Amy ScattergoodElements Café, a 4 year-old restaurant in Pasadena, is opening a second location, next to the Pasadena Playhouse, in December. In the meantime, chef-owner Onil Chibas recently expanded both the original space on Fair Oaks and the breakfast and pastry menu. The new restaurant will be even larger, with a dinner menu (the café serves breakfast and lunch, and brunch on the weekends, but not dinner), a full bar, a large open kitchen and a chef's table. Chibas will move his catering operation into the new space as well.
Chibas, who is Cuban, and his executive chef Alberto Morales, who is from Bolivia, are collaborating on the menus for both restaurants. Pastry chef Maryn Surrey makes the pastries, breads and desserts. Elements makes pretty much everything in house: duck confit and potato chips, ice cream and croissants. What breads Surrey does not make, she gets from Sumi Chang at EuroPane. Coffee is also local, from Jones Coffee Roasters. The menu at the second Elements will be different than the fusion-y bistro fare at the café, written around individual ingredients (i.e. all dishes focused on heirloom tomatoes will be listed separately from, say, all things focused on duck). Just the thing to read before you segue on to reading the playbill next door.
Elements Café: 107 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena; (626) 440-0100. Elements Restaurant: 37 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena; (626) 440-0044.
kitchen at Elements Café; Credit: A. Scattergood
outdoor seating at Elements Café in Pasadena; Credit: A. Scattergood
duck confit salad with citrus; Credit: A. Scattergood
red quinoa b'steeya; Credit: A. Scattergood
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