MATTHEWS GARDEN CAFE — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Lovely ambiance, but the food isn't good. I ordered a caprese sandwich, which traditionally is made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and balsamic reduction. I should have known by the waitress' reaction I had selected something that wasn't going to be good. She asked me several times if I was sure I wanted it, and in hindsight I can see she was trying to get me to order something else. She told me the sandwich had peppers in it, which I was fine with. I assumed it would be a regular caprese, just with added veggies.

What I recieved was a sickenly sweet mixture of red bell peppers, dried tomatoes, and the sweetest balsamic I've ever had. It was basically red bell pepper jam on bread. There was a tiny bit of shredded cheese, but not enough to taste, especially with the bell pepper concoction covering it. It was not a caprese sandwich, as the mozzarella is the most important part of a caprese. I sent it back to ask them to put more cheese on it just to try to cut the sweet taste, but in the end I just didn't finish the sandwich.

It came with a side of potatoes. They had a nice flavor, but were partially burned, so I didn't finished those either.

The sandwich was $15, which considering it was only bread and bell pepper, was a...

My husband and I recently discovered this cafe after parking in the ONLY space available on that section of the street which just happened to be directly opposite Matthew's. We were starving and looking for breakfast/brunch at any restaurant we could find so feel very lucky to have found this place. Zara, the owner was just lovely and made us feel very welcome. The freshly squeezed OJ was so good that we each had 2 large glasses. When I request "crispy" bacon at other restaurants, it usually comes out chewy like it's been sitting around for a while. The bacon I was served at Matthew's was the best....crispy and no grease and along with the fresh fruit bowl and scrambled made for a delicious B'Fast. I also took home a tub of broccoli soup which was very tasty. Too bad this restaurant is a 2 1/2 hour drive from where we live. We would most definitely return next time we are...

I found this place online and decided to try it. When you walk by on the street, you are met by a hidden garden/dining room that you sort of just have to know where it is. They have a small but diverse breakfast menu where most people including kids should find something. The food wasn't particularly good, but the service and ambiance was. The waitstaff continually checked in on us and the real star of the show was the garden atmosphere. Overall, a fun and unique experience that I...