Ireland’s 32 and Saint Coffee
This is a salute to the one-man band who toils in a kitchen the size of a walk-in closet and turns out soul-satisfying fare in minutes. I’ve recently encountered two such kitchenette heroes, one in an Irish pub, the other in a coffee joint near me, and their work deserves a shout out.
Ireland’s 32
Chef One, Rafa, offers up an astonishing array of pub favorites from behind the bandstand at Ireland’s 32, a Van Nuys mainstay. Foodie Friend #3 convinced me to check it out one night when a favorite band was playing there, insisti
ng the fish and chips and shepherd’s pie were top-notch. She was right; the not-over-battered, crispy fish and onion rings deluxe killed, and the gooey, cheesy potato topping on the savory meat and al dente veggies were spot on. More surprising, though were the juiciest of burgers and perfectly medium-rare NY steak with charred vegetables the band members ordered. What? Short-order steak? Yes, and I’m not talking Sizzler quality.
The menu is chock full of bar bites, too, but the surfeit of other main courses confounds when you see the chef darting in and out of his hole delivering, (that’s right, he’s the server, too), plate after plate of better-than-dive-bar entrees. This guy deserves a medal. And Ireland’s 32 merits a visit whenever you’re in the mood to hang with a local band and people-watch the intriguing array of regulars in the neighborhood.
Saint Coffee
I have never actually laid eyes on Chef Two at Saint Coffee in Studio City, only his hands as he presents his wares to the window ledge outside his sauna-sized workspace. Someday I’ll crouch down and call into the void to thank him for his delicious, dense and flavorful Argentinian quiche stuffed with spinach, onions, provolone and parm. And I may throw in some gratitude for the smoked salmon and avocado toast on local sourdough or the summer salad with pears, cranberries, feta, walnuts and pickled onion. I’d add endless kudos for the best orange-cranberry scone I’ve ever had, but I’m not sure it’s an in-house creation. The owners and baristas are warm and welcoming and the coffees divine. No wonder it’s called Saint. Stop in and supplicate soon!
Molly Cheek
Molly Cheek is a retired actor and Epicurean School graduate. She is best known for her roles in “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” and the “American Pie” franchise, (she baked the pie!). For her second act, she turned to her real love: Eating!!! Molly created a catering and home-cooked gourmet gift basket business, placing her baked goods in coffee joints and on craft service tables around Los Angeles. And even though she’s moved on from that endeavor, she still loves to eat. She starts dreaming of lunch as soon as breakfast is done. Cooking is fun, but eating out is her happy place. And she loves to talk about what she eats…..and what you eat and what people on TV eat…. So, she hopes her enthusiasm for food will ignite some tastebuds and inspire you Tomatoes to try something new.
