`This amazing, fine, and really fun place was an absolute delight. When I first heard about it, I was intrigued. I had little more than a menu, and a suggestion to go on.
The place is run by a very sweet Phillipino family. They were very attentive to my needs, and quite detail oriented.
To start off, I had a young coconut to drink. The lady who was my waitress informed me that such a thing was a staple in the Philippines. No doubt, they are proud to bring it here to share! The taste of the juice was certainly sweeter than older coconuts. The meat inside was delicious as well.
They are not 100% organic, because that would drive up the price, so they say. So, they do what they can with eggs, and various other produce.
Since they very recently opened, their menu was very limited, but they assured us that everything was fresh and delicious. No worries, due to the exquisite smells coming from the kitchen.
For my meal, I had the Caribbean Shrimp pizza. Upon first glance, one's eyes might roll over, thinking that it would be like every other attempt of a bad rendition of this pizza in town. But, far from!
The shrimp were unique, and the ingredients did nothing but compliment each other. The highlight of the dish was the crust. It was a Californian artisnal delight that put Wolgang Puck to shame, and gave Nancy Silverton a definite run for her money.
Every bite was a surprise in it's own right, as I still remember how it tasted.
After I was finished with that, I decided to try their dessert. As quite often (and I highly suggest), I had a cup of coffee. Trust. I was relieved to taste that it was a gourmet blend. It was well balanced, and not too strong.
For the dessert, they only had two at that time. I indulged in their Island Trio. Yes, they made gourmet out of Phillipino! A feat rarely pulled off well here in So. Cal. It is described as a cassava cake (classic Phillipino - wonderfully rich and sweet), a purple yam cake, and a sweet rice "biko". The presentation was gorgeous. Very, very French - with the lining up of the three small cakes horizontally, with the sweet sauce squirted in a straight line above and below. To top off the purple cake was a maraschino cherry. But, this was not a cherry from the typical bar stock. I think it was home made, somehow. Far better.
My only real complaint is that their tap water was really to be desired. They did a nice job of freshening it up with a mint leaf, but I couldn't get past a few sips. I did end up ordering the bottled - which was Arrowhead. I am, and will always remain an Evian fan. If we could get the whole world to switch to Evian, I would be happy.
I am on the edge of my seat to visit again, and see what other surprises their diverse menu can dish out!
Fresh Coconut - $2
Caribbean Shrimp Pizza - $8
Island Trio - $6
Coffee - $1
Bottled Water - $1.25
Q-Cina Green Cafe
5650 Cahuenga Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 763-6896
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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