Oh, My Darling

New on the Westside, Clementine offers a cheery atmosphere, a place to sit for coffee and pastries and lots of good food to go. This neighborhood cafe and bakery replaces Emil’s Swiss Pastry, which occupied the site from 1960 until Emil Hug’s recent retirement.

Clementine’s menu changes daily and so incorporates plenty of variety. One day’s choices included vegetarian lentil soup, made with green lentils, carrots, onions and celery, and deviled eggs garnished with chives and strips of radish. The pastry end of the counter yielded tiny biscuits (genuine Southern biscuits, I was told), filled with country ham and, for dessert, a tempting assortment of baked goods including wonderful, chewy gingersnap cookies.

Vegetarian lentil soup, $3.25 (small size) and $4.50; deviled eggs, $1 per half; biscuits with country ham, $1.50; gingersnap cookies, $1 at Clementine, 1751 Ensley Ave., West Los Angeles. (310) 552-1080.

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Cup and plate from Crate & Barrel stores.