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Category Archives: Bakery

Pastries Galore

22 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Food

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Almond Butter Brioche, Mango Tart, Matcha Latte

I had wanted to get together with a friend over tea or coffee and perhaps some pastries as well. I suggested a place that I have been to for years, but my friend came up with a place in Hermosa Beach that has opened recently called Kirari West Bake Shop. 

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I must say I was just a tad unsure whether I wanted to go because I wanted something that I will definitely like. My friend said the place has very good reviews, so as much as I was skeptical, I decided to give it a try.

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The shop is located inside a somewhat unremarkable looking strip mall, close to a Vegetarian restaurant that I had been to long time ago. The decor inside is very simple and  yet cozy and inviting. There are a few tables outside as well. There is a big black board with drawings of different types of coffees and teas. The Matcha Latte grabbed my attention. The latte, though good, had a bit too much milk in it, thus diluted the taste of the matcha. On the subsequent visit, I requested less milk, and the Matcha Latte was perfect.

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The signature pastry would be the Almond Butter Brioche. It seemed like everyone was getting this particular pastry. My friend got one, and I tried it. It was really, really good! Somewhat crunchy on the outside and soft inside,  especially since they had warmed it up for her.

I was so impressed with this place that I had been back about 3 times in a just a few weeks. I managed to try a very fresh tasting and not-too-sweet Mango Tarte, and a Sweet Butter Brioche. Everything were delicious and top quality.

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I found out later that their products are gluten free. The original Kirari was opened in Japan in 2011 by the father and the older brother. This new “Kirari West” is a collaboration between the younger brother who has been living in the US, and the family.

Kirari West Bake Shop – 707 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277   Phone: 310-376-5313 Continue reading →

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Bake Code – Excellent Bread and Milk Tea

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Chinese Bakery, Food

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Boba Milk Tea, Milk Tea With Glass Jelly, Pastries, Soft and Chewy Bread

 

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So as I hurriedly left Chengdu Taste after the numbingly spicy lunch, I was on a quest to quickly find myself a cup of icy cold milk tea.

I arrived at the San Gabriel Square on Valley Blvd since I know there must be some Boba Milk Tea shop inside the plaza. As I got out of my car and started walking toward one, I noticed that there was a brand new bakery shop at the corner. The name says Bake Code.

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The place looked modern and inviting, and since I love trying new breads and pastries, I ventured inside. I was told that they had just opened a week ago. The interior is spacious, clean, with very comfortable warm lighting.

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I was elated that they offer drinks as well, especially that of milk tea. I definitely needed something to cool me down from the spicy food, so I opted for the Cold Milk Tea with Glass Jelly (no sugar). They made a mistake and made me one with sugar, and it tasted fantastic! But I know that I should not be drinking all that much sugar, so I told them about the error, and I was promptly given another one without sugar. I must say that the milk tea was one of the best that I have tried in a long time. The milk tea was extremely smooth with ample tea flavor, and there was a good amount of glass jelly inside to slightly sweetened up the tea.

There were small samples next to the breads that one could try, which was a good idea. All the ones I did try were really tasty without being too sweet or too salty. The texture of the bread was soft, yet slightly chewy, and most importantly to me, the crust was not hard – nearly perfection for  me.

The one bread that I did buy had orange rind and walnuts inside. The flavor was exceptional and the bread was still soft and chewy after a day in my refrigerator.

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I will definitely be going there to get more bread and perhaps try their sweet pastries next time I am in that area of town. I must also add that the prices were quite reasonable ranging from $2 to under $4 for the breads, and my drink was around $3.5.

Bake Code: 140 W. Valley Blvd. San Gabriel, CA 91776  Phone: 626-288-5118

 

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85° Bakery in Gardena

02 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Chinese Bakery, Chinese dessert, Food

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Bakery, Bread, Brioche, Gardena California, Sea Salt Coffee, Taiwan, Tart, Tea

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The opening of 85° in Gardena is almost like a dream come true for those of us who live in the South Bay area who enjoy going to this bakery chain that originated from Taiwan. I don’t even understand exactly why people like me flock in droves to this bakery place as if it was free. With the tong in one hand, and a large tray on the other, I scrutinized each slot and picked up these soft breads and piled them onto the tray.

