Homeboy Industries: Press 1 for Homegirl Cafe. Press 2 for Tattoo Removal . . .
When calling the Homeboy Industries phone number to find out where it's restaurant is located, I got an answering service that says: "Press 1 for Homegirl Cafe, Press 2 for tattoo removal services." I just had to laugh at the incongruity, yet appropriateness of the greeting. Homeboy Industries, the gang intervention through work program has been featured in various newspapers for a while. They run a bakery, cafe, merchandise, tattoo removal, and counseling center in downtown Los Angeles. They also have a bakery in LAX Airport as well as a presence in several local farmers markets. The nonprofit uses job training as a way to get kids and adults to leave the gang life, teaches them work ethics, self confidence, and the value of earning an income.
While I've read about Homeboy Industries in the news, our paths never crossed until a couple of weeks ago when I bought a loaf of Jalapeno corn pan baked bread at the Westwood farmers market. The bread was the best I've tasted in a while, so I purposefully sought them out last week when I took my sister and her family from Boston to eat at the downtown Homegirl Cafe. We had chile rellenos grilled cheese sandwich, fish tacos with jicama and crema fresca, carnitas tacos with apple slaw, and a fish soup. These were not cheap, at $10 a plate, but they were so gourmet delicious as to suit even the most discerning foodie from the Westside. Oh, did I mention Angela's Green Potion, a most refreshing drink made of spinach, mint and limeade?
The service was extremely friendly from folks you can tell who are not too professionally trained yet, but who proud of what they are doing, and are eager to provide you with good food. I left knowing that this is a place I will back come to again and again, not just because it's for a good cause, but for the fantastic food. They also give tours of the bakery, which I'd love to check out one of these days.
While I've read about Homeboy Industries in the news, our paths never crossed until a couple of weeks ago when I bought a loaf of Jalapeno corn pan baked bread at the Westwood farmers market. The bread was the best I've tasted in a while, so I purposefully sought them out last week when I took my sister and her family from Boston to eat at the downtown Homegirl Cafe. We had chile rellenos grilled cheese sandwich, fish tacos with jicama and crema fresca, carnitas tacos with apple slaw, and a fish soup. These were not cheap, at $10 a plate, but they were so gourmet delicious as to suit even the most discerning foodie from the Westside. Oh, did I mention Angela's Green Potion, a most refreshing drink made of spinach, mint and limeade?
The service was extremely friendly from folks you can tell who are not too professionally trained yet, but who proud of what they are doing, and are eager to provide you with good food. I left knowing that this is a place I will back come to again and again, not just because it's for a good cause, but for the fantastic food. They also give tours of the bakery, which I'd love to check out one of these days.
- Homeboy Industries
- 130 W. Bruno St.
- Los Angeles, CA 90012
- Tel: (323) 526-1254
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