The Granville Cafe in West Hollywood is a gorgeous space. It’s open, with an indoor/outdoor aesthetic, filled with sunshine and fresh air, yet blissfully covered from heat and rain. The small restaurant group has four other locations – Glendale, Burbank, Studio City, and Pasadena.
The WeHo location is both glamorous and relaxed, with greenery, a patio, and, a sparkling bar area, and an indoor tree.
House-crafted food made with local and organic ingredients are the key notes here. It’s honestly exciting to get an updated, healthy take on both comfort soup and sandwich fare along with more innovative dishes – in a lovely setting.
In short, it’s an impressive modern-casual spot with style; meant for relaxing over an excellent coffee or cocktail, as well as ordering a full meal. We sampled a variety of dishes, and all were beautifully presented and crafted.
Granville stresses their use of hormone-free and antibiotic-free meats and fish, local and organic greens, artisan cheeses and breads, non-GMO veggies and oil, as well as sustainable and organic coffee and espresso. It’s all about quality food in ample portions that are well-presented, and fresh.
We started by sharing the smoked salmon spread and rye crisps. It was terrific, a creamy blend of dill, horseradish, cream cheese, and salmon of course. Honestly could be a meal in itself.
My companion had a crisp, plentiful salad with chicken, seasonal berries, gorgonzola, candied pecans, red onion, and a light but sweet caramel vinaigrette.
I opted for the rainbow trout, which was exceptional It’s pan-seared, with a nice, nutty-tasting pepita crust. On the side, I had the preserved lemon & butter pan sauce. It came with “a seasonal organic vegetable,” which for me was a lovely, fresh asparagus.
To drink, my companion had what she termed a “really nice, fresh iced tea.” I had the Granville Bloody Mary, crafted with a smooth Purus organic vodka, topped with celery stalk and olive garnish. The mix was tangy but not overwhelming, a good craft drink.
Dessert is both inventively presented and extremely good: not overwhelmingly sweet, fresh-tasting, and ample enough to share. We tried the Devil’s Advocate flourless chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting – gluten free; as well as the Berry Patch Shortcake with fresh berries, sweet cream, and silky almond buttermilk biscuits.
Last but not least, I had a beautifully prepared cappuccino, made with organic espresso.
Traditional brunch fans will not be disappointed by the menu, either. We saw egg and toast dishes of all kinds.
Comfort food fans can feast on hearty dishes like the mac n’ cheese, below, with plenty of cheese. Recently sampled at the giving-back charitable event Masters of Taste, it’s delicious. Including veggies with the blissfully cheesey dish is an inspired idea that adds a healthful note of crispness without compromising comfort-food tradition.
And what would any deli-type menu be without matzoh ball soup? It’s a heady, fragrant mix served at Granville, considerably lower in sodium and so much fresher than many counterparts in town.
And best of all – the inclusive menu has many vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available.
Weekend brunch is served til 2 p.m., cocktails, lunch, and dinner on the daily. So, as the sign says “come as you are” just about any time, for excellent food, a comfortable, stylish setting, and a sleekly modern take on deli and coffeshop fare amplified with a fresh and healthy focus.
Granville is located at 8701 Beverly in WeHo; hours are:
Monday – Wednesday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Thursday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Friday 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Genie Davis; photos: Genie Davis, and provided by Granville