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With hundreds of people lining outside for hours waiting for all of their grand openings, it makes me wonder what is the reason behind this type of euphoria over a bakery. Whatever the reason is, I was definitely part of that. I had been excited for weeks prior to the actual opening. I was able to go there in the evening of the opening day. We got a free red mug with the $20 purchase, and a free Sea Salt Drink coupon with a drink purchase as well as some key chains.

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As much as some of the selections here are quite excellent such the black Squid Ink Bread, the Rose Bread, and the Berrytale, there are other Chinese bakeries that offer distinguished choices of bakery items that are just as good, and some that are even better such as the Po Tart at Jim’s Bakery.

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Perhaps it is the fact there are comfortable seating areas where one can actually sit down and enjoy the “fresh bread” that had just come out from the oven. Perhaps it is the enticing drink selections which include the famous Sea Salt Coffee and Teas that one cannot get at other Chinese bakeries. Or perhaps it is the idea that one is getting something more authentic being that it originated from Asia. Or maybe just simply that hype produces more hype.

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In any case, I was back again on Thanksgiving Day after lunch. A friend and I sat down for a cappuccino and a Sea Salt Coffee. I got some breads to go: a Brioche, a Mango Bread, a Chocolate Croissant, Walnut Tart, and a Pumpkin Tart. I thought my cappuccino was especially outstanding and large for a medium size, much better than the ones at other coffee houses in town. The Brioche was the best out of the bunch – huge, fluffy, and buttery.

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Since the store did not have my favorite, the Rose Bread, the previous two times, I am already thinking about going back soon to get my hands on the fragrant bread.

85°c Bakery Cafe – 1398 Artesia Blvd. Gardena, CA 90248 

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Back For More – Bottega Louie

28 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by yummcha in American Food, Bakery, Food, Italian Food

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Bottega Louie, Eggs Benedict, Food, Los Angeles, Paris, Pastry, Salmon, Smoked salmon

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When my friend mentioned Bottega Louie for lunch, I was just a tad hesitant. Not that I don’t not enjoy the food there, but because of the fact that I had gotten a ticket on the way home after the last visit, the dark shadow is still hanging over me from the trauma of receiving an unjust, unfair, highly expensive citation that did not fit the violation.

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However, the remembrance of one of the best pastry I have ever tasted, Le Grand Macaroon, and the image of the beautiful, elegant display of the exquisite patisserie, as well as the magnificent architecture, the ambiance, the energy and the excitement of the place, which is so reminiscent of Paris, all proved to be too strong for me to resist, despite the nagging uneasiness of having to deal with traffic and parking in the Los Angeles downtown area.

After my church service on Sunday, I armed myself with the round trip driving instructions from Mapquest so that I will be able to zip in and out of the area in the fastest, most efficient way possible.

Parking was difficult, I had wanted to find parking on nearby streets, so I stubbornly circled the area continuously for 4 to 5 times. The idea of just giving up and calling my friend to say that we should just go elsewhere crossed my mind, but again, the thought of the unparallelled taste and beauty of the pastries would not allow me to leave. I found a parking lot nearby for $5 and succumbed to paying that price for the sake of tasting the Grand Macaroon once again and trying new ones.

I was surprised by how incredibly busy this place was on this Sunday morning around 11:30 am. The whole restaurant was packed and there was going to be about a 15 minute wait.

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Famished, I ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict, and the Portobello Fries, both of which I had wrote about in my June blog of this year. The fries seemed to be even better this time around. I had mentioned on my last blog how I wished there would be more smoked salmon with the Eggs Benedict, so I decided to take things into my own hand. I ordered the Smoked Salmon Plate. It came with ample slices of the firm, yet moist and silky, and wonderfully smoky wild salmon, served with a side of white bagel and cream cheese. Now my Eggs Benedict is complete with the addition of the extra salmon.

