1 week Ago By Merrill Shindler
For as long as I can remember, Nat’s Early Bite Coffee Shop on Burbank Boulevard in Sherman Oaks has been — like the nearby Art’s Deli — a weekend destination for old school cooking, a great place to go for that morning cuppa joe, a classic omelet or scramble, maybe some hot cakes to celebrate losing a pound or two (and gaining it back in the process), and, this being Southern California, a down-home assortment of Mexican dishes.In other words, nothing fancy, nothing too modern — just the sort of chow that satisfies the tummy and the soul, when solace is found on a plate.In case you don’t know the Kleenex-worthy story of original owner Nat Elias selling his restaurant to a former busboy (and then waiter, and head cook) named Victor Carlos, you can find it described in loving detail in a 2017 Daily News story by columnist Dennis McCarthy.
It’s a great American success story, pure Horatio Alger, and nice to think about as you wait for a table at the original Nat’s, where there’s pretty much always a wait. Or its sequel in the West Valley on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills. Or the sequel to the sequel on Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Canoga Park.
Which is where I found myself waiting — inevitably — for a table on a sunny Sunday morning.Nat’s West Café in Canoga Park dishes up classic morning diner cooking — a variety of egg dishes, including omelets, plus pancakes, French toast and more — and lunch, too. Other locations are in Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills.
(Photo by Merrill Shindler)Diners enjoy breakfast at the counter at Nat’s West Café in Canoga Park. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)Show Caption1 of 2Nat’s West Café in Canoga Park dishes up classic morning diner cooking — a variety of egg dishes, including omelets, plus pancakes, French toast and more — and lunch, too. Other locations are in Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills.
(Photo by Merrill Shindler)ExpandNat’s isn’t so much a restaurant, as it is a way of life — with the wait for a table part of the experience. The good news is the turnover is brisk at all three branches, with sidewalk dining available in Woodland Hills. Nat’s is defined by quick-service, easy ordering from a menu that’s as familiar as a cozy blanket, and a kitchen that cranks out its dishes with clockwork efficiency.
And with warmth; this is a great place to go when you feel in need of TLC. The servers are the parents some (many?) of us never had.What Nat’s offers are meals that are breathtaking in their consistency.
I’m pretty certain that the Denver omelet I had at Nat’s back in the 1980s, is the same Denver omelet I had just the other day. Except for the inevitable price rise.Nat’s is like many of the restaurants that persevere, Nat’s is eternal.
Or at least, as eternal as a place that serves corned beef hash this good can be. Both with eggs and potatoes; get the home fries or the hash browns. Crunch is our friend.
Though Nat’s is open for both breakfast and lunch, and the lunch section of the menu is as large as the breakfast section, I mostly think of Nat’s as a breakfast joint. It all began with Nat’s “Early Bite,” not Nat’s “Lunch Spot.” And those early bites are a pleasure.
This is a menu dominated by classicism. Though modernism does lurk around the edges. There’s a Fitness Menu of 11 plates — healthy stuff like The Pec Dec (chicken breast, egg whites, rice or pasta, muffin or toast).
Or The Big Scramble (chicken, mushrooms, onions spinach, tomato and SIX egg whites!).Yes, well ..
. not for me. I like my egg yolks; they’ve got all the flavor.
Ditto chicken thighs, wings and drumsticks. (I like butter on my toast, too; life is too short for dry toast.)I go for less traditional coffee shop dishes, like the mix-and-match chilaquiles and eggs, where you choose a salsa (green, red or tomatillo), to go with the fried corn tortillas scrambled with eggs, onions and meat.
(I think of chilaquiles as the Mexican equivalent of Jewish matzoh brie — which is also on the menu, made with matzoh instead of tortillas; it’s as much a dish from the old country as the chilaquiles.)Mostly, this is where you go for freshly baked cinnamon rolls and muffins; for a pair of eggs cooked any style (over-easy for me, thank you); for bacon, sausage, ham, beef patties or turkey bacon; and for a terrific choice of ultra-crispy home fries, hash browns, tater tots or grits. .
.. Yup, grits, just like down South, even in the North Valley.
You can also design your own omelet, out of more than 30 different add-ins. Chorizo and feta cheese? Sure!And, like I said, there’s plenty of lunch to be found here — dishes as old school as anything served for breakfast. Including a choice of five different club sandwiches; Nat’s Favorite is tuna salad, sliced eggs, bacon and tomato with mayo on toast (fantastic!).
More Merrill: 4 of the best vegan, vegetarian restaurants in the San Fernando ValleySandwiches dominate; French dip, Philly cheese steak, a bacon and egg sandwich, a trio of Reubens, a tuna melt supreme. You can double your meat for $3.95 extra.
And let us not forget the importance of the salad to the Nat’s lunch experience — from a textbook chef’s salad, served both small and large, made with pickled beets, to a Cobb that would have passed muster at the Brown Derby, and a white meat tuna salad served with a boiled egg.There’s comfort just being in Nat’s. And there’s comfort in so many of the dishes — an easy journey back to the way things used to be.
I can understand being addicted to Nat’s. It satisfies the stomach, and it satisfies the soul. Or at least, it does once you figure out which of the sausages your stomach and soul cry out for.
With a choice of seven different ones, the temptations are many. With two eggs, potato and toast or a homemade muffin. But then, that’s the essence of coffee-shop dining.
Giving in to temptation makes for a very happy day.Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.
com.Nat’s West CaféRating: 3 starsAddress: 8336 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park (also, 14115 Burbank Blvd.
, Sherman Oaks, 818-781-3040; and 22737 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, 818-222-2350).Information: 818-340-4500; https://natswest.
cafeCuisine: Classic early morning diner cooking — a variety of egg dishes including omelets, pancakes and French toast; and, with some menu items, a journey to the South and the Midwest on the northern fringe of the San Fernando Valley.When: Breakfast and lunch, every dayDetails: Coffee and soft drinks; no reservationsPrices: About $20 per personOn the menu: For breakfast: 11 Fitness Plates ($10.95-$18.
50), 6 Classic Breakfast Plates ($9.95-$19.50), 21 Breakfast Specials ($8.
50-$17.95), 6 Specialty Breakfast Plates ($11.95-$18.
50), 2 Early Bird Specials ($13.95-$17.50), 5 Pancakes ($10.
50-$16.95), 9 French Toast & Waffles ($10.50-$16.
95), 4 Omelets ($15.50-$16.50), 6 “South of the Border Specials” ($3.
25-$15.50), 3 “Make Your Own Omelet” Options ($13.50-$15.
50); For lunch: 5 Lunch Plates ($16.50-$17.50), 10 Burgers ($13.
95-$15.95), 5 Club Sandwiches ($16.95), 15 Sandwiches ($10.
95-$17.95), 9 Special Sandwiches ($15.50-$16.
95), 9 Salads ($5.25-$16.25), 3 Diet Plates ($10.
95-$13.95)Credit cards: MC, VWhat the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.
), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.
) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)Related ArticlesHot dogs and hamburgers are legendary at this LA restaurantSeafood is a special treat at this Sherman Oaks restaurantComfort food classics come with Korean influences at this Toluca Lake restaurantBreakfast and lunch are tasty experiences at Joe’s Café in Granada HillsMexican food in Pacoima is a delight at this down-home restaurant.
