditch that idea and focus on the FOOD--which the menu clearly did.
I can't even write down what we ordered because I don't know how to spell it, but the interestingness of the dishes and each taste was simply fun and marvelous. Like their onion soup with raisin bread croutons with a soft-boiled egg WHAT!? I don't know how that works, but please pour it into an IV pouch and insert the needle into my arm asap, thank you.
Delicious. Take your girl (or guy) out here for a casual date, sit back and enjoy the food.
People thought this was:
When someone says something is "super good" with big eyes and everything you understandably have high expectations.
This kind of enthusiasm led us from our rose tasting at Silverlake Wine directly over to Lot 1 where my friend had mentioned there was a buzz about. A new place, a hot chef, what could it be but "super good". You have to hand it to Chef Josef Centeno - I always admire a chef coming up the ranks to finally open his own place where he controls what goes on the plates and the general image. Too bad this one is still a little rusty around the edges.
First of all it's hot as hades in there. We arrived around 7PM and the sun was hitting pretty much every table in the establishment. Since there were three in our party one unfortunate ended up with a neck-burn and discomfort due to the heat. They need to put up a drapery or two, it wouldn't hurt the place at all since the decor is already pretty minimal. Again, you can see this is a place that has been started with a limited budget, it shows from the paint to the tables.
After this very pushy lady seated us (I just can't describe demeanor any other way - she was the hostess, expediter and someone's wife I guess) our server asked if we would like something to drink.....umm...yes, where are our choices? You get a one page menu and the libations are listed nowhere. Again, obviously a limited budget, there is no alcohol and no mention of a BYOB corkage fee. Our server was pleasant enough, he looked like he had every table in the place and was sweating profusely due to the constant running around and the lack of circulation of air.
Following some decent popovers our plates arrived - my dinner companions had the market fish (Steelhead Trout) with fava bean puree and hand-torn pasta with egg while I had the wild arugula salad with crispy eggplant and garlic vinaigrette. My trout friend declared his dish tasty, mine was very very heavy on the garlic but I like that and my poor unfortunate pasta friend just kept laughing the whole time he was eating - the portion was that small and he really couldn't understand it. Top that off with the fact that the "hand torn" pasta looked and tasted like it had been sitting in the window for a good ten minutes. To be fair the pasta was listed under second courses but so was my salad and it was good sized portion. The waiter should've notified my friend of the size.
All in all this place needs A LOT more work but it does get that extra star for potential and my romantic self that applauds a man following his career dream.
People thought this was:
bacos por favor
I been hearing quite a buzz about all these new spots opening up in Echo Park. It's about time. Not that there was anything wrong with Barragan's or the Gold Room, but Dusty's and Aroma was not the Sunset east siders answer to foodie bliss. Lot 1 recently opened up across from the Gold Room and seems to be a hit. The place was packed at lunch today.
I have yet to try The Park and 15 and potentially a new Italian spot opening up, all along Sunset Blvd, east of American Apparel but West of Dodger Stadium. Both these other places are only open for dinner though.
Last Sunday, I had plans to meet some cyber (haha) food pals in person at Lot 1, but after a few phone calls during service hours regarding if they had AC or not and not hearing back, we decided to reschedule our meeting. I couldn't risk sweating on my plate of Cowgirl Creamery cheeses or the hamachi appetizer I had read about online. I kinda feel l like I went to see a movie without them. You know, like those times you wait and wait to see a movie with a specific someone and you just crumble and have to see it before their schedule allows. I shouldn't gloat about what I experienced, but I will anyways since the lunch menu is different than dinner.
There's nothing worse than eating in unbearable heat, which for me is anything hotter than 80. If this sounds prissy to you, it is, but I have no appetite at all and the gourmand in me gets upset. All this wonderful food and no where to put it. The absolute worse form of torture is going to Paris in the Spring and getting hit with a heat wave and not being able to eat any rich, French food. Yes, I speak from first hand experience. Good news, Lot 1 has AC.