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We also ordered the Prosciutto & Burrata which are ultra thin slices of mildly favored prosciutto on top of the Burrata cheese on a potato pancake. I liked the fact that the taste of the meat was delicate and not too salty, which balanced well with the softness of the cheese and crunchiness of the pancake. Though the serving was small, it was just right given the fact that I was becoming full.

Now let’s get to the real and important reason for coming here. It was mainly for the pastries, the sweets, the true masterpieces!

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And I do mean masterpieces – each one of the beautifully crafted cakes are meticulously and impeccably executed. While the appearances of some may seem delicate, the taste are often bold and exquisite.

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When I tried Le Grand Macaroon last time, it left me exclaiming in excitement to my son how incredible it was. So the first thing I looked for once inside was this splendid huge macaroon with the freshest raspberries and delicious cream filling. It did not disappoint me, it is just as good this time around.

However, as incredible as the macaroon is, the Cappuccino, unbelievably, is even better. Not only does the luscious light yellow custard-cream-like filling taste of strong espresso, but it is mixed with a striking liqueur flavor that is irresistibly flawless. Even my son chose that one as his favorite.

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The Hazelnut Brownie is a dense, not too sweet, round shape brownie with a slightly crunchy top. The Earl Grey Macaroon is chewy, crisp and moist all at the same time, but I did not get too much of the tea flavor. I must say the cookies are really good here, too, perhaps a bit under-rated and had gotten a bit lost amongst all the other great sweets. I had the Oatmeal Raisin and the Chocolate Chip, and both were excellent in freshness in taste and texture.

I am still energized and excited a day later from having visited this restaurant and from trying out the amazing pastries and cakes. Perhaps that is the mark of a great restaurant when it can instill such a sense of energy, passion and adventure. It was definitely worth the nuisance that came with the trip.

Bottega Louie – 700 South Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90017  Phone: 213-802-1470

http://www.bottegalouie.com/main.html

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Cocohodo – Tasty Retreat

23 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Food, Korean Food

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Beverage, Business, Coffee, Coffee and Tea, Food, Hazelnut, Pastry, Shopping

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Sometimes simplicity is best. When it comes to these tasty little treats that the store called Premium Walnut Cookies, it certainly does not get any simpler.

The store sells just one main product (not counting the coffee and tea selections)- Hodo Kwaja.  These are small walnut shape cookies filled with sweet red bean paste and walnuts. When I first tried these pastries, it was over ten years ago, and I had bought them from a Korean supermarket. At that time, I thought the little pastries were just alright, perhaps a bit too sweet.

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The walnut pastries at Cocohodo are definitely many grades better than the ones at the supermarket. The red bean paste inside as well as the outer cake portion have just the right, small amount of sweetness that I prefer, and with the soft crunch of the walnut, the pastry came together quite harmonious without feeling heavy.

I ordered a special which included a cup of coffee and four pieces of walnut pastries for around $3.5. One could choose either regular or hazelnut flavored coffee. My friend and both decided that the hazelnut coffee was probably one of the smoothest, most flavorful coffee that we have ever tried. It was so good even without any cream, milk, nor sugar. The walnut pastries were individually wrapped and came in a contemporary ceramic white bowl, which made it easy to share with others without having to use any utensils.

The atmosphere inside this small store is very peaceful, modern, with huge windows are around. I felt so comfortable and relaxed sipping my coffee and looking out at the passing cars.

I was told that the store features art work from local artist at one corner of room. One can also buy these pastries either in gift bags or gift boxes and the prices are reasonable.

I will definitely come back the next time I want to having a relaxing chat with friends, while enjoying great coffee and a small treat.

Cocohodo – 2734 Hawthrone Blvd. Torrance, CA 90505  

http://cocohodo.co.kr/coco_e/1_1.html

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Mitsuwa Marketplace – Fun and Yum

06 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Food, Japanese Food, Lifestyle, Markets

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Food, Home, Japanese cuisine, Los Angeles, Mitsuwa, Mitsuwa Marketplace, Ramen, Santouka

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Probably the first time I came to the Mitsuwa Marketplace was over ten years ago. As soon as my son was able to sit in one of those light weight stroller, I started bringing him out for lunches at different eateries. As a Stay-at-Home mom, I needed to get out of the house in order to achieve some type of balance and sanity.

