Abricott

I had Abricott in the past and didn’t really enjoy it the first time. I thought I’d give it another shot last Saturday after my workout. I checked the menu out first and the place was pretty busy for lunch, so I figured maybe I didn’t order something good the first time or maybe something has changed. I shared the steak salad and the spicy pork burrito. I absolutely hated the dressing for the salad. The steak and avocado were the only things on that dish that I liked but as for the greens with the dressing I was sad to say it just didn’t live up to my standards. I usually really enjoy mixed green salads, but for some reason, since there was some romaine lettuce mixed in and the dressing, I just couldn’t get myself to like it. The dressing to me was quite spicy and just not what I was looking for in a steak salad. The spicy pork burrito was really heavy. I mean I know burritos usually are more on the heavy side, but the pork with its seasoning just overall was not appetizing to me. The pork was tender but it also was because there was tons of fat on it. It was one of the worst things I have had after a workout. I know they are popular for their spicy pork dishes and hoped to love this one, but for me, it really did fall short. Spent around $ 25 for both and left with food still on our plates and wishing we had gone somewhere else. The décor here is cute and orders and payments are taken first at the front and is self-​seating. I think with all the other places to eat in the area, I don’t think I would be coming back in the future.

Such a cute place with great food.
When I first stepped into this place, I was quite intrigued by the décor, small art everywhere and a room filled with books. I came for dinner and was seated at the patio since the weather was pretty nice for the night. Service was good and attentive. While deciding what to order, I started with a Honey Lemon Tea which was definitely a lot more honey than tea. The Trout and Green Papaya Salad was great but was expecting a little more kick from the spice. The Birdnest noodle and Curry was delicious. It was my first time having noodles with curry and the crispy texture of the noodles paired well with the flavorful taste of the curry.
This was a pretty good experience that I would definitely like to come back with friends, and maybe even book the library room.

To be honest, I really did not know what to expect at this restaurant. No Unilocal research done, just the knowledge of free food in celebration of Chinese New Year. With that said, I was pleasantly surprised to see we had a room to ourselves for 1.5 hours exactly, as there was another party booked at 12:00. The food can not be categorized as purely Asian or French, but a melding of the two, that is subtle, and quite unique. For Brunch, the main menu includes such common breakfast items, such as eggs benedict, crepes, and ham and eggs. Something like imported cheeses added to these common items kicks it up a notch, and makes everything taste sophisticated. However, if you’re a sweet talker, they may let you order off the lunch menu too, which changes things to slightly more Asian influences like pork belly and rice. The exotic spices come out, and the whole turns from European to Indo-​Chinese and other parts of the world, quite dramatically. My meal consisted of essentially a ham and cheese sandwich with eggs, and a side of their curried potatoes. You can also have homestyle, but when in Rome… Anyway, I really enjoyed the style of cooking and food at this restaurant, but will come later in the day, when I can enjoy the full menu of their samplings. Needless to say, I don’t think I will tire too easily from the tasty selections they offer.

I don’t understand!
AMBIANCE: Don’t get me wrong. Super cute setting. Our table was wobbly but that didn’t bother us. Book cases mixed with mid century chairs, mixed with chairs from local colleges ie. Pepperdine University stamped on my chair. This was fine.
SERVICE: Not bad. I asked the cashier what they’re known for and he said, «We’re known for everything. Everything is good.» This already made me a bit suspicious. There were no utensils, napkins, or salt and pepper. We had to ask two servers.
FOOD: They’re supposed to have amazing fries. They were basic shoe string fries! After they cooled off a bit, they were just regular bad fries. The burger had a bulgogi-​like flavoring to it but had nothing to balance out the sweetness.
We tried the breakfast crêpe with French ham and topped with a sunny side up egg. This was a little confusing since the egg was extremely greasy and sloppy. Also the green onion overpowered the whole dish. (This isn’t important, but I would have liked to see the green onion cut on a bias. [on an angle] It’s just a detail).
We also tried to eggs Florentine. I usually put the smallest amount of salt in my dishes so I’m used to low salt but this dish was SALTLESS. The Hollandaise was a little sweet (not sure why). It didn’t help the dish since nothing was balancing out the dull flavors.
The Waffle was actually the best thing on the menu. Light, crisp, fresh fruit. Sadly the whipped cream didn’t taste homemade. But it could have been.
I’ll try it again but my two friends swore never to come back.

