Perfect spot for a delicious meal at Larchmont Bungalow in L.A.'s hip Larchmont Village

Driving down Beverly Blvd. through L.A.'s upscale neighborhood of Hancock Park, I arrive at Larchmont Blvd., make a left and look for Larchmont Bungalow. I have never been to Larchmont Village and was immediately impressed by the hip, carefree nature of the strip with its boutiques and charming restaurants. I was excited to try Larchmont Bungalow, which just opened last October and has already become famous for its Red Velvet Pancakes, which are worth standing in line for on some weekends.

As I walked up to Larchmont Bungalow, my first impression was positive. I felt like I was walking up to a nice European cafe with people eating outside enjoying the nice weather. I walked inside and fell in love with the place. I felt like I was entering a friend's home. As the name indicates, it gives the feel of a cozy one-story home with different rooms where you can feel very comfortable sitting down for a meal with friends or even by yourself and just passing the time.

As you walk in, to your left you'll see where they roast their own coffee. It is so great. You can watch as they do it. As friendly manager Tyler explained, they roast their own coffee at Larchmont Bungalow to keep the flavor fresh, making sure to serve the coffee within seven days of roasting, and it works. I started off with one of their most popular drinks, a Moroccan Iced Coffee and it was delicious! The coffee tasted very fresh, not too strong, and the drink had a wonderful, but subtle taste of chocolate and cinnamon which got my taste buds excited for more. If you're not a coffee drinker, they also have a large selection of teas.

I tried a couple of breakfast and lunch items and can say l was impressed with all of them. I started off with a taste of the Sicilian Caprese Omelet with tomatoes, bocconcini (mozzarella) cheese and basil. Right away, I could tell that the food at Larchmont Bungalow is all about the quality and the freshness. This is the antithesis to the greasy spoon. You won't find an ounce of grease in any of the dishes here.

Testament to that is the next thing I tried, the Fish Tacos off the Lunch/Dinner menu. It's fresh, grilled halibut topped with their fabulous mango-papaya-cucumber salad, guacamole and cilantro on a homemade tortilla. This is not your average greasy, fried fish taco. This is the much healthier alternative and just as tasty. The halibut was very fresh, as were all the ingredients and you also get a delicious wasabe aioli sauce to put on top. Loved them!

I also really enjoyed the Curry Chicken Salad, curried chicken, grapes, toasted almonds, carrots, and cucumbers all tossed in a warm yogurt sauce and served on a bed of spring mix. Yum! It was absolutely delicious! A different, but excellent way to enjoy curried chicken, especially with the grapes. Larchmont offers a large array of fabulous dishes and you'll find a great selection of salads, such as the Lobster Cobb Salad, the Asian Calamari Salad and the Salmon Spinach Salad. And the great thing about Larchmont Bungalow is it's the kind of place where you can order pretty much anything on the menu and you know it's going to be good.

You can even enjoy a burger there without the guilt, because the beef is grass fed. It's delicious, without an ounce of fat or grease. I tried a bit of the Mexican Burger, which is served with arugula, tomatoes, pico de gallo, guacamole, pepper jack cheese, and a grilled jalapeno on top. They also offer a Caprese Burger, a Greco Burger with a lamb patty, an Ahi Tuna Burger and a Stuffed Turkey Burger. You also get a great choice of sides, including a Caesar Salad with Fresh Salsa Mango, Papaya and Cucumber Salsa, Homemade Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries, Regular Fries with mango or chipotle ketchup, a Bocconcini Caprese Salad...and the list goes on.

Okay, now for the grand finale. I made sure to only have small bites of the other dishes, in order to save room for the highly acclaimed Red Velvet Pancakes, and I was glad I did. First off, it's a good thing I had a friend with me to share them with, because they give you quite a generous portion of four large pieces of decadent red velvet cake mixed with buttermilk, with cream cheese in the middle, topped with more cream cheese spread and a homemade whipped cream. They're also served with a side of warm maple syrup, but my friend and I decided to eat them alone. One bite and we were both speechless...only able to comment on how absolutely delicious they were. We proceeded to eat and were each only able to eat one piece. If you order these, which you must, I would definitely recommend sharing them with a friend or two. These are so delicious, they usually have a line outside for brunch on weekends as word is quickly spreading. Even if you eat something else and don't have room for this scrumptious delight, I recommend taking them to go. You don't want to miss out on these! I can't guarantee these won't make you feel slightly guilty...but you'll quickly get over it, because they're so worth it!

You'll find something for every palate on the menu. That's because it's a fusion of the influences of its four owners, who have Latin, Caribbean and Canadian backgrounds, combining the best of all flavors. And apart from the wonderful food, another reason to love Larchmont Bungalow is it's a very green restaurant. Everything is low energy and even their wooden floors are made from reclaimed lumber.

Larchmont Bungalow is open every day of the week from 7:30 am until 10 pm. They serve breakfast all day. They also offer fantastic dinner entrees, such as Whole Fresh Maine Lobster, Sea Bass and Filet Mignon, apart from all of their fabulous breakfast and lunch items. There is cozy seating inside, with plenty of tables, and even a couch in front of a fireplace. They also have a great back patio and are looking to expand it, as the place is getting so popular. It is located at 107 N. Larchmont Blvd., between Beverly Blvd. and 1st St. You can reach them at 323-461-1528 or visite their website at www.larchmontbungalow.com.