The Mitsuwa Food Court provided a good respite since it is casual and offer a variety of choices, and the food are all good and reasonably priced. I was able to relax and eat while my son slept soundly in his little stroller, or if he was awake, I would feed him something.

As he grew older, he really enjoys Japanese food, especially the udons, and ramen. To this day, I believe that Mitsuwa is his favorite food destination. When the place is not crowded, the atmosphere gives a sense of calmness and peacefulness that we both find comforting. And one of our favorite thing to do after the meal is to venture into the supermarket section and look for my son’s favorite Japanese peach candy, and for myself, canned coffee with no sugar.

From the beginning, I have been thoroughly enjoying these lunches with my son. These meal sessions not only provided delicious food tasting adventures, but most importantly, wonderful bonding opportunities for my son and I. We would talk about school, friends, and even life in general at these outings, something that we don’t really do at home, since we are always occupied with chores, computer games, emails, etc.

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The restaurants inside this modest location are probably some of the best of their classes. Santouka is well know for its distinguished ramen, which my son already decided is the best in Los Angeles. Katsuhana, which specializes in deep fried pork, chicken cutlet as well as fried shrimp, is truly superb. While I tried not to eat a lot of fried food, the Pork Katsu is hard to resist –  moist, tender, and flavorful inside with a light and crunchy batter outside. The Katsu meal is a feast that comes with rice, soup, cabbage salad, fruit salad, small side dishes of tofu, and pickled vegetables.

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One of the newer comer to the marketplace is J Sweets , which offers the prettiest, most enticing Mochi Cream –  a mochi ball filled with different delectable flavors.  My favorite is the Cafe au Latte, not too sweet, but with a definite strong taste of coffee. The Mochi Donuts look fantastic but have not tried yet. All the other cookies and sweets in the store are all so beautifully presented and packaged. However, the prices are high so I have not yet had the pleasure of tasting them.

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Miifune is the eatery that I have visited the most throughout these years. This place has a good selection of udons, sobas, and various combo plates. I particularly like the Wakame Soba or udon, the Beef Shabushabu, and the plain Curry Rice. The food is consistent and satisfying.

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I really enjoy the Mackerel plate at Miyabi-Tei. The oily, flavorful fish is grilled and comes with miso soup, a large bowl of rice and some shredded cabbage and little bits pickled radish. A bargain at about $7.00.

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I don’t know why I like these ball shaped octopus snack made with wheat flour based batter, pickled ginger, and green onion, and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. Maybe it is the fact that they are so usual in taste and texture, sort of soft and chewy, salty and sweet, an odd kind of mouth feel and sensation.

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The Hamada-ya Cafe provides a more western style of food selections such as various spaghetti and pasta, risottos, and most delightfully, some of the tastiest cakes I have tried. One can order a set meal which comes with a salad, some bread, and tea or coffee. Almost right next door, is the Hamada-Ya Bakery, which I had already wrote about previously as one of the most outstanding bakery in town.

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The soup noodles here at Beni-Tora are quite substantial in size, as well as the gyozas, which are huge. I like the fact the noodles come with ample vegetables.

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Lupicia, a clean, modern looking store provides over 400  types of teas throughout the year, ranging from seasonal teas to flavored teas. The sales staff are extremely enthusiastic and more than eager to provide a tasting to the teas.

Mitsuwa Marketplace – 21515 S. Western Ave. Torrance, CA 90501  Phone: 310-782-0335

 http://www.mitsuwa.com/tenpo/eindex.html

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Tous Les Jours – Take a Small Break

08 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Food, Korean Food

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Apple pie, Eunhyuk, Glutinous rice, Home, Malaysia, Mochi, Sweet Potato Pie, Tous Les Jours

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When I want to get together with a friend for a chat, or to just to take a small break from our sometimes frazzled lives, my place of choice would be Tous Les Jours.  This  French-Asian café pastry shop comes to my mind first because it provides an extremely relaxing and comfortable atmosphere for one to sit down, unwind and have some good French style pastries, as well as some traditional Korean ones, with a good selection of coffees and teas.