I’ve heard about this place for the longest time and finally have the chance to try it out. You order and pay at the front, and you get a number. Then they will bring you your food pretty quickly.
Of course I ordered the spicy pork belly sandwich cause everyone on Unilocal says so and everyone was so right! this sandwich hits the spot! oh so good! I choose fries as side over salad cause you need some good fries to go with this bomb sandwich. just kidding it’s cause i ordered a shrimp salad and that is very good as well. Shrimp is super fresh and the perfectly cooked. lemony fish sauce with the mix greens is quite refreshing!
Because it was so good i went back there 2 days later. This time I ordered grilled trout green papaya salad, and the duck with spinach ramen. Let me just say the green papaya salad taste better than it looks. I got nervous cause I ordered without looking at Unilocal images, and guys it does not look that appetizing. But the taste is really good! crunchy and refreshing. The spinach ramen is very good! Perfect chewyness the duck was so tender! soup is light but flavorful.
Definitely coming back to try other items on the menu!

Came to Abricott for lunch with friends. This is a very casual place. There is a vintage vibe to this café. 90 minutes free parking in the rear entrance.
We ordered a latte, Vietnamese coffee, Chinese donuts, spicy pork belly, tom yum noodle, and coconut pasta with clams. Food was mediocre. You can find better Asian food in the 626 area. Price was fair. There was very little service. We basically just ordered and paid for the food. Once the food is ready, the servers bring them to your table.
This is a good place to chill with friends.

PARKING
Parking lot shared with other businesses behind the buildings. They say 90 minutes free and I never really stayed any longer. There’s also metered street parking in the front.
INTERIOR/​EXTERIOR
A little dim inside — they have a private room towards the back for bigger reservations. Several tables that seats a party of two or four. By the cashier are menus and a display glass of desserts. There is another door that leads to the patio area in the front. Quaint but cute décor around café. Overall, very unique.
MENU
Pretty much a fusion menu from Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, and Mexican dishes. A lot of variety to choose from — which makes it harder to choose!
I’ve been here several times and each time I’ve ordered something different. I’ve had their Abricott Burger with the additional Korean Pork Belly with a side of fries. Really good, last I remember. Definitely filled me up! I’ve also had their Breakfast Omelette that came with a side of curried potatoes. Recently, I’ve had their Bird’s Nest which was crispy noodles with chicken curry and that was delicious!
In terms of drinks, I’ve had their latte which came out pretty strong. Their Thai Tea is pretty refreshing as well but nothing out of the ordinary there. For hot teas, I had the Rose Oolong tea pot which I really liked! They have an abundance of other drinks to choose from.
SERVICE
Mm workers are normally friendly. My only complaint is waiting in line to order during my most recent visit because there was just one worker and it took longer than anyone would like to wait just to place an order.
Great place to chill with friends or come on a quiet afternoon and enjoy afternoon tea with a good book.

I love Abricott. Their food has a range of Asian food, including pad thai, Korean bbq, and phở. My personal favorite is the tuna soba salad! It’s super fresh and because there are noodles in it, you use chopsticks hehe. It’s just kinda different.
I’ve tried different meals everytime I come and have only been disappointed with 1 dish– the coconut pasta. Yikes, personally I think it’s a bit sickening after the first bite. I haven’t tried any desserts yet, but I’m hoping to come back soon to try a new dish and a dessert!

