MAURO CAFÉ
A BRUNCH FAVE NOW OPEN FOR THURSDAY DINNER

Certain things we’re just used to being a certain way—something we can always rely on. One such thing is trusting that Maura Café at Fred Segal on Melrose Avenue is always a go-to place for breakfast, lunch or brunch. You can usually count on a celeb sighting to go with a fabulous meal, even if it’s just a morning smoothie on the run.

Well now, they shaken things up and started serving Thursday night dinner. Something near and dear just got a little bit better. Thursday dinners are available every Thursday from 6pm-10pm and live entertainment begins at 7:30pm. 

“Mauro’s is an extension of my home,” says owner Evelyne Joan. “I love seeing familiar and new faces in the restaurant. We want each customer to leave happy and excited for their next visit”

Since the early ‘90s, Mauro Cafe has been a hot-spot for star gazing on any given afternoon.  Delicious food, fine wines, savory coffee, and fabulous service make this the ideal place for a fun lunch and now dinner. 

Some favorite menu items include: Egg Bacon Sandwich, French Crepes, Caprese sandwich, Rigatoni Bolognese, Seafood Linguini, Grilled Skirt Steak, and Spaghetti Pomodoro . If you are feeling healthy the vegetable dish with mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, peas, onions, spinach served in an olive oil or tomato sauce is delectable! Desserts favorites include Lemon Meringue, Chocolate Fondant, and Chocolate Mousse.

During our recent visit for Thursday night dinner, we started with the lovely Grilled Caledonian Prawns marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs. This is a great starter item to share. It may be pretty filling if it’s just for you. And feel free to trust the staff to pair your meal with just the right glass of wine.

Next we went with the Endive Radicchio & Arugula salad with grilled shrimp and avocado with lemon and olive oil. This is a light dish that is satisfying without being overly filling. And thank goodness because there was more to come.

The Pizza of the Day was a Margherita with chicken sausage, jalapeños, black olives, arugol, and topped with a fried egg. I think by simply adding different ingredients this was no longer a Margherita pizza but nonetheless it was a pretty tasty pie. This is definitely a must to share or you’ll be taking slices home. I loved the chicken sausages and the jalapeño, and the fried egg just really brought it all home. Fantastic!

For our entrees, we went with the Penne con Porcini, Porcini mushrooms and sherry wine cream sauce, and the Grilled Skirt Steak with potatoes and vegetables. The nice selection of wines by the glass really helped propel this dynamic dinner into a great night out.

I love the cozy atmosphere they’ve managed to create at Mauro Café. The DJ in the corner during our visit helped ensure the vibe was never stuffy. It was lively and yet relaxing. If owner Evelyne Joan really does consider Mauro Café an extension of her home, then I want to come over more often. 

Mauro Café at Fred Segal is located at 8112 Melrose Ave. Hours Monday through Friday 9am-6pm and Thursday 9am – 10pm; Sunday 9am-5pm brunch all day. Call 323-653-2874.

Story by: Jose Martinez

Some photography courtesy of: Mauro Café