Café 2001 - Review - Arts District - Los Angeles - The Infatuation
"Café 2001 is more mysterious than it needs to be. Located behind Yess in the Arts District, the only signage for this all-day bistro is a large spray-painted sheet of plywood. It’s edgy but also a little eerie. The sounds of clinking cutlery are louder than the soft ambient music. The beat-up furniture looks like it was salvaged from the Queen Mary. Suffice it to say, Café 2001 doesn’t excel in ambiance. But it does shine where it counts: serving elegant Japanese-European dishes that are sophisticated enough for a proper sit-down lunch but casual enough for a midday coffee and pastry pop-in. photo credit: Sylvio Martins photo credit: Sylvio Martins video credit: Sylvio Martins The café is run by the former sous chef of Yess, and while the two neighboring spots do share a penchant for minimalism, the bistro classics at Café 2001 are otherwise a world apart. A thick slab of terrine—well-seasoned and beautifully marbled—is surprisingly light for being made of gelatinized meat and pork fat, even before you balance it with pickles and salad. Crispy, triangle-shaped hash browns serve as toasts for smoked trout and sour cream, and the pork tenderloin katsu sandwiches are 90% lean, juice-oozing pork. After 4pm, Café 2001 sheds its café persona and morphs into a wine bar scene with food options like oyster platters, hamburg steaks, and prawn dumplings. We’ll make sure to check that out soon and report back. Food Rundown photo credit: Sylvio Martins Smoked Trout, Hashbrowns, and Huckleberries If you love a bagel and lox plate situation, order this. The hash browns are light and fluffy, and the huckleberry jam and sour cream complement the salt-kissed fish. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Pork Tenderloin Katsu Sandwich Move over thinly pounded cutlets, we’re into these extra-girthy slabs of pork tenderloin. The soft milk bread and fried crust are more of a textural bonus for this delicious pig-centric sando. photo credit: Sylvio Martins House Terrine Plate This terrine is filling but looks much heavier than it is. Its specks of fat smear beautifully on the side of toast, and it comes with cornichons and a vinegary side salad to cut through the meaty pork bits. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Lemon Tart Café 2001’s lemon curd is so good you can order it separately with yogurt, parfait-style, but we prefer it as dessert, baked on a buttery shortbread crust instead. It’s as bright as a Teletubbies sunrise but not-too-sweet, and the side of sour cream enhances the citrus tang." - Sylvio Martins