«Is this the coziest lunch spot in all of Pasadena?» –Eating LA, 2012
Fellow Unilocaler and I have been trying to meet up for the longest, darn work and other schedule conflicts delayed our meeting for several months. At last, we met up here for lunch. Free 90 minute parking in the rear, or metered street parking in the forepart, and entrances at both ends.
There really is much room inside, they have a private room in the back and some eating spots in the front of this establishment, and it’s all about the patio at this place. Although a little tight, neighbors sit within earshot of your table, but it is covered and right on Lake Ave., a great place to people watch.
Menu hangs above the hostess, register, front counter area where you place your order and are handed a number that is placed on your table for delivery of your eats. Grub delivered, let’s eat. Wait… wha!!! Where are the utensils!!! Oh, you have to get them yourself, as well as water and any added flavors, such as Sriracha.
ORDERED:
Fellow Unilocaler ordered a spicy pork belly plate which included white or brown rice, but he replaced the rice for a side salad, for no extra cost.
I ordered the Sweet Pork Bowl made up of grilled pork belly served with fried egg, pickled vegetables, scallions, sautéed mushroom, and one choice of brown or jasmine rice, crowned with sweet soy sauce. I had it with jasmine rice.
We both truly enjoyed our eats, really flavorful, however no one flavor overpowered another. I took some home for lunch the next day and it was just as good.
IN A BOWL:
Two hours complimentary parking in the rear of this eatery, or metered street parking nearby makes it pretty simple to get here for some chow. Covered outside eating is a nifty means to savor the wonderful SoCal weather.
Downsides, eaters have 90 minutes to eat and get the heck out, utensils, bottled liquid heat and water are a few matters you’ll have to remember to pick up yourself, which are placed along the outside terrace.
Overall, pleasant experience, and tasty food. Btw, cozy??? It’s all relative. I’d say, within earshot, a bit too close for comfort.

I was originally going to rate this place 3 stars but after giving it another shot I’ll bump it to 3.5−4 stars. During my initial visit I got their spicy pork belly sandwich (since everyone on Unilocal was raving about it) with French fries. I was not impressed, to be honest. The taste was strangely off, not what I was used to when it comes to pork belly (I’m Korean so I eat pork belly all the time). I’m also not a big fan of shoestring fries, I prefer them thicker cut like natural-​cut fries.
The second time around I decided to get their Abricott burger with gouda cheese (+$ 1) with a side of the shoestring fries. The burger is pretty typical for a sit down restaurant; there was a lot of bun but the meat patty was juicy and full of flavor. If you get a medium rare, medium, or medium well burger, be prepared for a soggy bun if you aren’t a quick eater.
The lemongrass chicken burger is next on my to-​try list. You can find metered parking in the front out on Lake or there is a parking lot in the back, free for the first 2 hours. It can be difficult finding parking around the lunch rush. They also have a nifty looking private room in the back, but you need a sizable group to reserve it.

I wanted to try Abricott for a while and was able to get that opportunity on Wednesday when my best friend called and invited me for lunch. We ended up coming to the Abricott because of its lunch specials and asian fusion!
First of all, parking was quite busy during lunch hours. Luckily, we were able to find parking by going to the second parking lot after the first one was packed. The ambiance felt comfy with the stacks of books hanging on the shelf and the vintage items and pictures hanging on the walls. I liked how there was a huge room with a beautiful chandelier hanging on the ceiling. It looked like the room was reserved for a large party or a special occasion (think bridal shower)!
It was interesting that we had to order our food first before grabbing a table and sitting down. It was also interesting to see Thai, French, and Vietnamese cuisine all in one place! I got the spicy pork belly plate with Thai iced tea while my best friend got the special duck noodle soup, which was very soft and tender by the way! I love my spicy pork belly plate with rice and kimchi and it definitely hit the spot. The pork belly was soft and juicy while the kimchi complemented well with the rice and meat.
Sadly, they won’t have weekday breakfast starting in 2016 (only weekend brunch), but I really enjoyed my meal from Abricott and I hope it will continue to run for a long time! I shall return!

We came here last Friday to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Ordered pretty much the same food that we tried last time. Curry bruschetta, spicy pork tacos, trout amandine, mussels provencale, coconut pasta with clams, spicy pork belly sandwich, tiramisu and pistachio cheesecake. They were delicious!
However 3 out of 4 of us, myself included, started to experience food poisoning symptoms within the next 24 – 36 hours. That’s horrible! I hope they improve and take care of patrons’ safety.

