Bakeries
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Taste of the Eastside: Sights and Bites
May 08 2012
I was invited to attend Taste of the Eastside, which I sadly had to miss last year. The whole shebang took place last Sunday at Barnsdall Park in Los Feliz. I got there right on time, so I was able to try everything relatively unmolested. Here are some of the things I tried. Those up there? Pavlovas with blackberry and lemon meyer preserves from Atwater Village’s Proof Bakery.
Here’s the rest:
Conchinita pibil taco from Yuca’s in Los Feliz. Very tender.
Buffalo-style cauliflower with vegan blue cheese from Mohawk Bend in Echo Park. I hardly missed the chicken.
Cinnamon rolls and red velvet cupcakes from Auntie Em’s in Eagle Rock.They were nice enough to turn over two rolls for me.
Eagle Rock: Subs from Eagle Rock Italian Bakery
Mar 02 2012
Pregnant women are warned not to eat cold cuts. It seems that there’s a bacteria called listeria, which lurks in lunch meats, just waiting to wreak havoc on the compromised immune system of every gestating woman. Okay, it’s actually kind of rare, but in America, it’s treated like the plague.
And I’ll admit, I headed the warning. I ate maybe two turkey sandwiches the whole 9 months and promptly freaked out both times. So you can imagine how pumped I was to chow down on my first anxiety-free post-natal sub.
I gave the honor to the Italian sub from Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli. The sandwiches at this Colorado Boulevard mainstay (it’s been around for over 40 years) is one of the best you’ll find east of Bay Cities. Baked fresh in-house daily, the bread has that crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside quality that can really make a sandwich worthwhile while the balance of freshly cut salami, ham, mortadella and provolone cheese takes it home.
Atwater Village: Sandwich & Cake at Proof Bakery
Jan 18 2012
I’ve heard great things about Proof Bakery but never the pleasure, so when a friend suggested lunch there, I said “Oooh! Sure.” I don’t get to see Atwater Village on weekdays or by sunlight too often, but since I started working from home (no more east-to-west commute!), I’ve been trying to squeeze in local lunch spots.
Proof Bakery doesn’t bowl you over on sight. The small, unassuming space is all clean lines, modern airiness and marble tables. The dessert case/counter doesn’t have Marie Antoinette-esque decadence of many bakeries these days, so there aren’t the stacks and piles of cakes and cobblers of, say, Huckleberry in Santa Monica. That said, the restrained set of offerings does hit the right sweet and savory notes—think chocolate chip cookies, cheese and chive biscuits, croissants, tarts and morning buns.
There are piles of sandwiches, however, because that’s the way Proof showcases their daily options. When I was there, there were three plates of as many varieties: prosciutto, bacon and beet. If I had it my way, I would have had the prosciutto, but pregnancy rules make it a no-no, especially since it had been sitting around at room temperature. I played it safe with the beet sandwich, but don’t feel sad for me.
Eastside Goes Westside: Sweets & Sandwiches from Thyme Cafe
Nov 09 2010
While it does fall a little short of the grand scrumptiousness that Huckleberry captures with aplomb, Thyme Cafe is a worthy lunch spot. The cafe/bakery/market concept isn’t exactly unexplored ground in Santa Monica, but caterer-turned-restauranteur Maire Byrne offers her own brand of formidable sandwiches, salads, sweets, soups and gourmet goods.
I crave sandwiches on an hourly basis, and I was pretty satisfied by the options at Thyme. The selection is seasonal and heavy on comfort: Turkey Meatloaf, Egg Salad with Olive Tapenade, Albacore Tuna with Currants, and this Steak with Watercress & Caramelized Onions. The crusty baguette was a little sharp and stabby, but the steak was tender. The horseradish aioli, which was thankfully glopped on with abandon, gave it personality.
Downtown LA: Artisanal LA Was Blissfully Delicious
Oct 24 2010Artisanal LA was a food lover’s carnival. The community event held in the Cooper Design Building this past weekend showcased some of LA’s most interesting food artisans with handmade wares ranging from chocolates and baked goods to cheese and pickles. Even better, there were plenty of samples.
The event was a pretty low-key experience-there were no relentless crowds or long lines. Of course, that probably won’t last. This event is sure to become a bigger draw as word of mouth spreads though food-crazy Los Angeles, but this time was blissfully delicious.
Here were some of my favorite sights and tastes from Artisanal LA:
Tartist had one of the most beautiful displays of the day. I believe that marscapone cheese lies below those apples and honey-vinegar glaze on top. Sigh. As if that weren’t enough, all the fruit and herbs used to make it came from Tartist Xárene’s (and her friends’) very own garden. No pesticides or fertilizers used in the growing process and the dairy used is sourced from Santa Monica Farmers’ Market.
