Zinqué Venice Happy Hour

After trying Zinqué for dinner, I went back the following week for happy hour :)

Their pan con tomate with prosciutto for $6 was a wonderful introduction to their happy hour menu with a generous portion of prosciutto on marvelous toasted bread.

Perhaps my favorite item on their happy hour menu was the grilled artichokes with a saffron aioli for $11. I could have easily eaten another plate!

I was very impressed by their paté de campagne on poilane bread for $5. The picture is of only half the portion so that I could get a close up of the texture. Served with proper cornichons, all I needed was a little dijon to make this a truly French appetizer!

For the Americans who crave chicken wings, they offered a sweet version for $8.

I was still hungry so I ordered the grilled asparagus for $13

and the grilled shrimp for $17, neither of which was on the happy hour menu, but offered on the dinner menu. Both portions were quite substantial and perfectly done, not over cooked, and nicely seasoned. 

They offer several cocktails and glasses of wine during happy hour for $10-$11, so you might want to get a ride there and back home if you want to enjoy carefree leisurely sipping between 4-6pm M-F :)

Zinqué Venice Dinner

Zinqué has been on my radar for awhile, but until someone I know actually suggested going, I did not make it a priority. It has moved to my regular rotation list now :)

We started with ratatouille socca (chick pea flour snack) for $16. It was a nice version, but the socca was quite flat and crisp, making it more like a Roman pizza, but the flavors and textures were good, and it was a great appetizer to share since each socca is cut into 2 pieces.

My friend Liana ordered the mussels and fries for $23 and generously shared both her mussels and fries :)

Another friend ordered the short rib pappardelle for $26. A hefty hearty bowl that needed a bit more cooking time for the short rib to get to the point of tenderness that would have made this perfection. 

I was very happy with my branzino for $34, stuffed with lemon, and grilled until the skin was crisp while the flesh was still tender. It was a gigantic portion, so I shared it with my table mates who all liked it even though they had all demurred at first ;)

I am looking forward to trying their breakfast, brunch, and happy hour dishes soon!

Dialog Cafe

Finding great coffee and great food at the same place is a rare and welcome combination. I wished I lived closer to Dialog Cafe, but the trip to West Hollywood is definitely worth it. Parking can be tricky during prime brunch hours, but you may get lucky with the metered parking across the street or you can park a little bit further on Sunset and walk off your meal:)

Yes, I am a coffee snob, and their blend of expertise and good beans makes an excellent cup of oat milk cappuccino. I've also tried their latte and they are equally good for those who prefer a bit more milk (oat or whatever else you might prefer). Their freshly squeezed orange juice is at the cash register counter, if you want something other than or in addition to your coffee.

Their brisket verde breakfast burrito is hearty, filling, and a bargain at $12.95

If you want a standard breakfast plate, called the Westside for $13.95, every component is perfectly executed, from the crisp bacon, to the homemade strawberry jam, and hash browns that set the paradigm for hash browns.

Their brisket is so good, that anything you order with the brisket will be a winner, like this brisket bowl for $14.50 that is like a decadent version of steak and eggs.

I love their vegan kimchi bowl for $13.95 so much that I ordered it on two occasions and both times, I devoured the entire bowl both times! The combination of pickled, fermented, and crunchy textures is one of the best uses of kimchi I've ever eaten!

Their protein omelet for $12.95 was so flavorful and full of turkey, spinach, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and parmesan that I was full all afternoon!

If you are in the neighborhood, or want to take a short drive, Dialog is definitely a place to stop for a coffee or a bite to eat. The service is top notch, from the people taking the orders at the register, to the food runners, and their sidewalk is dog friendly with plenty of shade.