& Waffles

First visit, so I'm in observation mode. & Waffles on Lankershim — the name alone is doing a lot of work. The ampersand wants you to fill in the blank yourself, which is either clever branding or a red flag depending on your mood walking in.

North Hollywood spot, casual setup, the kind of place where the menu is trying to cover ground. I ordered around — got a feel for what they're working with across a few different items. Won't list everything but I went intentionally broad on the first visit. That's how I do it. You order one thing and you're just guessing.

What stood out: the waffles themselves have a decent structure. Not limp, not overdone. Someone back there knows the iron and knows the batter hydration. That's not nothing. A lot of waffle spots get the toppings right and let the actual waffle go soft — this didn't do that.

Service was fine. Attentive without hovering. The space wasn't packed, so hard to know how they hold up under pressure.

My hesitation is consistency. One visit tells you what a kitchen *can* do, not what it *does* on a random Tuesday. I've been burned too many times by a great first meal at a place that turns out to be luck — right cook, right time. I need to come back when I'm not expected, not on a weekend, not right at open.

The receipt's filed. I'll be back.

Second visit is where I start forming a real opinion. Third visit is where I'll tell you whether this place belongs in rotation or just gets a "yeah it's fine" when someone asks.

Early read: promising. Don't hold me to that yet.