Nice semi-​fusion place in Pasadena. Make sure to come to the front entrance (on Lake) to check-​in to get seated! We came from the back where the parking lot was and ended up waiting a bit before figuring it out.
Tried a couple dishes. We started with the Curry and Roti appetizer, which was a nice flaky pasty (a more French inspired take on Roti) and a more mild curry (kind of wish it had more spice or «pop» to it. The Coconut Pasta was very interesting– a unique almost-​curry based sauce with fine angel hair pasta. It was good but not my favorite pasta dish. Lastly we got the Pad Se Ew which was very traditional (no fusion) but very good!
Overall a solid eatery but not as unique as I was hoping. Would come back though, especially since reasonably priced.

Came in here during lunch time.
The parking is on the street and urggh it’s really hard to find one.
Anyways.
When we walked in I was amazed how it look so different from the outside.
By the its my first time here ok.
It was a bit busy but it didn’t take a long time to get to the register.
Roisel took our order, she was ver nice, polite and very patient to us.
We couldn’t even decide what to get so we keep asking Roisel for her suggestion and she suggested to get the coconut shrimp with pasta and beef sate, so we did get those.
We waited for the food for like 10 – 15’mins.
The food is amazing!
The beef is not chewy! Yey!
The coconut shrimp is so delicious too.
I will recommend this place to my friend and family.
I’ll come back and I will try the different dishes too.
Great customer service.
Yummy food
5stars for that. :)

There’s something about restaurants that use mismatched furniture that reminds me of growing up in a house with mismatched furniture. This aspect is simply one of the elements that come together to make Abricott an inviting, comforting, and warm restaurant in which to spend a lovely evening. Rows of bookshelves (with actual books!) line the walls along the narrow seating area. It feels like you’ve been invited to have dinner in the home of an eccentric and curious individual who incidentally is also a great cook.
I’ve dined here a few times and service is usually warm and attentive without hovering or being pushy. The last time I visited, my party of five lingered after dessert and the server kept coming back to refill our waters even after we had paid the bill. They also made meal recommendations based on our preferences, which I appreciated since I wasn’t familiar with some of the dishes.
Their sweet potato wontons are deliciously crispy and come paired with a tangy dipping sauce– definitely a great way to start a meal. I enjoyed their vegetarian phở, which was exactly what I needed on that chilly night; the portion was so large that I ended up taking much of it home. My friends really enjoyed the coconut shrimp pasta, tuna soba salad (a dish that is also served as a huge portion), the yellow curry, and the mussel provençale. I found their sweet soy noodle dish to be too one-​note in terms of complexity of flavors and I wouldn’t necessarily try it again, but there are still many options on their menu I’d like to try. We finished our stay with a coppa pistachio and soon it was time to say goodbye and head back to my home, where I’m surrounded by lots of mismatched furniture but considerably less filling, delicious food. I’ve definitely earmarked Abricott for future visits!

PRO TIP: They do not do separate checks and a maximum of 2 credit cards per party. There is also a $ 1 additional charge for more than two credit cards. *side note: They also say that they are not responsible for damages to any items in the restaurant during dining. I chuckled at this.
Onto the review!
Probably one of the rare occasions where I think to myself… why does this place have such good reviews?! With 4 stars and almost 1000 reviews, you can’t go wrong right?! Well this time around it didn’t quite hit the mark…
Let’s start by describing this establishment. Oh how interesting this restaurant this is… I still can’t really pinpoint what kind of food they are going for. It seems like a bit of everything? You have your selection of traditional American food, Vietnamese food, Chinese food, Japanese food, Thai food and last but not least, Mexican food. It’s nice that one establishment serves up SO many different choices of food but do you really want all this different types of food in one restaurant? I find that it loses its identity and makes all the dishes just mediocre. If they have chosen a more fusion type of restaurant just focusing on 2 different types of cuisines than I think that this place would have been rated higher.
I came here with a group of church friends. This was my first time dining here I really did not know what to eat, since there were so many different options, choosing a specific thing to want was pretty difficult and I did not know how well it would taste so in the end I chose to get a safe pick… a good old cheeseburger. This is not a traditional style restaurant; instead you line up and order at the front, get a number and pick a seat. It is almost like fast food in a way but more…“fancy?” Anyway, came here for a Sunday brunch and it was pretty packed, the line moved fairly quickly and the food also came out fairly fast. For a busy service I am surprised that they were very attentive towards everything that we requested.
Anyway, onto the food, the burger patty was interestingly seasoned. Not your typical salt & pepper. It had more of an Asian zing to it. I got the gouda cheese which was a $ 1 extra. No biggie but to not eat a burger without cheese is like eating a sandwich with no mayo. The string shoe fries that were included were good but then again who can really mess up fries?! I also got a bottle of Bunderberg peach and for dessert a slice of pistachio cheese cake. The price for these 3 items? Close to $ 25! Very pricey indeed…
Ultimately I have concluded that with the plethora of options to choose from in the Pasadena area, this is an easy pass… UNLESS the people you are eating with want an insane variety of food to choose from. This is probably the only way I will come back here.

