by Franklin on August 8, 2020
#Icecreamtuesdays is over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ice cream anymore. The beauty of living in LA is getting to have ice cream in the fall and winter. This was my first time trying Persian ice cream, and for the most part, it was pretty awesome. Walking into Saffron and Rose Ice Cream, I couldn’t help but notice all of the exotic flavors.
The saffron and pistachio was amazing. The saffron had a strong flavor and the mistakable sweet, yes savory essence was playful on the tongue. Pairing it with the very sweet date ice cream was quiet nice. The cut up dried dates were very flavorful and had a nice texture to it. The texture of the actual ice cream though, may not be for everyone. It is a bit on the “stringy” side and not like a traditional ice cream. It pulls away, kind of like taffy but is ice cream nonetheless. At first, it is a bit alarming, but the unique flavors take over.
Saffron and Rose Ice Cream was a nice pit stop. The small unassuming shop in Westwood had a lot to offer. The fresh ice cream in their unique flavors was enough a reason to give it a try. Did I miss my regular double chocolate caramel ice cream? Not really. Once I finished my ice cream, I had that yearning for that unique flavor again. Even now, I can imagine the flavors, but can’t quite grasp it completely. That is the draw here. The textures and flavors of the ice cream is like no other.
by Franklin on February 20, 2016
by Franklin on April 10, 2015
Scoops really started it all. I’m obviously not saying they were the first ice cream shop around, but they were around before or during the whole gourmet flavors stage in LA. It’s hot. It’s summer. Why not treat yourself to some Brown Bread Ice Cream?
The ice cream shop isn’t really fancy. This somewhat hole in the wall joint just focuses on one thing — ice cream. Their unique, but now somewhat common flavors keep this place afloat. At only 3 bucks for a heaping scoop of ice cream, the delicious flavors keep attracting old and new customers. What did I get? I always get their brown bread — just regular ice cream with bits of waffle cone inside. I also had the sweet potato burnt sugar. Those two would be my favorite together.
Their ice cream is a little soft and melts easily, but I was done in less that 2 minutes. Three bucks well spent, I’d say.
by Franklin on February 4, 2015
It is always good to see a somewhat popular restaurant in Monterey Park that isn’t Chinese or Asian. Even though Tokyo Fried Chicken Company suggests something Asian, I still think of it as southern fried chicken. Though it may have some Japanese influences, it is all about the fried chicken here. Fried chicken was the main event today, and we had a feast indeed.
We started things off with chicken skins. When I saw that on the menu, I knew I needed to have it. I remember as a kid, I was forced to throw the chicken skin away when eating KFC or Pioneer Chicken — my dad was kind of a health nut. Well, I got my revenge with these fried chicken skins. The basket was full of crunchies, almost like a basket of chicharon, I was dipping them and popping them in my mouth. They were delicious and such a guilty pleasure.
The sauces were key. The ponzu was much needed as it did a good job in cutting the fat of the fried goodness. The acidic and the fatty chicken was a great mixture. I wasn’t really a fan of the sweet soy sauce though.
The chicken was the main dish, but sadly the chicken wasn’t the main event. I have had my share of fried chicken (guilty), but their chicken was very different in a way not pleasing to my palate. As a savory and salty lover, their chicken was a bit on the sweet side. The sweetness was a bit off-putting. Even the chicken was a bit tough and seemed like it was more chuncky than juicy. The batter was crunchy though and had good flavors.
Mac and cheese with fried chicken go together like mac, and cheese. Their was quite delicious with the nori on top. The cheesy dish combined with the seafoody seaweed was a nice mix. It was cheesy and macy — delicious!
Dessert was made possible by Quenelle of Burbank. The push pops orange creamsicle of manderine orange and vanilla bean was nostalgic to the max. I remember eating the Flintstone push pops as a kid, and these were just delicious. The ice cream bar, apple pie a la mode was delicious as well. The apple pie ice cream, brown butter glaze, and graham cracker strusel crust was exactly what I imagined. If you were to make an apple strusel crisp pie into an ice cream bar, this would be it. The ice cream was a perfect ending to our fried chicken dinner.
by Franklin on January 28, 2015
Copenhagen Pastry is an authentic Danish pastry shop. They use the best ingredients and their technique is so refined. This creates pastries that are flaky, light, and delicate. Their fillings are traditionally almond paste and custard, and got to try a variety of their treats. My favorite was the Kringle. It was the sweetest of the bunch, but not too sweet. The flaky crust and the custard, almond paste mixture was perfect. I’m not fond of almond extract or the taste of almond in pastries, but theirs was delicate and used sparingly. The Crown and Spandauer was similar the the Kringle, but just in various ratios of custard and almond paste.
I can’t wait to go back and try their other pastries and their rye bread!
The Kringle – almond paste, custard, sugar
The Spandauer – almond paste, sugar
The Nougat Crown – almond paste, custard, hazelnut cream
by Franklin on November 11, 2014
Semi Sweet Bakery in Downtown is one of the many places to get cronuts in Los Angeles. Dubbed the name, “crullant”, theirs was more of a hybrid between a croissant and a French cruller. Behind Semi Sweet Bakery is Sharlena Fong, a New York based pastry chef. The cafe bakery was small, chic, and filled with so many baked goodies.
