I was in Monterey Park the other night, with about an hour to kill. I had a few things I wanted to get done for work, so I Yelped coffeehouses in the area and stumbled upon De Cafe Baristas in the Atlantic Times Square Plaza. A few minutes later and I had scored a parking spot (not easy to do, apparently) and wandered through the outdoor mall.

It’s a great space and I was instantly impressed. It has a city-like feel to it, with apartments towering above the retail and restaurant spots. As I walked to the coffeehouse, I was excited to see the eating options: 101 Noodle Express, Curry House, and Lee’s Sandwiches, to name a few. Having been to so many malls and shopping centers with the typical Sbarro/Panda Express/Jamba Juice food courts, this was like a breath of fresh air. Just thinking about the beef roll and scallion pancake at 101 Noodle Express makes my mouth water.

And, yes, I loved De Cafe Baristas. Read more in my Yelp review.