Mani’s Bakery Cafe on Fairfax, which has been in business for over 20 years, is one of those places that people seem to either love or hate. I haven’t come across anyone who’s neutral about it. Me? I’ve got my foot firmly on the LOVE side, which is why I was sad to learn that Mani’s is having a hard time staying in business during this lameass economic meltdown.
Back in January the founder of Mani’s posted on their blog in regards to being in dire straights, basically putting out a plea for help in the form of business and feedback. The story was picked up by Quarrygirl who wrote a great review and helped get the word out that Mani’s is in urgent need of support. The story was also picked up by Eater L.A. where a bit of a backlash started to go down in the comments, a.k.a, those with their feet firmly on the HATE side. Poor dear Mani’s basically got shredded by Eater L.A.’s commentors… so much so that Mani’s then in turn responded to this back on their own blog. Wow… such drama!
While it’s always helpful to take into account the feedback that’s out there whether it be from online reviews or word of mouth, ultimately you won’t know if you like a place unless you try it for yourself. One mans trash is another mans treasure, and vice versa. While I don’t doubt that there is some truth to the negative stuff floating around out there, I for one have only had great experiences each time I’ve been to Mani’s, including great food (it’s more than a bakery, it’s also a full service, vegan-friendly restaurant) and a nice staff. If you were to avoid Mani’s soley because of the gangbang they just received on Eater L.A., you’d be sorely missing out on what for many has become an established local favorite. It’s an awesome place worth saving… just look at some of this excellent food:
Let’s start at the most logical beginning: breakfast. This is the Breakfast Wrap: “The whole enchilada’s wrapped up for your morning meal. Black beans, guacamole, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, cilantro, and your choice of turkey ham & scrambled eggs or vegan tofu scramble in a whole wheat tortilla. Served with our Ranchero Sauce and Pico de Gallo.”
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