Yesterday, after attending the oddest funeral ever, my bf and I needed to go somewhere to unwind, grab a bite, and enjoy a glass of wine. We wanted a good, refreshing, and decently-priced meal, and we found it at Q-Cina Green Cafe in North Hollywood.
Wine Cups
Easily overlooked while speeding down Cahuenga, Q-Cina is located in a small shopping plaza, but definitely worth looking for. Q-Cina prides itself on presenting fresh, healthy fare and using local ingredients, “with European flair, deliciously wrapped in a California state of mind” (and no, that Cali state of mind doesn’t have anything to do with the nearby dispenseries).
We chose a table in the front with a not-so-scenic view of the busy street outside. As I sat on the bright orange booth, I noticed the art (available for purchase) and painted leaves that adorn the bright green walls inside. Our server, Lauren, greeted us and happily obliged when we asked if we could open the bottle of wine we brought. (My bf thought it was pretty cool that they gave us water cups to drink wine out of. ”You know, this is how they drink wine in Spain and Italy,” he remarked.)
Seafood Pasta
After a little deliberation, we decided on the Seafood Pasta and the Caribbean Shrimp Pizza. The Seafood Pasta is described on the menu as linguine, green curry, cilantro, and lemongrass. The pasta, salmon, and shrimp were all well-cooked and draped in a creamy sauce that surprised me with black pepper and spice (for me, the only indication of the curry from the description). I am not a pasta fan and my bf did not expect the sauce to be so creamy, yet we both devoured almost the entire bowl of pasta and were very satisfied with the dish.
Caribbean Shrimp Pizza
As spicy and tasty as the pasta was, the Caribbean Shrimp Pizza was an amazing amalgam of flavors that made it seem tame. The menu describes this pizza as “fresh made dough, homemade pizza sauce with herb [sic] & spices & 100% mozzarella cheese” topped with “tomato, garlic, red onion, avocado, & cilantro pesto.” The combination of flavors on this pizza was just so good, and sadly, I can’t describe why. The only explanation I can come up with is that all the toppings are things I like, so combine them, and *poof* tasty pizza? Another highlight of the pizza was that it seemed more juicy than oily, and the crust was light and perfectly crisp on the outside. (Note: The restaurant had run low on avocados so they put less than they usually would have on our pizza; however, I think more avocado would’ve been too much richness for the pizza. It was perfect the way it was.)
Abby's Choco-Pistachio Mousse
Even though we thoroughly enjoyed our wine, pasta, and pizza, it only seemed appropriate that we try a dessert (thank goodness we both have decently rapid metabolisms!). We wanted to try the Creme Brule Cheesecake and Tiramisu Sponge Cake, but they were out of both, so we tried Abby’s Choco-Pistachio Mousse. The pistachio flavor wasn’t as strong as I had hoped, but it was still a very delictable dessert. Plus, it’s presentation was pretty.
Our server, Lauren, was incredibly friendly and didn’t mind that we took our time eating and relaxing at our table after we had paid the check. Even though there weren’t many customers dining at the time, there were many customers who ordered food to take-out. But when word gets out about the diverse menu of farmer’s market fresh, gourmet fare at more-than-decent prices at this little green cafe, it shouldn’t be slow for long. I will definitely be planning a trip back to this gem of a restaurant in the heart of North Hollywood very soon.
Check out Q-Cina (online) for yourself at 5650 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood (map); 818.763.6896
Follow Me!