LA EATS: CASBAH CAFE & SPICE STATION

If you find yourself in the Silverlake neighborhood, you've got to pop into my two favorite spots on the Sunset Junction strip: Casbah Cafe and Spice Station.

Casbah Cafe has the sweetest mix of mish mosh of French and Moroccan decor, which all flows together in a seamless, happy sort of way. And the baked goods are divine!  I once bought a slice of banana bread for a subject of a photo shoot and wound up eating it myself during a crazed traffic jam on the way there (what's a girl to do?!). There's a shop in back with floaty dresses and embroidered towels -- someday I hope to wear all these gauzy things and have fresh peonies in each room with a tray of lemon madelines forever at my disposal... Until then, I come to Casbah Cafe for the fantasy of this fairy tale.

Across the street is a secret-garden come spice store, tucked away behind a little of cute signs and fountains . . . Spice Station has a great selection of very fresh and exotic spices and some beautiful blends. We tried the Punjabi Curry and Shwarma -- both pack such a pluck and tremendous flavor! I wanted to devour all the sugars, salts and spices upon arrival. Such a yummy smelling, delicious sort of place. A very helpful salesperson helped make our big shop easy, plus she had lavender hair!

If you go:
CASBAH CAFE
3900 W. Sunset Blvd
Silver Lake, CA
90029

SPICE STATION
3819 W. Sunset Blvd
Silver Lake, CA
90026