 

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The interior is very open and modern, with ample spaces in between tables for some private conversations. The employees are young and friendly.

One can choose freely from the many assortment of traditional and not-so-traditional bakery items. One of my favorite here is the very Thick French Toast. The toast is way over an inch thick with a golden yellow top crust, sprinkled with slivers of almond and powder sugar. It is only mildly sweet, and goes exceptionally well with a good hot cup of cappuccino.

 

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I have also tried some of the Korean style donuts here such as the Sweet Rice Doughnut – a round ball made with sweet rice deep fried to a golden brown that is chewy and just a tad sweet. Sweet Corn Cream Doughnut is a twisted version rolled in a faintly sweet yellow corn powder.

For something a bit more sweeter, the Sweet Potato Pie and Apple Pie will fill that craving, along with the Chocolate Croissant and the Red Bean Pastry. If something non-sweet is desired, the Mochi Roll –  a baked mochi bread roll with some sesame seeds and a chewy crust, or the Garlic Baguette will satisfy nicely.

The shop is opened from 7am to 9pm, which makes it convenient to stop by before work or after an early dinner.

Tous Les Jours – 2814 Sepulveda Blvd. Torrance, CA 90505  Phone: 310-257-6848

See Website for other locations:

http://www.touslesjoursusa.com/store.asp?smnu=02

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Jim’s Po Tarts – Perfection

07 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by yummcha in Bakery, Chinese Bakery, Chinese dessert, Chinese food, Food

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Beverages, Coffee, Cook, Egg Tart, Home, Oven, Pastry, Portuguese Egg Tart

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“When will the Po Tart be ready?”

“In about five minutes”, the lady behind the counter replied. I was relieved that it was only five minutes, I was fearing that it would be much longer, and I would not be able to wait. I took the time to really look around at all the selections this time, since I was always in a hurry all the previous times I was there.

Po Tart is a Portuguese Egg Tart which consists of custard in a créme brûlée-like consistency caramelized in a puff pastry shell. The custard portion is much more softer, fluffier, and smoother than a regular Egg Tart.

“It is ready, how many would you like?

“Just one, I just have a craving for it, and I want to eat it right now”, I said to her in Chinese. I gathered that she thought I was going to buy quite a few since I had waited so patiently.

Boy, was I glad that I waited – the Po Tart could not have been any more more fresh. The gal had to go into the kitchen to get one for me. It literally came right out from the oven. It was super, intensely hot, I almost burned my tongue with the first bite. I had to keep blowing at it continuously in order to get it to be less than burning temperature so that I could put it in my mouth. Only one word can describe it – perfection. Being that the Po Tart was still so scaldingly hot, the texture of the custard was extraordinarily creamy, delicate and jiggly. With the prick of the plastic fork, the tart was starting to fall apart. The puff pastry crust was incredibly light and airy, and complemented the custard flawlessly.

The other favorite here is the Coffee Milk Powder Bun. The moist, yet faintingly crusty, ever so slight crunchy topping has the strongest and best coffee flavor out of all the various coffee buns that I have tasted so far. The milk powder filling has a hint of savory and sweet taste, and a fine granular, gritty texture that I personally find very addictive together with the softness of the bread.

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The purple Taro Pastry is worth mentioning. The not-so-sweet, dense taro filling is wrapped inside layers of ultra-thin marbled pastry dough. It is a heavier type of pastry that I definitely cannot finish the entire in one sitting.

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Jim’s has a special, for $2, one can choose from either the coffee, or hot chocolate and a choice of Egg Tart, Po Tart, or Pineapple Bun. Too bad I don’t live closer.

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Jim’s Bakery:  400 S. Atlantic Blvd. Monterey Park, CA 91754  Phone: 626-573-5757

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Diddy Riese – Cookies, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Brownies

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by yummcha in American Food, Bakery, Food

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chocolate, Chocolate chip, Cookie, Diddy Riese, Home, Ice cream, Ice cream sandwich, Westwood

Who could resist a big, chunky, warm, enticing freshly baked cookie, let alone an ice cream sandwich made to order with two of these cookies?

cookieNot me. I was fortunate enough to be only about 15 minutes away from this infamous cookie place in Westwood last week. I had wanted to come back here since a few years ago when I happened to pass by the shop, and the line was way too long. I thought I would just come back soon another day. Time just flew by, it has been almost 3 years later now.

