It's all Good at The Wood Café

It’s been a few months since I’ve been to on Washington and Inglewood boulevards, and I was pleased to see some positive changes to the menu, service and exterior of the café. These renovations were completed two months ago, although the restaurant remained open during the transition.

Owner Demetrios Mavromichalis (who also owns the ) has  increased the outdoor seating capacity  by installing benches around the perimeter of both the back and side patios. An awning on the side patio provides some shade and there are plans to install an additional awning on the back patio.

Now, instead of standing in line, customers can sit at tables and have a server take their order, although take-out is still available. Daily specials are posted on the board behind the cash register.

After I was seated on the side patio, the barista made me a perfect latte, with artfully-designed swirls of thick, foamy milk on top.

The new menu has been updated with fresh, improved dishes. Some of the items from the previous menu didn't make the cut and others have been included as "specials" on the new menu, such as penne pasta scramble, banana and Nutella waffles and a breakfast pita with spinach, eggs and feta ($8 each). A few more sandwiches and burgers have  also been added. French toast is no longer a staple item on the menu, but is usually on the daily board as a special. Omelets are also missing from the new menu, but scrambles are available where you can choose three items to include with your eggs.

A new breakfast item, the red flannel hash, made with beets, potatoes, onion and sunny side eggs piqued my interest, but I decided to go with the breakfast tacos suggested by my server. They were tasty and delicious, filled with a mixture of scrambled eggs, soyrizo, peppers, cheddar cheese, avocado and salsa. The corn tortillas were thick and authentic-looking and the breakfast potatoes were crispy.

I also ordered one of the specials on the board, the strawberry almond brioche French toast. Four thick triangular slices of brioche were dipped in an egg batter, covered with sliced almonds and grilled to perfection. Fresh strawberries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar topped off the dish.

My friend really enjoyed his turkey burger, made with organic ground turkey and topped with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, arugula and chipotle aioli. The combination of flavors worked well together. He also tried the organic turkey chili, sprinkled with cheddar cheese and served with house-made corn bread and sour cream. The chili had a bit of a kick, but wasn’t too spicy.

Next time, I plan on ordering the veggie burger—a house-made veggie patty of brown rice and quinoa, grilled onions, mixed greens, goat cheese and garlic aioli on a wheat bun.

There are plenty of healthy and delicious salads, sandwiches and burgers at The Wood Café to keep you coming back for more.

If you like to end your meal with something sweet, you can delight yourself with a red velvet cupcake, sure to cure even the most ravenous sweet tooth. 

The Wood Café, 12000 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90066, 310-915-9663

Hours:  Open daily 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.