Lately, I’ve been spending more time at restaurants in cities far away from my home in Altadena. The Hills (Agoura, Beverly, and Baldwin), Venice, and Downey have been seeing more of me and my camera than places in my own home town. That realization slapped me in the face and the only way to fix it was to check out a restaurant near me that I was eager to revisit. A short drive and I was sitting in Honeybird in La Cañada with Shalifa of Your LA Foodie.

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I first checked out the restaurant when they opened back in 2016, but devoured my food before taking any photos. Hence, the lack of a blog post to link. However, visiting again with less of a raging appetite gave me the chance to absorb the location, look over the menu, and take photos at the same time. The 40-seat space is affable and warm making it easy for you to find a seat and sink in. Seeing as Shalifa and I already did that, the next thing to do was to find a few favorites on the menu. With the help of the owner, Michelle, we didn’t have to struggle with picking a few favorites as she offered suggestions on some of the restaurant’s best items.

As a bit of conversation between Shalifa and I ensued, the food arrived to the table. Let me emphasize, there was so much food.

With all the items on the table, I started with the Sides ($3.50 a  la carte or $5 family size) and then made my way to the bigger items. The sides that were ordered included Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Chipotle Macaroni Salad, Collard Greens, Honey Biscuits ($5.50 for 2),and Mac ‘N Cheese ($5). The mixed mashed potatoes with roasted garlic were whipped and fluffy, while the macaroni salad with carrots, English peas, and chipotle aioli had an abundance of flavor that it was impossible to ignore it.

A sweet take on collards had the vegetable served with Applewood smoked bacon, brown sugar, and cider vinegar. While I’m not inclined to order collards under many circumstances, the inclusion of bacon changed my thoughts instantly and the taste of that alongside the addition of brown sugar made them something I could appreciate. Great job, HB! Not to be overlooked, the 5- cheese blend making the mac ‘n cheese that was sprinkled with Panko breadcrumbs was the perfect amount of cheesy goodness. In complete contrast, the signature biscuits were baked with Applewood smoked bacon, chives, sharp cheddar and served with a maple vanilla butter. The two soft biscuits were packed with all the things I didn’t know I wanted until now. Even more, they were so warm in spite of taking hundreds of photos and were mouthwatering once the butter was spread across them. Out of all the sides on the table, the biscuits were my favorite.

It only took a matter of seconds before I put my hands on the sandwiches that were in front of us. The first one was the Shrimp Po Boy ($10.50). White shrimp, a sun-dried tomato remoulade, tomatoes, onions, and an oregano vinaigrette on a cheesy roll. I loved how soft the roll tasted and that the shrimp were so big and seasoned so nicely. If you were planning a trip to New Orleans for a po boy, you can cancel it and go to Honeybird instead. The second sandwich was The Honeybird ($9.75). The sandwich took the restaurant’s own fried chicken, pimento cheese, a cider slaw, pickled chilies, and brought it altogether on a brioche bun. What I enjoyed most about this sandwich wasn’t just the tender and juicy fried chicken, but all that items that were placed alongside the chicken. It was just the right kind of cheese, the right sour pickles, and the best made slaw that could make the chicken taste unlike any other that you could get from similar and good restaurants. Here, The Honeybird is a must get item.

After the sandwiches we jumped into the BBQ Chicken Salad ($9). A giant bowl of romaine lettuce was covered with roasted chicken, bacon, crispy onions, tomatoes, cilantro, a drizzle of BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. What I enjoyed most about this was just how savory the entire bowl was. The protein covered in fresh greens and crispy onions and a tangy BBQ sauce was the best way to take an ordinary salad and make it unforgettable.

The last entrée to the already bountiful table was the 4PC Dinner ($17.50). Served with three sides (some pictured above), the dinner also included a side of potatoes. I really enjoyed the way Honeybird can take chicken and make it seasoned and gently fried to the point that it tastes like you’ve been transported to the South. The signature meat from plate to plate is consistently juicy, flavorful, and delicious to the point that you may want to consider getting more. The answer is yes, you should always get more.

The last plates that barely found space on the table were desserts. Two slices of beautiful pie arrived and I couldn’t have been happier. We had the Banana Cream Pie and the HB Salted Honey Pie ($6 a slice). Since I’m not the biggest fan of bananas, that slice of pie was for Shalifa. A golden graham cracker streusel crust rested underneath a silky banana cream topped with whipped cream. It looked delightful and the smile on Shalifa’s face as she took bite after bite confirmed that it tasted just as good as it was plated. I on the other fell in love the salted pie. A honey custard with sea salt and milk chocolate created this slice and it was more than I could have expected. The single slice was incredibly rich and sweet with an underlying saltiness that only drew me in to taste more and more. Before I knew it, the slice was gone. It was definitely a pie I would highly recommend.

Returning to Honeybird gave me another chance to find plates of food I hadn’t tried before. I was beyond grateful for the restaurant’s generosity in letting us explore almost every plate on their menu. It was a great chance to taste their mashed sides, salad, sandwiches, and more. I already knew I liked the restaurant, but this visit confirmed that Honeybird in La Cañada is a place I love.

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Address: 714 Foothill Blvd La Canada, CA 91011
Phone: 818-415-0489
Hours: Sunday & Monday – Closed, Tuesday through Friday – 11:00am to 9:00pm, and Saturday – 10:00am to 9:00pm
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