tiffin unboxed

Time flies. It's been a long time waiting for the The Daily Dose to open, and suddenly I realized today marks one month after its official soft opening on August 1st this year.

Faith sandwich - detail

Self proclaimed Rebel Leader, Sarkis Vartanian first mentioned his cafe concept to me close to two years ago when we first met (and became friends). During my recent visit it was clear that he realized his vision and even improved upon it. It's an admirable feat.

Sarkis Vartanian - Rebel Leader

 I was and still am intrigued with his passion, creativity and warmth, all clearly evident in the ambiance at this cafe.

What is The Daily Dose rebelling against? Processed food. Expensive food. Harming the environment through food choices. Shipping food globally. This food is fresh, artisanal, seasonal, organic, responsible and local. Did I mention it's mouth watering too?





They serve Intelligentsia coffee, expertly prepared. The first capuccino did not meet his standards, so he made a second cup before I even took a sip.




I love a place that serves chilled water from a glass bottle.




The daily menu when I visited indicated a quiche of the day, bread with butter and  house made apricot and rose preserves, a meaty sandwich called The Butcher and an unusual sheep's milk, greens and watermelon sandwich called The Gardener.

Daily Dose - daily menu

Sides of the day were Mesopotamian green beans braised in tomato sauce and Roasted heirloom potatoes, both of which I got a taste. I recall seeing cupcakes and other pastries in the cases too. Perhaps a pie.

Faith - sequel t the Believer (discussed below)

I was not too hungry since it was late afternoon, sort of between lunch and dinner, and asked for a coffee and a small slice of quiche or something similar.

Sarkis worked his magic in the kitchen and brought me this vegetable sandwich with soulful flavors, both complex and layered. I tasted a lot of my favorite things such as tomatoes, eggplant, avocados, squash.

Yet, it also contained bulls blood micro greens, house made almond pesto and the most luscious, creamy fresh buffalo mozzarella which effortlessly replaces the need for any meat.

The bread is from Bread Lounge. I don't buy bread or eat bread much and when I do, it needs to count. This light, nutty bread couldn't be more complementary to the luxurious ingredients.

He served quinoa as a side dish, topped with the braised green beans and having a brief spicy kick. The dishes were liberally drizzled with olive oil.

I thought I wasn't hungry but found myself wiping my plate clean!




Also while there, I met a few regular customers who were all very engaging and just the kind of people I love to meet.

Sarkis brought out this second round of mascerated peaches topped with fresh cream and herbs. They bursted with sweet and tart summery flavor.






The setting, architecture and design of the place match the elegance of the food. It was entertaining watching all the angles and greenery in different types of light.

The cafe is tucked away within a curved brick-lined path, next to the Nabisco Lofts on Industrial Street, that leads to the gorgeous French doors and crescent shaped wood and metal tables.







In April of this year, Sarkis (and former Chef Christian Page) previewed their menu at Artisanal L.A.  I tasted almost all of their sandwich offerings, blown away by the taste of the food and the grace under pressure with which the team prepared, served, chatted with visitors and even worked with the inspectors without missing a beat.

Juicy turkey meatball sandwich

This sandwich was so juicy, I could not believe it was turkey. All flavors melded perfectly.

They also served a pulled pork sandwich with a very light, vinegary rather than over-creamy slaw.

Believer sandwich

The Believer contained grilled eggplant, squash, tomatoes, fresh burrata cheese and pistachio pesto, all rolled into a chewy ciabatta bread.

One bite of this perfect for Spring sandwich and I was a Believer...that you won't miss the meat!



Also in April, they had a pre-opening reception celebrating the location and the cafe's locavore food and drink.

Yes, that IS Chef Craig Thornton, aka Wolvesmouth, inside the door. As always, talking with him and hearing his thoughts on anything and everything was supremely entertaining. Especially since he was not busy cooking and in a more relaxed setting.




The food was outstanding too, needless to say.







Their ubiquitous monkey icon stands for the working man, an apt mascot for this pure and affordable food.

Sarkis' fundamental approach to introducing his food to locals and through word of mouth have definitely attracted a following and recent press coverage.

Reclaimed wood counters and cabinets

After hanging out for a couple of hours, enjoying meeting new people and eating this extremely satisfying food, I didn't want to leave.

The place captures the spirit of a European cafe as well as the feeling that you are a guest in one's home.






Two things came to mind when hanging out there. It reminded me of my daily hangout of years past, Big and Tall, a great cafe/bookstore/florist on the 7000 block of Beverly Boulevard. When I lived and worked in this area, this cafe full of writers and artists was my home away from home.

I knew most employees, regulars and even found my apartment (from back then) through the cafe, which now is a restaurant. No substitute has ever emerged for me, but Daily Dose may be a contender.





My parents owned a restaurant during much of my childhood and my father used to know, warmly greet and chat with all his customers, much like Sarkis does. It takes me back to a very unique place in my formative years' memories.






Finally I left my empty cup, looking forward to my next visit.





The Daily Dose makes me wish I lived in Downtown.

And gives me a reason to go there more often.