Where:
Homegirl Cafe
130 Bruno Street
Downtown Los Angeles
I just finished watching Allison Anders’ 1993 film about Hispanic female gang members in Echo Park, Mi Vida Loca. It was great to see what the neighborhood looked like 15+ years ago before the hipsters rolled in from Silverlake. The film is great too. It was obvious that not only did she do her homework on local gang culture, but used many of the members as actors in the film. 
Wanting to get a closer look at these chicas, I took a trip this morning to the Homegirl Cafe downtown. Supposedly all the ladies working there are former gang members. If you’re not convinced yet then seeing a teenage girl with braces covered head to toe in gang tattoos will. Despite their tough exterior they’re all sweet as the fresh lemonade they specialize in (a special blend with spinach in it!)
Before the meal started a very shy and cute girl came out of nowhere and offered us complementary bread from their bakery with homemade jalapeño butter. The bread was excellent. I have to remember to stop by here and pick up a loaf in the future. The butter was tasty but I couldn’t understand the grainy texture it had, it was a bit off-putting.
If there’s one standard brunch entrée I like to enjoy in Los Angeles its chilaquiles. I’d never had this dish before I moved here. Basically it’s a bed of nachos covered in cheese and red sauce served with eggs and black beans. Nachos for breakfast? Yes please!
How did they stack up? Overall, pretty well. The sauce was spicy and tasty. The cheese was that crumbly Mexican kind that’s really good and adds texture. My only real complaint was that with all the sauce and the juices of the black beans my entire meal was half under liquid. Miraculously, the chips managed to keep most of their crispness. I think because they were pretty thick and probably homemade.
The iced tea was light and refreshing, infused with what tasted like mint or cucumbers-and there were plenty of free refills. Of course we got our last refill to go!
Veggie/Vegan friendly:
Most of their breakfast menu has eggs in it, but there is a tofu entrée as well. No veggie sausage or bacon though.
Bottom Line:
Overall, I can’t wait to come back. The atmosphere is great and it feels good to support the cause.
Three and a Half out of Five Neck Tattoos.
