Cafe 101 Coffee Shop

Here’s how the eavesdropping played out: “blah, blah, blah cake in a jar” and with that I was pulled into the conversation. I politely asked for the details in order to experience this for myself. Cake in a Jar is a fun dessert from Cafe 101, the hip homage to ‘60s and ‘70s coffee shops. It’s in the lobby of the Best Western on Franklin Avenue in Hollywood. I had to sit in a booth by the stone wall, as it reminded me of the long-gone Ships Coffee Shop with their stone wall and toasters on every table.

Knowing I was on the verge of having Cake in a Jar, I started with the Grilled Tandoori Salmon Sandwich with regular fries and sweet potato fries. The salmon was delish, with lettuce, tomato and a cucumber yogurt, served on toasted pumpernickel. I didn’t get to toast the bread myself, but I bravely dealt with it. They also serve breakfast all day, so you know I was eyeing the breakfast burrito for my dinner!

The Cake in a Jar is chocolate cake with caramel icing and walnuts, served in a pint-sized Ball canning jar. I recommend it warmed up with the vanilla ice cream. Yum! I quickly understood the exuberance of the initial conversation where I was introduced to the treat. It was definitely worth the four miles I had to run as rationalization.

Oh yeah, and the music at Cafe 101 was a hoot! Talk about pulling one from my songbook, their mixes could have been my mixes. Billy Squier, Kraftwerk and Supertramp, along with the Eagles and Rolling Stones and other random bands I’ve already forgotten, all musically mish-mashed throughout the meal. Good times and good tunes!

Click here to go to their Web site.