Favorite eats in Eagle Rock? (cheap & date-friendly)

Can anyone give me recommendations for your favorite places in Eagle Rock? I'm planning a date near there. I'm a grad student so it's gotta be reasonably priced (ie $10-15 entrees). Doesn't need to be ultra-romantic just no flourescent lighting. The food is the most important! All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

[SecretAsianMan]

I am very surprised that no one has mentioned Spitz Donor Kebab on Colorado (this is for Date #4, Foodie!). Very inexpensive, very yummy, fun vibe with cool people and a good fast-foodish sorta place. Again, NOT the first date...after you've wooed her with your super brain.

[carter]

The reason no one mentioned it was because back in 2005 when most of the comments were posted, Spitz was not even open!

[SecretAsianMan]

wonder how the date went... hahaha

[kellydeez]

I actually really enjoy Fatty's. It is vegetarian and coming from a carnivore like myself, the recommendation is a true compliment. They have good wines and even the desserts are quite delicious for something on the 'healthy side'. I think a date would be impressed by this health conscious choice. I've heard grumblings about rude service but never had a problem there myself. Here is their site~

http://www.fattyscafe.com/

[jenny eagle]

Check out Blue Hen, Organic Vietnamese food. Homemade satisfaction, laid back atmosphere, healthy, with cool lighting and art to talk about. The Beef Pho is out of this world amazing. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Cafe Beaujolais is also the crem de la crem, the only french restuarant I know with french waiters. Both places take their time in getting the food to you, but it is worth it when you get it. Also gives you plenty of time to chat.

[carter]

Beware that your comments are being added to a post that is 3.5 years old, and thus the other comments may be totally relevant, or not!

i live in the general neighborhood and have read all the posts and eaten at nearly every one of the places mentioned numerous times... there are some good ideas, but for a fun date, in a quiet, quirky atmosphere, w/ very good food that is right in yr price range, i'd have to say that Polka is the way to go! esp in this chilly, rainy weather. it's homemade polish food -- great pierogis, various stews, etc, served by a lovely couple (and their adorable toddler daughter) in an oddly decorated, dimly lit, tiny space. each meal comes with a cup of homemade soup (always delicious), a small salad and some small dessert.

they do not serve any alcohol, but i think you can bring your own wine.

they close early -- 9 i think, on weekdays.

this is the place for you. have a good time on your date!!!

first of all cafe bougelais is horrible i don't know how any one can recomend that place, and it is a complete rip off. petite has been bought and is now horrible also. scarentinos is about as good as olive garden. that thai place on colarado has a great homemade banana cream pie, but the food sucks. fatty's is alright if you can deal with fatty herself who i cannot stand. casa bianca is alright also, however i think it is very overrated. i guess for l.a it is good pizza. Chalet is great if you want to sit around with a bunch of all white mid 30's suburbanites that are all in the same income bracket. capri i love just for the family that runs it. i have a crush on the twins. i can't recomend the food though. columbo's has excellent ambiance. again i can't recomend the food. but i love it. that would probably be my choice for the date. as for good food in eagle rock. i say the following: the blue hen, great vietnamese food made with everything organic. camilos i have had some good meals at . Auntie Em's breakfast. however on york in highland park you have many great choices. huraches, la estrella and the truck next to it are my favorites.
as you can see i am a litle bitter towards the general laziness when it comes to food in eagle rock.

I would recommend Clasiic Thai next door to Cafe Beaujolais on Colorado. The food is very good, the atmosphere is nice, it's friendly, and 2 people can dine there for $25-30. There is also a nice outdoor patio for when the weather warms up.

The Capri on Eagle Rock Blvd. is a good option for Italian food. It's nothing fancy but it's very homey with good food and low prices. Friendly service from the family owners. Open only for dinner.

I recommend Scarantino's, just east of the 2 freeway on Colorado Blvd. comfortable old fashioned Italian with good service. I like the veal picante and the linguine with white clam sauce. Not technically Eagle Rock, but close enough. La Fuente in the mini-mall just west of Eagle Rock blvd. has good Mexican and comfortable booths.

We like La Fuente (all of 'em), but don't you think the atmosphere would be rather drab for a date?

Did you read the original post for his requirements? I don't think he meant somewhere like Camilo's. As far as La Fuente is concerned, they have friendly service, cozy booths with a quieter ambiance than say, Casa Bianca, plus good food at a reasonable price. Have you been there? Do you date?

If you re-read my post you'll see I wasn't knocking La Fuente. I just find the atmosphere a little drab, that's all. Good idea about Camilo's however. It's reasonably priced and also good.

