Adventures in the World of Mobile Knowledge Workers

The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. - The Great Egg Cream Challenge

When was the last time Jay-Z was mentioned in the same breath as Mae West? Or that Steve Lawrence and Spike Lee's names were listed side by side? You will see this amazing sight if you go to the Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company and read the "Best of Brooklyn - Past and Present" signs all over the shop.

In a second visit during the weekday, I noticed many more details in what was a still busy, but less hectic environment.  Through the glass windows, we saw a huge pile of dough and watched bagels being made.  "The Honeymooners" played on the TV in the corner. The ever changing series of gorgeous food pictures featured  breakfast items this time, like muffins and a matzo brei omelette.

At one table, older guys were having coffee together. At another, a group of Persian girlfriends chatted excitedly. People popped in for their morning coffee and bagel on the way to work.  Music was eclectic and upbeat, Seals & Croft's "Summer Breeze"  one moment, "Take on Me" by A-Ha the next.

Without the pressure of customers waiting behind me, I found the wherewithal to ask the cashier  what bagels were hot. To my delight, plain bagels were just coming out of the oven. I was surprised, because the "hot out of the oven" option is fairly unusual in LA.  If you ask what's hot at Noah's Bagels, for instance, they'll look at you like you're crazy, because what they have is what was previously prepared. I got the veggie spread this time, which had a smoother taste. Attention to detail even extends to ice cubes -- I heard a cashier tell a customer that the iced coffee cubes are made out of coffee. When the ice cubes melt, they don't dilute the flavor of the drink.

My New Yorker husband was excited to see a Fox's U-bet chocolate syrup dispenser. He informed me that next to Diamond chocolate syrup (strictly available to diners and luncheonettes), Fox's U-bet was the only chocolate syrup to use when making an authentic egg cream. A sign announced that the seltzer (another egg cream ingredient) was Brooklynized, as are all of the Coca-Cola products.

We began to speculate about Original Water Bagel Company's egg cream system.

"It must come out of the dispenser like a Coke, already mixed," my husband said.

"That doesn't make any sense to me. There's the U-bet dispenser there -- why don't you think that people would do their own?" I replied.

My husband went to investigate. He came back with the news that it was self-service. "I just don't see how they can expect people to make their own egg creams."

"Why not? How hard can it be?"

"How will you know what the proportions are? You have to get used to someone else's glass size...Most can't do a good egg cream the first time."

Although I've only had 2 egg creams in my entire life, I know that I can research the hell out of anything. Why should egg cream creation be any different? I decided to throw down the gauntlet.

"I could do it," I said.

"Oh really?" said the New Yorker. He sounded as though he thought that he knew better than I did.  "Okay, let's see."

Stay tuned. At some point over the next several weeks, this Chicago girl is going to show New Yorkers how it's done.

Oh -- and if you have a favorite egg cream recipe, I'd be delighted to hear about it.

 

The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. - Beverly Dr. between Charleville & Gregory Way

Can The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company stand up to the weekend paper and bagel test? I decided to give it a try.

My husband and I first visited on a Saturday. My initial thought was that bagels were soon going to be banned forever in Los Angeles -- how else to explain the long line of customers patiently waiting for their chance to order bagels?  Every table was taken, either by those who had their food, or those waiting patiently with a number. The ambiance was loud, chatty and kid-filled. "Brooklynized in Beverly Hills." a sign proclaimed on one wall. An ever changing series of gorgeous food pictures kept our spirits up as we waited in line. One moment we saw a delicious looking tuna melt on a bagel, at another moment, a "pizza" (also on a bagel).

As we wound our way slowly but surely to the Promised Land, we saw a highly scientific-looking machine of gleaming steel canisters and plastic tubing on the right. I felt as though we had been teleported to an exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry. It was the "Brooklynizer."

Urth Caffe - Beverly Dr. between Charleville & Gregory Way

Another day, another afternoon whiled away in French conversation with my dear French friend. This time we met at Urth Caffe, younger sister of the well-known cafe on Melrose.

You can count on having a good experience here (although it will be Wi-Fi free). The music is eclectic, always a plus in my book. The coffee is specific (when you get cappuccino, you're asked whether you want a strong or a mild espresso). It's also organic, fair trade and delicious.

My cookie was both vegan and tasty. My friend liked his fruit salad. Service was solicitous and friendly. To top it all off, there's much less of a scene here than at the Urth Caffe in West Hollywood.

