Sage Bistro (Restaurant Review)

One of the things I love about Southern California is living among diversity.  Being able to taste food from all around the world, and not having to travel across the globe is a blessing in itself.

My little family and I recently stumbled onto this cute and cozy cafe managed by this sweetest lady who was very down to earth and personal.

The food itself was wonderful too, think of it as cafe food but better quality and taste.  Their menu didn't have many items but it seems each of the entrees were thoughtfully put together.

Braised Beef Ribs $18

This beef short rib was so tender! and the sauce was so yummy too! I loved that it was served over rice and veggies.  The portion was fairly big and I didn't end up finishing it and had to take some home.

Pork Chop Casserole $10

The hubby ordered Pork Chops with creamy mushroom sauce.  It wasn't so bad either but the sauce seemed to lack flavor.  The chops were cooked well and was tender.

Like I said earlier, the lady who manages the restaurant is very sweet.  She engages with the customers and always made sure the food was to your liking.  She gave us a cheesecake on the house because she thought my 4 year old was too cute! :)

cheesecake on the house

Sage Bistro

521 W Main St

Alhambra, CA 91801

(626)289-8713

Photos by Lily

Caffe Bene (Review)

A few weeks back, my little family went cafe hopping and found this one located in the business districts of San Marino.  The cafe is located on a main street where traffic is fairly fast so there is a big chance you might miss it.  We came around dinner time on a week night and the place was half filled.  The cafe interior is clean with minimal decorations.  They have a display of their own line of cups and mugs that kind of reminds me of Starbucks.  Their menu is extensive, from coffee and Boba to waffles and sandwiches.  They also sell Honey Bread, their version of Brick Toast.  As usual, my review is based on what we had and who we encountered at the time.

Price: $$

Food: A

Choco Rasberry Saudae Waffle $8.95

I literally had just one bite of this.  It's not that it taste bad it's just because I am not much of a sweets person.  According to my husband who ate most of it, it was pretty good.  Judging from the one bite I had, I would agree because the warm waffle and cold ice cream paired together was a perfect mixture.  To my surprise it was not as sweet as I thought it would be.  My son approved it too, seeing that he ate quite a few spoonfuls.

Bread Bowl Soup Combo $8.95

People often say "It tasted better than it looked" but in this case, it's actually the opposite "it looked better than it tasted".  Maybe I had high hopes for this since the picture on their menu looked very inviting with crusted cheese over the soup.  With this price tag, I was expecting something superior but it really was nothing to brag about except maybe the crusted bread bowl.  The soup was clam chowder but honestly I found more potatoes than clams.

Ambiance:  A

Like I say earlier, their decorations were kept at a minimal but I like the fact that their setup was not busy looking.  We actually felt at peace while having our meal there, which is hard to come by in cafes.

Service: B+

This place is more of a self-serve cafe so you can't expect customer service or waiters coming to check on you.  If you need anything you have to get up to their counter to ask for it.  However, the people that work there are fairly pleasant. 

Caffe Bene

2322 Huntington Dr.

San Marino, CA 91108

1 (626) 291-2393

Open Mon - Sun 7am-10pm

Photography by Herman and Lily