WHY Parisian-style macarons, displayed like objets d’art, in the shop formerly known as Paulette (they dropped the ‘Pau’ after a trademark tussle). WHAT French macarons are not the dumpling-style macaroons (normally made of coconut) that we see in the U.S. These are light, tender-crisp sandwich-style cookies that look rather like colorful, miniature hamburgers, except the [...]
January 31, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY Sophisticated pastries, excellent coffee and fresh bread in a fast-transforming neighborhood. WHAT Though owner Na Young Ma is a Glendale native, Proof has a Parisian look, with marble-topped tables and chocolate-colored walls. Pastries strike the right balance between rustic and refined and rank with some of the best in the area. All things meringue [...]
January 5, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY Four words: Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake. WHAT Luxurious truffles, chocolate-dipped toffee squares, square, tiered wedding cakes clad in candied rose petals, exquisite petits fours and house-made preserves are artfully arranged in the front of this commercial-kitchen space, which offers, in the See’s tradition, a silver sample tray to welcome visitors. For many Angelenos, the [...]
December 14, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A non-sceney neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot with fresh baked bread and pastries. WHAT If the expensive, trendy brunches of Silver Lake and Los Feliz are too much to bear, head to neighboring Atwater, where the Village Bakery & CafĂ© has a case of homey baked goods and the room to enjoy them. It’s [...]
October 29, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Fruit flavors that taste like they were just plucked from the earth and rushed straight to the mixer. WHAT Of the 8 billion gelaterias in Italy, Grom differentiates itself by an obsessiveness with ingredients—it doesn’t use any old pistachios, for instance, it uses Syrian pistachios. Its dark chocolate is the darkest in town, and [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Classic and seasonal flavors, ranging from a superb dark chocolate gelato to an amazing pear sorbet, served with excellent coffee and espresso. WHAT Homemade gelati in fun flavors from Gail Silverton, sister of L.A.’s culinary queen Nancy Silverton, in a colorful shop on happening Hillhurst. When you’ve had enough of the light stuff at [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The best ice cream soda in L.A., if not the world. WHAT Set inside a pharmacy that sells a Cronenbergian array of medical devices, this retro-style soda counter serves a fantastic array of ice creams: Lappert’s, Cascade and Fosselman’s (including our fave, chocolate-dipped strawberry). But what we love most is how they use that [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Dulce de leche frozen yogurt, free WiFi and delivery. WHAT Want to see a cool, subtly tattooed, wedge-wearing junior studio exec leap up and down like a kindergartener? Invite her to Froyo Life, which has developed a rabid cult following in Los Feliz. The yogurts, both of the sweet-and-creamy and tart varieties, are well [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY To enjoy an architectural ice cream sandwich without having to chase a truck around town. WHAT After a couple of years of success with its modern-day ice cream truck, this vendor of insanely thick ice cream sandwiches named (and designed) in honor of Frank Gehry, Richard Meier and other architects now has its own [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Because Los Angeles needs better bagels, and it needs more of them. WHAT Backed by talk show maven Larry King, this small franchised chain has a gimmick: real Brooklyn water. The bulky bagels are boiled in it, making them dense and chewy in the best possible way. You can also make your own egg [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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