Back to the bacos. Bacos is chef Josef Centeno's (from Meson G and most recently Opus) take on a burrito-esque thing. It reminded me of the arepas from Venezuela that I recently saw on Bobby Flay's Throwdown. I have no shame and admit I like this show. They even had a food blogger judging the food, Ah to dream...
Like a burrito, every culture has their version of filling wrapped up in a hearty carb wrapper that is meant to be eaten with your hands. Think gyros, mu-shu, burritos, shawarma pita sandwich, etc. Bacos have elevated this idea of street food to a new level. Unique fillings and sauces unite. I wasn't totally thrilled with the side salads but I am also a lentil snob and prefer the lentils de puy or the black caviar lentils to the mushy soft ones. It was also a bit acidic for my taste. I might forego the salads all together next time but the bacos... they are calling my name. There are 5 bacos to choose from and 4 side salads.
This is what I ordered with my friend, Bethany. We decided to share them since we wanted to try more flavors even though cutting them wasn't the smartest thing to do. Messy.
The server recommended the pesco one which has a recipe posted in the LA times, but this time it was made with trout instead of tuna, dressed with avocado, pickled cabbage and garlic-chive dressing. The side salad was the lentil and farro salad. The other baco we tried was the pork belly & paleron (beef) carnitas, smoked paprika aioli, and salbixtada which is tomatoes, almonds, parsley, and sherry. The side salad is fingerling potatoes with creme-fraiche dressing with caper red onion vinaigrette.
The dough was like a super thick fresh burrito wrapper. kinda chewy, but not too chewy that you have a hard time biting off a good chunk.
When calling regarding reservations and AC I learned about them starting a tasting night soon. This I am curious about. They do not take reservations in general but for the tasting night they will. It also looks like bacos is a lunch item. I did get a copy of the dinner menu. Some items that peaked my interest were the rillettes and the yellowtail sashimi. Some more exotic items like pan seared quail and escabeche of chicken and pork jowl (could this be you, guanciale?) were also listed under "mids". From the choices, it seems like you could make a good meal out of small plates here. The market driven menu changes often.
I got a chance to meet and talk to the first time restaurateur, Eileen Leslie, as she was bussing tables and taking orders. Personally, I feel like the space and decor feels right for Echo Park, not too bougie (my slang for bourgeois), very humble, and all about the food. Her impetus to open Lot 1 with her son was solely based on having moved from the west side and not having enough good food near her in her new home in Echo Park. Nice to see some motivation, purely driven by tastebuds.
Besides, how could you hate something that is one letter off from bacon?
http://www.wallflour.c...
People thought this was:
I can't imagine this place making it in Echo Park. Like its neighbor 15, I felt really sorry for my server, who must have felt ridiculous serving our tiny, flavorless dishes.
We not talking slightly bland here. We're talking NO SALT. The chicken consomme was insulting. It tasted like hot water and was served with raw zucchini, eggplant, and squash - not the most flavorful vegetables to serve raw, but they certainly complimented the utter flavorlessness of the dishwater they called consomme. The scallops could have been good - they were cooked perfectly. Unfortunately, again, there was no salt or pleasant flavor to speak of. Everything was so drenched in oil - tasted like canola oil - that I couldn't tell what my mashed potatoes were until I added salt. The oil used in the dish was so overwhelming that I had to taste the puddles on my plate to discover where the truffle oil was. I didn't really understand the asparagus - was it supposed to be fried, dipped in oil, and served soggy?
I give this place 6 months. After our $70 "dinner" we walked down the street to the churros stand for some REAL Echo Park food. Stick to Masa, ELF, Andiamo, and Barrigans in this 'hood.
People thought this was:
Fearing the lunchtime crowd of Dusty's on a Saturday, we stopped in lonely Lot 1 Cafe. I was craving a hamburger, but alas--weekends are brunch-only at this newbie.
