UnHip LA

I had some time to kill in Monterey Park today, parked my car randomly on the street while yapping on my cell phone, and found myself at the door of the 101 Bakery on West Garvey Ave between Atlantic and Garfield.  Opened November 2006, this Vietnamese cafe serves French bread (baguette) sandwiches, pastries, pho, rice and rice vermicelli plates, smoothies and boba.  It’s in a new modern and loft-like structure; a nice contrast to the older, more rundown shops around it.  The spacious café had salmon-colored walls, warehouse-high ceilings, big windows, and plentiful seating.  It felt new and clean, and I enjoyed my pit stop there. 
I had a tasty BBQ chicken sandwich that came in a baguette as long as my arm (only $2!)  and an overly sweet boba  ($2).  It’s always great when an Asian café can under price a fast food restaurant and with tastier food.  If only boba cafés’ had drive up windows.  The dishes were $4.50 - $5.00, smoothies $2.50.  There was a good selection of sandwiches, all of course, Vietnamese style.  

101 Bakery      
501 West Garvey Ave #101
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 943-7738

As far as being a date spot, er, I don’t know.  It’s a nice looking space with happy ambience, but eating with old Asian men and families around isn’t that inspiring.  For writers, it seems like you could kill an hour or two here, very good natural lighting.  Clean bathrooms!

Misc. tidbit – At the Northeast corner of Atlantic and Garvey is a memorial plaque on the sidewalk to Laura Scudder of potato chip fame.  Apparently something of hers used to reside at that spot.  The plaque is now before a gas station in construction, a reminder of how much Monterey Park has changed over the years.

**UPDATE**  6/7/07  I notice that this post is getting a lot of hits.  Most likely because the bakery does not have their own website yet.  I want to say that the sandwich is tasty but it’s nothing gourmet.  Heck, it’s only $2 and I’m easy to please.  It’s better than a Big Mac though.  I haven’t tried the other dishes there but I have heard mixed things about this place from other sources.  One even said "it sucked."  So, basically, I don’t think this place is anything driving out of your way for, but if you’re in the hood $2 is a great deal for a simple sandwich.