Café 2001
Cafe · Historic Core ·
Pork katsu sando, oysters, natural wine, pastries, coffee
Pork katsu sando, oysters, natural wine, pastries, coffee
"Chasing the Konbi katsu sandwich high, I found a worthy cousin here: thick-cut pork katsu tucked in cloud-like milk bread with a balanced, savory sauce—no slaw, but all the nostalgia. Sliced into thirds, it’s easy to share, and the best add-ons are sage-tinged french fries and a bright lemon tart with a bruleed top." - Eater Staff
"An all-day Arts District hang that refuses to be just one thing, this bi-level former bank space channels an underground-rave-meets-mad-scientist vibe, with brick walls, a high-fidelity sound system, and classical music echoing while guests sip coffee, matcha, or wine from a slim selection of bottles. The menu from former Yess sous chef Giles Clark straddles European and Japanese inclinations — think a katsu sandwich, fat-specked terrine, and shortbread-crust tarts — and it works whether I’m after a full meal, a mid-day sweet, or simply somewhere to show off an outfit. The katsu sandwich remains a staple: thick slabs of breaded pork on fluffy milk bread slathered with a Bulldog-esque sauce, cut into three easy-to-share slices. Whole garlic cloves and fried sage leaves are tucked into a tall tangle of crispy, salty french fries that are worth ordering on their own. A pristine lemon curd tart finished with a thin layer of bruleed sugar balances just enough sweetness with bright citrus tartness; a side of sour cream adds welcome tang, and the shortbread crust holds it all together without distracting from the filling. It can be difficult to find — look for the spray-painted plank of wood and a set of doors whose paint is peeling to know you’re going the right way — and if Frankenstein’s creature came to life here, he’d probably emerge with a penchant for matcha, pet nat, and Japanese fashion. Right now, it’s the place to be." - Rebecca Roland
"A daytime extravaganza by Giles Clark (Den Tokyo, St. John London) — who came stateside with mentor Junya Yamasaki (who helms Yess next door) — occupies a unique industrial space featuring a wraparound mezzanine, skylights, and brick walls variously described as both Brutalist and Victorian (the grandma-style furniture evokes the latter). The food reads as modern British with Jamie Oliver energy but leans toward the niceness of Fergus Henderson: the country terrine is described as spectacular, studded with pistachios and cracked black pepper and wrapped so tightly that a slice of chopped pork becomes a lovely thing to behold. A cocktail-sized chilled borscht is a delightful summer soup; huckleberry jam and yogurt underneath smoked salmon on a crispy potato hash work despite the contrasts of sweet, creamy, and salty; the pork katsu sando forfeits a crispy exterior but gains juiciness; and merguez sausage with crispy, twig-like fries arrives with dense aioli and harissa as a nod to a Marseilles street food, though Clark often skips the bread and lets the finger-ready bites sit on a plate. The room was buzzing on a Thursday with every table full, and the reviewer describes the project as the kind of place that defies immediate understanding — an attribute the writer rather enjoys in an age of predictability. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Eater Staff
"Ambiance isn’t Café 2001’s forte, but this quiet all-day bistro at least shines where it counts: serving an elegant Japanese-European menu that’s sophisticated enough for a proper sit-down lunch. For a place that serves elegant dishes like beautifully marbled terrines and pork tenderloin sandos with rosy cross sections, Café 2001 is speedy like a fast-casual restaurant. Everything arrives within minutes, so you can be in and out before your post-lunch meeting, but we recommend carving out time for Café 2001’s creative coffee drinks and a slice of one of its excellent fruit tarts." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Not even an upbeat playlist can fill the eerie echoey-ness inside this two-story bistro behind Yess. But if you can get past Café 2001’s ambiance (or lack thereof), this all-day spot reveals its redeeming qualities: a French-Japanese menu that fills whatever blank is left in your day’s itinerary. That could be a creamy matcha latte in the morning, a post-work glass of lambrusco with pan-fried gyozas, or a juicy pork tenderloin sando during a lunch meeting with your boss. You'll know you found the place once you run into the big spray-painted sheet of plywood outside." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder