The Grids, Alhambra

At The Grids, the foundation of the whole menu is a crisp, airy waffle. But the mildly sweet staple is rarely ordered by itself, as the chefs use the crispy discs to bookend an array of savory sandwiches and sweet breakfast piles. They create handheld riffs on traditional recipes, such as the chicken and waffles, alongside more decadent creations stuffed with pork belly, shoestring onions, and sweet apple barbecue sauce. Even their sweet breakfast plates have a touch of the fanciful to them. After dusting waffles with a light coating of powdered sugar, they then add sweet and salty notes with a drizzle of maple syrup and bits of bacon. Non-waffle-based dishes include a smoked salmon salad with honey dill mustard dressing. They also whip up fresh juices, which, like the best Sir Mix-a-Lot videos, contain a mix of fresh fruit and vegetables.