The seating is awkward at best. After a few step-ball-changes with one (one too many) waiter, we chose a table right in front of the entrance. Waiter after waiter milled about busily, though only five other customers sat in the place when we entered. When the waiter told us the chef had just started, I figured the overkill of waitstaff was a combination of preparedness for everything to go smoothly and anticipation of a weekend rush (that never came while we were there).
The menu was varied for being limited, and everything that came out of the kitchen looked super-delish. I decided on banana-stuffed French toast with rum simple syrup and potatoes Lyonnaise, while Dan went for biscuits and gravy with wild-game sausage. I also ordered mint lemonade, and he had strawberry lemonade.
When my plate first arrived (beautiful presentation, by the way), being the starch-whore that I am, I tried a piece of potato right away... and was disappointed that it was undercooked (but so hot!). However, this disappointment turned to glee within two minutes as I realized the genius of the chef: The potatoes had cooled to edible temperature AND had cooked to perfect doneness on my plate. The banana-stuffed French toast was very tasty, and I especially appreciated that the dish wasn't doused in powdered sugar or syrup... just a dab of each was perfect for this. My mint lemonade also was good, although I'm not sure it was a good complement to breakfast.
Things did not fare so well on hubby's side of the table. His biscuits and gravy with wild-game sausage were sorely lacking in sausage... and the small bits that were present lacked the great seasoning inherent to traditional pork sausage. The gravy was nice-tasting but thin and too sparse. The worst part of the dish was the horribly overcooked, dry, hard biscuits. I could make better biscuits in a microwave. His strawberry lemonade desperately needed sugar -- and that's coming from someone who barely ever sweetens anything. We both tried liking the biscuits and gravy, but truth be told, for both of us, it was all about the French toast.
50/50 good/bad experience and food. I hope to try Lot 1 again to correct the experience.
People thought this was:
My gf and I went here for Sunday brunch this morning, having driven past it several times. One word sums it up: disappointing.
For starters, let's talk about charging FOUR DOLLARS for coffee. Granted, I certainly don't mind paying for quality, it's supposedly bottomless, but when you have inattentive waitstaff who don't even get around to refilling your cup until after you've finished eating, and then serve you 2/3 of a small, lukewarm cup of coffee that tastes like it's been sitting around, it's a bit hard to stomach.
Both my gf and I had the benedicts. For $12 each, we got three eggs each, with no sides. I had the veggie version, with cucumber and avocado. She had the other three kinds. On all of them, the eggs we poached rather haphazardly, some nice and yolky, others way overdone. The avocado on mine had visible brown spots. Most criminally, the hollandaise sauce, which is normally the whole point of ordering eggs benedict, was watery and insipid. The only saving grace was the "midwestern" benedict, which featured juicy rare flatiron steak, which pleased my gf.
The service quality matched the food quality. We had to wait around for everything. I even had to resort to walking from the patio inside the restaurant just to get salt, pepper, and hot sauce. As I mentioned, we weren't getting our coffee refilled.
I really regret not just driving a bit further down Sunset, where we could have enjoyed brunch at either Millie's or Madame Matisse. Oh well, lesson learned.
People thought this was:
I went here for lunch today on a recommendation from a friend. Still unclear as to the type of food they served, I headed over with my brother. As mentioned before by other yelpers, the lunch menu consists of different types of BACO's. I'd never heard of this term. Anyway, a BACO is a type of pita sandwich. It costs $9 and you have about 5 choices. For $3 more you can add a side. Each of us ordered the combo. I ordered the original BACO, which came with pork belly cooked in a brown sauce, and a cucumber salad. My brother ordered the Pollo BACO, with a farfalle pasta salad.
The food was tasty. The portions were light, some would call them small. I would go back, but not if I was really hungry. Valet Parking is $3. Total bill for two was $35, tip included.
