Next time you’re craving pita bread, hummus or a chicken shawarma, be sure to give this cozy cafe a try.
Recently, my mom and I went to a Mediterranean restaurant called Cafe X2O, a Lebanese restaurant in La Verne off of Foothill Boulevard. Cafe X2O was packed when I went there, and the atmosphere was loud and buzzing with conversation and music. The cafe was quite small inside and wasn’t very spacious compared to your average Chili’s, for example.
For a small space, however, Cafe X2O’s atmosphere was lively with the chatter of voices and pop and middle eastern music playing in the background. The restaurant was also decorated simply with a Middle Eastern theme.
The prices of the food were reasonable — not cheap nor too expensive. The beef filet kebab plate and a salmon plate both cost $22. If you want something more affordable, you could also get the chicken kebab wrap for $13.
I ordered the beef shawarma wrap for $14. The wrap was flavorful, had fresh ingredients and came with pickled beets, garlic paste and pita bread on the side. The wrap was a generous portion, and, in my opinion, worth the fourteen dollars considering the sides that it came with.
My mom ordered a mini cheese flatbread pizza that had a lot of flavor as well even though it was a simple dish. The only disappointment was the soda, which had little to no carbonation. Thankfully, we also ordered a lemonade, which was fresh and tasty. Needless to say, I recommend ordering the lemonade from there compared to the soda.
My mom also ordered a chicken kebab plate, which I tried. The plate was fresh and cooked well. For $17, the plate came with rice pilaf, a side salad, two side picks and pita bread. The options for the side picks are garlic paste, hummus, or pickled beets.
Overall, the restaurant serves generous portion sizes that can easily be shared or taken home as leftovers. Also, the menu has a variety of different dishes to choose from, such as skewered lamb, chicken shawarma and a selection of vegetarian options.
Cafe X2O also has several appetizers, such as Lebni, which is drained Greek yogurt topped with olives and olive oil. Another appetizer served there is called Tabbouleh, which consists of chopped parsley, scallions, tomates, cracked wheat salad, olive oil and lemon juice. Their most popular appetizer is the hummus, a dip that consists of chickpeas and other spices, which is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. Cafe X2O has regular hummus and spicy hummus to choose from.
Cafe X2O also offers catering for reasonable prices. The beef filet skewer is $69 for half a dozen and a 24-piece tray of baklava is $48. The customer service at the restaurant was also attentive and the staff was friendly. Our waiter frequently asked us if he could get us anything.
I recommend students to try this spot for the tasty, Lebanese food and buzzing atmosphere. Cafe X2O has several locations, which are in Glendora, Claremont, South Pasadena and La Canáda. Overall, Cafe X2O has flavorful food, attentive service and reasonable prices. If you are near a Cafe X2O, check it out and try the variety of food and beverages they have to offer.