Malassadas (other than at Kings Hawaiian)?

[ipsedixit]

I'm a little overdosed on donuts and churros ... and now have a hankering for malassadas.

Other than driving out to the South Bay to Kings Hawaiian, any other place in LA or SGV that would have these?

Thanks as always.

[Argyle of Sock]

Can't vouch for them but I saw that Back Home In Lahaina in Carson may have them. I asked about them at the Manhattan Beach location (where I saw a little card on the table advertising them) and the waitress said they had them at the Carson location only.

This was a few months ago so they might not have them anymore. Call ahead maybe, and let us know if you have any luck :)

Oh yeah, Hong Kong Bakery (in the Torrance/Gardena area) has them too but IMHO they are not that great. Get the manapua (the kalua pork manapua is particularly good) instead. :)

[Vegasbuff]

I believe this place has them, but I would call to make sure. Haven't been here so I don't know the quality.

Pacific Islander QSR
2540 S. Figueroa Street (at Adams), Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: [phone]

Also, from what I've heard, the L&L's that do have malasadas are pretty bad.

[Chandavkl]

I believe Pacific Islander closed down a while back.

[Chandavkl]

Only other place I could think of in LA would be that Portuguese bakery in Studio City. There used to be a great Portuguese bakery in Artesia or Cerritos, an area which had a large historic Portuguese population (and I think still does) but they closed several years ago.

http://www.nataspastries.com/index.htm

[liu]

Chandavkl -- If I remember correctly, this subject has come up before, perhaps when we first discussed Natas Pastry shop when it first opened. I think you are correct that they do make malasadas but they do not always have them. One time when I was there to request one, they asked me to call ahead and they would be sure to have them. Perhaps, ipsedixit, you will want to give them some advanced notice of your visit, and while there be sure to try their natas...well worth the chase!

[Chandavkl]

Good point. Even in coastal Massachusetts where there's a large Portuguese/Cape Verdian population, I noticed that the bakeries only made malasadas on certain days (weekends, if I recall).

[liu]

Interesting...
I think I remember this about a few bakeries in Maui also; malasadas were a weekend item. Is it considered a special treat or is there another reason for this?

[carter]

The Tex Drive-In on the Big island of Hawaii in the town of Honoka'a, just a bit east of Waimea, has them available throughtout the day and every day. That is one of their major claims to fame.
they are a breakfast staple, not a special treat for special occasions, except when they are only available on weekends as is the case at Natas in Sherman Oaks.

[Vegasbuff]

I didn't particularly care for the malsadas at Tex Drive In. I thought that they were rather heavy and greasy and they had just come out of the fryer. On the Big Island, I thought the malasadas at Punalu'u Bakery were much better. Not sure how Tex Drive In got named on of the top donuts in the country a few years ago.

The standard for malasadas in Hawaii is at Leonard's Bakery on Oahu. Those were much, much better than Tex Drive In. I haven't had a chance to have the malasadas at Champions Bakery though. It's my understanding that the baker for Leonard's left for Champions a number of years ago, so those are definitely worth trying.

[ipsedixit]

Yeah, Leonard's was my inspiration for this post. I love those roving malassadas wagons they have ... sort of like the Krispy Kreme Kiosks.

I think the only difference between Champions and Leonard's is that the former fries up the malassadas only after you order them. But then the turnover at Leonard's is so high, you're almost always guaranteed to get a fresh (or nearly) fresh fried malassadas regardless.

[Vegasbuff]

Yeah, the haupia and dobash malasadas at Leonard are the best.

[5thandSpring]

have you had the pineapple custard malasadas at Leonard's? out of this world.

[umeakai]

all this talk of malasadas makes me want to hunt down a leonard's truck! i didn't even know you could get these outside of hawaii...

[pleasurepalate]

Here's a pic of the one at Natas:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addic...

[katkoupai]

What are they? Would L&L have them? There's one on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena, but I don't know if they do desserts.

[ipsedixit]

For lack of a better description, they are basically donuts made with fried dessert dough.

They are Portugeuse / Hawaiian treats.

[monku]

No deserts of any kind at L&L in Pasadena.
Malasadas are basically a raised donut recipe with more eggs in it.

[katkoupai]

Thanks for the info. I've never had one of these.