Best casual dessert place in LA?

[arsoisaen]

I've been looking around for a good dessert only place, especially with the holidays coming up and friends coming back home. Anyone have any good recommendations for a casual dessert only (or at least a significant amount). Somewhere I can roll in a couple hours after dinner and just enjoy various items.

I've looked at simon's junk food sampler, that seems a little too plain for me. Providence and Spago are both more restaurants that have a great desserts, but I'm not so sure I can show up and just get straight desserts w/o sitting at the bar or ordering food also.

[mmmclapclap]

i agree to jinpachi small amazing absolutely great desserts and sushi might not call it casual though

[daddelson]

Babalu on Montana in Santa Monica has an amazing selection of desserts. Every one is better than the next. I like the chocolate peanut butter mousse cake, but the dutch apple pie is also killer.

[soccerandlost]

I like Babalu a lot as well, but in full disclosure it has become somewhat inconsistent recently. Certainly not as good as it was several years ago.

[Emme]

Le Marmiton

Elysee (in Westwood... GREAT coffee drinks and pastries!)

Michel Richard

Urth Caffe

Cafe Crepe

Acadie

3 Square Bakery

Swinger's for a shake and pie (Jerry's, as Diana says, does some good desserts--oreo shake!)

Solar de Cahuenga

Du-Par's

Masa

Aroma

French Crepe Co.

[soccerandlost]

Great list, Emme. I was wondering if anyone was going to mention Aroma. If you're on that side of the hill, that's where I'd go (and have many, many times before).

[fdb]

Are the sandwiches at Aroma any good?

[mbh65]

Ditto on O-Bar, the Hot Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae is great. Also, although it sounds crazy, Jinpachi has some of the best desserts ever, and they do a sampler for about $16. The wife used to be a pastry chef at Granita. The sushi is awesome too, so you could kill two birds with one stone!

[TonyC]

Ugo Italian Bar in Culver City. full case of gelato, outdoor patio, a strong espresso and even a bellini. Open late as well.

LA definitely needs more late nite dessert bar/cafes. I'd kill to have Chicago's Hot Chocolate in my neighborhood.

[Diana]

where is Jinpachi?

[mbh65]

8711 Santa Monica Blvd. WeHo

[mbh65]

http://www.jinpachisushi.com/

[echo eater]

The Alcove in Los Feliz is open until 11 or so and has coffees, teas as well as wine and beer to go with their myriad cakes, cupcakes, pastries, cookies, etc.

[Diana]

I really like Lucky Devil's. Great beer, fabulous vanilla frozen custard, amazing milkshakes and the pie ain't bad either. not fancy, but great.

Providence's dessert tasting menu is somewhere around $20. I doubt Spago would mind if you went in for coffee and a few desserts.

One of my favorites is to go to Mel's Diner on the Strip and get a big milkshake and huge wad of pie.

Also, one of the few things Jerry's Deli does well is the midnight madness dessert. A giant piece of rich chocolate cake, several scoops of whatever icce cream you want, and fudge. It's huge, yummy and really naughty. A billion calories of Joy.

[SauceSupreme]

Milk is open until 11pm. How late were you thinking? Also, I recommend people save room after AOC so that they could stumble to Doughboys for cake.

[fdb]

Unfortunately LA generally lacks late night dessert places. I've been to Sona for dessert tasting after dinner at other restaurants but it's not casual at all. In WLA, Literati is an option. Does anyone know if Urth Caffe opens late?

[PseudoNerd]

All Urths are open pretty late-- until 11 or 1 or so.

[AquaW]

Actually in Providence you can get away with just desserts (they even have a dessert tasting menu /w optional wine pairings -- something I plan on checking out eventually). Of course, plan on spending more than you would desserts normally.

Susina Bakery opens pretty late (I believe 11pm) and they have a wonderful selection of cakes, tarts and assorted baked goodies.

Jin Patisserie and new Boule Atelier have pretty yummy sweet stuff too (artisanal chocolates, macaron sandwich cookies, unique cakes, etc.) but neither are open that late and I also find Boule's service to be on the snooty side.

Another place where I'm fond of sweets (and cocktails) is O-Bar, their brownie sundae parfait and the caramel-banana "deconstructed" trifle are my faves there (and both are very share-able) - and they stay open till 1-2am I think.

~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com