ISO Westside Breakfast - Focus on Breads
My parents are coming to town this weekend and my dad LOVES bread. All types, but particularly crusty ones. We're going to Getty Villa on Saturday and would like to have breakfast on the westside beforehand. I live in Culver City...So, anything between CC and Malibu would work. We're looking for a place that has lots of excellent breads. Casual with an area to sit down is preferred --- like 3 Square Bakery (though I've already taken them there).
Thanks for your help!
By jjsawrey
on Feb 26, 2009 10:56 AM
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Breadbar?
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I've actually taken them there too. crap!
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Did you catch this thread? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/598187 What about City Bakery in Brentwood at the mart up on 26th and SV? Or Amadine on Wilshire just west of Bundy?
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Amandine Patissiere
12225 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
City Bakery
225 26th St # 25, Santa Monica, CA
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amandine has been on my list forever for the croissants....sadly, their website doesn't list their bread/pastry selection...but if you say they have a good one, that could be a winner --- dad gets his bread and i get a croissant!
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I love Amandine -- by far the best croissant I've had on the westside. I don't think they do full table service -- you order at the counter, find a table (there is limited patio seating both in front and behind) and they bring food to your table. So there is no bread service per se. But they have a great selection of delicious baked goods -- croissant, baguettes, brioche, nut and grain rolls, and we haven't even gotten to the sweet stuff. Main dishes are a couple of quiches each day, two or three soups, omelettes, and sandwiches.
Another very nice and full service brunch is at Joe's, on Abbott Kinney in Venice. They put out a very nice bread basket with three different types of toast. Brunch offerings begin with a very small fruit salad or soup and then a breakfast plate (for example, two eggs, three small fluffy pancakes, and bacon) or a hot item like salmon, and run about $13. Seating is in a covered patio area, very nice in good weather though tables are pretty close together, and you can drop your guests in front before using the shared valet parking lot in the back. Lilly's, next door, has actual outside seating, and Hal's down the street is good as well.
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Servog,
Myself as well as jjsawrey would like to know about the bread selection at amandine as I have not been there. What could you tell us from your personal experience there.. I like crusty bread as the OP's Dad..
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Here's how I would play it -- Amandine is a lot more casual than City Bakery up on 26th in the Mart. It is also a lot less expensive. Less attitude, friendlier. But parking is more hit and miss -- you might luck into a spot in front, and they have a small lot but it is dicey when someone parks an SUV blocking in the cars. You might have to walk further from your spot up in Brentwood off San Vicente, but you will always find a spot. Amandine is often easier and sometimes frustrating as hell, while City Bakery costs in money and time. I prefer Amandine.
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I'm pretty sure we'll end up at Amandine. Casual, counter service is fine as long as there are some chairs. And as far as parking, my parents are early risers....so, we'll likely be eating breakfast before most westsiders are awake :)
It seems as though Amandine will have a nice selection of breads.... dad can try a few :) And I get a yummy croissant. I'll report back about the actual bread selection.
Thanks for your help!
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Amandine has excellent selection of pastries but I don't think their bread selections are as expansive as BreadBar though.
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crud...time to re-evaluate. i've been to anisette. and while yummy, i feel like we'd get the cold shoulder if dad just wants bread and OJ. hmmm...i'll look into this dolce vita place. city bakery intrigues me, though i find it rather annoying that their website is only for new york. and i've heard it's pricey in relation to what you get. we'll figure something out. thanks for all the suggestions!
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Amandine's baguette (I think they have two types) is the best I've found in my area.
They also have a few brioche.
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Do they like what they had at Breadbar? If they like it, you can take them to Cafe Luxxe in Santa Monica. They get their bread and pastries from Breadbar. It's a casual place with seating area. Coffee is excellent. Same bread, different venue...if they don't mind.
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in addition to Caffe Luxxe, I forgot to mention Via Dolce also on Montana - *great* selection of breads and pastries!
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jjsawrey: Does your father care about whether the breads are baked on the premises? Via Dolce is a popular neighborhood bakery, but I think they get their bread from Il Fornaio or La Brea.
And I forgot to mention Grateful Bread which is probably the only bakery, besides Pioneer Boulangerie (skip it), on Montana that actually bake their own breads.
http://www.gratefulbread.org/
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fdb, how is the bread at Grateful Bread? I've only had a cookie from there (not great).
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I like their sesame French roll, scones, muffins....never tried their cookies though. Since Cafe Luxxe opened down the street, I usually go down there for breads. I love anything from Breadbar.
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Breadbar is what you're looking for- name speaks for itself!
Their breads are excellent, and you can order the varied bread basket along with your breakfast dishes.
Not sure if it's on the way to the villa, but the Century City location would be most convenient.
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thanks cinemaverite1....they've already tried bread bar. (should have mentioned that)
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Also, Huckleberry! They bake all their bread in house. I was going to suggest the bread/pastry basket at 3 Square but it sounds like you already have that covered :).
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huckleyberry is AMAZING. not sure we'll be able to fight off the crowds though. we plan to try santa monica seafood for lunch. so maybe we'll pop in huckleberry for dessert.
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yeah, it's a madhouse over there. check some of the reviews for samo seafood before you go. our lunch there the other day was pretty disappointing and the place is also pretty packed.
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yeah, the reviews are disappointing...though, i think my parents will like the combo of a seafood market-cafe. we might hit malibu seafood instead (excellent food + views). thanks again!
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Breakfast at Junior's with skirt steak and eggs, fried potatoes, and thick-sliced, well-buttered cinnamon-bread toast.
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Junior's Restaurant-Deli Bakery
2379 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
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Try Elysee in Westwood Village... great pastries and breads, as well as great coffees and drinks.
There's Grateful Bread on Montana, but I don't know if that qualifies.
If you wanted a little nicer, Anisette would be a good choice.
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ohhh, I didn't even think of Anisette! That would be a great choice!
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I wonder if 3 Square might work...? If the OP's dad doesn't get what he wants off the menu, he can always get breads right next door at the bakery...
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I think OP said she'd already taken them there :). 3 Square was my first thought too, though...
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Oops - thanks...
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alright, we went to amandine. and, of course, my parents were running late because they aren't used to LA traffic. so, we got there just after the 10am threshold....no tables in sight. but it all worked out. while they don't have an extensive bread selection (baguettes, brioche, that's about it), my dad did get a pastry and an entire baguette - which was fresh out of the oven, almost too warm to eat right way. we polished off the entire thing! my croissant was amazing as promised. (we then went to bay cities for dad to get more bread :)
thanks everyone!
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One of my sons, aka BreadBoy, likes to go to Amandine just for the toasted baguette, bread and butter, no jam, end of story!
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Thanks for the first hand report. I have been meaning to try amandine and I will now.. My son loves croissants.. Funny that you polished off the whole baguette, something I would do and then have crumbs all over my car...
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You MUST hit up Amandine. My wife and I went there with a friend and her adorable little boy for brunch on Saturday, and (as always) were so deliciously satisfied.
French Toast, Croque Madame, Epi, Pain au Chocolat, Cheese Danish, and their Pain with the raspberry/cream cheese filling.
Mmmmm Mmmm!
We even took home several slices from their pastry/cake selection for dessert after dinner with another friend and her daughter later that evening.
I've yet to be disappointed at Amandine.
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Thanks for reporting back, jjsawrey, and glad you all enjoyed Amandine.
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