Avocado Cafe: when healthy is also tasty

Back when I was writing for the OC Register, my friend Selene suggested we go check out Avocado Cafe in Newport Beach so I could write about it. The reason? Nothing other than the fact that I love avocados.

Fast forward several years and another friend tells me to check out Avocado Cafe in Irvine. At first it didn’t click, but then, it hit me…. ahhhh….. that place Selene wanted to go to has opened another location in Irvine. OH! We were SO there!

So Selene, Anne Marie and I met at the cafe for breakfast one morning to check out the menu. We got there in time for breakfast but managed to check out some lunch time offerings as well.

The menu is pretty cool. Everything has ….. well …. AVOCADOS! That is, except for the Acai Bowl ($8.75). This hunking bowl of goodness has apple juice, fresh fruit, crunchy hemp seed granola and bee hive honey. It was SO healthy I think my body was rebelling a bit. The flavors melded really well and the burst of fresh berries provided even more antioxidants in an already super healthy bowl.

I’m glad to find something other than a breakfast burrito on the menu. The Breakfast Sandwich ($6) consisted of eggs, bacon, avocado, tomato and cheese on your favorite bread. This is my kind of breakfast sandwich! Actually, a little more extravagant than what I would make for myself so that’s extra good news in my book!

What visit to a restaurant serving avocados can be complete without tasting the Avocado Toast ($7) — crunchy toast topped with perfectly poach eggs, tomato, alfalfa sprouts and salted avocado. I went to college in Oregon and alfalfa sprouts are on EVERYTHING! I really missed that. It is so refreshing to see them used here.

We also tried some sandwiches offered at lunch time. I’m a big fan of Cuban sandwiches and Gaston’s Cuban ($8.50) was very flavorful, even though it wasn’t traditional. Oven roasted chicken, black forest ham, avocado, Swiss cheese, pickles, spicy mustard, signature wasabi mayo spread, served hot pressed on ciabatta bread was crisp on the outside giving it a nice crunch, but possessed all the flavors of a Cuban and was not the least bit greasy!

The Tower 9 ($8.50) is home made chicken salad, avocado, white cheddar, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes, spring mix and yellow mustard sandwiched between two slices of squaw bread. Not only is this beautiful, but it tastes delicious too! I like the ratio of chicken salad and condiments — neither overpowered the other.

My favorite has got to be Joe’s BLTA ($7.75). Avocado, applewood smoked bacon, romaine lettuce, tomato, Jack cheese and jalapeno ranch spread are all layered onto white bread and fresh jalapeno slices served on the side. I loved the kick and stuffed the jalapenos into my sandwich as I’m eating it. A spicy kick I so loved!!

Right now, I have a $25 gift certificate from Avocado Cafe to give away for one of my readers to go try this cool place out for him or herself. Leave me a comment with your FULL name — don’t forget your FULL name people or your name won’t be entered — for a chance to win. Entries close on Friday 25th. Good Luck!

Avocado Cafe
6060 Scholarship Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
Tel: 949-752-0523