Restaurant Review: Aroma Bakery & Cafe – Hollywood, Los Angeles

When I find a place that has a full menu and open kitchen all the way into the wee hours of the night (early morning), I’m at full attention. This is a rare occasion in Los Angeles. Aroma Bakery & Cafe is not what you think. It’s a casual middle-eastern influenced eatery that has a binder for a menu. This is not an L.A. cafe bakery but a middle-eastern influenced cafe bakery in L.A. – very different, so you need to do away with any predispositions to enjoy the experience.

The difference is not just with the food, but the crowd and atmosphere. It is very bright – you’ll hardly notice it’s nighttime outside on the patio, and it’s busy with people of all ages – even at 2am. The menu is very promising for a group with varying eating preferences – vegetarians, meat eaters, sweet tooths, and all in between. The Aroma’s Lettuce Wrap (top pic) with ground chicken breast, sauteed green onions, jicama and tomatoes in teriyaki marinara, was very delicious and tasty, and even better under $12. The Labane and Zaatar (pic below) was just how I remembered it and brought back memories – perfect hot fresh arabic bread topped with zaatar spices. I keep hearing how insanely yummy their chocolate souffle is and can’t wait to go back to try it.

Here are some items from their Lunch/Dinner menu. It’s a huge menu, so I only included 1/4 of it here:

Specials:
Ahi Tuna Kabab with onion rice, mini potatoes, chopped salad and tahini sauce
Sea Bass Skewers with white rice and salad
Coucous with steamed vegeatbles, garbanzo bean soup, and fish
Penne Pasta with broccoli, mushroom, and carrot in Alftredo sauce and salmon fillet
Fettucini with Ahi Tuna Bolognese Sauce with salad
Slamon-filled Phyllo Dough with salad and mashed potatoes
BBQ Vegetables with salmon fillet with mini potatoes
Ahi Tuna Tortilla with avocado, carrots, cucumbers and BBQ sauce
Roasted Eggplant with salad and tahini sauce and topped with Tilapia fillets
Ahi Tuna Steak in red wine-blueberry sauce with mashed potatoes
Lamb Chops marinated overnight and grilled with mashed potatoes and vegetable squares $28.95
Beef Stroganoff – Fillet Mignon strips sauteed with mushrooms and green onions, served in a creamy sauce over white rice $26.95
Aroma’s Rib Eye Steak – 16oz. grilled fine Rib Eye steak with mashed potatoes, asparagus and roasted tomatoes $28.95
The Best Fillet Mignon Ever – 10oz. tender fillet seared to perfection with mashed potatoes, asparagus and roasted tomatoes $32.95
Aroma’s Lettuce Wrap – Ground chicken breast, sauteed with green onions, jicama and tomatoes in teriyaki marinara served with lettuce wraps $11.95

Soup:
Onion with puff pastry top $9.50
Vegetable Noodle Matzo Ball $5.95, $6.95

Fish:
Build Your Own Fish: Seabass, Salmon, Tilapia, Pecan Trout, Ahi Tuna

From the taboon original clay oven:
Samboosak – Traditional style dough filled with your choice of feta cheese, potato, pizza, or cheese & tuna, and your choice of olives, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and egglpant. Served with house special salad & egg $11.95
Ziva – Puff pastry topped with sesame and filled with one of the following combinations: cheese & olives, mixed cheeses, cheese & pizza sauce. Served with tomato puree, pickles and egg $10.95
Labane & Zaatar – Labane spread, olive oil and zaatar served with freshly baked zaatar pita
Malawach Roll – Puff pastry filled with your choice of hummus & egg, swiss cheese, feta cheese & egg, or pizza sauce & egg. Served with tomato puree, pickles & egg $9.95
Build your own Calzone $11.95
Burekas Piruki $9.95
Spiralla $11.95

Pastas:
Ravioli: special sauces: marinara, creamy tomato, mushroom alfredo, olivia (sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, walnuts and olives), creamy capers, alley-oily (garlic, olive oil, pesto), creamy salmon (add $2)
Gorgonzola & Caramelized Walnut $13.95
Sun dried tomato & goat cheese $13.95
Garlic, spinach & cheese $12.95
Portobello Mushrooms $12.95
Vegetable Melange $12.95
Three Cheese $12.95
Sweet Potatoes $12.95

The Italiano – Cheese ravioli with stir fried peppers, carrots and zucchini served hot and topped with a lightly spicy dressing $11.95

Potato Gnocchi $13.95
Tri Color Gnocchi $13.95
Fettucini $12.95
Linguini $12.95
Penne Rigati $12.95
Angel Hair $12.95

Desserts:
Bavarian Cream $9.95
Hot Chocolate Cake $10.95
Cheese Crumble Cake $9.95
Chocolate Souffle $11.95
Slice of Cake $8.95
Apple Pie $8.95
Malabi $7.95
Chocolate Malawach $8.95
Cookie Mountain $9.95

AROMA BAKERY & CAFE
Address: 7373 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Phone: (323) 850-8120
Hours: Mon-Sun. 7am – Late
Price: $7-$33

Let me know how you like this place or have any recommendations. Click here to see more reviews.