Who would have guessed that a small innocuous little cafe in a random part of downtown
would offer not only decent food, but fairly authentic French cafe food?
No one was as surprised as I was, let me tell you. After all, restaurants that boast French food (including places actually staffed and run by French people) rarely if ever actually deliver on the claim.
But I’m happy to report that Angelique Cafe makes good!
The menu is fairly straightforward, and doesn’t try and bash you over the head with how French the food is (despite the presence of Escargot on their menu), rather sticking to handful of time-tested favorites.
I was delighted to see they served a rillette sandwich (pictured above). For the uninitiated, rillette is shredded pork made in a similar fashion to pâte: they cook the meat for a long time in it’s fat, then cool it, preserve it, and by the time it’s ready it’s so so tender, you can almost spread it with your knife.
And while this isn’t the best rillettes I’ve ever had, this is probably the best you’ll have in Los Angeles, and certainly enjoyable. Also worth noting is the fact that the sandwich is served with cornichons (those tiny little very acidic French pickles - yum!), but also with lettuce, tomato and mustard. For the record, that is an abomination before man and god. A good baguette, some rillettes, and cornichons at most. While it’s most likely to cater to local tastes, I can’t recommend having it with the trim.
I also sampled their version of what is probably the most common French street food: Merguez sausage (pictured here). Originally a North African food, the merguez is a spicy sausage traditionally made with lamb but more usually beef these days. Think of it as the French equivalent to having a hot dog.
Well believe it or not, theirs is actually made with lamb, and tastes quite good. Ironically, it’s probably better and more authentic (to the original) than what you’ll find in France, although doesn’t quite satisfy any craving you might have for some Parisian street food.
The setting is very cute on a warm sunny day, with a great outdoor patio, a very cute upstairs area and even an upstairs deck. The staff is very hip and friendly, and the mood very mellow. On a side note, I’m delighted by the fact they don’t have music piping throughout the place, something very foreign to Europe in general.
So if you’re near 8th and Spring and you’re looking for a little slice of France, make a stop at Angelique Cafe. Prices are reasonable, the food fresh and delightful!
Angelique Cafe
840 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, 90014
(213) 623-8698
$
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Jamie // Apr 15, 2008 at 6:32 pm
yum! I want to go there
2 Kendra // Apr 16, 2008 at 9:52 am
i’ve been meaning to check out this place. now i definitely will!
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