The Crullant was quite nice, and one of the best “cronut” renditions I have had. It was delicate and not too sweet. I liked the fact that this tasted clean and more like a pastry, not oil. A lot of cronuts have that fried oil taste, and I appreciated that this one didn’t have that taste. The glaze was not too much, and gave the crullant a perfect sweet taste. I also liked that there was a lot of layers from the pastry. It gave it a nice texture and flavor.
The Peanut Butter Ding a Ling was tasty. A spin on the Hostess Ding Dong, this one was quite decadent. The peanut butter filling combined with the rich chocolate flavor went so well together. I’m not really a ding dong fan, but this rendition was quite delicious.
Semi Sweet Bakery is almost a perfect bakery. They have some top quality pastries and nothing is too over the top. The ode to the ding dong was nostalgic and the crullant is nearly perfect. Next time, I must try the maple bacon sticky bun.
by Franklin on October 1, 2014
We all know that the best churros are from Disneyland. Something about that long stick of fried dough, rolled in cinnamon and sugar is so satisfying. At Churros Calientes, they take the simple and humble churro and make it even sweeter.
We ordered the churros with a drizzle of dulce de leche on top. The churros were crunchy and soft on the inside. The dulce de leche was deliciously sweet on top, but had a grainy consistency from the sugar. It still was sweet and delicious with the churros. I’m pretty sure I still scraped off the dulce de leche off of the plate. 🙂
Next time, I want to try the Churro Grande and hot chocolate. The churro grande is a large churro that is stuffed and then drizzled with whatever you want. Yes, it is a stuffed churro. Also, the hot chocolate I hear is very rich and chocolatey. Churros Calientes seems to have churros as the only thing going for them. I think they have sandwiches and other items, but not sure if anyone eats that stuff here. The churros though are quite delicious — crunchy, sweet, and drizzled with whatever your heart desires.
by Franklin on September 23, 2014
Summer is finally departing and we welcome fall. This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ice cream anymore, right? #icecreamtuesdays may be gone for now, but Los Angeles residents will still flock to ice cream shops. I mean, it is Los Angeles after all. We are going to be eating ice cream whether it is summer of winter. Scoops in Los Angeles near Melrose is always a favorite of mine. The simple decor, cheap prices and amazing ice cream keeps bringing me back for more. Scoops is spreading the love on the westside.
I always get the brown bread. It has little pieces of waffle cone and it has the perfect ice cream texture and flavor. I also had the maple burnt sugar which was soy based. I never thought of making or eating soy based ice cream, but I guess it is good for the lactose intolerant. The burnt sugar was subtle and sweet. These were perfect for the hot summer weather.
With the start of fall, the hot summers at the beach will be missed. The outdoor BBQs, golfing in the hot sun, and of course, #icecreamtuesdays will be missed. Soon though, as the seasons pass, summer will be with us once again.
by Franklin on September 16, 2014
Some say that Sweet Rose Creamery has the best ice cream in LA. That may or may not be true, but they definitely have a stronghold in the ice cream game. Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan are husband and wife co-owners of Sweet Rose. They also co-own Rustic Canyon, Milo and Olive, and Huckleberry. That is quite a resume and are some of the best restaurants in Santa Monica. It is no wonder that Sweet Rose Creamery is so popular.
Their ingredients are always fresh and sourced locally. Their organic milk and cream is from Clover Organic Farms, and their eggs from Chino Valley Ranchers. They even get all of their other ingredients from The Santa Monica Farmers Market. All of their ice cream and most of their toppings are made from scratch, in house.
I ordered the usual, of salted caramel. They always ask if I want to top it off with salt as if that is even a question. The saltiness was definitely present, and the caramel flavor was in your face. The burnt sugar flavor was almost smokey and dark — it was reminiscent of a dark roast coffee. Hmm, maybe roasted coffee is one of their ingredients?
Sweet Rose Creamery is a definite favorite of Angelinos. Catch them in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and their original location near Brentwood. They offer an array of house made ice cream flavors and a number of toppings. They even have sundaes, beverages, frozen novelties, and even ice cream pies. I always come here for the ice cream, but will need to try their other treats next time.
by Franklin on September 16, 2014
The green tea snow itself was smooth and delicious, though you can find much better, creamier shaved snow in SGV. I’d even say Fluff Ice is a little better, and Class 302 just being untouchable. The addition of green tea mochi and mango popping balls made this even more flavorful. The mochi was soft and the mango popping balls were bursts of flavor. This was indeed a nice way to beat the heat.
