The Novel Cafe

The Novel Cafe Restaurant Review:

A narrow eatery on Colorado Boulevard far from the crowds of Old Pasadena, The Novel Café is furnished with worn brick walls, red furniture, a long bar and portraits of Coltrane and Hendrix. It’s a branch of a predominantly Westside chain that includes Maxwell’s Café in Marina del Rey. Breakfast is a strong suit, with decent omelets, pancakes and eggs Benedict. A fusion menu includes ahi poke, crab cakes and goat cheese balls to start, with mains like burgers, lamb shank, salmon over couscous, chicken piccata and many pastas. Weekends feature live music, and the covered, dog-friendly patio is a comfortable spot to hang in restaurant-poor East Pasadena.