By Ea Nicole Madrigal
If you can find a seat, you’re in luck. You are about to indulge in a delightful food experience that best exemplifies Los Angeles eating. Indoor or outdoor, brunch or lunch, good food or good drink – you must be at Mike and Anne’s in South Pasadena. If you’re not, then you don’t know what you’re missing.
Mike and Anne’s restaurant has an ideal location in the South Pasadena Mission District extremely close to the South Pasadena Metro Station and drivable distance if you live on the outskirts of town (located near the 110 freeway). You’ll know you’re at the right place if you walk up to the corner that the restaurant sits on and the patio is packed full of hungry patrons with contented faces.
This restaurant is part indoor and part outdoor, and altogether a fantastic spot to bring a date, your friends, or your little ones for a family dining outing. You can even bring your dog (as I did when I visited Mike and Anne’s for the first time last week).
I heard about Mike and Anne’s from a regular patron who swore to me that the martinis there were some of the best in Los Angeles. But, being an avid eater (professionally speaking), I listened to another patron who told me as I walked up to the restaurant that I “had to try the brunch.” So, that’s just what I did.
I was astounded how busy this restaurant was on a Sunday afternoon, but I shouldn’t have been. The owners of Mike and Anne’s also own another brunch location favorite: Wistaria in Sierra Madre. Like Wistaria, Mike and Anne’s is known as one of the best spots to indulge in a Sunday brunch. I even wrote about Wistaria several months ago in this section of our newspaper. And Mike and Anne’s is worthy of the exact same praise.
Taking the advice of the patron who suggested brunch, I went directly for the Challah Bread French Toast. The bread is dipped in orange vanilla batter, and when topped with syrup…well, all I can say is “wow” and that’s putting things simply. It’s also served with just a few bits of fruit.
This French toast may have been the very best French toast that I’ve ever had. In fact, this might have been the very best brunch I’ve ever had (and that’s comparing it with some delectable brunches I had the pleasure to enjoy in foodie cities like New York and Las Vegas).
After my visit to Mike and Anne’s, I can finally see what all of the raves were about. And I can’t believe it took me this long to share that news with all of you. I guess the only thing left for me to do now is to visit the restaurant again – very soon -and finally try that martini!
Mike and Anne’s is located at 1040 Mission St, Suite 102, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Call (626) 799-7199 or visit www.mikeandannes.com.