Sqirl - Los Angeles

When I first moved to LA, Sqirl had hit the dining scene by storm. 

Home of the hottest stool in town, this small cafe scooped up the brunch business with this iconic rainbow Ricotta Toast. A thick brioche bolsters a pillowy salted cheese, topped with four stripes of the most famous jam there is. You can get one jam, but why choose one when you can have them all? There’s a $3.50 upcharge to discourage you, and while I loved every jam, I do think it's a bit unfair to charge that much for the labor of scooping 4 jams instead of one. 

The jams, though, were truly remarkable, and I still remember the sweet Simply Strawberry on my tongue. That said, the jams are all sweet but not too sugary and more about highlighting the taste and textures of the fruit. Boysenberry is a little more tart and just as sweet, Apricot has some nutty notes, and Gold Dush Peach has some herby sumac. Contrast that sugar with ricotta salt, and it's a combination that never gets old. 

French Toast is the same bread, just as fluffy, with a softer-than-down center, a beautiful balance. It’s fluffy like the pillow you’ll put your head on immediately after you eat because this carb coma is strong. 

Have you tried the Bacon? It’s practically a liquid. A crispy, savory strip of liquid fat.  

Beet-cured Salmon has this gooey texture with a beautiful color and finish. The salmon is so fresh and sweet and the beets add an earthiness, and it is like nothing I’ve never tasted before. 

Sqirl was shaping up to be a legend, unceremoniously unseated by a bucket of moldy jam. I for one am happy to see them recover, and I don't begrudge their success. Do brace yourself, Sqirl isn’t cheap. You will pay for quality and location if you eat there, but I'll never say it wasn't worth every penny. 

At the end of the day, it’s clear to see how Sqirl had its heyday, and this clean-California, disher-outer of quintessential LA cuisine remains representative of why we pay to stay and play in this oh-so-expensive city, and despite the blemishes to its name, Sqirl still sustains in a way that is still so vital and irrevocably relevant.