This is one of my favorite spots in Pasadena I visit from time to time. The first time I tasted kabocha squash was here– and I fell in love! Their open faced kabocha sandwich is one of their yummiest things on the menu. Their water is fun, flavored cucumber lime water. I know it’s a small thing, but hey, it’s those little things that are impressive for a small restaurant!
The atmosphere is adorable and quirky. A great place to meet up with a friend or small group. There’s free 2-​hour parking behind the restaurant, which is also a plus.
The only thing I was disappointed about was the Spicy Fried Rice. It was NOT spicy at all. Which was fine, if it didn’t have «spicy» in the title. That was a disappointment.
Other than that, I have loved everything I’ve consumed here! Their food ranges from Vietnamese to Thai to French. There’s really something here for every food lover.

3.5 basically rounded up to 4 because the environment is adorable and it’s in a great location in Pasadena.
I had this place bookmarked and my boyfriend and I finally got around to trying it — we came around 5 PM for dinner (we love our early bird dinners) and he ordered the soy noodles and I got the lemongrass chicken burger. Service was friendly, we both ordered tea which came out good and ate on the outdoor patio which was romantic and well-​lit.
My lemongrass chicken probably deserved about 3 stars — it was okay but nothing spectacular and the fries were just average for me. His soy noodles probably got a 4 star rating. Our total bill came out to $ 32 which wasn’t bad considering portions are pretty good.
Overall, we’ll probably be back but I would want to try a salad or steak entrée next time.

Really cute place for lunch! I ordered the seared tuna spicy soba salad and my friend got the daily special– basil chicken :)
There’s plenty of seating and the staff are all very friendly.
The portions were HUGE
I really enjoyed my salad and they have a good amount of tuna– the dish tasted really healthy and clean but also packed a lot of flavor at the same time :)
The basil chicken was super heavy on the basil leaf and peppers and that made it SOO GOOD! It came with a perfectly cooked fried egg and was really flavorful but didn’t taste like too heavy of a meal.
Id definitely come back to try the pork belly sandwich or any of their other dishes– everything looked so yummy :)

I came recently for dinner. I’ve been to here for brunch before and I have to say, their dinner menu has better choices and good prices.
I tried the Papaya Cod salad and even though I don’t like papaya or cod much at all, I found this salad surprisingly good and refreshing. The portion was a good size as well. I would recommend this and may even get it again even though I’m not big on fish and usually do not enjoy the smell of papaya at all.
I also tried the Tuna Soba salad, which was good as well. There are pieces of miso marinated radish strips that are really flavorful and bring this together quite well. The only thing is I thought the tuna couldn’t used a seared crust as opposed to just cooked on the outside and raw on the inside, with no crust.
I ordered the Spicy Pork Belly sandwich. It could’ve used more crunch in my opinion, maybe some cucumbers or something mild as to not distract from the flavor but still offer a refreshing crunch. Overall not bad though and it was a big sandwich for $ 9.95.
Overall, I would come back. It’s pretty quiet and it’s not expensive for dinner. They also have a library room you can book for larger parties, although it’s not completely private because it is visible from the outside.