Okay, I reread your post and saw at best, a left handed compliment. Good food but too drab for a date? Also, Camilo's may be reasonable, but it is not, as the title of the original post requested, cheap.

Ah, a no win situation...
What's back-handed about "we like La Fuente"? And btw, Camilo does have a number of entrees in the price range the original poster requested.

First of all if this is a no win situation, what is it you are trying to win?
The back handed part of your post was not that you liked the food, but that you thought the place was rather drab for a date. Which I find funny considering some of your recommendations.
Sicha Siam where the carpet was so filthy I couldn't eat there.
Classic Thai, that has a history of Heath Dept. problems.
Villa Sombrero, where a woman was shot and killed in the parking lot a few months ago.
And finally, although Camilo's may indeed have some dishes within the specified price range, do you have a secret for restricting a date to the cheap side of the menu without making it the last date?

To repeat, a no-win situation. So for the record (and you should re-read my posts):
-I did not recommend Classic Thai. That was someone else.
-I said I was NOT particularly a fan of Villa Sombrero
-I also questioned how romantic Sicha Siam was, even though I liked the food.
-Unless they've changed their menu recently, when I was last there most of Camilo's entrees seemed to be in the price range the OP requested.

While Cafe Beaujolais is nice, if you both have wine and either first courses or dessert, it will cost at least $80 -- probably not a grad student price range.
In addition to the other suggestions, I would recommend La Cabanita in Montrose. Not far from Eagle Rock and very tasty Mexican. Or, as the other poster recommended, the Wild Hare.

Try Polka on Verdugo. A rather unique setting (although in a strip mall), wonderful home cooking, efficient service, and unlike the other suggestions, very quiet, and perhaps even romantic. And best of all - it's wonderfully reasonable.

Rather than Cafe Beaujolais, which can be fairly noisy, you should try Beaujolais Bakery across the street. It's much more intimate and they have excellent salads (not sure if they have entrees anymore). Also nearby is the unique Fatty's, which has gotten some mixed reviews from this board, although you'll also find a rave further down the page.

On Eagle Rock Blvd and York is Sicha Siam. While really good and reasonable (although again in a strip mall), I'm not sure how romantic it is. Can't remember the lighting. Also on Eagle Rock is Capri. I haven't been, but friends said they had great pizza there recently.

Eagle Rock adjacent, you can also check out Jonathan Gold's LA Weekly column from a few weeks back for a slew of Mexican places on York. I'm not particularly a fan, but Villa Sombrero on York does have great margaritas (according to my wife), and terrific guacamole.

Finally, you might want to check out the Wild Hare on York for drinks or even food. I haven't been since they've finished their remodel, but their small plates were good and it's becoming quite a little happening scene.

Cafe Beaujolais's entree prices are pretty reasonable. Great and intimate ambience and friendly service. Entrees range from about $12- $18. Specials might be more. My husband & I recently went to Beaujolais and had a bottle of wine, shared a salad, ordered the duck entree and the lamb stew special plus shared a dessert and 2 espressos for $120. That includes the tip too. Obviously, you don't have to buy wine (which was a burgundy for $38) or dessert.

I would suggest making a reservation if you decide to go since they get really busy. Good luck w/ your date!

I second the recommendation for Cafe Beaujolais. It's perfect for a date, and very reasonably priced.

Café Beaujolais
1712 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock
323-255-5111

I third it - I think the food is just fine - even better than fine (especially the specials and the duck in an exquisite lavender honey sauce). I am surprised at some recent comments to the contrary.
It's also fairly romantic, though not quiet; especially avoid the live band nights.
The only problem is that it is not overly cheap as the previous poster noted, and might not meet your criterion here.

My favorite place to eat in Eagle Rock is Casa Bianca. Their pastas aren't anything to write home about, but their pizzas are heavenly.

Abby

Also, being jammed into the SRO waiting area for ninety minutes with the rest of the anxious would-be pizza-eaters is very romantic.

Not.

you can wait out those ninety minutes sipping a martini and sitting by the fireplace at "the chalet", which is a great drinking hole 1/2 block to the east.

I second the recommendation for The Chalet on Colorado - this place is a super-cool bar, and can make the Casa Bianca wait not so bad. Also Casa Bianca is open until midnight (or 1 AM on Fri/Sat), and you can usually walk right in and get seated after 9. And the Chalet is open until 2 AM so you can always finish the evening in style. Another inexpensive post-dinner adventure is the bowling alley (All Star Lanes) just a bit south of Colorado on Eagle Rock Blvd. Cheap bear and old-school bowling!

Hmmm....per his write-up, he did mention that the restaurant doesn't have to be ultra-romantic. Besides, all that waiting just gives two people a chance to chat more. :) -- Abby