Hammer Time

At UCLA’s Hammer Museum and wondering where to get a bite to eat?

Sure, you’re in Westwood, home to any number of yogurt shops, sushi bars, and assorted restaurants. But why not stay right where you are and enjoy Cafe Hammer? The food is by Wolfgang Puck, and features a variety of sandwiches (hot and cold) and salads, with a couple of soups in the mix.

I stood in line at the window and ordered the Kobe beef sliders, served on sweet Hawaiian rolls, with a glass of lemonade. Then I took a seat–the tables have white tablecloths, which seems quite elegant for the courtyard setting–and waited for my meal to be delivered.

What I found was two sliders with a wafer-thin slice of red onion (so thin that even I didn’t remove it, and I don’t like red onion at all) and a creamy sauce. The sliders were accompanied by a serving of potato chips and a pickle wedge. While I later decided that the potato chips had been a bit too greasy, I have no regrets about the excellent sliders–except that I might have been able to use a third. On the other hand, the price was right, with both meal and drink coming in right around $10.

There are plenty of other delicious-sounding items on the menu. I have no doubt I’ll sample any number of them in the future. Cuban-Style Pressed Sandwich, here I come!