People thought this was:
When Lot 1 first moved into the spot of my old refrigerator repair store, the menu was totally overpriced and I never tried it - rather go to the awesome Vons taco truck. However, in the recent recession, Lot 1 has changed it's menu and hours and I went for lunch and had THE BEST GRILLED CHEESE OF MY LIFE. My pal had the BEST EGG SALAD SANDWICH of her life. Superior french fries. Truly an amazing grilled cheese and tomato. I look forward to another meal at Lot 1!
People thought this was:
Simple, quick, and excellent. Only 5 choices of boca on the menu, and they're all great. Living near this place is a treat. Top notch for a quick bite.
The only reason you don't get 5 stars is because you're not open every day (boo hoo) and because I would love to see more options food wise.
I love the indie crowd as much as anyone, but there seems to be quite a few people who frequent Lot 1 who know they're indie and they are just SOOOOOOOOOOO cool.
People thought this was:
I work with chefs, architects, designers all the time so I really believe food, space, and ambiance have to work in unison.
The food was good but the lighting and service were harsh. I thought we were ordering chinese take-out the light was so bad.
After standing on Sunset Blvd. (with my date) for 15 minutes ) and clearing noticing empty tables they asked us if we wanted to sit. You think so!
The servers acted like typical Echo Park scensters should act.....CONFUSED (we had to constantly ask them to fill our water). It's new so there probably just trying to figure things out. Centeno is a talented chef but he just needs a decent manager to tweak things here and there. Just turn off the top lights and this place gets another star.
People thought this was:
If you're a Mormon and you live in Echo Park, then surely this is your favorite restaurant! -- at least until Lot 1 gets a liquor license or AC and you have to start making a reservations a week in advance. For now, sit outside.
I don't understand people's concerns about portions or price. We ordered for $7 a jar (literally a 4oz. jam jar) of pork topped with toffee-flavored fat. It was this amazing pig candy pleasure I kept coming back to throughout the meal and still couldn't finish. And the hearts of palm were excellent, dressed with dill, orange peel, and bacon; a tasty and filling salad.
The quail is excellent too but it's your fault if you live in California and don't know how big a quail is.
People thought this was:
oooooooo, this place makes me mad and bitter every time I pass it.
I went once and will NEVER go again.
Several months ago, when I had lighter pockets than now:
A gorgeous Saturday with little money in my pocket--$25 to be precise. This is supposed to last 'till payday on Friday, including travel-to-work expenses, but heck, I'm worth a little spoilage, and frankly, I'd rather have an amazing meal once every 3 days and subsist on ..uh..not much (read: lentils/rice &/or coffee) than eat so-so for those days..emotionally filling is much more important to me. Unfortunately I spent $20 (yup, just me, nope, no leftovers) and was emotionally as dissatisfied as I've ever been anywhere.
The food was DELICIOUS. Undersized, overpriced, delicious. 1 biscuit, truffled scrambled eggs. Beautiful presentation, waited almost 1/2 an hour for it, was only 1 other table in the place. They came in after me, were served first.
[The chef that day no longer works there, by the way. She was pushed out. SLICK MOVE, Lot 0.]
The coffee stunk, I got no refills (because the service was AWFUL), and it cost me FOUR DOLLARS. My bill came to 17 dollars, and when I gave the waitress a 20, she assumed it was all her tip. NO LEFTOVERS.
Nd yes, I did tip her, but to assume it?! Crazy talk.
I HAD TO ASK FOR CHANGE. Give to me the break, sir, please.
did I mention Ill never return? I live 4 blocks away and pass it often. It's never ever busy. I know why.
People thought this was:
Stopped by for brunch on the weekend. Food was okay, coffee was okay... but overall it was quite "Meh. I've experienced better."
Just moved into the new office down the street, in search of some good lunch options so I did a quick search here and found this joint. I recall driving by recently and seeing something in this location coming to fruition. Might as well check it out.
Had lunch with a friend, order the pollo Baco with the cucumber side salad & a Sierra Mist. Super tasty these things are, reminded me like a cross between a pupusa & a giro, very tasty & for $18 w/tip you can't go wrong.
