"Gourmet Cafe" in Glendale, CA

EATERY: Granville Cafe, Glendale, CA

LOCATION: 807 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210

The interior was nice, as is expected out of a restaurant in a brand new outdoor shopping mall.  The fact that it was almost completely empty at 9:00 PM on a warm Sunday night was a little bit discouraging.  However, Glendale really isn't known as the city that rocks to the break of dawn - so I let it slide.

The waitress was a really nice girl with tons of energy.  She did the usual "welcome to Granville Cafe could I start you off with a drink or an appetizer?  We were mid-way into a gossip conversation as we walked in so we really hadn't looked through the menu at all when she approached us.  We ordered our drinks and asked for some time.  I made a mistake (that I always make) and asked her what she recommends on the menu.  She literally went through the entire menu and raved about every item that I would place last on my list of things to get - literally.  Nonetheless, we graciously ordered all of her suggested items in hopes to get back into our conversation.  

I wanted to get the taco trio plate but instead she insisted we get the shrimp quesadillas.  Well, they were exactly what I thought, a few pieces of sauteed shrimp nestled in between a tortilla with some cheese and onions topped with a cilantro vinaigrette and garnished with a rosemary sprig.  This dish was sub-par and we left half of it untouched.  

Next came the sweet potato fries.  I have yet to have a bad fried potato so I did not expect to have this be the first.  I think anytime you have something that is fresh out of the deep frier with a sauce like ketchup and ranch to dip in - it really is almost impossible to let me down.  With that said, these sweet potato fries really were good.  The presentation was half okay too minus the repeated rosemary sprig thrown in between the two sauces.  All in all this was a safe choice that was a wasabi aioli away from being something I would order again.  

Now this one just killed me.  I asked her what the best salad was and she said "OMG, without a doubt the Granville Salad."  First, I never get the salad that is named after the place we are eating - I can explain to you why but I say we leave that for another post.  Second, why on earth would you throw together a half ass greek salad topped with a piece of salmon served with two crostinis and call it the Granville Salad?  This is an American Bistro style restaurant, not a Greek taverna - geez!  Third, we're middle eastern sweetheart, we eat Greek Salad for breakfast and we don't use canned kalamatas or pre-crumbled feta like you do, so consider that next time you make a rash recommendation.  Okay, now I am just rambling; this salad sucked - moving on.

This was what she called a gourmet style macaroni and cheese dish.  Again, we got a dramatic herb (basil) garnish that had nothing to do with the dish - thanks.  Second, the plate was cold, meaning this thing never even made it into a salamander.  From the looks of it, they cooked the whole thing in a hotel pan and topped it with bread crumbs before turning the oven up to 500 degrees for 5 minutes and then dropping it back down to 250 for the pasta to stay hot throughout the night.  Well, this technique did not work, and never will.  I guess it was my fault for lying to the poor girl while we were being seated and telling her that I am from North Carolina and visiting Los Angeles for a week.  Seems to me like she was trying to give me some of that good old soul food I am so used to back home.  Thanks, I guess.

Now, I know that butternut squash is usually a sweet meets savory soup blend; but goodness, I wasn't expecting to get it at the end of my meal.  I wonder if they consider this a dessert - if so they should have had it on the dessert menu.  To be fair, the soup was quite good.  But again I do not understand their garnish system over here.  There was chopped parsley literally thrown all over the soup with bits of dried cranberry and roasted pine nuts.  When considering flavors they really made for a good combo on the pallet.  Aesthetically however, I was once again let down.  Quite honestly, if the soup was hot I would have totally been satisfied.  But it wasn't - so I wasn't.  Maybe this dish was supposed to be a butternut squash gelato that they served melted because the freezer wasn't working.  That would make sense as to why it came last.  You know what, that sounds good - I'm going to try that.  Butternut squash gelato topped with dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts.  

OVERVIEW: Don't trust any of the waitresses at Granville Cafe.  Look through the menu and pick something that you know FOR SURE you will like; or else, chances are it will be sub-par at best.  Here's a better one, don't even go to Granville Cafe.  I hate to say it, but you're better off hitting up a CPK or Cheesecake Factory.  Alright, I'm out - I will see you all next time.