This was different! Most of the servers were male, many of them were Hispanic, all of them were clad in black from head to toe -- pants, shirts, aprons, all topped off with a bandanna over their hair!
Where is this interesting, international brew? L'Amande Bakery, in the Rolling Hills Plaza, 2553 PCH, Torrance. 310-326-8980 lamandebakery.com
Richie had read a glowing review and he is a Francophile. Naturally, we must go there tout de suite. We did yesterday. I 've been taking Celebrex for an L5 problem and my stomach really doesn't care for it. I wanted something bland, home-y and thought, "Quiche Lorraine."
They serve a "quiche breakfast," your choice Lorraine or Tomato-Goat Cheese which comes with a salad of mesclun, and toasted almonds in a citrus vinaigrette, bread, butter and a house fruit compote. $8.50 'Way too much of a good thing, although certainly value for money spent.
We ordered Croque Monsieurs. $9.50. Theirs is the "classic" Black Forest ham, gruyere (Swiss cheese to us) and cheese sauce topping on pain de mie (honey bread) which would not be my first bread choice. It was a "true" sandwich - two slices of thick-cut bread. In France, it's served open faced which I much prefer. I thought about flipping the whole thing over onto its creamy top, lifting off and discarding the bottom slice and use my knife and fork, but I was too lazy. The sandwices came with the house salad, as well.
Other dishes looked interesting for a future visit. Not your usual grilled cheese - Cheddar, Mozzarella, blue cheese and mayonnaise on a raisin-walnut bread. $9.50
You might like Smoked Salmon on a bed of ricotta with a classic side of onion, capers, lemon and sour cream. $13.50 For vegetarians, ricotta with parmesan shavings, topped with toasted pine nuts and Mission figs on a baguettine. $9.50
They offer a choice of five different salads including Caesar Royale with the usual ingredients plus hard-boiled eggs and their own house-made dressing. $8.95, so you can bet it would be enough for four people. They are not French in their portion sizes here.
A light lunch for four would work if you ordered the Cheese Platter (various cheeses served with toasted almonds, diced dates, walnuts and fresh bread - $12.50) and a Ham Platter (prosciutto, Black Forest ham, salame, cornichons and bread - $14.50) Around $7 per person and it would leave room for dessert, hint, hint. The Shopper's Special!
L'Amande (The Almond) has a booming bakery business, too. All kinds and cuts of bread, rolls and dessert tarts. Helas, we were too full for dessert....Next time...
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