Friendly staff who took our order right away and very clean. Very small inside but it was nice. They we rocking the Green Day & Coldplay classics when I was there, nice touch.
I would definitely say try this place out especially if you're in the area. Nice change from the taco spots and the sandwich coffeehouse joints.
Please don't pay attention to the complainers who have reviewed this place on Yelp just to be the first ones to bitch. Give the place a chance, it is good.
A friend and I decided to check out Lot 1 last Friday - she was already a fan of Chef Centeno from Opus; the chef and Lot 1 were new to me. We decided the $50 tasting menu was a little rich for our two-months-post-stimulus-check blood so instead we shared 3 of their "starter" plates and dessert. Adding watermelon agua fresca and coffee our satisfied bellies were out the door with tip for $33 a head.
We got the complimentary popovers and chimichurri sauce along with the wild argugula salad to start. Both delicious. The fresh, crisp salad was tossed with a light garlic vinaigrette. Next up was the polenta with fried egg, fennel and parmesean - I was a little worried about the fried egg component but the taste and textures blended perfectly. Just the right amount of saltiness and the fennel provided just a hint of flavor - not overpowering at all. We were worried the dish seemed small since we were sharing but the salad was plenty large and with our crispy pork belly and dessert we left satiated. The pork belly was also very good but I think the polenta and salad were my faves. Dessert was the stone fruit crisp ala mode and we shared a french press coffee...need I say more?
Good to know: you can't make a reservation unless you're doing the tasting menu but that said it wasn't very crowded. At 7 pm we both found street parking pretty easily but I know it can be tight around there. Our waitress was great - attentive but not overbearing, knowledgable about the food and had a sense of humor. Looking forward to a return visit to sample more of the menu!
Wow! You have to love Echo Park. This place is awesome. great service, A plus all across the board. Awesome food and service. The chef, Josef rocks, he is assisted by the proprietress' son Miles.
She is awesome, gregarious and helpful. Eileen, helped me choose an awesome dinner and by the time dinner was over I felt satisfied and taken care of. A surefire no miss dinner place.
Don't forget, when you are done, to check out the other cool hang outs like the Echo Curio.
Two words for you: Pesce Baco!
This was my baco (pita sandwich) of choice off of the lunchtime menu at Lot 1 Cafe in Echo Park. The fish of the day just happened to be shrimp (score) that was breaded with Japanese breadcrumbs, and served with assorted grilled veggies and creme fraiche also accompanied by a lentil farro grain salad that I devoured in record time. I seriously could have eaten two plates of this, both the salad and the pesce baco. This was my second trip to Lot 1, the first was for dinner where I sampled a number of things off of the menu, including the cheese plate, the gazpacho, the hand torn pasta and the chicken escabeche (pickled chicken) with crispy pork jowel. I have to say that nothing really stood out to me off of the dinner menu, and having sampled the lunch menu for a fraction of what dinner costs I think I'm gonna stick to lunch at Lot 1. However, I will most definitely be making a trip back once they get their liquor license to check out their tasting menu.
The space is small but they manage to squeeze in quite a few tables, they have plenty of outdoor seating and service is good. The parking can be tricky in this neighborhood so be on the lookout for metered parking or you can valet your car in the shared lot across the street.
Psst...Lot 1 management, I beg of you, please reset your AC! Both times I've eaten there it was like Antarctica cold. Just a minor suggestion!
People thought this was:
not sure what happened here. i went to grab some take out and the quality of the food was low even for the price they charge.
the place was empty. i sat outside last time so i didn't notice, but the inside has an odd vibe and it's so small. i probably won't be going back.
"woo hah! i got you all in check."
