Thyme Cafe & Market

...but a long way to go. The food is excellent and reasonably priced, but even allowing for the recent opening, evidence of food service experience is totally lacking and it makes me think this is a caterer's storefront or mid-life hobby project. Lines are long, staff roles are either non-existent or poorly understood, and the seating area needs reconfiguration so that customers waiting to pay...+READ ...but a long way to go. The food is excellent and reasonably priced, but even allowing for the recent opening, evidence of food service experience is totally lacking and it makes me think this is a caterer's storefront or mid-life hobby project. Lines are long, staff roles are either non-existent or poorly understood, and the seating area needs reconfiguration so that customers waiting to pay for their orders are not co-mingling with the line for the bathroom.. One is left with the impression that this isn't just the first cafe that this proprietor has ever operated, but that no cafe has ever existed and the procedures for operating it are being invented from the ether.

The upside: you can tell they are really trying. I hope they can get their act together - Thyme Cafe could be a great neighborhood asset.-COLLAPSE (by House of Mud, updated November 1, 2009)

» Thyme on Ocean Park

Accompanied by a gentle rain, Thyme Cafe & Market opened today in Santa Monica in all of its Restoration Hardware splendor. Those who find Huckleberry pricey will appreciate the affordable tarifs with my tarragon chicken salad sandwich on toasted walnut raisin bread with a small salad for $8, as well as daily specials for $7.95 that come with your choice of a combination of 1/2 sandwich, soup or...+READ Accompanied by a gentle rain, Thyme Cafe & Market opened today in Santa Monica in all of its Restoration Hardware splendor. Those who find Huckleberry pricey will appreciate the affordable tarifs with my tarragon chicken salad sandwich on toasted walnut raisin bread with a small salad for $8, as well as daily specials for $7.95 that come with your choice of a combination of 1/2 sandwich, soup or salad, and one of their delicious homemade cookies. In addition to a chuncky chocolate chip cookie for $1.25, we sampled the coconut cream and carrot cupcakes, both excellent for $3.25. Other sandwiches included a Gruyere grilled cheese for $5 and steak with watercress, caramelized onions and horseradish aioli on a baguette for $9. By the time we left at 12:45pm there was a wait for tables. Quality is high here and Thyme enters the market place vying for a place along side Clementine's, Amandine, Joan's and the aforementioned Huckleberry. If today is any indication, they should have no problem getting there.

Thyme Cafe & Market
1630 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica 90405
310/399-8800
www.thymecafeandmarket.com-COLLAPSE / REPLY (by cvc, updated October 14, 2009)