The Wood Cafe

I've driven past The Wood Cafe several times, but since it is located at a busy intersection, it is nearly impossible to get into the parking lot unless you are coming from either the North or West. I finally decided I had to make a point of trying it after I drove by last time and saw both the parking lot and outdoor tables were full.

They advertise that they serve organic coffee and sandwiches, but they offer so much more, from smoked salmon omelets and crab Benedicts, to almond strawberry French toast for breakfast (served all day); everything is made with local organic eggs and various meat substitutions like soyrizo can be added or substituted. Lunch offerings include a grilled vegetable and brie sandwich (which is what I had), grilled beef salad with soba noodles, Waldorf salad, and Mac and Cheese. They also have a board of daily specials, which included a Cobb salad and white bean soup the day I ate here. The desserts showcased some beautiful red velvet mini cakes that would be enough to share with at least one if not two other people. The sandwich I had was made with fresh eggplant and zucchini, basted with a tasty marinara sauce, and made with a very (surprisingly) decent baguette which was offered paninni style (pressed and grilled) with a side salad was a nice mix of spring greens and shredded carrot with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Service was very efficient and friendly, a perfect combination of welcome and hospitality.

All the coffee drinks are made with 100% organic beans from fair trade sources, so you can have a mocha latte, a specialty tea (hot or cold), or a Jones organic soda to go with your meal. The great things is that they are open until 10 pm so if you are looking for a bite late at night, this is a great place to stop. Avoid work week lunch hours though because they are directly across the street from the big Kaiser Permanente building and the workers on lunch break from that building alone could easily fill the small cafe. Go on a nice sunny Southern California day to enjoy the clean patio surrounded by bamboo trees or if you are in a rush, pick up an order to go home.

The Wood in Culver City adds a little bit of green that provides a pleasant refuge in a concrete jungle.