I just tried the lunch here and was really impressed. For $10-$15…
Read more »
I'm really late on this review also. I went there a couple of months ago with a friend and all I can say is that it was just OK. The food was fine, I had a fish entree, with a soup starter which were good. It took a really long time to get our food to us, and there was really no one else in the restaurant when we ordered. The worst part was that they don't serve any wine or beer. We brought our own, but we weren't allowed to have it because they aren't allowed to even serve alcohol. They didn't mention this when we made our reservation. It made the wait for our food (about 45 minutes) even harder. Don't really think we'll make a return trip.
People thought this was:
it's a one and done, unless i hear that their prices drop about 4 bucks.
waaaay too expensive for "what it is"
truffle scrambled eggs, a biscuit, and some semi-hard, undercooked potatoes $10 + $4 coffee... I think we ended up spending $36 for two people after t & t
oh well.
People thought this was:
What can I say that hasn't really already been said. Been here twice. First time the food was amazing. Second time I waited an hour for my omelette and it came out hockey puck style, totally overcooked eggs to the point of being molded plastic. I figured it would just take Lot 1 a little time after opening their restaurant to really iron things out but it looks like that's probably not going to happen. The wait staff is friendly for sure but completely eclipsed by the poor service and terrible food. Probably won't be going back any time soon.
People thought this was:
I had eggs benedict for brunch where you get to choose three out of the four styles they have to try, and a perfect fresh mint lemonade. I was there for dinner last time and I liked it much more than the brunch. The service is good. Parking is a problem though. Street parking in the area is difficult to find.
People thought this was:
We went for the last supper tonight. I'm so happy and so sad, at the same time. Happy because I just ate and experienced again Centeno's incredible cooking. And so sad because this is his last night there and we'll all have to wait until he comes back on the scene again. Next time, it will be so great because it will be his own place.
Chef Centeno sent out to our table his famous breakfast egg, in addition to the popovers. We started with the pork and fish rillete in jars, I got the gazpacho, tried the onion soup, I got the pork shoulder, and tried my friends' dishes, we all shared three desserts. I guess I tend not to get very descriptive about the dishes because every single dish is bursting with beautiful and beautifully married flavors, and so much attention to detail. As a small example, the little side of pickled green beans that came with the pork rillette, we counted at least three or four different herbs, plus just the right amount of acid. Centeno takes such great care with every single thing on the plate. The ingredients are high quality, that gazpacho was made with lovely sweet tomatoes, probably heirloom; the onion soup had such intense onion flavor, creamy and enriched with an egg, I've never had an onion soup like that. His execution and creativity always make me go, wow. There's always such palate tingling layered flavors, you never get bored, and always want more.
Josef Centeno himself is such a down to earth, nice, and very cool person. And so modest about his extraordinary talents. I hope he comes back soon. You can bet I'll be one of the first people there.
People thought this was:
Lot 1: The Tasting Menu.
$50 for four courses of this level of food--the very best deal in town.…
Read more »
I was actually quite surprised how good this place was. I saw it driving down sunset a few times and had been meaning to check it out for a while. I decided to go to brunch on Sunday since it was my only day to relax during the week.
I wanted to go with a breakfast classic although everything looked really amazing so I went with the eggs benedict. The hollandaise sauce quite tasty and the mint lemonade was just the right amount of sweet and sour (one of my favorite drinks these days).
The two friends I went with had the fratata and a chicken salad sandwich which I tried and were also good.
The waiters were very friendly, attentive and professional and I actually enjoyed being outside on the street. It's fun to have quality food in a funky hood. More entertaining things to look at while eating.
All in all, a cool new place. Check it out before a dodgers game or whenever.
