Sweetbreads! I need sweetbreads!

[Hughlipton]

I was just up in San Louis Obispo for the Vintner's festival and attended an open house at Saucelito Canyon Winery where a company that makes sausages (Ray's Own Brand) was not only grilling up their different varieties of sausages but was also grilling up sweetbreads. Where in Los Angeles can we find sweetbreads?

[nolanani]

grilled sweetbreads can be found at any of the Gaucho Grille restaurants. That's the way they do them in SLO.

[troublemaker]

The original poster talked about grilled sweetbreads. I know they do this at Carlito's Gardel on Melrose. I thought they were decent but nothing to write home about.

[mollyomormon]

I wanted to resurrect this thread to see if anyone has current recs for excellent sweetbreads. I think the best I've ever had were at Opus back in the day. RIP.

[OCEllen]

I'd like to find a place where I can buy them to cook them myself! (I'm in OC)

[nolanani]

I would check any of the Mexican meat markets. We used to buy all of our meat in Santa Ana on First St. I was married to an Argentinean and we loved to grill sweetbreads, intestines, chicken, Italian sausage, beef, beef, and more beef.

[50sGuy]

Every year when we're in Palm Springs, I get the sweetbreads at Le Vallauris in downtown PS. Great romantic place with good food.

[rednyellow]

If you're in PalmSprings, Zin Bistro has fantastic sweetbreads with braised veal cheeks.

[RicRios]

Craft.
Sweetbreads w/cumquats. Best SB ever. Better than WG's.
Not currently in the menu, but you can call in advance and have Matthew reinstate it for you.

[bodie]

I very much enjoyed the sweet breads at Camillo's in Eagle Rock last time I ate there - though that was a couple of years ago.

[Bon Vivant]

I had some great grilled sweetbreads last night at El Morfi Grill up in Glendale on Brand. They were nice and crispy, just how I like them.

http://myculinaryadventures.blogspot.com

[woojink]

Opus has them regularly. I believe I've probably had them nearly every time I've eaten there. Chef Josef does a great job of varied preparations. When you make a reservation and ask for them, I'd be very surprised if they couldn't accomodate you.

[foleydog]

Had a fabulous veal sweetbreads appetizer at Sona last night. I highly recommend it. It was the best part of the meal.

[purplescout]

Brandywine has divine sweetbreads.

[Jerome]

cafe bizou has them at dinner. pasadena and sherman oaks.

[french roast]

I've had some good sweetbreads at an Argentine place up in the SF Valley area. Jonathan Gold profiled the place last week on "Good Food" on KCRW. So if you're willing to go to their website and find that broadcast, you will find sweetbreads.

[streetgourmetla]

Probably Mercado Buenos Aires on Sepulveda, but if it wasn't Mercado BA has wonderful sweetbreads in their parrillada.Most likely they can be ordered separately.

[kevin]

also sadly had some great sweetbreads at the old cafe blanc space.

[therealbigtasty]

Carlito's Gardel on Melrose has sweetbreads, all grilled and kinda charred...

[chica]

Sadly, I had the best sweetbreads at Table 8, which has since closed to reopen in Florida, but I hear it is set to open in LA in December, though who knows if it will prepare the same foods!

[918chef]

Chez Melange in Redondo Beach has been having them on and off for the last several months. They do a great job. I highly reccomend them. Chef Robert Bell is a culinary genius. Call in advance as the menu does change daily.

[Nicole]

I've had good sweetbreads at Orris and 2117, if you want to try an Asian version. I really enjoyed them, but I am by no means a sweetbread expert.

[RicRios]

Best sweetbreads I EVER tasted was back in the old times when MC was chef at Water Grill. Now gone from WG's menu, and I don't think they resurfaced at Providence's.

[Cheesepuffs2006]

Being a major sweetbread fan myself, I've found very good dishes at:

Cafe' Pierre - Manhattan Beach - one of their specialities
Le Petit Chateau - North Hollywood - one of their specialities
La Parisienne - Monrovia - one of their specialities
Le Petit Bistro - West Hollywood (often but not always)
Le Petit Cafe' - Santa Monica (often but not always)
Sona - West Hollywood - appetizer

[Will Owen]

Just had'em at La Parisienne. They were okay, though hardly worth putting up with the combination of pretentiousness, inattentive service, and underachievement in the cooking department. Oh, and not cheap, either.

Though I have not tried the ones at La Vie in Rosemead, my French maman-in-law gets them just about every time we all go there, which oughta tell us something. That place is also almost totally devoid of stuffiness, though it is formal in a friendly sort of way, and the prices are friendly as well. French food by a classically trained Vietnamese chef.

As for Le Petit Café, I'd love to try the sweetbreads there, just to have an excuse to go back!

[Chile_Rojo]

Sona had sweetbreads as an appetizer a while back and they were excellent. First time I tried them though, so I don't have any standard for comparison.

[young_chower]

Are these breads bakes on sight or are they purchased from somewhere?

Edit: Just did a wikipedia search... I didn't know that they aren't breads! sorry for the stupid question... got a lot more to learn.

[kingkong5]

yeah, they're not breads, and not even sweet, so I don't know how they came up with that name for animal guts.

[ostudio]

Bistro K, Pasadena
The Dining Room at Pasadena Ritz Carleton
Spago, B.H.
Cut, B.H
Opus
Providence
Pacific Dining Car (awhile back)
Mimosa (awhile back)
as you can tell, I love the stuff!
I would inquire when making reservations, since it may not be a regular item.

[DanaB]

Last time I was there, they had a fabulous sweetbread appetizer on the menu at Spago. Not sure if it was a regular menu item or a special, however.