If you've been in on a weekend morning, you've probably seen it come out of the kitchen — puffed, golden, slightly dramatic in its cast-iron skillet. Someone at another table sees it and leans over to ask: what is that?
That's the Dutch Baby. And this summer, we've given it a moment.
What's on It
Starting this month, our Dutch Baby is dressed for the season: roasted Oxnard strawberries, a swipe of house-made lemon curd, a cloud of whipped crème fraîche, and a dusting of powdered sugar with a few fresh mint leaves on top. The cast iron stays the same. The base batter is the same recipe we've been making since 2018 — eggs, whole milk, flour, a whisper of vanilla. What changes is everything that lands on top of it.
The strawberries get a short roast with a little honey and balsamic before they go on, which concentrates their flavor and gives them just the right amount of jammy depth. Paired with the brightness of the lemon curd, it hits that rare sweet-tart balance that makes you slow down and pay attention.
Why Strawberries, Why Now
Late spring through early summer is the sweet spot for California strawberries — particularly the smaller, more fragrant varieties coming out of Ventura County. We've been sourcing from the same Oxnard farm for the past two years, and their June berries are genuinely in a different category from what you'll find at the grocery store. We get them twice a week and use them the same day.
This is a dish we could make year-round with frozen fruit and it would be fine. But fine isn't what we're going for. We'd rather wait for June.
Come In Before 11
Dutch Babies are a morning thing. We start running short on weekends around 10:30, and by 11:15 they're typically gone. Your best bet: Monday through Friday, 7–10am, when the kitchen is in full stride and the wait is short. Grab a Hemp Cacao Iced Coffee on the side. Sit by the window. Let the kids play.
This is what summer mornings are supposed to feel like.
We're open every day, 7am–3pm. See you soon.