I highly recommend parking at the lot just to the north on the east side of the street. Parking is free for 2 hours before 6 pm. Once again, however, we French conversationalists had more than 2 hours worth of stuff to talk about. So I did have to pay for parking.

Zut, alors!

 

Click here for Urth Caffe contact details

 

Mickey Fine Pharmacy & Grill - Roxbury between Little Santa Monica & Wilshire Blvd.

I seem to be on a retro kick lately. So I decided to check out Mickey Fine's in downtown Beverly Hills. I had to visit once I discovered that it's both a pharmacy and a luncheonette.

The pharmacy is to the left when we walk in, the curved soda fountain counter is ahead of us and the dining area is to the right. I notice candies in glass jars by the door and a certificate of excellence from the Health Department. We are tempted by the stools at the counter, but decide to sit in the dining area.

One of the servers gestures to a table in the corner and says,  "You can have the romantic table -- no extra charge." She has a singsong voice.

We sit at the romantic table. I have a perfect view of the whole place. I'm struck by a feeling of familiarity, although I have never been here before. Perhaps it's because I've read books written in the 40s where the protagonist goes to the drugstore and gets a sandwich at the lunch counter while waiting to call someone. Mickey Fine's also feels like old school downtown Chicago to me. Maybe it's because the furniture looks as though it would have been at home in a John M. Smyth showroom.  The tables and chairs are medium brown wood. The carpet is gray and green. The walls are white, the wainscoting is also a medium brown. Black and white photos on the the wall depict the drugstore (complete with soda fountain) in its heyday. It's  cosy here.

Our waiter comes over quickly and takes our order. He's friendly and helpful. I decide to go for classic diner  food. My husband decides to walk on the wild side and tries the daily special (Thai Cashew Chicken).

I look around the room. They do a brisk business. People line up to pick up takeout orders. Office workers and doctors (identified by their white coats and the stethescopes sticking out of their pockets) alike sit in the dining area. Solo customers read newspapers, magazines or their iPads. It's as though everyone is taking a little break from the workaday world.

The server with the singsong voice hugs a customer at the table next to ours. "I love you, yeah, yeah, yeah," she says, "Please don't go." It's the first time I've ever heard a Beatles - KC and the Sunshine Band medley.

The customer has sleek dark rock star hair and is fashionable. Today is apparently her last day in the neighborhood. "I'll come back to visit," she says.

"Everybody says that. Then the next time you see them is in 5 years." The server smiles ruefully.

"I love her," the customer says to her friend when the server walks away.

I had a good espresso while waiting for our food. I tried the Thai Cashew Chicken when it arrived. It was  tasty and the greeen salad that comes with it is fresh and good. My grilled bacon and cheese (American cheese on white bread naturally) is comfort food. I also have French fries, a pickle and cole slaw on the side. The cole slaw goes into the sandwich, which I've just lately learned is called a Brooklyn. I thought I'd invented this combination, but if I didn't that's okay.  I have another espresso, because I want to stretch out the experience. I suppose that the soup must be good because I notice that a lot of people ordered it.

The Mickey Fine expereience can best be described as VIP treatement for the regular person. The servers remember all the details, like who was on vacation and what people like to order.

Two women walk in and sit down at a table for two. It's clear that they're going to have a working lunch as they begin to pull out papers.

"We've been waiting for you to come back. Welcome back. How are you both?" the server with the singsong voice says.

The customers are a little bemused. Who says that in the big city? "Thank you," the women say.

"Take a bigger table. No one will bother you. Put your work out."

I didn't hear an order placed, but the next thing I know, the server is bringing them soup.

"Is there chicken in there?" one of the customers asks.

"No. No meat. I remember" is the reply.

***

Click here for Mickey Fine Pharmacy & Grill contact details.

Chez Germen - Civic Center Dr. & Foothill

Let's say you have a couple of minutes to kill before your meeting in Beverly Hills. Why not go to Chez Germen, a cafe conveniently located close to City Hall and many offices? It's also a hair salon.

I accidentally stumbled upon this cool slice of Los Angeles -- cool because its quirkiness is real. It almost seems incredible that in LA, which isn't much of a melting pot, you would find a cafe/hair salon whose neighbors are the local Chabad, Slimmons (Richard Simmons's gym -- yes, that Richard Simmons) and an answering service company. Some phones still need to be answered by human beings. I'm fascinated by that business, which always makes me think of the movie "Bells are Ringing." 

I'll give you the tour. You walk in and are directly in the cafe. Almost everything is white.