There’s a little greasy spoon cafe right near my house in Van Nuys called Nat’s Early Bite, that has been like an old family friend for my household for a long time. While it’s not necessarily “foodie” amazing, or a particularly “hip” greasy spoon, I love it because it’s real. And walking distance. Which is a thrilling novelty despite the fact that the walk is really hot, sunny and far from scenic. But inside Nat’s it’s always cool, clattering with silver ware and bubbling breakfast voices, the scent of syrup or french fries hinting the air.
Nat’s is not the place to go if you want to find some amazing hole in the wall that will give you spectacular brunch for $5, but if it’s good solid coffee shop food you want, they have some of the best out there. Which is to say if you love spooning coleslaw, warm and crispy hash browns or cool and crunchy BLT’s on white bread into your mouth, hit it up.
The staff is friendly and in some cases, even more iconically “diner” than Dupars. They bake fantastic, inexpensive muffins (cherry walnut, banana nut, blueberry to name a few) and serve spectacular homemade Pineapple/apricot marmalade! That, in fact, might be their one foodie find extroidinaire. It’s sweet, sticky and rich with fruity tang.
From pasta salads and tuna melts, to turkey dinners, omelettes, pies and soup, (in particular an amazing tortilla soup with fresh sliced Avocado on top) Nat’s Early Bite serves the ubiquitous coffee shop food that us Americans sometimes just need to binge on. I’ve been to Good Neighbor, I’ve been to Jinky’s and personally I think Nat’s is the best. Could be a bit of neighborhood bias going on, but it really is an authentic, comfortable, unpretentious place to go. Watch for the “Guadaljara skillet” for a breakfast of food-coma inducing champions. Usually offered as a special, off the menu, it’s an egg scramble with crumbled chorizo sausage mixed with onions, hashbrowns and bell peppers, plated up with fresh hot tortillas! Que delicioso!
14115 Burbank Blvd
Van Nuys, CA 91497 (818) 781-3040
Van Nuys represent!
1 response so far ↓
1 ronne // Sep 11, 2008 at 10:37 pm
you didn’t mention the wonderful “morning glory” or “honey nut bran” muffins, but otherwise you got it all right! and the best surprise is how good the coffee is! thanks for giving credit to a great neighborhood cafe!!
Leave a Comment