Food for Thought: Foodie Posts, Beer Floats & Mole Battles
Oct 08 2010Cinnamon Crisp from Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buellton.
Welcome to all the new ESFB subscribers, and thanks to Kat Odell from Eater LA for showcasing my GelatoVino post.
Here are some of my favorite food articles of the week:
- E*Star LA pairs beer and cheese in the name of victory.
- Hollywood’s Pure Luck has pickle chips! LA and OC Foodventures has the photos to prove it.
- The Gastronomer makes me want to go to Boston for an egg sandwich.
- Eater LA has a list of late night drinking deals because who can make happy hour?
- Food, She Thought seeks refuge from the rain in Bottega Louie.
Also, this Sunday I’m checking out two events: LA Beer Float Showdown at Verdugo Bar and The 3rd Annual La Feria de Los Moles a Puebla vs. Oaxaca mole showdown. Woot! Woot!
Have a great weekend and eat good stuff!
-Valentina
Eagle Rock: Ruby Bakery’s Angelic Cake
Sep 23 2010
Angelic. That’s how I would describe this cake from Ruby Bakery in Eagle Rock—it was one of the highlights of my birthday weekend. I’m usually a sugar frosting girl, but the whipped chocolate frosting, teetering between airy and substantial, may have made a convert of me. The yellow cake was light and spongy, as you’d expect from a Chinese bakery, but this one was fluffier than you can imagine, with a whipped cream filling.
The overall effect was very subtle…until the fresh mangoes came into play. That’s when things got interesting. The mangoes were ripe, adding punch in terms of sweetness and texture. Happy Birthday, indeed.
Ruby Bakery has been around for 25 years. They also sell cupcakes, crème puffs and a signature strawberry crème cake that gets a lot of raves.
-Valentina
Ruby Bakery
5042 Eagle Rock Blvd
Los Angeles 90041Map It
Cupcakes Not Politics: Auntie Em's Makes a Good One
Jun 03 2010 Cupcakes are so political. Bring them up to a foodie crowd and watch the sprinkles fly. Everyone has their favorite place, their frosting-to-cake proportion ideals, their moistness demands etc. etc. And some weirdos even contend that cupcakes are tired fad.
Whatever.
In fashion or not, I just like a good cupcake, and I’m pretty flexible as to what “good” means. Of course, I have my favorite—the yellow cake, chocolate frosting at Canter’s—but I can find something to like in almost any cupcake.
And I love, love, love the cupcakes at Autie Em’s in Eagle Rock. I’ve heard the arguments from the detractors, but I find them rich, moist and satisfyingly decadent. Plus, they’re beautiful to look at. Just look at the batch I picked up for a party recently—chocolate, strawberry cream and red velvet. Now, tell me: what’s not to love?
What’s your favorite cupcake in LA?
-Valentina
Highland Park: Antigua Bread's Alluring Giant Pastry
May 14 2010I don’t have much of sweet tooth, but this giant pastry always catches my eye when I go to Antigua Bread in Highland Park. It looks like sweet flaky goodness. I never get it because their drool-worthy Huevos Rancheros are always calling my name a little louder, but someday, it’s going to happen, and I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.
Someday.
-Valentina
Eastside Goes Westside: Bite Bar & Bakery in Santa Monica
May 13 2010
I don’t do all my chomping on the eastside. I sometimes venture out—despite the horrors of the 10 freeway—to enjoy the eats on the westside.
My latest journey was to Bite Bar & Bakery in Santa Monica. It’s on Pico Blvd., which is still such a quaint area compared to the hustle and bustle (i.e. zero parking) of more popular SM eat streets. The décor of the space is very succinct with a chalkboard menu, cookbooks and cooking utensils lining the walls. Cute.
Bite’s menu is seasonal and changes daily. When I was there, there were about 8 options, including a pulled-pork sandwich, a zucchini quiche, and a chickpea sandwich on naan (cleverly named a “naan-which”). We ordered the Toasted Crab Sandwich on sourdough with paprika aioli and watercress salad along with the Afterschool Special, a.k.a grilled cheese paired with a cup of cream of asparagus soup.
Both sandwiches were grilled Panini style. The grilled cheese included a tasty cheddar cheese blend, but the bread was a little too greasy for my sensibilities. I blame the oil from the cheese mixing with the oil (or butter) used to grease the Panini press. Still, though a little overwhelming, this sandwich fell on the side of delicious decadence.
