Back in LA: Astro Family Restaurant and Coffee Shop- It's not out of this world. HA. Ha. ha.

Back in Los Angeles with a quick review.

To Los Angeles residents Astro Burgers are a mainstay of our homegrown fast food chains. Not as beloved as the over-hyped In-n-Out Burger or name-checked by rappers as much as Fatburger, it is probably #4 right behind the famous Tommy's.

I had no idea that Astro had branched out into the Coffee Shop/Family restaurant world. Taking an unfamiliar route to the Doll Factory one day before practice (I'm a roller derby referee in my other-other life), I found this place.





It's not like it's hidden away; it is right off a main street in Silver Lake, just a street I never need to take anywhere. After maneuvering into the parking lot, which can be a hassle with traffic and one way streets, I found a great parking spot right behind the building. Not knowing which side the entrance was on, I took a chance and chose left. I chose poorly. I ended up having to walk around to the complete opposite of the building.

The decor inside was a wonderful wash of 70's kitsch with oranges and browns and other ugly design choices. It oddly reminded me of the house I grew up in.



What is with turquoise seat covers? I swear, 7 out of 10 of the places I go have these. Harry's Family Restaurant did, Dolly's in Spokane did, and now this place. Turquoise and orange and brown don't seem like they go together. Then again what do I know? #1DC Antoinette thinks my green sweater and milk chocolate colored slacks make me look like an Andes Mint, and I think my socks should match my shirt not my shoes.

The menu was hard to chose from, not because it all sounded so good but rather it all sounded so mediocre and even boring. Even Denny's or an IHOP can pull off a surprising menu item. Rootie Tootie Fresh and Fruity anyone? It sounds like something you should order regardless of taste.

The menu was also shockingly expensive and lacked any sort of combination to make a full meal without popping over to the double digits.


I ordered the pancakes. I was so unimpressed by them that I nearly forgot to take a picture until I was finished.

The coffee was especially weak. It tasted like coffee that had been made from the grounds that had been run through the machines twice already.

The only positive thing I can say is that they have a massive orange juicer at the front of the restaurant that looks wicked industrial.

They also offer a patio for outside dining. Cancer up, my smoking friends.

Sitting at the booth in front of mine were two cops. They were talking about getting drunk and riding their bikes home from parties. After all, they are smart enough to know not to drink and drive...bikes must be okay then.

Food: Meh. I just got the pancakes.
Service: She was good until it came time to get my check.
Price- 8-15
Pie: Yes

2300 Fletcher Drive
Los Angeles, CA
323-663-9241
Their Website

UPDATE- 11/19/2010
I've been back to Astro a few times since this review and I have softened on the food a bit. It's okay, but still too pricey for what you get quantity and quality-wise.

I also have never been in there where there wasn't a table of cops also eating. I think I've seen more LAPD here than when I ate at the diner at the police academy.

Thoroughly Morning Millie's!

Millie’s opens at 7:30am according to the sign in the window. I walked in a shade before 8 and found the handful of staff still doing prep work. Shade umbrellas were going up for the outside tables, food was still being brought in from the delivery truck, and only half the tables had menus and utensils put out. For a solid minute, I was the only person actually inside the restaurant. I sat myself.
Millie’s is very small. No more than eight tables in the dining room, about six chairs at the counter and a few tables outside. It is cramped by modern standards. Now I have nothing to back this up, but I imagine that back in 1926, when Millie’s was founded, “intimate” diners and coffee shops like this were the norm. [From what I understand though Millie's has only been in this location since the 50s.] Another holdover from the grand old days of neighborhood diners, as seen in Hopper’s Nighthawks, is Millie’s massive storefront window. It faces out onto Sunset Blvd and only a quarter of it is covered by concert posters for local venues.
I was their first customer of the day, clearly. For this reason, I cannot speak about what the service would be later in the morning or around lunch. I will say that although I went through my meal largely invisible because of the kitchen prep, my coffee was refilled regularly, my check came without me asking and that’s really all that matters.
I had three cups of coffee. My first one had a solid smooth nutty flavor. My second cup did taste a little burnt. If you are used to Starbucks coffee you would probably find no problem with it. My third was back to the first flavor. I did like that cream was already on the table and it did not come in little plastic containers.
Millie’s specialty is the “mess”, think of a more precise “scramble”. Like an egg pancake in the proper round shape. Like a pancake you get at restaurants not the lopsided “Look it’s a dinosaur!” shape you make at home. I chose the “Devil’s Mess”- 3 eggs, spicy Cajun turkey sausage, cheddar cheese and topped with salsa, sour cream and guacamole. It comes with rosemary potatoes and a home made biscuit.

From where I sat I could see into the kitchen and noticed that a large tray of biscuits was already prepared. This lead me to believe that although these were “home made”, they were not “fresh.” I then saw that the rosemary potatoes were already warming on the griddle. I wanted to believe that whoever opens the restaurant in the morning immediately makes the biscuits and preps the potatoes.
When my food arrived after a very short wait- I was still the only patron in the restaurant- I checked out the biscuit. The biscuits at Millie’s are made in muffin tins giving them a muffin shape. I tore off the biscuit top and took a bite. It was cold but maintained the doughy moisture that I love in some breads. I love that hint of raw dough. Hell, I love raw dough period. I have been known to crack open a tube of Pillsbury and go to town. I now believe that Millie’s biscuits are probably made at the end of the day and fridged over night. The potatoes I have no theory about. They were simply tasty.
The mess was also thoroughly tasty. It was a giant of an egg pancake. It was light but not fluffy. I think sausage’s presence precluded “fluffy” from being part of the equation. The sausage had a kick to it without overpowering the cheese and egg. The salsa added a fresh, clean flavor overall. I was surprised at how well the guacamole-which I am usually cocking an eyebrow to when it’s included in a meal that doesn’t involve black beans or chips-worked with the flavors. It was a lot of good food. I even had to leave a few bites on the plate, it was so filling. I literally went all day without filling hungry again.
It was 8:30 before any more people showed up in the restaurant. From what I understand it is often packed to the gills later in the morning and for lunch. It closes in the mid-afternoon so it is a no-go for the dinner and pre/post bar scene.

I saw no desserts on the menu which of course means no pie, which in turns means I cannot fully endorse Millie’s. It was however a great diner experience. I highly recommend it.

Price: $10-14 for most entrees
Food: Healthy and Good
Service: Adequate
Pie: No pie.

3524 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, 213-664-0404