Snow Flower Ice was a nice stop to beat the heat, but I’d say there are much better places to get shaved snow. Shaved snow has to be “dry” but then still remain creamy when you eat it. Snow Flower Ice interestingly was a bit dry and crumbly. I miss ice cream.
by Franklin on September 2, 2014
Nice Cream is actually a gelato and sorbet shop, not ice cream. I don’t know about you, but everything from ice cream, gelato, sorbet, soft serve, and froyo is ice cream to me. Yes, I like to generalize like that. Nice Cream opened its doors in 2008, and are dedicated to freshness and having all organic ingredients. They were so popular, the even opened up a small shop on the Venice boardwalk. The owners came from Denmark to LA with a purpose of opening up a gelato shop. I’d say so far that their dreams are being fulfilled.
The biscotti and salted popcorn were a great match together. The biscotti ice cream was sweet and delicious. The bits of biscotti was nice and texturally pleasing. My favorite was the salted popcorn. It wasn’t too sweet, but the little bits of salt and butter and popcorn are there. It isn’t overpowering as I thought it would be, but perfectly subtle. Half way down my cup, I forgot what I ordered (brain fart). Then, the popcorn hit me and I immediately remembered again.
Nice Cream is a nice spot for ice cream if you are on Abbot Kinney or near Venice. I particularly liked the flavors, but I did have one gripe about something. It seemed like the ice cream was too soft and too melted. Maybe it didn’t have enough time to set and harden, but the ice cream had more of a milkshake consistency. Still, Nice Cream manages to wow customers with their funky flavors and delicious ice cream gelato. Hopefully, they’ll turn up the temperature a tad next time.
by Franklin on August 26, 2014
Something about mochi ice cream is so satisfying. That soft dough-like mochi on the outside, and the cold flavorful ice cream on the inside just hits the spot. Its cold, chewy, and delicious. The best part is, you don’t need a spoon — you eat it with your hands and there is no mess.
Little Tokyo’s Mikawaya has them for a dollar each. At those prices, you can scarf them down like popcorn. I got the mango and green tea mochi ice cream. I literally sat there, looked at my two treats, and carefully determined which one to eat first. Mango then green tea, or green tea, then mango… Hmm. Like I don’t have any other more important life decisions to make. In the end, I ate the mango first, then green tea second. That just seemed like the logical order to eat it. Either way, I was happy.
by Franklin on August 19, 2014
Playa Provisions definitely has an identity crisis. The restaurant is separated into 4 different sections — Dockside, Grain, Small Batch, and King Beach. Dockside is a high end dining space for seafood. Grain is a back room whiskey bar. Small Bach is their ice cream shop. King Beach is their casual breakfast and lunch spot. Honestly, the concept is interesting and confusing. Top Chef runner-up Brooke Williams and husband run the show. The woodsy, artsy, and earthy tones of the decor was very attractive. Honestly though, I came here just for the ice cream.
The ice cream was a treat. The chocolate malted crunch was full of bits and was quite nice. I usually don’t like chocolate malted crunch, and I don’t quite know why I ordered this flavor. The bits of malted balls were nice and the chocolate was rich and flavorful. My favorite was the milk and coffee ice cream. It had a nice subtle coffee flavor and was so clean tasting. This mixed in with the chocolate malted crunch was a perfect match. All of this with their addicting house made waffle cone, and I was a happy little kid with an ice cream cone.
In second thought, the concept here at Playa Provisions is kind of interesting. I wish they did a better job in integrating everything together. The new restaurant in Playa del Rey is turning heads though. I originally thought it was a casual sandwich shop that also had delicious ice cream. I was in shock when I walked in and there were all these different compartments. Back-room whiskey bar? Who would have thought? I will definitely be back for that. Maybe even a sandwich and seafood fare is in order also. For #icecreamtuesdays though this will definitely do.
by Franklin on August 5, 2014
Walking around the Beverly Grove area after an early dinner, we were in the mood for some ice cream. We could have easily went to Sweet Rose Creamery and be happy. We decided to go to Carmela Ice Cream. It really came down to, try something I haven’t had yet, or something I know is a for sure thing. Being a food blogger, I have to try something new all the time. Carmela started selling their treats at local farmers markets from 2007.
Upon entering Carmela, it was full of light and the white decor was bright and pretty. It definitely isn’t a manly man’s kind of spot. The decor and design of the whole place was dainty and feminine.
All of their ice creams are made with Clover Organic Dairy ingredients and the flavors are inspired by herbs, spices, flowers, and seasonal fruit. After trying some of their different flavors, I chose their salted caramel and rose petal. I was a bit worried about the flavor combination, but chose those two to eat separately. The salted caramel was smooth and had a nice burnt sugar flavor. The saltiness was a bit lacking, but not missed. The rose petal was more of the interesting flavor. It had a very soapy, floral taste. It tasted like soap ice cream. I really liked the flavor a lot. In a way, if a girly girl was made into an ice cream flavor, it would be the rose petal — floral, soapy, and clean. Similarly, if a guys guy was made into an ice cream flavor, it would be the salted caramel — a bit burnt and dirty tasting, and salty.
Carmela Ice Cream was a nice spot to share ice cream with friends. The flavors were in your face and delicate at the same time. The decor, though a bit girly was pleasing. I can’t wait to try this spot again and try their other flavors. Catch them if you are in the Beverly Grove area, Pasadena, or your local farmers market.