People thought this was:
The best new brunch/breakfast spot in Los Angeles. In case you decide not to read any further, that is all you need to know. But the real question is should anybody get this excited about breakfast? Well, this Sunday morning when I saw the hand-written sign on the corner announcing "PANCAKES! ALL YOU CAN EAT $6!" and nearly caused a five car pile-up when I slammed on my brakes, you know the answer is yes. What a great gimmick! And it worked. We took a table under the umbrellas on the sidewalk of this little corner restaurant and ordered just about everything on the brunch menu. We sampled an omelet, the unique eggs Benedict sampler, pancakes, coffee (with real heavy cream!) and the best home fries I have ever eaten. Breakfast potatoes are always, at best, a compulsory after-thought, at worst, a dried out, card-board abomination that universally drags brunch expectations lower and lower. The potatoes at Lot 1 are moist, complex chunks of well-cooked spuds, seasoned with thyme, salt, pepper and onions. Cooked covered on a griddle, they are fried and steamed to a perfect combination of crisp and soft without being mushy. Likewise, the bagel and lox plate, usually a shoddy menu after-thought at breakfast joints, was presented so beautifully that we insisted on meeting the owner. She came out, and we explained to her what she obviously already knew: The bagels were fresh, the cucumbers cut perfectly thin, the tomatoes slices were a deep, ripe red, the hand-cut lox piled plentiful, and the cream cheese neatly sliced on a small plate, presented like a gourmet cheese and not in those horrid little packets you would get on an airplane or in many diners. The food is, in the words of the owner, "as inexpensive as humanly possible." And she's right. The meal was cheap, especially for a new restaurant riding the upwardly mobile hipster trend-wave of Echo Park bistros. Nothing pretentious here. Just an earnest commitment to delivering the best food possible at the cheapest prices. Unfortunately, they are taking a hiatus from dinner awaiting their impending liquor license, and the owner's paranoid trepidation of encouraging a BYOB deal. Look for me next Sunday!
People thought this was:
I can't believe I am the first person to say this on Yelp, but Josef Centeno is not working at Lot 1 Cafe anymore. I don't think I am at liberty to review a restaurant where I was so excited to eat the food of a chef who wasn't present, so I won't. Please ignore star-rating system as taste of food was altered by my vast disappointment.
People thought this was:
Food-Outstanding.Maybe a little overpriced for the neighborhood,but absolutely delicious.Kind of an insane lady walking around and understaffed for the day the article was written in the paper.Waiter was pleasant but the whole operation seemed unorganized.I will go back again for the food.
People thought this was:
Alright, I'm writing this review before it slips my mind. Went there on a whim - we wanted to hit up Origami, the slammin' new record store and go to the Time Travel place... so we thought we'd brunch too. I'd never eaten at Lot 1, but my favorite place in the world is Square One, so I figured it was a good sign that their names had some common ground. The menu is a bit on the simplistic side, but there's nothing wrong with that. I love a good Benedict and try them almost everywhere, so I'm a pretty harsh critic... and this review will be no different. They use extra-sour sourdough english muffins: and they were BARELY toasted. Shame. You shouldn't even be using English muffins - you should be using something crispy and inventive! Cliché! Keep in mind people, if you want a good Benedict, it starts at the bottom. And Benedicts are saucy creatures - if you start out with soggy bread, its just going to get nast. It was most unfortunate, but now I'm on a crazy rant about Benedicts...I digress. Each Benedict is $4 a la carte (for one open-faced half) so I got the classic and the "Pacific Bay Shrimp" or whatever it was called - the tiny little shrimps literally made me gag in combination with the soggy bread! Ick. The classic was fine, below mediocre, but fine - but then I ate the shrimp one and thought it was the end of the world. Well, I didn't eat it. I took a bite of it and pushed it away. The hollandaise is way too lemony and runny, btw. The man got the "meat" frittata and it was "good-ish" he said. A bit dry and simple, but whatevs. And our friend got the "Armenian Pizzas" with eggs. I tried it and was not a fan, but then I've never had them before so I didn't know what to expect. My palate couldn't pick out the mystery seasoning that was turning me off, otherwise they might have been good. The server was a sweetheart, and TOTALLY overworked. We didn't get a single refill (their syrupy fountain Coke was the best part)- and I REALLY needed to wash down that disgusting mini-shrimp disaster bite. Sick dude. Otherwise, the place is cute in a great divey way - but the brunch stuff needs an upgrade. Come on people, it isn't that hard. I won't be going back any time soon unless I read on Yelp that they are making an effort (and hiring another server for the weekend brunch rush!). First impression: not good.