It was a bright, cheerful, sunny day around noon, probably cheerful because I was about to finally get my hands on these sweet, rich, teeth numbing goodies that I have been thinking about for so long. Thankfully, there was actually no line during that particular time of that day. I started to take some photos of the place, and checked out the menu.

Only 35 cents for one cookie, 3 cookies for $1, or 6 for $2.00, The prices were so incredibly reasonable! There were ten delectable, mouth-watering flavors to choose from: chocolate chip w/walnuts, white chocolate w/macadamia, peanut butter, double chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin nut, chocolate w/white chocolate, sugar cinnamon, candy, chocolate chip. Yum!

How could one choose just a few from this cruel, tempting list? So I bought one of each except for the candy one for a total of $3.00. I felt so unusually elated for some reason. The brownies looked so moist and chocolaty sitting next to the cookies that I could not come up with a good reason not to get one for only 75 cents.

brownieOne can order a custom made ice cream sandwich with any 2 of the insanely fresh cookies and a choice of one of the dozen of Dreyer’s Ice Cream flavors such as: peanut butter cup, vanilla bean, mint chocolate chip, rocky road, strawberry cheese cake chunk, butter pecan, espresso chip, … for $1.75.

So odd but true how a short and simple excursion such as this could be so unbelievably fun and fulfilling to my taste buds, my spirit and my stomach.

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Diddy Riese: 926 Broxton Avenue, Westwood, CA 90024  Phone: 310-208-0448

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Doughnut, donut holes

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by yummcha in American Food, Bakery, Food

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Baking and Confections, Cinnamon, Cook, Doughnut, Flame Broiler, Home, Los Angeles, Stan

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It was the oddest thing – just as I entered my car with the excitement of having just purchased 2 bags of donuts and donut holes from Stan’s Donut, I started my engine, the radio came on right away with some doctor being interviewed on NPR saying, “sugar is a toxin, and should be regulated, it the the major cause of diabetes, obesity, cancer …”, I was listening to that while I was still holding these bags in my other hand. I did not know whether it was a message telling me to immediately toss the poison out of the car, or to just give them away to anyone who were willing to take them. I did neither. In fact, I took one of the small white powdered donut hole and ate half of it.DSCN0530

After wanting to try the donuts here at Stan’s for quite some time, I made the trip to Westwood on this busy Tuesday around noon time. I had forgotten how difficult it was to drive and park in this area. After all, I had not been back to this area of town in years since my college days. The streets were crowded with more places offering outside seating than I remembered. I was fortunate enough to land a parking space close to the store.

The donut shop was inside the same shop as the Flame Broiler, so there was quite a bit of smoke fumes while I was standing and looking at all the donuts. I was wondering whether that might affect the taste of the donuts. The donut counter was small but packed with so many different varieties. After scrutinizing all the selections, I decided on the Plain Glazed, Cinnamon, Chocolate Sprinkles, Coconut, and various other ones, and some donut holes. My son pointed out  that the name “donut hole” is inappropriate since a hole is an opening, so there cannot be a hole and, at the same time, a donut.

The Plain glazed was the first to be tried upon arriving home. I was delighted to find the texture to be marvelously moist and soft, with a slight chewiness, and the sweetness of the glaze to be at just the perfect level. I tend to find that the glazed donut is usually the best tasting one amongst the so many different varieties offered in most donut shops. This was true for Stan’s as well. After tasting a bit of each of the others, I found most of them to be just sweet, without too much distinction from each other. Perhaps I was just tasting too photo (2)many at the same time.

As with so many things in life, the end product is not always the most important, it is the journey. I had one of the most absorbing and memory evoking drive through Santa Monica and Westwood. Along with the delightful little treats, the much needed short and sweet excursion was enormously satisfying and fulfilling, and most important of all, it was FUN!

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Stan’s Donuts: 10948 Weyburn Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90024  Phone: (310) 208-8660

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