Mick’s Cafe Brings Outdoor, Off-Street Ambiance to Village

By JEFF GOODMAN Palisadian-Post Intern Mick’s Cafe opened Monday morning, adding an intimate and inviting setting to the local coffee-shop scene. Owner Mick Hoiles, who has lived in Pacific Palisades since 1979, admitted that he was tempted to name his place the Hole in the Wall Caf’, located at 859 Swarthmore, just below Beech Street Caf’ and next to The Cottage. For one thing, his cafe is tucked away from street traffic, offering a long row of covered outdoor tables and a tree-shaded patio comprising larger tables, flowers, plants and a small fountain. It’s also owned and operated by Hoiles and his family, bolstering the already homey atmosphere. Then, there’s his family history: As a six-year-old in England, Hoiles learned about cooking simply by watching his mother, who ran the Hole in the Wall Cafe along the River Thames on the outskirts of London. Hoiles ultimately decided against appropriating the name, but he hopes that Mick’s Caf’ can duplicate the cozy atmosphere. “I want people to come here and have a nice cup of coffee, have something to eat, and be really relaxed,” Hoiles said. “At coffee shops, people can get served quickly and healthy, and that’s how I like to eat. Even if this wasn’t my place, I would come here and sit.” The initial menu features various hot and cold beverages (including Nicaraguan coffees and English tea), pastries, and breakfast options, such as a Southwestern quesadilla. Signature salads and sandwiches (including build-your-own options) will cost about $8 to $10 each, depending upon ingredients selected. The sandwiches can be served cold or heated on a panini grill, while salads are accented with homemade dressings, notably Hoiles’ acclaimed sweet oriental vinaigrette. In fact, the dressings were a focal point well before the opening of the restaurant. “The idea of it was to market my dressings and market the coffee, and then it just snowballed from there,” said Hoiles, who worked as a tug-boat cook on the Themes as a teenager and has always enjoyed cooking as a hobby. His wife, Anita, is manager of Whispers, a woman’s clothing store just a block away on Swarthmore. Even though Hoiles has been living in the Palisades since 1979, he wants the cafe to remind him of his British roots. To that end, he offers tea prepared from loose tea and boiling water, as well as Weetabix, a popular whole-grain cereal in England. “No one else is offering a cereal like this,” Hoiles said. “You want to be a big seller, but the point is I’m different.” The 1,200-square-foot eatery, which has six parking spaces in the back for grab-and-go customers, will also feature as much organic produce as possible, ditching fried foods for healthier dishes and sides. If all goes well, Hoiles said, Mick’s Cafe might eventually stay open past its current 4 p.m. closing in order to serve an evening meal. He also plans on offering high tea in the late afternoon and delivery service in the business district via bicycle. “If you’re in the service industry, you have to make the customer happy,” said Hoiles, who previously owned businesses in the leather goods and garmet manufacturing industries. “A lot of people forget that.” The first big test for Mick’s Cafe will come tomorrow when the Fourth of July parade brings thousands of residents and visitors into the village. Hoiles and his staff (including his son Leon and Leon’s fiance, Corbett Boulware) have been working out the kinks this week in hopes that satisfied customers will direct their peers to this hidden retreat through word of mouth. “Many people have come by to look,” said a hopeful Hoiles Monday afternoon. “And they said, ‘We’re coming back.'”