Didn't like it at all!!, the food was expensive and it tasted like nothing, really bad, the place is nice and the waiter was really nice but the food is not good.
Given the casual ambiance, you'll either be pleasantly surprised at the impressive level of food or you'll be annoyed that you're eating a gourmet meal in a glorified coffee shop. Either way you'll get a very good meal. You can't go wrong with crispy pork belly, but that said this one was particularly well-executed. The braised pot roast was tasty and generous in size but about a third of it was on the over-cooked-side. The Summer yellow and green wax bean salad was refreshing and rich at the same time which is hard to do. Imagine cool snappy beans coated in some kind of aioli. My one criticism is that everything was a bit too salty. You don't notice at first but it adds up. I drank a lot of water. The stone fruit cobbler a la mode was seasonally delicious and not too sweet. Also I both loved and hated its TGIF's portion size.
People thought this was:
Okay. I am really late on this review. HOWEVER, my experience here was amazing. My mother in law was visiting and she loves to dine out. My husband and I did not want to go to Dusty's or the overpriced Stella Cafe in Silver Lake so we opted to check out Lot 1.. So glad we did. I had the scallops, and my husband had the halibut. Don't know that they are still on the menu, but hot diggity they were gooooooood! yum yum. For sure coming again! Soon I hope.
I've eaten here twice, and my gripes from both times are beginning to compound. Echo Park is in need of nice restaurants, and in many ways, the restaurants that have been popping up are almost doing the trick, but they are never quite right (Elf Cafe IS an exception). In the case of Lot 1, what threw me the first time was the abhorrent decor. Uncomfortable chairs, ugly tables and not-too-pleasant art that literally cluttered the walls. But all these things were only mild in comparison to the glaringly bright lights. I have a certain patience and a strong appreciation for restaurants that strive to offer good food without the pretentiousness of hoity-toity decor, but this was over-the-top. The lights made me feel like I was in a school cafeteria. The only other option for seating was outside, and as much as I love my neighborhood, sitting alongside sunset is not the most appetizing place to eat a nice meal.
That said, the food was great, and was the saving grace. I thought the popovers were fun and tasty, but not what I would have chosen to start my meal (no loss, though). I was with two others, and while I don't remember exactly what we got, it was all pleasant and the presentation looked like it was striving in a direction that would lead to good places.
Since that experience, I have learned that the original chef has left and I have heard rumors about all sorts of inner struggle, so I figured I should try it again for lunch.
Going back for lunch, I decided to try sitting outside (I noticed that during the day, the lighting seemed MUCH less intrusive). I ordered a sandwich: Eggplant with herbed feta and fries. When the food came, I noticed a change in visual presentation, it seemed like there was a general lack of concern. This impression continued as I began to eat. The eggplant had soaked-up too much of the oil that it was cooked in, the feta sauce was lacking even the slightest bit of the savory goodness that goes hand-in-hand with one of the most under-respected cheeses, the fries were on par with Outback steakhouse and the bun sandwich came on was reminiscent of a sad, soggy hot dog bun. The bread is usually the deciding factor and often the most important ingredient of a good sandwich. A good bun or roll will offer flavor, but also structure. Here, I found that the bun offered neither flavor, nor structure and I had to eat the sandwich as fast as I could, because the bread was falling apart in my hands.
It's sad to see, but I don't think that this place has much going for it anymore. At best, they are in need of a major revamp. I have had so much hope for them and I feel the need for something like this in the neighborhood, but I fear I will have to keep looking.
$1 Hot Dogs!
Studio City, CA
Lunch special 10a.m.-3p.m.
Neighborhood: Glendale
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: American (New)
I live on the hill above echo park, see it from my…
