Image courtesy of TheGriddleCafe.comIt’s the kind of place you would drive right past without thinking twice if you didn’t know what you were looking for.
Yet for such an unassuming little diner crammed into the midst of the sunset strip, the line outside The Griddle in West Hollywood is curiously long.
Perhaps its the attractive wait staff (most likely out-of-work or looking-for-work actors, after all, this is Hollywood) or the size of a small child stack of fluffy pancakes topped sticky sweet syrup that takes two to three people to finish the whole thing or maybe its the frequency with which celebrities are sighted there casually enjoying their Saturday morning brunch.
Today’s celb de jour: Jessica Alba accompanied by Cash Warren and their daughter, Honor, quietly trying decide what to order while excited diners shake off the last bit of sleepiness to animatedly discuss with their table the noteworthy arrivals.
Whatever it is that drives the up-and-coming and the would-be citizen paparazzo alike to Hollywood’s alternative to the mom and pop diner, it sure is working.
Like most things in this town, everything about The Griddle screams “nouveau vintage.”
Indie rock music sounds from the stereo system just loud enough to compete with the clanging of dishes and dim hum of conversation.
The smell of thick, greasy grilled cheese sandwiches frying on the stovetop pours from the kitchen.
And the sight the stereotypical brunch (black coffee, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and slightly singed toast) makes even the most adventurous diners take a pause from their incessant BlackBerry usage to rethink their menu selection.
Yes, The Griddle is definitely quintessential Hollywood. TheGriddleCafe.com
rachel grice 