dineLA: Angeli Caffe

Back in February I posted about a few different restaurants I visited for dineLA. If you didn't catch those posts (shame on you, you haven't been visiting my blog everyday for the past three years?! JK!) here is a breakdown of how dineLA works:

1. Pick a Los Angeles neighborhood.
2. Pick the type of cuisine you'd like.
3. Pick the $ level (lunches $16 -$28 and dinners $26-$44).

dineLA is a great opportunity to try new restaurants, getting three-course meals for a reduced price. Last dineLA I ate at three restaurants, one of which was Boxwood Cafe by Gordon Ramsay. I shelled out $44 for that meal and wasn't that impressed, unfortunately. And actually, as I type this I am watching Hell's Kitchen. With all of the risotto that Chef serves, I had expected his restaurant's to be superb. Not so much. It was just OK.

This time around I wanted to try a $ lunch option to save some dough so Angeli Caffe was today's location of choice. dineLA is designed in a way that you have three options to choose from for your three-course meal. Angeli Caffe's lunch menu sounded delish, plus I love dining on Melrose Ave!

Lunch $16*

*Price excludes alcohol, tax and gratuity.

Choice of Appetizers

-Calamari Croquettes served with Sweet-Sour Eggplant Caponata

-Insalata Forte

-Panzanella

Salad of still great tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted peppers on thin slices of Angeli bread

Choice of Entrees

-Mixed Antipasti Plate

Bean of the Day

Roasted Pepper Salad w Goat Cheese, Olives and Croutons

Sweet and Sour Eggplant Caponata

Ricotta tart with Roasted Heirloom Sauce

-Grilled Pizza

Topped with Heirloom Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Parmesan, Pesto

-Ricotta Gnocchi served with Melted Butter and Parmesan or Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Choice of Desserts

-Brownie

-Tirami Su

-Peanut Butter-Bacon Cookie

My meal consisted of the calamari croquettes, ricotta gnocchi served with melted butter and parmesan, and the brownie. I had the pleasure of meeting another blogger, Social B, and she ordered the insalata forte, ricotta gnocchi served with melted butter and parmesan, and the tirami su (which she shared with me :). All in all the food was pretty good. I'd give it six forks out of 10! My biggest complaint, it took forever to get out of there. I was on my lunch break and ended up being there for nearly two hours. They weren't very busy so I am not sure what the hold up was.

All of the items were tasty enough, but none of the courses blew me away. With the hundreds of restaurants in Los Angeles, I am not sure I'd pick Angeli Caffe again.

This season may be my last dineLA, though. While prices are reduced and it is a great way to try new foods, it's still a bit expensive. When I really think about it, I'm spending more money in the end. I normally wouldn't order an app and dessert. So in actuality, I'm probably spending anywhere from $10 to $20 on the extra courses. And, out of the five restaurants I've tried my experience has been 1 good, 3 OK, 1 bad.

I am, however, looking at the dinner menu for POP Champagne & Dessert Bar in Pasadena. I love me some truffle mac n' cheese and it's on the menu. If I go to one last dineLA meal, I'll be sure to recap!