Newsroom Cafe

I have finally completed the triumvirate of the most accessible celeb hotspot eateries in West Hollywood. First there was the Ivy, then Urth Caffe, and now, Newsroom Cafe (Mr. Chow and Koi are a little more exclusive, and also a hecka lot more expensive). This was probably the most disappointing of the three, and it wasn't just because I didn't see any celebrities (I did see some paparazzi taking pictures of someone, but I didn't recognize who it was, and since it was only two people, I figured I wasn't supposed to care).

I went pretty late in the day/early in the evening, so in terms of atmosphere, there wasn't much of it. Although, to be fair, the layout is pretty nice, with ample seating inside and outside. There are also entertaining posters inside the bathroom. And if you're dining alone, there is plenty of reading material (there's a newstand inside... Newsroom Cafe... get it?).

Onto the food... It's hard for me to go to any restaurant and not order bruschetta. It's a simple appetizer, but it's still quite different (and often pretty tasty) everywhere I go. So there was no way I would turn down the opportunity to try the Tuscan Bruschetta, which had all the bruschetta prereq's, along with kalamata olives. I was pretty underwhelmed by what they gave us. The bread was slightly toasted, but relatively bland (I'm not sure what kind it was). The tomatoes were nothing spectacular, and the olives seemed out of place. There were very few olives, and their flavor was overwhelmed by everything else.

As for a main course, I ordered the Fresh Ahi with Fusili (with a sun-dried tomato marinara). I was expecting the ahi to be scattered in smaller pieces throughout the pasta... that wasn't the case (it was on the side). I was also expecting the pasta sauce to be a little lighter... that wasn't the case either (it was very thick). Though the fish was well cooked (perfectly grilled, and for the most part, relatively juicy), the taste wasn't memorable. It seemed a bit bland without any sauce alongside it. The pasta was also rather mediocre; I enjoyed the sun-dried tomatoes, but overall, it seemed like an average dish that I could make at home.

There should be an asterisk beside this review because I was starting to get sick (I was starting to get a stuffy nose and a fever), but I wasn't at the point where I couldn't differentiate various flavors. So I can't ignore my thoughts entirely.

The food was average (esp. considering the price), but I'd certainly give Newsroom another shot (maybe with Aegean so I can see another celebrity), because there were a few other menu items that I was interested in (and I also think that you can't make a decision on a restaurant in one sitting unless it is truly horrible). An average meal gets an average grade: C+/B-.

Newsroom Cafe
120 N Robertson Blvd,
Los Angeles 90048