I ask the question, because…. Most people choose a restaurant based on a preference for delicious, creative dishes, a cozy ambiance, great service, and a friendly vibe. But my needs are a little less foundational, and a bit more, well, whacked.

I cannot dine out at a restaurant with a LAME LOGO. I just can’t. Josh once chose a popular place in Sherman Oaks called “Café Bizou” for lunch one day, and I just couldn’t buy in. They displayed their establishment’s logo (above) for years on the wall outside and of course all over their menus. The graphic is so in-your-face and so literal (Bizou meaning “kiss” — represented by pressed red lips and flanked by a typeface I’d just call “dullard”) that I felt agitated and hurt. Josh ate there by himself that day.

God, I’m sounding crazy. Maybe a little obsessed. Okay, maybe not a little. But if you hang with any artists, you know that comes with the territory. Everything is visual, and we can even become indignant, insulted, or disappointed — if a graphic, particularly a logo, seems stupid.

By the way, the valley’s Cafe Bizou recently closed its doors. And a new Cafe Bizou opened in Agoura Hills — with a brand new logo at its door.

P.S. —I just asked Josh to fetch some chocolate chips (for my oatmeal) while he’s at the market. He said no, he couldn’t — and mumbled something about the uninspiring VONS sign.