Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, the mushroom risotto balls with parmesan, provolone and mozzarella cheese are just one of the many mouth-watering temptations at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. (photo by Jill Weinlein)

My friend Melissa, told me about her fantastic dinner at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. She liked sitting outside and enjoying the neighborhood feel.  Raised on the east coast, it gave her a feeling of “home.” She raved about the fava bean and burrata cheese bruschetta and grilled skirt steak.

Later in the day, a new friend called and asked if I would meet her for lunch at one of her favorite restaurants, Little Dom’s.  Wow, the restaurant was mentioned twice in one day. I gladly accepted her invitation and looked forward to our lunch date.

Walking along Hillhurst Avenue, I peeked into the window of Little Dom’s. Its eclectic décor includes many items from salvage yards, flea markets or eBay.  We sat in railroad-style booths in the bar and glanced at the menu.  When I commented on the beauty of the glass windows, Jess, the “girl of all trades” explained that the owner, Warner Ebbink was the aesthetic designer. He salvaged the beautiful leaded glass windows from a building in New York.  The 1930s wood bar is from a saloon that closed down in Eaton, Pennsylvania, and the mural of Yosemite above the bar is from Warner Brothers Studios.

Grilled shrimp salad in a romesco sauce is served on a bed of chopped fresh spinach, avocado, and a shaved egg on top. (photo by Jill Weinlein)

While most restaurants stop serving breakfast at 11a.m. to prepare the kitchen for lunch, Little Dom’s serves breakfast and lunch all day from 8a.m.-3p.m.  Locals start their morning with a shot of chocolate for an intense chocolate fix and then settle in for the ricotta cheese and fresh blueberry pancakes or the pizza with a sunny side-up egg, speck (marbled bacon), mozzarella and tomato sauce, a dish recently featured on Food Network. The dough goes through a pasta roller to get paper thin before going into the pizza oven. It’s not a doughy pizza, but crisp and served on a wood board.

Since it was almost lunchtime, my friend and I flipped over the menu and ordered a roasted tomato and pepper focaccia and a fruit plate with white and yellow nectarines, yellow and red cherries and raspberries for our appetizer.

I also had to try their unique rice balls. Imagine a luscious and creamy mushroom risotto with fresh Parmesan, provolone and mozzarella cheese rolled in breadcrumbs and fried.  As you slice the ball, about the size of a large meatball, the cheese and risotto ooze out.  The crunchy exterior and melt-in-your-mouth interior, makes this appetizer a flavorful treat.  Ignore the calorie content and just enjoy.

A healthier lunch option is the grilled shrimp with an elegant romesco sauce of roasted tomatoes, red bell pepper, nuts, garlic, and olive oil.  Placed on a bed of chopped fresh spinach, avocado and shaved egg on top, it was a sublime salad.

I wanted to try the cedar-smoked salmon sandwich with roasted lemon fennel puree and arugula, but opted to save that dish for another visit.

The pastry chef, Ann Kirk, is known for her homemade confections, so we ordered a plate with two soft marshmallows, a decadent milk chocolate truffle, a large bark of rosemary and pine nut brittle with salted caramel.  The tangerine sundae will have to wait for my next visit too. Since I enjoyed my lunch, I will be back soon for dinner. 2128 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles (323)661-0055