Dining with Duvall:This Food Hits 'The Spot'

Last month, we went out to dinner with friends at The Spot in Pasadena. The featured entertainers for the evening, a quartet called the Fuzzy Logic Boptet, opened their first set with a jazz tune. I heard the front man wailing away on the saxophone. I looked up to see that the front man was a woman — Robin Rader.

Rader's mop of curly dark hair glinted in the spotlight as she swayed. Her cheeks billowed out; she blew the horn as though her life depended on it. What a show! Every Friday and Saturday evening, The Spot hosts a live band between 7 and 10 p.m.

Tapping our toes in time to the music, we perused the menu. Our friends chose tri-tip. Bob had catfish and I went with crawfish etouffee. The food was solid, carefully prepared and mildly spiced. Salads, sides and starters are sized for sharing at reasonable prices.

The entrée choices mix Southern, Creole and home-style cooking. Service is superb. No liquor license means that diners bring their own wine. Heavy chrome wine buckets graced nearly every table, a tip-off that the place was packed with regulars.

After we finished our cheesecake, bread pudding and coffee, I visited with the band. Drummer Craig Aschoff took a break, while I admired Jim Wright's WARR Guitar. The WARR is a newer electric instrument with 12 strings that combines both bass and lead guitar.

The quartet covers jazz and blues greats, along with bop and a few original works. Robin Rader plays a haunting flute on her own Latin-influenced composition. It's a shame that The Spot doesn't sport a piano because it's obvious that Polly Klemmer has the magic touch, judging by her nimble fingers on the synthesizer keyboard.

"The bopet is often booked for the second Saturday of the month at The Spot," Jim said. If you crave jazz, blues and hot hop, you'll love Fuzzy Logic.

A couple weeks later, Bob and I returned for breakfast at The Spot. The pace was considerably slower. The owners, a young married couple, had time to chat. Sid Burgess and Patty Fallahee met while working together at The Kitchen for Exploring Foods. Sid was the executive chef and general manager. Patty managed the take-out and business lunch catering.